Live from the Magic, errr Liberty of the Seas Comparison Thread

[ICEMANPAD]

Well I have posted on the Turkey Day Gang thread and a couple of others that we were going to run a comparison thread when we took RCL's Liberty of the Seas this summer and we will be boarding in 2 days. We have, see our signature, traveled on the Magic 6 times and the Wonder twice in the past 5 years and will be on the Magic against for our 6th consecutive Thanksgiving in November.

Living in South Florida with easy access to the ports (read: no airfare or long car trips), we like to cruise. However, this summer we have decided to do something different and try out RCL and their biggest ship to date (OK we know Oasis will be larger, but it is still being constructed). So being Disney veterans, and that includes annual passes for over a decade, DVC, and even a Disney wedding, we will be writing a comparison as we take a Western Caribbean cruise in the upcoming week.

Chuck:cool1:

[alwayslisad]

:::gets my popcorn::::

Ok Fellow Turkey - enjoy your trip - LOTS OF PICS please - and ENJOY!!!

[missdani416]

I can't wait to hear your report! We have been thinking of RCL but have never done anything but Disney cruises. We want to cruise next summer but really want a 7day. Thanks. Hope you have a great vacation:)

[Cheryl726]

Awaiting the report!

[ICEMANPAD]

A couple initial comments..while the RCL ship is considerably larger, some of the stats can be deceiving. The actual capacity of Liberty of the Seas is only about 900 people more than Disney ships b/c all Disney cabins hold 3-4 people while many of the RCL cabins are only for 2 people.

Also, the Disney boats are effectively 9.5 decks (2-10 and 1/2 of 1) each while RCL is really about 11 true decks, though each is somewhat larger than Disney. RCL claims 15 decks, but there is no deck 1 and decks 13-15 are only on a small part of the boat with 14/15 being approximately equal to the Stack.
Anyway, starting to pack and we will finish in the morning, but it is a short drive of under an hour to the port.

Chuck:cool1:

[MyLove4Disney]

:surfweb:popcorn::

Will your group be a family with children or adults only?

[ICEMANPAD]

Our group contains 2 40 something adults and 1 9/2 year old ds. Our ds loves the Lab on DCL and he is hoping that the AO program of Liberty of the Seas will be just as fun!! :cool1: :thumbsup2

However, we have learned that there will be no activity in the AO program tonight. Just a meet and greet time. Usually, on DCL he is involved in the first evening activity...so we will see how it goes tonight.

[alwayslisad]

Hiya Chuck, Lisa and Mason - hope you have an amazing vacation - lots of sun and fun! :)

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 1 comments.

Embarkation at the port...no comparison..Disney by a landslide...there is simply nothing to do but sit....ditto for the mandatory drill...everyone stands and swelters on the outside of deck 4 instead of the, generally, air-conditioned Disney station.

However, this ship has a couple things Disney does not. First there is the Promenade, a football field length 4 deck high atrium through the middle of the ship that has shops and eateries...there is no contest, RCL has this one....also RCL gets the nod for the childrens water area and the pool deck overall...the kids play area is really nice and better than some land based water play areas that we have seen.

Dinner, well the food was edible, but, the dining experience cannot compare to Disney and the menu was a bit more limited here...also the pianist and violinist they had playing was loud enough to drown out conversation in part of the room...also, while we are trying to switch to the late seating to better coordinate w/the kids program, it may not be possible, but that is as much our error for taking early seating in the first place.

On the other hand, the opening lunch buffet was comparable and as good as Disney's.

The stateroom we have, a junior suite is about 300sq ft plus another 100 sq ft for the balcony and was priced less than a cat 6 would have cost us this week on the Magic....it is very nice.

So, we are still open in our thoughts here. While this ship lacks the Disney mystique, we knew that coming aboard.

Will post more in days to come.

Chuck:cool1:

[bettyann29]

cant wait to hear more...

more.. more.. more!!

[cakesnjammom]

cannot wait to hear nore...thanks for all the great information!
Enjoy yourselves!

[missdani416]

I can't wait to hear more. Thank you for sharing this with us. Do they have a kids only pool? Enjoy!

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 2 - Day at sea.

The weather has held for us so far....very calm seas and plenty of sun.

We were fortunate and were able to switch to late seating which worked much better.

