Why is Disney Your Favorite?

[Stateroom_Sailor]

This is a two part question, which you can answer either or both. We've haven't sailed on Disney yet, but the stateroom quality, dining arrangements, and general nostalgia seem like a line worth trying out.

 

1. As an adult, why is Disney your favorite, or one of your favorite lines?

2. While keeping it's unique experience, in what ways could it improve?

[moki'smommy]

On our first DCL cruise we were a family with a 7 year old (which at that time was the OC group). Now we are an "all adult family."

 

What is great about DCL--quality of service is tops. Stateroom quality is another (much bigger than other lines we've been on and nicer in similar price ranges). Entertainment quality and scheduling is the other big plus.

 

What they could do better--KEEP kids out of adult areas! This should include the adult pool area and the Cove Cafe as well as the places they do better like adult only programs and nightclubs after 9. The adult pool area should not be a walk thru/skate thru/yell thru for kids. In fairness, over the years we've seen signs directing kids/families with kids to "pass thru" only on the starboard side as well as a CM re-directing them, but it seems that DCL takes the concept of "adult only" in these areas lightly unless a kid actually gets into the adult pool (which we have seen). In all fairness, it doesn't bother me to see a parent quietly escort a kid or two as they walk thru the area, but that quickly escalates to a kid on wheelies banging into me as I'm reading or one shouting across the area to a parent. The sign says this is an adult only area--enforce it strictly!

 

Next area for improvement--food quality in the MDR and other outlets. Celebrity is MUCH better and even has a "healthy options" sort of quickie outlet with salmon, amazing salads, etc. DCL adult dining restaurants are great, MDRs are somewhat spotty. DCL food quality has declined over the years.

[Scrapnana]

DCL had the largest, nicest cabins I have ever had on a ship (never been in a suite, always regular cabins). There was lots of storage space and I really liked the split bathroom. The bed was amazingly comfortable and I loved the Frette sheets.

 

I spent a lot of time at the adult pool and had no trouble with kids. A few walked through but none lingered. Having to walk through the adult area to get to the forward elevators/stairs and some of the Concierge cabins is a design flaw, as far as I'm concerned.

 

I am not a foodie and for the most part I enjoyed the food (creme brulee excluded - it was too liquidy).

[meatloafsfan]

What they could do better--KEEP kids out of adult areas! This should include the adult pool area and the Cove Cafe as well as the places they do better like adult only programs and nightclubs after 9. The adult pool area should not be a walk thru/skate thru/yell thru for kids. In fairness' date=' over the years we've seen signs directing kids/families with kids to "pass thru" only on the starboard side as well as a CM re-directing them, but it seems that DCL takes the concept of "adult only" in these areas lightly unless a kid actually gets into the adult pool (which we have seen). In all fairness, it doesn't bother me to see a parent quietly escort a kid or two as they walk thru the area, but that quickly escalates to a kid on wheelies banging into me as I'm reading or one shouting across the area to a parent. The sign says this is an adult only area--enforce it strictly! [/quote']

 

And not just the pools - how about when trivia is listed as "18+" that someone actually asks the kids to leave or at least reminds the parents that it's for adults only?

 

Or in the evening / late night in the adult clubs - I understand kids walking through but not when they sit down with their parents at a table (and yes, all of this happened on my October Fantasy cruise without anyone saying anything to the kids / parents).

[moki'smommy]

Wow! On our Magic cruises I've actually seen one show stopped until a child was removed and several instances of the parents being told that they were not allowed in the area.

 

However, this was not the case on our Fantasy cruise--there was one family with kids in the nightclub area nightly. These were not teens who were possibly "of age," they were little kids. Also on the Fantasy we saw parents served in the Cove Cafe with kids there--the bar tenders don't want to direct them to the Vista Cafe as the might lose tips! (nor do I really think it should be their responsibility, but.....

 

Agree that on the newer ships, it is a design flaw that makes it difficult to get from some pool deck concierge cabins to midship without walking thru the adult area (oh wait! They manage to pull it off at 10 pm by taking an elevator to a deck that opens out on a non adult-only area.) However, on the classic ships there is NOTHING on deck 9 forward that involves kids. They can easily choose to take a midship or aft elevator up to their area without increasing their distance traversed at all.

