What makes disney superior over other lines out there?

I have put a lot of thought into "is disney superior" question. Now that I am finally crashed from my cruise high, I fell that I can give a fair response. I am going to use an analogy to birthday parties. I recently read an article that said that in the end, what determines a kids positive memories of a party is not tied into the little touches like special styled cupcakes, decorations or venues. That gave most the good times were having the basics and ensuring the right people were at the party. It went on to say that as parents we can go completely over the top and it becomes too much because it is not what matters when all is said and done.

To me disney is the fancy party. It has the bells and whistles. The charter meets, the decorations all throughout the ship. The food that is shaped in characters.

I have come to realize that my daughter still would have had a magical time if we went on disney, RCL, carnival or any other line. I am rebooked again on disney because I am fortunate enough to have a very generous MIL who prefers Disney. But if it were up to me, I would not rebook due to the premium in price.

To me Disney is not superior. IMHO, cruise line are more similar than dissimilar.

I have put a lot of thought into "is disney superior" question. Now that I am finally crashed from my cruise high, I fell that I can give a fair response. I am going to use an analogy to birthday parties. I recently read an article that said that in the end, what determines a kids positive memories of a party is not tied into the little touches like special styled cupcakes, decorations or venues. That gave most the good times were having the basics and ensuring the right people were at the party. It went on to say that as parents we can go completely over the top and it becomes too much because it is not what matters when all is said and done.

 

To me disney is the fancy party. It has the bells and whistles. The charter meets, the decorations all throughout the ship. The food that is shaped in characters.

 

I have come to realize that my daughter still would have had a magical time if we went on disney, RCL, carnival or any other line. I am rebooked again on disney because I am fortunate enough to have a very generous MIL who prefers Disney. But if it were up to me, I would not rebook due to the premium in price.

 

To me Disney is not superior. IMHO, cruise line are more similar than dissimilar.

Very good analogy. Sort of like giving a one year old a fancy toy, boxed up and wrapped with a beautiful bow, and then watching them as they ignore the toy and play with the box for hours:)

I often find that when people use words like "superior" what they are really saying is "this is my personal preference".

We like Disney's ships (we're back on Magic next May) - no question that they do a great job catering to their target customer. We also like RCL, HAL, Princess, and Celebrity - all for different reasons. They also do an excellent job of catering to their target audience. If you were to go to any of their forums and ask the identical question (substituting brand X for Disney), you'd get all of the reasons that people who self-selected that cruise line's experience (that best matches their lifestyle) to list the reasons that brand X is superior. Does that make one line superior? Not really, just a line that meets that particular cruiser's personal expectations better than another line.

No more - No less;)

I guess I have a different take on this. When I read "superior" I interpreted it as "what does Disney do better than other large ship cruise lines?" I'm just amazed how everyone clued in on one word so completely like it was an insult to every other line of all kinds in the world.

I've never been on Disney, but I'm looking forward to booking one when the Jan 2016 cruises are announced. Its the little extras. The embarkation process, aqua duck, split bathroom, little larger balcony room than other large ship lines. I've done mostly Royal and I like that Disney splits out the aft cabins which is unlike Royal. Its only DW and I. We have no kids and we will never have them. We look forward to the large adults only areas that will be mostly unused.

The real kicker for us was reading the reviews from Gambee. We were excited about the idea before the end of day 1.

I guess I have a different take on this. When I read "superior" I interpreted it as "what does Disney do better than other large ship cruise lines?" I'm just amazed how everyone clued in on one word so completely like it was an insult to every other line of all kinds in the world.

 

I've never been on Disney, but I'm looking forward to booking one when the Jan 2016 cruises are announced. Its the little extras. The embarkation process, aqua duck, split bathroom, little larger balcony room than other large ship lines. I've done mostly Royal and I like that Disney splits out the aft cabins which is unlike Royal. Its only DW and I. We have no kids and we will never have them. We look forward to the large adults only areas that will be mostly unused.

 

The real kicker for us was reading the reviews from Gambee. We were excited about the idea before the end of day 1.

Look up LittleMissMagic's latest review of her Disney cruise. It will be another kid-less perspective.