Breakfast at windjammers...think Topsiders...very similar in layout except no outdoor seating. Food not quite as good as Disney, but lunch in same place comparable to Disney in quality.

Dinner was formal night and menu was very similar to standard Lumiere's menu. Food was fine.

We saw the ice show this afternoon...now that is the one show to see on this ship...the skaters consist of 3 male/3 female and 2 pairs teams and all have international competetive experience...frankly the skating, ok no schtick, but the skating was better by far than Disney on Ice...plenty of triple jumps which are all the more impressive due to the limited size of the rink.

The captain's gala in the Promenade was nice, but not spectacular, though part of it may be due to the ship's orchestra/singers playing a steady diet of slow classics from the 40's and earlier...

However, sitting at a table in the Promenade gives you a feeling that you don't even realize you are on a ship...hopefully the new Disney ships incorporate this feature as has been rumored.

Overall, a very pleasant day...this ship ha some nice features, ie the Promenade and water park/ pools that set it aside from Disney...

On the other hand, this ship lacks completely any sempblance of a theme...it is very disjointed and we feel like something is missing...

One very annoying feature is the necessity of walking thru the arcade to get to the kid's clubs...

Tomorrow is Labadee - the private island...one negative already is that tenders are required, though in fairness, I believe they are building a pier to accomodate the new behemoth, Oasis of the Seas due to launch later this year.

Chuck:cool1:

[missjudit]

Enjoy reading your report & look forward to meeting you on the Turkey cruise.:)

[yazee1]

The stateroom we have, a junior suite is about 300sq ft plus another 100 sq ft for the balcony and was priced less than a cat 6 would have cost us this week on the Magic....it is very nice.

Chuck:cool1:

I'm guessing no split bath, though. We're thinking about RCL next year for just dh and me. Is the junior suite several hundred less than a category 6 on DCL or closer to two or three hundred less?

[my3m]

as we are planning to try RCCL next year.... :)

[ICEMANPAD]

First a couple answers:

There is no split bathroom, even in our Junior suite. However, we have 307 sq ft + 100 more on the veranda.

As to kids only pool, the H2O zone is primarily for kids, not sure why an adult would want to use it.

Day 3 - Labadee - This place is not CC!!...that said it does have its features like the aquapark - lots of large inflatables (for a fee) - and the zip line (also for a fee) - and they are under significant expansion construction...

That said, the kids program on the beach was non-existent...and this is on a cruise that has 4210 passengers (ie we are full)...and btw, the ship is only about American, and there are over 60 countries represented on the passenger manifest.

While the lunch was ok, it was nowhere near Cookie's...

One thing they do have over Disney - 100's of hammocks many in shade (I like hammocks)

Overall, the island is nice but if CC was a "10", this place is about a "7"...and while some may say future expansion will help (and it might), CC is also being improved so we shall see.

One more thing, the kids program area is not quite as nice as Disney, but so far, the programming has been comparable except without the Disney schtick.

Chuck:cool1:

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Happy sailing Chuck, Lisa and Mason! Wish we were on it with you. Can't wait to read more of your comparision. Have you tried the Wave Runner (you know the surfing thing)?

K

[The LK 4]

Loving the comparison trip report! :thumbsup2

[Mickeyhugger]

Hey Chuck and Lisa!:wave:

Have you been to "Johnny Rockets" yet? I love their onion rings! Also, is this the "SpongeBob" ship?

Priscilla

[Narnia_girl]

I love reading your updates and comparisons...so helpful! I hope the rest of your cruise is awesome. :)

[sherreis]

Hi Chuck and Lisa. Enjoying what I'm hearing so far - after our first cruise this Thanksgiving, already thinking ahead of what our cruise future will be.

[luv2boys]

:surfweb:

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 4 - Ocho Rios

No this is not the sponge bob boat - that is the sister ship freedom of the seas out of port canaveral.

This is a great port of call...ok, the shopping is not so good (though if we were not so familiar w/Cayman tomorrow, we might have commented differently), but there are lots of nice sights to see within a relatively short drive capped off by Dunn's River Falls.

The falls are worth the trip...other than possibly the 12 meter yachts in St. Maarten, this is the best shore excursion we have done, and we did the entire falls, starting from the beach...well almost, Mason made it about 75% of the way and Lisa walked up the steps, but Me and most of the group completed all 950 feet of waterfalls. Lots of fun.

Tonight we will be trying Chops, one of the 2 specialty restaurants and Thursday we will betrying the other, Portofino...

One area Disney gets major props for is excursion organization...we were the only ship in port (primarily b/c the pier can only accomodate one at a time), but we were all herded like cattle into a large tent like bldg where the confusion was extensive...however, things worked out fine as this is Jamaica and not some other places. That said, the Disney method is still greatly preferred.

Tonight after dinner is Love and Marriage, the RCL version of Match your Mate, and they use the main theater for it.

Last night we saw "in the air", RCL's sorta take on Cirque du Soleil..a few of the acrobatic acts were fairly good, but the dancers in the interludes just did not quite work.

OK, out for now...will post tomorrow from Cayman.

Chuck:cool1:

[Tinkerbell 99 Mom]

Chuck

Really enjoy reading your reports. We have sailed RCL several times. The children's programs worked out ok. We since sailing with Disney have not been back, but are considering a RCL in early June 2010

Thanks for the great information.

w

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 5 - Grand Cayman

The weather once again was perfect...we have been very fortunate so far, only one brief thunderstorm yesterday on the way in to Ocho Rios. The seas have also been very calm, though I note that since this trip sails from Miami, the distances are less and the ship is likely not travelling as fast as Disney which probably also helps...that said, we have barely felt like we were on a ship.

Last night we ate at Chops, a specialty restaurant which was comparable to Palo...it was very good...only negative is that the portions were a bit large and the veggies served family style, and that is a negative because we wanted to try multiple things like we do (and are encouraged by the staff to do) at Palo's...so we did anyway and left stuffed...formal night #2 tonight (read: lobster) and the other specialty restaurant tomorrow.

GC - bad news that Kirk freeport closed its "outlet" store and consolidated the merchandise among its 22 other stores (lots have different names)...

good news - for consumers that is - the economic woes have hit GC too meaning there were a lot of legitimate deals to be had...Lisa picked up an amethyst necklace, plus a better chain than the one that it came with for a very good price and the stone was very deep in color...there were signs in virtually every jewelry store, though not all the cases within, advertising discounts of 20 to 50 to even 75% off...have to take the time to comparison shop though because there are significant differences on the same items at competing stores.

in port, the kids program does go thru meals to accomodate parents who are on excursions, but not dinner break since there are no excursions that late..

saw the ice show again last night...it really is very good...saw also Love and Marriage which is the same as Match your mate, but it was funny.

That said, other than the ice show, nothing else in terms of shows has come close to Disney....but, the Oasis is going to have as I mentioned before, Cirque du Soleil from what I hear, together w/a zip line, various themed neighborhoods and a capacity of 5600 passengers....but who can say b/c bigger is not necessarily better.

OK..on to Cozumel

Chuck:cool1:

[cakesnjammom]

still loving your comparision report...thanks!
happy sailing...will check in for more later!:thumbsup2

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 6 - Cozumel

OK i know it is a bit early in the day, but we have been to Cozumel enough times that there really is not much we care to do here...that said, once again the weather and seas have been great.

One thing different is that we are docked on the International Pier, some 3 miles from the main port...however, this being a cruise resort, there is the obligatory shopping area just off the pier and surprise (ok not really), there are the same shops - literally ie same name/ownership etc - that we would find downtown with roughly the same prices.

In fact, we found our favorite store (the one downtown is right under McDonald's) and picked up the necessary cheap t-shirts etc....then on the way out, we found a store that was discounting lladro at 40% and grabbed a polar bear for under $50 U.S.

Dinner last night was lobster/prime rib - sound familiar - for formal night...but the portion of lobster was small...so i had both (though i could have double-ordered the lobster)...we checked out tonight's menu and were very happy we booked the specialty restaurant b/c the selections are obscure and sparse.

Breakfast and lunch on board at the Topsider's clone have been fine though and the fare pretty much similar to Disney.

