CARNIVAL VS DCL: The discussion and comparison thread!

[mevelandry]

But you get free soda on DCL!

OMG. MUST. BOOK. DCL. NOW!!!

 

[cruiser21]

My son was telling some kids in the Edge how he loved the Carnival Breeze because the foods better. All the kids starting telling him carnival sucks(kids word) and Disneys the best. I'm sure their parents have told them this. He asked them if they had ever been on carnival they said no. I told him it sounds like the adults on the disboards. He just couldn't understand why they thought carnival was so bad when they hadn't tried. I told him it's like a new food you don't know until you try it. My sons a huge Disney lover so I'm glad he's open minded.

 

[mevelandry]

Not gonna lie. Now that I know that DCL is doing a 5 nights in Bermuda for next year, I can't wait to compare prices!

 

[RedSox68]

Not gonna lie. Now that I know that DCL is doing a 5 nights in Bermuda for next year, I can't wait to compare prices!

yes, the price comparisons should be interesting. Hoping that since we are platinum, maybe (just maybe) it will be a "little" bit of a break at the beginning since they are tiering the bookings now.

 

[RedSox68]

MSC Divina... (Pretty ship!)

Thank you -- I'll have to check it out.

 

[mevelandry]

View post 467 for comparison in pricing for Bermuda RCCL vs DCL.

 

[cruiser21]

yes, the price comparisons should be interesting. Hoping that since we are platinum, maybe (just maybe) it will be a "little" bit of a break at the beginning since they are tiering the bookings now.

The price of the WBTA seems a lot higher next year then it was this year. I know you were booked this year. Did you notice how the prices compared. I booked the WBTA in 2016 and 2017 and didn't end up taking the cruise. I booked it for 4 people those two times and I'm pretty darn sure it was a lot less then the quotes I'm seeing for 4 people next year. I booked a 9c for two next year at 3,340 and I could swear I booked the same room for 4 in 2016 or 2017 for about the same price or just a couple hundred more. Of course I've booked, cancelled and taken so many cruises over the last 8 years I may be starting to lose my mind.

 

[RedSox68]

The price of the WBTA seems a lot higher next year then it was this year. I know you were booked this year. Did you notice how the prices compared. I booked the WBTA in 2016 and 2017 and didn't end up taking the cruise. I booked it for 4 people those two times and I'm pretty darn sure it was a lot less then the quotes I'm seeing for 4 people next year. I booked a 9c for two next year at 3,340 and I could swear I booked the same room for 4 in 2016 or 2017 for about the same price or just a couple hundred more. Of course I've booked, cancelled and taken so many cruises over the last 8 years I may be starting to lose my mind.

Yes, next year's is higher, and the itinerary is not at all interesting to us (going to St. John, New Brunswick instead of St. John's Newfoundland and doing Halifax and Sydney would be repeats for us. We've been to Dover, so the only new port would be Portland. And the price for the three of us is about $800 more than this year's, and this year's had a lot more interesting ports. Oh well, maybe 2019!

 

[cruiser21]

Yes, next year's is higher, and the itinerary is not at all interesting to us (going to St. John, New Brunswick instead of St. John's Newfoundland and doing Halifax and Sydney would be repeats for us. We've been to Dover, so the only new port would be Portland. And the price for the three of us is about $800 more than this year's, and this year's had a lot more interesting ports. Oh well, maybe 2019!

Ok so it wasn't my imagination. I haven't been to any of the ports except Dover. I really like the EBTA's itinerary. I'm just not sure about all the time changes. I lose 3 hours when I get to Miami and then another 6 on the cruise, and then fly back and have to adjust all over again. It doesn't sound pleasant. If I lived on the East coast I'd probably book it.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

We were all set to take the Vista out of Galveston Thanksgiving 2018, but then Disney released new dates and now I am waiting so see what the price difference is on the Wonder. We'd gotten all excited for the Carnival ship, but I can feel Disney pulling us back in. We've only done one Disney Cruise and I'd love to do one more before the kids are teenagers, but I don't want to have to take out a second mortgage to do it (then again, free sodas... LOL)

 

[mevelandry]

We were all set to take the Vista out of Galveston Thanksgiving 2018, but then Disney released new dates and now I am waiting so see what the price difference is on the Wonder. We'd gotten all excited for the Carnival ship, but I can feel Disney pulling us back in. We've only done one Disney Cruise and I'd love to do one more before the kids are teenagers, but I don't want to have to take out a second mortgage to do it (then again, free sodas... LOL)

If the price difference for the Wonder cruise is less than Adults: $6.50/day and Kids: $4.95/day +15% gratuity (the price of the soda package on the Vista) then you should go for the free sodas cruise.


Not sure how it works for Galveston (better prices usually) but I noticed that for all the 5 days or more cruises that I'm interested in, DCL charges more or less 2000$ more than its competitors (for 2 adults). I can't compare for kids clubs, etc... but for 2 adults, the price difference is hard to justify.

