DCL --> RCL: a Review

[MamaMermaid]

I know there are a lot of these but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...

We are seasoned DCL folks -- platinum Castaway Club members -- who decided to try the Symphony of the Seas this past weekend. Travel party included: me, hubby, my mom (mid 60s), and our son (6.5). There were some things I thought RCL did BETTER than Disney but ultimately, we'd choose DCL moving forward.

The Good:
1. The Food -- honestly, the food in the buffet and the Main Dining Room was better than Disney, I think. We also ate at Wonderland and that was delicious too.
2. CocoCay -- wow! This island is amazing. Love the splash pad and the pool. The trams were also so nice and much easier than the one at Castaway Cay.
3. The Shows -- we saw HiRo (the water show) and the ice skating show. Hairspray was too late for my little guy so we skipped it. They were really engaging, unique, and fun. I love DCL's quality but since we sail so often, the shows get repetitive and sometimes we just skip...
3. ROBOT BAR -- enough said. My kid was enchanted
4. Laser Tag -- literally so much fun! Wish we had been able to do it more than once.
5. The rooms -- the cabins felt bigger. I don't know if they actually are or not.

The Bad:
1. The theming -- I didn't love the neighborhoods and different sections of the ship. It really just felt like I was at a big hotel... maybe Vegas? I never felt like I was on a ship.
2. Smoking -- so stinky.
3. Balcony overlooking Central Park/high floor close to pool -- music played until 10:30pm... and it wasn't always good music, lol. I guess I'm an old grump.
4. Crew -- just not as overly friendly as DCL.
5. The bed -- felt like I was sleeping on a rock. Again, old grump? Maybe.
6. Generally dirtier -- tons of cups left behind, people didn't seem to pick up their trash and/or crew didn't clean it up as much as DCL.

Overall, we prefer the VIBES of DCL but I can understand why RCL meets the needs of the average/general cruiser. If I hadn't been on a Disney cruise, I imagine I'd think RCL was awesome!

 

[ShannonR]

I know there are a lot of these but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...

We are seasoned DCL folks -- platinum Castaway Club members -- who decided to try the Symphony of the Seas this past weekend. Travel party included: me, hubby, my mom (mid 60s), and our son (6.5). There were some things I thought RCL did BETTER than Disney but ultimately, we'd choose DCL moving forward.

The Good:
1. The Food -- honestly, the food in the buffet and the Main Dining Room was better than Disney, I think. We also ate at Wonderland and that was delicious too.
2. CocoCay -- wow! This island is amazing. Love the splash pad and the pool. The trams were also so nice and much easier than the one at Castaway Cay.
3. The Shows -- we saw HiRo (the water show) and the ice skating show. Hairspray was too late for my little guy so we skipped it. They were really engaging, unique, and fun. I love DCL's quality but since we sail so often, the shows get repetitive and sometimes we just skip...
3. ROBOT BAR -- enough said. My kid was enchanted
4. Laser Tag -- literally so much fun! Wish we had been able to do it more than once.
5. The rooms -- the cabins felt bigger. I don't know if they actually are or not.

The Bad:
1. The theming -- I didn't love the neighborhoods and different sections of the ship. It really just felt like I was at a big hotel... maybe Vegas? I never felt like I was on a ship.
2. Smoking -- so stinky.
3. Balcony overlooking Central Park/high floor close to pool -- music played until 10:30pm... and it wasn't always good music, lol. I guess I'm an old grump.
4. Crew -- just not as overly friendly as DCL.
5. The bed -- felt like I was sleeping on a rock. Again, old grump? Maybe.
6. Generally dirtier -- tons of cups left behind, people didn't seem to pick up their trash and/or crew didn't clean it up as much as DCL.

Overall, we prefer the VIBES of DCL but I can understand why RCL meets the needs of the average/general cruiser. If I hadn't been on a Disney cruise, I imagine I'd think RCL was awesome!

