Europe Cruises

[Rich M]

Can someone tell my how the Europe cruises are with Disney? Is it worth the extra cost? What recommendations do you have if I book? We are looking at May 2025.

 

[auntlynne]

I did an 11-N Med years ago. We were only 3 years into cruising - and only with DCL at that point. It was our 5th cruise, and was a B2B with the EBTA.

Just my 17 yo niece and me.

We had a great time. We had the “safeness” of being on a known cruise line (and ship). It made for one less unknown while visiting new places. This was especially nice for my niece who enjoys the Disney cruise experience (at 31 yo she is currently in her third DCL AK cruise, having also dine it for her honeymoon. But has tried Otger cruises, too).

Unless you need something familiar as your place to come “home” to after new ports or you particularly enjoy/ want the touches like character meets and various entertainment (the 3 production shows, the selection of public area music, shows during dinner, decor), picking Disney is an expensive way to get from port to port.

It is something you have to decide - is it worth it to you? Do you want your memory of this cruise to be tied to Disney. We had very few Sea Days and several long days in port, where dinner and bed were all the interface we had with the ship.

I would look at the itinerary and decide if it offers places you want to visit. Not everyone has to be a place on your wish list, but it helps if most of them are. If you were to miss a port and it was the only place you really wanted to see, that seems like a sad cruise.

Do you know what ports would give you the experience you would enjoy? Does DCL stop there?

When you say Europe, are you more interested in British Isles, Norwegian Fjords, England- to- Med, or Med? Length of cruise? Does it matter where you embark? (Pre- or post-cruise days and flights can determine this).

This year, there would have been one cruise in May in Europe for the public in May:

May 25

7

Mediterranean

Barcelona

Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Palermo

Which would have been ports for excursions to Naples (Pompeii and Sorento), Rome, Florence/ Pisa/ Cinque options, and Sicily. One day for each port. If that is the 7-night cruise you anticipate and want the Disney cruise experience, look into it.

My interest lies in Norwegian Fjords. I would look at something like this (and I would look at Celebrity as a comparable or better than Disney experience. They are the next tier up in the Royal Caribbean company. A little more adult/ sophisticated but not too “adult.”)

The Apex is one of their newer ships.

I look at Vacations to Go to see what’s available. You can search by month (or a range), destination, and even sort by price. You need to provide your email to look, but you do not have to get spam from them. It’s a great way to see options.

 

[auntlynne]

Bottom line, I don’t think it’s worth the money to pay Disney prices or need the Disney experience when it’s a port intensive itinerary. It’s different than sailing around the Bahamas, when the ship is a destination in and of itself.

I have mainly cruised with Disney, but also with five other cruise lines.

 

[tlprice]

Can someone tell my how the Europe cruises are with Disney? Is it worth the extra cost? What recommendations do you have if I book? We are looking at May 2025.

You don't say who is going on this cruise. That might make a difference. I've done 3 DCL Europe cruises (Mediterranean, Westbound Transatlantic, and Northern Europe/Norway). I cruise as a single parent with my daughter, so like another poster said, Disney is a safe option. We also don't usually do super long, intense port days. We may do 1 or 2 on a cruise, but I usually try to plan more 1/2 day excursions so we do actually spend a lot of time on the ship. I also usually book excursions on my own unless it's something I really want to do and can't find any other way to do it than through the cruise excursions. I find booking my own excursions usually gives more flexibility and they don't usually waste as much time.

Also, with only 2 people, the cruise rates really aren't that different between cruise lines (we also generally do the cheapest stateroom-we don't mind inside, but have done oceanview and verandah if there's a special rate).

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Ive done 2 Europe cruises, with a 3rd booked for August 2024

I did

1. Norwegian Fjords on The Magic
2. 4 Night Spain On The Dream
3. August 2024 5 night Spain on The Dream

Things have changed a lot with Disneys European season in the last few years. Before the shutdown it was mainly Americans on the ship, now there is a much bigger European market. The 2021 UK stay cation cruises really opened up Disney Cruise in Europe to the UK market. The August sailings from Southampton have a much larger UK passenger group.

May is before the main tourist season, so the crowds will be lower for Mediterranean areas. The days are long, mainly 12 hours in each port due to the distances between where the ship will be and where the main areas people want to go, Civitavecchia is about a 2 hour by bus to Rome.

You are looking at multiple 12 hour port days in a row, where you will be walking a lot in hot weather , on uneven surfaces. Many places will not have air conditioning.

