Can a cruise ever be affordable for fam of 5?

[Divamomto3]

Hi all...I hang out over at the Resorts board, but I've been interested in a Disney cruise lately. The catch is that at rack rate, the cruise is quoted at over $7000 for my family of 2 adults and 3 children. I guess the only way to take 3 children is to get the "family suite?" Are there ever "codes" for cruises like there are for resorts? I can get a discount code at a deluxe resort, and with airfare and liberal spending money for goodies and great meals, still spend between $5500 and $6000. To pay $7000 before I even did any shore excursions or bought anything seems unreasonable.

Are there ever deals? I even got a quote from Dreams Unlimited and it was only slightly less. Can a family with 3 kids stay in anything but a suite?

Thanks for all your help DIS'ers!

 

[KEH]

How old are your children? We have 3 as well and are just about to go on our 3rd Disney cruise in 2 Category 11 cabins. Our kids are 15, 13 and 13 and this works well for us. This time we just have 2 cabins next to each other but we have had interconnecting cabins previously (Category 10 I think but someone else will know for sure). It can be done for less than the price of a family suite but much would depend on the age of yur kids and how you were happy to split the sleeping arrangements.

 

[dennisnlisab96]

Hi,

I just booked 2 cat 9 connecting cabins with AAA for my family...DH, myself and our 6 kids. The price w/o airfare is $6013.87. With that we also get refillable mug from AAA just like you can buy at the resorts. I hope this helps you a little.

 

[dennisnlisab96]

I just sent you a PM

 

[Divamomto3]

My kids are 3 boys, currently ages 11, 8, and 3. I think we will wait a year or two though so that the younger one is 5. Then they'd be 13, 10, and 5. I never thought about the idea of connecting cabins, that would work well. I'll have to check out the price difference of 2 category 10 or 11 rooms vs. the category 4 family suite. Thanks for the tip!

 

[cjsmith]

Getting two cabins will be cheaper for the five of you. We have 3 kids, 11, 13 and 15, and we always get two cabins for the five of us. My husband and I stay in a category 6 with a verandah and the kids are across the hallway in a category 11 inside. Not only does this save money, but we get 2 bathroom, extra storage, and some privacy!

 

[my3kids]

We got 2 category 10 rooms, which was slightly less than 1 category 4 room. We didn't hav a verandah, but we did have 2 bathrooms, extra space, and some privacy. Category 11 rooms do not connect. so if you want an interior door, you need to go to a category 10 or higher. If you book very early and off season, you'll get the best price. With searching for the best deals with various travel agencies, you can probably do it for about $4000(fare only...not including tips/excursions/flights)

 

[vgaskin]

We did the cat 4 in April and this time we were doing the connecting cat 10's. We decided to take my mom & stepdad to split costs and help with the kids. Since they are FL residents, when the rate went down, we upgraded ourselves to connecting cat 5's and have since added one more kid. But the 2 rooms can be cheaper than the 1 cat 4, you will have to pay full fare for 2 of the other kids though, not kids rates.

 

[jel0511]

Another important thing to remember is that the father out you book a cruise, the cheaper it is, which is the direct opposite in booking WDW rooms, especially with codes. It also depends on when you're planning on sailing. If you're looking at a holiday week, or sometime in the summer, that is primetime for DCL and you will pay accordingly. The cheapest times to sail DCL is Jan, Early Feb, late August, September, October, and early November. All other times are more expensive.

 

[gassmandy]

The week right after Thanksgiving (11/29-12/6 this year) is also one of the cheapest times. We were notified a month ago our rates dropped due to FL resident specials. Cheaper time of year and the ship is all decked out for Christmas.

 

[mjvans]

Six of us are going on 2 day wonder......8-29-04
1 cat 10 for myself, my thirteen year old son and my four year old son and a cat6 right across for my 8 year old daughter and 5 year old son...........that is how it technically reads on paper, but I'm sure most of us will cram in to the cat 6 at night to sleep and my 13year old son will have the cat10 to himself.......LOL
Michelle
ps :just around $3500.00 for trip

 

[scottygirl]

I feel your pain!! To make this trip affordable we are going in the beginning of November during a week where the kids will only miss 2 1/2 days of school. We paid $4800 for a category 4. The connecting category 10's were $800 cheaper, but DH had to have a verandah. You need to decide what is more important 2 bathrooms or a verandah. My kids are still young enough that primping in the bathroom will not be important. Also, book early, that's where the savings are!!

