So, I just slammed down a deposit for a 4-night Bahamian in December '08. I'm totally claustrophobic...I HATE to fly (even tho I fly to DLR every year, sometimes twice) and I'm freaked out about the flight to Florida...I'm in California. Add to that being on a ship. Albeit a BIG ship, but does it feel at all "closed in"?

I've always been afraid of cruising for that reason alone (oh and did I mention I'm afraid of water, too?), but I figure what the hay, my first cruise MUST be a Disney one!

Any insight on this? Anyone?

You know, I wondered this as well at first. But to me, the ship does not seem closed in at all. At the same time, I thought that I "needed" a veranda in order to not feel so boxed in. While that was a nice room to have, even having a room with a window helped with the "closed in" feeling.

But ultimately, I spent little time in the room and the ship never felt boxed in. It really feels like a floating resort. :)

You know, I wondered this as well at first. But to me, the ship does not seem closed in at all. At the same time, I thought that I "needed" a veranda in order to not feel so boxed in. While that was a nice room to have, even having a room with a window helped with the "closed in" feeling.

But ultimately, I spent little time in the room and the ship never felt boxed in. It really feels like a floating resort. :)

Thanks! We are going with another family so we reserved adjoining state rooms with verandahs. I thought about just getting the window, but for a first time cruise, I wanted to be safe.

Not so worried about motion sickness...just being closed in. By the way, afraid of the water, too! Double whammy!:D

Disney staterooms are larger than comparable staterooms on other cruise ships, so that's a good thing.

We had a verandah on our cruise, and I thought it was absolutely critical. We had a family stateroom, with two adults/three kids, and when all the beds were ready for the night, it was a tight fit. Lucky we bought a lot of stuff in duffle bags so they could go under the bed and we brought other space-saving storage things to help maximize our space.

The verandah gave us some extra space, made it feel more spacious because of the light, and my husband and I had one of our nicest dinners there. I actually liked spending time in the stateroom, with the door to the verandah open.

On our next cruise, though, there will be six in our immediate party so we're getting a stateroom with verandah for us and an inside stateroom across the hallway for the four kids (one of whom will be 21 then, so we're legit with having an adult in the stateroom). I think that will be even nicer, with two staterooms and more space. :) *They* might have a tighter fit, but I don't think they'll be in the stateroom much other than for sleeping.

Thanks! We are going with another family so we reserved adjoining state rooms with verandahs. I thought about just getting the window, but for a first time cruise, I wanted to be safe.



We're doing this for our upcoming cruise too, and I understand (could be wrong, though...) that you can open up the divider on the verandah and have a 'double wide' space.

You will probably love having a verandah!

We're doing this for our upcoming cruise too, and I understand (could be wrong, though...) that you can open up the divider on the verandah and have a 'double wide' space.

You will probably love having a verandah!

As long as you have the two staterooms next to each other you can ask to have the divider opened. It iis not a huge opening, but enough for people to pass comfortably through. This can actually be done on any ship with verandah staterooms.

Ted

Thanks everyone! I'm so looking forward to our trip and I am more at ease now with all of your feedback.

I also heard that once we dock in the Bahamas, go straight to the Atlantis and bypass local sightseeing...Does this sound about right?:confused:

Sailing with 2 kids so I would like to see the water attractions there and dolphins, too.

I have anxiety issues from time to time and also hate to fly. I was very worried about taking a cruise and getting that closed in feeling. We were on a different line, with VERY small rooms and I did feel anxious at first and when we left the port. Then I totally felt comfortable and actually cozy in the small room and loved sleeping there. We have never been on DCL, taking our first trip next May, but have heard like the other posters, that the staterooms are larger than average in market.

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but I did get pretty anxious during the muster drill. You have to stand very close to the other passengers and I felt like the life jacket was tight around my neck. I asked the person in charge of our section if I could stand next to the railing to get some fresh air and he was really kind and helped me out. Then he said I had to go back and squish against the wall again. It was over soon enough, though. I know some people muster in a lounge for the drill and I am praying that's us on the May trip!

I was thinking about the six sea days the TA cruisers are doing right now on their way to the Med and I think not seeing land for days would freak me out!! :eek:

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but I did get pretty anxious during the muster drill. You have to stand very close to the other passengers and I felt like the life jacket was tight around my neck. I asked the person in charge of our section if I could stand next to the railing to get some fresh air and he was really kind and helped me out. Then he said I had to go back and squish against the wall again. It was over soon enough, though. I know some people muster in a lounge for the drill and I am praying that's us on the May trip!

