Dithering over cruise!

scrappykaren · 27 Jun 13, 07:12 PM

I'm driving myself mad here and I think my DH is fed up of hearing about it, lol!
One thing that is for definite is that we are doing a Disney cruise next May to celebrate my 40th! But which one...
We have 2 children who will be 7 (29th May) so will spend his birthday on holiday

and our daughter turns 5 in March.
So, the choices are the Transatlantic cruise on the 19th, Pros: looks a wonderful cruise, 12 nights and for the same money as the second cruise (7 nights, outside porthole) we could have a balcony stateroom! Really fancy going to Castaway Cay and I think 6 Disney days at sea will be fun. Cons: would mean taking our children out of school for a week and have to arrange childcare for second week of school hols (they have 2 weeks off in the May hols, our daughter will only be in her Reception year so i'd prefer not to take them out plus there are the new rules in place then

Also there wouldn't be any time to stay in Florida.
Second choice is a Med cruise on the 31st. Pros: nearer to home, less flying time (although that doesn't bother me too much, we took them to New Zealand on Boxing Day and they were fantastic on the flights!) We would have the opportunity to go to either DLP or Port Aventura the week before (prefer DLP, there is a train or plane that goes between Paris and Barcelona.) As mentioned before our children have 2 weeks off school during the May holiday we wouldn't need to keep them out of school. The Med cruise goes to Pisa, somewhere i've wanted to go to for a while. Cons: Value for money! As said before, it's exactly the same price for an outside porthole cabin and it would be for a balcony one for 12 nights on the other cruise, to be fair that is the major factor i'm considering. To be fair that is the only con! (We did do a Med cruise last Feb with MSC Cruises but no ports are the same)
To sum up on costs it would work out more or less exactly the same! For the transatlantic there would be the flight to Orlando, 12 nights cruising and flight home from Barcelona. The Med there would be a flight to Paris, around 4 nights in DLP, train/flight to Barcelona, 7 nights cruising and flight home from Barcelona.

So given all that, can you give any advise? Have you done either or both cruises? Would 6 days on board get a bit tiresome? (we'd get a couple of days at sea on the Med one) I like the idea of having a land/sea experience but Castaway Cay is pulling me!

Guest · 27 Jun 13, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by scrappykaren

I'm driving myself mad here and I think my DH is fed up of hearing about it, lol!
One thing that is for definite is that we are doing a Disney cruise next May to celebrate my 40th! But which one...
We have 2 children who will be 7 (29th May) so will spend his birthday on holiday

and our daughter turns 5 in March.
So, the choices are the Transatlantic cruise on the 19th, Pros: looks a wonderful cruise, 12 nights and for the same money as the second cruise (7 nights, outside porthole) we could have a balcony stateroom! Really fancy going to Castaway Cay and I think 6 Disney days at sea will be fun. Cons: would mean taking our children out of school for a week and have to arrange childcare for second week of school hols (they have 2 weeks off in the May hols, our daughter will only be in her Reception year so i'd prefer not to take them out plus there are the new rules in place then

Also there wouldn't be any time to stay in Florida.
Second choice is a Med cruise on the 31st. Pros: nearer to home, less flying time (although that doesn't bother me too much, we took them to New Zealand on Boxing Day and they were fantastic on the flights!) We would have the opportunity to go to either DLP or Port Aventura the week before (prefer DLP, there is a train or plane that goes between Paris and Barcelona.) As mentioned before our children have 2 weeks off school during the May holiday we wouldn't need to keep them out of school. The Med cruise goes to Pisa, somewhere i've wanted to go to for a while. Cons: Value for money! As said before, it's exactly the same price for an outside porthole cabin and it would be for a balcony one for 12 nights on the other cruise, to be fair that is the major factor i'm considering. To be fair that is the only con! (We did do a Med cruise last Feb with MSC Cruises but no ports are the same)
To sum up on costs it would work out more or less exactly the same! For the transatlantic there would be the flight to Orlando, 12 nights cruising and flight home from Barcelona. The Med there would be a flight to Paris, around 4 nights in DLP, train/flight to Barcelona, 7 nights cruising and flight home from Barcelona.

