DCL Cost

[Rogillio]

Lots of discussion about the DCL cost compared to other cruise lines. It occured to me that paying big money for a DCL cruise is akin to staying on-site at WDW. There are some people who prefer to stay in Kissimmee rather than pay the high prices for the on-site resorts. Others wouldn't think of going to WDW and NOT staying at an on-site resort.

I guess my opinion is, if I wanted to 'save money' on vacation, I'd take the kids to the zoo or to some state park. OK, I do that anyway...but once or twice a year, we take a real vacation and 'go for broke'.

One thing I can swear to, I have never regretted spending money making memories with my children!

~Mike

 

[woody73]

Mike: That's a great attitude!

 

[Cindi0511]

I agree!!!!!!!!!! While I'm sure there will always be a bad apple somewhere in Disney's cast of employees, they go above and beyond to check their people out repeatedly. There aren't a ton of drunks on the ship, and you don't have to go through a casino to get to your room with your young kids.

Great atmosphere, good food, great fun. While I'd love for it to be cheaper simply so I could do it more often, it is so worth it!

 

[kcashner]

Cindi said it all. We did 2 other cruise before DCL existed. There is no comparison! OK, it's not fare to compare a 1996 sailing to the current RCCL or whoever....

But, DCL is totally family friendly. Yes, an occasional guest over-indulges, but you don't have a ship full of drunks. You have very little cigarette use. You don't have to go thru a casino to get anywhere.

DCL costs more--maybe because they sell fewer alcoholic beverages per guest and don't make money in a casino, but sailing on the Magic is like coming home. It is clean, comfortable, safe, relaxing, and FUN!

This nonsense of DD in high school is really interfering with my cruising!

 

[Spotdude]

I agree 150%. WE go to Disney World FOr Halloween and every year I get the same old thing you are spending how much to trick-or- treat, and every year I respond with the same thing. How much fun do you have doing it. DO you walk around board waiting to get home to check tha candy that some crazy put needles in or someing. I have a good time we walk around THe Magic Kingdom go on rides eat a nice dinner no need to rush or worry about getting run over by a car.
Now with our first Cruise we are going to alternate between DW and DCL evey year for halloween. Have family that has go on Norweagen ( I can't spell that) and DCL and they sewar by DCL. My wife can't drink and I don't do it that much and I suck at gambling so I don't miss ether of those. I go on vacation to spen time with my Family. WOrking all week and DW finishing her degree a lot of the weekend are spent around the house or at school. Vacation is 100% family time.

 

[ricka47]

We also stay on-site at WDW for the reasons stated above. But, we found DCL to be somewhat of a disapointment when compared to the other main-line cruise lines we've sailed (RCI, Celebrity, Princess, HAL).

I always have felt that, while WDW is expensive, you get what you pay for. I didn't feel that way on DCL. We are fortunate to get Florida resident discounts. But, if it was not for that, we would not consider DCL again and would probably go back to our favorite line: Celebrity.

The food on DCL is mediocre, the shows, while good, lack an orchestra, and the service is no better than on other cruise lines . We had a great time but felt that the "Disney Quality" that we'd come to expect at the parks was not there to the same degree on DCL.

 

[Rogillio]

It sounds like you did not have the same experience that we did. For those that have not cruise with DCL, let me offer my 'review'.

We cruise on DCL for two reasons, 1. We all love Disney and 2. We like the family-friendly environment. You mentioned "no orchestra" but my kids didn't notice - they were too excited seeing Mickey!

As for the service, we has nothing but the best service on all of our Disney Cruises! Disney's crews are well schooled in the service business.

When our children are grown and gone we will no longer pay the 'Disney premium' for the "magic" of Disney and will cruise with Carneval and the others but for now, you couldn’t pay me to take my kids on anything but DCL!

~Mike

 

[luv2cruzsus]

The bottom line is that we love Disney! For me, because I'm such a slot machine addict, I actually save money going on DCL! We've been on one DCL cruise and loved it. When my 24 year old niece said she wanted to go on a cruise for her 25th birthday - the thought never entered our mind to take her on anything else but DCL. we're going in January 2007 and I can't wait. SHe already has her Passporter and is on the website everyday - she knows what spa treatments she wants and everything. I'm training her well!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Disney is good but expensive I like DCL I think the hotels at Disney are at a very good standard, but the food in some places particularly the snack foods and bottled drinks etc are a rip off.

