Cost of Disney Cruise

We just booked a DCL cruise for the British Isles because the itinerary was better and the price difference was only about 50% more instead of 2 - 3 times more like we often see. One thing to be aware of is that other lines will quote the price as "per person, taxes and fees extra" while Disney quotes the price for your entire party including taxes and fees when you first select a cruise and, in my experience at least, never have a price that isn't already "sold out".

 

 

On other lines you usually have to click through a few screens to find the total price and sometimes there are no cabins available at the original quoted "per person, taxes and fees extra" price. Usually the cabins that are available are only a few dollars more, but I have priced cruises that were $300 more than stated on the first page.

 

I like the way DCL is up front about the pricing, although I rarely like the actual price!

All of the above is true of some other lines, and I do like that DCL only shows the rates for cabins that are available. However, when I quoted the comparisons, I was looking at the TOTAL cost for the cruise including all taxes and fees for both lines after incorporating all discounts for onboard rebooking/future cruise credits, etc. I came as close as possible to comparing "apples to apples" before making the decision to cancel DCL. If it helps in the comparison, we'd be cruising as 2 adults--I do realize that children/3rd person fares are lower on all lines. On the cruises we are either interested in or have actually booked, DCL was 2-4 times higher than other lines. Granted, those were some of the "rarely happen" specialty cruises

No one has mentioned the fact that some of us never really grow up when it comes to Disney and the characters (that's me!) so the cost difference, if you can swing it, is worth it for some of us whether kids are present or not. I also find everything about the ships to be more special then others - the design, the Disney touches everywhere, the themed Dining, etc. My DH and I differ on this one, which is why we've only taken ONE Disney cruise (our first ever cruise), which we absolutely loved, but have sailed nothing but NCL ever since. He loves Disney, too, just not enough to break the bank every time we want to go sailing.

We got a special TA rate for the trip we're getting ready to take on DCL in May. It will be 7yo DD first cruise and she's over the moon about it. She's nowhere NEAR being over Disney. She's the apple and I'm the tree, I guess. :)

I wanted to add that the extra cost for DCL to underwrite the Kids' programming is just as worth it for adults sans kids, IMO, as it limits the kids' presence all over the ship. So as a childless grown up who really wanted to take this cruise but was concerned about the crowd and number of children all over the place, I was thrilled with the kids' activities even before I had a kid.

Plus DCL offers adults only areas so if you really want to peace and quiet, but still want the Disney experience, you can have both. The cost difference ends up being a totally personal choice.

I wanted to add that the extra cost for DCL to underwrite the Kids' programming is just as worth it for adults sans kids, IMO, as it limits the kids' presence all over the ship. So as a childless grown up who really wanted to take this cruise but was concerned about the crowd and number of children all over the place, I was thrilled with the kids' activities even before I had a kid.

 

Plus DCL offers adults only areas so if you really want to peace and quiet, but still want the Disney experience, you can have both. The cost difference ends up being a totally personal choice.

Sorry, but my experience over MANY cruises is that DCL does not adequately enforce the "adult only" areas on the pool deck adequately. They do a good job with the spa and with the nightclub area in the evenings. We've had situations of having to request that young children (age 5-6) be removed from the Quiet Cove Pool, seen more than a few kids in the Cove Cafe, and found the concept of "just walking thru" or "had to come over here to talk to mom" in the area around the pool to be totally out of control on some cruises. This is on the Magic and Wonder where there is no "need" for kids to be walking thru the adult only areas --I am aware of the logistics problem of children in the concierge cabins on the Dream and Fantasy having limited options upon exiting their cabin. Granted, other lines have fewer children on board, but they also do a much better job of enforcing their "adult only" areas. I'm not talking about the 17 year olds seeing whether they can "pass." I'm talking about little kids, sometimes with their parents. The parents either can't read English or have decided that the posted policy doesn't apply to them or their special snowflakes...or that they paid for this vacation and they'll do anything they wish.

I'm not a child hater, and appreciate that when I choose to be in a family area or activity there will be lots of kids. But I strongly feel that areas advertised as "Adult only" and having signage that reads "This Area Reserved for Guests 18 and over" should be strictly enforced.

Oh. Well, I do have a huge problem with policies not being enforced. I was an adult Disney traveler long before I became a parent and in no way adhere to the Disney-is-for-the-kids idea.

If there is an adults-only area, this should be kindly policed by the cast and crew. I feel the same about smoking areas and dress codes. Rules and policies don't mean anything if Guests are not expected to comply. [emoji849]

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I aways felt that it was MY responsibility to be sure that my daughter didn't violate any "adult only" areas. On one of our recent cruises she even remarked that she remembered when she was "not allowed to walk thru those doors," referring to the Magic deck 9 forward doors that open into the Quiet Cove pool area. She was taught that there was always another way to get to where she was going--like taking the midship elevators rather than the forward.

DCL has tried various ways to control this over the years. Parents complain that their kids are "just passing thru." It doesn't say kids can "pass thru." It says 18 and over only. For a while the written rule was the kids could only pass thru on the Starboard side. Parents had a fit because the starboard side was the smoking side. Yup, that was the point--they didn't need to be there at all. Bottom line, DCL will require them to get out of the pool, but no longer makes any effort to stop the traffic going thru the area or coming in to talk with a parent (why isn't the parent supervising the kid in a family area????) Many kids walk thru holding a parent's hand, being quiet, etc. Rule violation, but at least they are decent. Then there are those who are yelling, calling to friends, etc. Annoying. And my favorite was the kid wearing "heelies" (those shoes with wheels on the heels, which are also on the not allowed list on the ships) who plowed into my chair, knocking over my drink and bruising my leg....and took off without so much as an "I'm sorry."

It will continue to be a problem until DCL gets strict about enforcement because the parents obviously don't make an effort.

We too love Disney, we had fabulous times and experienced wonderful service. But our daughter is now 15, and just wants to travel, regardless if Mickey is there. We are going on our first RCL cruise in the near future and was able to book a Grand Suite for LESS THAN a family veranda on Disney. I'm glad we had our experience with Disney, but for such a cost difference it's onto something new

We are going on our 3rd DCL cruise this Sept on the Magic and we have a 5 year old and a 16 year old who loved cruising on DCL. 16 year old we hardly saw as he made some awesome friends on the cruises. But next year (even though we still have a young enough child that thoroughly enjoys disney) we are bailing and cruising on NCL for the intinerary and price over in Northern Europe. Hopefully someday we can cruise DCL again but with the prices, I want to cruise often so we will be going for the itinerary vs the ship within reason that is