 

I'm not a kid hater, but an area designated as "adult only" should be enforced. I'm not allowed to walk thru kid areas any time I choose or to participate in kid programming....and they shouldn't be able to invade my area. OR, alternatively, DCL should quit advertising designated adult only areas if they don't really exist.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

This is a two part question, which you can answer either or both. We've haven't sailed on Disney yet, but the stateroom quality, dining arrangements, and general nostalgia seem like a line worth trying out.

 

1. As an adult, why is Disney your favorite, or one of your favorite lines?

2. While keeping it's unique experience, in what ways could it improve?

 

Its the incredibly welcome, special feeling you get on the ship. The service was the best I've had in a decade and the restaurants are SO special. On other lines, especially CCL lately, I have felt like I was a walking dollar sign or number, to get as much out of me as they could. When I would try and smile and talk to all various crew members on CCL, they acted like they couldnt understand me (or perhaps they couldnt) and wouldn't make eye contact half the time.

 

Unlike other cruise lines where MDRs are declining, theirs are some of the highlights of the trip, with very few extra pay venues. We found the food to be special, interesting, very artistic, and not banquet style, with a few misses, a lot of goods and quite a few GREATs. Desserts weren't as interesting as other lines. They still use crumb cleaners and you still have a dedicated team of 2 unlike CCL. They have nice anniversary songs and pins and deserts to give you. They dont stop the service to sing, because the shows are built into the dining rooms/themes.

 

The entertainment slants to younger audiences when it comes to the plots, so sometimes it felt a bit juvenile. However, the musical sequences are the highest caliber with sets, talent, special effects and performances that I can remember on a cruise line. My honey typically can't be interested to keep his butt in the seat too long, but he came to ALL of them and got there early and stayed to the end. He loved it. All our Disney favorite songs. If you don't like Disney music, its probably not for you. If you enjoy Lion King & Beauty & Beast caliber broadway, its not to miss!

 

Castaway Cay is one of the best ports we have been to. My honey (who tends to be stingy) thought that it was a $100 value per person when you buy excursions. They take care of your transportation, all the activities like volleyball, hermit crab races, dance parties with characters, kids care, snorkeling (bring your own equip, it costs to rent), water slides, several buffets and fruit stands and ice cream and pop from 11-2, basically we just loved it. As for the snorkeling, you have to go really far out, so be sure and eat a big lunch and get ready to swim hard against the current. When you finally get to the fish, while there aren't tons and tons of variety, there is a good bit if you look, AND it had some of the HIGHEST HUGEST volume of fish schools that I have ever seen anywhere! Like hundreds or maybe even a thousand all together in a column. Very cool! I saw a sting ray too. On the topic, the family snorkel lagoon has lifeguards posted through out and is the safest and most secure snorkeling I have seen. If you are worried about sharks etc, or a beginner, this may be the place for you! Just be sure and get your cardio up! :) And be prepared to hit Flo's for some pizza after, because its a huge fun workout!

 

We like the freedom to bring any beverages on board that we like.

 

They are the best staterooms we have ever had on any line. Then again, its the most we have paid for a shorter cruise. Somehow, I'm ok with that because the pirate live stunt show with Jack Sparrow, amazing fireworks, wonderful buffets, attentive personal stateroom attendants and staff, adult deck areas, veranda (we had for last, dont plan to have for next), and so forth, the interactive technology all over the ship, the water slides and more, we just didn't feel like we got ripped off at all. We did go off season and got a last minute sales rate. On the other hand, I've paid the same for 7 day cruises on other lines and I DID feel somewhat ripped off. So its all in perceived value. My husband drinks coke through out the day but not enough to get a soda card, and this was included. A lot felt included. Even as a 3 day, it was so action packed, it wasn't over too soon, it was wonderful.

