Is ~$400 more worth it for an extra night?

[JM_97]

Next May, there's a 4 night and 5 night Bahamas cruise on the Magic that I really like.

4 night: At Sea, Lookout Cay, Castaway Cay
5 night: Nassau, Lookout Cay, Castaway Cay, At Sea

As you can see, the itineraries are very similar, with Nassau being the difference. The 5 night is about $400 more expensive, depending on which stateroom you get. I've been on the Wonder, but that was a long time ago so I imagine it will be a completely different experience even if it's the same class. They also both leave from PC, so that part is a wash (and convenient). I like Nassau more than most but am just trying to decide if one more night (and day in Nassau) on the Magic is worth $400.

 

[Lesverts]

I am having this same debate on the Dream cruises from PE. Differences is over 500 dollars for that extra Nassau night. Not sure if it is worth it for an extra night to a port I am not fond of.

 

[LAS2AMS]

“Worth it?” $400 is below the average nightly cost of a Disney cruise. It’s dependent on your budget and how long you’d like to cruise. I’m not a fan of 3/4 day cruises - the time goes by quickly - but I’m also use to 14+ day cruises.

 

[Flossbolna]

Have you ever done a 4-night before and were happy with the length of cruise? My shortest cruise was 5 nights and I feel that I would not enjoy anything shorter as it took me a while to get into the cruise mood.

Also, one way to look at it would be how much more the price if the vacation as a whole would go up. Let’s say the 4 night is 2000 and the the 5 night is now 2400. Add in flights for two and a pre cruise hotel night for a total of 600$, so the total going up from 2600$ to 3000$ which is a 15% increase of vacation cost.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Have you ever done a 4-night before and were happy with the length of cruise? My shortest cruise was 5 nights and I feel that I would not enjoy anything shorter as it took me a while to get into the cruise mood.

Also, one way to look at it would be how much more the price if the vacation as a whole would go up. Let’s say the 4 night is 2000 and the the 5 night is now 2400. Add in flights for two and a pre cruise hotel night for a total of 600$, so the total going up from 2600$ to 3000$ which is a 15% increase of vacation cost.

I work in business management, serving some of the most well known and wealthiest people. I get that’s how you justify your costs but that’s definitely not good budgeting or financial planning.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

Next May, there's a 4 night and 5 night Bahamas cruise on the Magic that I really like.

4 night: At Sea, Lookout Cay, Castaway Cay
5 night: Nassau, Lookout Cay, Castaway Cay, At Sea

As you can see, the itineraries are very similar, with Nassau being the difference. The 5 night is about $400 more expensive, depending on which stateroom you get. I've been on the Wonder, but that was a long time ago so I imagine it will be a completely different experience even if it's the same class. They also both leave from PC, so that part is a wash (and convenient). I like Nassau more than most but am just trying to decide if one more night (and day in Nassau) on the Magic is worth $400.

Took a look at the prices and (assuming an interior room) you would be paying roughly $600 per night for the 4 night cruise, so an extra night is a bargain at only $400! (DCL math ). Seriously though, I would go for the 5 night cruise as I find the longer the cruise the better. We did a 5 night out Christmas time cruise on the Magic out of Miami a few years back and really enjoyed the ship.

 

[Flossbolna]

I work in business management, serving some of the most well known and wealthiest people. I get that’s how you justify your costs but that’s definitely not good budgeting or financial planning.

I never said I would justify costs like that. I said it’s a way to look at it for someone who asked whether something was “worth” it - an ultimately very subjective question.

Also, looking at the whole vacation budget also gives you a much better idea if those 400$ push up the vacation price to a limit you are not comfortable with. It’s so easy to add something here and something there and at the end you wonder why your credit card is crying.

 

[Lillebelle]

This is very subjective but for me, I would go for the extra night. We've done a 4 night and a 5 night cruise in the last year and I really felt like the 4 night was too short. Even the 5 night felt like it was pushing it. You figure your first night you're just settling in and your last night you're packing up. So on a four night you only have 2 'real' nights of just enjoying the cruise.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you were adding a port other than Nassau, I'd say go for it. But Nassau is just, um, Nassau. I'd rather use the extra day at WDW.

 

[Nabas]

I never said I would justify costs like that. I said it’s a way to look at it for someone who asked whether something was “worth” it - an ultimately very subjective question.

Also, looking at the whole vacation budget also gives you a much better idea if those 400$ push up the vacation price to a limit you are not comfortable with. It’s so easy to add something here and something there and at the end you wonder why your credit card is crying.

