Personal Accounts of Cruise Ship and Disneyland Travel Experiences
This cluster features personal stories, including a detailed review of spending 50 days on a Celebrity cruise ship and an account of a first-time Disneyland trip with kids.
15 Feb, 11:41 — 15 Feb, 15:25
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I spent 50 days on the same Celebrity cruise ship in 5 different rooms. Here's how they compare, and which is the best value.
I was a passenger on the same Celebrity ship for six straight cruises, so I was able to experience a variety of room types across three different classes. Tammy Barr I sailed on Celebrity Constellation in interior, ocean-view, veranda, and concierge-class cabins. Some lower-tier rooms felt similar to me, mostly just differing in configuration and floorspace. Concierge class was great, but if I were paying full price I'd go for a standard veranda room. Last fall, my husband and I sailed on the Celebrity Constellation for 51 nights in a row on six back-to-back cruises. We did so using offers for discounted sailings that we received while playing in the onboard casino on a Celebrity cruise we'd taken earlier that year. Our almost two-month journey began in Rome and ended in Tampa, and we spent each sailing in a different cabin trying the various room classes Celebrity offers. Ultimately, we were able to sail in interior, ocean-view (standard and deluxe), and concierge-class cabins. Here's how they compared, and which I'd book next time if I were paying full price. We started in a cozy interior cabin without windows. Inside stateroom Tammy Barr On every cruise ship, interior staterooms tend to be cheaper and smaller than the other cabin types. Prices vary widely depending on demand, itinerary, and dates, but I've generally seen these rooms listed on the Constellation for about $550 to $700 per person. It was a well-appointed and basic room of 171 square feet that included a small desk area, refrigerator, television, closet, bed, and bathroom. The king-sized bed was comfortable and the bathroom felt spacious. I especially liked the generous counter space and large rectangular shower. After a late night, our interior room's the lack of morning sunshine was a blessing. It was always easy to sleep in without windows, but I did miss seeing the stellar sunsets at sea from my bed. I spent two voyages in ocean-view staterooms. Tammy Barr In my experience, upgrading from interior to ocean-view can add around $50 to $100 per person to the cost of the cruise. This room was the same size as the interior one and elements of the space, from the bed to the nightstands, looked nearly identical. However, the various ocean-view rooms can have different layouts. In one, the window was above the head of the bed, and in the other, we were able to use our window well as a bench or storage area. These were appointed similarly to the inside cabin, but are located on the outside part of the lower decks, featuring windows of various sizes. Lower floors tend to experience less movement, so these sailings felt especially quiet and smooth — this is one perk interior and ocean-view rooms tend to have over ones with balconies. The deluxe ocean-view room offered more space and a larger window. Large window in Deluxe Ocean View cabin Tammy Barr A cut above the regular ocean-view cabins, the deluxe room size took us from 171 to 242 square feet. In comparison, this room felt massive, and the (slightly bigger) window provided outstanding views of the sea. The bathroom was similar-sized to the other classes, and the bed and vanity appeared to be the same. It was nice to have space for in-room yoga and additional chairs that I used to host friends in the room. These typically cost about $100 per person more than standard ocean-view cabins. Though it was a pleasant week, I am not convinced the larger room and window are worth the extra cost. The veranda room featured an outdoor balcony. Tammy Barr On one voyage we stayed in a standard veranda room, which is also commonly referred to as a balcony cabin. It was slightly longer than the previous staterooms, but at 175 square feet, it was not as large as the deluxe ocean-view. The setups were quite similar, though I liked that the outdoor balcony added another 40 square feet for relaxing. The best part of a balcony room is the access to fresh, salty air. I loved leaving the door open to hear the waves lap against the side of the ship. Again, prices can vary, but I've seen balcony rooms on this ship cost about $300 more per person than a typical ocean-view cabin. The cabin we most enjoyed was the concierge class. Concierge class room with full-sized couch for entertaining Tammy Barr The room itself is a balcony cabin, but is slightly larger than the basic veranda level at 191 square feet plus a 42-square-foot balcony. Some of that extra space was used for additional shelving, and an even longer couch that could fold out to a queen-size bed. Most notably, though, this class comes with access to a dedicated concierge to assist us with anything we need around the ship, such as booking excursions. Our