DCL Vs. RCCL Voyageur

[GUNER]

We have done two Dcl cruises and we are now planning a cruise on RCCL on the voyageur grade ship. Our kids are going to be 12 and 10 and we feel the ice skating, mini golf, rock climbing wall as well as the other things on board will better keep our active family all happy. (I forgot the bigger pools are a bonus as well). Can anyone advise us if we are correct.Thanks

 

[travellady]

We did the Voyager this summer with our 11 year old son and then the Disney Wonder this past December. My son liked the Disney Wonder but loved the Voyager due to all of the activities available - loved inline skating, played many rounds of mini golf, ice skated, played basketball etc. etc. And he liked the Adventure Ocean kids club better than the Disney kids club. I think he felt they treated him like a little kid in the Disney Club whereas in the Adventure Ocean club the activities were more fitting for him.

Don't get me wrong, we really enjoyed our Wonder cruise but had my son been younger, I think he would have enjoyed it more.

My husband and I liked both, really enjoyed the Disney shows (well, didn't care much for Hercules). The shows on Voyager were good too but geared more towards adults.

As a side note, we've also sailed Carnival, the Inspiration, and that's not a ship I would recommend. But the RCCL Voyager class ships are on a par with Disney and I believe offer more activity-wise for older kids.

 

[SeaSpray]

I think both kids and adults can enjoy the Disney ships as well as the Voyager class ships.

We just took our teen DSs on the Disney Magic a few months ago. This June DH and I will be sailing on the Voyager (along with my brothers and SILs, no kids). Next summer, 2006, we are booked on the Magic again, with our kids. I decided to ask them the other night if they'd prefer to go on the Voyager next year instead of the Magic and both of them said, without hesitation, that they want to go on the Magic again. My DSs are both musicians, into building computers, academics, etc and aren't really interested in the amenities offered on the Voyager, so the inline skating, ice skating, etc didn't interet them in the least. Also, when we sail the Magic next year we will be joining a huge group of DISers that we met when we sailed a few months ago, and I know that had a lot to do with my DSs wanting to sail the Magic again.

I think it boils down to knowing what your own kids will like on each ship, maybe showing them the different amenities on each ship, and then making a decision that you think would make your own family the happiest

 

[#1Mouse]

travellady - when your son did the in-line skating, did he need to bring his own skates? Do you know if it's the same with the ice skating too? Someone told me that to ice skate that they recommend that you wear long pants - is that true? We are going on the Mariner in 47 days (but who's counting!!!)

Gail

 

[SeaSpray]

travellady - when your son did the in-line skating, did he need to bring his own skates? Do you know if it's the same with the ice skating too? Someone told me that to ice skate that they recommend that you wear long pants - is that true? We are going on the Mariner in 47 days (but who's counting!!!)

Gail

They have rollerblades and ice skates on the ship that you can use, you don't have to bring your own

 

[moonmomma]

Hi there...i just noticed your countdown...i will also be on VOS on June 17th!! It will be my first cruise! I haven't even noticed how quickly its approaching with all of my Disney distractions....Soon it will be time to shift my attention to THAT trip! Exciting.

 

[chrisn]

And LOVED them both. Your older kids will love Voyager. My DS WAY preferred Voyager's kids club over DCL's. It's a completely different experience but you will LOVE it! Be sure to have grown-up dinner at Portofinos! YUMMY!

 

[TootyJane]

travellady - when your son did the in-line skating, did he need to bring his own skates? Do you know if it's the same with the ice skating too? Someone told me that to ice skate that they recommend that you wear long pants - is that true? We are going on the Mariner in 47 days (but who's counting!!!)

Gail

Gail, cruised on the Voyager in August 2002. You don't need to bring your own ice skates or inline skates. They have tons. However, if you are planning on doing any ice skating you will need to wear a pair of longs pants. They will not allow you to skate in shorts -- just long pants. HTH

 

[#1Mouse]

Thanks everyone for the replies about the skates - I will pass it on to the people in my group - one less thing to have to take. I had read somewhere about the long pants while ice skating, but couldn't figure out where I read it and then couldn't remember if someone just mentioned that it would be a good idea or if it was required for the skaters to have long pants.

This will be our first cruise on a non-Disney ship - not to worry we have a Disney cruise planned in September with the DVC Member's Cruise. Looking forward to seeing the Mariner - I heard it was a beautiful ship.

Thanks again everyone,
Gail

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi there...i just noticed your countdown...i will also be on VOS on June 17th!! It will be my first cruise! I haven't even noticed how quickly its approaching with all of my Disney distractions....Soon it will be time to shift my attention to THAT trip! Exciting.

Well it's definitely a "small world afterall". LOL Look for me, I'll be wearing my gray DCL t-shirt at some point on the cruise Also, if you take a look at my web site, you can see what my DH and I look like, and if you look at my "Nordic Empress cruise" pages, you can see what my brothers and SILs look like; they'll be with us on that cruise too.

 

[markmyboy]

We are avid DCL fans & went on the Voyager in October & we loved it. Closest we have come to the enjoyment of a DCL cruise without going on a DCL cruise!! And we went with our 6 & 2 year olds. My 6 year old son loved the clubs about equal. He is started to feel more like a "big" kid, so we will see how he likes DCL in August!!

