Disney vs all other cruise lines

[TheBigErn]

Why is Disney so much more expensive than other cruise lines such as Norwegian, Celebrity, Cunard, Princess etc.? I mean it's not close. Is Disney really that much better?

 

[LAS2AMS]

There’s several active threads on this topic. The short and sweet answer is that there’s only a few Disney ships, but tons of demand for a Disney experience, so Disney can charge higher prices.

 

[lilsonicfan]

"Better" is very subjective, as is "value" to any particular person. Disney does a lot really well on their cruises, the service is excellent and the dining experience is mostly solid with rotational dining and a show or two at dinner. Their ships are certainly well kept, which is why Magic and Wonder continue to sail despite their age. The entertainment is great and the entire trip is of course family friendly, kids get to meet characters without the insane lines of the parks, etc. As to whether it's worth 2-3x the price of another cruise line, that's where it is hard to say. Many will say yes, many will say no.

 

[jimmymc]

A few reasons:

1. Disney doesn't have casinos or drink packages, which bring fares down for other lines.
2. More frequent cleaning and maintenance schedules. It's very rare to see rust or broken parts on the ship.
3. A high budget for their entertainment, including theater shows, pool deck shows, and fireworks.
4. Much larger and more themed kid clubs than other ships.
5. Passenger to crew ratio around 2, where the other major lines are around 2.5.

 

[TheBigErn]

A few reasons:

1. Disney doesn't have casinos or drink packages, which bring fares down for other lines.
2. More frequent cleaning and maintenance schedules. It's very rare to see rust or broken parts on the ship.
3. A high budget for their entertainment, including theater shows, pool deck shows, and fireworks.
4. Much larger and more themed kid clubs than other ships.
5. Passenger to crew ratio around 2, where the other major lines are around 2.5.

But I see other cruise line ships with what appear to be "fancier" public areas such a 3 story entertainment plazas and theme park like rides.

 

[LAS2AMS]

But I see other cruise line ships with what appear to be "fancier" public areas such a 3 story entertainment plazas and theme park like rides.

The list is mostly myths and fallacies. 15 years ago, DCL was a few hundred more than “the other guy.” Now it’s often a few thousand more.

Disney has a small fleet and a large dedicated fan base that are willing to pay for a Disney overlay.

It’s the same reason a room at a moderate WDW resort went from $89 in the offseason, to $289. No, it didn’t get as luxurious as the Grand Hyatt…

 

[jimmymc]

But I see other cruise line ships with what appear to be "fancier" public areas such a 3 story entertainment plazas and theme park like rides.

Those are typically on much larger ships and/or cost money to do. The Disney ships are relatively small compared to new Royal Caribbean or Carnival, and that will drive up the price. Disney also has an aquacoaster on some of their ships, dedicated movie theaters, a place to get princess makeovers, and characters meeting all over the ship. Plus the price of those things are spread out over the lifetime of the ship, while paying a large theater cast is something that costs Disney every cruise.

I think the biggest difference is the lack of casino, drink packages, and uncharge dining options. Disney doesn't want to be that kind of cruiseline, but it also means prices need to be higher.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Idk but I’ll find out later this year when I try Disney. I’ve been on Royal, Carnival, and NCL.

I’ve cruised in suites for considerably less than my upcoming Disney cruise. But I will say some of the Icon sailings are approaching Disney costs.

 

[Flcruising]

Why is Disney so much more expensive than other cruise lines such as Norwegian, Celebrity, Cunard, Princess etc.? I mean it's not close. Is Disney really that much better?

There are several discussions on this. You ask if it is worth it?. No
By asking the question it tells me you are not a huge Disney person and probably dont truly believe in Disney magic. If this is true then it's not worth it and most likely will just end up comparing and being critical.
I could be wrong so you won't know unless you go.

 

[LAS2AMS]

There are several discussions on this. You ask if it is worth it?. No
By asking the question it tells me you are not a huge Disney person and probably dont truly believe in Disney magic. If this is true then it's not worth it and most likely will just end up comparing and being critical.
I could be wrong so you won't know unless you go.

