Alaska was amazing, where to next?

[shosh1530]

We just got off the Disney Wonder last Monday after a sailing to Alaska. This was our first-ever cruise and we loved the scenery, the shows, the characters, and our Alaska port adventures (I'll be sharing a trip report here).

But now what? We went ahead and did a placeholder reservation but I'm a bit stumped on where to go. DS would like do a "more fun" cruise (he loved the Alaska cruise but it was cold and rainy and he might want something more beachy).

After doing a full week 3 or 4 nights seems really short. Any recommendations on itineraries we should check out in 2024? Maybe Caribbean?

We can likely only do school break times (fall break round Columbus day, winter break, spring break, or June/July). Are the tropical destination cruises too hot in the summer?

 

[Calantha]

After doing a full week 3 or 4 nights seems really short. Any recommendations on itineraries we should check out in 2024? Maybe Caribbean?

We can likely only do school break times (fall break round Columbus day, winter break, spring break, or June/July). Are the tropical destination cruises too hot in the summer?

So, heads up, summer cruises/spring break cruise in the Caribbean can be really crowded. With that warning out of the way, I would totally recommend a Fantasy Eastern 7 night to Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay.

Or, if you want to stay on a Wonder-sized ship, there are a bunch of 5 nights on the Magic to the new Disney island, Lighthouse Point. We'll be doing that in late July.

 

[OKW Lover]

After doing a full week 3 or 4 nights seems really short. Any recommendations on itineraries we should check out in 2024?

Hawaii of course

 

[shosh1530]

So, heads up, summer cruises/spring break cruise in the Caribbean can be really crowded. With that warning out of the way, I would totally recommend a Fantasy Eastern 7 night to Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay.

Or, if you want to stay on a Wonder-sized ship, there are a bunch of 5 nights on the Magic to the new Disney island, Lighthouse Point. We'll be doing that in late July.

I'm very curious about Lighthouse Point and what that would be like. Do you know if they do more than one ship at anyone time at Castaway Cay or would at this new place? I did just read a summary of someone's Caribbean cruise and the crowds sounded pretty awful.

We were really hoping to catch the Magic for a Baja cruise out of San Diego since that is driving distance, but she gets there right after our fall break and leaves before have winter break I did really like the smallness of the Wonder.

 

[Calantha]

Do you know if they do more than one ship at anyone time at Castaway Cay or would at this new place?

Castaway is one and pretty sure Lighthouse will be one also.

 

[bcwife76]

My vote would be for a 7 night on the Fantasy eastern or Western Caribbean (eastern is better IMO). Hawaii would be awesome too if you want to stick to the smaller ships but they are only done when school is in session which is why we have not been able to do it (yet).

 

[MomOTwins]

The Dream cruises in Europe all summer. Mediterranean is what I’d vote for if you want something with as interesting ports as Alaska. The Caribbean has nice beaches for sure but the Eastern is mostly sea days and the Western ports are a bit blah.

 

[Marthasor]

I would probably do a 7-night Eastern (or better, yet, Southern if available) Caribbean, but, honestly, the most interesting DCL itineraries are in Europe - we loved the Norway/Iceland/Scotland cruise we did a few years ago.

 

[shosh1530]

I would probably do a 7-night Eastern (or better, yet, Southern if available) Caribbean, but, honestly, the most interesting DCL itineraries are in Europe - we loved the Norway/Iceland/Scotland cruise we did a few years ago.

My husband and I both love the idea of Norway, but for 2024 I don't see any until August overlapping with the start of school for us. There is a longer 12-night Iceland/Europe cruise but the price is probably too much for us and it would be hard to get enough time off. I've been to Iceland solo before and it might also be hard for me to only be there a few days.

I'll take a look at the other Europe sailings. We had to get our passports for the Vancouver part of our Alaskan cruise so we should put them to good use!

