Frankly, I don't find them to be awesome. They use the same tour companies that anyone can hire. The only Disney thing about them is that a castmember or two go along to help with logistics, by which I mean they check your ticket and hold a sign that helps guide the group. Unless the tour states that it has some Disney exclusive aspect, I have not found DCL tours to be any better. Sometimes, DCL tours are not as good, because you have 20 or 30 people, and the group moves slowly.
I vary between self-guided tours, private tour companies, and DCL. For me to use DCL, it has to cost less than a 20% premium over an outside tour operator. Or I might pay a 25% premium if the cost isn't too great and the logistics seem a little difficult.
We've done DCL excursions when they're something interesting, something we would feel more comfortable doing through the cruise line, or for a port with very limited shore time. Otherwise we go with outside excursions or just explore on our own. For example - we took the DCL tour to the Maya ruins in Costa Maya (about an hour bus from the port) because we only had 4 hours in port and it was a 5 hour tour. Our bus was far from the last one back, and we barely made it by all-aboard. While a private excursion only has to beat the last DCL bus back to the ship, I'd hate to take that risk in those sorts of situations. I do have to say that all of the DCL excursions we've taken have been excellent.
We currently don't really have any plans for DCL excursions in the Baltic (unless the Ballet master class fits in with our local St. Petersburg guided tour). All of the excursions I looked at through DCL were pricy - far more than getting the local city card (Copenhagen Card, Stockholm Card, Helsinki Card) and using public transit - or even some of the external shared excursions we're planning to enjoy. We do have a short port time in Tallinn, but the city is walking distance from the port, and seems like there's plenty to see and do there just walking.
I have had DCL tours and gone private, yes DCL use local tour operators and obtain commission on sales, so they are overall similar to other cruise line tours, DCL does adapt a few with characters, they call them DCL exclusives.
The thing is the DCL tours are there for the people who want a package and the comfort of everything taken care of, no planning, no research just turn up and go and come back.
In the Mediterranean 12 night cruise I organised seven private tours in seven ports in 2014, in Alaska six private tours in three ports. I did what I wanted, when I wanted often cheaper than DCL, for a family of four, and I didn't go to tourist shops organised on their tours or tourist meals served mass canteen style but eat locally what we wanted when we wanted. My bookings were with the real local best guides, often highly recommended by places like trip advisor.
A typical DCL tour will meet in the WD theatre on the ship and have a wait, whilst independent people get off and go. Then in groups say 55 people per coach, walked ( herded) to the coach, numbers checked then your off at a maximum coach speed, often 55mph, so like Rome, I was then within an hour but the first DCL coach arrives about 90 mins past port arrival.
Then private guides cut lines go straight in but DCL coaches will line up people, and then slowly go in, private tours have a guide to a small number and you can ask questions, DCL you have 55 on a whisper system. All 55 want to look at the same thing and as they can't some move ahead of the group some St the back and slow the group down do you miss a lot.
Now on a private tour, want to see one thing longer, or but a post card, or have a coffee or ice cream when you want or go to the restroom without 55 other people, ( or say 26 in your part) you can on a private tour, you can't on a DCL tour.
Then the tourist lunch on DCL and shopping at one inflated prices shop where the tour agent gets commission. Yes the sales people are waiting there for you and your credit cards.
Ok that sounds pretty raw and negative, but parts of that occur on each DCL tour, so why do people book them, well comfort, and ease, to feel safe and where the ship worries you that the ship will leave for people late on private tours but stay for DCL tours. It's true but it's over played to make you feel safe booking with DCL.
But if you book with a good local operator they will get you back well in time, my Rome guide laughed and said if I can see a DCL bus in my rear view mirror I am OK, in fact we were back about 30 mins before DCL coaches, leaving at the same time, I know I watched from my verandah with room service.
So in summary.
Private tours, your family or who you want to be with.
DCL tours up to 55 people, half do not get a window seat, some families on last on that coach sit apart are split up.
Real local guide on private tours.
Your schedule, your places, your time, your eating plans, your the boss on private tour.
Less queuing and waiting on private tour.
Less nickel and dime from going to tourist shops designed to give tour operators kick back commission.
Personal air conditioning, sometimes Wifi in car, and a guide speaking to you.
The back on time is said over and over again to worry you.
You save money on a family of four.
I have booked Anastasia in St Petes, I pre paid direct, so £ to Rubles taking advantage of the fall in local currency value where DCL prices set in $ before the recent fall. So my trip is 50% chesper for four, than booking the similar tours with DCL going to the main places but I have edited our schedule to see more and do more, and we can change it on the day, I am going to places DCL doesn't go to, and I am out all day not day trip, return to ship then go on an evening tour and gave an hour lost time, we go from day sites to evening staying in the city, and the same guide, our guides in 2010 cut lines at the Hermitage, and for safety a small private can can get out of places a tourist coach with a DCL sign on it can't.
Used DCL for Vesuvius and Pompeii in Naples, a bus/train excursion in Skagway, and the Secret River in Cozumel. Did not use them in Southern France (twice), Pisa, The Cinque Terre, Rome (twice), Athens, Ephesus, Mykonos, Juneau, Ketchikan, Grand Cayman, Key West, Nassau, Cabo San Lucas, nor a few others. Had no problem touring Rome by ourselves. Best tour ever was Ephesus, through independent company. I totally agree with your post!