I think I did see that one. Is that the one with her and her friend doing handstands in the window of the OV?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2044057

ex techie

I think I did see that one. Is that the one with her and her friend doing handstands in the window of the OV?

Yes. :)

This topic just gets beat to death around here, doesn't it? ;)

There seems to be some confusion about the basic concepts of supply and demand but instead of pointing fingers to clear them up, I'll just say that everyone should cruise on whichever line (or lines) makes them happy.

I love DCL, and CCL, and X and RCL and I'm sure I'd love any other cruise line I went on. I love to cruise. It isn't about Mickey, or a Funship, or a rock wall, or whatever. It's about a few relaxing days away from my normal life and all those others are nice extras. As I find service and food to be basically comparable (with the edge to Celebrity on food), it's really all about how much you are willing to pay for the extras.

Do I think DCL is worth the extra price? No. That said, if finances weren't a problem right now ($5k for a dog's surgery last fall, $5k for septic repairs this spring, $2k for a new transmission, $7k for a new roof, another dog facing medical bills, senior year expenses for oldest kid which will include the cruise of her choice as a graduation present), I'd be jumping on those *GT fares on DCL this October.

This topic just gets beat to death around here, doesn't it? ;)

 

There seems to be some confusion about the basic concepts of supply and demand but instead of pointing fingers to clear them up, I'll just say that everyone should cruise on whichever line (or lines) makes them happy.

 

I love DCL, and CCL, and X and RCL and I'm sure I'd love any other cruise line I went on. I love to cruise. It isn't about Mickey, or a Funship, or a rock wall, or whatever. It's about a few relaxing days away from my normal life and all those others are nice extras. As I find service and food to be basically comparable (with the edge to Celebrity on food), it's really all about how much you are willing to pay for the extras.

 

Do I think DCL is worth the extra price? No. That said, if finances weren't a problem right now ($5k for a dog's surgery last fall, $5k for septic repairs this spring, $2k for a new transmission, $7k for a new roof, another dog facing medical bills, senior year expenses for oldest kid which will include the cruise of her choice as a graduation present), I'd be jumping on those *GT fares on DCL this October.

Hey there Texas!

With the exception that I think dcl is worth the money and we all know I am not a CCL fan,..............I totally agree!

Been there done that with the dogs medical and septic work!

AKK

I'll throw in my two cents. I've done 5 RCL cruises and 1 DCL, thinking about getting in on the great Fantasy deals over Halloween.

The 1 DCL cruise I did was on Magic over Halloween. BTW: I am not much of a Disney fan in general, first time I went to Disney World was when I was 28, and I still don't care for Mickey.

Pros over RCL:

• Much better shows
  
• I enjoyed the adult only entertainment a lot
  
• I liked the food stand on the pool deck, RCL only has this on Oasis class ships
  
• Very little nickle and diming, included soft drinks, only 1 or 2 speciality restaurants, completely free room service
  
• Servers never hounded me to buy drinks, almost to a fault.
  
• I personally really like the attention to detail, on the ship and with the staff
  
• Castaway Cay (IMO) is much better than CoCo or Labadee, and all the snorkeling and water toys were free (IIRC)
  
• Even though I am not much a Disney person I enjoyed the characters around the ship, which they did a lot to make it enjoyable, RCL characters generally just stand in one spot. They would also take pictures for you with your camera.
  
• Food in the buffet changed at least a little everyday
  
• In general the crew seemed overall more happy
  
• All ships have fresh water pools
  
• Disney actually enforces adult only areas/events
  
• I like that I will never be forced to do My Time Dining, which RCL made me do on my last cruise (complete personal preface, of course)
  

Cons over RCL:

• The buffets on all RCL ships are laid out better
  
• RCL has a much better sports deck area, with flow riders, rock walls, full size basket ball, etc
  
• RCL Generally has more pool area, especially hot tubs, than other cruise lines
  
• RCL has casinos
  
• In general I think similar size RCL ships offer more to do
  
• RCL has more "mature" shows/games
  
• It is a lot easier to meet other kidless people on RCL
  
• RCL ships (post Voyager V2, at least) have nice balconies because they over hang the hull
  

In general I would say my experience on Disney Magic was only equaled by my cruise on Freedom, all of my other RCL cruises have been slightly lower. That being said, I would pay a small premium for DCL, but I wouldn't pay twice as much, which seems to be the going rate a lot of the time.

