Trying to figure out why to do Disney Cruise

DW and I are in the process of planning a cruise during winter break 2008 with DD (7 - will be 8 at the time of our vacation) and DS (4 - will be 5 at the time of our vacation). DW and I are experienced cruisers, although we have never been on a Disney cruise and we have never taken the kids on a cruise. We'd love to do a Disney cruise with the kids because from everything we've heard and read, the kid areas on the Disney ships are far and away superior to the kid areas on other cruise lines. (And, of course, everything is themed Disney and the characters are on board, but we view those things as just additional benefits and they are not our primary reason for looking at a Disney cruise.)

But then the big issue -- PRICE!!! Looking at a comparable room for the same week on Royal Carribbean versus DCL, the DCL price is about $2,500 more. Can anyone tell me what the major differences really are between DCL and Royal Carribbean (in particular) or other cruise lines (in general)? Better kid areas? Better entertainment? Better food? Bigger rooms? (I've heard that the staterooms on DCL are larger and have a split bathroom, but I don't know much about this.) Other considerations? To be more direct, is it really worth an extra $2,500 to go on DCL instead of Royal Carribbean?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Unfortunately, you've priced out the most expensive week during the year. Vacation weeks are by far the costliest in terms of cruise vacations.

We've never cruised on another cruiseline so I really can't do a personal comparison. I can comment on the cast members on board, in that most of them were as friendly as the CMs you'll find at WDW (they actually acknowledge your presence and will smile/say hello to you). From comparisons I've read, that's not always the case on other cruiselines.

We sailed in a Category 6 (it has a verandah) and the room was large. I've lived in apartments with bedrooms smaller than the stateroom. The split bathroom was also a plus, allowing my DS and I to get ready at the same time. The entertainment onboard was top rate, and Disney's shows have won awards from the cruise industry PLUS it was also kid-friendly (no off color humor to worry about). And of course, being Disney, the kids' programs are not a second thought but a main player.

Good luck with your decision.

We sailed on the Wonder for the 4 night cruise starting on November 4, 2007. I can tell you what that is like, but not a comparison, I haven't cruised anywhere else.

1. There is a split bathroom, which we loved. One had a toilet and a sink, the other had a shower and a sink. It made getting ready very easy.

2. There was a lot more space in the cabin than I anticipated. We had a Category 5 (I think) cabin, with a veranda with no obstruction. It was worth every penny to have the veranda, we used it every day to watch the sun rise and set, and when we were getting ready (it was my husband, me, and my daughter) and were waiting for everyone to be ready we would sit out there. It was a pleasure.

3. You DO feel the motion of the ocean. The first night and the last night (particularly the last night) were very, very active. Keep this in mind if you get motion sickness easily.

4. Castaway Cay was the highlight of the trip. We had gorgeous weather, warm, sunny, blue skies and blue water. The Eco Jet Ski trip was a not to be missed affair for my husband and daughter (pricey at $160 but worth every penny). Snorkeling was fun and readily available. I was shocked at how bug-free the island was, there was food and drinks everywhere and no flies! We wished we had more than one day there.

5. Nassau was not great, unless you like to walk around being accosted by people wanting to sell you things and braid your hair. We went to the Atlantis for a while in the afternoon, and while it is nice and it was fun to gamble a little, overall I wasn't that thrilled. Disney offers a "Discover Shopping" presentation when you are on the boat the first day, and they sell you a $20 book of discounts for shopping in Nassau. It was clear to me that the woman running the presentation was paid by the shops that she was pushing. There are some freebies in the book, they may make it worth the $20, we got two pairs of earrings, a tote bag, and a free disposable camera. You can skip the presentation and spend that hour or two somewhere else.

6. The kid pool and the family pool were a nightmare, unless you like crowded and noisy. The adult Quiet Cove pool was wonderful.

7. The buffet food was good, there was ice cream available on the pool deck that the kids enjoyed, the restaurants were hit and miss. We liked Triton best and Parrot Cay dinner least. Our servers were wonderful and caring and lovely and they followed us from restaurant to restaurant.

8. My 11 year old did NOT like the Oceaneer Lab, and didn't go more than once. We were there with a bunch of other families, and the kids mostly hung out at the pool. They did have a few fun activities, like a kid's karaoke, and an animation seminar.

9. There is a theater on board that plays some older and one or two newer Disney releases (Dan in Real Life was available when we were on the boat, for instance). There is a theater that has a different live show each night. If you have to skip a show, skip the Golden Mickeys show, and if you must see one, see Hercules. Dreams was good especially if you have little kids.

10. The on board bingo was fun. The cast members who run those things are very good, and very friendly (and for some reason, mostly very British!).

