First Time Cruising EVER! Lots of Questions!!! About This Page:

[DisneyLuv]

Hi,
So DS will be 16 next July (yes I'm the mother of an almost man!!!) and we want to do something special for him. So I started to have the thought a few weeks ago... what about a cruise!!! I think he would like it (you know it's hard to tell with teenagers what they will like ) and none of us have ever been (also me, DS4, DS6 and DH or DM). So I started looking into the Carnival vs. Disney cruise lines and of course I want to do Disney, but the Disney cruise is more expensive (for the 5 of us), so I've been going back and forth trying to weigh the two which led me back to the board for some advice from the knowledgeable passporters! So pls bear with me while I ask a few questions.....

1) First of all, has anyone ever been on both a Carnival and Disney cruise? If so, which is better (I know, I know, how could I even ask)? Again of course I would love, love, love to do Disney, but if we want to go for his b-day in July, we cannot possibly afford Disney so if anyone has any experience with Carnival, would love to hear about the family activity/experiences, especially for the little ones (and since we are not into gambling or drinking not sure if this would be a good option).

2) Which leads to my 2nd question which is: our 1st choice would of course be July for his actual b-day, but end of August is much less expensive and may be an option if we decide to go ahead with DCL. However I'm very worried about the weather, hurricanes, etc. Has anyone been end of August (Bahamas cruise) and experienced bad weather? If so, was the cruise cancelled or just delayed or redirected?

Thanks and any other advice you could think of would really help so bring it on! Sorry this post is so long ! Thanks for taking the time to read it!

[Colexis Mom]

I can help you with #2. We went in August 2006 (I think it was the 19th or 20th). We didn't have any issues whatsoever. It was a 4-night cruise, and the water was actually smooth as silk. Hardly any waves, it was like cruising on a pond. We did have a day of rain in Nassau, but other than that, the weather was great and it was a fantastic time.

We're going again in August (the 22nd) in 2009 doing a Western DCL cruise. Like you, I chose late August due to the price, as it's right before the kids go back to school

[emtpej]

We had a great time on our cruise in July! Our older son is 15 and the younger is 8. They did not go to any of the kids or teen clubs, but the cost of them is included as is all of the meals, unlimited sodas, the Pirates in the Caribbean Party with buffet, unlimited meals at Castaway Cay...

Everybody had such a great time, we are planning to go again in 2011 after our older son graduates!

[Dave Marx]

Have you fully priced Carnival, or are you judging by the basic, double occupancy rate? While Disney will always come out more expensive, Carnival's rates for kids/additional guests over two per stateroom are higher than Disney's. Carnival also lacks a program for kids your son's age - teens end up hanging out in the public casual dining/promenade areas in the evening. You'll also find more "small" charges on Carnival that add up quickly (be sure your quotes include all port fees and taxes). Consider also that the Carnival ships have casinos, Disney's do not.

It's almost unheard of for a cruise to be cancelled due to weather. Re-routed, yes. While August is the peak of hurricane season, the Caribbean is actually a pretty big place, so chances are, even if there's a storm when you travel, it may not have a major effect on your cruise.

If you priced a stateroom for five, then the rates will be especially high. You'll find that two Deluxe Outside staterooms will be cheaper, and you'll have more living space.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

If you priced a stateroom for five, then the rates will be especially high. You'll find that two Deluxe Outside staterooms will be cheaper, and you'll have more living space.

We had a Cat. 4 ($$$) stateroom because we wanted all five of us in one room. If we ever do it again, I will follow Dave's advice, and possibly get connecting rooms, too.

[HeatherD]

I've done both Carnival and Disney. I chose Disney on the Caribbean tours because of Castaway Cay. On the west coast, I'd have to consider carefully if I want to spend the extra money. If it was an issue (as in, we can't go if we don't go cheaper), I'd actually go with Royal Caribbean over Carnival. Carnival was full of young adults and singles and people who wanted to drink and gamble (I'm categorizing, I know). Royal Caribbean seemed a little more sedate, though there still weren't a lot of families.

However, nothing can beat Castaway Cay, so since you're looking at the Caribbean, I have to recommend DCL. But, make sure you look at Royal Caribbean and compare RC and Carnival's kids' clubs - both younger and teen (though, at 16, he may prefer being considered an "adult").

