What I Wish I Had Known Before Going On European Cruise

[wombat_5606]

For those saying you don’t spend much time on the boat, is it worth the Disney premium for Europe? One of our fav things about a Disney ship is ship time, if off touring 10 hours a day, would a cheaper cruise line be sufficient?

I say, yes!

My opinion, if you’re a first time European visitor and you’re going to be touring every day, save your money.

If you have small children with you and you’re not going on long excursions or not doing one at every port stop, then Maybe Disney is worth it.

On our first cruise in the Baltic’s, we should not have wasted money on a veranda cabin. If we were in the cabin awake more than a total of 24 hours out of 14 days, other than showering and changing clothes, I’d be surprised. We got up early and were off the ship, came back Just in time for dinner and the show(maybe), then go to bed, and do it again the next day. This was on another cruise line. I absolutely would not pay for Disney with that kind of pace, especially if I’d done a Disney Cruise before.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

I say, yes!

My opinion, if you’re a first time European visitor and you’re going to be touring every day, save your money.

If you have small children with you and you’re not going on long excursions or not doing one at every port stop, then Maybe Disney is worth it.

On our first cruise in the Baltic’s, we should not have wasted money on a veranda cabin. If we were in the cabin awake more than a total of 24 hours out of 14 days, other than showering and changing clothes, I’d be surprised. We got up early and were off the ship, came back Just in time for dinner and the show(maybe), then go to bed, and do it again the next day. This was on another cruise line. I absolutely would not pay for Disney with that kind of pace, especially if I’d done a Disney Cruise before.

I always find the difference in peoples approaches interesting. One of the reasons we choose Disney even for the European cruises is for us after a long day in port, we love coming back to the comfort of Disney. We love having those few hours we relax on the ship to be in the "Disney Bubble". We feel comfortable with Disney and the experiences we get with DCL and we enjoy coming back after a long day in port to our home of smiling cast members and a hug from Mickey (if we aren't to tired to get in line for one that is) and knowing exactly what to expect and what we will "get" during our few hours on the ship.

For some people the cost/benefit might not be worth it. For us it absolutely is.

 

[Hubie]

We have sailed with DCL three times out of Copenhagen. We love the city and feel at home while spending time there. Getting to the port was easy and boarding went smooth all three times. We did Norway in 2016 and Northern Europe in both 2017 and 2018. We loved visiting the northern countries and felt much safer in their large cities than at home. We usually only did one excursion with DCL per cruise, because the ports were very easy to explore on your own. The major exception was St. Petersburg where we did a DCL excursion both times we visited. Tips I have are included in my two trip reports for the 2017 and 2018 Northern European Cruise titled, "Twenty Thousand Steps Per Day" and "Another Look at the August 9 - 16, 2018 Disney Northern European Cruise (Completed)".

 

[DahliaRW]

For those saying you don’t spend much time on the boat, is it worth the Disney premium for Europe? One of our fav things about a Disney ship is ship time, if off touring 10 hours a day, would a cheaper cruise line be sufficient?

It depends on the cruise itinerary. When we did the 11 night Northern Europe we 3 sea days. It was awesome! A really great mix of crazy amount of touring as well as 3 relaxing days on the boat!

 

[DahliaRW]

We have done a couple of european cruises and one key difference that I noted was with the ports. Many of the ports seem to be more industrial and isolated from our experience. (Sorry haven’t done the Med, just northern Europe, Britain and Transatlantic). In the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexico there are areas in and around the port that are walkable. Expect for Oslo, or if you get the right port in Cork, expect to bus to a more pedestrian friendly area or just book an excursions.

It depends on where you are going. In Norway, most if not all of the ports are walkable. In Northern Europe some were, but they ran free shuttle buses to the city center for those that were not.

 

[PurplePencil]

For those saying you don’t spend much time on the boat, is it worth the Disney premium for Europe? One of our fav things about a Disney ship is ship time, if off touring 10 hours a day, would a cheaper cruise line be sufficient?

I’ve done 4 Disney European cruises now. Having the Disney touch when you step on the ship after a tiring day is so valuable, especially the customer service. Walking onboard from a long day and have waiting in the lobby/on dock flavored water and cool towels on hot days and hot chocolate, tea and coffee on cold days. Coming to dinner and having your non-alcoholic drink of choice waiting on the table. There is still time in the evenings and sea days to enjoy the Disney experience.

 

[JulieODC]

We loved, loved, loved the Dover-Scotland-Iceland-Norway-Sweden-Copenhagen cruise we took last summer - truly an amazing trip.

One tip is that we booked almost all excursions independently- and book early! Some ports have fewer tour guides, and they filled up - especially for some of the more popular or unique excursions. We had a wonderful cruise group who shared tons of info, and that was invaluable too.

 

[fredandkell]

For those saying you don’t spend much time on the boat, is it worth the Disney premium for Europe? One of our fav things about a Disney ship is ship time, if off touring 10 hours a day, would a cheaper cruise line be sufficient?

