My extended family doesn't want to do a Disney cruise! HELP! - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Also, depending on the group, point out that the other ships have casinos and Disney does not (unless they'd consider that a selling point!).
You say that you could save approx. $900 on RCCL. But have you added in what the drink package would cost for each member? Are there extra charges for any programs? Do they offer tours and such? What are the hours on the kids clubs, what are the separation of ages and what variety of programs do they offer? Some of the newer ships have bigger kids areas, but are you on a new ship or an older one?
I will say that I would certainly consider another line, especially on the West Coast, where Castaway Cay can't balance the scales. So, if they are adament, remember that you'll still have a great vacation. But, it doesn't hurt to do your best to convince them that Disney is a better choice!
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I think one real feature is the size of the staterooms as well as the split bath. Granted you're not in room that much but still, space is space. The dining arrangement with your servers staying with you for each dinner is quite nice. They really get to know you and you them. On our last cruise my DDs asked if she could have grapes as an appetizer and each night after that the servers brought her them without asking. She was delighted. I like the fact that there are lounges where you can go as a family and not feel out of place (maybe this is true on other lines, I don't know). While the shows are Disney, they're top notch and I know we can all find something to like about them. I'm just not sure how our evenings would be on another line. We're on vacation to be together as a family. Good luck and I hope it works for you to cruise Disney style.
I tried organizing a family reunion on the DCL (after I organized one for Washington DC--which was well attended). And got nowhere. My kids were very disappointed that their cousins would not be on this upcoming trip.
The Passporter's guide does a great job at comparing the different cruise lines. We're only going to do Disney (Disney snobs????), but it was interesting to read about the other lines.
You may want to think about some other type of get together. Many, non Disney fans, may not want to or care about the difference with other cruise lines.
You say that you could save approx. $900 on RCCL. But have you added in what the drink package would cost for each member?
Exactly this!! DH and I saved a lot of money with the soda/non alcoholic beverages being included with meals and the drink station. DCL also lets adults carry on their own beverages whether it is soda, bottled water, or alcohol. There is a small beverage cooler in your stateroom so brining on your own items really cuts down on the extra cost.
A good site to research with is cruisecritic.com. It has a lot of helpful information.
DCL also hasn't announced any "kids sail free" dates for 2011 so you may want to look out for those too.
Good luck! Too bad your extended family already knows the price differences- I'm working on a cruise that would include extended family- since I'm the only one planning- I just didn't mention any other options. So far, they've taken it at face value.
Well.... I've compared, composed and sent off emails, showing why Disney would be a better choice! Thanks SOOOOO much for everyones input, I used it all in my "presentation". I've already heard back from one family who is on side of Disney now !! Just waiting to hear from a few others . Keep everyone posted on final outcome . Again ....Thank you all !!!!
__________________
Caribbean Beach -February 2009 *1st time ever planned trip in less than a month !!! *
All Star Movies - November 2006 - CAN"T WAIT !!!
All Star Movies - December 2004
Caribbean Beach Resort - November 2003
Off site many times prior to children !!!!
Good luck!
I know how you feel . My in-laws don't want do to a disney cruise because of the cost - and they have already been on one! They just feel they don't get enough bang for their buck on Disney. So, we cruise without them!
__________________
"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."
Well.... I've compared, composed and sent off emails, showing why Disney would be a better choice! Thanks SOOOOO much for everyones input, I used it all in my "presentation". I've already heard back from one family who is on side of Disney now !! Just waiting to hear from a few others . Keep everyone posted on final outcome . Again ....Thank you all !!!!
I definitely wouldn't stress to much about it either way - between hubby and I we've been on four different cruise lines (including Disney) and never had a bad cruise. There has been something special about every ship we've been on. Cruising is just a great family vacation, period!
I'm afraid Judi does have a point. Some people "just don't get Disney". As for DCL, "oh, it's going to be overrun with Disney stuff".
If the price difference you list is for all of the cabins, that's piddly. If it's for a single cabin, that's quite a bit of difference.
Right now many of the people I talk to are very price sensitive. With 4 cabins, you're talking about a little over $200 a cabin.
Get the DVD, show them how subtle the theming is and try a very soft sell. But don't get entirely invested in DCL. You may lose 3 to 1.
BTW, cruising has changed tremendously in 14 years. In ten years. I think you'll enjoy any cruise. Just try to sell DCL for the second cruise (and there WILL be another cruise)