DCL Concierge v. RCCL Royal Suite Star Class on Oasis - Europe 2020

[ngl]

When we do DCL Caribbean cruises we prefer Concierge class. Feels a bit more intimate and we like the offerings. We are venturing out to Europe cruise for summer 2020.

One of the things we love about Concierge on the Dream is the Concierge Lounge easily accessed from our rooms. With Magic, that is on a different level so removes that convenience factor that we enjoy.

Others have recommended the RCCL Royal Suite Class with Star service on the Oasis as comparable to Disney Concierge. The price tag is much less as well. However, we know the Oasis is enormous and just not sure about that or RCCL in general as we have never cruised with them.

We are interested in the 7 day Mediterranean itineraries and kids will be 11 and 9 at that time. Any insight is greatly appreciated!!

 

[DnA2010]

When we do DCL Caribbean cruises we prefer Concierge class. Feels a bit more intimate and we like the offerings. We are venturing out to Europe cruise for summer 2020.

One of the things we love about Concierge on the Dream is the Concierge Lounge easily accessed from our rooms. With Magic, that is on a different level so removes that convenience factor that we enjoy.

Others have recommended the RCCL Royal Suite Class with Star service on the Oasis as comparable to Disney Concierge. The price tag is much less as well. However, we know the Oasis is enormous and just not sure about that or RCCL in general as we have never cruised with them.

We are interested in the 7 day Mediterranean itineraries and kids will be 11 and 9 at that time. Any insight is greatly appreciated!!

I have no experience with Concierge/high level Royal suites, but we cruised on the Oasis when my DD was 10, and then on the Fantasy when she was 11, and honestly she loved both cruises...she loved the shows on both lines, loved all the pools on Royal, and loved both clubs...we actually liked that the Royal clubs have more organized games and activities, and that the kids aren't left to the computers etc. WHat are the activities that your kids really enjoy on your cruises?

 

[soundnew]

Depends what is import for you.
Personally I love the Disney experience, but don´t get the benefit of booking concierge aslong you do not need a large stateroom. Disney offers not many benefits for the premium imo.

Usally I do it this way: If I just want to have a great time aboard, I choose a Disney Family Deluxe stateroom. If I am travelling more for the destinations I sometimes book suite level on other cruise lines. They usually offer more perks and much greater variety of destinations. I experience Disney in europe as rediculously overpriced.

 

[Tasmen]

For what it is worth, we just went concierge on the Magic and did not find the lounge inconvenient. We got a room midship and were able to walk out of our room and up the 2 flights of stairs (or take an elevator right there) to deck 10 and hit the lounge. I was worried about this before we sailed, but now that we have experienced, I found it just fine. I also liked the lounge on the Magic far more than the lounge on the Fantasy.

 

[Lisa Lisa]

We've sailed in a 1-bedroom (category T) on the Dream and in an Aquatheater Suite on Allure of the Seas (Sky class). If the itineraries were very similar, I'd definitely choose a suite on an Oasis class ship. For one thing, the price would probably be much lower. For another, the suite perks on Oasis class are superior to those offered by DCL. Not to confuse the issue even more, but have you considered MSC's Yacht Club? We sailed in the YC on Seaside this past December, and it was fabulous. The suite perks are unbelievable, to the point that many NCL Haven cruisers are jumping ship to MSC.

ETA: Just to be clear, you do not need to book a Star Class room on Oasis class to get perks equivalent (and then some) to DCL's concierge. Sky Class is sufficient, and there are many more Sky Class rooms than Star Class. If you want to be in the same area as the lounge and Coastal Kitchen, you'd need to stay on Deck 17, in a at least a Crown Loft Suite.

 

[pezgirlroy]

For what it is worth, we just went concierge on the Magic and did not find the lounge inconvenient. We got a room midship and were able to walk out of our room and up the 2 flights of stairs (or take an elevator right there) to deck 10 and hit the lounge. I was worried about this before we sailed, but now that we have experienced, I found it just fine. I also liked the lounge on the Magic far more than the lounge on the Fantasy.

