MinnesotaChill
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
I just got off the Magic. I was my first DCL cruise and only my second overall.
Both very last minute. I booked DCL four days before we sailed. I've never researched cruises.
I LOVED DCL. It was my teenage daughter and I and we went last minute when someone else in an extended families trip couldn't go. We didn't actually get that room, but the fact we might have was what made me look into sailing at the last minute. We joined my sister and her husband with two little boys, 3 & 4, another sister and her husband (no kids) and my parents. My daughter is 16.
The Magic was the perfect ship for us. Plenty for me to do without anyone else (movies, shows, sitting in the adult area where my nephews couldn't get to me, a few trips off the boat and into port, and spending time with the little guys when I wanted to).
Being on the cruise made me remember how much I love cruising and to start dreaming about the next cruise I want to take with my husband. We'd like to do a Mediterranean in 2-3 years when our last kid is in college. Since I've never gotten to do research on ships before, I thought I'd start now. January in MN seems like the perfect time to dream.
When I went on the RCL site I was completely overwhelmed. I love that Disney is simple.
Here's what we're looking for:
Smallish ship. Wonder or Fantasy would be perfect, but I'm wondering if there's a better choice for a empty nest couple.
Great service.
Adult things to do on board while at sea.
Great food.
Neat adult areas.
The RCL ships concern me because they look like an amusement park on top and I feel like they will have a ton of kids, be loud and have some of the nicest spaces full of slides, rock walls, etc.. Since our kids will have newly left the house and we won't yet have grandkids (we'd better not have grandkids), this would be one of our opportunities to sail without those features. They also seem huge.
I realize that the ships could move around, change ports, be in dry dock, etc., but what should I be looking for? A certain class of ship? Should I stay with Disney? I am a former Disney cast member, own DVC and love Disney at heart so I won't be overwhelmed by the theming, I'm just wondering if there's something else we should try before we have grandkids to consider. I also like the idea of less expensive stateroom on another ship.
So what say you, oh cruising experts? Where should I start?
PS: Just to give you full info, our first cruise was Holland America to Alaska. We were in our early thirties and the youngest on board by about 20 years. There was one other couple our age and we wound up playing cards with them all day at sea because there wasn't another blessed thing to do. Great service, okay food, but the "activities" spaces were things like a library and puzzle room. We didn't care much at the time, we were just happy my parents were watching the kids, but I definitely need more to do on future cruises! LOVED Alaska, though!
Both very last minute. I booked DCL four days before we sailed. I've never researched cruises.
I LOVED DCL. It was my teenage daughter and I and we went last minute when someone else in an extended families trip couldn't go. We didn't actually get that room, but the fact we might have was what made me look into sailing at the last minute. We joined my sister and her husband with two little boys, 3 & 4, another sister and her husband (no kids) and my parents. My daughter is 16.
The Magic was the perfect ship for us. Plenty for me to do without anyone else (movies, shows, sitting in the adult area where my nephews couldn't get to me, a few trips off the boat and into port, and spending time with the little guys when I wanted to).
Being on the cruise made me remember how much I love cruising and to start dreaming about the next cruise I want to take with my husband. We'd like to do a Mediterranean in 2-3 years when our last kid is in college. Since I've never gotten to do research on ships before, I thought I'd start now. January in MN seems like the perfect time to dream.
When I went on the RCL site I was completely overwhelmed. I love that Disney is simple.
Here's what we're looking for:
Smallish ship. Wonder or Fantasy would be perfect, but I'm wondering if there's a better choice for a empty nest couple.
Great service.
Adult things to do on board while at sea.
Great food.
Neat adult areas.
The RCL ships concern me because they look like an amusement park on top and I feel like they will have a ton of kids, be loud and have some of the nicest spaces full of slides, rock walls, etc.. Since our kids will have newly left the house and we won't yet have grandkids (we'd better not have grandkids), this would be one of our opportunities to sail without those features. They also seem huge.
I realize that the ships could move around, change ports, be in dry dock, etc., but what should I be looking for? A certain class of ship? Should I stay with Disney? I am a former Disney cast member, own DVC and love Disney at heart so I won't be overwhelmed by the theming, I'm just wondering if there's something else we should try before we have grandkids to consider. I also like the idea of less expensive stateroom on another ship.
So what say you, oh cruising experts? Where should I start?
PS: Just to give you full info, our first cruise was Holland America to Alaska. We were in our early thirties and the youngest on board by about 20 years. There was one other couple our age and we wound up playing cards with them all day at sea because there wasn't another blessed thing to do. Great service, okay food, but the "activities" spaces were things like a library and puzzle room. We didn't care much at the time, we were just happy my parents were watching the kids, but I definitely need more to do on future cruises! LOVED Alaska, though!