 

Some things that could be better would be having at least one or two adult hot tubs stay open past midnight. But not all other cruise lines have that either. We LOVE LOVE LOVED the DLounge for family activities, even though we have no children. We found the family karaoke to be entertaining and we sang our fave songs and were amazed at the young talent. The Fiesta salsa party was hilarious, we laughed our heads off at the kids letting it go wild with merengue and donald duck. Some comedians are just ok, but those laughs I'll remember for a decade! But that ended at midnight and we wanted to get in the hottub, and since they aren't open, it wasn't meant to be. And neither was the pizza either. I will make sure I leave the DLounge at 11 next time, run and go get some pizza slices, and then come back to finish the karaoke. That way, I can get my pizza! Really wish it stayed open. The 24/7 room service is nice but at 1:30am, it was a 40 min wait, so we said never mind. Of course, if I had had the room for the big Pirate Buffet, I wouldn't have been looking for pizza. Its just A LOT of food to eat!

 

The clubs stay open but some think there isn't much to do past midnight. We wandered the ship and talked to some amazing staff members about their countries and families and lives. We are people people and we loved that. So I guess if you are like us and bring your party crew with you, than the party never stops? (Definitely bringing cards for spades!)

 

We loved the opportunities to take princess pics because we never have time for the lines at the parks. You can skip this if you want, but there is something really cool about seeing Tinkerbelle and Tiana and Cinderella officially in the flesh, all over the ship. Same with Mickey and other characters. The pirates came and talked pirate to me in character before the show started. I definitely recommend bringing your pirate attire if you want to have a bit of fun! If you aren't in to "disney" stuff, than this won't make or break your cruise. You don't have to participate if you don't want, but it is like the whole ship is a theme park. We happen to love that about it. Even the pictures on the wall move when you walk by.

 

The only negatives to the trip: my dad let the waiter know the pineapple cake was tasteless, and the head waiter brought up a HUGE plate of chocolate covered strawberries "from the chef with apologies". Incidentally the waiter said about the pineapple cake "this I never recommend." After that, we always asked him what he recommends!

 

We also had a problem with the tram driver in Castaway Cay not making sure my older parents had loaded up in the back tram and started to drive away. Dad jumped off and felt the jarring in his back for a day or two. He made sure the senior guest relations staff knew that this was not safe, not like it is in the parks when you have a loader at the back give the all clear. This incident actually took about 3 hrs to resolve the morning of debarkation. Eventually his complaint was acknowledged. It was the only downer to an otherwise perfect trip. This is definitely an area that could use some improvement. I wonder if anyone else can say if they have a loader/unloader in the back of the tram now to give the all clear. I will see if this has been resolved in May myself.

 

Other niceties included buy one get one free drinks (never had the offered on a cruise before) and also that we could bring back all our island purchases to our room and fully stock it ourselves upon boarding. My honey made us nice margaritas to have our own sail away party on deck just the way we like them, no sugary mix.

 

Basically, we were amazed and entertained at every turn. It combined our long time love for disney parks with our favorite sea vacation style. EVerything was much more dignified and upscale and family oriented. We may not have kids, but we don't need to see sexy man or hairy chest contests, or g strings on the main stage, and we certainly don't need to be funneled like a herd of cattle through a smokey casino either. We weren't hounded by photographers, and bingo was available, but it wasn't in-your-face before the shows and all over. Basically, my last cruise on CCL felt very desperate and I had decided that I was over cruising altogether. Than my Dad booked their anniversary cruise on a DCL (because he knew Mom had a fear of the ships breaking down after the Triumph this year and because ours broke down too 1.5 weeks after we got off of it, so she wouldn't set foot on a CCL but Dad knew she would have trust in the Disney brand, and she did. She never batted an eye once about worrying with them.) so we booked it to surprise them. And here I am. A new DCL convert, me and the whole family. Now we have 18 of us going on the Magic in May!

Edited December 5, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[wdwlvr]

I sailed on a number of ships before taking my first Disney Cruise. What I fell in love with was the classic Disney styling. Then added to that is the wonderful Disney service. Those keep me coming back, but so do the friends I've met while sailing on Disney.

 

What Disney could improve is what some others have mentioned about keeping the adult areas adult. Most of the time they do a good, but there are times when they could do better.