I’m a big Disney fan and regularly choose DCL when it was a few hundred more.. then 50% more… not as often when it was twice as much. Now that it’s 3x as much, it’s gonna take a lot of pixie dust on me…

 

[supercarrie]

We are doing two weekend cruises back to back this spring - one weekend Disney Wish, the second Utopia of the Seas. I'm excited to compare them both (newer ships, both are 3 night Port Canaveral cruises with stops in Nassau and their respective private islands - about as close a comparison as you can do fairly). We have balcony staterooms booked for both of them as well, to try to give a fair comparison.

We are longtime Royal Caribbean cruisers and have also done Carnival and Norwegian. My last Disney cruise was in 2001. We are Magic Key holders and DVC members, so I'm curious to see the experiences firsthand so closely in time.

 

[John VN]

I’m a big Disney fan and regularly choose DCL when it was a few hundred more.. then 50% more… not as often when it was twice as much. Now that it’s 3x as much, it’s gonna take a lot of pixie dust on me…

r.e. bold -- I'm thinking that DCL needs to include some gold in that to make it more cost effective for us.

We are doing two weekend cruises back to back this spring - one weekend Disney Wish, the second Utopia of the Seas. I'm excited to compare them both (newer ships, both are 3 night Port Canaveral cruises with stops in Nassau and their respective private islands - about as close a comparison as you can do fairly). We have balcony staterooms booked for both of them as well, to try to give a fair comparison.

We are longtime Royal Caribbean cruisers and have also done Carnival and Norwegian. My last Disney cruise was in 2001. We are Magic Key holders and DVC members, so I'm curious to see the experiences firsthand so closely in time.

Approaching each cruise *open minded* and taking in each of the Cruise Line's particular nuances is how we made our comparisons be more genuine and accurate. WDW visitor's since 1970's, DVC in 1996, 1st-2003 and 2nd 2005 DVC Member Cruises, Family Cruises on different lines, even got the Invite to Wonder Bridge and Capt. allowed me to press the Horn Button leaving CC then he had our 3 Grandkid's press it together for a 2nd Blast =

Had an awesome Dream Concierge 1 Bedroom in 2015 so DW booked another in 2017 with an Oasis in between. The 2017 Dream Concierge was very disappointing and also our last DCL cruise because we found that Oasis just gave us more overall enjoyment and BANG for our $$$$'s. Seems that the need for a fix had faded. Tried other Lines and now settled in with MSC. WAY more BANG for our $$$$'s.

Enjoy your upcoming B2B and please provide a review.

 

[NephieRN]

Honestly I’m finding it harder and harder to justify Disney cruises. They’re so expensive because they’re Disney. There’s really no other reasoning. Free soda and room service, fireworks, and twice a day housekeeping isn’t enough to justify a 3x price difference. We are Disney people so I’ve always just accepted it but I can’t anymore.

We have 2 cruises in the fall. One on the treasure first week of September (7 night eastern for $7311) and one on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the seas over fall break in October (8 night western plus cococay for $2252). I wanted my 3 year old to get to experience the kids club on Disney at least once or I probably would have cancelled the treasure once I found the 8 night royal cruise at such a good price. Unless the Treasure blows it out of the park and Royal drops the ball completely, I’m afraid it might be our last Disney cruise.

 

[plutolovr]

A few reasons:

1. Disney doesn't have casinos or drink packages, which bring fares down for other lines.
2. More frequent cleaning and maintenance schedules. It's very rare to see rust or broken parts on the ship.
3. A high budget for their entertainment, including theater shows, pool deck shows, and fireworks.
4. Much larger and more themed kid clubs than other ships.
5. Passenger to crew ratio around 2, where the other major lines are around 2.5.

No so much with number 2. You should have seen my verandah on the Magic in September. It had lots of rust and chipping paint.

I cruise several times a year, and all cruise lines are constantly paining, cleaning, repairing, etc., and it's basically done in rotation. They can maintain ALL areas, ALL the time. Disney is no better than most.