Last night, the comedian / magician boarded the ship, but alas his luggage did not make it.. so we were "treated" to RCL's "ever after" production which was supposed to be tonight...I left after 15 minutes...it made no sense and well, was awful. (that is not to say that the singers/dancers lack talent - they have plenty of talent - the shows just seem to lack a central theme)..so tonight we are seeing what was supposed to be tomorrow (except, fortunately I think, our dinner reservation will conflict) night's show and then RCL was flying someone down to mexico today to handle friday...what a mess

That said, the people we have met and most of the crew have been very pleasant and overall this has been a nice cruise thus far..I will post tomorrow and then sum things up over the weekend after the return to Miami.

Chuck:cool1:

[3Bells]

Hi Chuck,
Enjoying your report. Looking forward to reading more about your trip!!!

[ICEMANPAD]

Day 7 - at sea

We have been very fortunate..the weather has held all week and the sailing has been smooth. Another perfect sunny day.

Morning was volleyball tournament on the basketball court...I, along w/our table mates (she played college soccer and they both play beach v-ball in Calif), plus a couple others won it...the other team had several good players including a current college basketball player (women's), but in the end we took 2 of 3...Mason was happy to collect the "gold" medal awarded.

In the pm, it was crew vs passengers in water v-ball, dodge ball and soccer..i was in v-ball and crew prevailed against all comers, though a couple games, including our, were very close...just needed a true setter...then it was another 1.5 hours of pickup pool v-ball for me...will find out results of other competitions later..

One of the crew players was the male half of the 3 time Canadien champion pairs ice skating team...turns out he lives in Florida too these days as we were talking with him after the game...very nice guy..

The swim/beach towel system here is lousy...take out two per card, exchangeable at any time, and must return all at end of trip or be charged $20/towel..

We are skipping the goodbye show as it appears to be a re-hash of the prior shows we did not like...

One thing they do have is afternoon "tea" between 3-5pm in the Topsider's clone which is really a fourth meal...works great after an excursion or for a good snack if you have the late seating (8:30)...

Anyway, that is about it for today...will post a longer summation upon our return later this weekend..

Chuck:cool1:

[TotallyAngelic]

Thanks so much for sharing - it is so interesting to hear about experiences with other cruise lines. Some of the other lines have such wonderful itineraries that I might have to try them out in the future - so it's great to get opinions and comparisons. Hopefully you had a great cruise - even if it wasn't Disney!

[Skyw]

Thanks for the comparisons.

For previous poster....I wouldn't stop going on another cruise if the itinerary is good. The key is knowing what you are in for before you drop your cash. We like to do as many ports as possible and less time on the ship. Disney doesn't have that but other cruise lines do. If I want a trip with my son and hubby, I know that I will get certain things for DCL. Like shows that the whole family will love.

Once again thanks for the comparisons!!

[ICEMANPAD]

Hi everyone!! Thanks for the positive comments!! We are now home...back to reality and a mountain of laundry!! :scared1: :eek:

I will provide a short summary and then Chuck will add his final comments later on.

The Magic and the Liberty of the Seas (LOS) each were doing a Western Itinerary this past week. The benefit of LOS for us was a stop in Ocho Rios since we have never been there and the cost factor. The price difference for comparable veranda staterooms was approx $2000.00.

As Chuck said, there was no comparison b/w DCL and RCCL in terms of embarkation. You really feel the magic in DCL. DCL also wins hands down on debarkation. It was a nightmare this morning. You need to report at a certain time to the theater just to wait. Then, once you get off the ship, the luggage for 4200 passengers comes around an airport type carousel. After you finally find your luggage and a porter, the line to leave the building is approx 30 minutes. The DCL system of walking off the ship, finding your luggage in a color coded area and leaving the building cannot be beat!!

We had a wonderful vacation overall. If we did not have the prior experience on DCL, then I think our expectations would not have been so high.

Thanks for reading along!!

Lisa

[Mickeyhugger]

If we did not have the prior experience on DCL, then I think our expectations would not have been so high.

Lisa

DCL was our first cruise too. I think it's impossible for other cruise lines to meet DCL standards, because they raised the bar so high.:)

Priscilla

[OurOhana]

Thanks for the comparisons. We enjoyed reading your report. We'd also love to see pics, if you have any to share.

[Tinkerbell 99 Mom]

Chuck, Lisa and Mason

Really enjoyed reading along with your reports. Sounded great ! We have had varied experiences on other lines and overall DCL has always been the best! Look forward to seeing you guys in November.

wendy:cheer2:

[missjudit]

Enjoyed reading the reports; and look forward to meeting you in November.:goodvibes
Judi

[ICEMANPAD]

OK I took a couple days to decompress.