We are seasoned cruisers with just having finished cruise number 87 (7 day Alaskan RCL) and I agree 100% with your points. We are all things Disney obsessed (we live in Tampa and practically LIVE at WDW), annual passholders, DVC and Adventures by Disney members, Disney credit card, etc.....you name it Disney related.....we belong to it!!! With all that being said, the majority of our cruises have been with RCL and we have yet to be disappointed! The biggest difference for us is obviously the pricing. Our kids are not little anymore and although we LOVE DCL, we now prefer RCL. (However we are booked on a DCL cruise for next spring break on the Treasure and can't wait! In our minds, any cruise is a GREAT cruise! However, no one can beat DCL in soooooo many ways! We simply can't afford to cruise as much as we do if we were to always sail DCL.

 

[OKW Lover]

We are seasoned cruisers with just having finished cruise number 87 (7 day Alaskan RCL) and I agree 100% with your points. We are all things Disney obsessed (we live in Tampa and practically LIVE at WDW), annual passholders, DVC and Adventures by Disney members, Disney credit card, etc.....you name it Disney related.....we belong to it!!! With all that being said, the majority of our cruises have been with RCL and we have yet to be disappointed! The biggest difference for us is obviously the pricing. Our kids are not little anymore and although we LOVE DCL, we now prefer RCL. (However we are booked on a DCL cruise for next spring break on the Treasure and can't wait! In our minds, any cruise is a GREAT cruise! However, no one can beat DCL in soooooo many ways! We simply can't afford to cruise as much as we do if we were to always sail DCL.

Agree with this. We are almost in the same position except that additionally we actually live very close to WDW. Yes, we are huge Disney fans. We are DCL Platinum having sailed on all 5 ships. But we are also fans of Royal having attained Diamond+ status with them. Our most recent cruise was on Royal. But...our next two booked cruises are on Disney. One to see the new Lighthouse Point and the other to experience the new Treasure. The pricing difference is significant to us as retired people living on a fixed income.

 

[John VN]

Agree with this. We are almost in the same position except that additionally we actually live very close to WDW. Yes, we are huge Disney fans. We are DCL Platinum having sailed on all 5 ships. But we are also fans of Royal having attained Diamond+ status with them. Our most recent cruise was on Royal. But...our next two booked cruises are on Disney. One to see the new Lighthouse Point and the other to experience the new Treasure. The pricing difference is significant to us as retired people living on a fixed income.

Wondering if you are Interior Cabin Cruisers?? If too personal I apologize and never mind.

 

[OKW Lover]

Wondering if you are Interior Cabin Cruisers?? If too personal I apologize and never mind.

Not too personal. We are actually the totally opposite sailing in suites on RCL and sometimes concierge of DCL.

 

[kittylady1972]

I know there are a lot of these but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...

We are seasoned DCL folks -- platinum Castaway Club members -- who decided to try the Symphony of the Seas this past weekend. Travel party included: me, hubby, my mom (mid 60s), and our son (6.5). There were some things I thought RCL did BETTER than Disney but ultimately, we'd choose DCL moving forward.

The Good:
1. The Food -- honestly, the food in the buffet and the Main Dining Room was better than Disney, I think. We also ate at Wonderland and that was delicious too.
2. CocoCay -- wow! This island is amazing. Love the splash pad and the pool. The trams were also so nice and much easier than the one at Castaway Cay.
3. The Shows -- we saw HiRo (the water show) and the ice skating show. Hairspray was too late for my little guy so we skipped it. They were really engaging, unique, and fun. I love DCL's quality but since we sail so often, the shows get repetitive and sometimes we just skip...
3. ROBOT BAR -- enough said. My kid was enchanted
4. Laser Tag -- literally so much fun! Wish we had been able to do it more than once.
5. The rooms -- the cabins felt bigger. I don't know if they actually are or not.

The Bad:
1. The theming -- I didn't love the neighborhoods and different sections of the ship. It really just felt like I was at a big hotel... maybe Vegas? I never felt like I was on a ship.
2. Smoking -- so stinky.
3. Balcony overlooking Central Park/high floor close to pool -- music played until 10:30pm... and it wasn't always good music, lol. I guess I'm an old grump.
4. Crew -- just not as overly friendly as DCL.
5. The bed -- felt like I was sleeping on a rock. Again, old grump? Maybe.
6. Generally dirtier -- tons of cups left behind, people didn't seem to pick up their trash and/or crew didn't clean it up as much as DCL.

