We are gold with Disney but wanted to try a cruise where we could drive to the port instead of flying. We thought it would be much easier and save some money. We live in new England and ended up cruising out of Baltimore on Grandeur of the Seas. We really did not enjoy the trip. The food was better than Disney and my youngest daughter liked the kid room because the activities were very clearly organized for the younger children. However, overall we did not have a good time. The beds and pillows were really uncomfortable. I asked for multiple different pillows and could never find anything that was comfortable. There were a few activities that were appealing to us as adults. If we drink a lot or wanted to go in the casino or shop for watches, we would have been fine. My older children who were 12 and 13 at the time really didn't like the teen room. It was just video games. There was no supervision at all and there were a few kids who were left alone to bully some of the other children. At one point, they actually took the gaming unit from the kids room to their room. Ultimately, it did make it back, but my boys did not. At one point, we signed my boys up for an excursion on their private island. When I booked it, I asked very pointedly if we needed to be there to sign any release forms. They said no. When the kids got to the island, one of us did need to sign a form. Because they use a tender boat, it took my husband over an hour to go down to the Island, sign the form and get back. They were supposed to keep the boys there at the conclusion of the trip so that we could come and get them. We arrived 10 minutes before it was supposed to have ended. It had already ended and the boys have been let free. It took us quite a while to find them. Needless to say, I was livid.
As an adult, I really didn't find the shows to be entertaining at all. They felt amateurish and did not compare to the Broadway quality that you see on a
Disney cruise ship. I did not like the casino either. It seemed like I was constantly having to walk through it or around it. There was so much cigarette smoke everywhere. Also, the constant attempts to get us to buy the drink package we're very frustrating. There were so many people on the boat who seem to be trying their hardest to drink their $50 a day worth of alcohol.
Between the movies and the planned activities all day, my husband and I are never bored on a Disney cruise ship. Because I did not want to shop and pay for all of my activities for the day, they really did not seem to be much to do. I think this is better on the larger ships that have more activities.
This cruise was so disappointing. We want to go to Europe next summer and Disney just does not have the itineraries that we are looking for. I'm going to give Royal Caribbean a try again. I figure if I'm going on a port heavy trip, the rest of the stuff on the boat won't be as annoying. We planned this trip because it was going to save us a great deal of money. Ultimately, I would rather pay more upfront and relax and have a much better time. Good luck with your choice