Why are Disney cruises so expensive?

[chewbacca]

DH and I are looking to go on another cruise in May 2008. I have been pricing them through different cruise lines on the AAA website. Disney cruises are almost $1000 more than other cruise lines (Carnival and Royal Caribbean) and that is not including $$ for excursions and souviners.

So I have to ask the Disney cruise experts...Why are they so darn expensive?

Thanks!

 

[mommasita]

Because they are Disney, and people pay a premium for it.

I believe other lines can discount because they have many more ships to fill, as DCL only has 2 for now. Perhaps in the future, but you never know..

Having sailed other lines, I MUCH prefer Disney. Sadly, I can not always afford them, so I sneak others in there.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

1. Supply and demand
2. Lots of people want to sail and there are only 2 boats
3. Unique product--no place else to experience "disney" on the high seas.

 

[yndygo]

3 reasons:

1) It's Disney - they're in demand because they always do it better
2) # of ships v. # of cruisers - DCL only has 2 - and they sell out regularly... other cruiselines discount so deeply because they have so many ships to fill
3) You get what you pay for - the standard rooms on DCL are the size of jr. suites on other ships, the Children's programs set the standard and far surpass anyone else's, the entertainment is Broadway caliber, and the characters are onboard and easy to access - plus they don't nickel-and-dime you as much as other lines... soda from the station is free, no need to 'buy refillable cups'

There's more - but the best way to sum it up is that it's obviously worth it, or we'd all be skipping it in favor of the 'bargain' cruise.

HTH

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

I agree with previous posters: Disney is what makes DCL so expensive!

We were first-time cruisers on our 4-night Wonder trip a couple of weeks ago (has it already been that long?! ) and went with a couple friend of ours who are repeat cruisers, but not Disney people. When I made the comment to the other couple as we departed Port Canaveral "Look at all those people on inferior cruise ships!" I evidently really ticked the husband off. They spent 4 nights on the ship and met not ONE character nor did they see ONE show. The "Disney" part of DCL was completely and utterly wasted on them. I haven't asked since we got home how they enjoyed the trip--I know I will be disappointed in their answer. They spent a chunk o' change to cruise DCL with us instead of another RCCL trip--and I don't think they got their value for it. We were into doing the Disney stuff and since they didn't, we saw very little of them. When we planned it, I knew they weren't into Disney like we are, but I had no idea they would just flat out refuse to do the Disney stuff. I mean, why would you go on a Disney cruise and ignore the Disney part?

I'm sure other cruise lines are fantastic. But for us, the Disney part is what made cruising even an option.

Guess we won't be cruising with that couple again, hmmm?!

mk

 

[tvguy]

Because they are Disney, and people pay a premium for it.

I believe other lines can discount because they have many more ships to fill, as DCL only has 2 for now. Perhaps in the future, but you never know..

Having sailed other lines, I MUCH prefer Disney. Sadly, I can not always afford them, so I sneak others in there.

Short, sweet, and true.

Why does a Chevy Tahoe have a list price of $34,995 and a Cadillac Escalade have a list price of $55,640? It's the same truck. You get a bit more equiment with the Cadillac, but you get the Cadillac name. And there is nobody in the world that can tell it me it costs GM $20,700 more to build the Escalade even though it has more equipment on it. You do get some more value, but you get a great big chunk of "perceived value" that folks are willing to pay more for, same with a Disney cruise.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

We have always had pretty good pricing with Disney........Another poster mentioned Carnival and Carnival is a horrid affair!!!!!!
Our favorite line right now is Holland and that is a little more pricey.

Maybe when the other ship is completed things will come down a bit....

 

[Colorado DISers]

Just plain old supply and demand. With that said, adding more ships won't bring the prices down. It's Disney!

 

[Heather98012]

Ok....please don't freak out on me here people....I'm not that into Disney. Never have been & I don't know that I ever will be. I know LOTS of people are, my dh & I are just not some of them.