Overall, we prefer the VIBES of DCL but I can understand why RCL meets the needs of the average/general cruiser. If I hadn't been on a Disney cruise, I imagine I'd think RCL was awesome!

I'm going to add my 2 cents here since we just did a Celebrity Cruise for the first time (sister to RC) after only doing 12 Disney Cruises (the last 2 without any kids).

Food: Agreed...Celebrity had better overall selections at the buffet and the MDR and it was a step above Disney. We did one specialty restaurant on the Celebrity Reflection and it was okay.....but I think Palo and Remy are better for service and food.

CocoCay: 100% agree the island was amazing, loved the huge pool. Didn't feel like the island food was as good...but our last 2 Disney trips we've done the adult area of Disney's private island where the food is just better.

Shows: agree there...we saw a few on our ship and they were good

Rooms: I'm not sure our balcony room was bigger and I missed the double bathrooms of DCL. I thought the storage was not as good for us...3 of us in a room that would hold 4 people...and our best bet was storage ABOVE our bed and as a short person...this sucked. We gave our 21 year old the drawers below the TV and this was only a 5 night cruise. Also we had ZERO towel animals...that made me sad. Our room attending was otherwise great though, and overall service was good.

Crew: I thought our crew was fine overall, maybe not quite as friendly. Yes we hated the smoking areas, especially on the higher decks. Our ship had limited shaded areas on the top decks too. Dirty...here is what I noted is that on DCL they seem to have trash areas all around the pool decks, so if you grabbed food or drinks you had a place to put it. This was NOT the case on Celebrity. If I had a plate or cup I needed to get rid of, I had to put it on a nearby bar area...which seemed weird. Yes people walked around to ask if you wanted drinks, so sometimes they also got the empties. It was just something we really felt was odd but there were people from Celebrity walking around to remove stuff and also to take towels off chairs if nobody was in them and there was no other personal stuff on an area.

Celebrity didn't have real "kid" areas so we had very few kids on our ship. Of course on the sea day every one of the maybe 20-30 kids on the ship was in the two pools so there was no room there. When we cruise DCL as adults we like retreating to the adult only pools and night clubs with limited adults...so DCL wins there for sure.

 

[Patsaizan]

We are Diamond Plus with RCI and ready for a change. We’ve been on 4 DCL cruises, last one was 19 years ago. Been loyal to Royal but see the brand slipping, badly. We usually stay in suites and went on the Allure of the Seas in November ‘23 and Wonder of the Seas this past March. Both times (and we do the upscale dining) the food was sub par. Trash left in too many places. Staff not friendly or helpful. In the suite areas the staff is good, but even the food at Costal Kitchen (suites only) was not very good. Smoking areas on pool decks stunk, literally (hate having to walk by the smokers). Adults only areas have plenty of kids in them, staff refused to do anything about it.

We went on the Ovation of the Seas (Alaska) last June, and that was amazing. Food and all was over the top. We generally sail 3 times a year, other than the Alaska cruise on RCI, RCI has gone downhill. So, we are canceling our Utopia sailing for November (willing to lose the deposit, that is how bad we see RCI now) and booked Disney Fantasy for March. Looking forward to new experiences and sailing with DCl again.

 

[FreckledOne]

Smoking areas on pool decks stunk, literally (hate having to walk by the smokers). Adults only areas have plenty of kids in them, staff refused to do anything about it.

Oh, lawd. I was thinking about giving the Utopia a try because it‘s 30% cheaper than the Wish during the same dates, but now I‘m not sure. I can‘t stand cigarette smoke and don‘t like that the rules are not enforced in the adult areas. Just sailed my first Disney cruise on the Magic and absolutely adored everything about it. Hmmm, first world decisions, decisions.

 

[OKW Lover]

I can‘t stand cigarette smoke

Smoking is only allowed on a specific section of the pool deck. Simply walk on the other side of the ship to avoid it.