On DCL the mark up on Wine etc is a bit high, you can get away with charging high if you are distintive and keep on re inventing yourself, but some things are repeated or not changed as much as they sholud.

Extra perks like EE in the parks and on site privaliges should be given say like Universal first in line for on site hotel guests, and even DLP they give you three/four fasspass tickets per person staying on site to use when you want during your stay.

 

[ricka47]

I guess each person/family must determine how much of a premium they are getting for the somewhat intangible factor of "magic." For the premium price that DCL charges, the food should be at least on a par with cruise lines that charge less.

On our seven-day Magic cruise last month, we had no meal that we said "that was great!" at the regular restaurants. Palo's Sunday bruch was a nice exception. The other meals were quite mediocre and bland compared to other lines. Nevertheless, I ate it all!

Also, with perhaps the exception of Carnival, I'd disagree that DCL offers a better family atmosphere than other lines. On our DCL cruise there were foul-mouth teenagers running up and down stairs and hallways, which is something we had not seen on other lines.

Here's the deal: as long as people will pay a premium price for a standard cruise that has "Disney Magic" added to it, the ships will be full. To me, the price paid does not equal the value. For others, it does.

 

[astrangerinthewind]

never had a desire to go cruising ever I'm a land lover but my niece and I had always travlled to Disneyland and Disney World every couple of years, since she was in college I figured that I could give her on last trip together, so with a DW trip we did a 4 day Bahamas Trip with Freeport. I managed to get sick(ate some raw food at Palo), and didnt eat anything for 2 days except 1 peanut butter sandwich, but I really enjoyed myself, and so did my neice. the Disney atmosphere was just great. Like others said few smokers, no casino, and a family atmosphere.

We enjoyed it so much we next year took the Eastern Caribeean cruise and ended up with the same waitress we had the year before on the Wonder. She had transferred back to the Magic. She again gave excellent service this time I didn't eat any raw food. Through the 7 days, I enjoyed use of the running track and walking on board taking pictures with camera and tripod, I often ran into several teenagers etc and they were always polite and friendly. And except for one night I always found something on the menu I really liked. Heck one night all of us at our table ordered 2 deserts.

This past year my neice and I did the Mexican cruise,again we had total enjoyment. The highlights were celebating her 27th birthday, her swimming with the dolphins and the excursions into Mexico.

Next year I have already booked us along with my sister and boyfreind to do the Mediterrean cruise.

Some may think the food, isnt that great or the atmosphere is the best, and the prices may be a premium but for myself, I look at it was it enjoyable, did I have a great time. I've asked my niece if she had a good time and she always says if you are in need of someone to hold your camera lenses while changing them you know who to call. Though I now carry a bag big enough for all my lenses. She still doesn't hesitate wanting to go.

As stated earlier was it enjoyable, did I have a great time,....

Well with DCL I have never not had a great time, cost is not an important consideration its the memories left after from the excursions, housekeeping, waiters, ship personal, food, entertainment, activities, fellow passengers, and dining table mates(my first cruise I was glad I was sick the last two nights with my table mates all they wanted to talk about was work, first night we were at Palo). In the end I will choose Disney everytime, the family atmosphere is what I like. In my three cruises I have only heard 2 foul mouthed teens, and when I'm wandering around taking pictures I go everywhere at various times of the day and always met up with a lot of them.

DCL is the only way to go, besides it has that classy horn for leaving dock.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

After just getting back home today from Orlando, DH and I decided we will most likely cancel our next cruise and opt for a stay at Port Orleans Riverside. We sat there for an afternoon and looked at each other and were thinking the same thing. We did our first DCL cruise this January for something different and we decided our real "home" is at the parks and wonderful WDW resorts. We feel our $$$ goes further being land lubbers.

 

[allears]

There are always lots of threads about the cost of DCL, but apparently there are plenty of us willing to pay, since the ships always sail full. We love the crusie experience and know that we could probably save money on another line, but I know when I pay my money with Disney, I'm pretty sure I'll feel we've received value back for it. We are booked on our 6th cruise this September and we have yet to be disappointed. We frankly have loved pretty much everything about the DCL experience, food, service etc. And a Disney cruise has become my family's vacation of choice.