We haven't cruised with Disney before, but have with other lines. Why are we willing to pay the higher price to go with Disney when we go next spring? Because of two reasons; well, one reason with two subsets:

1) We are parents now.
a) Our dd is in love with Micky Mouse (& Cinderella, & Beauty & the Beast, etc) & I know she will be the happiest toddler on the face of the earth for 7 days.
b) They have such a fantastic kids program that I won't worry about keeping her entertained while on board.

Lastly on a selfish note, I really don't want to go to the parks. I know, I know....I guess I'm weird that way. I also know that in a few more years I will HAVE to take my dd (& likely a future child) to either Disneyland or WDW, so for now....the cruise is the best compromise. Disney for her, ports I want to go to.

And while it is more money (somewhat surprisingly so), I think the wonderment my dd will have on her face will be worth every penny. Scratch that...it will be priceless.

 

[JsMom2]

Ok....please don't freak out on me here people....I'm not that into Disney. Never have been & I don't know that I ever will be. I know LOTS of people are, my dh & I are just not some of them.

We haven't cruised with Disney before, but have with other lines. Why are we willing to pay the higher price to go with Disney when we go next spring? Because of two reasons; well, one reason with two subsets:

1) We are parents now.
a) Our dd is in love with Micky Mouse (& Cinderella, & Beauty & the Beast, etc) & I know she will be the happiest toddler on the face of the earth for 7 days.
b) They have such a fantastic kids program that I won't worry about keeping her entertained while on board.

Lastly on a selfish note, I really don't want to go to the parks. I know, I know....I guess I'm weird that way. I also know that in a few more years I will HAVE to take my dd (& likely a future child) to either Disneyland or WDW, so for now....the cruise is the best compromise. Disney for her, ports I want to go to.

And while it is more money (somewhat surprisingly so), I think the wonderment my dd will have on her face will be worth every penny. Scratch that...it will be priceless.

For someone who hasn't cruised DCL, you are right on! You will LOVE the cruise.

 

[JsMom2]

Also remember:

1. DCL doesn't have casinos, which are a big money maker for the other lines.

2. They don't sell as much alcohol as some of the other lines - also another money maker

3. They spend more on their youth programs than other lines


That said and done, after the expenses are paid they are not shy about raising prices prices based on demand.

But I have never regretted one dime I spent on a Disney cruise!

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Also remember:

1. DCL doesn't have casinos, which are a big money maker for the other lines.

2. They don't sell as much alcohol as some of the other lines - also another money maker

3. They spend more on their youth programs than other lines


That said and done, after the expenses are paid they are not shy about raising prices prices based on demand.

But I have never regretted one dime I spent on a Disney cruise!

JsMom2 has already posted two of my responses; #'s 1 and 3 and I would like to think that # two is also correct. I love the fact (as do a majority from past polls) that there is NO CASINO on board a Disney ship. I would and have paid more for this. Two Wonder cruises and a Magic cruise coming up this October.

My DS loves the Disney program for kids. In 1999 we had to pull him out kicking and screaming so we could do dinner together and he went straight back when we were done. In 2004 he looked to see what looked interesting and came and went as he pleased (as long as we knew his plans).

And if the Disney brand name means people are drinking less, I'll pay more for that also.

I also would like to know. If Disney staterooms are larger than the industry standard, does that mean they could have made them smaller, adding more onto the ship, make you feel really crowded and thus fill the ship up with more paying customers?

 

[ch10dad]

Ok....please don't freak out on me here people....I'm not that into Disney. Never have been & I don't know that I ever will be. I know LOTS of people are, my dh & I are just not some of them.

We haven't cruised with Disney before, but have with other lines. Why are we willing to pay the higher price to go with Disney when we go next spring? Because of two reasons; well, one reason with two subsets:

1) We are parents now.
a) Our dd is in love with Micky Mouse (& Cinderella, & Beauty & the Beast, etc) & I know she will be the happiest toddler on the face of the earth for 7 days.
b) They have such a fantastic kids program that I won't worry about keeping her entertained while on board.