Very glad to hear this. We were on the Fantasy in Concierge last year and will be in Concierge on the Magic in a month. I have been worried about this. I think my biggest concern is managing children and that wonderful coffee from the coffee machine.

 

[Tasmen]

Very glad to hear this. We were on the Fantasy in Concierge last year and will be in Concierge on the Magic in a month. I have been worried about this. I think my biggest concern is managing children and that wonderful coffee from the coffee machine.

The coffee machine is still some of the best magic offered onboard I actually found the Magic lounge a little bigger than the Fantasy. It also has windows so you can look at the ship from the lounge. The outside deck is pretty nice too.

 

[kaseyC]

We've sailed in a 1-bedroom (category T) on the Dream and in an Aquatheater Suite on Allure of the Seas (Sky class). If the itineraries were very similar, I'd definitely choose a suite on an Oasis class ship. For one thing, the price would probably be much, much lower. For another, the suite perks on Oasis class are superior to those offered by DCL. Not to confuse the issue even more, but have you considered MSC's Yacht Club? We sailed in the YC on Seaside this past December, and it was fabulous. The suite perks are unbelievable, to the point that many NCL Haven cruisers are jumping ship to MSC.

@Lisa Lisa From your signature it looks like we were on the same MSC Seaside Christmas cruise. We were all in the YC. We had one of the Royal suites plus an YC interior for our two oldest girls. Most of our concierge level cruises have been on DCL and NCL's Haven which we absolutely have enjoyed but the MSC YC experience was fantastic. From the moment we were dropped off at the cruise terminal to very last morning of the cruise, the service was outstanding. We are booked on another Christmas sailing in 2020 but this time in the Med and on their new ship Virtuoso.

 

[Lisa Lisa]

@Lisa Lisa From your signature it looks like we were on the same MSC Seaside Christmas cruise. We were all in the YC. We had one of the Royal suites plus an YC interior for our two oldest girls. Most of our concierge level cruises have been on DCL and NCL's Haven which we absolutely have enjoyed but the MSC YC experience was fantastic. From the moment we were dropped off at the cruise terminal to very last morning of the cruise, the service was outstanding. We are booked on another Christmas sailing in 2020 but this time in the Med and on their new ship Virtuoso.

Hi Kasey. Yes, we were on the Christmas cruise. Not the best weather we've had on a cruise, but all of the amenities in the YC more than made up for that! You must have been in heaven in one of the Royal Suites. A Med cruise during the holidays sounds amazing. Where are you boarding? I just tried to check pricing on MSC's site, but it's acting up at the moment.

 

[kaseyC]

Hi Kasey. Yes, we were on the Christmas cruise. Not the best weather we've had on a cruise, but all of the amenities in the YC more than made up for that! You must have been in heaven in one of the Royal Suites. A Med cruise during the holidays sounds amazing. Where are you boarding? I just tried to check pricing on MSC's site, but it's acting up at the moment.

We weren't thrilled with the ports since we've been to them multiple times. We really just wanted to get some place warmer than home for the holidays. My husband who usually just cruises to humor me raved about the YC experience. He was the one who suggested a Christmas Med sailing. We chose to embark in Civitavecchia on 12/21/2020. You can also embark in Barcelona and a few other ports. Most of our European cruises embark in Barcelona but we thought it would be nice to spend some time pre and post cruise in Italy not sure if we'll stay in Rome or go elsewhere. The price was great as well.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Lisa Lisa mentioned MSC as an option.

We are booked on the MSC Seaview in the Mediterranean this year. It's super port-intensive - 7 ports in 7 days. We are booked in Yacht Club and I'm honestly beyond excited. Their pricing for children cannot be beat (on some itineraries, kids only pay taxes/fees! - on ours, the kid price was $150 pp plus taxes/fees). MSC in the Mediterranean (and *some* of their Caribbean itineraries) is a multi-embarkation cruise, so on our itinerary there are 4 possible embark/disembark points. The ship is the sister ship to the Seaside and it looks amazing, fun for kids, plus the YC perks look great. MSC reviews are kinda "meh" but I've rarely ever seen a negative review of the Yacht Club experience.

