1st timer-Please help About This Page:

[farah]

Hello everyone...
DH and I will be celebrating 10 years next year and just started to think as to what we want to do. When i said a cruise, my daughter said what about the Disney Cruise? I looked in her eyes and felt so guilty if we left the kids with grandma so i told my husband if we go, we are taking the kids. Anyhow, we have never cruised before and just dont know where to start or what to do. All I know is we would go in early summer. Any suggestions and advice would help!

[emtpej]

Well, there is a lot to think about!

Get the the Passporter for DCL,
Read my Raincloud TR and find out about our experience onboard,
Read other crusiers TRs,
Look at this thread that has the navigators and stuff I got:
Navigators from 3 Night Wonder Cruise
Throughly examine castawayclub.com:
CASTAWAYCLUB.COM

The cruise was so super wonderfully fantastic!

[Colexis Mom]

We did a 4-night Disney cruise for our 10th anniversary, and took the kids with us. I'd recommend what EJ said, get the DCL Passporter, and then start looking at prices

[Disneydiana]

You'll LOVE the Disney cruise. After our trip DH (who is not a huge Disney fan like me) said that he wouldn't cruise w/ any other company. He loved it that much!

Pick up the DCL Passpoter Book and Check out the AllEars webpage about the DCL: AllEarsNet Cruise Guide

Have fun planning!

[kewbrickny]

We did the 7 day Western this past April to celebrate our 20th Aniv. We took the kids (DDs 15, 10 & 7). We all loved it. We stayed in 2 connecting Navigators Verandah rooms. Get the Passporter, ask all your questions here, and decide which destination you want - then book it!

[dmpyron]

Since cruising is an entirely new experience to you, I'd suggest finding a knowledgeable travel agent. What exactly is that? Find someone who knows Disney. Not "oh yeah, I sent a family to the magic kingdom last year", but someone who has lots of clients who go and who goes him/herself. Find someone who knows cruises. Best of all, find someone who is a college of knowledge grad. A good agent will ask you lots of questions, and encourage you to ask lots of questions. If you read up all the sources listed above, you'll have lots of answers. But sometimes getting a real live, breathing person to answer them will help settle your nerves.

[1unracer]

HI
I agree with getting a knowledgeable agent. I owned an agency and was a graduate of the FIRST College of Disney Knowledge. I retired in 1999 and the last cruise I did was NYC to Bermuda in 2000. When we decided to do this Family Reunion Cruise in December, I could not believe how much had changed in the booking and shore excursion process. The PassPorters book and this web site has been the BEST friend to have. I have had a lot of questions and none have gone unanswered. These people KNOW Disney.
TAKE THE KIDS! You will definately not be sorry! We are a group of 11 and we have kids, Grandkids and in-laws to share the Magic.
Ask lots of questions here.
Good Luck
Lynda

[mindelmouse]

We are doing our 10 year anniversary cruise with our kids (twin 7 year olds). Would be happy to give you any advice when we return - it's our first DC too!

[HeatherD]

I can top that - we did our 10 year anniversary cruise with 2 kids AND my in-laws! Although, now that I think about it, maybe that was better because they helped with the kidlets....

[farah]

thank you everyone for your suggestions. I think I may be overwhelmed thats all. I need to get a DCL passporter and will research. At the time of travel, my daughters will be 5 and 8. Would they be split up at the kids club? that is a concern because since they will be seperated from parents at some point during the trip, i dont want them to be split up....MINDLEMOUSE..let me know how your trip went..

[chezp]

I would definitely get a Disney Cruise Line PassPorter. It will cover everything you need to know.

[HeatherD]

my daughters will be 5 and 8. Would they be split up at the kids club?

Yes - the 8 year old will go to the Lab while the 5 year old will stay at the Club. They are in different rooms. Both are fun, but you know best how your kids handle separation. Mine were 7 and 3 last year, so were both in the Club, but in separate programs (they split it 3 & 4 together, 5-7 together). Next year, they'll be 5 and 9, so they'll be separated. They already know what to expect, so I know they won't have any problem with it.

I say give it a try - you'll have a beeper and if one or the other really has a problem, the staff will let you know (my DS got tired late one night and they sent us a beep saying that he was tired and wanted us to come get him - we were on our way to the Club at the time!). They may also be fine as long as they know what to expect.