DCL or RCCL

[Edd]

I don't blame you. I chose DCL for my GS's first three cruises and enjoyed the 3,4 and 7 day cruises. My GS 8 - 10 enjoyed them immensely. It is a great cruise when you have the little ones to look after whether you are a parent or a grandparent.

Now that he is older he has found out that there is so much more to enjoy on other ships. Both of us will probably cruise DCL again in the future, but he now realizes that the DCL is not the only cruise line that offers a lot of fun and many different things to do while cruising.

 

[DMMarla07860]

When I read comments with gross exaggerations such as "the food is a billion times better on disney" - I tend to not take that person's other comments too seriously!

Now I've only cruised DCL, but I just have to comment about this. When I read comments about food on any line I don't take any of them seriously since everyone in the world has different likes. I've read and heard a lot that food is bad on RCCL, CCL, and DCL and then I've also read and heard food is great on DCL, RCCL, and CCL, so I don't even bother worrying about food as long as I get some it's all great

 

[NancyIL]

Now I've only cruised DCL, but I just have to comment about this. When I read comments about food on any line I don't take any of them seriously since everyone in the world has different likes. I've read and heard a lot that food is bad on RCCL, CCL, and DCL and then I've also read and heard food is great on DCL, RCCL, and CCL, so I don't even bother worrying about food as long as I get some it's all great

I have yet to starve on a cruise ship! However, gross exaggerations coupled with what I know is an untrue statement (that the ship "shuts down" when in port) means I don't take the comments seriously.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

I don't blame you. I chose DCL for my GS's first three cruises and enjoyed the 3,4 and 7 day cruises. My GS 8 - 10 enjoyed them immensely. It is a great cruise when you have the little ones to look after whether you are a parent or a grandparent.

Now that he is older he has found out that there is so much more to enjoy on other ships. Both of us will probably cruise DCL again in the future, but he now realizes that the DCL is not the only cruise line that offers a lot of fun and many different things to do while cruising.

Thanks, I love disney but my dn (who travels with us) wanted to try rccl, she is 14, looking forwrd to it... we are travelling from southampton so saving around 2 grand so it will be an experiance.

 

[Dmom&dad]

Wow - what Royal Caribbean ship were you on? My experience on port days was the opposite: very few adult activities onboard the Wonder until mid-afternoon when the ship was in Nasaau and Castaway Cay. My most recent Royal Caribbean cruise was in April on Mariner of the Seas, and there were definitely more scheduled adult activites throughout the day - like the TRIVIA that I love!

we went on the serenade!! and will never ever do that ship again!!!

 

[Dmom&dad]

I have not lied about any comment I have made on here. My comments are simply my opinion as are any other comments made on here. The food on disney is better. The boys/men I saw going in the teen club were to old to be in there. they dont check your id at the door there is nothing to confirm that they truely were not to old because they sure looked it. again my opinion. I would not have wanted my daughters in there "hanging out" with them. my opinion. i didnt at any point change my statment on this I simply as someone else has already pointed out clarified it. Anyone can get in the bars on this ship. they are wide open and everywhere. The ship we were on shut down on ports days. fact. I am sure if you are on a rccl ship that is newer or explorer class or above that will not be the case. However. In my case that is what happened. fact. We went on the serenade of the seas thinking all ships are basically the same when it comes to scheduled activites. We had no idea it would be as it was. If I had I would have chosen a different ship. Even after all the time I had spent asking questions about the ship we had no idea. This is why I answered the op's question as I did. So maybe she wouldnt have to deal with what we did.

 

[NancyIL]

I have not lied about any comment I have made on here. My comments are simply my opinion as are any other comments made on here. The food on disney is better. The boys/men I saw going in the teen club were to old to be in there. they dont check your id at the door there is nothing to confirm that they truely were not to old because they sure looked it. again my opinion. I would not have wanted my daughters in there "hanging out" with them. my opinion. i didnt at any point change my statment on this I simply as someone else has already pointed out clarified it. Anyone can get in the bars on this ship. they are wide open and everywhere. The ship we were on shut down on ports days. fact. I am sure if you are on a rccl ship that is newer or explorer class or above that will not be the case. However. In my case that is what happened. fact. We went on the serenade of the seas thinking all ships are basically the same when it comes to scheduled activites. We had no idea it would be as it was. If I had I would have chosen a different ship. Even after all the time I had spent asking questions about the ship we had no idea. This is why I answered the op's question as I did. So maybe she wouldnt have to deal with what we did.

I cruised on sister ship Jewel of the Seas, and the Radiance-class ships are my favorite on RCI. I have the Cruise Compasses from 8 RCI cruises, and I would have to see yours before believing there were NO scheduled onboard activities while the ship was in port! I have been on older RCI ships (Sovereign and Vision class) - and there were always onboard activities on port days.