Lastly on a selfish note, I really don't want to go to the parks. I know, I know....I guess I'm weird that way. I also know that in a few more years I will HAVE to take my dd (& likely a future child) to either Disneyland or WDW, so for now....the cruise is the best compromise. Disney for her, ports I want to go to.

And while it is more money (somewhat surprisingly so), I think the wonderment my dd will have on her face will be worth every penny. Scratch that...it will be priceless.

I haven't been on other cruise lines yet, but I've asked A LOT of folks how ther fare in a comparrison and here's my take on the subject:

Disney does better on average (better than average) when it comes to crew interactions, food is comparable (Holland Amreica is also highly thought of),
kid care/programs - there is no eaqual, rooms seem to run a bit bigger on Disney for equivilent cat/class, shows: OK it's Disney, but well dont so that unless you REALLY hate all things Disney, sou'll probably enjoy them.

Disney seems to have the best embarkation/dis-embarkation process from what I've heard. They also are very good about handeling the small details. That's not to say that you can't run into a CM who's having a bad day, or a room steward who is not efficent (we have - but they were replaced abruptly in the middle of our cruise which kind of supprised & delighted us).

If/when you go DCL much of the effort is geared toward "family" events, and there are so many that you can't "do it all." If you want to hole up and get away from everyone and everything, you can do that to.

We are very aggressive when it comes to value per $ and "deal shopping." We live near a cruise ship port in Fl (but not DCL - we have to drive to get them ). When we break down the $$ and compare we can save on base rate, but when you add in the "fun factor" for the kids and family as a whole we've found DCL works for us. However like all things YMMV...

Hope it helps.

Ray

 

[ch10dad]

I also would like to know. If Disney staterooms are larger than the industry standard, does that mean they could have made them smaller, adding more onto the ship, make you feel really crowded and thus fill the ship up with more paying customers?

We've never felt "crowded" though it can get crowded at the pools at times.

Ray

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Just plain old supply and demand. With that said, adding more ships won't bring the prices down. It's Disney!

Couldn't disagree more....look how the pricing on Cunard has dropped...afterall it's Cunard, that's what people used to say and now it is more affordable than ever.

 

[misseulalie]

Same reason why hotel rooms in Vegas are cheap... The casinos and alcohol subsidize the rooms.

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

We are Disney people and we have loved our 2 Disney cruises! Our kids are teenagers and love the cruises! They were never young enough to go to the smaller kid areas but they love what they get to do in the teen center.

We live in Nevada where the casinos are so we have no interest in a casino on a cruise ship. As much as we love Disney, we don't do the character visits on the cruises! I love to see the little ones with the characters and hear all the MAGICal stories on this board, but for our family, it's more the ambiance of the ships and the Magic that happens when you are together on the ships that we love!

We adore the attention that is given to the customer service on the Disney line. We've spoiled ourselves and we know it. Recently we thought we'd try another line and go on some different itineraries. Sadly, looking at prices, locations, etc. we didn't find that Disney is more expensive. As another poster stated, the Disney room size is an upgrade on other cruise ships. We're even worse than that- We only cruise in suites. Trying to find that on Norwegian or Royal Caribbean is difficult, and even when you do find suites, they aren't the same caliber and they are WAY more expensive than Disney. Then the other lines also charge more for soda, certain dining experiences, and shore excursions so that increase their prices as do some of those items on the Disney line.

It really is a personal choice. For us, it's Disney!

 

[jiminy579]

I agree with previous posters: Disney is what makes DCL so expensive!

