Disney is SO expensive....is it worth it?

I'm seriously considering taking my 8 year old daughter on a cruise in January 2016 over a long weekend when school out. It'd just be the two of us (leaving the boys at home with dad!) I've been tossing NCL and CCL back and forth but then thought I'd check out Disney. Wow they're not cheap!

For two people it's more than double the price of Carnival.

Is Disney Cruise Line really worth the extra?

Thanks!

Jennifer

I'm seriously considering taking my 8 year old daughter on a cruise in January 2016 over a long weekend when school out. It'd just be the two of us (leaving the boys at home with dad!) I've been tossing NCL and CCL back and forth but then thought I'd check out Disney. Wow they're not cheap!

 

For two people it's more than double the price of Carnival.

 

Is Disney Cruise Line really worth the extra?

 

Thanks!

 

Jennifer

You're going to get a lot of differing opinions on this. From those who wouldn't travel any other way, to those who won't even try it.

Personally, we love Disney and don't mind paying for it.

There is a DCL board here to pose questions on, if you wish:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=167

Only you can decide if it is worth it. Do you buy Rolex, or Timex? BMW or VW? It is a choice.

That being said, I think any 8 year old that has an interest in things Disney would probably love a Disney cruise.

You will likely get a lot of different opinions but my answer would be that it is not worth it. My 10 year old daughter would vote for Royal Caribbean hands down over Disney. She liked NCL less than Royal but still more than Disney. I've never taken my kids on Carnival so can't speak to that. On Royal she loved the ice skating and the rock climbing wall. She tried the flow rider and used the pools. I love taking my daughter on mommy daughter trips and I am sure your daughter will love being with mom no matter what line you go with!

Yes, it is worth the price.

Burt

The general consensus is that Disney's kid's club are less structured that the other lines...and most kids LIKE the structure!

Lots of people sail Disney, so presumably they feel it is worth it.

Our kids are grown and gone, so we don't even consider them.

We didn't start cruising until our kids were grown, pretty much. We've always cruises DCL as adult-only groups. Usually just DH & I. Once with DHs mom and her husband and DHs sister and her husband.

It's not "just for kids". Yes, there are kids onboard, probably more than some other cruise lines, but for the most part, you don't have to be bothered by them. There are adult only venues on DCL and, from my experience, the kids' clubs keep (most of) the kids entertained.

As I said, you're going to get the gamut of opinions. As Bruce said, "it's a choice". You either go with it or you don't.

you like the mouse?

Then you PAY the mouse.

As a stock holder I appreciate their business model

as a cruiser I find many other 'premium cruises' fit me better today ... WINDSTAR ... CUNARD

BUT these dissuade children. Disney is the 'kid friendly Premium Cruise Line'

you can have a GREAT cruise without going 'premium' .... it is all up to you ....

Although DCL does a great job (service, food, facilities, etc.), unless your daughter (or you) are huge Disney fans I'm not sure it is worth the difference. We took the grandkids when they were 2 and 7. Their love of Disney characters made it more than worth it.

Thanks for all the input!

I think I am going to stick with Carnival or Norwegian. (Possibly even Royal Caribbean for our mom/daughter cruise.) I don't see the point in paying for the mouse when we can spend far less and have just as much fun. We'll catch the mouse at the park another time. :p

Thanks everyone!

RCCL has Shrek . . . .

and on the FREEDOM class a large kids play area ....

FREEDOM out of Canaveral is a fraction of the $ of DCL right next door.

I'd recommend you give it a look.

We done all lines (except Princess) we have been to Disneyworld over 20 times and love it but there cruise line is not worth it .Sure it is great but so are other lines at a much better price. Disneyworld is the greatest at what it does and has . When it comes to cruise lines the difference is not that great for the money they charge.

It's the difference between going to Disneyland or the State Fair.

Both are great fun, but 1 could argue that Disneyland is better because it has more bells and whistles.

Someone else could argue that you get a better value for almost as much fun at the state fair, so therefor the fair is better.

Only you can decide if it is "worth it".

I personally would look into RC, NCL or CCL for the occasion.

No Casino on Disney. They have to make it up somehow.

No Casino on Disney. They have to make it up somehow.

Along these lines, there is very little in the way of upcharging on DCL. There is only one or two (depending on the ship) fee restaurants and you can't pay to board/debark early.

They also allow you to bring whatever beverages, alcoholic or not, on board as long as it fits through the airport style security scanner. That's a potential loss of revenue that they are covering for.

I think of it as paying upfront instead of on the back end.

I'm seriously considering taking my 8 year old daughter on a cruise in January 2016 over a long weekend when school out. It'd just be the two of us (leaving the boys at home with dad!) I've been tossing NCL and CCL back and forth but then thought I'd check out Disney. Wow they're not cheap!

 

 

 

For two people it's more than double the price of Carnival.

 

 

 

Is Disney Cruise Line really worth the extra?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

Jennifer

When you walk out if your cabin on DCL, you're on a floating Disneyland. When you walk out of your cabin on Carnival you're not.

As to price you need to compare apples to apples. Disney accommodations = Grand Californian. Carnival accommodations = Best Western. And it's not that hotels like Best Western are inherently bad. Rather it's that they are nothing special - particularly when it comes to food quality, service and amenities.

Disney cruises are pretty much always full should tell you something. It's all about the kids and for the kids. Worth it? Only you can decide as a parent.

Think of all the extras you can spend money on if you don't go on Disney!

Only you can decide if it is worth it. Do you buy Rolex, or Timex? BMW or VW? It is a choice.

 

That being said, I think any 8 year old that has an interest in things Disney would probably love a Disney cruise.

I agree. Disney could be the perfect Mother and Daughter cruise.

According to cruisecritic's Cruisers Choice 2015, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are ranked 1st and 2nd best large cruise ship; Disney Wonder and Disney Magic are ranked 1st and 3rd best mid-sized cruise ship, so I think Yes, they are nice ... but of course you can choose to disregard this type of ranking.

But how "nice" it is, and how much "nicer" it is comparing to NCL or CCL? How I define "nice" and how you define "nice" can be quite different. I may think it is worth it to pay $500 more to get that "nicer" experience, but someone else doesn't care much and won't pay more than $20 more for that "nicer" experience, because it isn't that much "nicer" to him/her at all.

I'm seriously considering taking my 8 year old daughter on a cruise in January 2016 over a long weekend when school out. It'd just be the two of us (leaving the boys at home with dad!) I've been tossing NCL and CCL back and forth but then thought I'd check out Disney. Wow they're not cheap!

 

For two people it's more than double the price of Carnival.

 

Is Disney Cruise Line really worth the extra?

 

Thanks!

 

Jennifer

Think of it this way:

If you go to WDW is it worth it to you to pay double to stay in one of the Disney hotels?

IF your answer is yes, then by all means DCL is worth the extra money. If on the other hand you would prefer to stay off site at WDW, then don't cruise DCL because in either one you are paying for the name and the experience.