Overall we enjoyed our stay very much, and I would recommend the cruise line to someone else. I hope this helps you.

I have only done two Disney Cruises, so I can't compare. My parents, however, have been on another cruise line and once on DCL.

Now, my dad was in the Coast Guard, and NEVER wanted to cruise, but fell in love with it on the other cruise company. After being on a Disney Cruise, he thinks this is the only way to vacation!!! It really was the BEST vacation I have ever had. He agrees. He's already decided he wants to go on the first cruise of one of the new ships!

They say the food is beyond anything. There was so much food and the quality was amazing. I thought it was amazing, even though I never had a comparison. We ate so many steaks that week!!

The entertainment is top notch. They actors and dancers are AMAZING. What you would expect from Disney. My parents also said that the entertainment (shows and just general activities during the day) ran circles around the other cruise line. There was never a time that you were bored, which he said happened to them on the other cruise. There's something for everyone, literally.

One thing about Disney... each CM makes you feel like you are the only person on the ship. You have a problem, its fixed. Each CM speaks to you. They are constantly fixing and cleaning. Your servers remember your name and what you like to drink. We had the BEST!! Sammy remembered I don't like to eat seafood, so he was always ready to help me pick something w/o seafood, and of course make fun of me to everyone! They even brought out a cake for my graduation on my last day! The head server also remembered us, giving my dad a recipe for and item he ate one night.

My dad likes Disney, but he's not a nut like I am. One show, Disney Dreams, he walked out and said, "Now that's how a musical should be!"

We aren't exactly beach people, but my family LOVED Castaway Cay (Even my grandparents!). Its one of the most amazing places you'll ever go!

If you want to know about the service and everything, you can read my trip reports that are Stickied to the top of this forum with a bunch of others.

My dad (who doesn't like to spend too much money) decided that even though a Disney cruise is much more than any other cruise line, its the people, ship, food, and overall experience that will make him pay more money. He's sided with me... if its not a Disney cruise, I don't want to go on it!

The rooms are larger and the split bathrooms come in most rooms (except the least expensive rooms).

Hope this helps!

I'd also like to see some real comparison posts from people who've been on other cruise lines.
The price difference is huge!

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Originally Posted by johnO

The price difference is huge!

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I think one of the major reasons for the significant price difference, is that Disney doesn't have gambling to offset costs. The staterooms are larger than average, a majority do come with split bathrooms and views. The food selection is also better than some other cruise lines, as is the boarding and disembarking procedure. The kids clubs are well attended and typically run from 9am right up through 12 or 1am. Other cruise lines have a tendency to cancel kids activities due to non-interest. The ship is well divided into kids, family and adult only areas. The big emphasis is on family and enjoying time together. Not sure I've ever seen another cruise ship that offers a family nightclub where you can all dance together. A lot of what they have is in the service and it's difficult to put a dollar figure on it.

Will you have a good time on a Royal Caribbean cruise or NCL? Very likely. Will you have a better time on the Disney cruise? Most definitely.

I've done a RCCL and a Carnival and my parents have done about 10 RCCL and we have all done DCL. My parents like RCCL, but they love DCL better. They've taken more RCCL trips because of the different itineries (Alaska, Mexico, etc.). Now that DCL will be expanding, they will probably take more DCL's trips.

Here's a quick comparison:

1. Food - All cruise food is really good, so it is dificult to compare this one. Although, I prefer the service on the DCL and the quality of the food.

2. Overall Service - The DCL service is excellent. They go out of their way to give you specialized service. Example, when I was on a RCCL cruise, I went back to the room mid-day to get something out of the room. There was a crew member vaccumming the hall and was blocking the hall. The halls are very narrow and he looked up at me and kept vaccumming and wouldn't stop and back up so I could get to my room. After a few minutes, he finally got past my room so could get to the room. Same thing happened on the DCL, the cast member saw me, turned off the vaccumm, asked which room I was going to, opened up a room that they had just cleaned, and ducked into it so I could get to my room and appologized profusely for being in the way.

3. Kids Programs - We have yet to utilize the kids programs, but on my first cruise, I didn't like being around kids (I was in my I'm never having kids faze) and was really worried about being surrounded by them. The first night, the kids were at dinner, then like magic, they dissappeared the rest of the cruise. My parents have said that on other cruises that they have been on with kids programs, the kids are everywhere but the kids programs. To me that says it must be pretty good.

