Answer to Petes question.

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'd also second K&J's recommendation to do a Christmas Market cruise. They are so much fun. We have a box load of ornaments that we bought at the various stops.

I have a Christmas market cruise booked for 2023 with some friends, and it ends in Berlin on the day after Christmas. We booked through Viking then transferred to Dreams, and our agent has been handling the details and our questions. I am really looking forward to that cruise!

 

[dd316]

The reasons I'm going to the parks and not a Disney cruise:

The Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Galaxy's Edge
...and a million other Disney things that a cruise just doesn't offer.

It's not really fair to compare a Disney cruise to a stay at the parks. Of course a vacation at the parks cost more, but it's apples and oranges.

 

[GAN]

I have a Christmas market cruise booked for 2023 with some friends, and it ends in Berlin on the day after Christmas. We booked through Viking then transferred to Dreams, and our agent has been handling the details and our questions. I am really looking forward to that cruise!

That's a must do in the near future for me ..I've had my eyes on them for a few years now. Probably would have already gone, but obviously that hasn't happened. I need to kind of work my schedule so I have 2-3 weeks. I have family in Switzerland -so any trip to that area means I'll be spending time there as well ..week on the cruise, then 1 or 2 with the family. Fingers crossed....

 

[GAN]

The reasons I'm going to the parks and not a Disney cruise:

The Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Galaxy's Edge
...and a million other Disney things that a cruise just doesn't offer.

It's not really fair to compare a Disney cruise to a stay at the parks. Of course a vacation at the parks cost more, but it's apples and oranges.

All great reasons, by the way! But DCL is a good value when compared to a Park vacation right now. In my opinion, naturally....

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I can't wait to try a Christmas market cruise - that is a dream for me! For right now, a family cruise seems too risky. If I lived in driving distance to the port - yes I would absolutely go and it's very tempting, but the expense of flying down with the possibility of a positive test at port even if we tested negative before flying down, being denied boarding and then having to figure out how to get back home, is just too much stress. I would be a mess until boarding.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

Agree with those that say comparing Parks to cruising are apples and oranges.

I don’t care for oranges. I have no idea what they cost at the grocery store since I don’t purchase them. If there was a huge sign above the display saying the price was $.10/orange, I would conceptually understand that it was a value, but I still would not purchase it.

I have the same opinion on cruising. Value or not, I am not interested.

But since I want to go to the parks, I view the value differently.

 

[Jennasis]

We would, I'm sure, love the Disney Cruises, but we cannot take one as we can't be unavailable for our business like that. Same reason we can't travel abroad or even to Disneyland. We are fine with it.

 

[dreamer17555]

I think Pete made a mistake comparing the parks to a cruise but one could easily compare a resort stay without the park to a cruise. I would argue a cruise is equal to a deluxe resort (plus food) perhaps even one with club level due to some food being included with club level stay (but not nearly as much as on a cruise).

So lets look purely at deluxe resorts vs the 2/19 7 night SWDAS cruise.
Cheapest deluxe currently available for those dates is Boardwalk Inn Garden View at $726.57 plus tax per night ($5,721)
Only deluxe club level currently available for those dates is the Polynesian at $1,022.43 plus tax per night ($8,051)

The 2/19 7 night SWDAS Cruise in a Verandah Stateroom
2 Adults- Deluxe Oceanview Verandah ($5,425) - no discount
2 Adults- VGT ($4,081)
2 Adults & 2 Kids- Deluxe Oceanview Verandah - ($8,276) no discount
2 Adults & 2 Kids- VGT ($6,274)

I think Pete's point that as far as resorts to cruise only that you really would get much more bang for your buck on a DCL ship vs staying at a Deluxe but that's just my opinion

 

[YachtClubWoman]

We've done 2 European River Cruises, with a third scheduled for later this year. They are a good way to see the European country side and some of the smaller cities.

I'd also second K&J's recommendation to do a Christmas Market cruise. They are so much fun. We have a box load of ornaments that we bought at the various stops.

My husband and I were on an Avalon Christmas market river cruise in 2017. One of the best vacations we have ever taken. Cruised the Danube from Prague to Budapest. I met John and Kevin at the one market in Vienna.

 

[BradleyOzDisFan]

Not sure why they are so baffled by the idea of how risky it is and what ppl stand to lose if they test positive.

It's called a MASSIVE sense of entitlement. They've forgotten how difficult, time consuming and expensive it is for out of towners to plan and organize a WDW vacation. I should know - I'm coming from LITERALLY the other side of the planet (Western Australia) and spending with a de-valued Aussie dollar. This will DEFINITELY be my last trip to US disney parks and most likely my last holiday to America.

 

[OKW Lover]

My husband and I were on an Avalon Christmas market river cruise in 2017. One of the best vacations we have ever taken. Cruised the Danube from Prague to Budapest. I met John and Kevin at the one market in Vienna.

You may have met Val & I as well. We were on the same cruise that J&K were on.

 

[YachtClubWoman]

You may have met Val & I as well. We were on the same cruise that J&K were on.

Yes - I do remember meeting you. I thought Vienna was one of the best markets. I can’t wait to river cruise again . I want to go in late spring and try a different river.

 

[robinb]

I think Pete made a mistake comparing the parks to a cruise but one could easily compare a resort stay without the park to a cruise. I would argue a cruise is equal to a deluxe resort (plus food) perhaps even one with club level due to some food being included with club level stay (but not nearly as much as on a cruise).

