OT: Cruise or other inclusive vacations

[tom1944]

Looking for ideas for a once every other year family vacation.

We have the Disney vacation club, and I can buy additional points to go for 9/10 days in a one or 2 bedroom every year or stay as we are with enough points to do that every other year.

I am thinking we should consider taking a cruise or go to an all-inclusive resort as an alternate trip instead of adding the points.

We had a great Disney trip so going every year is not an issue, but I like to consider every option.

I am willing to allocate around $15,000 for the cost. There would be 4 of us and my granddaughter is going to be 6 by the time we take one of these vacations. If $15,000 is not adequate I can go higher but I figured that is a starting point.

 

[kupuna133]

Looking for ideas for a once every other year family vacation.

We have the Disney vacation club, and I can buy additional points to go for 9/10 days in a one or 2 bedroom every year or stay as we are with enough points to do that every other year.

I am thinking we should consider taking a cruise or go to an all-inclusive resort as an alternate trip instead of adding the points.

We had a great Disney trip so going every year is not an issue, but I like to consider every option.

I am willing to allocate around $15,000 for the cost. There would be 4 of us and my granddaughter is going to be 6 by the time we take one of these vacations. If $15,000 is not adequate I can go higher but I figured that is a starting point.

If you have DVC look into swapping out the points at other destinations. Wife bought points prior to our marriage and we have used points in Hawaii, Napa/Sonoma,NYC prior to having kids. After kids we have used in Disney, New Orleans and in carribean destinations. They have some great options. Could minimize out of pocket.

We swapped 1 1/2 years points for a week at a 4 star resort in Maui for part of our honeymoon.

 

[tom1944]

If you have DVC look into swapping out the points at other destinations. Wife bought points prior to our marriage and we have used points in Hawaii, Napa/Sonoma,NYC prior to having kids. After kids we have used in Disney, New Orleans and in carribean destinations. They have some great options. Could minimize out of pocket.

We swapped 1 1/2 years points for a week at a 4 star resort in Maui for part of our honeymoon.

Trips to Hilton Head and Hawaii using my DVC points will be in the rotation. I am trying to determine if I should add additional points or use the money for other types of inclusive vacations in alternate years.

I do not want to trade out my points because I want to use them for trips to the Disney locations. I have 180 points so I will have 360 available every other year. If I buy a second contract it will be for 160 to 200 more points. If we do get the second contract, then I will trade them out when we decide not to go to Disney.

 

[yesrutgers01]

If looking to change it up every once in a while- I do an all inclusive caribbean trip over a cruise any day.

 

[T2Kplus20]

Trips to Hilton Head and Hawaii using my DVC points will be in the rotation. I am trying to determine if I should add additional points or use the money for other types of inclusive vacations in alternate years.

I do not want to trade out my points because I want to use them for trips to the Disney locations. I have 180 points so I will have 360 available every other year. If I buy a second contract it will be for 160 to 200 more points. If we do get the second contract, then I will trade them out when we decide not to go to Disney.

The list of DVC resorts and options will just keep growing and growing. If you guys (and granddaughter) are into Hawaii, DVC has you covered. You can also use DVC points for the Disney Cruise Line, which includes cruises throughout the world:

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/itineraries/

 

[RUsundevil]

I did DCL to Alaska and the cruise experience had 5 star service and food. Shows were also excellent.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Hey, if folks don't mind me bending this just a touch, we're looking at a couple of things. One would be a river cruise in Europe. Another would be a gulet cruise along the coast of Croatia, or Greece, something like that. Final question is, does anyone know of a place that does "learning vacations" ideally one where I could take painting lessons, and Moms Skillethead could do cooking. Music would be a possibility as well.

 

[rutgersal]

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[ClassOf02]

Hey, if folks don't mind me bending this just a touch, we're looking at a couple of things. One would be a river cruise in Europe. Another would be a gulet cruise along the coast of Croatia, or Greece, something like that. Final question is, does anyone know of a place that does "learning vacations" ideally one where I could take painting lessons, and Moms Skillethead could do cooking. Music would be a possibility as well.

