Disney Magic or RCCL Mariner?

[TheGenie]

For those who have sailed on both the Disney Magic (done 2) and Mariner (considering it), what ship would you do again (not tired of Disney, but looking for a comparable experience at a better price)? I have children ages 10, 8, and 4.

 

I'm a FL resisdent and Disney discounts at certain time a year, making price difference less of an issue. But sailing as a quint, we have to get 2 cabins on the Magic. Does the Mariner have quints? prices?

 

What about the difference in the ships (besides the obvious)?

 

Thank you very much!

[pfleer]

Mariner all the way. No casino on Disney!!

 

The Mariner has great family cabins. Family oceanview sleeps 6 and family suite sleeps eight. Both have 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms.

 

Thanks!

Peggy

 

Mariner,Here we come!! (Subtract 2 for my wedding)

[skyking]

The MARINER for sure

 

Tim

 

Tropicale 10-7-00

Sovereign Of The Seas 5-6-01

Triumph 9-1-01

Explorer Of The Seas 8-31-2002

Carnival Pride 4-12-2003

Mariner Of The Seas 11-16-2003 (Innagural Cruise)

Carnival Fantasy 1-29-2004

Mariner Of The Seas 3-28-2004

 

community.webshots.com/user/skyking518

[DMorris]

Definetely the Mariner.. more activities for adults. Plus alot for kids.

 

Email: Deanna34769@wmconnect.com

 

Until our Martian Yatch Club Adventure

 

RCCL Adventure of the Seas 11/14/04

RCCL Voyager of the Seas 10/26/03

Carnival Pride 11/9/02

Premier Cruise Lines (5 sailings)

[TheGenie]

OK - there has to be someone out there who has sailed both the Mariner and the Disney Magic?

 

Don't care about a casino. would rather have that space for kids so they aren't over-running the rest of the ship.

 

Thanks for information from those who can compare both lines.

[iluvorlando]

I can't compare the two. However, we have sailed the Magic and are chosing to try Mariner for something different.

 

The kids are really looking forward to the rock wall, mini golf, etc...

 

I don't know about rooms, though. I'm sure there is someone out there who can answer that question.

 

mab

 

Our First (and not last) Royal Caribbean Cruise!

[kml2000]

We have not sailed on the Magic, but we did sail on the Wonder. We have't sailed on the Mariner yet, but we have been on the Grandeur (and it is not even a Voyager class).

 

My daughter much preferred RCCL over the Disney cruise. She was 9 (2 wks shy of 10) when we sailed on the Grandeur. I think part of the reason she liked RCCl so much is that she was the youngest in her age "grouping" on RCCL but the oldest on Disney. Also, Disney's programs are very structured. We felt they "frowned upon" kids joining in an activity. I understand some things are hard to join in but when there is another activity .... it just made it hard.

 

I also prefer RCCL over Disney, but it is mainly a price issue with me. I don't mind paying more when you get more. I didn't really feel like I got the extra BANG for my BUCK. It may have been because my daughter was not overly thrilled with the kid's program, but the Disney cruise was just okay for much more money. I doubt we would do another DCL cruise. I really have nothing to complain about that cruise, just nothing to RAVE about either.

 

I don't know that I helped any, but I would not even have considered the Magic when I booked my Mariner cruise.

 

Good Luck in your choice.

 

04/03/05 Mariner of the Seas

Can NOT wait!

 

 

Grandeur of the Seas 04/2003

Disney Wonder 07/2002

Carnival ??? 05/1994

Nordic Empress - 1992ish

 

Karen

 

 

[CruiseMuscle]

I would say that the Disney Cruises has a higher level of service than RCCL, however the Mariner is just a great ship for families because there are so many things to do.

 

Kevin

[rrkky]

I have sailed the Dinsey Wonder and the Explorer. We just booked again and I gave my kids the choice on what ship. They are 10, 7 and a 1 year old. The older 2 definately wanted to go on the Explorer again. They loved the rock climbing wall, the roller blading, the ice skating, mini golf. So we have booked the Navigator for Sept. We don't even care about the ports, the ship itself is the best destination.

 

I do plan to do the Magic or Wonder again for the babies 5th birthday. We have taken every child to disney on their 5th birtday and then sailed. It will be a special event and we will love the "magic" of disney. But for now, my older kids can't get enough of the RCCL.

 

By the way I book a JS (formally C) aft cabin each trip. They allowed us to put 5 in the cabin but I did have to push the TA, who initially was told no by RCCL, and then after I insisted she talk to RCCL again, they agreed.

 

Every passenger requires a bed so I said "put a crib in the room" of course I will have our cabin steward remove it anyway.

 

Good luck. I recommend you try a rccl voyager class ship, you will be very happy.