We were first-time cruisers on our 4-night Wonder trip a couple of weeks ago (has it already been that long?! ) and went with a couple friend of ours who are repeat cruisers, but not Disney people. When I made the comment to the other couple as we departed Port Canaveral "Look at all those people on inferior cruise ships!" I evidently really ticked the husband off. They spent 4 nights on the ship and met not ONE character nor did they see ONE show. The "Disney" part of DCL was completely and utterly wasted on them. I haven't asked since we got home how they enjoyed the trip--I know I will be disappointed in their answer. They spent a chunk o' change to cruise DCL with us instead of another RCCL trip--and I don't think they got their value for it. We were into doing the Disney stuff and since they didn't, we saw very little of them. When we planned it, I knew they weren't into Disney like we are, but I had no idea they would just flat out refuse to do the Disney stuff. I mean, why would you go on a Disney cruise and ignore the Disney part?

I'm sure other cruise lines are fantastic. But for us, the Disney part is what made cruising even an option.

Guess we won't be cruising with that couple again, hmmm?!

mk

Even if your friends didn't get into the Disney spirit, didn't see characters or shows, they still should have noticed the differences. We have cruised Disney 3 x and RCCL 2 x, and there truly is no comparison. Cabin size, ship cleanliness, customer service from staff and waiters, ship decor and maintenance, and on and on and on. RCCL doesn't even come close to Disney in any of these areas. Our last RCCL cruise will definitely be our last. In my opinion they are horrid. The extra $$$ for Disney is well worth it!!

 

[captchris]

The bottom line here is that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

DCL's prices for my family went up $700 from 2006 to 2007. This is for same category, on the same week for a 7 day.

Now that I price 2008 it is now nearly $1000 more than my 2006 cruise for a similar week in the same category. The category is a Category 10.

I know there are those that believe that the "Disney" magic adds to the cruise. I agree with this to a point. Having a room that is slightly larger than the industry standard is nice. The Magic and Wonder are now approaching 10 and 9 years old respectively and do not have some of the family friendly features that are on the Voyager and Freedom Class ships.

My children enjoyed the character experiences, but disliked the Oceaneer's Club. The dining staff were awesome, and their service was amazing. Having said that, our next cruise will be on one of RCI's new Freedom Class ships. I enjoyed our DCL cruise very much, but the increased prices, limited availability of 7 days cruises makes RCI and much more attractive option. Especially, at a savings of nearly $1000 for our family.

 

[ch10dad]

The bottom line here is that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

DCL's prices for my family went up $700 from 2006 to 2007. This is for same category, on the same week for a 7 day.

Now that I price 2008 it is now nearly $1000 more than my 2006 cruise for a similar week in the same category. The category is a Category 10.

I know there are those that believe that the "Disney" magic adds to the cruise. I agree with this to a point. Having a room that is slightly larger than the industry standard is nice. The Magic and Wonder are now approaching 10 and 9 years old respectively and do not have some of the family friendly features that are on the Voyager and Freedom Class ships.

My children enjoyed the character experiences, but disliked the Oceaneer's Club. The dining staff were awesome, and their service was amazing. Having said that, our next cruise will be on one of RCI's new Freedom Class ships. I enjoyed our DCL cruise very much, but the increased prices, limited availability of 7 days cruises makes RCI and much more attractive option. Especially, at a savings of nearly $1000 for our family.

Price is a factor with us as well. The out of pocket cost has gone up roughly $800-$1000 since we've started crusing DCL. So far we've stayed with Disney because we've ALWAYS had a good time, the kids love it, and I've heard many conflicting reports from travelers on other lines...

...however our enthusiasm (many several of our friends that love DCL) is waning due to the harder hit on the wallet. Some of our friends have already jumped ship to other lines and claim to be just as happy with food, clubs, etc...

There may be a time when our DCL trips become less frequent or stop all together. We love the experience and the service, but you've got to stop and look at the math. We've already started telling the kids that even though we've gone every year for almost a decade, that it's not a given that we will go again. As the prices climb our cabin may very well become avalible...