Orlando Stay & Cruise

Question

Hi all,

Am looking for advice really. We are a family of 4, 2 children aged 10 and 5. We love Orlando and doing the parks, but prices are ever increasing and we are looking to do something different. My wife suggested a short stay in Orlando not doing the parks, and possibly a 7 night cruise around the Gulf/Caribbean. My first question is what is peoples experiences with this kind of holiday, and secondly can you book this as a package, or would the Orlando stay, cruise, flights etc have to be booked separately?

Thanks in advance.

Answer

Hi! Combining a short Orlando stay with a 7-night cruise is a great way to experience Florida with a mix of theme park excitement and relaxing time at sea. Many families do exactly this, especially to balance the high costs and long days at the parks with a more leisurely cruise experience.

Experiences from other families suggest that this kind of holiday can be very enjoyable, particularly with children aged 10 and 5:

Orlando stay without parks: Staying in Orlando for a couple of days without visiting the theme parks allows you to explore local attractions like Disney Springs, ICON Park, Crayola Experience, Kennedy Space Center, or simply enjoy hotel amenities like pools and kid-friendly activities. It’s a less hectic start to your trip and usually cheaper than full park passes.
Cruise benefits: A 7-night cruise around the Gulf or Caribbean gives everyone a chance to relax, enjoy onboard activities, and visit multiple destinations without the stress of packing and unpacking or changing hotels every day. Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian offer plenty of family-oriented entertainment and kids’ clubs suitable for your children’s ages.
Transition from Orlando to cruise: Many families fly into Orlando, spend a few days locally, and then drive or take a short flight down to the cruise port (typically Miami, Port Canaveral, or Fort Lauderdale). It’s common to spend 2–3 days in Orlando before embarking on the cruise.

Booking options:

You can book everything separately: flights to Orlando, hotel stay, and then cruise directly through the cruise line’s website. This can give you flexibility in selecting hotels, cruise staterooms, and flight times.
Some travel agents or online platforms offer package deals that combine flights, hotel, and cruise. These can simplify planning, and sometimes offer discounted rates or perks, though packages may be less flexible in terms of hotel choice or cruise cabin type.
Booking directly with a cruise line and then adding an Orlando stay separately is often preferred if you want specific cruise perks, onboard credits, or particular cabin selection.

Additional tips:

Consider proximity: If your cruise departs from Port Canaveral, it’s only about an hour from Orlando, which makes logistics easier.
Allow at least one night in the cruise departure city to avoid stress in case of flight delays.
Check cancellation policies and travel insurance, particularly since you’ll have multiple bookings.
For kids, select cruise itineraries with family-friendly ports of call and onboard activities to keep them entertained throughout the 7 nights.

In summary, a short Orlando stay followed by a 7-night cruise can be a very rewarding holiday, offering both theme park fun and relaxed cruising. Booking can be done as a package or separately, depending on your preference for flexibility versus convenience.

Orlando Stay & Cruise

More Florida (FL) Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions