Coming to the dark side? RCCL->Disney

[Jeffnewc]

Totally agree Celtic Girl!

[theotherchad]

I'm frankly baffled at the hostility towards the OP.

He simply asked that this not be turned into an exercise in bashing one cruise line over another, which is an annoying feature on these boards and others, which gets really tiresome.
His request was not only ignored, but it seemed that a couple of posters in particular went out of their way to bash RCCL, with information that was largely inaccurate regarding RCCL ships. His reply seemed reasonable to me.

I can't wait for my Disney cruise, and I'm sure there will be some things that I will like better than RCCL, ( which it should better as Disney costs about 20-40% more than a comparable RCCL cruise) but that doesn't mean I will want to bash them.

He wanted information such as, "how do they schedule the dining, how do the kids programs work, etc." not a list of someone's clearly highly biased opinions of how Disney is awesome and RCCL is crap.

[theotherchad]

It seems to me that sometimes folks forget that there are differences and there are preferences. It's not exactly the same thing.

The cruise line bashing posts are all about preferences, and to be fair, Ducklite did say something to the effect of "this is subjective."

But it would be nice to see more people just remember that the rare bad experience aside, all the major cruise lines provide a fantastic product.

Peace out, y'all!

[toocruisin']

Hi UNV-IT,

We just sailed on the Magic out of NYC, and the ship is in great shape given her age and the amount of usage. Additionally, as the ship was transitioning from NY to FLA it was to undergo a refreshing, which I understood included paint, carpeting etc.

A couple of things I didn't see mentioned:
- there's an adults only area on the ship with an adult pool, and Disney monitors it.
- no solarium like you'd find on the Jewel, or RCL Vision class ships.
- entertainment is g-rated, so don't expect comedy shows similar to what you may have seen on Oasis
- the Magic has shuffleboard, but for some reason they took away the ping pong tables, that I really enjoyed
- my experience on Disney is that the guests take the formal night very seriously; I always wore a tux as did many of the men, and there were ladies in evening gowns
- Disney tends to make more public address announcements than RCL

Enjoy, Paul
-

[UNV-IT!!!]

Originally Posted by toocruisin'

Hi UNV-IT,

We just sailed on the Magic out of NYC, and the ship is in great shape given her age and the amount of usage. Additionally, as the ship was transitioning from NY to FLA it was to undergo a refreshing, which I understood included paint, carpeting etc.

A couple of things I didn't see mentioned:
- there's an adults only area on the ship with an adult pool, and Disney monitors it.
- no solarium like you'd find on the Jewel, or RCL Vision class ships.
- entertainment is g-rated, so don't expect comedy shows similar to what you may have seen on Oasis
- the Magic has shuffleboard, but for some reason they took away the ping pong tables, that I really enjoyed
- my experience on Disney is that the guests take the formal night very seriously; I always wore a tux as did many of the men, and there were ladies in evening gowns
- Disney tends to make more public address announcements than RCL

Enjoy, Paul
-

Thank you very much.

The adult pool I don't really use much on rccl. Kids don't really bother me but good to know.

I figured most everything would be g rated. I really didn't expect the rccl type comedy. I will miss that

I do enjoy shuffle board.

I always dress up on formal nights so that won't be any issue for me.

[toocruisin']

Originally Posted by UNV-IT!!!

Thank you ....

no problem; one thing that may not have been mentioned; no casino on Disney, although they have bingo.

Also, Disney offers a variety of ship tours, etc, and some cultural items, including dance lessons, and they even had a cooking class in which they show how to prepare a specific desert from the previous night's MDR menu.

If you're into some healthier activities, they have a gym, and offer for a fee spa and a variety of Pilates, yoga and other classes.

If you like to run, they have a deck which walkers and runners use, but it does have lounge chairs and shuffle board going on, so it can get busy.

If any of this is helpful, I'll post more as I think of it, if not, just let me know and i'll move on.

Paul

[ducklite]

Originally Posted by UNV-IT!!!