4. Castaway Cay - Disney has their own private island that is purely magical. When you step off the ship, it looks like it is the first time anyone has landed on the beach. It is amazing. They've added a lot more activities than when I first went there, so you can lounge on the beach, go snorkling, get a massage, eat, and do so many things. My parents have been to the RCCL Private Beach Resort at a country that I can't remember, and they were swarmmed by beggers and my mom hated it. She said it was even worse that Nassau. There were few activities and it was mostly a place to play in the water and lay on the beach. She also thought that it just looked dirty.

Really appreciate your response. Hopefully some others will post too.

We love taking cruises.

But, I have a really hard time convincing myself that a Disney cruise is worth the money.

All four of us are HUGE disney fans.

When it comes to cruising, minimum I want to do is 7 days. Also, a balcony/verandah is a must do for us. Sitting on the balcony having coffee and room service breakfast is a must do for us.

I just can see paying 6000 for a family deluxe room with verandah on Disney, when I can get a grand suite (much larger) on Royal Caribbean for 4,000.

I know its all things disney, but I just can't convince myself that we would not have a better time on a Royal cruise and then spend a week at Disneyworld for a Disney fix.

Would love to hear arguments either way from those of you who have used Disney and other lines.

Thanks!

We went on the 3 day Disney Cruise in 2004 and will again in 2008. We had a blast and it was very nice. In 2004 we paid over $2000 (2 adults & 1 child) for a Cat 5 Family room with a verandah.

We have been on other 7 days cruises and to tell you the truth most have been just as nice. If we didn't have a younger son we would probably go with a different cruise line and save a ton of money.

The only line we have been on which I feel wasn't as nice as the Disney Cruise was the Carnival Line.

....can't really tell you much about cruise comparisons...since my first and only cruise was just 3 weeks ago on the Wonder (4 day - Nov 4-8).

However...that being said, I just don't know if the other cruise lines out there would bend over backward to please like the DCL did. There wasn't any point during the cruise that I didn't feel that someone wasn't trying to make my trip the best it could possibly be. This feeling extended all the way from the housekeeping...to the way that one of the bartenders made darn sure that the bar next to the adult pool was stocked with Boddington's Ale by sending a waiter to another bar in the ship to get a supply (that was pretty classy...I thought).:beer:

We (me, wife + 11 yr old daughter) had an outside cabin with a verandah (Room 7042) and I do agree with how nice it is to have such an amenity....it (a veranda) will be a MUST for me on all future cruises (now that I'm hooked) since it is a great coffee break as well as a cigar and "real" drink location.

As I said, it's not for me to say what line is better since I really have no point of reference to make the comparison....but....we were with a party (total) of +20 people, and many of them had been on other cruise lines before. The general opinion expressed by those who gave one...was that the Disney Cruise Line was right "up-there" with other lines that they've sailed on (particularly if children are along for the ride).

....by the way...I had a great time...and for what it's worth, that....is a rave coming from me...the "ambassador of doom and gloom" ;)

I'm going to go ahead and merge this thread with an existing one about reasons to choose DCL.

Well, I don't know about other cruise lines either, but after our 7 night Eastern on the Magic, we determined that out of all the Disney World and Disneyland trips, or any trip for that matter (including the other cruises my parents went on) the Disney Cruise Line trip was, by far, the best trip we've ever been on. My dad will say,"I've never had a vacation that wonderful before." This is coming from a man that doesn't get very excited about much. He loved it, and it really was amazing.

We will gladly pay for that kind of vacation again.

I've been on 2 Carnival, 2 Celebrity & coming up on my #5 Disney cruise, so maybe I can help.
Disney fills a niche in the cruise market, one dedicated almost solely to families & children. I've found that the food & service on the 3 cruiselines to be very comparable with each other, so that doesn't come into play. The Disney cabins are larger, decorated nicer & the bath & 1/2 can't be beat, so +1 for Disney.
You won't find a reeking, smokey casino onboard to offset $$ like someone else mentioned. So another +1 for Disney, as an ex-smoker I can't stand the smell.
The shows are first rate. You won't find some flashy, Vegas style song & dance program to old Broadway musicals. You'll find superbly done, family friendly shows that everyone can enjoy together, with 'adult' language comedian shows later in the evening. Another plus for Disney.
There is a dedicated movie theatre showing first & second run movies. The other ships I've been showed only movies on the cabin TV's.
The kid programs can't be beat. While some kids may not like the Oceaneer Lab or The Loft (teen only area), my daughter could not get enough of it. Much to our dismay, most days we only saw her at dinner, unless we had an excursion booked in a port, and she would normally stay 'til it closed she was having that much fun. On the other cruiselines kids programs, she spent a couple of hours, at best, and never went back the remainder of the cruise. Another plus.
Another reason I bet Disney has to charge more is alcohol consumption. While there are waiters taking drink orders & bars onboard, there are no singles trying to hook up and I'm sure most parents don't drink as heavily as they would if the children were not around.
And lets not forget Castaway Cay, your own private island for a day.
Disney charges more because they can. But in my opinion they are well worth it. You will pay less on ther cruiselines, and you will have a great vacation. Spend the extra $$ on a Disney cruise and you'll have an exceptional vacation that your children will remember forever as being the best-est trip ever! Start small with the 3 or 4 day trip to get your toes wet, but to really be able to take it all in, a 7 day is a must. We've been on both ships, the Wonder & Magic, for 3, 4, 7 (twice) and 10 nights and our next is the 4 night New Years cruise. So I hope I helped answer your question. :mickey:

