Fantasy or Destiny?

[Jfsag123]

Sorry y'all, another one of these questions. Earlier this year we were considering trying the Treasure September 2025 for our first cruise. That's not going to work out, but I have decided to take my daughter on a mother/daughter cruise for her senior year the following March. This will be the first cruise ever for both of us and she will have just turned 18. We are trying to decide between 4 nights on the Destiny out of FL or 5 nights on the Fantasy out of PC. I'm drawn to the Destiny because it will be a new ship and it's a little cheaper, but I also like the idea of having 5 nights and have heard good things about the Fantasy. Both have stops at Lookout and Castaway, the Fantasy adds a stop at Nassau (though we would likely use it as an extra sea day). We are big time parks people and the newer ships seem to have more in-your-face Disney theming. However, since we will be a party of two adults (barely for her), I wonder if the possibly more low-key vibe of the Fantasy would be a good fit. If we end up liking the cruise (assuming we will), we will likely do another cruise with the whole family (dad and two brothers who will be 16 and 6) the following summer with a placeholder we book on this one, so there should be an opportunity to try another ship in the future.

 

[sponica]

I'd only go with the Fantasy because it's out of PC and it's an easier port for me to get to. And if she'll be over 18, I've heard the adults area on the Fantasy is better than the Wish/Treasure/Destiny setup (I'm assuming the Treasure and Destiny will be more or less like the Wish)

 

[RedHead0186]

I almost always go with more nights, and absolutely would in this case.

 

[Jfsag123]

I'd only go with the Fantasy because it's out of PC and it's an easier port for me to get to. And if she'll be over 18, I've heard the adults area on the Fantasy is better than the Wish/Treasure/Destiny setup (I'm assuming the Treasure and Destiny will be more or less like the Wish)

The port is pretty much the same for us. Coming from Texas, we'll be flying either way. But I am definitely interested in the adults area, so that's good to know. Any idea why one seems to be better than the other?

I almost always go with more nights, and absolutely would in this case.

I definitely understand that! I have the concern about possibly not liking it or feeling sick, so shorter seems better for the first one with that perspective. However, I'm guessing we will like it and neither of us has any history of motion sickness, in which case I'm thinking longer would be better. This is how I get into trouble arguing back and forth with myself .

 

[Skippyboo]

Fantasy has an adult only section in the front of the ship on Deck 11 (pool deck) and Deck 12. The night clubs/lounges are all grouped together on back of the ship on deck 4.

The newer ships- Wish/Treasure/Destiny have their lounges spread around the ship. The adult area in the back of ship.

Here’s the atrium of the Fantasy on my Halloween on the high seas cruise last month

 

[Jfsag123]

Fantasy has an adult only section in the front of the ship on Deck 11 (pool deck) and Deck 12. The night clubs/lounges are all grouped together on back of the ship on deck 4.

The newer ships- Wish/Treasure/Destiny have their lounges spread around the ship. The adult area in the back of ship.

Here’s the atrium of the Fantasy on my Halloween on the high seas cruise last month

Beautiful! I love the peacock touches

 

[unrequited23]

Fantasy. Sometimes they add a Palo brunch on Nassau days in addition to offering it on sea days.

 

[AquaDame]

The adult area on the newer ships is also open to folk walking by... which causes some interesting problems with certain adult-only programing. I prefer it being tucked away on the older ships too. The ages of the sons make me think they'd really be missing out on a Destiny sailing...! I'm another vote for Fantasy for an adult mother daughter trip!

 

[CamColt]

Another vote for the Fantasy here.

 

[Jfsag123]

I appreciate all the responses! And I agree, as I thought about it more, I think the Destiny would be good for our first cruise with the whole family and I'd prefer for all of us to be experiencing it for the first time together. Overwhelming response here appears to be the Fantasy. I went ahead and booked it. Now the problem is figuring out what to do with myself for the next 16 months while waiting.

 

[Jfsag123]

Bumping this up again, as the boys got FOMO, so now the mother/daughter cruise is a full family cruise (will take daughter to DC for our trip instead). Now with the full family, I feel like it's tilting the other way. Loved the idea of the Fantasy for an adults-only cruise, but now there will be all 5 of us, youngest will be 5 years old. I would still prefer to do 5 nights over 4, but I think the Destiny would be a better fit for the whole family based on all that I've seen/read. I know the Destiny has 5 night sailings as well, but none of the ones that fit our dates go to both Disney islands, which is something we want. The 4 night on the Destiny does.

