Is cruising for us?

[HaphazarMe]

I feel somewhat silly asking this, but I guess this is the best place to ask a question like this. So myself and several family members are debating about whether or not a cruise is right for us - and if so, which one. To give some background: we're all adults (no kids), and we have little to no experience with cruises in general and none of us have ever been on DCL. None of us are really into sunbathing or water related activities...we might hang out around the pool or whatever for a bit, but I can see us getting bored pretty quickly. I think we'd want to get off the ship at each port, at least for a few hours. We could be tempted by sight seeing related excursions. That said, I don't see any of us really being interested in paying for excursions that involve beaches, water parks, sea creature encounters, etc. None of us are big drinkers, and I think we would probably skip most (if not all) alcohol related activities and not really miss it. I think we might be interested in trivia, but things like bingo wouldn't appeal to us. And finally, the only spa related activities I can see any of us doing is maybe the rainforest room. Given all of that, would it be possible for us to find things we enjoy on a cruise? If so, which cruises and excursions might we enjoy?

Thanks!

 

[diznymom]

You will never know until you try it. I suggest you try it. IMHO the Rainforest room is better on the Dream and the Fantasy. There are lots of things to do on the ships that do not involve drinking or water sports. As far as excursions....I suggest you go on the DCL website and look around at the excursion offered at the different ports of call.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Cruises aren't really about swimming, as the onboard pools are so small for the number of passengers, especially on DCL. It's more about relaxing, being pampered and having fun. I would recommend an Alaskan cruise for you, since you're not into beaches.

 

[starvenger]

Or Mediterranean, as there would be many non-beach/water related options to do.

But agreed with above - you never know unless you try. We can guide and suggest, but ultimately you'll need to make that call on your own.

 

[Numtini]

It sounds like it's not the vacation for you. Especially since they are so expensive.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Sort of sounds like a Caribbean/Bahamas cruise would not really be up your alley (and those seem to form MOST of what DCL offers).... but okay let's say maybe it is. Here is a link to a typical set of Navigators (daily programs) on a 7 night Caribbean cruise. The types of activities on board include trivia and bingo, yes, but also things like crafts, animation (drawing classes), game shows, cooking demos, movies outdoors by the pool or indoors in a theatre, music in a lounge, and then there's the daily entertainment, usually a Broadwayesque production or some sort of variety show, followed by entertainment in the adult-only areas of the ship. Have a look through the Navigators. There's always something to do, but that doesn't mean it's something you'll enjoy. Then there's also the gym/fitness area, shuffleboard, mini-golf on some ships, jogging deck. There are bars to hang out in (no need to have any alcohol). There's an adults-only pool and coffee bar.

Here's why I like cruising with DCL, and why I might choose an itinerary like the above: I like to turn off my brain when on vacation, to do as little or as much as I want, I like taking pictures with the characters on occasion, I like being able to watch movies (rarely do this in my normal life), I like knowing that I can enjoy at least one sit down meal a day where I've not had to participate in the cooking or the cleaning... and I love being on the ocean, it's so relaxing.

If none of that sounds appealing ... well, Alaska and the Mediterranean certainly present more 'interesting' ports and excursions, but they are also significantly higher in price.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We love cruising. 2 adults and no kids. My DH loves just relaxing on the veranda with a book, binoculars to watch passing ships/islands, and maybe a good beer. I enjoy learning from the chefs, being a detective and finding clues, learning about the history of Walt Disney and his family, and enjoying the fitness areas. There are so many things to do, you won't get bored nor be over worked. Check the Navigators (the on board ship's paper) for what's going on and decide for yourself.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

I would keep it as short as possible- either a 3 or 4 night out of Port Canaveral and definitely check out some of the many DCL vlogs on YouTube to get a feel for what is available. I take it everyone is a fan of Disney? Cruising is a completely different vacation from WDW but it hooks ALOT of people. It is a bit unfortunate that you are not beach people as Castaway Cay is such a highlight for many, but that still shouldn't stop you. Maybe you'll be up for the 5k or a bike ride to explore the island.

diznymom mentioned sticking with the Dream or Fantasy when it comes to the rainforest room. They are completely different on the smaller ships with no ocean views or hot tubs.

No one mentioned the shows and entertainment while on board. Would that be something that would interest you and your party? They are quite good and the Dream now has Beauty and the Beast which is just awesome!

Everyone cruises at their own speed. You can do as little or as much as you'd like and the navigators are always packed full of activities. I totally suggest getting off at each port and exploring the area.

I love the rainforest room and it's worth getting the length of cruise pass so you can come and go as you please. I really enjoyed reading on deck 13 by Satellite falls (adult area) during my last cruise. The promenade deck is super relaxing as well with comfy chairs complete with shuffleboard to feel like you're on the Titanic.