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Originally Posted by houseofmouse103

I've been on 2 Carnival, 2 Celebrity & coming up on my #5 Disney cruise, so maybe I can help.
Disney fills a niche in the cruise market, one dedicated almost solely to families & children. I've found that the food & service on the 3 cruiselines to be very comparable with each other, so that doesn't come into play. The Disney cabins are larger, decorated nicer & the bath & 1/2 can't be beat, so +1 for Disney.
You won't find a reeking, smokey casino onboard to offset $$ like someone else mentioned. So another +1 for Disney, as an ex-smoker I can't stand the smell.
The shows are first rate. You won't find some flashy, Vegas style song & dance program to old Broadway musicals. You'll find superbly done, family friendly shows that everyone can enjoy together, with 'adult' language comedian shows later in the evening. Another plus for Disney.
There is a dedicated movie theatre showing first & second run movies. The other ships I've been showed only movies on the cabin TV's.
The kid programs can't be beat. While some kids may not like the Oceaneer Lab or The Loft (teen only area), my daughter could not get enough of it. Much to our dismay, most days we only saw her at dinner, unless we had an excursion booked in a port, and she would normally stay 'til it closed she was having that much fun. On the other cruiselines kids programs, she spent a couple of hours, at best, and never went back the remainder of the cruise. Another plus.
Another reason I bet Disney has to charge more is alcohol consumption. While there are waiters taking drink orders & bars onboard, there are no singles trying to hook up and I'm sure most parents don't drink as heavily as they would if the children were not around.
And lets not forget Castaway Cay, your own private island for a day.
Disney charges more because they can. But in my opinion they are well worth it. You will pay less on ther cruiselines, and you will have a great vacation. Spend the extra $$ on a Disney cruise and you'll have an exceptional vacation that your children will remember forever as being the best-est trip ever! Start small with the 3 or 4 day trip to get your toes wet, but to really be able to take it all in, a 7 day is a must. We've been on both ships, the Wonder & Magic, for 3, 4, 7 (twice) and 10 nights and our next is the 4 night New Years cruise. So I hope I helped answer your question. :mickey:

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Thank you very much, this was exactly the kind of comparison I was looking for. You definately helped.

Originally posted by mook3y

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Thank you very much, this was exactly the kind of comparison I was looking for. You definately helped.

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No problem, glad I could help. And I completely forgot about Palo's, a definite must do.
Looks like I'll spending next Christmas on the Magic! The itinerary includes 2 stops at Castaway Cay & a new port for me, Costa Maya. I can't believe the wife agreed to it!:D

... one thing to remember is to complete the payment as early as you can to assure your being able to book those other items ... like dinner for two, and dolphin swims.

I don't think we'll cruise with anyone else from now on. Even when DD grows up and flies the coop. For us, it is worth the extra $$ for all the reasons previously mentioned. Our experience at no time was shoddy (except onshore, away from the ship, and not on Castaway Cay -- check out the Sting Rays!). Quality counts, and it shows, here.

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Originally Posted by btharvey

I don't think we'll cruise with anyone else from now on. Even when DD grows up and flies the coop. For us, it is worth the extra $$ for all the reasons previously mentioned. Our experience at no time was shoddy (except onshore, away from the ship, and not on Castaway Cay -- check out the Sting Rays!). Quality counts, and it shows, here.

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I can't agree with you more. Next Christmas cruise our DD will be 17 1/2, so that will probably be the last vacation that we'll be all on together before she sets off for college. But so long as Disney keeps adding new ports to the itineraries, we'll keep booking. :mickey:

I really appreciate your laying out the difference that Disney makes. We are definitely going to try a Disney cruise if we go with our children. We really look at a cruise as a vacation in it of itself - not just a special transportation between ports.

Afterall, WDW is one of the few places that we feel so happy being separated from our money. It's not like going to the local amusement park, which is fun but not an EXPERIENCE.

Thanks again.