Depending on what you choose to do, you may not be back in time for main / first seating time in MDR, so late seating will be the most in demand and crowded. And if you have late seating you might be too tired or not make it back in time for the early Theatre shows , which on The Fantasy are Frozen, Aladdin and Believe.

In the morning times, Cabanas will be crowded and very busy, as everyone will be up early and trying to get food before they head out for the day.

For the Mediterranean cruises, you really need to decide which is more important to you.
Do you want to get a quick short overview of multiple Mediterranean areas while having the convenience of a Disney floating hotel.
OR
Do you want to enjoy all the onboard aspects of a Disney cruise while being in the Mediterranean region.

 

[Agent 86]

We did a Mediterranean cruise and it was wonderful. BUT, it was part of a much larger European holiday and we stayed on board the ship on a couple of port days and just did self-guided half-day adventures on other port days. We were able to do that because we had either been to those destinations before getting on the ship (e.g. Rome) or planned to visit them after getting off the ship.

I think we only did one organised / Disney Port Adventure day.

So, it worked for us as we got plenty of time on the ship, ate the vast majority of our meals on the ship, got to see all the shows and attend all the "events" that we wanted to, etc.

IF you were going to do multiple all day shore excursions, including some with a chance that you may miss the evening entertainment, I'm not sure Disney is the best fit for that kind of cruise.

 

[Luvmypetz]

I just did a 10 day Med cruise on NCL in April. Much had been written that the Epic was lacking but we had 8 port days and only 1 sea day so I didn’t pay it much heed; I was going for the Italy/Greece experience! And it was wonderful! I can’t wait to return but this time not cruising so as to have more time in a city, especially at night. The 2 nights we spent in Rome before were absolutely magical! I’ve been on 4 Disney cruises and many others but I didn’t dwell on the fact there was no Mickey. I was off the ship more than on anyway.

 

[it398]

We did a Med cruise with Disney back in 2015 and loved it, but our experience on the Disney Norwegian Fjord cruise last year was awful and has put us off Disney cruises at the moment. nothing in life is a certainty, bottom line is if you want to do it go for it

 

[Karin1984]

If it's a port heavy cruise, and you just want to get a taster of Europe, then most likely not. If your cruiseship is going to be like a hotel where you have breakfast, dinner, some evening entertainment and sleep, and you are out all day... You could cruise longer, in better staterooms, go concierge, on other lines cheaper than you can sail Disney in Europe.

And that's the case for both Southern and Northern Europe.

The better question for you to ask is: Is Disney worth the premium price for us (regardless of itinerary) and why?

When you know why you value the Disney product, it will be easier to make a decision.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

When you know why you value the premium Disney charges, it will be easier to make a decision.

This is BEST way to figure things out

I choose to pay for DCL on European cruises for 2 reasons

1. I want the Disney cruise experience. I want the Disney theming, the Disney music, the Disney entertainment, the Disney merchandise.
2. I live in Ireland and the pre and post cruise expenses for European cruises such as flights and hotels are low for me. Therefore it offsets paying the premium price for DCL.

If I had to pay higher pre and post cruise expenses and travel transatlantic for my cruise, I doubt I would pay the premium price for DCL. All the main cruise lines go to the same ports in the Caribbean and Bahamas. For the Disney experience I would go to WDW and then choose a cheaper cruise line for ports.

 

[MamaMermaid]

We did a Baltic Cruise in 2010. Best vacation we have ever taken.

 

[Mommb]

I've done 5 European cruises with Disney: 2 in the Mediterranean, 1 in the Baltic, 1 from Dover to Barcelona, and 1 in Northern Europe/Fjords. They have all been wonderful. We started when my kids were 10 and 14, and on all but the last cruise we had at least one kid under 18. With children, especially young children, I would say Disney is worth the premium, because there was so much for the kids to do onboard the ship at no extra cost. Even when my kids reached 18, they enjoyed the 18-to-20 Society events. (Other cruise lines could have something similar, but I haven't heard of it.) With 2 teenagers, I also appreciated the amount of space in a Family Veranda stateroom.

Without children, frankly, I'd look closely at the itineraties and costs of DCL and other cruise lines and think about whether DCL is worth the extra cost. As others have mentioned, if you expect to spend most days exploring the ports from morning to night, you may not need the family-friendly entertainment Disney provides, or you may want more robust adult entertainment in the evenings than Disney has.