 

I'm sure some day we'll again try other ships based on where they are going or who is going on them, but for now we have another trip planned on DCL and I'm looking forward to it.

[logan25]

1. good food

2. split bathroom

3. fitness center not crowded

[BullDawg91]

Why is Disney my favorite? I've only cruised twice so far, one Carnival and one Disney and have a Disney scheduled for March '14.

 

As I read general cruise information on these forums, many people are asking if it is worth it to pay extra for soda cards and for priority this or that and discussing how to smuggle liquor. None of that is an issue on Disney. You aren't nickel & dimed to death.

 

I'll have to report in on things that could be done better after the next cruise. I was going to say have more adult activities, but that isn't fair because I didn't attend a lot of them last time. I only saw what was listed in the Navigator. We were too busy doing other things.

[BullDawg91]

I forgot a point. Everyone talks about how expensive Disney is but I wonder if it is if you price a comparably sized cabin and all the add-ons. Our Carnival cabin was TINY by any standard so I would have expected to pay much more for the Disney cabin.

[iloverags2]

1. As an adult, why is Disney your favorite, or one of your favorite lines?

We enjoy and appreciate that DCL has always been good about keeping children out of the adults-only areas (that has been our experience at least). We also love the adults-only beach at Castaway Cay. In addition, overall Disney has an excellent product with top quality and customer service.

 

2. While keeping it's unique experience, in what ways could it improve?

Longer/better hours for the buffet. I would love to see it as a buffet experience in the evenings for dinner since I am not always in the mood for sit-down dining (but would still like something other than burgers/pizza/etc.). And I would like to see the buffet open every evening, not just select evenings. Princess has the buffet down to a science!

[BullDawg91]

Sorry for so many posts. I don't seem to be able to edit my posts.

 

I did think of something I wasn't thrilled with - the noise level in the MDRs. Each one was packed to the gills and noisy! Our servers were excellent, but you could tell they were rushed and the space between tables was small. I thought the Crush show in AP was just too much noise. I really wanted earplugs. I'm thrilled to to know there is a different show there if we get ever get AP twice.

 

We had early dining and never felt that they rushed us. We were often one of the last tables in the room because my parents like to relax over a meal. Our server Carlos took a few minutes to do a magic trick which all 11 of us enjoyed each night.

 

This year, we are trying late dining and doing Spring Break instead the week before Christmas so we'll see how the noise level compares.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Good choice for late dining. We did not have loud chaotic dinners, AP or otherwise, and Enchanted Garden was pirate night and for late dining, like almost no one was there! Definitely recommend late dining for adults. I like it better anyway because I usually am very active at port, like to chill with an early show, move around the ship n see stuff, then I'm ready to sit down to a nice dinner at 8, instead of sitting down after the rich food and wanting to fall asleep, we go all over the ship, dance or karaoke etc so I can stay up much later. Our late dining experience was perfect. I'll just have to make sure i save room for the pirate buffet after.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[logan25]

2. While keeping it's unique experience, in what ways could it improve?

Longer/better hours for the buffet. I would love to see it as a buffet experience in the evenings for dinner since I am not always in the mood for sit-down dining (but would still like something other than burgers/pizza/etc.). And I would like to see the buffet open every evening, not just select evenings. Princess has the buffet down to a science!

 

Bite your tongue! My husband cringes at the assigned dining concept. He loves the Disney "buffet" experience at night. He gets the Disney level of food without suffering the MDR experience.

 

The Disney buffet (at least on Wonder and Magic) offerings are quite limited. We suffer through it for breakfast and lunch, but enjoy the upgraded food and options available in the "buffet" at night.

 

We got stuck with touchy-feely MDR wait staff on our last Disney cruise. The waitress put her hand on my shoulder every time she came to the table. And she insisted on grabbing me for a hug at the end of the meal. I don't appreciate strangers putting their hands on me. Horror of horrors! She tried to feed me. I'm a grown woman and can decide what I do or do not wish to taste or continue eating after tasting.

 

At least in the buffet at night, we may not get the same person each time. That was a big plus this last trip. I was a little desperate to get away from the MDR.