Thanks so much for all the information as its greatly appreciated. Most of those items are the same as rccl ships. So good to know. I do run so a track is nice to have. I have a marathon next month at Disney. I would be interested in a ship your to see the differences between rccl ships and dcl build wise. Are those usually limited?

How does dcl handle tips for room attendants and such?

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/fa...es/gratuities/

[toocruisin']

Originally Posted by UNV-IT!!!

Thanks so much .....I would be interested in a ship your to see the differences between rccl ships and dcl build wise. Are those usually limited?

How does dcl handle tips for room attendants and such?

The ship tours are very limited in the number of folks on the tour and the number of tours; I've never done one, and I believe that the tour availability differs by ship and length of cruise. On our Mediterranean cruise on the Magic, folks we knew went on a galley tour, a bridge tour (they had a contest and they let the winner blow the ship's horn) and a below deck's tour (which I understand did not include the engine room). Maybe someone on this thread can jump in.
I understand that the tours are very popular and not publicized.

Re tips: they allow you to charge the tips, same as rccl, and they gave you recommended grat for the room steward and three MDR servers/ head waiter. I forgot how much they each were, but it goes by day, per passenger; of course it's totally discretionary, so you can tip more, less or not at all. Finally, you get envelopes to provide each server. Oh, No pre-paid grats or auto charged grats like some other cruise lines.
Paul

[UNV-IT!!!]

Originally Posted by toocruisin'

The ship tours are very limited in the number of folks on the tour and the number of tours; I've never done one, and I believe that the tour availability differs by ship and length of cruise. On our Mediterranean cruise on the Magic, folks we knew went on a galley tour, a bridge tour (they had a contest and they let the winner blow the ship's horn) and a below deck's tour (which I understand did not include the engine room). Maybe someone on this thread can jump in.
I understand that the tours are very popular and not publicized.

Re tips: they allow you to charge the tips, same as rccl, and they gave you recommended grat for the room steward and three MDR servers/ head waiter. I forgot how much they each were, but it goes by day, per passenger; of course it's totally discretionary, so you can tip more, less or not at all. Finally, you get envelopes to provide each server. Oh, No pre-paid grats or auto charged grats like some other cruise lines.
Paul

Thanks. I was wondering if they did auto tip or not. Good to know. I like to pay cash personally so I know all my money is going to hand of whoever did the work.

Is there a loyalty program like crown and anchor for rccl? I know rccl gives priority for certain tours to their high level members. If dcl does this also It may be harder for a first time dcl cruiser like me to get access to the tours since they are usually limited in availability in size. Which is understanded.

[UNV-IT!!!]

Originally Posted by ducklite

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/fa...es/gratuities/

Thanks. I like how they list the total amount of tips for the cruise.

[toocruisin']

Originally Posted by UNV-IT!!!

Thanks.

Is there a loyalty program like crown and anchor for rccl?.

yes, and DCL's, like everything else Disney, it is a little different. You reach different status levels based upon the number of cruises taken, regardless of length, cost or destination.

Unfortunately, we just reached a status point with our fifth cruise last September, and I have no idea what it gets us; coincidentally we reached status on RCL last year on Allure, based on sea days, and I have no idea what that gets us either (I'm sure based on your extensive rccl cruise history you are very familiar withe their perks)
Paul

[UNV-IT!!!]

Originally Posted by toocruisin'

yes, and DCL's, like everything else Disney, it is a little different. You reach different status levels based upon the number of cruises taken, regardless of length, cost or destination.

Unfortunately, we just reached a status point with our fifth cruise last September, and I have no idea what it gets us; coincidentally we reached status on RCL last year on Allure, based on sea days, and I have no idea what that gets us either (I'm sure based on your extensive rccl cruise history you are very familiar withe their perks)
Paul

Rccl did use the same system. You got cruise points. No matter then length you got points they then changed to days at sea. One point per day at sea.

So you know which level you are right now?

For instance I a diamond. So I get $225 off balcony rooms, a coupon book with free wi fi and other free items and discounts along with other perks. It all depends on your tier level.