I was thinking about the six sea days the TA cruisers are doing right now on their way to the Med and I think not seeing land for days would freak me out!! :eek:
What the heck is a muster drill? Sounds chock full of anxiety for someone like me...:eek:

And I'm with you! We were originally going to do a 7 day cruise, but I thought for my first cruise, a 4 night would be better...

Because my DH has agreed to the cruise, he's making me promise to fly to Europe! YIKES! 10-12 hours in a plane! What's a girl to do?:eek: :)

What the heck is a muster drill? Sounds chock full of anxiety for someone like me...:eek:
A muster drill is a mandatory "practice session" where all passengers and crew don life jackets and report to their designated muster stations--gathering points where passenger counts can be taken--to ensure that everyone is accounted for. Muster drills are always (as far as I know) conducted in port, before the ship departs.

Oh. Thanks!

Please don't let my description of the muster drill scare you or keep you from taking a Disney Cruise! You will really enjoy the cruise and being on deck while the boat is moving feels wonderful.

Now you know what to expect for the drill and prepare for it. It's not a picnic for people with claustrophobia but it's manageable, mandatory and over quickly. Just breathe through it!!

I totally understand about flying overseas! It's funny but I actually have an easier time on long haul flights than shorter flights. I REALLY hate to fly but have been to Europe 4 times. I try not to let it stop me from my love of travel.

Have fun and explore this amazing world! You can do it!!!

Thanks, iheartflounder! I've got many friends that love to travel and are also very encouraging. Soon a Disney cruise...next, the WORLD!

If you get lucky, there are a number of staterooms where your muster station is in a theater or a restaurant. Last two cruises we've done, have been that way. The first was in Animators Palate, and the second was in the Walt Disney theater. In both cases, we were able to have a seat and wait for the process to be completed.

Do they make you wear your life jacket during the muster drill on DCL? I've only been on Princess Cruises -- you bring your life jacket to the drill but you don't put it on until the very very end. You're in it for less than a minute & it's really not that bad.

I don't think you'll have claustrophobia issues -- especially with a verandah.

Do they make you wear your life jacket during the muster drill on DCL?
Yes, they do. They want you to have it on before you leave your room and not take it off till you get back.

Yes, they do. They want you to have it on before you leave your room and not take it off till you get back.

That's why I always think it is incredibly redundant to show everyone at their muster station how to put the lifejacket on. :confused:

The good thing about the Muster Drill is that it is done first thing -- then it is out of the way for the remaining trip (unless of course, the ship sinks, but then that wouldn't be a drill would it?). It is usually cumbersome to wear, hot, and there are crying kids. But the whole thing takes about 30 minutes.
I am a bit claustrophobic, but didn't have any problems with the room. We had a veranda, which is now a must for every additional cruise. The bathrooms are a bit tight, but I didn't have any issues. If you tend to get seasick, ask your doctor for a prescription for "transom" -- a little patch (small bandaid) that you wear. My wife used this and had no nausea the entire trip. You should begin in beforehand, and it may help with your plane ride too.
We went on Disney Wonder in early December 2005 -- the ship was decorated for Christmas, not overcrowded and simply beautiful. You could walk on decks where you wouldn't see anybody around -- like the whole ship was yours! I would recommend paying the nominal extra fee one night and eating at Palo -- the food was wonderful and the wait staff excellent. Also, the trip to Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) was very nice. Head to the beaches further out -- we did and had open hammocks and a large stretch of beach all to ourselves.
Overall, the Disney trip was much better than I thought it would be. To do it again, I would want to go with the 7-day cruise.

I was thinking about the six sea days the TA cruisers are doing right now on their way to the Med and I think not seeing land for days would freak me out!! :eek:

Diff'rent strokes...*I* thought that the six days at sea would be *heavenly*!! Whenever I got stressed out at work, I would sit back, pretend I was on my verandah and breathing in the seabreeze. Nothing....could...be...better....

I was one of the taller people in my line during my drill on deck, and therefore was up against the wall with shorter adults and a few kids in front of me. I just really focused on listening to the instructions during the drill to take my mind off any claustrophobic feelings. Also, the sight of the little babies in their baby-style life jackets is just too adorable! :D Find something/someone cute to focus on if possible!