This topic just gets beat to death around here, doesn't it? ;)

 

There seems to be some confusion about the basic concepts of supply and demand but instead of pointing fingers to clear them up, I'll just say that everyone should cruise on whichever line (or lines) makes them happy.

 

I love DCL, and CCL, and X and RCL and I'm sure I'd love any other cruise line I went on. I love to cruise. It isn't about Mickey, or a Funship, or a rock wall, or whatever. It's about a few relaxing days away from my normal life and all those others are nice extras. As I find service and food to be basically comparable (with the edge to Celebrity on food), it's really all about how much you are willing to pay for the extras.

 

Do I think DCL is worth the extra price? No. That said, if finances weren't a problem right now ($5k for a dog's surgery last fall, $5k for septic repairs this spring, $2k for a new transmission, $7k for a new roof, another dog facing medical bills, senior year expenses for oldest kid which will include the cruise of her choice as a graduation present), I'd be jumping on those *GT fares on DCL this October.

What's a GT fare?

What's a GT fare?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40080772&postcount=8

ex techie

What's a GT fare?

Those are the fares we were referring to in your other post. They are restricted fares--you don't get to choose a cabin, but can choose a type (inside, oceanview, verandah). In exchange for accepting the restrictions, you get a great price.

After that entire review which DID provide the OP many of the things that are different about DCL, that is ALL you had to say? Nitpick nitpick. Nothing drives me more crazy than someone that constantly criticizes yet has nothing of value to add. If you're so down on Disney why even sail on them? Go elsewhere and be happy.

 

I could also say more but I'll leave it at that.

I just wanted to show you, and a few others, that I'm NOT down on Disney. I've loved my 12 or 13 Disney cruises. When it comes to offering advice or comparing one Disney cruise to another, I'd like to be helpful.

I just don't believe that people can't have just as good a time on another line. Any trip is what you make of it. You can either have a great time, or decide to mope, and find silly little things to pick at, and ruin everything.

This is from a different thread here:

MizDaisy

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2005

Posts: 2,115

Not only is the Panama Canal absolutely fascinating, but the ports are better than the Western.

When we went on the Panama Canal cruise (with Disney), it was like being at home. I honestly don't like the Dream and Fantasy. I don't like the adult club area's layout as well as on the Magic and Wonder (and I especially LOVE the Wonder), everything seemed too crowded, too hectic and too long a walk to the room and back, lines were too long......being back on the Wonder or Magic is like heaven. Perfect size. And with a cruise as long as the PC cruises, you really get to feel as though you are a part of the whole experience, like a member of the DCL family. It really is awesome.

Hey eroller, Hello, loved your Disney Difference review! Wow, what an excellent review, so much detail, and you've been on so many different cruises I would guess that you have an experienced opiinion on things. I am not very experienced on cruises as I have only been on 1 DCL and 1 RCL but although I agreed with every good thing you said about the Disney cruise the one thing you mentioned that really stood out in my memory of our family cruise with DCL was the way the staff treats you. Beyond professional, they were all so friendly and warm and caring and made you feel like nothing was too much trouble, at least that was my experience. It was special. They made me feel like family. The DCL staff above anything else made our first cruise absolutely a dream holiday. I didnt get that treatment on RCL, nor that warm cared for feeling. Service on RCL was just okay, not bad but not special, nobody knew my name on RCL like on Disney. Food was very good on both my cruises, seemed quite comparable but had to pay extra for pop everywhere on RCL. Getting on and off the Disney cruise was way easier, no long lines waiting in hallways and on stairs like on RCL. As far as cost they were really about the same but our cabins were definately a bit nicer on Disney. Entertainment was better on our Disney cruise as was their private island Castaway Cay, in my opinion. Some extra features of the Royal ship were not found on Disney, like the rock climbing wall and the ice rink which were cool, however , we didnt use them. We were on the Independence of the Seas on RCL. I would sail again on RCL (would love to try Oasis or Allure although I probably wouldn't expect superior service on such a big ship) and try other cruise lines (Carnival is a bit cheaper and the Breeze looks nice) but so far Disney is number one with me for the people, staff/ service. There is something in the way they have trained their staff that I just found them so exceptional. I could not find a single complaint. I could not afford anything above this class of ship at this time, they may equal or surpass Disney service on more expensive lines but I couldn"t do a top luxury line. We are going back to try the Disney Fantasy next month and I am hoping it will be as good as our first DCL cruise and that the service we received on our first cruise was standard DCL and not just a lucky fluke.