[dmpyron]

Rather than look at Carnival, I too would recommend Royal Caribbean. Although Carnival is really a fun line and has pretty much shaken off the old party hardy image (those people are now the parents of the the kids they want on board), you still have to pick your cruise carefully. You can easily get a balcony and interior across the hall (do you trust the boys together in one room) for less on an RCI ship. But, as has been noted, there is a tremendous difference in the kid's programs. Especially for the "almost adults". I have a client sailing with a 16 yo and he HATES it when I talk about "the kid's programs". I too would recommend two rooms. Be aware of some important wording. ADJOINING is not the same as CONNECTING. Any two rooms next to each other are adjoining. Two rooms with a door between them are connecting. Only about 20% of the rooms on the Wonder and Magic are connecting. And they go fast. I personally would book two cat 8s next to each other. You'll have to actually talk to someone, either your agent or DCL rez, as this is next to impossible to do on line. Having two cabins also gives you two bathrooms and more privacy. With three boys, this might save you from doing all of your dressing in the bathroom. Yes, August is less expensive than July and yes, the incidence of hurricanes is "higher". But not by much. You really have a couple of things you need to prioritize (a great reason to talk with a good agent). Price, features, itinerary. We went to Albuquerque last year on 12 hours notice. You really can't do that sort of whimming for your first cruise.

[Belle*]

Add me to the list of people saying that the debate should be between Disney and Royal Caribbean. Carnival's programming for young kids (such as your 4 and 6 year old) is simply not comparable. With a group as diverse in ages as yours, I would recommend Disney as it really has something for everyone.

[eatright]

I have done RC, Carnival AND Disney...and after having done Disney most recently I will NEVER take another cruise on any other cruiseline. YES, the price is more but the service, food, entertainment, room size and quality, etc. can't be beat. As far as I am concerned based on my experience, the others are substandard compared to Disney. From the moment you step into their port you immediately notice the difference.

I did travel (on Carnival) in October during a hurricane and the course was altered....we actually did the same itinerary only backwards and aside from some high waves which didn't effect the ship except for some slight rocking during one night, we never would have known it was out there. I wouldn't let that stop you. Ships can steer around bad weather. Just be prepared that you may end up somewhere you hadn't planned. Did you hear the story years ago about the ship that I BELIEVE left from New York headed for Bermuda but due to a storm ended up in CANADA!! Cold weather and everyone packed for warm!

[deanna23]

We have not done a Disney cruise yet, but it is booked for June 2009.We did a Carnival cruise in July 06. We decided to try a cruise with a cheaper cruise line before we spent a lot of money to do a Disney cruise. Just to make sure that we liked to cruise. For me Carnival was just ok, I felt that it was more geared to party people and not families. They have more Vegas style shows that are not always family oriented. My children were ages 10 and 8. My eight year old did not like Carnival's kid program and my 10 year old would not go. There was also the hairy chest contest at the pool in the afternoon and the kept showing over and over again on Carnival's tv channel. So for a family vacation, I would not choose to do Carnival again. Sorry so wordy.

[lukeandbrookesmom]

I've done Carnival, RCCL, NCL and DCL. I'd pick Disney hands down over the others with RCCL in a very close second. I've also cruised during a hurricane (Hurricane Hugo, Sept 1989, a devasting cat 5 hurricane) and if it hadn't been for hearing about it on the news I wouldn't have even known about it.

[DisneyLuv]

Thank you so much for your responses!!! It is much appreciated. We really have a lot to think about. Didn't know about the little "other" expenses on Carnival so will look into that (thanx Dave!). Also thanx dmpyron for the advice about the connecting vs adjoining. Very good point. I think I'll price the two rooms option for mid-August 09 and go from there. I must admit I am leaning towards DCL, but wanted to get all the facts before deciding. I had heard Carnival was still more a party ship (although the rep tried to convince me otherwise ) and that is definitely not for us. And of course the little ones wouldn't mind seeing the Disney characters again, but since this is more for our will-be-16yo, also want to make sure it's not too "kiddie" for him to enjoy too. Will keep you updated on the decision!!!

[HeatherD]

And of course the little ones wouldn't mind seeing the Disney characters again, but since this is more for our will-be-16yo, also want to make sure it's not too "kiddie" for him to enjoy too.

Just remember to tell him this, even if he doesn't want to participate in the teen stuff onboard: Teens only beach on Castaway Cay!

[dmpyron]

When looking at the "quality" of a cruise, one thing to consider is the length. For a 3 or 4 night cruise, DCL is by far the tops for families. Shorter cruises tend to attract more partiers. The people who are going to be able to afford to stay drunk on a week long cruise are also old enough to be just a little better behaved. A VERY important note about Carnival ships. They have a separate sunning deck that is marked "European". If you don't want the younger ones getting anatomy lessons, make sure they stay away. Although the latches are rather high up and pretty stiff.

[DisneyLuv]

VERY important note about Carnival ships. They have a separate sunning deck that is marked "European". If you don't want the younger ones getting anatomy lessons, make sure they stay away. Although the latches are rather high up and pretty stiff.

probably important to keep the 16 yo away too for that matter!!! LOL! if he sees this post he might just WANT to do Carnival. probably we should go ahead and do DCL... As i said earlier, we are not party people either. thanks again for the tips.