[zbuddy]

We have sailed on the Wonder twice and recently on Mariner. Both ships have pluses. Yes, the Mariner is larger and there is more for adults. But you have said a casino is not a major deal with you. I did like the way the Disney ships have kid-friendly snacks available right at poolside (chicken fingers, pizza, burgers, dogs, ice cream). Mariner has a soft serve ice cream near pools, but if you want to eat it's either down the elevator to the Cafe or walk over to the Cafeteria and fix a tray to bring back to the pool. My child loves that type of food and was not impressed with the croissants, etc for snacking on Mariner. My teen actually said Disney had a better program, but that's just him. The evening entertainment on Disney is superior to Mariner's evening offerings. I thought food overall was a tad better on Disney, but that's very subjective. We had excellent service on both. Debarkation on Disney is a snap, it was a nightmare on the Mariner, having to wait in the public areas until your "color" is called. We did not leave the ship until 10:30, and there were 6 more colors to call at that point.

 

Yes, Mariner has the rock wall, but only at certain times (and it is high up!), putt putt, and a much larger arcade. My child did not do the rock wall, maybe played putt putt a couple of times and the arcade, well, it's not free ya know, so depends on how long you want your children in there.

 

Our next cruise will be with several families with children and we are returning to Disney, but Mariner is a fine ship if you just "have" to be on one of the big ones.

 

zbuddy in Ga

[TheGenie]

What about the smoking? I know RCCL allows smoking in cabins. Does it bother the non-smokers? I can not stand a stale smoked-in hotel room. Am I likely to get one on the Mariner? Or, do they do a good job of ridding the cabins of the smoke residue? What about smoking in the indoor common areas?

[F5Loar]

I've done both and the Wonder(X3). Your kids are at that age they both are still good choices. Yes Disney may have a more going on program but only becasue it's Disney oriented. RCL is a great program full of activities but it's not Disney type of fun. Our 7 year loves both but I'm sure she would go on Mariner again vs another Disney for several reasons: Rock Wall,puttputt,better arcades and ice skates. Food is comparible and one may have better this while the other will have better that. Many items are the same and probably from the same distributor. Pizza would win out on Disney but RCL is fine when it's fresh and it's 24hours too! I like the soft serve on RCL better. Both ships are first class while the Disney is more traditional looking the Mariner has the WOW factor going on. Of coarse the Disney Entertainment is more kid friendly but haven't they already seen it?

RCL would be different for all. Movies? Diseny wins hands down here as the RCL Screening Room is limited seating and limited in show times.

Internet better on Mariner and cheaper. Disney does have those neat split bathrooms and rooms are really nice while the Mariner are just rooms that get the job done( speaking about the cheap seats only) Service was about the same as you can get a poor waiter/steward on either ship. Mixed drinks watered down on both so toss up there. Tea better on Mariner but Disney has Cokes free at night.

No casino is a plus to me as the casino draws a certain type of person called gamblers. Not to stereotype here but genreally gamblers are

smokers. More smokers more smoke around the whole ship. The spa/fittness area on Mariner is better. I think Disney will sport more kids at any given time. More kids means the odds are there will be more brats per square inch. Bratty kids can be a problem to your kids if they aren't brats. I put the Mariner in the upscale Carnival cruise with a little less roudyness and a lot more to do. To me if I had already done Disney the Mariner would be my choice hands down now that I have done it.

I think the Palos is fine but the Chops and Portinfinos is twice as fine. Oh, don't forget the Johnny Rockets. Disney don't have that!

Your older kids will think that's cool. Windjammer would beat Disney's too but you won't go hungry on either one. More varity on Mariner. Disney does not do a midnight buffet.

Mariner has one and it's worth going. And last but not least, the lobster tails on the Mariner

are twice the size of Disney.

 

Till we sail on the Zuiderdam

 

Til we sail on the Mariner of The Seas RCL

until we sail on the Disney Wonder

til we sail the ms Maasdam

[F5Loar]

PS: On smoking and your room. The Mariner is a much newer ship and we did not detect any remains of smoke in our inside cabin. But it would be hard to say if it ever had a smoker in our room over 17 weeks since it first sailed. One of our worst experiences escaping all around the ship smoking was on the Wonder when it was 7 days. It was brand new at that time but running into smokers on the non-smoking side of the ship was bad and there is not a thing you can do about it. These people don't care where they light up and avoid the signs. And on the plus side the Mariner never seemed to be a problem except in the bars and casino.

If you avoid those areas it was like being on a nonsmoking ship. Bottom line is you have no control over how many smokers will be on your week. You will however be able to enjoy your meals and shows as they are nonsmoking areas.

I'm afraid until smoking is ban in all public areas including ships us minority non-smokers will have to accept it if we choose to cruise as I understand even Carnivals all nonsmoking ship Paradise is being turned into a smoking ship when it repositions to the west coast.

 

Till we sail on the Zuiderdam

 

Til we sail on the Mariner of The Seas RCL

until we sail on the Disney Wonder

til we sail the ms Maasdam