I think this depends on the age of your children. Mine were eight and 11 the first time we cruised and I think the Disney factor really gave them something to look forward to at the end of a long day of touring. Like, they actually roused themselves to go back to the dining room for dinner because they wanted to see Rapunzel’s table. That sort of thing. If your kids are older, it may not be as big of a deal.

 

[fredandkell]

On our first cruise in the Baltic’s, we should not have wasted money on a veranda cabin.

I haven’t cruised the Baltic yet, but I second this for the Mediterranean. It’s so port intensive and you really don’t spend a lot of time in your room. We had two connecting interior staterooms and never missed having a window or a balcony for a minute. Plus in the Mediterranean, many of the ports are very commercial and industrial looking so it’s not like you have these amazing views anyway. I’m sure that is different for a cruise like Norway.

 

[belle032]

We cruised the British Isles on the Magic last year and had an amazing time. Know that Europe will be much more go-go-go than any Caribbean sailing and be prepared to be exhausted. It more reminded me of WDW in that I could have used a vacation after that vacation! In most ports, be prepared to walk!

Don't be afraid to research third party tour companies! Or do your own thing! We did Hop On-Hop Off bus in Dublin, booked the Titanic Museum & Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast for at least 1/3 of the price of DCL, booked third-party in Scotland (our favorite tour!), and actually booked an Escape Room and just explored on our own in Liverpool. I'm not saying don't bother with DCL excursions, but definitely do your research.

At least on out sailings, all the ports where the ship actually docked was very industrial. These aren't Caribbean ports! You will need to travel into wherever you are going and that can take some time. It took about 45 minutes to get into Dublin proper for example. So don't think you can just walk off and figure something out. Have a plan of what you're going to do beforehand to maximize your time in port.

I prefer longer cruises overall (doesn't everyone?!), but this 7 day itinerary easily should have been at least 8-9 days. I looked at the BI itinerary for this year and they even added a port to the the 7 days, which I think is just too much. Not that anyone sailing it won't have a fantastic time, but to put it simply, it's a lot.

If you have the time, stay a few days in the city you are flying in/out of. We added 2 days in London to the end of our trip. Wish it could have been more, but you know...work was calling. It added to the exhaustion, but was very worth it playing tourist. Get comfortable with the metro! They're pretty easy once you use it a few times.

Would do a European sailing again in a second. Would love to do the Med or Northern Europe. Another cruise line we enjoy is also doing "journey" cruises which include ports like Iceland. Definitely on our list. Possibilities are endless!

 

[PurplePencil]

At least on out sailings, all the ports where the ship actually docked was very industrial. These aren't Caribbean ports! You will need to travel into wherever you are going and that can take some time.

That being said, depending on the port Disney sometimes offers a shuttle bus into the city nearest port. For example, when Barcelona is a port call it is not feasible to walk from the dock into the city. Instead, Disney has a free shuttle bus running frequently.

 

[bearette]

I didn't do a Disney cruise to Europe, because as others have mentioned you are in port most of the time so for me the value isn't there, so they were with other companies. Some tips I have is know the "kids " ages for things you want to do like museums because an adult price may be at 6 years old or not until 18.

My next tip is not to do an excursion , but to either rent a car or use public transportation. (This also factors into knowing ages, as my kids were free on the train in Finland until 7, but at 4 they needed tickets on public transport in Barcelona). I use Rick Steves or other audio guides and then I set the pace. If we were hungry we stop to eat, the kids are bored, we find them a park. I save thousands in tours and go on multiple trips a year because I can count on my hands how many "excursion" trips I have done. You don't have to do this in every port either. Some places were super easy to DIY, while others the excursions may be worth it, such as all day excursions that take you several hours away from the port. I tend to stay away from those, though because of my third tip.

Don't do long excursions with kids, they get bored and need play time and flexibility. You can't hear the tour guide because you are minding them while they are checking out the pigeons in the fort.... Glad I paid for you to come here so you can chase pigeons. They love all the different stuff! My son still says his favorite part of Australia was the cockatoos in the Blue Mountains that he chased in the park. Some museums have kid friendly features so t search those places and seek them out. In Amsterdam, the Heineken museum has some kid friendly activities, which you wouldn't expect from a brewery!

Guidebooks-when libraries are open I use the free books to research what is in a town/port area. Then you can find out about those areas and plan your own excursion and research the best way to get there, rental car,train, bus, boat, or cab.

 

[tlprice]

I did the Med in 2018 and the WBTA in 2019. I am very glad I did Disney. I did the cheapest stateroom, knowing we wouldn't be in it that much. My daughter was 11 on our Med cruise and loved the comfort and reassurance of returning to the Disney ship every day. We also mostly did half day excursions so we spent quite a bit of time on the ship, which was fabulous because most people were out on long excursions and the ship was pretty empty during the day. Non-DCL excursions are definitely the way to go so you can see and do what you want, when you want, which made things much more flexible for us. On the WBTA we ended up with 6 sea days in row because we had to change our route to avoid a hurricane. I think I would have been bored to death on another cruise line for that many days. Disney did a great job of providing fantastic activities every day.
A couple of big differences in Europe over the Caribbean and Bahamas is that you have to take your passport with you when you get off the ship because you will have to show it to get back on. Another difference was that there seemed to be many more people in the ports in Europe.

