Disney: Cruise

"I was very skeptical of the whole cruising lifestyle (too many organized activities, people telling me when to eat, etc.), but with kids it really was quite a nice way to vacation for a few days. The staff is, true to Disney training, amazingly attentive, down to the people cleaning the rooms. The facilities are beautiful, and the ship offers a lot of entertainment (kids club activities, shows, characters around the ship, etc.). Meals are quite good, although make sure you sign up for your meal time on their web site ahead of time (we did not and were given the latest mealtime, which was after my dd's bed time, and it was a pain to switch). The adults-only restaurant is very nice, great service (we left our daughter in the child care center for a few hours). The private island - Castaway Cay - boasts a very nice (but crowded) beach and some fun activities.

The only semi-negatives I can think of are that Nassau in the Bahamas (one of the stops on the 3-day cruises) is just kind of depressing.
Very tourist-oriented, lots of cheap stuff for sale when you get off the ship, etc. I might choose to spend the day on the ship at the pool instead, or sign up for one of the water activities in Nassau rather than doing any sightseeing or whatever. Also, I think the cruise is best if your kids are 3 and older. My 2 y.o. could not yet go to the Kids Club (or whatever it is called). They do have a childcare center for younger children, but it's really just that, child care, not a place w/ lots of activities like the club for older kids. Also, children in diapers are not allowed in the pool b/c of health regulations – they are limited to the sprinkler in one of Mickey's ears (the kids' pool is the shape of Mickey's head). This was a bit frustrating to my daughter who was used to being able to get into pools. (The adults-only pool is nice, by the way!).

Overall, I would definitely recommend a Disney cruise w/ kids if you are looking for a quick, tropical getaway. It's easy to get to from DC (fly to Orlando, bus to ship), you unpack once but yet go to new places every day. (If you go, I recommend flying in the day before your cruise, though, and getting to the ship early, b/c the lines to get checked in get really long in the afternoon before the 5pm sailing). I think of all the cruise lines, they are most child-friendly, the service is excellent, and it really feels like a get-away. Also, the price you pay is really all-inclusive. You CAN spend more money, at their store, buying character pix, doing certain on-shore activities, going to the ship spa, etc., but you really don't need to spend any -- there is plenty to do for free, the food is plentiful, etc.

Oh, and if you go on ANY cruise, wash your hands religiously, USE the anti-bacterial stuff they have around the ship everywhere. Those stomach bugs are everywhere on cruise ships, despite constant cleaning, and they can really ruin your vacation (the medical staff may actually quarantine you in your room so you can't spread it -- no fun)!"