[iloverags2]

Bite your tongue! My husband cringes at the assigned dining concept. He loves the Disney "buffet" experience at night. He gets the Disney level of food without suffering the MDR experience.

 

The Disney buffet (at least on Wonder and Magic) offerings are quite limited. We suffer through it for breakfast and lunch, but enjoy the upgraded food and options available in the "buffet" at night.

 

We got stuck with touchy-feely MDR wait staff on our last Disney cruise. The waitress put her hand on my shoulder every time she came to the table. And she insisted on grabbing me for a hug at the end of the meal. I don't appreciate strangers putting their hands on me. Horror of horrors! She tried to feed me. I'm a grown woman and can decide what I do or do not wish to taste or continue eating after tasting.

 

At least in the buffet at night, we may not get the same person each time. That was a big plus this last trip. I was a little desperate to get away from the MDR.

 

Which is exactly why Disney needs to work on their evening buffet experience. We love Princess' buffet. Open continuously from about 7 a.m. until about 11 p.m. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner. And you just help yourself, although at dinner time they have some excellent choices (not just standard buffet fare). And the tables are set very nicely in the evening.

[awaywego0000]

It is hard to put it into words. I will try my best:

 

I have been on one NCL (2010) cruise and one Disney Cruise (2012). When I first got off the Magic I wondered if Disney was worth the money we paid, or was NCL just as good for less money. I loved both cruises and had wonderful vacations on both lines.

 

However, I find myself longing to go back on a Disney Cruise! I booked a cruise with NCL next year because that is what I can afford. But in my heart of hearts I wish I was going on Disney again. It was the BEST vacation I ever had. As corny as it may sound Disney truly gives you a magical experience even if you are all grown up. Maybe some day I will get to go again.

[Mom2B&Z]

We have taken 3 NCL and 1 DCL cruises with our boys who are 8&6 yrs old now. Personally, I wouldn't cruise DCL without children, I just don't see the point. We are not big Disney fans, I could care less if I get to meet characters or not, and the whole ship is centred around family entertainment. I'd rather be on a different line in a suite with private areas than in a veranda cabin with balcony on DCL. Plus their itineraries are awfully boring! Castaway Cay is amazing and is the only reason right now that I would consider another DCL cruise. We were on the Dream and it was definitely a beautiful ship with some great features, but the sheer number of people aboard often made using the features difficult. For example, ds2 wanted to swim in the Mickey pool one afternoon but I swore he was going to drown or get jumped on because there were so many kids in the pool.

What they could improve are the itineraries and the feeling we got of being "processed" through dinner. I hated the assigned dining, we were always rushing to get there on time and certainly felt there was a timeline being followed to get us out of the dining room. I realize this isn't the case with late dining, but not everyone wants to eat at 8pm! I also think they need to modify or rethink the pool area, I know they are introducing lifeguards on the ships but honestly it will mean nothing unless the numbers of people in the pool are restricted.

I know many people love DCL, but for us it wasn't all it was cracked up to be :o

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I get what you mean, sorry that DCL wasn't everything and a bag o' chips for ya. In our case, the Dream had the best stateroom we have EVER stayed in. We also enjoyed the technology on the ship (ie. pictures that were interactive games, any song you want for karaoke through computer, no old CDs and numbers, Animators restaurant with Crush was a huge delight for us since we love Turtle Talk at EP.)

 

We absolutely LOVE the 8:15 dining. When we come back from port, we are pooped. Especially after all the swimming at castaway, it was time for pizza and chicken tenders at 5ish and Aquaduck! (When others would be getting ready for Early Dining.) 5:30 is the perfect time to clean up and sit down at 6:15 to an awesome 'disney magic' show. Afterward, we get a lil more energy and can roam around the ship, hit some trivia games or take princess photos (yep, and not one kid in the bunch...well age wise anyway!) and then we are ready for a great dinner and head down to the restaurant around 8. Its SO relaxing, we were never rushed at all. We still had plenty of time to wander up on deck for the Pirate Stunt show. Although how the rest of the family could eat the pirate buffet is beyond me, but it is going to make the list next. After all the rich food, instead of sitting down to a show after dinner (which is nodding off lights out for me), we run around the ship some more for Family or adult karaoke or deck shows and activities. We ended up staying up past 2 some nights, when on other cruises if I had early dining (and then show) I ended up back in my bed around 10-11. I definitely benefit from walking around AFTER dinner, and so for that reason, I will never, ever (even if I friends beg and plead) accept early dining again, period. Show first, dinner after, party time, its a winning combination for us and doesn't limit us for the excursions either.