So given all that, can you give any advise? Have you done either or both cruises? Would 6 days on board get a bit tiresome? (we'd get a couple of days at sea on the Med one) I like the idea of having a land/sea experience but Castaway Cay is pulling me!

On a first cruise go for the med cruise not the Trans Atlantic.

You have more ports to see, and more chance of calmer water, and you can get on/off, The T/As are good but for the seasoned cruiser as you have a number of sea days in a row and the Atlantic may be unsettled. Lots of time changes on the TA and can be confusing.

The Med ports are very interesting and great education for the kids and short flights.

**Bats** · 27 Jun 13, 09:40 PM

I would go for the Med just because that's the one you're swaying towards.

We don't have children at school, but I understand the new rules can cause problems and if you have a choice, then I wouldn't (well, I might if the cruise was really good)!

We've done 2 Med cruises, or is it 3? Anyway, we have a back to back this year, also in the Med. We are then booked on to the one you're thinking about on the 31st May.

I'd do the Med for definite.

**amy56** · 27 Jun 13, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by DISNEY FANTASY

On a first cruise go for the med cruise not the Trans Atlantic.

You have more ports to see, and more chance of calmer water, and you can get on/off, The T/As are good but for the seasoned cruiser as you have a number of sea days in a row and the Atlantic may be unsettled. Lots of time changes on the TA and can be confusing.

The Med ports are very interesting and great education for the kids and short flights.

Agree with this - especially about no of sea days for a first timer

Plus wanted to add that our DCL med cruise was the best cruise we've ever taken - absolutely loved the ports & short flight times

. We've cruised in Bahamas, Caribbean & Hawaii and the med wins (so much so that we are back to backing in the med with DCL this August! )

**Bats** · 27 Jun 13, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by DISNEY FANTASY

On a first cruise go for the med cruise not the Trans Atlantic.

You have more ports to see, and more chance of calmer water, and you can get on/off, The T/As are good but for the seasoned cruiser as you have a number of sea days in a row and the Atlantic may be unsettled. Lots of time changes on the TA and can be confusing.

The Med ports are very interesting and great education for the kids and short flights.

Just a word of caution about worrying people about calmer waters ... the last 2 or 3 Transatlantics have been like mill ponds according to those who did trip reports. Whereas the Med cruise we did in 2010 had people heaving for a whole day. It seems the odds are not stacked against the EBTAs and WBTAs.

Ladyshopper · 28 Jun 13, 08:09 AM

I've just done the recent transatlantic in may and it was amazing. Would do it again in a heartbeat. Sadly I can't take kids out of school as they're doing gcse.

scrappykaren · 29 Jun 13, 09:58 AM

Thank you for your help and advice, I think we are leaning more towards the Med

Guest · 29 Jun 13, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Bats

Just a word of caution about worrying people about calmer waters ... the last 2 or 3 Transatlantics have been like mill ponds according to those who did trip reports. Whereas the Med cruise we did in 2010 had people heaving for a whole day. It seems the odds are not stacked against the EBTAs and WBTAs.

Overall the 'risk' of very bad seas is far far greater across the Atlantic than in the Med! Do note the sail in the Med for months but the only have one transatlantic east and one west (normally) in a year so the odds of one storm in the med on say three months of cruises is far far less. So far a few transatlantic cruises have been lucky!, but in the open ocean you can't get off! Like one trip report recently said. I recall the first USA to UK TA, people posted it would be fine! Then those on board posted poor seas, water coming in and panic! The ship was safe but it was rough. There is nothing to protect the ship in the Atlantic, and no land to go to for five days? A TA is good value for a seasoned traveller with sea legs but not for first time cruisers.

DIBBadmin · 29 Jun 13, 12:01 PM

This thread has been automatically closed as it has not been posted on in 365 days.

28 Jun 13, 08:09 AM	#6
	28 Jun 13, 08:09 AM Ladyshopper Imagineer
Ladyshopper Imagineer Join Date: Apr 11	I've just done the recent transatlantic in may and it was amazing. Would do it again in a heartbeat. Sadly I can't take kids out of school as they're doing gcse.

29 Jun 13, 12:01 PM	#9
	29 Jun 13, 12:01 PM DIBBadmin Imagineer
DIBBadmin Imagineer Join Date: Mar 02	This thread has been automatically closed as it has not been posted on in 365 days.