 

[o&smom]

I haven’t cruised the Baltic yet, but I second this for the Mediterranean. It’s so port intensive and you really don’t spend a lot of time in your room. We had two connecting interior staterooms and never missed having a window or a balcony for a minute. Plus in the Mediterranean, many of the ports are very commercial and industrial looking so it’s not like you have these amazing views anyway. I’m sure that is different for a cruise like Norway.

Our first cruise in an inside stateroom was the 12 night Med with Greece and Turkey. We usually always book deck 2 oceanview. The cruise prior we got upgraded to our only veranda stateroom. We were a little nervous about that being a shocking difference for us, but we did not even notice. We like to enjoy spaces on the ship and not hang out in our room.

 

[mousefan73]

For those saying you don’t spend much time on the boat, is it worth the Disney premium for Europe? One of our fav things about a Disney ship is ship time, if off touring 10 hours a day, would a cheaper cruise line be sufficient?

I would say it’s worth the money only if the itinerary is the one you really want. I think many people sail Disney on the med because they first decide they want to sail on a Disney boat and then basically except whatever Disney is offering. If your focus is really exploring the Mediterranean then I would look at other cruise lines and see what their itineraries are. For example I would never start a med cruise in Barcelona that stops for one day in Rome. I would rather get on the boat in Rome and see Barcelona in one day. Simply the fact that Rome is impossible in my opinion to actually enjoy as a one day port excursion where Barcelona is doable ( especially on your own save the execution money) I would rather fly in to Rome and stay there two or three days before embarkation and really see the city also Barcelona’s port is a 10 minute shuttle ride can a possible 2 hour process in Rome.

 

[I_love_Cruising]

Simply the fact that Rome is impossible in my opinion to actually enjoy as a one day port excursion where Barcelona is doable ( especially on your own save the execution money)

Barcelona is not doable in a day. Most European capitols can not be fully visited in a day. You get an overview, you explore your favorites, but you can't see everything.


I think this is the biggest difference between Caribbean itineraries and the European ones. Most European ports have beach access, cultural sites, historical sites, museums and more active sporty excursions. On the Caribbean Islands you seldom find all of that.

 

[belle032]

Our first cruise in an inside stateroom was the 12 night Med with Greece and Turkey. We usually always book deck 2 oceanview. The cruise prior we got upgraded to our only veranda stateroom. We were a little nervous about that being a shocking difference for us, but we did not even notice. We like to enjoy spaces on the ship and not hang out in our room.

We went back and forth between a verandah and an ocean view for our BI sailing and finally settled on an oceanview, mainly due to the cost. No regrets. You're so busy in port and doing other activities I don't think you need a verandah. Plus, depending on the time of year and where you are going, it might be chilly just to be out there for long periods of time. It was in the 60s most days on our sailing. So for us, that extra savings went elsewhere.

Barcelona is not doable in a day. Most European capitols can not be fully visited in a day. You get an overview, you explore your favorites, but you can't see everything.

I think this is the biggest difference between Caribbean itineraries and the European ones. Most European ports have beach access, cultural sites, historical sites, museums and more active sporty excursions. On the Caribbean Islands you seldom find all of that.

Agreed. We really had to pick and choose what we wanted to see in port. We stayed in the city in Dublin & Belfast, but if we go again (fingers crossed!), we'll go outside the city to see other sites. We went to the countryside in Scotland, but next time I'd like to visit Edinburgh. You will miss a lot of things no matter what. I think that's why it's so important to have some type of plan going in!

 

[hrhdhd]

I’ve done 4 Disney European cruises now. Having the Disney touch when you step on the ship after a tiring day is so valuable, especially the customer service. Walking onboard from a long day and have waiting in the lobby/on dock flavored water and cool towels on hot days and hot chocolate, tea and coffee on cold days. Coming to dinner and having your non-alcoholic drink of choice waiting on the table. There is still time in the evenings and sea days to enjoy the Disney experience.

I haven't taken a Disney cruise in Europe (just a transatlantic that ended in Europe years ago), but all of my cruises in Europe on other lines have had the identical amenities and service as you list above, except for Disney characters and shows, of course. But Disney isn't cornering the market on having cold drinks at the gangway or hiring servers that have a drink on the table at your arrival.

 

[ScooterScott44]

We won’t sail without a balcony, but that is just us. Depending on the itinerary it may not be a big deal. We have done Norway and I would say that is something I would not forgo on that route. Even if you have to skip DCL to up to the veranda.

Just a few examples-

 

[PrincessShmoo]

One "I wish I had known....." is that, in ports, the public toilets (WC, whatever else it may be called) often take money to use them. It's a good idea to have a few coins in your pocket when off the ship.

Something else - it's another good idea to have a pocket pack of toilet paper (the soft variety we use here in the US) with you. What I do before we head to Europe - for a couple of weeks, use the TP at home down to about 1/4-1/2 inches left, remove cardboard center and flatten. It fits nicely in a sandwich zip lock bag.