 

I guess some people say they thought the MDRs were rushed and chaotic. We never had that experience and had the best service we have had in years. We also weren't overrun by lil ones either. We just loved it! We grab something at Flo's at 5:30 if we want and then can sample the good stuff at 8 without having to rush out. Our shows weren't packed out to the point that we couldn't ever find seats right when it started and sometimes our dinners were practically deserted (especially Enchanted Garden on Pirate Night.)

 

Word...:)

Edited December 10, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[carolwoodpr]

We just got back from a Dream cruise, our first cruise ever. As Disney nuts there was no choice for us but a Disney cruise. This cruise lived up to all my lofty expectations.

 

We have an 11 year old son, who enjoyed being in the edge so much that we had a lot of time alone. As adults we had a blast on the ship. Either watching movies, playing bingo, sitting on deck enjoying a drink and the view and finishing a relaxing dinner without our child to influence us. It was great for both adults and children.

 

Since we enjoyed our 3 night cruise so much we booked our next cruise while on the ship. This time we are doing a 5 night cruise.

 

I highly recommend the Disney Cruise Line and don't really see anything they can improve on, but I don't have another cruise line for comparison, so that could affect my judgement.

[jody]

I'm just curious to see if the Disney experience is worth paying double what my other cruises were. I'm expecting a great cruise, but I've had great cruises on Princess, HAL and CCL, so I'm curious to see if the value for the money is there. Just over three months and I'll be able to find out!

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I'm just curious to see if the Disney experience is worth paying double what my other cruises were. I'm expecting a great cruise, but I've had great cruises on Princess, HAL and CCL, so I'm curious to see if the value for the money is there. Just over three months and I'll be able to find out!

 

Wow! How nice for you! I've only done a 3 day with full deluxe double bath and veranda, and it was the same price as my 7 day interior on CCL. But even my cheap-o husband did NOT think we over paid for that cruise! We were talking this morning and even he said "well I've never had a bad cruise on Carnival, but CCL is crappy." Which I found funny. In another words, if you feed the guy and take him to an island, he's happy. BUT he was much more impressed with Disney, especially their entertainment. Just so-so on the dining. Definitely impressed with the island, I think that was one of his favorite things about the trip. So we now have a 4 day booked with WDW in May.

 

But you are going on my dream ship Fantasy. We followed that ship at almost every port in Feb, and its just gorgeous. That's my hope for the next one...

 

I would be amazed if you weren't over the moon for it compared to CCL, but I can't comment on HAL since I haven't been.

 

As far as the paying double, remember that CCL does a lot to eek every dime out of you (whereas DCL collects it upfront :D) but DCL lets you bring on board any beverages as long as they are carried on with you and fit through a scanner. There are no limits on how much and of what kind. We enjoyed stocking our room and making our own margaritas and this did cut down quite a bit on the onboard account at the end of the cruise. (you can bring your island rum back to your room too. they dont make you check anything in.) Same for the cokes my husband bought on CCL at $2 a pc since machine freestyle sodas are included. They also don't charge your credit card right away for excursions, which is a first for me, that actually comes off of your on board credit but you can cancel up to 3 days prior I believe. So be sure and total up the vacation as a whole, not just the cruise fare, especially if you tend to run a bar tab (or pay for Cheers, yikes! That's like a second cruise!)

 

Be sure and tell us what you think, lucky ducky! :D

Edited December 11, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[jody]

TwinPrincessMermaids,

I happen to be very detail oriented and record EVERY expense on my trips, so you can be sure it will be a complete comparison. Somewhere on CC here is my review of my 2003 Med Cruise, with the cost of things duly noted in Euros, dollars etc. I enjoy my travel vacations, so I tend to be frugal overall, so I can afford more. We prefer to book cheaper cabins and cruise more often, so we have a value mindset.