ETA: we'll be going to WDW for a bit after the cruise regardless to get more out of the journey to FL, so the trip won't be over after the 4 or 5 days regardless. Also, if we end up liking it, we'd still probably plan to take another cruise the following year.

 

[bakerworld]

We decided on the Wish for out adult 4D to LP and CC. We're cabined in the Aft so it's a quick jaunt to food and adult area.

 

[Jfsag123]

We decided on the Wish for out adult 4D to LP and CC. We're cabined in the Aft so it's a quick jaunt to food and adult area.

The Wish looks gorgeous. None of my kids are really big princess fans (sadly). They like the themes of the Treasure and Destiny more, but the Treasure cost for a family of 5 during school breaks is very high, so not starting there.

 

[AquaDame]

Bumping this up again, as the boys got FOMO, so now the mother/daughter cruise is a full family cruise (will take daughter to DC for our trip instead). Now with the full family, I feel like it's tilting the other way. Loved the idea of the Fantasy for an adults-only cruise, but now there will be all 5 of us, youngest will be 5 years old. I would still prefer to do 5 nights over 4, but I think the Destiny would be a better fit for the whole family based on all that I've seen/read. I know the Destiny has 5 night sailings as well, but none of the ones that fit our dates go to both Disney islands, which is something we want. The 4 night on the Destiny does.

ETA: we'll be going to WDW for a bit after the cruise regardless to get more out of the journey to FL, so the trip won't be over after the 4 or 5 days regardless. Also, if we end up liking it, we'd still probably plan to take another cruise the following year.

I think you're right... I've heard positive feedback about the pools being plentiful from families, and it seems like your kids (especially the 5 year old) would get a kick out of all the heros/marvel theming and dinner shows.

 

[Jfsag123]

I think you're right... I've heard positive feedback about the pools being plentiful from families, and it seems like your kids (especially the 5 year old) would get a kick out of all the heros/marvel theming and dinner shows.

Oh yes. He's 3 now and often refers to himself as Captain America (e.g. "Captain America is hungry"). And older brother is a fan of Hercules. Their older sister doesn't really care either way and pretty much just wants to eat and go to the beach.

 

[Miffy]

I've never been on a cruise, but I have to say that the title of this thread would make a great book title!

 

[Lesverts]

The port is pretty much the same for us. Coming from Texas, we'll be flying either way. But I am definitely interested in the adults area, so that's good to know. Any idea why one seems to be better than the other?


I definitely understand that! I have the concern about possibly not liking it or feeling sick, so shorter seems better for the first one with that perspective. However, I'm guessing we will like it and neither of us has any history of motion sickness, in which case I'm thinking longer would be better. This is how I get into trouble arguing back and forth with myself .

The port is not the same if you are not driving. PC is an hour from the airport. PE is 10 minutes. Family of 5 on a first time cruise. I'd take PE every time.

 

[jwalk03]

The port is not the same if you are not driving. PC is an hour from the airport. PE is 10 minutes. Family of 5 on a first time cruise. I'd take PE every time.

This! Port Everglades is much easier to get to when flying than Port Canaveral!!

 

[Jfsag123]

The port is not the same if you are not driving. PC is an hour from the airport. PE is 10 minutes. Family of 5 on a first time cruise. I'd take PE every time.

This! Port Everglades is much easier to get to when flying than Port Canaveral!!

Yeah, I definitely looked at that! The only thing that makes PC potentially easier is we're doing WDW after. However, we'll just plan to fly in to FLL and fly out from MCO after WDW. We'll just rent a car for the day from the airport in FL and drive up to WDW after the cruise, return it at the car care center on WDW property. The port transfers are so much cheaper to and from the airport to PE it will more than make up for the price of the rental car and we don't mind the drive.

 

[AquaDame]

Yeah, I definitely looked at that! The only thing that makes PC potentially easier is we're doing WDW after. However, we'll just plan to fly in to FLL and fly out from MCO after WDW. We'll just rent a car for the day from the airport in FL and drive up to WDW after the cruise, return it at the car care center on WDW property. The port transfers are so much cheaper to and from the airport to PE it will more than make up for the price of the rental car and we don't mind the drive.

This is exactly what we are doing next week! I haven't sailed from FLL before, but it seems easy.