 

[sadiecatie]

Our next one is going to be a 5-night on the Magic going San Juan to Ft Lauderdale , with stops in St Thomas, Nassau, and Castaway Cay - that doesn’t help with the school breaks through (it’s the first week of May, we’re going to pull our daughter out of school for this one, tacking on time in San Juan beforehand to visit family we haven’t seen in a long time). (Also agreed, Alaska was amazing, and we’re ready to switch things up and have our next cruise be warm )

 

[JM_97]

If you are stuck to school schedules, I'd go for the Caribbean or Europe. Two very different experiences but you'll have lots of options for your vacation.

 

[JM_97]

The Dream cruises in Europe all summer. Mediterranean is what I’d vote for if you want something with as interesting ports as Alaska. The Caribbean has nice beaches for sure but the Eastern is mostly sea days and the Western ports are a bit blah.

What makes them blah? I am hopeful to go to the Western Caribbean on the Dream next year.

 

[Geomom]

Wonder Alaska was our first cruise in 2016. Magic Baltic Sea (Copenhagen, Estonia, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm) was our second in 2018. It was partly getting more use out of the passports we got for Alaska, and not being interested in the Caribbean. Last year we did do Fantasy Western Caribbean (to use up expiring discounts)...but had originally booked Greek Isles...I switched 6 mths before as the amount of Covid testing was excessive at that point (to enter Italy, to get on ship, and to return to US...with 4 people testing it just seemed too risky.). We are doing the Dream Norway cruise this August.

I agree it seems difficult to go down from a 7 nt cruise...that's all we've done so far!

 

[Geomom]

I'm very curious about Lighthouse Point and what that would be like. Do you know if they do more than one ship at anyone time at Castaway Cay or would at this new place? I did just read a summary of someone's Caribbean cruise and the crowds sounded pretty awful.

We were really hoping to catch the Magic for a Baja cruise out of San Diego since that is driving distance, but she gets there right after our fall break and leaves before have winter break I did really like the smallness of the Wonder.

Disney only does 1 ship at a time to their island(s). Lighthouse Point is their new island destination on the tip of Eluthera. Castaway Cay is a small Bahamas island.

 

[MomOTwins]

What makes them blah? I am hopeful to go to the Western Caribbean on the Dream next year.

I guess it is all subjective but I wasn’t super impressed with any of the Western ports, and I’ve heard a similar sentiment from others. Cozumel the port area feels like a run down shopping mall, the “ruins” we saw were crumbling piles of rubble infested with a gazillion mosquitos, and the beach was rocky and dirty. Grand Cayman didn’t have very interesting excursions or a port area and just felt like Nassau but with the hassle of having to tender to and from the ship. And neither of those ports was as pretty as the eastern caribbean islands. Jamaica was prettier but the port is very far away from most activities and has a bit of a bad reputation regarding crime/safety outside of the gated port area.

Just not an itinerary we care to repeat.

 

[holula]

Right now for me Alaska is #1, Norwegian Fjords is #2 and the Southern Caribbean is #3.

I’m sure some of the Med itineraries are great but since I live in Europe I don’t really have a desire to do a Med cruise.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

We did an 8 night southern Caribbean after Alaska. Next, we are headed to the Norwegian Fjords! We LOVED Alaska so I'm super excited.

 

[shosh1530]

When will the summer 2025 itineraries be released. Maybe there will be a Norwegian fjords one that will work with our scheduled then. There were a couple of great looking ones in 2023 that I'm not seeing in 2024 (at least timing wise).

 

[Calantha]

When will the summer 2025 itineraries be released. Maybe there will be a Norwegian fjords one that will work with our scheduled then. There were a couple of great looking ones in 2023 that I'm not seeing in 2024 (at least timing wise).

Probably mid-Feb to early April of 2024. It used to be longer, but since covid, not as much.

 

[tvguy]

Hawaii of course

I agree. But because most ships spend a lot of time in port in Hawaii, not sure the shows on board will be the same. We did NCL America on the Pride of America and many of the shows were extra cost and on land.