 

Due to a child in school, we are limited to cruising during peak (spring break) times, so I know I am paying the higher prices because of that. I am sure that if the costs were similar, that Disney would win hands down. We'll see how easy it is for me to put a value on the Disney premium. :-)

 

I'll keep you posted once we take our trip. I'm expecting it to be a magical experience and I appreciate reading all the reviews and postings from folks like you. The anticipation is always half the fun for me.

[meatloafsfan]

TwinPrincessMermaids,

I happen to be very detail oriented and record EVERY expense on my trips, so you can be sure it will be a complete comparison. Somewhere on CC here is my review of my 2003 Med Cruise, with the cost of things duly noted in Euros, dollars etc. I enjoy my travel vacations, so I tend to be frugal overall, so I can afford more. We prefer to book cheaper cabins and cruise more often, so we have a value mindset.

 

Due to a child in school, we are limited to cruising during peak (spring break) times, so I know I am paying the higher prices because of that. I am sure that if the costs were similar, that Disney would win hands down. We'll see how easy it is for me to put a value on the Disney premium. :-)

 

I'll keep you posted once we take our trip. I'm expecting it to be a magical experience and I appreciate reading all the reviews and postings from folks like you. The anticipation is always half the fun for me.

 

I think even with the additional cost, you won't be disappointed in the Disney cruise but afterwards you may still return to the other cruiselines for subsequent cruises due to cost/value.

 

On DCL, I would focus on those things that make it different from other cruises - the evening shows, the big movie theatre, the on demand movies in your cabin, the Aquaduck and AquaLab (on the Fantasy), the character meet and greets, the pool deck dining choices and some room service menu items, the dining room shows in Animator's Palate.

 

I recommend cutting down on the excursions on DCL and focusing more on the ship amenities. If you want exciting ports, that's one thing that other lines do better - the Celebrity cruise I'm looking at for next fall is 14 days, hits 8 islands (only 1 that DCL goes to, the other 7 are what I'd consider more exotic Caribbean islands), comes with free alcohol for 2 and free non-alcoholic for 1 (which suits my parents and I just fine because my dad doesn't drink alcohol) and costs less than the 7 night Fantasy cruise leaving at the same time. But that ship doesn't have those things I mentioned above (no doubt it will be a great cruise though).

 

I wouldn't pay DCL prices to just sit in a lounger all day (I can do that for a lot less on other lines). I think of DCL cruises as less about relaxing on the seas and more like visiting a floating resort where you need to take advantage of the offerings to "get your monies worth".

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I agree! With CCL, they cheaply take you to some amazing places. With bigger lines like DCL or even Oasis/Allure class RCI, the ship becomes a big part of the destination.

 

That having been said, I would plan one highlight excursion at least for the trip. Castaway Cay is basically all set, we paid only for a few iced water bottles. Lunch, transport, snorkeling (we bring our own equip), icecream and sodas, buffet, water slides, volleyball etc. Its got plenty to do that is included but you can book something if you want.

 

On the other hand, we had never seen Sea Lion encounters advertised before in our other ports. We booked this through DCL and it was one of the best days at Blue Lagoon that our family has had together. We are going back next year because we liked it that much.

 

So not all of the trip has to have tours booked. But if you are looking for something special, likely you can find it, and it may just be the icing on the cake for the trip. (ours was!) We are considering the dolphin swim next year.

 

Just to add to PP. The ship IS great and has a LOT to see and do. But dont forget to do your research and see if one or two excursions might just be the delight of the year...

 

Then again, I don't cruise spring break! :eek:

Edited December 12, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[lukeduke07]

I'm just curious to see if the Disney experience is worth paying double what my other cruises were. I'm expecting a great cruise, but I've had great cruises on Princess, HAL and CCL, so I'm curious to see if the value for the money is there. Just over three months and I'll be able to find out!

Every one I have priced has been triple. :confused:

 

And that is comparing a 3 day interior Disney with a 7 day balcony with Carnival.