The DCL onboard experience in Europe is very similar to the onboard experience in the Bahamas/Caribbean -- same restaurants, same shows, same activities. On some of our cruises there were presentations about some of the upcoming ports, but I don't know if those are still happening since we didn't have any on our last cruise.

I can't compare other cruise lines, since my only experience on another line was a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska before DCL started sailing (which was great for the childless couple my husband and I were at the time). Think about whether you want Disney touches (for yourself or for kids), which ports you want and how long in each, and how much you are willing to pay.

 

[ljhayes]

I just did a 10 day Med cruise on NCL in April. Much had been written that the Epic was lacking but we had 8 port days and only 1 sea day so I didn’t pay it much heed; I was going for the Italy/Greece experience! And it was wonderful! I can’t wait to return but this time not cruising so as to have more time in a city, especially at night. The 2 nights we spent in Rome before were absolutely magical! I’ve been on 4 Disney cruises and many others but I didn’t dwell on the fact there was no Mickey. I was off the ship more than on anyway.

We're heading on an Italy/Greece cruise on the Epic in a few weeks! Can't wait!

We did a DCL Med cruise back in 2007 and loved it. Recently, I don't think Disney is offering the best itineraries in Europe AND they're charging an insane amount. If they had the ports I wanted for a smaller premium, I would pick Disney. But as others have said, you're spending most of your time on land in port and the ship is less important. With the current itineraries and prices, we are going with another line for this summer.

 

[DCLMP]

I've done 3 European cruises on Disney 2 TA's on Disney, one Med on Carnival and one Med on Royal. Disclaimer- my DCL cruises were all discounted when I booked them. There were no differences in service or enjoyment for me Disney vs Royal or Carnival. For my kids the DCL experience is always better for the mere fact there are more people their age on the ship.

I would say no the cost difference isn't worth it. That being said make sure you are comparing apples to apples. The Fantasy is a great ship. . The ship can make all the difference in the world. I would probably go with a newer ship that is comparable to the Fantasy. Read a lot of reviews and watch you tube videos. I've been able to find a you tube video with ship tour for every ship I've ever considered.

 

[DCLMP]

Can someone tell my how the Europe cruises are with Disney? Is it worth the extra cost? What recommendations do you have if I book? We are looking at May 2025.

I'm going to assume your looking at a Med cruise? We sailed on Odyssey of the Seas 12 day Greek Isle and med cruise. Great new ship. My favorite ship I've sailed on. I'm not sure what Royal has next year, but I've been satisfied with the cruises I've done with them.

I would recommend something longer than a 7 day if you can swing it.

 

[Rich M]

I did an 11-N Med years ago. We were only 3 years into cruising - and only with DCL at that point. It was our 5th cruise, and was a B2B with the EBTA.

Just my 17 yo niece and me.

We had a great time. We had the “safeness” of being on a known cruise line (and ship). It made for one less unknown while visiting new places. This was especially nice for my niece who enjoys the Disney cruise experience (at 31 yo she is currently in her third DCL AK cruise, having also dine it for her honeymoon. But has tried Otger cruises, too).

Unless you need something familiar as your place to come “home” to after new ports or you particularly enjoy/ want the touches like character meets and various entertainment (the 3 production shows, the selection of public area music, shows during dinner, decor), picking Disney is an expensive way to get from port to port.

It is something you have to decide - is it worth it to you? Do you want your memory of this cruise to be tied to Disney. We had very few Sea Days and several long days in port, where dinner and bed were all the interface we had with the ship.

I would look at the itinerary and decide if it offers places you want to visit. Not everyone has to be a place on your wish list, but it helps if most of them are. If you were to miss a port and it was the only place you really wanted to see, that seems like a sad cruise.

Do you know what ports would give you the experience you would enjoy? Does DCL stop there?

When you say Europe, are you more interested in British Isles, Norwegian Fjords, England- to- Med, or Med? Length of cruise? Does it matter where you embark? (Pre- or post-cruise days and flights can determine this).

This year, there would have been one cruise in May in Europe for the public in May:

May 25

7

Mediterranean

Barcelona

Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Palermo

Which would have been ports for excursions to Naples (Pompeii and Sorento), Rome, Florence/ Pisa/ Cinque options, and Sicily. One day for each port. If that is the 7-night cruise you anticipate and want the Disney cruise experience, look into it.

My interest lies in Norwegian Fjords. I would look at something like this (and I would look at Celebrity as a comparable or better than Disney experience. They are the next tier up in the Royal Caribbean company. A little more adult/ sophisticated but not too “adult.”)