Aside from the pants for ice skating, I wanted to mention that they were a little picky about t-shirts when doing the rock climbing wall. I had on what I considered a normal t-shirt, but was told the sleeves were TOO short?? I had to wear one of my husbands t-shirts to climb!!

It truly was a great cruise, with the older kids, you can't go wrong!!

Have fun,

 

[moonmomma]

Well it's definitely a "small world afterall". LOL Look for me, I'll be wearing my gray DCL t-shirt at some point on the cruise Also, if you take a look at my web site, you can see what my DH and I look like, and if you look at my "Nordic Empress cruise" pages, you can see what my brothers and SILs look like; they'll be with us on that cruise too.

Will do! Your website is fantastic! You have put much time and care into it......Looks like you and your family have lots of fun together. I haven't been to the Cruise Critic site in a while....after this trip i'll be THERE everyday!

 

[Jamashp]

Any tips for a RCCL V.O.S. cruise? We are booked for a 9 day cruise out of Cape Liberty, NJ starting Nov. 4. It sails to the carribean and back to NJ.

Thought it sounded great for our family: no flights, no hotels, and best of all it's during NJ teachers convention week. Children will be 13, 11, and 7. Anything we should especially look to do or avoid?

Will miss the Magic, but thought we'd try something new this time.

Scott

 

[gonna go cruising]

Does Labadee compare at all to Castaway Cay? We are thinking of doing a RCCL this spring but do not know how Labadee will compare to Disneys gem.

Any tips?

 

[chrisn]

You probably will not want to compare Labadee with Castaway Cay. Labadee had pretty, green, rolling hills sailing in. You have to tender in. The beach does not compare. It has brown, coarse sand and the water is not near as pretty. They did have the kids club there. The lunch was ok. The locals selling their goods are VERY agressive. They grab you by the arms and try to pull you into their shops. They put stuff in your hands. They are very poor and trying to make a living but just real agressive. By far the most agressive out of any of the islands we've been to. The sand is very hot. Wear your shoes. DH got bad blisters on the bottoms of his feet because he didn't think he needed them walking to the buffet, then back to the beach. The funnest thing we did there was a wave runner tour along the coast of Haiti. It was a real highlight! One of the funnest excursions we've done. They take you to a couple villages and talk about the people of Haiti and we had some fishermen row up to us with their "bonjour's". These people are very poor. They carv their own boats and live in huts on the hillside. Their existance depends on the fish they catch and the plants they grow. There was one thing that very much upset me though. When we returned to the ship, 2 of the fisherboats had rowed up along side of the Voyager and the men were calling down to the people to throw them food because they were hungry. They weren't calling for money, just for food. DH did give them some trail mix and a few other things we had in the cabin but it made me very sad, and grateful for the life I live. Just don't try to compare it to Castaway Cay and you should have a fun day.

 

[LoveMyBaby]

As an adult, I prefer the Voyager over the Magic. I think your kids will find many more activities, especially during the daytime, on the RCCL boat. The restaurants and shows, however, are more geared towards adults.

 

[Jamashp]

bumping up this topic. I want to know too.

 

[jhorstma]

You probably will not want to compare Labadee with Castaway Cay. Labadee had pretty, green, rolling hills sailing in. You have to tender in. The beach does not compare. It has brown, coarse sand and the water is not near as pretty. They did have the kids club there. The lunch was ok. The locals selling their goods are VERY agressive. They grab you by the arms and try to pull you into their shops. They put stuff in your hands. They are very poor and trying to make a living but just real agressive. By far the most agressive out of any of the islands we've been to. The sand is very hot. Wear your shoes. DH got bad blisters on the bottoms of his feet because he didn't think he needed them walking to the buffet, then back to the beach. The funnest thing we did there was a wave runner tour along the coast of Haiti. It was a real highlight! One of the funnest excursions we've done. They take you to a couple villages and talk about the people of Haiti and we had some fishermen row up to us with their "bonjour's". These people are very poor. They carv their own boats and live in huts on the hillside. Their existance depends on the fish they catch and the plants they grow. There was one thing that very much upset me though. When we returned to the ship, 2 of the fisherboats had rowed up along side of the Voyager and the men were calling down to the people to throw them food because they were hungry. They weren't calling for money, just for food. DH did give them some trail mix and a few other things we had in the cabin but it made me very sad, and grateful for the life I live. Just don't try to compare it to Castaway Cay and you should have a fun day.

Yikes!!! I've pondered the DCL vs. RCCL question to due to having a DS11 and DD9 - but this CC vs. Labadee comparison seals it for me. I'm glad now that we're doing DCL (my kids' first cruise, so they won't know any better) - we can do RCCL next time if they think DCL is too childish.

 

[soccermom22]

Bumping up - Also considering the RCL 9-night out of Bayonne vs. DCL. RCL is about $150 more for 9 nights vs. 7 nights, but we won't have airfare.

Anyone else have any experience with this cruise and can give me some tips?

Thanks,
Tammy

 

[Jamashp]

We went for the nine-night cruise out of Cape Liberty. Leaves 11/4/05. Cost was a major consideration, as well as being able to drive to port.

It's still a long way away, but I'll let you know how it works out.