dcl vs royal caribbean

[xlxo]

fyi.... here's another comparison with Alaskan cruises...
http://blog.cruiseabout.ca/booking-alaska-cruise/

 

[NancyIL]

Royal Caribbean sails round trip from Seattle and one-way between Vancouver and Seward. I don't think much of RCI's round-trip itinerary, but the one-way is good.

DCL has a decent itinerary for a round trip cruise from Vancouver. However, I'm not interested in paying DCL's high price tag or sailing to Alaska with that many kids.

I have cruised to Alaska twice on Princess and twice on HAL. Two were round-trip cruises from Seattle, and two were one-ways followed by independent land trips with a rental car. I think Princess has prettier ships, but I chose the HAL Alaska cruises for their excellent itineraries.

 

[pillow]

We went back and forth on this same issue for a long time. I had booked the RCCL Radiance for our Alaska trip, but I ended up cancelling and booking with DCL. The issue I had was with stateroom size for our family of 4 (2 teenagers). And also at the time, I had trouble finding connecting rooms (we were traveling with another family). I would recommend going onto cruise critic and finding some pictures and stats for the stateroom you would get on RCCL and then compare with DCL. We would still like to try RCCL one of these days, but for Alaska, it wasn't the right choice for us. Good luck!

Jodie

 

[pillow]

P.S. This might help . . .

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3217840&highlight=pillow

Jodie

 

[wdwwishes]

We did AK with DCL and were really happy. I like the ease of DCL; I don't have to figure out which dining area I want to go, how much the up charge ones will run me & are they worth it, do I need a soda card, a juice card or whatever. There's just enough for all of us to do without being overwhelmed by on board activity/shopping choices. I'm on board to relax. Maybe I'm just lazy. I also like the split bathrooms. Cabin size on DCL has always been good four our family of 4, 2 grown ups and teenage DDs. Maybe if one of the other lines had been my first cruise experience or if I was willing to "jump ship" and try some of the other ones my thoughts might be different.

 

[LisaT91403]

A few people have mentioned upcharges for dining. I'm confused -- I'm a RCL veteran, and have my first DCL cruise coming up in 3 weeks (yay!) From what I understand, DCL has 2 specialty restaurants where you pay for food. You also pay for things like popcorn at the movies, and packaged treats/candy for the movies and through room service. RCL also has a few specialty restaurants, and you also have to pay for some snacks (for example, popcorn/cotton candy on the Boardwalk on newer ships). I guess I don't understand why these two things are any different -- so different that people mention it as being one of the reasons they choose one cruise line vs. another.

I *do* understand the difference in the carbonated beverage category. I'm not a soda drinker, so it's a non-issue for me (and for DS as well). DH drinks soda, and does buy the soda package on RCL. It costs about $45 for a 7-night cruise, and on many ships you have access to the Coke Freestyle machines with ~125 beverage options. Since the DCL cruise fares are much more than RCL (from what I've seen, anyway), the extra $50 doesn't amount to much.

So while I see many differences between the two cruise lines...I guess I don't see why dining options and beverage packages would be a deciding factor for some people.

 

[Bellecruiser]

We are die-hard DCL fans, but went on RCCL cruise over Thanksgiving. We were very pleased with RCCL overall, but they are very different from DCL. My husband said it very well...RCCL is like Las Vegas. Glitzy compared to classic. I missed DCL's rotating dining, as we were in the same DR every night unless we wanted to pay extra. I did not think their paid dining rooms were near as good as Palo. They do have a fabulous adult only area called the Solarium that was bigger than the Cove and could be closed off if it was raining. I didn't think the quality of the shows was as good as DCL, but the change in subject matter was nice. I also thought DCLs food was better which surprised me as I have heard people on these boards complain about DCL food as being subpar compared to other cruise lines. I am glad we went and would go again.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Our family has been on 5 dcl cruises and 1 rccl cruise. Our family obviously prefers dcl. We missed really getting to know our servers. We hated having to buy a soda package or use the cup they gave us on rccl. I love the rotational dining on dcl. Since casinos aren't important to our family we like dcl. The rccl ship we were on was very run down and some of the employees really looked like they were just going through the motions until their contracts were up. I don't feel like the disney employees felt like that as they have always been so cheerful with us.

 

[LisaT91403]

Our family has been on 5 dcl cruises and 1 rccl cruise. Our family obviously prefers dcl. We missed really getting to know our servers. We hated having to buy a soda package or use the cup they gave us on rccl. I love the rotational dining on dcl. Since casinos aren't important to our family we like dcl. The rccl ship we were on was very run down and some of the employees really looked like they were just going through the motions until their contracts were up. I don't feel like the disney employees felt like that as they have always been so cheerful with us.