I agree.

If I can (for example) increase my vacation length by 25% but incrementally pay only 15% for it, that's a good value to me. As you note, the OP probably has other expenses (flights, hotel, Port Canaveral transfers, etc.). Therefore, the incremental cost of the extra night could be relatively small.

For me there's a second factor that comes into play: How often do I vacation? I'm at a stage in my life when I vacation 5 or 6 times a year. One day here or there isn't as valuable to me because by the time I'm back from my most recent vacation, I'm typically only a couple of months from my next vacation. For the OP, who has been "on the Wonder, but that was a long time ago", that extra day means a lot more than it does to me. Who knows when the OP is going to be on another Disney cruise?

But there's also a third factor, which is probably the most important of all. Where is that extra $400 coming from? If it's coming from excess "playing around money", then $400 for an extra day is a good deal. But if it's being incurred as credit card debt, then it's a terrible idea.

 

[KDG]

When you consider that $400 includes your stateroom AND another 3 meals AND entertainment for yourself and traveling companions, I think it is a good deal. I’d do it, but I love longer cruises!

 

[CamColt]

When you consider that $400 includes your stateroom AND another 3 meals AND entertainment for yourself and traveling companions, I think it is a good deal. I’d do it, but I love longer cruises!

That's exactly how I was looking at it. What would a day in WDW with accommodations, food, and park admission cost your party?

 

[LAS2AMS]

I never said I would justify costs like that. I said it’s a way to look at it for someone who asked whether something was “worth” it - an ultimately very subjective question.

Also, looking at the whole vacation budget also gives you a much better idea if those 400$ push up the vacation price to a limit you are not comfortable with. It’s so easy to add something here and something there and at the end you wonder why your credit card is crying.

I call this Disney math since so many people on this fourm use it. Good budgeting means knowing what your level of discretionary income is, how you’re going to use it (spend vs. save) and how much of your spend you’re comfortable with on any given trip.

Disney is expensive. When we talk large numbers, % increases generally tend to be small. When your travel budget should be only $5K to begin with, you’re already spending $6K, it might make you feel good about saying “it’s only 20% more of the total trip cost to upgrade to XXX” rather than “that upgrade is going to push our total trip cost up almost 50% more than we should be spending.”

The fact that the OP is debating this indicates it’s no insignificant amount to him. And it shouldn’t be - $400 would buy my family annual passes to Knott’s Berry Farms, for example. That’s another way of looking at it (alternative use of funds).

 

[cvjw]

Sounds like a good deal to me. We have paid more than that to enjoy 8 nights on the fantasy vs 7 nights. We love having an extra night on the ship!

 

[Henlady]

First question is can you afford another $400? If that would be an insignificant amount in the total scheme of things, and you have the available time, go for it. A night in a decent hotel with meals thrown in and some type of entertainment would probably exceed that $400.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I would do the longer cruise. I wouln't even care that it's Nassau. I enjoy being on the ship anywhere. If it's in warm weather, it could just sit at the dock for all I care.

 

[Flcruising]

It's not worth putting on a charge card and making payments or creating debt of some sort or messing with your long term financial goals. But if it is truly discretionary funds that won't make a difference to short term or long term goals yes enjoy it. But I would compare it to something else I could do with the funds, like giving my loved ones another special vacation but simpler than a cruise like camping or a hike.
Having said that. personally I would probably take the extra day.

 

[auntlynne]

Again, “worth it” is a value/ judgment question.

Dollarwise, it is a lower per-night price than is usual on a Disney cruise. ($458 is the lowest per-night price currently offered by DCL).

Will this change your travel expenses? Different return flight being significantly more expensive?

Room fare + gratuities + alcohol/onboard expenses + Nassau activity. It is more than just $400 (unless transportation is actually cheaper a day later), but as far as cruise fare goes, it is a better price.

For someone who is going to cruise one of these two sailings, it certainly seems like a good choice.

…If the question is whether to pick the Magic or not - and you enjoyed the Wonder (not just for the destination), there’s not a good reason to expect a disappointment with the Magic.

For me, a 5-night sailing is a pretty perfect length of cruise, especially to the Bahamas.

 

[Garyjames220]

I would pay the extra 400 in a heartbeat. If I didn’t like the port that’s simple for me, just stay onboard and enjoy a quieter ship

 

[Cheburashka]

For 5 nights instead of 4 nights, yes, that would be worth it to me. 4 nights is a pretty short cruise.