DCL should absolutely be attempted if you can do so. But please don’t think it’s the only good option. 
The characters and rotational dining are my favorite parts of DCL. I also loved the movie theater and musicals. But NCL was a blast as well and I have friends who prefer RCI over DCL because there is more to do.
Enjoy researching!!!
Aww, thanks! I love DCL! I love cruising in general and will cruise Radiance Class ships on RCCL if I have to (itinerary or if I am with a group), Norwegian’s Pride of America in Hawaii in 2021 (only ship that visits all the islands without a trans-Pacific sail), and am currently booked on Celebrity (though that may change back to Disney). But as a general rule, Disney will be my first choice.
We drive from western NY to FL (or NOLA this time) for cruises. From DC area it’s only 12-13 hours to Port Canaveral. If you can get a good DCL deal you could avoid flying all together.
12 hr drive is pretty bad for us…not impossible, but I try to avoid that…but I guess it’s not truly impossible to go on a cruise that far away…
I do believe that I stated that these examples were NOT Disney Cruise Lines Ships>
Yet you were citing the other ships’ issues for writing off cruising all together on a forum about Disney cruises which can be read as lumping all ships into the “not up to par” category.
Here again if you read what I stated that Disney Cruises are NOT included. Now other cruises I have had experiences with had there problems and I stated as such. Back in the day Disney did not ever have their own ship and they were called the Big Red Boats. That was my one and only Disney Cruise and they kept things in order. On Carnival it was not relaxing at all because of no security and the kids were in the adult hot tubs and no one did a thing to stop them. In Cosamel we visited and offshore island where the cabana bar served my 12 and 16 year olds, Tequla Sunshines behind our back. Also the ship reacted of marajna and no one check on this ether even though they were told. Customs did before we left the ship, but that was 4 days later. Now I think you understand where I am coming from. Of coarse that was quite some time ago and things may have changed for the better but when you hear why some of the cruise ship are getting stranded at sea or sickness taking over the ship with the crew having on idea how to handle it, It makes you wonder about cruise these days. I and my wife will not take another one but I also know many that love them and cruise all the time. I have had experience with Carnival and Disney but none of the rest.
Ok. Big Red Boat was not operated by Disney but in conjunction with Disney. And when Disney realized they did not have the control over the Premier people (the line it was actually on), they ended the contract and built their own.
Carnival has NEVER appealed to me. That whole “fun ship” party boat image they had in the 80s and 90s never appealed to me and they are really doing nothing to change that.
In pointing out the inspection scores, I was simply reassuring people that Disney has protocols that keep illness down. And they keep up the maintenance on their ships so that if something does happen - they are machines after all - it is not likely to be the “poop cruise” disaster scenario others have had. Their ships are impeccably kept and maintenance is constantly done on them and the crew is constantly doing drills. And with health inspections they are regularly the best cruise line out there with virtually NO violations.
Cruising is not for everyone. It is clearly not for you. But to lump all cruise lines together as floating disease barges on the verge of a breakdown is simply not fair.
Outside of every restaurant on the Disney Dream, crew members handed out disinfecting hand wipes to everyone. It was definitely evident they took it seriously.
My brother’s friend once called Carnival the “KMart of cruise lines.” 
Here again I did no such thing. I stated Disney Cruises are different in that respect. I also stated that I have only been on one other cruise and that was Carnival. I also stated the reasons I felt this way about the cruise we were on. Now the news on Cruise ship problems is where you find the most negativity. Many people just love the cruising experience and that’s great. Some people do not mind the crowed environment on a ship but it is no longer for us. WDW in itself is crowded but we seem to be able to handle that. Therefore I am not cutting down the cruise industry but rather making those aware the they can be both good and bad depending on what your looking for. Enough said at least by me.
I really appreciate everyone’s advice on everything. I do have another question (not sure if I should start a new thread or continue with this one?). I was thinking to only consider the Dream or Fantasy but am seeing that some of the ports that are near me only have the Magic or Wonder. Are the older ships still great? I am most interested in the Dream. Having never cruised before it would all be new to me anyway (and my family). I just think the Dream looks more…I don’t know, bigger and more than the older ones…
EVERY cruise line I’ve been on has employees handing out wipes or hand sanitizer outside ever food venue. What’s more is the bathrooms on NCL Getaway were designed so you touch nothing but the door lock. Toilet, soap, water, dryers and entry/exit doors to the washroom are automatic.
I’ve always enjoyed shopping at Kmart, so I guess I’ll enjoy my upcoming Carnival cruise just fine.
@Kitty_Ellas_Mom we did Magic in 2014 and it was beautiful. A lot of folks on DIS (frequent DCL cruisers) say Dream and Fantasy often feel congested more so than the older ships.
Keep in mind Fantasy and Dream are older than a lot of other lines newer ships.
I’d like to go on the Fantasy some day, but I’d do Wonder or Magic in a heartbeat. Dream doesn’t appeal as long as it only does short cruises. For us 3- and 4- now feel too short.
We’ve only been on the older ships so far: Magic in 2013 and Wonder (Alaska) in 2018. We loved both ships. They’ve been refurbished, so we didn’t really notice anything looking “old.”
I’ve heard the smaller ships were nicer for Castaway Cay, since they mean less crowds on the island.
We’re going on the Fantasy in 2020, after that, I’ll be able to compare them!
I absolutely think this could be.
I really hadn’t thought about the lesser CCay crowds at all. Thanks!