 

[lovethedream]

I have not lied about any comment I have made on here. My comments are simply my opinion as are any other comments made on here. The food on disney is better. The boys/men I saw going in the teen club were to old to be in there. they dont check your id at the door there is nothing to confirm that they truely were not to old because they sure looked it. again my opinion. I would not have wanted my daughters in there "hanging out" with them. my opinion. i didnt at any point change my statment on this I simply as someone else has already pointed out clarified it. Anyone can get in the bars on this ship. they are wide open and everywhere. The ship we were on shut down on ports days. fact. I am sure if you are on a rccl ship that is newer or explorer class or above that will not be the case. However. In my case that is what happened. fact. We went on the serenade of the seas thinking all ships are basically the same when it comes to scheduled activites. We had no idea it would be as it was. If I had I would have chosen a different ship. Even after all the time I had spent asking questions about the ship we had no idea. This is why I answered the op's question as I did. So maybe she wouldnt have to deal with what we did.

I remember one of my posts concerning the Freedom was called "suspicious" (if I remember correctly) because I had mentioned buying some shirts out in an area of the ship that had no shops. Of course, RCCL had set up some temporary tables and had piled the shirts on top. (They are some of my favorite shirts and I love to wear them. The quality of the shirts is very good. I actually wear them more than my castaway cay shirt!) I found out later (and please correct me if I am wrong) that this poster had not even been on the Freedom at the time of my cruise. So I really take it with a grain of salt!

 

[lovethedream]

I cruised on sister ship Jewel of the Seas, and the Radiance-class ships are my favorite on RCI. I have the Cruise Compasses from 8 RCI cruises, and I would have to see yours before believing there were NO scheduled onboard activities while the ship was in port! I have been on older RCI ships (Sovereign and Vision class) - and there were always onboard activities on port days.

We always get off the ship while in port. (We did have one where we spent a short period off the ship at one port stop) It sounds like you have stayed on board during a port visit. I have heard others mention that they enjoyed port ship time because most exited the ship and they had the "ship to themselves" so to speak. Was this your experience too?

 

[NancyIL]

We always get off the ship while in port. (We did have one where we spent a short period off the ship at one port stop) It sounds like you have stayed on board during a port visit. I have heard others mention that they enjoyed port ship time because most exited the ship and they had the "ship to themselves" so to speak. Was this your experience too?

I almost always get off the ship in port, but I look at the schedule to see what activities I am missing! I know that RCI usually closes the dining room for lunch on port days, and casinos and shops have to be closed on all ships - not just RCI's. I just find it very hard to believe that the Cruise Compass for the previous poster's cruise had absolutely no scheduled onboard activities while the ship was in port.

 

[Edd]

What really gets me is the poster was watching or hanging around the teen club when their children were not even on the cruise. Hmmm. I think I have passed a few teen clubs on the RCCL's and DCL, but couldn't tell you for sure if it was the teen club or not. I have never been on a cruise line that does not have a bunch of activities during port day. I consider eating an activity and I am always eating. The restaurants certainly aren't closed. In fact I have cruised so much that I usually don't go into the port anymore and there are always activities for those who choose not to go ashore, on all cruise ships.

 

[NancyIL]

What really gets me is the poster was watching or hanging around the teen club when their children were not even on the cruise. Hmmm. I think I have passed a few teen clubs on the RCCL's and DCL, but couldn't tell you for sure if it was the teen club or not. I have never been on a cruise line that does not have a bunch of activities during port day. I consider eating an activity and I am always eating. The restaurants certainly aren't closed. In fact I have cruised so much that I usually don't go into the port anymore and there are always activities for those who choose not to go ashore, on all cruise ships.

The main dining room on RCI is usually closed for lunch on port days, but the buffet and other locations (Cafe Promenade on Voyager-class ships and above) are open.

 

[tikimimi]

I can tell you from very fresh experience!!! we just sailed with rccl from july 18 to 25...seven day. We did not take our kids on the cruise but did observe kids with the clubs on the ship. However, we have cruised disney last july with our kids. five total only four cruising. GO WITH DISNEY. We were so disappointed my husband and I. The staff is not very friendly on rccl. some of them are but not many. on disney they are all very nice and helpful. There are drunk people all over every time you turn around booze is in your face you cant get away from it. I personally am not big on my kids being around that. So many loud obnoxious drunks. People are cleaning all the time on disney. I hardly ever saw anyone cleaning hand rails or elevator buttons on rccl and dispite the amount of time my dh and I spent washing our hands and not holding on to the hand rails we both got sick! Royal shuts down in port. everything closes and stays closed till you leave port. there are NO activities on board on port days!!! the excursions dont last all day but the shut down does. We got sooooooo bored. Disney has things going on all the time if you wish to join in!!! The experience on disney is very much worth the extra money trust me!! The dining is sooo much better on disney we all looked forward to dinner on disney the waiters are great and show magic tricks to the kids...the food is a billion times better on disney!!! I cant say it enough GO DISNEY GO DISNEY you wont be disapointed. I on the other hand just spent a week kicking myself for not booking disney for dh and I. I know im jumping around but you have no idea...i just want to save you the frustration we experienced.

the rockwall is only open like two hours a day the kids pool slide only on sea days all day and then something like an hour or two on port days. On dis. you see the kids doing activities all over the ship plenty for them to do our kids had a blast on disney and even our 16 year old only wants to do dis. this is not the case on royal. The age differences in the clubs on royal is rediculous by the way. I saw grown men going in the teen club I would not want my 15 yearold in there with boys like that. just the thought.

