My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary this summer and we are considering a cruise for the occasion. The cruise would be just for the 2 of us, leaving the kids with Grandma. We look forward to taking the whole family on a Disney cruise when we can afford it. She and I have gone to Disneyland and to Walt Disney World as a couple without kids in the past and enjoyed it. My question:

Would a Disney cruise be a good idea for a couple? Since we would only participate in few (if any) of the "kid" and "family" activities, would we be more comfortable or spend less for the same enjoyment on another cruise line? What is your opinion?

My husband and I went on a Disney cruise four and a half years ago for our honeymoon. We had no kids and had a great time. While there were plenty of activities to keep us busy when we wanted, we were still able to relax and just enjoy the cruise without running all over the place.

Don't forget to visit the adult's only restaurant which has a great breakfast. Adding that on our restaurant rotation we were seated with other couples who did not have children.

AVP and I have done both cruises without kids. Our next one (the 14-night Orlando to Anaheim trip in May) is without kids. It will only be our fourth where we introduce kids to the mix: a family reunion, so we will have various neices and nephews with us. We have never been bored. Quite the contrary.

If you enjoy the Disney parks, you'll enjoy the cruise. Not because they are the same - they really aren't. But so many elements are similar (level of themeing, the shows, etc).

They have several adult programs on board, including cooking demos and classes, behind the scenes tours, etc. There is the adults only spa. Adults only pool. As dsnyredhead mentioned above, there is the adults only Palo, which is fantastic.

We are planning on an Alaska cruise in 2006. The price for a 12-night on a Celebrity cruise at the concierge level (one of the nicest out there) is comparable to what we are paying for the 14-night. But, we are definately paying a premium for the Panama Canal cruise - Disney is offering almost no discounting on those trips, because they don't have to. We did a one week cruise last year at the end of hurricane season for 30% of what we are paying for the 14-night trip, but that was because Disney was still hurting from 9/11 when we booked and were throwing incentives at people to book.

Ulitimately, it really depends on what you are looking for. If you want true pampering and luxury, I would recommend Crystal or Celebrity. But be prepared for several nights of Tuxedos and formal wear, and a Jacket being required every night. If you want something a little more relaxed, but with the option to dress up, Disney is a better choice.

wwent on an alaskan cruise without kids..thought I was in heaven..It was sooooo relaxing

We're going on the Disney Magic for our Honeymoon. The service is second to none -- as they say, you take the magic of a Disney World vacation and "just add water." You might spend less on another ship (I've done several on Royal Caribbean), but there's just somethign special about DCL -- even the shuttle ride over to the port seems "magical" somehow -- PLUS you get Castaway Cay. You might want to call (or go on the Web site) and order the planning DVD so you can see what it looks like (you can click right to the "adults" section without fast-forwarding to get there).

You might spend less on another ship (I've done several on Royal Caribbean), but there's just somethign special about DCL -- even the shuttle ride over to the port seems "magical" somehow -- PLUS you get Castaway Cay.

I agree. I've done both a RC cruise and a Disney Cruise. The RC cruise was nice, but I just kept thinking it was missing something. We missed all the Disney touches.

I think one thing about DCL that makes it very special is that you can basicly do what you want, even as adults. You can be as formal or informal as you like and no one cares. You will find that most adults will at least dress "business casual" at the very least for most dinners, which makes it more appealing.

I told my wife as we left the ship on our first cruise that I was going to miss being treated like royalty. Oh, how I am counting down the days until my trip next year.