I'm happy to report back after our cruise

 

[ngl]

We've sailed in a 1-bedroom (category T) on the Dream and in an Aquatheater Suite on Allure of the Seas (Sky class). If the itineraries were very similar, I'd definitely choose a suite on an Oasis class ship. For one thing, the price would probably be much lower. For another, the suite perks on Oasis class are superior to those offered by DCL. Not to confuse the issue even more, but have you considered MSC's Yacht Club? We sailed in the YC on Seaside this past December, and it was fabulous. The suite perks are unbelievable, to the point that many NCL Haven cruisers are jumping ship to MSC.

ETA: Just to be clear, you do not need to book a Star Class room on Oasis class to get perks equivalent (and then some) to DCL's concierge. Sky Class is sufficient, and there are many more Sky Class rooms than Star Class. If you want to be in the same area as the lounge and Coastal Kitchen, you'd need to stay on Deck 17, in a at least a Crown Loft Suite.

Thanks so much as this is very helpful. It's interesting you say this about Sky class because from what I saw I thought that was more in line with Disney concierge whereas Star is above and beyond. I actually think the RCCL Oasis itinerary is better for our purposes and are leaning towards that. What was your experience with kids activities on RCCL? Ours will be 9 & 11 at that time.

Also I've heard lots re MSC but seemed to be mixed in general but YC seems to be the exception. Of all three, if itineraries were similar, what would your choice be and why? (Love to get perspectives on this!!)

 

[anna08]

We've done both - concierge on Fantasy and suite class on Oasis with kids 11 & 13 and I polled everyone. While concierge on DCL is very nice, we all preferred our Oasis experience much more. The suite was big and we had a huge balcony midship, not in the front. Our stateroom host always timed the cleaning perfectly when we were at meals - which is nice as we sometimes just want to hang in our suite and on the balcony. The Coastal Kitchen on the Oasis was my absolute favorite benefit - no charge upscale fantastic meals just for the suites. We stopped in on the first day and booked dinner for 7pm and then for each night after trying it the first with no problem at all. The other half of that area is the lounge with a fancy Italian espresso machine (like on the Fantasy) and snacks multiple times a day. Free bar in the evenings and drinks at dinner in the Coastal Kitchen. The view from the lounge/CK is probably the best view from a cruise ship I've ever seen, so lovely to sit there and look at the sea while you enjoy your book/beverage/meal. Cushy chairs and tables have lots of comfortable space and a breathtaking two story view. Didn't feel like I was crammed in a small inside room having to listen to other families conversations like Fantasy's concierge lounge. The amazing garden and library were also favorite spots not available on DCL.

Concierge got us tickets for all shows and excursions we wanted - were never told no, which would happen on the Fantasy occasionally. There is select seating available to the suites for most shows, and we just had to show up 15 min before showtime to secure.
While we loved the personality of the concierges we had on DCL, I prefer to be a free to enjoy the cruise without someone checking on me multiple times a day. I know many folks who prefer it the other way, but I liked that with RCL I only really had to interact with them if I initiated it.
We liked the suite only area on Labadee. Free wifi for everyone in the suite. We felt like we really benefitted almost with every part of the cruise by paying to stay in a suite, not as much on DCL.

The big difference was cost. Our owner's suite on RCL in 2018 was half the cost of our Fantasy 1BR in 2016. Same spring break week and same travelers. It was a big game changer for us, and we were platinum with DCL. No surprise we're on RCL this spring too. We'll probably try out the new DCL ships or a new itinerary if there are some, but we really will check RCL each and every time we cruise now.

 

[anna08]

And maybe MSC too!

 

[Lisa Lisa]

Thanks so much as this is very helpful. It's interesting you say this about Sky class because from what I saw I thought that was more in line with Disney concierge whereas Star is above and beyond. I actually think the RCCL Oasis itinerary is better for our purposes and are leaning towards that. What was your experience with kids activities on RCCL? Ours will be 9 & 11 at that time.

Also I've heard lots re MSC but seemed to be mixed in general but YC seems to be the exception. Of all three, if itineraries were similar, what would your choice be and why? (Love to get perspectives on this!!)