The Apex is one of their newer ships.

I look at Vacations to Go to see what’s available. You can search by month (or a range), destination, and even sort by price. You need to provide your email to look, but you do not have to get spam from them. It’s a great way to see options.


View attachment 864060

Thank you so much for all that helpful information and thoughts. Italy is the biggest dream of mine and we are thinking the cruise needs to hit as much of Italy as we can. We then plan to go to Paris (Have to go to Disney) and England. I would like to see as many countries as we can. I will be taking my 8 (will be 9 at the time) grandson so was thinking Disney might be a good option for him and as a huge Disney fan was thinking I should give it a try but we really like RC also and had good experiences with them.

 

[Rich M]

Thank you all for such wonderful advice. It will be 5 of us. in age from 44 to 9. My grandson will be 9 at the time and be the only kid. We did RC for a 3 day cruise and loved it. As many of stated we are just really looking at going to the most ports and having just food and sleep taken care of. My grandson will be happy with a pool lol. I have always wanted to take a Disney Cruise but sounds like maybe an Alaska one might be better for enjoying more of the ship then Europe. Tough decisions ahead for sure.

 

[Karin1984]

Thank you so much for all that helpful information and thoughts. Italy is the biggest dream of mine and we are thinking the cruise needs to hit as much of Italy as we can. We then plan to go to Paris (Have to go to Disney) and England. I would like to see as many countries as we can. I will be taking my 8 (will be 9 at the time) grandson so was thinking Disney might be a good option for him and as a huge Disney fan was thinking I should give it a try but we really like RC also and had good experiences with them.

So the plan is:
- England = London?
- Paris
- As much of Italy
And all in an easy and taken care of way.

How vacation days are we looking at? Minimum 2 full weeks?

DCL has 2 cruises with 4 Italian ports, both are 7 days.
Other options might be MSC, they often include Spain and Greece in their Italian routes, Viking has some interesting itineraries combining Italy with Croatia.
I would suggest to take a day between countries to get used to new surroundings. And then 2 or 3 days in London and Paris.
Also would suggest to take the train between London and Paris.

Other option, have you thought about Adventures by Disney for (part of) your trip?
They have 1 including the UK, France and Italy and 2 focused on Italy.
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/amalfi-coast-vacations/
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/italy-vacations/
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/england-france-italy-vacations/

 

[Rich M]

So the plan is:
- England = London?
- Paris
- As much of Italy
And all in an easy and taken care of way.

How vacation days are we looking at? Minimum 2 full weeks?

DCL has 2 cruises with 4 Italian ports, both are 7 days.
Other options might be MSC, they often include Spain and Greece in their Italian routes, Viking has some interesting itineraries combining Italy with Croatia.
I would suggest to take a day between countries to get used to new surroundings. And then 2 or 3 days in London and Paris.
Also would suggest to take the train between London and Paris.

Other option, have you thought about Adventures by Disney for (part of) your trip?
They have 1 including the UK, France and Italy and 2 focused on Italy.
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/amalfi-coast-vacations/
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/italy-vacations/
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/england-france-italy-vacations/

Yes pretty much what you have said is what we are looking at. We are going to try to go over a US holiday to maximize day offs and try to stay as many day as possible. We have looked at ABD and even thought about that over the cruise since everything will be organized for us. I am most fearful of booking terrible hotels and thats why we thought the cruise was safer and the food is covered with a lot of variety of food for those non adventurous eaters. I myself hope to try many of the local food as possible

 

[Karin1984]

A cruise or organized trip is a safe and a very convenient option, true. But it's also less customizable. If there are specific places you want to see or want to spend more time at, it is always best to do a land trip and be in control yourself. If London and Paris are going to be land trips (which I would definitely advise), then adding Italy as a land trip is not going to be much different. Italy has a decent railroad between the major cities, you can also rent a car to really get a feel of Italy.

Best way to avoid crappy hotel rooms is to stick to the major hotel chains like Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott etc. You can still have some bad luck, usually there is a standard they can uphold worldwide. But this can also happen on a cruise. You can be unlucky with your stateroom neighbours as well.
Other tip: Look at an organized trip, like ABD, and see which hotels they stay at. Most tour operators post in the itinerary which hotels they will stay at.

And for non adventurous eaters... in every major city in Europe you can find a MacDonalds. With probably some local options you cannot get in the US ;-)