How to Win Over the Reluctant Cruiser
My dear prince charming is handsome, kind, chivalrous, and (very occasionally) dead wrong. When I first took serious interest in the Disney Cruise Line while overdosing on Travel Channel (my pregnancy bed rest companion), Ben didn't exactly hop onboard. He thought we or the kids would get sea sick, that we would be bored, that it was out of budget, and that it just wouldn't have the same pixie dust as Walt Disney World.
Boy, do we laugh about that now!
Despite finding out that there are many ways to save your Disney dollars while heading to sea, we found that sometimes, Disney Cruise Lines even saves us money over Walt Disney World.
There are several things that really helped win over my reluctant mouseketeer.
Catch the Show
Watch a show, video clip or DVD about Disney Cruise Line with your reluctant mouseketeer.
Use This Strategy For:
Young Mouseketeers who love Disney but seem uncertain about setting out to sea.
Adult Mouseketeers who seem open to the idea of a cruise but are unconvinced that the pirates life is for them.
Further Notes:
Several different specials on the Disney Cruise Line are available over the years. One of the most recent even focuses on the ReImagined Magic!
The nice parts about the specials is that they can easily familiarize your reluctant cruiser with the idea of a Disney Cruise without the feeling of a hardsell that may come with the DVD from Disney.
If you're just trying to dip a toe in and test the water, try out some of the Disney Cruise Channel on YouTube.
Find Their Angle
You probably know that your reluctant mouseketeer loves their morning Frappuccino, or sunbathing, or is an adventurous foodie. Find the part of cruising designed especially for them and talk it up! I love theatre. On our last cruise, we got to listen to Clifford Schwartz (Disney's Production Stage Manager for Aladdin on Broadway) speak on the technical side of stagecraft. I entirely geeked out over his presentations.
Use This Strategy For:
Any potentially picky mouseketeer who seems more than a little bit like cruising isn't their cup of tea.
Further Notes:
This harder to crack mouseketeer may just turn into the greatest fan of cruising as they discover that the things they demand in a vacation (a high level of attention to detail in their service, quiet time to them self, wait staff who are versed in allergies) are already part of the magic. A bit of research and knowledge usually goes a long way to helping your Frappuccino addict learn about the Cove Café and make them a lot happier.
Just a Little One
My dear prince charming is really very sweet in that he occasionally goes along with things just to humor me. As a gift to me, he agreed to go along, just the two of us on the Disney Wonder. We settled on a last minute, short three night cruise "just to try it out." Ostensibly as a second honeymoon, but I really hoped that by dipping a toe into the magic he would get a quick brush with the pixie dust and be head over heels in love with cruising. If not, it is only three days of one vacation, so you can still go to Walt Disney World for the best of both worlds.
Use This Strategy For:
Mouseketeers with one foot on the ship and one in the Disney Parks
Further Notice:
Be aware that I *highly* recommend cruising for at least four nights with at least one sea day. Everyone I've seen get off of a three or four night cruise remarks how fast the time disappears.
The Long Range Planner
Put it on the calendar with an important date already attached but two to three years out. Go on a cruise for your 20th anniversary (or our son's tenth birthday, your parents retirement, etc.) This gives you a while to build expectation, anticipation and find those little things that will be going on during your cruise that will make your crew happy to be welcomed aboard.
Use This Strategy For:
Mouseketeers who are onboard, but already have plans to go to Walt Disney World this year and Disneyland the next, but would love to work it in eventually.
Further Note:
This works great. Just realize if your daughter's fifth birthday is in the Royal Suite on a Disney Cruise ship, her sixth birthday will be a letdown.
No matter how many ponies you buy her.
So maybe wait until your child is slightly older before linking birthdays and cruises.
My last word to any friend heading out on their first cruise?
Warning!
Cruising is addictive!
 |
| There's one in every family. |
Boy, do we laugh about that now!
Despite finding out that there are many ways to save your Disney dollars while heading to sea, we found that sometimes, Disney Cruise Lines even saves us money over Walt Disney World.
There are several things that really helped win over my reluctant mouseketeer.
Catch the Show
Watch a show, video clip or DVD about Disney Cruise Line with your reluctant mouseketeer.
Use This Strategy For:
Young Mouseketeers who love Disney but seem uncertain about setting out to sea.
Adult Mouseketeers who seem open to the idea of a cruise but are unconvinced that the pirates life is for them.
Further Notes:
Several different specials on the Disney Cruise Line are available over the years. One of the most recent even focuses on the ReImagined Magic!
The nice parts about the specials is that they can easily familiarize your reluctant cruiser with the idea of a Disney Cruise without the feeling of a hardsell that may come with the DVD from Disney.
If you're just trying to dip a toe in and test the water, try out some of the Disney Cruise Channel on YouTube.
Find Their Angle
You probably know that your reluctant mouseketeer loves their morning Frappuccino, or sunbathing, or is an adventurous foodie. Find the part of cruising designed especially for them and talk it up! I love theatre. On our last cruise, we got to listen to Clifford Schwartz (Disney's Production Stage Manager for Aladdin on Broadway) speak on the technical side of stagecraft. I entirely geeked out over his presentations.
Use This Strategy For:
Any potentially picky mouseketeer who seems more than a little bit like cruising isn't their cup of tea.
 |
| Photography buffs love the Mediterranean, Alaska and even the Caribbean. I wonder why? ;) |
This harder to crack mouseketeer may just turn into the greatest fan of cruising as they discover that the things they demand in a vacation (a high level of attention to detail in their service, quiet time to them self, wait staff who are versed in allergies) are already part of the magic. A bit of research and knowledge usually goes a long way to helping your Frappuccino addict learn about the Cove Café and make them a lot happier.
Just a Little One
My dear prince charming is really very sweet in that he occasionally goes along with things just to humor me. As a gift to me, he agreed to go along, just the two of us on the Disney Wonder. We settled on a last minute, short three night cruise "just to try it out." Ostensibly as a second honeymoon, but I really hoped that by dipping a toe into the magic he would get a quick brush with the pixie dust and be head over heels in love with cruising. If not, it is only three days of one vacation, so you can still go to Walt Disney World for the best of both worlds.
.JPG) |
| You can survive three days of views like this, right? |
Mouseketeers with one foot on the ship and one in the Disney Parks
Further Notice:
Be aware that I *highly* recommend cruising for at least four nights with at least one sea day. Everyone I've seen get off of a three or four night cruise remarks how fast the time disappears.
The Long Range Planner
Put it on the calendar with an important date already attached but two to three years out. Go on a cruise for your 20th anniversary (or our son's tenth birthday, your parents retirement, etc.) This gives you a while to build expectation, anticipation and find those little things that will be going on during your cruise that will make your crew happy to be welcomed aboard.
Use This Strategy For:
Mouseketeers who are onboard, but already have plans to go to Walt Disney World this year and Disneyland the next, but would love to work it in eventually.
Further Note:
This works great. Just realize if your daughter's fifth birthday is in the Royal Suite on a Disney Cruise ship, her sixth birthday will be a letdown.
.JPG) |
| Oops! Our bad! |
No matter how many ponies you buy her.
So maybe wait until your child is slightly older before linking birthdays and cruises.
My last word to any friend heading out on their first cruise?
Warning!
Cruising is addictive!
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