1 week Orlando, 1 week cruise?

[2littleboys]

Anyone done an itinerary like this, we are looking for 2020 and have done some research on cruises.

However not sure whether to try a TA or wait and book myself.

I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thanks

[disney-101]

Hi. We are doing a 5 days cruise and 7 days wdw in October this year. Sailing with Royal Caribbean. 😁

[Smilesonfaces]

We did this in October 2017. It was fabulous and would love to do it again. I booked everything separately. A dibb villa in Orlando for the first week we just had the 3 park sea world tickets. we then drove to Fort Lauderdale for our Harmony of the Seas cruise. We handed our car back and collected another one after the cruise which i booked with cruise 118. We then had another couple of days on International drive before flying home. I did this so we weren't flying straight home. We disembarked at about 7/7.30 and the drive back was about 3.5 hours or so.
It had been a compromise holiday- I wanted Florida husband wanted the cruise and it worked really well. A week of doing our own thing followed by a week of being waited on. For the cruise I worked to a £100 ppn budget.

[mick]

We've done it three times but, sadly, our methods back in 2005 and 2007 won't help you now. We booked back then with the good old Travel City Direct before Virgin took hold of them. Booked cruise, hotel, flights and car hire with them.

Many years later we did it again but through Virgin Cruises. We booked flights, cruise and first night's Miami hotel through them. We did however spend the last 10 days or so in a villa which we booked ourselves and we just asked VC to amend the return VS flight.

Many expert DIBB cruisers suggest that the cheapest way to book the cruise element is on the cruise line's US web site and pay in $$$ and do the other bits DIY.

Mick

[richard29]

We've done this 7 times and loved every one. We normally use Royal Caribbean, but in 2020 we are going with Celebrity cruises.

We've done cruises from New York, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale.

Port Canaveral is just over an hour from Orlando and as mentioned Fort L is 3 and half hours from Orlando.

We book our own cruise, flights, car and accommodation in Orlando.

[Bubba31]

We are doing 12 nights in Orlando followed by 5 night Carnival cruise from Miami to Grand Cayman & Jamaica. Done it once before (Bahamas) and loved every minute of it.

[Bats]

It really depends on what cruise line you're thinking of booking with as some are better to book on UK sites and others better to book via US sites.
Sometimes it's better to go DIY, other times, you can get a great deal with a US TA- there isn't a one size fits all I'm afraid.

On the cruise forum, you may get some additional help with the best option for cruise booking that's not DCL.

We have many people who have cruised with multiple cruise lines and I'm sure they'll be able to help you (I only cruise with DCL so can't be much help - apart from to say ... have a great cruise!)

Joa

[Cloverlady]

We've done this before and would recommend it

We've cruised from Miami for a week around the Eastern Caribbean then had a week in Orlando after it.

We've had a couple of days om the Florida coast, had a 4 night cruise from Miami to Key West and Cozumel, then had a couple of nights on the Gulf Coast then on to a 7 night cruise from Tampa to Western Caribbean/Mexico followed by a night in Orlando for a 'fix'.

Would definitely do this kind of thing again.

I think we would like to cruise for the second half of a holiday after theme park mayhem to relax a bit Although cruises can be as busy or as relaxed as you make them!

[dizzyc]

I'm doing this in 2 days time! Booked our cruise 18 months ago direct with NCL, then booked flights with Virgin, and booked hotels on hotels.com/travelbag - so we are spending 8 nights in Orlando, travelling to Port Canaveral and going to the Caribbean for 7 nights - to say I'm excited is an understatement!

[2littleboys]

Originally Posted by dizzyc

I'm doing this in 2 days time! Booked our cruise 18 months ago direct with NCL, then booked flights with Virgin, and booked hotels on hotels.com/travelbag - so we are spending 8 nights in Orlando, travelling to Port Canaveral and going to the Caribbean for 7 nights - to say I'm excited is an understatement!

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Sounds amazing... have a wonderful time!