 

[hmsTigger]

We are Diamond Plus with RCI and ready for a change. We’ve been on 4 DCL cruises, last one was 19 years ago. Been loyal to Royal but see the brand slipping, badly. We usually stay in suites and went on the Allure of the Seas in November ‘23 and Wonder of the Seas this past March. Both times (and we do the upscale dining) the food was sub par. Trash left in too many places. Staff not friendly or helpful. In the suite areas the staff is good, but even the food at Costal Kitchen (suites only) was not very good. Smoking areas on pool decks stunk, literally (hate having to walk by the smokers). Adults only areas have plenty of kids in them, staff refused to do anything about it.

We went on the Ovation of the Seas (Alaska) last June, and that was amazing. Food and all was over the top. We generally sail 3 times a year, other than the Alaska cruise on RCI, RCI has gone downhill. So, we are canceling our Utopia sailing for November (willing to lose the deposit, that is how bad we see RCI now) and booked Disney Fantasy for March. Looking forward to new experiences and sailing with DCl again.

Just came off of or first RCI cruise and agree the trash is a turn off No trash cans were available to toss it yourself
from Tables in bars and buffet areas or when returning after excursions. Often trash and dirty dishes left on tables and due to lack of seats or busy meal times guests just pushed them aside to have a seat. Tables and floors still dirty the next morning. Sticky floors.......the worst! We never saw this on DCL
Smoking odor just outside the casino and on deck 5 outside walk. Smoke odor did travel to upper floors at times
and stateroom hallways. The off the beaten path locations offered for smokers was appreciated.
Adult "quiet areas" were not quiet, not due to kids but due to adults who filled up the barstools and got loud for hours. Initially, early into the cruise, this was a refuge to read and relax but as the cruise went on this area became a hangout for loud obnoxious people. No oversight by staff as the drinks kept flowing and more and more guests forgot about the quiet zone times listed.
Can't compare previous RCI cruises as this was our first but staffing definitely not the same as on DCL, cleanliness cannot be compared. On RCI, Purell machines broken at times and never fixed and absolutely no enforcement of washing hands before meals. Very unsanitary. We like how DCL makes this a priority.
Lots of teens and tweens who ran the ship presenting safety concerns to older guests who were passed on stairs and almost ran into. Same groups who grew in number each day as the teens found themselves other friends Lots of drama.

 

[John VN]

Not too personal. We are actually the totally opposite sailing in suites on RCL and sometimes concierge of DCL.

At the current rates out of PC ----

RCI's Royal Suites Utopia-- 1/5/2026
Junior Sea approx. - $2,700.00
Junior Sky approx. - $4,000.00

DCL WISH -- 1/5/2026
Concierge approx. - $6,700.00

MSC Grandiosa -- 1/4/2026
Yacht club DeLuxe Suite approx. - $3,200.00 -- with ALL INCLUSIVE Ship in a Ship for us a no brainer but again, we do not require or the massive On Board diversions by RCI.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Just came off of or first RCI cruise and agree the trash is a turn off No trash cans were available to toss it yourself
from Tables in bars and buffet areas or when returning after excursions. Often trash and dirty dishes left on tables and due to lack of seats or busy meal times guests just pushed them aside to have a seat. Tables and floors still dirty the next morning. Sticky floors.......the worst! We never saw this on DCL
Smoking odor just outside the casino and on deck 5 outside walk. Smoke odor did travel to upper floors at times
and stateroom hallways. The off the beaten path locations offered for smokers was appreciated.
Adult "quiet areas" were not quiet, not due to kids but due to adults who filled up the barstools and got loud for hours. Initially, early into the cruise, this was a refuge to read and relax but as the cruise went on this area became a hangout for loud obnoxious people. No oversight by staff as the drinks kept flowing and more and more guests forgot about the quiet zone times listed.
Can't compare previous RCI cruises as this was our first but staffing definitely not the same as on DCL, cleanliness cannot be compared. On RCI, Purell machines broken at times and never fixed and absolutely no enforcement of washing hands before meals. Very unsanitary. We like how DCL makes this a priority.
Lots of teens and tweens who ran the ship presenting safety concerns to older guests who were passed on stairs and almost ran into. Same groups who grew in number each day as the teens found themselves other friends Lots of drama.

What ‘quiet zone’ are you referring to? If you are referring to the Solarium , I don’t ever recall seeing specific quiet times posted for what it’s worth.