RCL pros:

- The sailing was really smooth..some of that may have been due to shorter distances between stops (thus slower speeds), the time of year and just plain good weather...but the size of the ship probably was much of the difference, as we have taken Disney cruises spring, summer and fall for comparison sake.

- The promenade, which Disney may match on the new ships, is simply awesome..while in reality a long atrium, the street setting feeling in the middle of a cruise ship works extremely well.

- The pool and sports decks...some of this is simply b/c as a larger ship there is more space, but the H2O zone for kids easily outmatches the Mickey pool/slide...the combo flow rider/rock wall/miniature golf/sports courts is also no contest.

RCL neutral:

- Windjammer vs. Topsiders...they are virtual clones

- main dining RCL vs. Parrot's and AP...also about the same, though the shpw at AP gets extra credit...also Disney has the extra course...ie appetizer/soup or salad/entree vs. appetizer or soup or salad/ entree, but since you can order multiple items, it works out to be the same except for those who do not realize they can order multiple items.

- The specialty restaurants are on par with Palo's and that is saying something, though no brunches on sea days.

RCL cons:

- Overall organization..while there is plenty at RCL, Disney is the best..period.

- Lack of theme / cohesion - There was a constant question of why things that went together should have been that way, from the artwork, the layouts, the shows, etc...it just did not seem to work

- The shows...other than the ice show, the shows were forgettable and we skipped or left early from most...the ice show was excellent as I have mentioned previously in this thread.

- Shore excursions...well the excursions were fine, but getting to them was complete chaos..

- Embarkation and debarkation - complete nightmares as explained earlier in this thread.

- No split bathrooms...but I think that is a matter of being spoiled by Disney since I believe Disney is the only company to do this.

- Kid's programming...OK the programming itself is pretty good, BUT, the 2 hour dinner break (which effectively negates early seating b/c the break is from 5-7, but dinner from 6-730 or 8 and then conflicts with the programming), the canceling of activities if not enough kids, the complete lack of Labadee kids' facilities/club programming, the entrance thru the arcade to the kids' clubs....bottom line: the program has potential but needs a lot of work.

- Overall nickel and diming..there are simply too many food and drink surcharges and other general addons...the specialty restaurants are $25/$20 per person...Johnny Rockets, Ben & Jerry's, the coffee place etc all have extra fees...the soda package (bad idea if you are trying to compete w/Disney for families w/kids)...etc.

Final conclusion:

We liked RCL and will go back, and candidly the Magic is getting a bit tired as a ship, but fortunately there are the two new ships coming soon for Disney, and to be fair, Oasis for RCL...That said, though, as a total package, we still prefer Disney...if I were to use a 10 point scale, I'd probably have Disney as about a 9 and RCL in the 7.5 to 8 range. RCL has the more modern ship w/more amenities, but the organizational deficiencies are too much to overtake Disney.

Chuck:cool1:

[Tinkerbell 99 Mom]

Chuck:

Was waiting for your final comments. Overall we like Disney best also. RCL has also work for us when saving $$$$ was the key.

I do want to know. How is the volleyball when you are not at Castaway.

Wendy

[DMMarla07860]

great comparison

[ICEMANPAD]

Chuck:

Was waiting for your final comments. Overall we like Disney best also. RCL has also work for us when saving $$$$ was the key.

I do want to know. How is the volleyball when you are not at Castaway.

Wendy

Hi Wendy!! This is Lisa responding...

Chuck actually played more volleyball on RCCL than he plays on DCL. In addition to Labadee, he played on the ship quite a few times. They set up a net on the basketball court and they also had pool volleyball in one of the family swimming pools. :thumbsup2

Lisa

[ICEMANPAD]

And now for the ultimate irony...I received a phone call a few days ago from RCL based on the survey we had filled out before leaving the ship...after a long call, I also mentioned this comparison thread and directed the person from RCL here....have to say though, never got a call from Disney about any of our survey/comment cards and we always fill them out...LOL

Chuck:cool1:

[nenner1]

Chuck & Lisa,

Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your insight on RCCL and how it compares to DCL.

We are going on the LOS sister ship IOS in January and this helps us a lot knowing what to expect!:thumbsup2