All things considered...you will not be bored. I do recommend second seating and try to get Palo brunch if you are all foodies.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I feel somewhat silly asking this, but I guess this is the best place to ask a question like this. So myself and several family members are debating about whether or not a cruise is right for us - and if so, which one. To give some background: we're all adults (no kids), and we have little to no experience with cruises in general and none of us have ever been on DCL. None of us are really into sunbathing or water related activities...we might hang out around the pool or whatever for a bit, but I can see us getting bored pretty quickly. I think we'd want to get off the ship at each port, at least for a few hours. We could be tempted by sight seeing related excursions. That said, I don't see any of us really being interested in paying for excursions that involve beaches, water parks, sea creature encounters, etc. None of us are big drinkers, and I think we would probably skip most (if not all) alcohol related activities and not really miss it. I think we might be interested in trivia, but things like bingo wouldn't appeal to us. And finally, the only spa related activities I can see any of us doing is maybe the rainforest room. Given all of that, would it be possible for us to find things we enjoy on a cruise? If so, which cruises and excursions might we enjoy?

Thanks!

Well, we're not beach/water types, we don't drink (much), and we like taking excursions that are more history-related ones. Also, adult only duo who likes trivia. We have played a little bingo, but not much. Never done any spa related activities.

We're still enjoying cruising (DCL, as well as other lines) and we're not bored.

 

[mmmears]

You won't really know unless you try it. I would normally recommend a really short cruise, but those don't go to the more interesting places. I didn't think I was a cruise person, and I'm still not the kind who books a cruise that goes around in a circle in the Caribbean. But Alaska, Norway/Iceland/Scotland? Those are some of the best vacations I've taken. So perhaps it would make more sense for you to look for an itinerary that sparks your interest and go from there. Preferably one without too many sea days in a row, just in case you do get bored on the ship. That has never happened to anyone in my family, but just in case. In Europe the ship was more like a moving hotel, and we woke up in a new port almost every day. I do enjoy the rainforest room (even on the Magic and the Wonder), the draw Mickey lessons, the I can cook ones, music trivia, Disney trivia, and the shows. I'm not a drinker, I haven't tried Bingo yet, and I've never been bored.

 

[Geomom]

I would look for an itinerary you're interested in. We've never had any interest in cruising the Caribbean/Bahamas and aren't that into 'beach' vacations. Our first cruise was Alaska, our second was the Baltic Sea--both had interesting ports. Alaska has some ports that can only be reached by boat or small plane. The Baltic cruise gave us a chance to visit St. Petersburg, Russia for a day without needing to get a costly Visa (as long as you are part of a group tour.) For us the Baltic Cruise was a wonderful way to sample 5 countries and still have the 'safety' of going back to our ship at the end of the day. We never thought we'd like cruising, but we did want to see Alaska and that is a wonderful way to do it. We love Disney, so it was a great way to get us onto a ship. We've loved both our cruises, love the nightly shows, dinner in the main dining rooms, meeting characters, etc.

 

[SG131]

Ok so you mentioned a lot of things you guys don’t like, but not many that you do. Are you guys big food people? I know on the dream and fantasy remy is amazing (I’ve heard Palo is too but haven’t been). Would you be interested in doing the detective game where you wander around the ship and some pictures turn come to life and help you find clues to solve the mystery?

My mom hates the beach and also doesn’t drink much, but loves cruising and has done many cruises on many different lines. She also loved castaway cay. I have only done a Disney Cruise, I don’t drink much but I do like the beach. I also don’t gamble (not very lucky) so I like that Disney uses their space for a movie theater instead of a casino.

If you do choose to cruise, get a verrendah room. It’s a nice spot to sit and relax especially if you don’t like to sunbath.

 

[Ladybugx87]

For us (even with kiddos), we love the destinations as much as the cruise. We don’t use the pools a ton, don’t play bingo, and don’t use the spa either. So what do we do on ship? We run/exercise, we enjoy sit down lunch and dinner, we go to the shows, we visit characters (with kiddos), and we enjoy some of the craft type activities. I’d recommend Palo for you too.
If you’re interested I’d give it a try!

 

[Karin1984]

I had the same, I do not drink alcohol, no gambling, and my skin is very sensitive so beach related things are not possible for an entire day.
I did a 4-night solo cruise to find out if I enjoyed cruising (yes, I do), and filled my days with visiting characters, did a tour of the ship, went to the movies, and if I had been able to fit it in (if it was offered, don't remember), I would probably have looked at things like the napkin folding/towel animals. Also just sitting on deck reading a book was really nice in the middle of the ocean. I spend a lot of time in the Rainforest room.

I only did the 5K at Castaway Cay, and walked around in Nassau for about 1,5-2 hours. After that I went back to the ship.

And then in the evening, I first had to go to a show, then I had dinner. By then it was 9:30, one night is pirate night.

My days were full.

 

[ember1205]

You should probably start by looking through cruise / trip reports, the DCL photos threads, and read through Navigators from previous cruises.

I hate the beach, but love spending time on Castaway Cay - I even did the 5K this time (walking) as it was a new way to explore the island. I do not spend a lot of time off of the ship in ports of call as the "shopping" is pretty useless to me (it's all trinkets and such) and I don't like the idea of paying a lot MORE to do things off of the ship after I already paid so much to be ON the ship.

