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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
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Which is the best cruise? Which would you choose? Also, we would be going without kids. Do you suggest DCL or some other cruise line? Are there many adults cruising on DCL without kids?
I voted for the Easter Caribeean, have not done the Mexican riviera. I just like the islands better that the Easter visits and I love the whole time in the sea it kind of forces me to relax in the cruise. That is all Sat-Sun & Monday and tuesday AM you are there, I loved that. I would not do the Western caribeean again (the sea was so rough, and the ports of call were not that nice)
Definetly do Disney, is it awesome. We did it with no kids and had a blast!
with all the dangers of Mexico, I am not sure about the riviera. I loved the islands we visited on the East
warmer water
I prefer the Eastern but you really can't go wrong with any of them Many, many adults cruise on DCL without children - DH and I honeymooned aboard the Magic. Disney does an amazing job with areas for children only, adults only. I've cruised many different lines and DCL is heads and shoulders above the others in my opinion.
Very true on Mexico, didn't think about that. I'm like you, I prefer more days at sea. I could cruise the whole time and not even get off the ship for a POC. BUT, DH will have to get off.
Disney is TOPS, I highly recommend you to go, I am DYING to go on the Disney Dream 2011 (see my signature)
we just hate to go on port and having to watch over my shoulder, I keep up with the Spanish News so there is just a lot going on in Mexico, when I go on vacation I want to relax. In the Easter carib no one bother us in the islands and they were gorgeous.
I noticed the other Cruise ship guests looking at the Disney Boat with such a longing, and when I saw and compared i was SO glad to be in it, it is just beautiful. so well maintained and together. When I tell the travel agents about the Disney Cruise I always get the same response; "oh, well, Disney is one of the best"
I just smile inside. The fireworks at sea, all the special touches, they really spoil people on the cruise!
We have done 3 Disney cruises and are booked for the new Dream in 2011. We sailed the Western Caribbean. A cruise is a true vacation to me because you actualy get off the ship rested. Disney is the only cruise line I have ever sailed, we have looked at the others but decide we value the quality of Disney. We have done 1 cruise w/o kids and 2 cruises with our children but they were always busy doing activities so we had lots of mommy daddy time and it is fantastic. They have alot of things that are adult only and you won't get bored. I have heard stories of the wear and tear of other ships from friends and family who have sailed, Disney has high standards. When you pull into ports you will see them painting and polishing and they refurbish the ships often. Disney costs a little more but I don't think you will be disappointed.
My mother and I are both adults and have gone on 2 DCL cruises without kids and would recommend DCL to any adult who wants to cruise! We did the Eastern and loved the extra sea day but if you enjoy the ports the Western has good reviews.
I would miss castaway cay too much so I wouldn't do the Mexican Riviera as you'd miss out on their private island.
I voted Eastern just because of the extra day at sea.
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We've done Western & Eastern, and probably like Eastern better. But on the Western, we had some rerouting due to a hurricane, so can't really speak to the "usual" ports.
We have done another cruise line, ONCE, and that was the only time we'll ever make that mistake!
I don't think you can go wrong with the Eastern or Western. (I would miss Castaway Cay too much on the Mexican Riviera. Especially if you have never been before!)
I have cruised with just adults and I have many adult only clients who have cruised. I have never received a complaint. There are many areas for adults only.
You're asking a cost-is-no-object question. Clearly, among the major, large ship cruise lines, I'm going to recommend DCL. Does DCL visit every wonderful port of call in the world? Of course not. Does it offer the greatest luxury? No. Does it offer the best food, best service, most comfortable staterooms? Not necessarily. Does it offer the lowest cost? No... There are cruise lines that are designed to appeal only to adults. There are cruise lines that specialize in some of those factors, and charge accordingly. None excel at all of them. However, if you wrap the whole thing into a single package, DCL consistently delivers high marks on many of them, enough to consistently rank near the top of its very competitive category.
Of the big ship lines I've sailed, DCL is the one with the best adults-only facilities, and the fewest kids underfoot (thanks to their facilities for infants through teens). On some lines, the only adults-only space is the casino, and the teens have no space of their own. That's not the formula for "adult cruising" that I'd choose. On the other hand, Jennifer and I cruised without children for many years, and always had a great time on DCL.
There are small ship cruise lines that can offer far greater luxury, and due to their size, visit ports of call the big ships have trouble visiting. When you don't have thousands descending at once upon a port, the in-port experience can also be much better. With fewer meals to prepare, it's easier to offer cooked-to-order selections. With cost as no object, you can have more stateroom space, alcoholic beverages "included" in your fare, a finer wine list, more personal attention from the crew... But there are no private islands, entertainment is less elaborate, entertainment and activity choices are few... The ships are just not large enough to support that.
I'm also game for all sorts of off-the-beaten-track locations. I'll take less comfort, simpler dining choices, and even no entertainment, if the destination(s) suit my tastes. I'd like a long cruise where the ship spent at least several days in the same port. I'd like an extended cruise under sail at least once...
Lots of stuff on my wish list, and few chances that DCL will deliver on them. At best, maybe Adventures by Disney might offer small-ship cruises.
If any of this strikes your fancy, there's a world full of cruise ships for you. If you're looking only for a large ship experience (lots of facilities, lots of activities, lots of entertainment, multiple dining choices, the secure feeling of being on a large ship/relative isolation from the elements), Disney's one of the best, if not the best choice around.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions