DCL (Magic) Vs Radiance of the Seas

[8 Ears]

We have done a Land/Sea and wish we had booked another while aboard but... now we are tossing over the idea of trying RCCL (Radiance of the Seas) but we do not drink much ( I had on non-alcholic drink and DH had 2 beers), we also do not gamble, other than maybe a few slots. Am I kidding myself thinking we would enjoy RCCL in the least even if it is less expensive? Or spend more for DCL?

 

[marie2004]

We have been on Disney 3x, tried RC, Navagator, we had a blast. The ships are larger and more fancy, they have a great shopping area, larger pools, a great place to visit and snack after midnight. The food is a bit better, along with the shows, more adult themed. Disney really is great, but it is nice to try something differen't, I hate seeing the same shows and entertainers(same routine's too) year after year. My children liked the clubs on Disney better, but RC had more things to do on the ship. The rooms are smaller on RC, but allot less money. Good Luck!

 

[inkkognito]

We did Radiance to Alaska, and it was okay, but we prefer DCL. We don't have children, and there was absolutely no enforcement of the adults only areas. The ship itself was lovely, and the activities like the rock wall were neat.
Barb

 

[NCRedding]

We've also been on the Radiance of the Seas to Alaska. I prefer the Magic. I found that on our trip, the food on RCCL was average at best--our best meal was not as good as my least favorite on the Magic. I also found there was no enforcement of the adult only areas. There were fewer activities for adults on RCCL that I was interested in. No first run movies. The staff isn't nearly as friendly, in our experience. On the Radiance, there is a large center area that rises for 8-10 stories, by the last night, teens were just hanging out, yelling at everybody across the way--mostly obscenities.

We did enjoy the Seaview Cafe, although there was a wait to get in.

I realize this sounds very negative, and we did have a good trip, mainly because it was Alaska. I think my expectations were too high-I expected Disney and it isn't Disney.

 

[SeaSpray]

What does drinking have to do with anything?? LOL They do serve alcohol on both cruise lines, you know

I've cruised both lines. I don't gamble at all, not even slots, but having a casino onboard the RCI ship didn't bother me in the least.

My DH prefers the food on RCI while I liked the food on DCL a bit better.

I think you have to look at the big picture when choosing a cruise ship, cruise line, cruise itinerary. Don't just go by price. Make sure that the ship you're considering has amenities and activities that you and your family will like.

As for service, I've read about excellent and terrible service from people who've cruised on both lines. Unfortunately, it's not something that can be guaranteed just by booking a specific cruise line.

As for price, our RCI cruises have cost just as much as our DCL cruises. We cruise in the summer, out of NYC/NJ, and those cruises are never discounted, or inexpensive. So for us, price isn't a factor.

 

[diz_cruise_rocks]

Bump!!

I think the magic would rule the other ship

 

[jel0511]

I have to admit, we're thinking of sailing Navigator next summer. DCL's prices in the summer are CRAZY and we can get an Owner's Suite on Navigator for a few more hundred dollars than a cat 6 on DCL. A HUGE DIFFERENCE! We'll see, though right now, we're leaning towards Navigator, but we'll probably end up on the July 8, 2006 Magic!!!

 

[my3kids]

The pricing is a huge difference between DCL and anyone else. We booded a suite on Holland America last year for less than a category 12 on Disney the same week. For this summer we booked a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite on Royal Caribbean for less than a single room on Disney.

Look at the reviews on www.cruisecritic.com.