I thoroughly enjoy Palo for a dinner one night, dinners in general are very nice and your server team takes excellent care of you for the duration of the cruise, and the Rainforest Room is a nice place to relax on a port day when many people are off of the ship. I do most of the trivia stuff that's intended for adults, the 'game shows' are fun (especially Match Your Mate which is for adults), and I am not a big drinker either.

As so many others have said - you have to try it to see if it's for you. Period.

 

[Kpitts17]

We never thought we would be cruisers. Not interested in ships or beaches, or swimming, but I said if we don't do it for our honeymoon, we'll never do it. Little did we know, we'd love it. My favorite part (because I love the Disney Parks) is being a few steps from your room. At any point, you can just go and take a nap or decompress (being a introvert, this was so important and amazing to refresh and re energize). I also really enjoy the Disney shows every night, even if they aren't the best like Dreams. There's always the possibility to get bored, but I think that's sort of the point. To relax either in one of the bars, beneath a chandalier, watching a movie or show, out on the deck by the hot tub, in the rainforest room. This next cruise we're doing our first excursion because I really want to see Xcaret Park, but other than that, we love staying on the ships.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have done over 20 Disney cruises and as a couple other cruise lines like crystal and silver sea.

While I love Disney cruises I’m not sure I would recommend as a first time experience for adults only.

Aside from the Disney experience itself, the reason I like cruising is the ability to unpack and relax. I do like hNging by pool and reading. I do like excursions if it’s a place I’ve never been.

If you really want to see Europe a cruise will give you a taste of several places. But if you wznt to immerse yourself in s culture rent a car snd drive yourself.

If you want to see Alaska take a one way cruise on a line like princess or crystal and end up in Alaska. Then rent a car and drive around to see Denali and the Kenai peninsula

If you’re testing out a cruise I personally would not recommend a really short cruise. You’re basically on and off before you have a chance to see if you like the experience. We never take cruises less than 9 or 10 days. Even 7 days seems too short

My advisor is to decide where you want to go or see snd then decide how to do it.

 

[ember1205]

My very first cruise was a 4-night Bahamian Disney cruise on the Magic in 1998 (inaugural year). It was a good experience for me overall, but I wasn't drawn back.

I cruised again on the Dream in 2014 (4-night Bahamian) and hated it for so many reasons, but a primary one was because of the size of the party and no one being able to agree on what to do. I thought I would not have an interest in cruising again.

I sailed this year on the Fantasy (7-night Western Caribbean) and it was awesome. Two adults only, and loved pretty much every minute of the trip. We got off of the boat in each of the ports of call (primarily to get Hard Rock Cafe souvenir glasses at two of them) but made our way back to the ship within about an hour or so. We spent the remainder of the day on the boat doing various activities including a day at the Rainforest Room and it was pretty great.

We're currently eyeing the 5-night Canada Coastal Halloween on the High Seas cruise at the end of September and are actually a little concerned that 5 nights won't be "enough" even though it would be our second cruise this year.

Short cruises are great to get a sense of whether or not you would be impacted by motion sickness, but not a lot else. There are so many movies, shows, activities, etc. that shorter cruises barely allow you enough time to even understand all of the options. By the time you get your bearings, you've missed half of them.

If you decide to give it a go, plan it for a short ways out so that you have a lot of time to research and maybe get some direct input from others that have done the cruise like what you're planning. Maybe join a Facebook group for the sailing you book and see if there are any veterans that would be willing to help you plan out your first day or so and help you get acclimated.

 

[mevelandry]

I feel somewhat silly asking this, but I guess this is the best place to ask a question like this. So myself and several family members are debating about whether or not a cruise is right for us - and if so, which one. To give some background: we're all adults (no kids), and we have little to no experience with cruises in general and none of us have ever been on DCL. None of us are really into sunbathing or water related activities...we might hang out around the pool or whatever for a bit, but I can see us getting bored pretty quickly. I think we'd want to get off the ship at each port, at least for a few hours. We could be tempted by sight seeing related excursions. That said, I don't see any of us really being interested in paying for excursions that involve beaches, water parks, sea creature encounters, etc. None of us are big drinkers, and I think we would probably skip most (if not all) alcohol related activities and not really miss it. I think we might be interested in trivia, but things like bingo wouldn't appeal to us. And finally, the only spa related activities I can see any of us doing is maybe the rainforest room. Given all of that, would it be possible for us to find things we enjoy on a cruise? If so, which cruises and excursions might we enjoy?

Thanks!

Maybe you should start with a shorter cruise, just to see if you can enjoy it. I find that a 3 or 4 nights (with a pre-cruise stay in a hotel) is a great way to find out.

In each port, there are plenty of excursions that do not involve "beaches, water parks, sea creature encounters, etc." ... There aren't that many alcohol related activities on DCL (anyways, those are not free). The Rainforest Room is much nicer on ships like Disney Dream or Fantasy so if going to the spa is something you'd like, I would focus on those two ships because they have excellent spas.

You did not say how much you liked Disney and if you were into characters. There are shows at night and sometimes special dining experiences that may appeal to you? (Maybe?)