I understand different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many different cruise lines and options available. And, while I've been on about a dozen RCL cruises, I am completely looking forward to experiencing DCL. I can hardly wait!

But on a side note, you do not need to use the cup they give you on RCL to get soda. You have a sticker on your card, and you can show it at any bar, in the dining room, at any venues with bar service, etc.

I have never been on a rundown RCL ship. I will miss the casino! And I know that I will REALLY miss anytime dining. But as I said, I'm looking forward to a new experience...and plan to love my DCL cruise!

 

[plutolovr]

We did AK with DCL and were really happy. I like the ease of DCL; I don't have to figure out which dining area I want to go, how much the up charge ones will run me & are they worth it, do I need a soda card, a juice card or whatever. There's just enough for all of us to do without being overwhelmed by on board activity/shopping choices. I'm on board to relax. Maybe I'm just lazy. I also like the split bathrooms. Cabin size on DCL has always been good four our family of 4, 2 grown ups and teenage DDs. Maybe if one of the other lines had been my first cruise experience or if I was willing to "jump ship" and try some of the other ones my thoughts might be different.

No need to decide any of this once onboard. With Royal you can make your dining reservations (if doing My Time dining) and purchase your drink packages prior to sailing. This way it's all paid for upfront and you avoid the bill at the end of the cruise. Same with shore excursions. With Disney you are charged for everything while cruising so you still get the bill. Like someone said earlier, Royal is more like ala carte rather than Prix Fixe...you get to choose the options you want, not get charged for all of the options (like soda) if you are not going to use them.

Our family has been on 5 dcl cruises and 1 rccl cruise. Our family obviously prefers dcl. We missed really getting to know our servers. We hated having to buy a soda package or use the cup they gave us on rccl. I love the rotational dining on dcl. Since casinos aren't important to our family we like dcl. The rccl ship we were on was very run down and some of the employees really looked like they were just going through the motions until their contracts were up. I don't feel like the disney employees felt like that as they have always been so cheerful with us.

You get to know your servers on Royal. If you have an assigned dining time you get the same servers every night. Even if you choose My Time dining, you can request the same server team each night if you liked them the first night.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

I understand different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many different cruise lines and options available. And, while I've been on about a dozen RCL cruises, I am completely looking forward to experiencing DCL. I can hardly wait!

But on a side note, you do not need to use the cup they give you on RCL to get soda. You have a sticker on your card, and you can show it at any bar, in the dining room, at any venues with bar service, etc.

I have never been on a rundown RCL ship. I will miss the casino! And I know that I will REALLY miss anytime dining. But as I said, I'm looking forward to a new experience...and plan to love my DCL cruise!

They did not give us a card on our cruise...They gave us cups to use.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

No need to decide any of this once onboard. With Royal you can make your dining reservations (if doing My Time dining) and purchase your drink packages prior to sailing. This way it's all paid for upfront and you avoid the bill at the end of the cruise. Same with shore excursions. With Disney you are charged for everything while cruising so you still get the bill. Like someone said earlier, Royal is more like ala carte rather than Prix Fixe...you get to choose the options you want, not get charged for all of the options (like soda) if you are not going to use them.



You get to know your servers on Royal. If you have an assigned dining time you get the same servers every night. Even if you choose My Time dining, you can request the same server team each night if you liked them the first night.

They must have done our cruise differently for some reason then because we had different servers every night and a different table every night. I don't know...

 

[NancyIL]

They did not give us a card on our cruise...They gave us cups to use.

You get a sticker for your room key.

 

[NancyIL]

They must have done our cruise differently for some reason then because we had different servers every night and a different table every night. I don't know...

You must've had My Time Dining. I prefer that to fixed seating, and ask for the same server. You can also make a reservation for a certain table if you like particular servers.

 

[LisaT91403]

They did not give us a card on our cruise...They gave us cups to use.

You get both. If you pre-pay for the soda package, a Coke logo will be imprinted on your SeaPass (same as KTTW) card. If you buy the package once you are onboard, they put a sticker on your SeaPass card. In either case, they will also give you a cup to use. You never need to use the cup. It's more like a souvenir. The only exception is if the ship has a Freestyle Coke machine, as you would need to use the cup for the machine. But you have many other drink options so you really don't need the machine (or cup) at all.

They must have done our cruise differently for some reason then because we had different servers every night and a different table every night. I don't know...

Sounds like you had My Time Dining (my favorite!). In that case, you *could* have a different server each night. If you like having the same one, you just request him/her after the first night and that should take care of it. Or, you can make a reservation for dinner if you know what time you are arriving, and that should get you the same server as well. We never knew when we'd want to eat, so we didn't make reservations and had different servers each night. We don't really care to establish a relationship with the servers, so it was fine for us. We liked the variety

If you do have the same servers (which most people do...we are probably the exception)...then you don't need to show them your SeaPass card each night for sodas. Once they see you have it on the first night, they just remember what you like to drink and bring it to you. If you also frequent a particular bar or restaurant, they get to know you and you don't have to show your card to get soda.

 

[pillow]

I understand different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many different cruise lines and options available. And, while I've been on about a dozen RCL cruises, I am completely looking forward to experiencing DCL. I can hardly wait!

But on a side note, you do not need to use the cup they give you on RCL to get soda. You have a sticker on your card, and you can show it at any bar, in the dining room, at any venues with bar service, etc.

I have never been on a rundown RCL ship. I will miss the casino! And I know that I will REALLY miss anytime dining. But as I said, I'm looking forward to a new experience...and plan to love my DCL cruise!

I would love it if you would report back after your upcoming DCL cruise. Curious to hear your thoughts on DCL as an RCL veteran. Most of us on these boards tend to be the opposite - DCL veterans who have tried other lines. I would love to get your perspective. We would like to try RCL one of these days, but I have to admit I'm a little chicken. Hope you have a great cruise!

Jodie

 

[bumbershoot]

They did not give us a card on our cruise...They gave us cups to use.

Sea pass card had the imprint to show.

They must have done our cruise differently for some reason then because we had different servers every night and a different table every night. I don't know...

We had My Time Dining and when we boarded we went to arrange times for dinner. I hadn't before because I figured we would just go when hungry. The guy encouraged us to arrange times so we didn't have to wait in a possibly long line. First night was a certain table at a certain time then we arranged the rest of the nights at a slightly different time but he kept us in the same team's section. That was lovely as we liked them.

 

[LisaT91403]

I would love it if you would report back after your upcoming DCL cruise. Curious to hear your thoughts on DCL as an RCL veteran. Most of us on these boards tend to be the opposite - DCL veterans who have tried other lines. I would love to get your perspective. We would like to try RCL one of these days, but I have to admit I'm a little chicken. Hope you have a great cruise!

Jodie

There are sooo many things we are looking forward to on DCL -- things that are different from RCL. We are ready for a change! And while RCL feels like "home" after so many cruises, we just can't wait to experience the Disney magic (not the Magic...but the magic, if ya know what I mean). We have been Disneyland AP holders for many years, and visit often since we are locals. We have also been to Aulani twice, and loved it. So why not give DCL a try, right? We really do have an open mind.

I will definitely report back. And I know that I'll probably get flamed on this board if I say I like something better on RCL, and flamed on the RCL board if I report back and say what I liked better about DCL. But I will report back anyway, as my perspective might help others who are looking to maybe try something different...and want to know what to expect.

 

[OhThePain]

There are sooo many things we are looking forward to on DCL -- things that are different from RCL. We are ready for a change! And while RCL feels like "home" after so many cruises, we just can't wait to experience the Disney magic (not the Magic...but the magic, if ya know what I mean). We have been Disneyland AP holders for many years, and visit often since we are locals. We have also been to Aulani twice, and loved it. So why not give DCL a try, right? We really do have an open mind...

My wife and I (no kids.. yet) felt the same way. We needed a change (I am Diamond on RCCL). We couldn't have been happier with our DCL cruise (we did a Western on the Fantasy). There were some things we liked better with DCL than RCCL and there were things we missed from RCCL. For as similar as things were on the 2, they were also just as different in experience. We have zero regrets and will be cruising both lines again.

 

[toontoy]

We just got off the Dec 7th Freedom western cruise on RCCL and all I can say is I feel cheated and ripped off. We could have sailed the magic for not that much more, and should have.

The ship limped to each port and needed a refurb badly. When we boarded we were informed of a mechanical issue limiting our port times, this was a well known issue and we later found out the cruise before ours was changed due to it.

The quality of the crew does not compare, they do have a couple freestyle machines but the upcharges for everything was annoying. We will not be sailing RCCL again due to the problems and how harsh the crew was when confronted with a problem, I thought I should mention it to Guest relations and wow they were even more hostile.

YMMV but for us RCCL is a no go, we did have plans for Quantum and Oasis but now they are Princess ships and DCL cruises.