[cyclenut]

Most of the differences I noted were already stated. One that I noticed is the way the shows are arranged. if you have early dining, you go to the show after. If you have late dining, you go to the show before. Every time. There is no late show after late dinner.

The Disney Navigator is laid out differently than the Cruise Compass. Since you have saile quie a bit on RCL, it will take a little getting used to. It can be difficult to sort through what is going on when until you get used to it.

Pay attention to food service times. We felt like hours were shorter for the buffet. Hours are published but you should plan to look at them when planning your day. We found ourselves showing up after closing a few times until we figured that out. I guess we are slow learners.

DCL has a beer mug. If you like beer, it is a decent value. A number of people like to bring their own alcohol in board, which you can do with DCL.

On board shopping was more sparse on DCL than we found it to been RCL. Not placing a judgement on which is better, that is a personal preference I suppose, just an observation.

Since you will be on the Magic, note that it is relatively small compared to the newest ships for most lines and the oldest of the fleet. That said, we found the slightly newer Wonder to be quite charming, reminding us of what it must have been like to sail many years ago. It had the feel of the Queen Mary that is now docked in Long Beach, but with modern amenities.

I also highly recommend the art of the ship tour. As a Disney fan you will enjoy hearing about the attention to detail Disney paid when building their ships.

As others have mentioned, the shows are similar to what you would see in the live musicals inside the parks. Well done and solid with heavy Disney themes and very good talent. The RCL shows include a live orchestra, while Disney is to a track.

DCL cabins are generally larger and well laid out. They include wave phones in the staterooms. These are like older model cell phones but they work off the ships wireless system. You can carry them with you anywhere on the ship and always be able to eat in touch with each other. My wife and I found them to be a nice way to get back in touch after she went to her scrap booking or trivia that I was not interested in. You can also text between the phones. Nice touch.

The boarding process on DCL is also different. As you come aboard you enter the main lobby directly off the gangway and are announced as arriving on board. Someone is there to greet you, give you a brief orientation and send you on our way. You can skip the announcement if you wish.

Hope this helps.

[toocruisin']

Originally Posted by UNV-IT!!!

So you know which level you are right now?
l.

I do know, I just can't remember at the moment, and we're on vacation in sunny Florida and I'm too lazy to check ;-).

I do recall that we have a worthwhile perk coming to us, so in 2014 it's back to Royal, possibly on the new class ship, rumored to be sailing out of NY, our home port.

We generally book cruises based on the itinerary rather than a specific ship or cruise line, but when it comes to sailing out of NY, we'll make an exception.

[IHateSnow!]

I've sailed Royal quite a bit and have what they now consider Emerald Status after my last cruise. I've been on one Disney cruise ship. There are 6 of us in my family - so my thoughts will be from a family perspective as well as an adult get away perspective.

I love Royal...and I love Disney - for different reasons.

Embark - Disney - hands down: They have fun waiting areas and stuff for the kids to do. It's organized and everyone knows what they're in for. It was also kinda cool for the kids (and us adults) to hear our name read on the Wonder when we walked on

Service - Both cruise lines offer exceptional service. I've never had "bad" service on any cruise I've been on. Disney cruises do things only how Disney does them - well and fun. Royal's service is always spectacular.

Kid Activities - I enjoy the larger royal ships and they have a great kids club. My 7 year old has stated that she liked the Adventure Ocean on the Liberty better than the kids club on the Disney ship. What I liked about disney was the nursery option for kids under 3 - and now Royal is starting to implement this as well.

Entertainment - Cruise line entertainment is well, cruise line entertainment. If I'm cruising with my husband alone, I prefer Royal - I like some of the adult comedy and "cheesy" adult activities they have. As a family, I prefer Disney.

Food - I would say about equal. I enjoyed the different dining rooms on Disney - that was fun. But I have had good food and bad food on both cruise lines.

Ports of call - Disney's private island is nicer for the family than RCCL's - but again if it's an adult only trip, there's something about Cocoa Cay that is just wonderful. I do like how you don't have to tender at Disney's island. We don't usually do ship excursions, so I can't speak to those.