Sky Class on RCCL includes a few benefits you don't get when you sail concierge on DCL. Anna08's post lists quite a few of them. You do get some additional perks with Star Class, but the handful of Star Class suites are very expensive. If you can swing the price, a Star Class suite would be the ultimate way to travel, both for the rooms and for the amenities! Here is a chart listing the perks offered in each of the three classes:

RCCL Royal Suite Class Perks by LCT Flickr, on Flickr

With regard to your second question, if both PRICE and itinerary were very similar, we would choose RCCL Oasis class. We've pretty much written off DCL these days since their prices are so high AND our DD is 15. So if we want to sail in a suite in the future, it'll likely be a choice between MSC and RCCL. We prefer RCCL overall and will pay more to sail with them, but we haven't decided how much more yet. When we compare prices, it's between a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite on MSC and a Grand Suite on RCCL (the lowest level suite in Sky Class) -- although the perks on MSC are more extensive.

 

[ngl]

Thanks again Lisa Lisa and to anna08 as this is the exact info we are looking for!! with doing the European cruise and being in port all day my guess is Sky would be enough for us. Plus, the Star suites are limited and are already filling up. Much appreciated!!

 

[kaseyC]

The big difference was cost. Our owner's suite on RCL in 2018 was half the cost of our Fantasy 1BR in 2016. Same spring break week and same travelers. It was a big game changer for us, and we were platinum with DCL. No surprise we're on RCL this spring too. We'll probably try out the new DCL ships or a new itinerary if there are some, but we really will check RCL each and every time we cruise now.

We sailed in a Crown Loft suite on the Harmony of the Seas for spring break 2017. A 1 bedroom Cat. T suite on the Fantasy for the same week and similar western Caribbean itinerary was 17K more. To me that was nuts.

 

[anna08]

We sailed in a Crown Loft suite on the Harmony of the Seas for spring break 2017. A 1 bedroom Cat. T suite on the Fantasy for the same week and similar western Caribbean itinerary was 17K more. To me that was nuts.

Holy cow! There is nothing that makes DCL worth 17K more, and as we've experienced, the suite experience was better for us on RC. We could have taken 2 more families in suites with us and paid their way for that difference!

 

[kaseyC]

Holy cow! There is nothing that makes DCL worth 17K more, and as we've experienced, the suite experience was better for us on RC. We could have taken 2 more families in suites with us and paid their way for that difference!

That just really highlighted the fact that Disney absolutely overprices their sailings during school holiday times. Both cruises went To basically the same western Caribbean ports, the only real difference was the private islands. I have to say I enjoyed the Labadee experience a bit more than CC because they do have a private concierge area with Cabanas, beach and it’s own buffet. So nice to not fight the crowds. The Crown Loft suite was fantastic and considering I sailed with 3 teens (2 of my daughters and one of their friends) the unlimited vroom internet was greatly appreciated for neverending snap chatting and instagramming.

 

[ScooterScott44]

What was your experience with kids activities on RCCL? Ours will be 9 & 11 at that time.

A little background - our family is Platinum with DCL and have also done some sailings in concierge. We did give RCCL a try on the Oasis and found things to be pretty equal between the two lines. If we had to really rank them DCL was just slightly better overall and with a few specific things but when you factor in price it is not even close. We will do our second RCCL cruise in a couple months in Star class and it seems to far above what DCL concierge can offer. And the price is actually less than a veranda room on DCL for a similar itinerary.

DS likes the clubs on both lines but did say he found there were more things to do on the Oasis. He does not get into the characters on DCL so the Dreamworks characters, or current lack of characters is not a big deal. The clubs are divided into smaller age groups even at the younger ages on RCCL so that might be something to investigate. The age breaks for the different rooms were 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11 for those under the teen/pre-teen groups. We have heard that some sailings they may combine or change the ranges depending on the amount of children. Other wise from our experience the clubs are very similar except if I remember correctly there can be a charge for kids who stay in the clubs after a certain hour. Not sure if it was every night but they have what they call the Late Night Party Zone from 10pm - 2am and the charge was $7 hr/per child.