This is from a different thread here:

MizDaisy

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2005

Posts: 2,115

Not only is the Panama Canal absolutely fascinating, but the ports are better than the Western.

When we went on the Panama Canal cruise (with Disney), it was like being at home. I honestly don't like the Dream and Fantasy. I don't like the adult club area's layout as well as on the Magic and Wonder (and I especially LOVE the Wonder), everything seemed too crowded, too hectic and too long a walk to the room and back, lines were too long......being back on the Wonder or Magic is like heaven. Perfect size. And with a cruise as long as the PC cruises, you really get to feel as though you are a part of the whole experience, like a member of the DCL family. It really is awesome.

I have to admit that after now being on The Magic,and having been on the Wonder twice,I do agree with you.It tends to feel a bit more like "family" if you will!

Hey eroller, Hello, loved your Disney Difference review! Wow, what an excellent review, so much detail, and you've been on so many different cruises I would guess that you have an experienced opiinion on things. I am not very experienced on cruises as I have only been on 1 DCL and 1 RCL but although I agreed with every good thing you said about the Disney cruise the one thing you mentioned that really stood out in my memory of our family cruise with DCL was the way the staff treats you. Beyond professional, they were all so friendly and warm and caring and made you feel like nothing was too much trouble, at least that was my experience. It was special. They made me feel like family. The DCL staff above anything else made our first cruise absolutely a dream holiday. I didnt get that treatment on RCL, nor that warm cared for feeling. Service on RCL was just okay, not bad but not special, nobody knew my name on RCL like on Disney. Food was very good on both my cruises, seemed quite comparable but had to pay extra for pop everywhere on RCL. Getting on and off the Disney cruise was way easier, no long lines waiting in hallways and on stairs like on RCL. As far as cost they were really about the same but our cabins were definately a bit nicer on Disney. Entertainment was better on our Disney cruise as was their private island Castaway Cay, in my opinion. Some extra features of the Royal ship were not found on Disney, like the rock climbing wall and the ice rink which were cool, however , we didnt use them. We were on the Independence of the Seas on RCL. I would sail again on RCL (would love to try Oasis or Allure although I probably wouldn't expect superior service on such a big ship) and try other cruise lines (Carnival is a bit cheaper and the Breeze looks nice) but so far Disney is number one with me for the people, staff/ service. There is something in the way they have trained their staff that I just found them so exceptional. I could not find a single complaint. I could not afford anything above this class of ship at this time, they may equal or surpass Disney service on more expensive lines but I couldn"t do a top luxury line. We are going back to try the Disney Fantasy next month and I am hoping it will be as good as our first DCL cruise and that the service we received on our first cruise was standard DCL and not just a lucky fluke.

I'm glad you enjoyed my review and found it useful. I just returned from DISNEY MAGIC and recently posted a review from that cruise. It was awesome and DCL continues to impress. It's hard to imagine, but the service was even more over the top on the MAGIC. It just keeps getting better and better. Honestly it was up to the standard I've received on ultra-premium and luxury lines … it was simply THAT good! I hope you have just as good of an experience on DISNEY FANTASY. That is the one DCL ship I have not sailed but would like too.