Disney does do a better job of enforcing the rules - which in my opinion is a good thing. That doesn't mean you're going to have kids all amuck on RCCL
tho. They have lots of security, both visible and behind the scenes.

Disembarkation - Disney - much easier process, altho RCCL's has gotten better.

Staterooms - Balcony - Disney - loved the split baths. More space. A balcony on disney ships are compared to the Junior suites on RCCL. Priced comparatively as well.

Suites: I've only been in suites on RCCL - but they're amazing. Our next disney cruise I hope to do a 1 br suite.

Value - When you're talking 6 people a cruise is expensive. We've discovered it isn't much more expensive on Disney than on RCCL for the type of rooms.
The bottom line - I think they're pretty much equal and I choose my cruise line based on the purpose of the vacation and what we want to do. I'd sail either one in a heartbeat.

[ducklite]

Originally Posted by IHateSnow!

Suites: I've only been in suites on RCCL - but they're amazing. Our next disney cruise I hope to do a 1 br suite.

I've done a 1BR on DCL (twice) and the RS on RCCL.

The 1BR on the classic ships has the same amount of "usable" space as the RS. There is a lot of open space in the RS that is just that, open space with a piano that doesn't really serve a purpose. You don't want to play it for fear of annoying your neighbors...

One major advantage of the suites on DCL is that they actually have a private bedroom with closing doors (not just a curtain or loft area) and two full bathrooms. On RCCL the suites that offer a private bedroom are more expensive than on DCL.

Also on the new DCL ships, the lounge is a great perk for those sailing in suites or a concierge family stateroom. Because DCL doesn't open this to anyone who has achieved various statuses, it never gets over crowded. On the RCCL ships, there are times when there are 300-400 people with a status level high enough to get into the lounge, plus those sailing in suites--it makes for an over-crowded situation.

[toocruisin']

A lot of great info from cyclenut!!

Got me thinkin' some more:

Disney Magic has a real bath tub in the staterooms!

Also, it has real old school wooden deck chairs with cushions on the promenade deck and in the adult pool area, and some are double lounges for couples!

And they have a fireworks show!!

Paul

[awaywego0000]

Originally Posted by Talex831

Cracking up here because we've only sailed DCL (except for one pre kids cruise) and we are sailing on Carnival in March and I feel like a traitor!

DCL has over priced themselves. I can get so much more for so much less money on other lines! By more, I mean number of days sailing, ports, and stateroom. I don't expect the service to be Disney level, but the rest will make up for it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I have to agree. Pricing is a big difference! Although I have only been on one NCL cruise and one DCL cruise, I can't justify the difference in cost. I could accept DCL being higher in price, but it is way higher. We did have an awesome cruise on DCL but I can't see our family doing it again for a very long time.

[toocruisin']

Originally Posted by awaywego0000

I have to agree. Pricing is a big difference! Although I have only been on one NCL cruise and one DCL cruise, I can't justify the difference in cost. I could accept DCL being higher in price, but it is way higher. We did have an awesome cruise on DCL but I can't see our family doing it again for a very long time.

We're kind of feeling the same way and we are finding that the other cruise lines have closed the gap that existed 10 years ago.

We did a Disney cruise this past September out of NYC (it was great) and our justification was we live on long island so hotels and airfare weren't an expense; having said that we could have done a similar Royal cruise for about half the price.

We may return to Disney one day, but only if they move one of their bigger ships to an itinerary that's to our liking, and has some exclusivity; the Caribbean won't draw our interest at current Disney prices.

[UNV-IT!!!]

Originally Posted by toocruisin'

We're kind of feeling the same way and we are finding that the other cruise lines have closed the gap that existed 10 years ago.

We did a Disney cruise this past September out of NYC (it was great) and our justification was we live on long island so hotels and airfare weren't an expense; having said that we could have done a similar Royal cruise for about half the price.

We may return to Disney one day, but only if they move one of their bigger ships to an itinerary that's to our liking, and has some exclusivity; the Caribbean won't draw our interest at current Disney prices.

That's completely logically. That's basically what it took for me. They moved ships to my port and the prices are lower. So time to try