Q – Forgive me, but I just don’t get it. My wife wants to bring the grandkids, ages 8-16 on a seven-night Disney cruise. I’ve heard they do some special things but have no sense of the experience. Wouldn’t the family have just as good a time on an adult line like Princess that also offers kid’s programs? I never bought into the mouse and the characters. It all seems so juvenile. If I see a fake pirate running around the ship I’m liable to shove him overboard.
A – But you won’t – because that would be juvenile. Then there’s the matter of “the hook”. If the cruise is really for the grandkids, and you’re not just bringing them along to accompany you on vacation, Disney is as good as it gets.
You will do rotational dining with the same waiter throughout. In Animator’s Palate, you draw characters that come to life onscreen. The Aqua tube is a big hit and it runs efficiently. Every cabin gets use of a cell phone/walkie talkie. You’ll always know where the grandkids are. The electronic wristbands for kids participating in the kids program works well and the staff can pinpoint the location of each child on a screen. The shows are professionally produced and truly memorable. The movies are fun and Disney puts their latest on the ships. The only nudity will be a quick shot of Tinkerbell.
Yes, you have to buy into the concept and yes, there is lots of cross-selling of toys that kids find hard to resist. But Disney is all about families while other lines realize that too many kids will adversely affect the number of adult cruisers they will be able to attract. That is the crucial difference and the reason that we have to rate Disney as the ultimate experience for cruisers whose primary concern is the well being, the joy, and the memories, their children and grandchildren will take away from the experience. Oh, and do remember to bring a suitcase filled with Purell.