Hey eroller, Hello, loved your Disney Difference review! Wow, what an excellent review, so much detail, and you've been on so many different cruises I would guess that you have an experienced opiinion on things. I am not very experienced on cruises as I have only been on 1 DCL and 1 RCL but although I agreed with every good thing you said about the Disney cruise the one thing you mentioned that really stood out in my memory of our family cruise with DCL was the way the staff treats you. Beyond professional, they were all so friendly and warm and caring and made you feel like nothing was too much trouble, at least that was my experience. It was special. They made me feel like family. The DCL staff above anything else made our first cruise absolutely a dream holiday. I didnt get that treatment on RCL, nor that warm cared for feeling. Service on RCL was just okay, not bad but not special, nobody knew my name on RCL like on Disney. Food was very good on both my cruises, seemed quite comparable but had to pay extra for pop everywhere on RCL. Getting on and off the Disney cruise was way easier, no long lines waiting in hallways and on stairs like on RCL. As far as cost they were really about the same but our cabins were definately a bit nicer on Disney. Entertainment was better on our Disney cruise as was their private island Castaway Cay, in my opinion. Some extra features of the Royal ship were not found on Disney, like the rock climbing wall and the ice rink which were cool, however , we didnt use them. We were on the Independence of the Seas on RCL. I would sail again on RCL (would love to try Oasis or Allure although I probably wouldn't expect superior service on such a big ship) and try other cruise lines (Carnival is a bit cheaper and the Breeze looks nice) but so far Disney is number one with me for the people, staff/ service. There is something in the way they have trained their staff that I just found them so exceptional. I could not find a single complaint. I could not afford anything above this class of ship at this time, they may equal or surpass Disney service on more expensive lines but I couldn"t do a top luxury line. We are going back to try the Disney Fantasy next month and I am hoping it will be as good as our first DCL cruise and that the service we received on our first cruise was standard DCL and not just a lucky fluke.

Well I can't disagree more with you!!! I would be hard pressed to go back on a Disney ship even though I love the parks and won a Disney Teacher Award and have been to every Disney park in the world.

I don't think one line is "better" than the other in any way, but each one fits a different demographic and both are good at what they do.

I really disliked my Disney cruise and would be hard pressed to go back on another ship for a number of reasons. First and foremost, as a divorced adult without kids (not by choice), I am constantly reminded about "family" in every way possible. I was NOT made to feel warm and fuzzy and I certainly didn't fit in with all the little kids and their parents. I felt like I was in kiddie land the entire time I was on the ship. And don't get on me that they have Palo, big whoop. I don't drink and wasn't into their entertainment choices. I was completely bored because I wanted to do more than Disney trivia.

Second, the fact that they allow alcohol but have no casino really bugs the living daylights out of me. Why allow one vice but not the other.

Third, I didn't think the service was anything great or over the top. On my Royal cruises, I have always been catered to and feel like I truly matter.

And finally, the ships and experiences just don't compare. The active lifestyle aboard the larger and best Royal ships are absolutely out of the park including entertainment that in my opinion cannot be topped. All I get on the Disney ship is another weak performance of some Disney kiddie show. I just didn't enjoy that.

Now for families that have kids 6 and under, I cannot think of a better cruise line. But once over the little kid age, my vote will always go to Royal. Hands down.

Well I can't disagree more with you!!! I would be hard pressed to go back on a Disney ship even though I love the parks and won a Disney Teacher Award and have been to every Disney park in the world.

 

I don't think one line is "better" than the other in any way, but each one fits a different demographic and both are good at what they do.

 

I really disliked my Disney cruise and would be hard pressed to go back on another ship for a number of reasons. First and foremost, as a divorced adult without kids (not by choice), I am constantly reminded about "family" in every way possible. I was NOT made to feel warm and fuzzy and I certainly didn't fit in with all the little kids and their parents. I felt like I was in kiddie land the entire time I was on the ship. And don't get on me that they have Palo, big whoop. I don't drink and wasn't into their entertainment choices. I was completely bored because I wanted to do more than Disney trivia.

 

Second, the fact that they allow alcohol but have no casino really bugs the living daylights out of me. Why allow one vice but not the other.

 

Third, I didn't think the service was anything great or over the top. On my Royal cruises, I have always been catered to and feel like I truly matter.

 

And finally, the ships and experiences just don't compare. The active lifestyle aboard the larger and best Royal ships are absolutely out of the park including entertainment that in my opinion cannot be topped. All I get on the Disney ship is another weak performance of some Disney kiddie show. I just didn't enjoy that.

 

Now for families that have kids 6 and under, I cannot think of a better cruise line. But once over the little kid age, my vote will always go to Royal. Hands down.

No doubt a Disney cruise is not for everyone. It's why we have so many different cruise lines to choose from that cater to a variety of different price points and demographics. One size does not fit all.