I have to many thoughts coming at once I just cant stress enough go disney.

Wow, Never have I experienced an unfriendly staff on any ship. The bit about the drunks is outrageous because I have never seen that in my almost 30 cruises. The poster mentioned grown men going into the teen club. I think that says it all for that post.

My husband and I went in the teen club on Mariner of the Seas during the mid-morning one day to get a Coke refill; there were no teens we could see in the club - we were kindly asked to leave and seek our refill elsewhere. We had teens with us in the clubs, so we were aware of the policies - it was simply the closest place to where we were at the time, so we chanced it. I must say I was really glad we were asked to leave. Of course I knew our intentions, but the staffer didn't and adhered to policy - kudos to him!

Again - I think you can have a good time on either line and a lot of whether a person has a good time is up to the person, not the ship's activities, supervision or lack of either. We like some things better about DCL and some better about RCCL and some better about Carnival, but we can have a good time on any of them! We prefer the non-casino atmosphere and the service aboard DCL (though we have had some super service on RCCL too) so we cruise them when we can.

Enjoy your cruise!!!!

 

[Page4]

What really gets me is the poster was watching or hanging around the teen club when their children were not even on the cruise. Hmmm. I think I have passed a few teen clubs on the RCCL's and DCL, but couldn't tell you for sure if it was the teen club or not. I have never been on a cruise line that does not have a bunch of activities during port day. I consider eating an activity and I am always eating. The restaurants certainly aren't closed. In fact I have cruised so much that I usually don't go into the port anymore and there are always activities for those who choose not to go ashore, on all cruise ships.

Edd, from what I read about your likes and dislikes of cruises, you should try the all-inclusive type resorts instead (Sandals,etc.) That's what I've always done and liked it. Going on my first cruise Aug 3rd w/ Disney. I'll see how I feel about it after that.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

If the lady caused a stink and was pulled a way from the drill she would have been put off the ship. Federal laws dictate that and they don't take it lightly during that particular period.

Then obviously they broke the Federal Law, because I'm not a liar.

 

[firstime discruiser]

We were in a similar situation- we are cruising with our two boys, who will be 6 and 4 at the time of the cruise. DH and I have cruised RCCL (Voyager of the Seas) and Celebrity (Infinity) pre-kids. We were torn between RCCL Freedom of the Seas or DCL Magic. We decided on DCL for this cruise, because we've never cruised with DCL and thought the boys are a great age for it. We thought most of the activities on Freedom would be better suited to them when they are just a little bit older.

That said, we had a good time on our RCCL cruise. We're pretty easy to please There wasn't any one thing that stood out for us as bad- food was good, lots to do, service was good...The only thing I would say is that the ship was showing her age (and we sailed back in 2004) in some areas.

I find if you go in with an open mind and you have realistic expectations, 99% of the time you'll have a great trip.

Good luck!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

One thing that was weird...though it was our first cruise, so this might be normal, was when we got to Nassau, we took the elevator down to the deck where you disembark, and there was someone at the elevator (employee) that said we had to go back up to our deck and get in line. As this was our first cruise, we wasn't sure what he was talking about....then we looked, and saw the line to disembark was going up the stairs. It took us a really long time to get off the boat. Like i said, this might be normal, I guess that's what happens when everybody trys to get off at the same time. I'm looking forward to our first DIS cruise, to see how things differ.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

My husband and I went in the teen club on Mariner of the Seas during the mid-morning one day to get a Coke refill; there were no teens we could see in the club - we were kindly asked to leave and seek our refill elsewhere. We had teens with us in the clubs, so we were aware of the policies - it was simply the closest place to where we were at the time, so we chanced it. I must say I was really glad we were asked to leave. Of course I knew our intentions, but the staffer didn't and adhered to policy - kudos to him!

Again - I think you can have a good time on either line and a lot of whether a person has a good time is up to the person, not the ship's activities, supervision or lack of either. We like some things better about DCL and some better about RCCL and some better about Carnival, but we can have a good time on any of them! We prefer the non-casino atmosphere and the service aboard DCL (though we have had some super service on RCCL too) so we cruise them when we can.

Enjoy your cruise!!!!

Thanks for posting this, it is good to know.

 

[Dmom&dad]

What really gets me is the poster was watching or hanging around the teen club when their children were not even on the cruise. Hmmm. I think I have passed a few teen clubs on the RCCL's and DCL, but couldn't tell you for sure if it was the teen club or not. I have never been on a cruise line that does not have a bunch of activities during port day. I consider eating an activity and I am always eating. The restaurants certainly aren't closed. In fact I have cruised so much that I usually don't go into the port anymore and there are always activities for those who choose not to go ashore, on all cruise ships.

are you kidding me!!! you jerk!!! there is an exit to the deck right next to the teen club we just happened to be walking by it. Some people...good grief.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

are you kidding me!!! you jerk!!! there is an exit to the deck right next to the teen club we just happened to be walking by it. Some people...good grief.

Just ignore the innuendos, nobody else thought anything of your comment, some people aren't happy unless they are