I’ve done 3 European cruises (1 Mediterranean and 2 river). All were fantastic experiences, but for the river cruises, water levels can be a wild card, particularly on the Rhine and Danube. Weather patterns, time of year, etc all come into play and can cause low water levels making portions of the rivers impassable. If this happens, there’s usually a ship swap involved, or more time on motor coaches, which obviously sucks when you’re expecting a cruise.

Last year, we did 15 days — Amsterdam to Budapest (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary), and ours was the first cruise that made it all the way with no disruption in 2+ months. Cruisecritic.com is a good forum to research all things river cruising.

I also very highly recommend Tauck.

 

[yesrutgers01]

I’ve done 3 European cruises (1 Mediterranean and 2 river). All were fantastic experiences, but for the river cruises, water levels can be a wild card, particularly on the Rhine and Danube. Weather patterns, time of year, etc all come into play and can cause low water levels making portions of the rivers impassable. If this happens, there’s usually a ship swap involved, or more time on motor coaches, which obviously sucks when you’re expecting a cruise.

Last year, we did 15 days — Amsterdam to Budapest (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary), and ours was the first cruise that made it all the way with no disruption in 2+ months. Cruisecritic.com is a good forum to research all things river cruising.

I also very highly recommend Tauck.

Always wanted to try a River Cruise. My wife does not want to be on any boat where she cannot see the shoreline. And she pretty much hates the Ocean, even though she grew up on an island and for many years- her backyard was 50 ft of grass and then the ocean and she walked with her Dad to work at the Runaway Beach resort where she played all day.
She has agreed she would try a River Cruise, well, until COVID and now she hates being in a confined space with strangers.
As for an Ocean Cruise- I have never done more than a cruise to nowhere. And used to want to do a cruise as the thought of so much food and so many people partying sounded like fun. But then, the thought that 5 star or buffett - most likely, there is no catch of the day and how 5 star can it be on a boat with 4k people. And then the thought of it really being like fighting for good space anywhere(true or not) turned me off to it. And with food now- for me, it is quality and experience over quantity and non stop.

 

[ClassOf02]

Always wanted to try a River Cruise. My wife does not want to be on any boat where she cannot see the shoreline. And she pretty much hates the Ocean, even though she grew up on an island and for many years- her backyard was 50 ft of grass and then the ocean and she walked with her Dad to work at the Runaway Beach resort where she played all day.
She has agreed she would try a River Cruise, well, until COVID and now she hates being in a confined space with strangers.
As for an Ocean Cruise- I have never done more than a cruise to nowhere. And used to want to do a cruise as the thought of so much food and so many people partying sounded like fun. But then, the thought that 5 star or buffett - most likely, there is no catch of the day and how 5 star can it be on a boat with 4k people. And then the thought of it really being like fighting for good space anywhere(true or not) turned me off to it. And with food now- for me, it is quality and experience over quantity and non stop.

I’ve done one ocean cruise on a “mass market” cruise line. Never again. Like you say, it’s 4,000 people crammed in (not to mention it’s a human Petri dish). Not my thing.

But more intimate companies with 5 star experiences (like Tauck) are totally worth it. My Amsterdam—>Budapest cruise last year had less than 70 people on board and we had a sizable cabin/suite.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

I went on a vacation to the Bungalows in key Largo fla. it was a fun resort lots of stuff to do or not do. Different restaurants on site and you can go to any of them. Eveything included.

 

[RU848789]

Hey, if folks don't mind me bending this just a touch, we're looking at a couple of things. One would be a river cruise in Europe. Another would be a gulet cruise along the coast of Croatia, or Greece, something like that. Final question is, does anyone know of a place that does "learning vacations" ideally one where I could take painting lessons, and Moms Skillethead could do cooking. Music would be a possibility as well.

Friends of ours did what I think was a gulet style cruise (I know it was a small ship, but not sure if it was a charter kind of deal or not) along the coast of Croatia, but not 100% on that. Paging @silentwillie...