bathroom looked the same as it did in the other rooms. Bathroom in Concierge Class room Tammy Barr The bathroom and closet we had in concierge class resembled the ones in the other rooms. All of them were simple and functional with a good amount of counter space and a decent-sized shower. However, our bathrobes in here seemed to feel more plush than the ones in the regular cabins — but maybe we just imagined it. Concierge class comes with many perks. Concierge Class cabin on Celebrity Constellation Tammy Barr This room class comes with an abundance of perks like complimentary binoculars to use and a bottle of sparkling wine, plus a menu of pillow options to choose from for the bed. Throughout our week sailing in concierge class, we were able to attend exclusive events, like a lecture on our upcoming ports and a party on the ship's helipad, where we enjoyed complimentary drinks with the officers as we sailed out of port. As much as I enjoyed the in-room benefits of concierge class (especially the plush pillows), I do think these exclusive events would get old on a repeat cruise. This luxe-feeling class can get pricey — and it's not even Celebrity's top offering. Concierge class room on Celebrity Constellation Tammy Barr Oftentimes, concierge class costs nearly twice as much as an interior cabin. I've seen rooms on this ship for about $928 a week per person to over $1,000. Although the service we received felt like what we'd find at a fine hotel, this isn't even the top class that Celebrity offers. Next up is AquaClass, which offers similar balcony rooms, but with additional spa-related perks and better locations on the ship (like aft-facing balconies). I've seen these for a few hundred more than concierge. Then, Celebrity has its highest-end suites in The Retreat, a ship-within-a-ship concept with a private restaurant, lounge, and team of dedicated employees. These can be double the price of a concierge room. Ultimately, the sweet spot for me is the veranda room. Tammy Barr Celebrity offers cabins for all budgets and I relished the opportunity to try several of them. It's no surprise that concierge class — the most expensive offering with the most luxurious perks — was my favorite. However, if I were paying full price for a sailing I'd book a standard veranda room. In my opinion, it feels like a great value at a more reasonable cost, and paying a few hundred dollars to upgrade from ocean-view or interior room seems worth it. And, at the end of the day, when the ship is sailing out of port, I just want to be able to watch from my private balcony — not looking through a window or crowding on a shared deck. Read the original article on Business Insider
Read at source →I'm going to Disneyland with my kids for the first time. I'm terrified.
AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. My Disney dilemma My wife and I are about to take our two kids to Disneyland … and I'm absolutely terrified. Not because I don't want to go. My nearly 3-year-old carries his Mickey Mouse stuffie everywhere. He sleeps with it. Eats with it. When he sees Mickey in real life, he'll lose it. I can't wait for that. Here's the problem: I'm really worried about how much it's going to cost. The price of visiting Disney — and competing amusement parks — has been rising for years. But the upper end of what it can cost, depending on the experience you want, has entered rarefied air. In a recent Business Insider documentary, we dug into Disney's history to better understand the real reason the Mouse House has gotten so expensive. When Disneyland opened in 1955, admission was basically pocket change. Back then, it cost 50 cents for a child and $1 an adult, to get in, or $6 and $12, respectively, in today's dollars adjusted for inflation. Going on the rides cost more. Today, admission plus rides can run close to $200 a day, although the lower tiers are cheaper. Then there's the food. The merchandise. Not to mention the enormous crowds and the endless lines if you don't pay for a line-jumping pass. The happiest place on Earth? My wallet might disagree. Disney parks have been a bright spot for the company post-COVID under the stewardship of parks czar Josh D'Amaro. He is set to succeed Bob Iger as CEO. The question now is whether Disney diehards start to change course. One hardcore Disney fan who still visits multiple times a year told us she's cut back on extras and avoids premium shortcuts or add-ons. Another family dropped nearly $10,000 on Disney World and came home with a list of what they'd cut next time. There are Disney-specific budgeting stories, too, showing how families save on tickets, food, and hotels. I'm taking notes. My real fear isn't the credit-card bill. What if my kids love it? What if they beg to go back? What if this trip becomes such a core memory — priceless, one might say — that they measure other vacations against it? Wish me luck. What are your best Disney tricks and hacks? I'd love to hear from you at srussolillo@businessinisider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider
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