 

[cruiser21]

We were all set to take the Vista out of Galveston Thanksgiving 2018, but then Disney released new dates and now I am waiting so see what the price difference is on the Wonder. We'd gotten all excited for the Carnival ship, but I can feel Disney pulling us back in. We've only done one Disney Cruise and I'd love to do one more before the kids are teenagers, but I don't want to have to take out a second mortgage to do it (then again, free sodas... LOL)

The Vista will be considerably less. Your kids won't stop liking Disney when they're teens. I wish that was that case.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We were all set to take the Vista out of Galveston Thanksgiving 2018, but then Disney released new dates and now I am waiting so see what the price difference is on the Wonder. We'd gotten all excited for the Carnival ship, but I can feel Disney pulling us back in. We've only done one Disney Cruise and I'd love to do one more before the kids are teenagers, but I don't want to have to take out a second mortgage to do it (then again, free sodas... LOL)

My kids are 16 and 17 and still love DCL, they will never outgrow it!! But we love the Vista too, especially compared to the Wonder.

 

[mevelandry]

The more I read the pricing thread for the new DCL itineraries, the more I realize that the people booking them are "privileged". You have to be very comfortable (financially) to be able to spend 5000$+ on a family vacation.

 

[cruiser21]

The more I read the pricing thread for the new DCL itineraries, the more I realize that the people booking them are "privileged". You have to be very comfortable (financially) to be able to spend 5000$+ on a family vacation.

I don't think 5000 is a lot for a family vacation. I think it's a lot for an inside room on a Caribbean cruise. I also think vacations have to be a priority which I would assume is the case for people posting on a vacation board. I would also assume most people taking Disney cruises are middle to upper class with secure jobs. I know people that make a ton of money that would never be comfortable with it. They are always saving for a rainy day. Interesting one of the questions on the DCL survey was "Do you live like there's no tomorrow". I think to enjoy traveling you have to have a little of that mentality. When you think about theres probably always something more necessary you could be spending the money on then travel.

 

[mevelandry]

I don't think 5000 is a lot for a family vacation. I think it's a lot for an inside room on a Caribbean cruise. I also think vacations have to be a priority which I would assume is the case for people posting on a vacation board. I would also assume most people taking Disney cruises are middle to upper class with secure jobs. I know people that make a ton of money that would never be comfortable with it. They are always saving for a rainy day. Interesting one of the questions on the DCL survey was "Do you live like there's no tomorrow". I think to enjoy traveling you have to have a little of that mentality. When you think about theres probably always something more necessary you could be spending the money on then travel.

By that I meant that most people I know cannot afford a 5000$ family vacation.

(And obviously too much for an inside room on a caribbean cruise!)

 

[cruiser21]

By that I meant that most people I know cannot afford a 5000$ family vacation.

(And obviously too much for an inside room on a caribbean cruise!)

There's a lot of people in the US that can't, but there's a lot that can. There's a lot of really wealthy people here, and the stock markets been soaring. There's many factors that go into it like where you live and cost of living vs salary. I'm not sure what it's like in Canada. I just know your dollars in the toilet, and your taxes are higher. I've watched some of those house hunter shows where they are looking at houses in Toronto and I'm shocked at how expensive houses are. It's still really expensive for us to visit Vancouver even with the favorable exchange rate.
I agree though I look at what some are willing to pay and I'm in awe. I don't know if they vacation once a year or more. If I have x amount of dollars to spend a year I try to spread it out to 2 or 3 trips not just one big trip.

 

[tinkerone]

Not sure how it works for Galveston (better prices usually) but I noticed that for all the 5 days or more cruises that I'm interested in, DCL charges more or less 2000$ more than its competitors (for 2 adults). I can't compare for kids clubs, etc... but for 2 adults, the price difference is hard to justify.

An extra week on RCL! We have mostly done B2B's on DCL Magic and then Fantasy however this year started to do B2B's on RCCL for less than the cost of one week of DCL. This year we are doing B2B on Oasis and next year we have their new ship, the Symphony, booked for our B2B. Its nice to be able to pay in Canadian funds and still get a great rate.

 

[mevelandry]

There's a lot of people in the US that can't, but there's a lot that can. There's a lot of really wealthy people here, and the stock markets been soaring. There's many factors that go into it like where you live and cost of living vs salary. I'm not sure what it's like in Canada. I just know your dollars in the toilet, and your taxes are higher. I've watched some of those house hunter shows where they are looking at houses in Toronto and I'm shocked at how expensive houses are. It's still really expensive for us to visit Vancouver even with the favorable exchange rate.
I agree though I look at what some are willing to pay and I'm in awe. I don't know if they vacation once a year or more. If I have x amount of dollars to spend a year I try to spread it out to 2 or 3 trips not just one big trip.

I can't speak for others but my budget (and salary) is the same as it was when US $ and CND $ were at par 4 years ago. I did not see much of a change except for travelling in the US which got more expensive.

As for the housing, I don't think Montreal is close to Toronto or Vancouver in pricing but there is definitely a "bubble" (I hope we don't get our own versio of the 2008 crash) and I'm shocked at the mortgage some people are willing to get. Thank God DH and I are into Tiny Housing. LOL

 

[cruiser21]

I can't speak for others but my budget (and salary) is the same as it was when US $ and CND $ were at par 4 years ago. I did not see much of a change except for travelling in the US which got more expensive.

As for the housing, I don't think Montreal is close to Toronto or Vancouver in pricing but there is definitely a "bubble" (I hope we don't get our own versio of the 2008 crash) and I'm shocked at the mortgage some people are willing to get. Thank God DH and I are into Tiny Housing. LOL

The first time we cruised on the Fantasy January of 2013 half the ship or more was Canadian. Guest services told me that was normal for Jan/Feb. I doubt that's the case anymore.