 

[wdisnyw]

WE WENT ON 8/17 TO 8/21. WE GOT 2 ROOMS TOGETHER CAT /9 DEC/ 2 ROOMS 2020 & 2018. MY DS'S ARE 16,15,14,10. YOU PAY 2 ADULTS PER ROOM NO MATTER WHAT.SO I PUT 3 IN EACH.IT CAME TO $4,434.10. WELL WORTH IT. THE ROOMS WERE GREAT.REMEMBER YOUR ONLY IN THE ROOM TO TAKE A SHOWER AND GO TO BED. I SUGGEST THESE ROOMS THEY WERE GOOD. HAVE FUN ON CRUISE.

 

[ElaineMc]

We are going on the October 9, 2003, 3-day Wonder and paid $2300.00 for a category 4, 3 adults 1 child in one cabin and 2 adults, 2 children in another. We booked through All Seasons Travel (allseastravel.com). You can get a decent rate you just have to check around and look at many different dates. My daughter will miss 4 days of school which I'm not crazy about, her teacher is giving her work in advance for the week, but our trip was kind of a last minute family reunion. ENJOY!

 

[goofysgirl]

Don't forget to look into booking through Sam's travel or Costco. We have two Cat 11's on Deck 7 for under $3400.00 We have three kids 15,13, and 9 and we found the extra room and the extra bathroom are well worth the price!

 

[mjvans]

in my earlier post, I forgot to mention that my HUBBY will be in the cat 6 cabin with our 8 year old daughter and 6 year old son and I will be right across in a cat 10 with our thirteen and four year old son......
Michelle

 

[hydster]

We too are a family of 5 and it does get pretty pricey! Our kids are a little younger 10,9 and 5 when we sail in May but we got the 7 day cruise with 2 connecting Cat 8 cabins room #'s 6024/6026 and plan to put hubby and I in 1 and the 3 kids in the other. For us to go in May on the 7 day with 2 connecting cabins was 5500 before the rebates and we paid at least that much for 1 cat 4 cabin on the 3 day land/4 day sea package last November. We are paying full fare for 2 of the kids but it was still MUCH cheaper than going for a Cat 4 cabin at the same time. For us the Cat 4 cabin would have cost about 7000.00 so we get 2 rooms for 1500 dollars less on the same sailing. Granted we do not get a verandah but we found with the kids we didnt use it much. When it is hubby and I alone we use it alot but we didnt use it more than about twice on the cruise in November. Also Disney has some deals going right now with some 3,4 and 7 night cruises for pretty good deals...you could probably check that out as well if your dates are flexible at all. The prices we got were without air for us.

HTH
Heidi

 

[bigsky]

Hey Divamomto3...I just sent you a pm. Any questions, feel free to email me back.

Laura

 

[d'Isigny]

as a Disney Dad of 3 Darling Daughters (3, 6 & 9)...frankly, larger families really don't get any breaks. The majority of the rooms are set up for 3 or 4 persons...so, go cat 4 or higher or 2 rooms.
some suggestions - invite parents - or in-laws & place one of your sons in that room. We took the In-laws on our Jan 03 7-day cruise - worked out well. I must admit...my In-laws are wonderful people - know others may not be as lucky as I am (psssst - dont tell em I said that).
best advise...take advantage of early booking savings. you'll be surprised how much you can save. Also, if you can cruise without a verandah...try the Secret Porthole Rooms. You can see photos and descriptions on Barb/Tony's site (which is wonderful).

http://www.castawayclub.com

best of luck to you...spend some time with the wonderful folks on these boards...you'll learn a lot.

 

[hilltopfamily]

My family of 5 went during "peak" time--end of July. We did 2 connecting cat. 10's on deck 2 for $6500 (cruise only, not including air, transfers, travel insurance, or excursions and booked 8 months early). It IS a lot of money & others here are right, that 1 extra person really ups the cost of the cruise. What I prefer NOT to think about is this: at $6500 that is almost $1000 a day for our 7 day cruise. WOW. and we didn't even have a window!