As an adult male in a long term domestic partnership with no kids, I absolutely love Disney Cruise Line. I also love Royal Caribbean, Cunard, Celebrity, Silversea, Windstar, Azamara, and many other cruise lines. They all have something great to offer. This being said, Disney is a standout for me because first and foremost I love Disney and I'm an annual pass holder to WDW. That is obviously 1/2 the battle of loving DCL right there. Secondly I feel DCL did a great job catering to adults and actually enforced the adult only areas which most cruise lines don't do. If they didn't do that I don't think I would be so keen on DCL. I like kids well enough, but I certainly don't want to be surrounded by them 24/7. Third I love all the detail in everything Disney does, from the cabins, the rotational dining, the pools, the overall ship design, the entertainment, etc. The key is in the detail and Disney has this down to a science. Surprisingly many other lines lack finesse when it comes to detail. Lastly the crew and staff on DCL is top notch, right up there with Silversea, Cunard, and Azamara. They go above and beyond and I felt 100% welcomed by each and every crew member regardless that I wasn't a stereotypical straight couple with 2.5 kids. In fact we became good acquaintances with more crew on this last DISNEY MAGIC crew than any other cruise I've ever taken. They were just beyond awesome. The crew on DCL also didn't seem as rushed and busy as on other lines, and this tells me there is a higher crew:passenger ratio. The crew actually had time to socialize and interact which was wonderful.

So I totally get that DCL wasn't for you and I certainly can see why it's not for everyone. I can say that I'm living proof that two adults without kids can have a pretty awesome time on DCL.

Next up … the maiden voyage of QUANTUM OF THE SEAS from Southampton in just a couple weeks. Can't wait!

So, I am a 49 year old male with a wife and a daughter. I have an admitted bias towards Disney as an entity.

At this point in my life, vacations are a high priority item. My time off is limited, and I work in a 100% commission industry.work for me and for my My wife and I have lost 3 of our 4 parents in the last 34 months. I need my time off to serve my family's relaxation and rejuvenation needs.

When I step onto that ship, I am one of a few thousand people seeking escape from their daily lives. I find it most relaxing to be surrounded by like-minded vacationers. This is the Disney difference for me, especially as it pertains to DCL. (The parks can be another story.)

With very rare exceptions, the people we meet on DCL ships are nice. They are generally well mannered and polite. I like the demographic-I am comfortable with it. I don't mind that certain aspects of the DCL experience (the bias toward family, lack of casino/risque shows/drinking contests, and frankly the lack of giveaway pricing) create a draw for people I am comfortable being on that ship with for a week.

If the things that Disney consciously omits from their ships and their experience bother you, I understand. The fact is they have a small fleet-far fewer cabins to fill every week. They have a pretty astounding rate of loyalty based on exactly what it is that they are offering.

I remember sitting out on the deck of the Fantasy on Pirate night on our first trip. It was January, so not really hot out. We had eaten early at Palo and our daughter was hungry when we picked her up from the Lab, so we got her a cheeseburger and a lemonade and she sat on the edge of the dance floor eating and watching the movie, happy as a clam. I had zero worry about some drunken idiot tripping over her. Other families were milling around, just relaxing. There wasn't anything special happening at that moment except for everyone being pretty content and relaxed and happy.

That was the point in time when I really sensed the difference. The service was great up to that point, we were generally happy with the food and the activities, we had enjoyed the ports. It may not make any sense to you but just being out on the deck mingling with nice people from all sorts of places (love the Canadians that vacation in January!) and feeling relaxed and safe was the real difference.

I will still cruise with other lines, but DCL sets the standard for family vacations.

A few of my own personal observations.

Disney is more expensive. I have cancelled a Disney Fantasy cruise and booked the exact same dates and virtually same itinerary aboard the FOS for substantially less money. We had and awesome experience aboard the Freedom.

We are now sailing the Fantasy in January on the Eastern itinerary and are paying more than the FOS, but not that much more. It was an onboard booking.

Disney offers a very different experience that some would claim is a superior experience. I agree with most previous posters, except perhaps MizDaisy. Disney is an overall better cruise experience than any line catering to the same market. The difference is in the detail. Perhaps someone who has cruised DCL a dozen or more times has a completely different perspective than the average cruiser who may not see that many total cruises in a lifetime. Those details may no longer matter.