So lets look purely at deluxe resorts vs the 2/19 7 night SWDAS cruise.
Cheapest deluxe currently available for those dates is Boardwalk Inn Garden View at $726.57 plus tax per night ($5,721)
Only deluxe club level currently available for those dates is the Polynesian at $1,022.43 plus tax per night ($8,051)

The 2/19 7 night SWDAS Cruise in a Verandah Stateroom
2 Adults- Deluxe Oceanview Verandah ($5,425) - no discount
2 Adults- VGT ($4,081)
2 Adults & 2 Kids- Deluxe Oceanview Verandah - ($8,276) no discount
2 Adults & 2 Kids- VGT ($6,274)

I think Pete's point that as far as resorts to cruise only that you really would get much more bang for your buck on a DCL ship vs staying at a Deluxe but that's just my opinion

And to compare a Disney cruise with another cruise, I give you Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas. The Symphony of the Seas leaves from Miami on the same day as the Fantasy and has the same essential itinerary, going to St Maarten instead of Tortola.

2 Adults - Oceanview Balcony ($2600.48)
2 Adults, 2 Kids (10 & 12) - Oceanview Balcony ($5645)

Personally, I would chose the Norwegian Joy which leaves the same day from Miami.

2 Adults - Oceanview Balcony ($2365.48)
2 Adults, 2 Kids (10 & 12) - Oceanview Balcony ($3981)

This includes free alcoholic drinks for the adults, free internet (250 minutes, I think), 2 meals at their specialty restaurants for the adults and $50 off an excursion per port for the cabin.

 

[mcd2745]

Okay, conspiracy time...

Forget Pete's question for a moment. However, his point that there is no longer a lot of daylight between a WDW vacation and a DCL cruise as compared to 5-10 years ago, is absolutely true. Are the two vacations a true apples-to-apples comparison? Personally, I don't think so. While I love both, and have plans for both this year, I consider them incredibly different vacation experiences.

So the "conspiracy" theory....You think this is an intentional effort by Disney in an attempt to steer more people towards DCL? They now have a 5th ship to fill and 2 more (there have been no announcements that this has changed, as far as I know) in the pipeline. So by trying to steer their fans to DCL, and hopefully "converting" some of them into cruise people, they get the benefit of helping fill their ships, and lowering crowds at WDW while offsetting it with the increased spending per guest due to all the price increases.

 

[disneyseniors]

Okay, conspiracy time...

Forget Pete's question for a moment. However, his point that there is no longer a lot of daylight between a WDW vacation and a DCL cruise as compared to 5-10 years ago, is absolutely true. Are the two vacations a true apples-to-apples comparison? Personally, I don't think so. While I love both, and have plans for both this year, I consider them incredibly different vacation experiences.

So the "conspiracy" theory....You think this is an intentional effort by Disney in an attempt to steer more people towards DCL? They now have a 5th ship to fill and 2 more (there have been no announcements that this has changed, as far as I know) in the pipeline. So by trying to steer their fans to DCL, and hopefully "converting" some of them into cruise people, they get the benefit of helping fill their ships, and lowering crowds at WDW while offsetting it with the increased spending per guest due to all the price increases.

I have had that same thought about trying to steer people to cruises because they are definitely not filling up. I imagine that they are losing money. I think Pete said the amount of people needed for them to break even, but can't remember what it was? I know they are not there yet!
So, maybe you aren't too far off. It does make sense.

 

[boop0524]

I would love nothing more than a trip I don't need to plan or stress over. But the timing isn't right for us, so I dunno maybe one day. I'm not sure if we're really the cruising type anyway. When and if we do book a trip, it'd be hard for me to justify the cost of DCL vs RCL or others

 

[Gehrig1B]

Everyone travels for different reasons with different goals in mind.

Nothing puts me off more (except all-inclusive resorts maybe) than thinking about spending untold numbers of hours together with like-minded Americans eating mass-produced meals aboard a floating resort. And when you get off the ship all those same people head out together to the same destinations to see the same tourist stuff orchestrated by the cruise company. Been there, done that... No thank you.

I travel to see different cultures, experience real places, speak with real locals and immerse myself in a place different from my home.

 

[ucf_knight]

Pete asked the question on 1/25/22 As he commented on the great prices and compare to resort packages. So I will answer for possibly many of us.

WHY ARENT YOU GOING ON A DISNEY CRUISE ?
ANSWER : BECAUSE I AM NOT VACCINATED!

I would love too but Disney said No

Royal is significantly cheaper and doesn’t require the vax for kids. No brainer not to cruise with disney and go elsewhere. We priced out a dream veranda room vs a odyssey of the seas balcony room and disney is literally 4X the price.

 

[LA Poolboy]

I don't remember laughing at anyone being turned away for testing positive.

John it did seem at one point that you and Kevin were making fun of that possibility. Maybe unintentional or maybe I took it wrong since I am one who tested positive at the port, but it did seem like you were making light of it to a degree. I am not mad about it and certainly will continue to watch and enjoy the shows, but you should know how it came across.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We rebooked and cancelled several cruises over the past 2 years for our family of 5. Ultimately, we can't cruise right now due to the uncertainty of going through all of the effort to travel 1,000 miles with 3 kids to the port only to possibly have one of us test positive before boarding- then what? We are stuck in Florida with no reservations anywhere while we scramble to get back home with a Covid positive family member.

I also don't work with just a handful of people- I come into 'close contact' with 500 students at my school every week due to the nature of my job. It is winter here in NJ so my own kids have to eat lunch and snack indoors at school (they eat inside when the temp is below 40 degrees) further risking their Covid exposure and a possible 'surprise' positive test at the port.

If I was a local single or a couple without kids and could turn around and drive home in an hour afterwards obviously my opinion might be different.