I was last on Freedom, Wonder and Mariner from 2022-2023. I did not notice any issues with trash, lack of purell or cigarette smoke. However The windjammer buffet staff were very picky and strict about hand washing. Yes there were a handful of guests who ignored them and they did not chase them down nor confront them.

I do agree that I have seen more teen groups on RC than DCL. Being teens, some lack maturity but that doesn’t mean they universally pose safety concerns.

 

[hmsTigger]

What ‘quiet zone’ are you referring to? If you are referring to the Solarium , I don’t ever recall seeing specific quiet times posted for what it’s worth.

I was last on Freedom, Wonder and Mariner from 2022-2023. I did not notice any issues with trash, lack of purell or cigarette smoke. However The windjammer buffet staff were very picky and strict about hand washing. Yes there were a handful of guests who ignored them and they did not chase them down nor confront them.

I do agree that I have seen more teen groups on RC than DCL. Being teens, some lack maturity but that doesn’t mean they universally pose safety concerns.

Yes Solarium There were daily times listed on the Cruise Compass that was called "Quiet Time" and there were day and evening hours listed. Day time was quiet Evening loud due to the bar folks.
At the Windjammer 2 Purell machines were broken the entire cruise despite being reported multiple times by cruisers. The buffet staff allowed people to enter and most would not use hand sanitizer. Unlike Disney which had mandatory handwashing observed by cast members before entering food areas.
Teen groups may have been unusual but they were running all over the ship. The stairs were posing the most concern as 10 teens at a time would run down passing senior walkers. Not much you could do.
The staff were great and did the best they could always smiling and attentive. However, often short staffed Windjammer and therefore the comment about trash and sticky tables at times.
Dining rooms there were no issues.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Yes Solarium There were daily times listed on the Cruise Compass that was called "Quiet Time" and there were day and evening hours listed. Day time was quiet Evening loud due to the bar folks.
At the Windjammer 2 Purell machines were broken the entire cruise despite being reported multiple times by cruisers. The buffet staff allowed people to enter and most would not use hand sanitizer. Unlike Disney which had mandatory handwashing observed by cast members before entering food areas.
Teen groups may have been unusual but they were running all over the ship. The stairs were posing the most concern as 10 teens at a time would run down passing senior walkers. Not much you could do.
The staff were great and did the best they could always smiling and attentive. However, often short staffed Windjammer and therefore the comment about trash and sticky tables at times.
Dining rooms there were no issues.

Heheh shows how closely I read the Cruise Compass. Had never noticed those quiet hours.
i'm curious - which ship were you on? Was it a shorter cuirse?

 

[2010dvcfan]

Oh, lawd. I was thinking about giving the Utopia a try because it‘s 30% cheaper than the Wish during the same dates, but now I‘m not sure. I can‘t stand cigarette smoke and don‘t like that the rules are not enforced in the adult areas. Just sailed my first Disney cruise on the Magic and absolutely adored everything about it. Hmmm, first world decisions, decisions.

I hear you on that one, we are sailing DCL in a few weeks to Alaska, I tried to convince myself to try RCL due to the price, I reasoned with myself for days, rationalizing I'm going to be off the ship more then any other DCL cruise I've taken in the past. In the end I choose the most affordable sailing on DCL to Alaska I could find still quite a bit more then RCL. We will be on the Wish in February as well, can't get enough of the DCL.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Oh, lawd. I was thinking about giving the Utopia a try because it‘s 30% cheaper than the Wish during the same dates, but now I‘m not sure. I can‘t stand cigarette smoke and don‘t like that the rules are not enforced in the adult areas. Just sailed my first Disney cruise on the Magic and absolutely adored everything about it. Hmmm, first world decisions, decisions.

I've been on > 10 RC cruises. Aside from the casino, the dedicated smoking area, and one occasion during which the person below me tried to smoke on his balcony (and then got busted) I have not encountered any issues with cigarette smoke. I encourage you not to let isolated incidents stop you from booking a cruise that is 30% cheaper, let alone it be RCL's newest ship.

 

[Retiredcruiser]

I hear you on that one, we are sailing DCL in a few weeks to Alaska, I tried to convince myself to try RCL due to the price, I reasoned with myself for days, rationalizing I'm going to be off the ship more then any other DCL cruise I've taken in the past. In the end I choose the most affordable sailing on DCL to Alaska I could find still quite a bit more then RCL. We will be on the Wish in February as well, can't get enough of the DCL.

You made the right decision. We sailed with RCL to Alaska in May and wished we had chosen DCL. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

[WhitneyBrock]

I know there are a lot of these but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...

We are seasoned DCL folks -- platinum Castaway Club members -- who decided to try the Symphony of the Seas this past weekend. Travel party included: me, hubby, my mom (mid 60s), and our son (6.5). There were some things I thought RCL did BETTER than Disney but ultimately, we'd choose DCL moving forward.

The Good:
1. The Food -- honestly, the food in the buffet and the Main Dining Room was better than Disney, I think. We also ate at Wonderland and that was delicious too.
2. CocoCay -- wow! This island is amazing. Love the splash pad and the pool. The trams were also so nice and much easier than the one at Castaway Cay.
3. The Shows -- we saw HiRo (the water show) and the ice skating show. Hairspray was too late for my little guy so we skipped it. They were really engaging, unique, and fun. I love DCL's quality but since we sail so often, the shows get repetitive and sometimes we just skip...
3. ROBOT BAR -- enough said. My kid was enchanted
4. Laser Tag -- literally so much fun! Wish we had been able to do it more than once.
5. The rooms -- the cabins felt bigger. I don't know if they actually are or not.

The Bad:
1. The theming -- I didn't love the neighborhoods and different sections of the ship. It really just felt like I was at a big hotel... maybe Vegas? I never felt like I was on a ship.
2. Smoking -- so stinky.
3. Balcony overlooking Central Park/high floor close to pool -- music played until 10:30pm... and it wasn't always good music, lol. I guess I'm an old grump.
4. Crew -- just not as overly friendly as DCL.
5. The bed -- felt like I was sleeping on a rock. Again, old grump? Maybe.
6. Generally dirtier -- tons of cups left behind, people didn't seem to pick up their trash and/or crew didn't clean it up as much as DCL.

Overall, we prefer the VIBES of DCL but I can understand why RCL meets the needs of the average/general cruiser. If I hadn't been on a Disney cruise, I imagine I'd think RCL was awesome!

Definitely understand. but I still struggle with the pricing of DCL. I could go to Disney for less/longer and a much longer cruise on RCL for the same amount!

 

[supercarrie]

We are seasoned Royal cruisers (Diamond status) and are looking at booking at comparison trip for next spring - one weekend on the Wish, the next weekend on Utopia or vice versa. We've done an Oasis class ship before but my husband and son are new to Disney and I haven't been on DCL since 2001!

Interestingly, the ships are within $300 total of each other for the sailings we are looking at. We had previously largely done Royal because DCL's west coast pricing was often double the cost of Royal, but with the pricing being so similar, we are excited to try the two head to head. We'll most likely book a verandah stateroom for both.

I realize the vibes will be completely different, especially as Royal has branded Utopia "the ultimate party weekend" but with them being the same itinerary (Nassau followed by a private island stop), we figured it was the closest direct comparison. I tried to talk my husband into two 7 night cruises back to back, but no luck.

 

[John VN]

We are seasoned Royal cruisers (Diamond status) and are looking at booking at comparison trip for next spring - one weekend on the Wish, the next weekend on Utopia or vice versa. We've done an Oasis class ship before but my husband and son are new to Disney and I haven't been on DCL since 2001!

Interestingly, the ships are within $300 total of each other for the sailings we are looking at. We had previously largely done Royal because DCL's west coast pricing was often double the cost of Royal, but with the pricing being so similar, we are excited to try the two head to head. We'll most likely book a verandah stateroom for both.

I realize the vibes will be completely different, especially as Royal has branded Utopia "the ultimate party weekend" but with them being the same itinerary (Nassau followed by a private island stop), we figured it was the closest direct comparison. I tried to talk my husband into two 7 night cruises back to back, but no luck.

r.e. bold - Very interesting that the cost is ONLY $300.00 difference. If agreeable, could you give the time frame of the cruise.