The "free" soda, while included in the cruise price, does offer something different for your experience. The idea that it is already paid for, doesn't require a special cup or sticker and readily available does mean something. If calling it "free" bothers some people, perhaps there is another way to explain why it feels free.

The rotational dining is unique as are the split bath deluxe staterooms. The cast members are the friendliest anywhere, although you will see some exceptions. Remember that they are still people .. Who have good days and bad days. On balance though, you are much more likely to encounter friendly service from random cast members on Disney ships. Why? It is considered by Disney to be the single most important thing about working for them.

It really is about the details. On the FOS, the ship was clean and the crew friendly, but not as clean or friendly as the Wonder. The Carnival Inspiration was way behind. But there was something else that I can't quite quantify. Disney is putting on a show. From the moment you visit the web page or call the Disney travel office, the experience begins. Every detail. The entire experience is managed. Nobody else in this market does this ... At all. It isn't even that Disney does it better. Nobody else even tries.

When I want that type of vacation (and sometimes I do), Disney is really the ONLY choice. It isn't just a cruise with Disney ... It is a vacation experience.

I just wanted to comment on the free soda.

We usually cruise on Celebrity and we always get the soda package. Yes, it costs $7 a day per person. But I think we can all figure it out that when you cruise on DCL, you do pay for your soda, just not a daily charge;).

But my comment is this. We find that the soda on DCL is not something that we would consider convenient. It is nice that they give it in the dining rooms, but other than that you have to high-tail it up to the top deck to get it from the fountain. Each and every time.:rolleyes:

We enjoy it on Celebrity because you can get a can of cold soda every place but your cabin.

And if you want it in your cabin, get it at any bar and put it in your little refrigerator for later.

I just wanted to comment on the free soda.

 

We usually cruise on Celebrity and we always get the soda package. Yes, it costs $7 a day per person. But I think we can all figure it out that when you cruise on DCL, you do pay for your soda, just not a daily charge;).

 

But my comment is this. We find that the soda on DCL is not something that we would consider convenient. It is nice that they give it in the dining rooms, but other than that you have to high-tail it up to the top deck to get it from the fountain. Each and every time.:rolleyes:

 

We enjoy it on Celebrity because you can get a can of cold soda every place but your cabin.

And if you want it in your cabin, get it at any bar and put it in your little refrigerator for later.

They could really stand out by adding a $4 per day surcharge to the cruise fare ($1 a day for the pop, and $3 to the servers basic wage, the additional cost would go unnoticed by the cruise Guest in their fare) and just have a soda fountain at the bars with auto grat of $1 if for waiter or table service.

Soda in cans at an additional nominal fee of $1.50 plus $1 auto grat tip too.

Too simple for those in Canaveral.

ex techie

They could really stand out by adding a $4 per day surcharge to the cruise fare ($1 a day for the pop, and $3 to the servers basic wage, the additional cost would go unnoticed by the cruise Guest in their fare) and just have a soda fountain at the bars with auto grat of $1 if for waiter or table service.

Soda in cans at an additional nominal fee of $1.50 plus $1 auto grat tip too.

 

Too simple for those in Canaveral.

 

ex techie

Excellent point. A small surcharge would definitely make it feel a lot more "free" than the extra thousand (or more) that you pay on DCL. Now obviously, you're also paying for the Disney touches, too....

I guess to me, it just boils down to whether or not DISNEY and the touches, are really worth that much more money.

It isn't a matter of the cruise line being SUPERIOR over the others. It's not superior, it's just different.

Awe Daisy...................

dcl is not only different it is easily better then the major lines.........vessels, service, food(ok food is very arbitrary), entertainment, etc.......Yes some will disagree.....but the over whelming majority will support me on this.

The only question is, if it worth the extra you get on DCL...........since these days they don't seem to be having any trouble filling the ships I would have to say..........YES.

Carnival line, RCCL and NCL are all still having to deeply discount many of there vessels and cruses to keep them at a operating level. RCCL new monster ship is even going to the far east as there is not the market for it in the US and European market.

AKK

PS, I am really tired on the soda thing......there you are right and everyone should understand its not FREE!