 

[DCLMP]

But I see other cruise line ships with what appear to be "fancier" public areas such a 3 story entertainment plazas and theme park like rides.

I think you just have to try different lines and see for yourself. Or get opinions outside of Disney forum...maybe cruise critic or reddit.

 

[SnowWhite2]

We afford it now by sailing off season when kids are in school and by sailing the older ships. We love the Magic and Wonder so not a problem for us. The good thing is my DD was hired by Disney last year and I expect to experience the Wish with her cast discount otherwise I wouldn't be going. No way I'm paying those prices.

We went on a HAL cruise in Nov because I wanted to visit Grand Turk. It was great but in a different way. Lots of live music like when we sailed DCL 20 years ago. HAL had dueling pianos every evening for hours (DCL had those for our first few cruises but only one or two sets a night), a full band in the nightclub and a full band in the lobby bar. Not solo or a duo playing but bands with 4-5 people. Also had a DJ by the adult pool during the day. I'm getting tired of the same menus and same dining shows on DCL. Actually I liked having a nice dining experience on HAL without taking 2 hours. We would have a 3 or 4 course meal with alcohol and it would take less than an hour. Gave us more time to do other things around the ship. The cost was about the same on HAL as it was on our DCL smaller ship cruises but HAL included an alcoholic drink package, one specialty dining restaurant, shore excursions and internet. Our only extras were crew tips and souvenirs.

We'll see how DCL does with all of these new ships to fill. We got some great deals on the OG ships when the Dream/Fantasy launched. I'm having a hard time thinking there are so many people willing to pay the DCL prices for a dozen ships, especially if they are set on doing 3-4-5 day cruises to the Bahamas and 7 days on East/West caribbean itineraries.

 

[brentm77]

In my opinion, there are more affordable options that offer 85% of what DCL offers. It really comes down to whether that 15% difference is worth the extra money to you. I do think we DCL fans tend to overexaggerate some of the differences. For example, upkeep and cleanliness get mentioned a lot, but I thought Celebrity's Edge Class ships were just as clean and well-maintained. I do think DCL's lack of indoor smoking is a big plus, but you can also get that on Celebrity (though not on many other lines).

For me, I am willing to pay a reasonable DCL premium from time to time because I like the style of their ships (more classic steamliner versus a floating hotel) and small touches, like Disney music in the halls, artwork, themed restaurants, a good entertainment staff in the adult district at night, and the occasional show. I really like the entertainment on the stateroom TV's compared to other lines. It sounds dumb, but we always have some downtime in the stateroom to chill as a family and it is fun to watch Disney classics during that time, even if we are all grown now, compared to the terrible TV offerings on most other lines. Others really appreciate the characters too, but that hasn't been a selling point for us now that our kids are grown. I like the stateroom layouts and general vibe of the cabins more than other lines too. Even though I am not a Disney fanatic, I do catch the occasional "feels" for certain Disney magic when sailing too, which is fun Even the ships horn makes me emotional to hear, since it conjures so many happy family memories for me.

I will say, DCL has declined in quality in a few areas in my opinion, making the premium a little less worth it to us. The quality of service has become more hit or miss, particularly in the main dining rooms. So has the food. In my opinion, prior to the pandemic, it was mostly good and occasionally great. Post-pandemic, I would describe it as mostly passable to occasionally bad. They have also removed a host of little touches that used to make them stand out. They were all small things, but they add up to something bigger when I think about cruising DCL 15 years ago versus now.

In the end, if it's within your budget, I think it's worth a shot to see if you enjoy it or if you are content sailing other lines. It's the best way to know. I wouldn't go all-out on your first cruise—pick an itinerary that is more modestly priced to experience the ship. That will be the Caribbean or Baja cruises. But I wouldn't go too short on the length, because I personally think that doesn't give you the best experience with DCL.

Edit: Also consider some last minute guaranteed rates (you pick the cabin type, but not the specific room). My wife just took a cruise on the Fantasy that was affordable compared to our previous cruises. For her and a family member to go, with a verandah room, it was less per night than we have paid for a moderate room at WDW.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

Back when we took our first Disney Cruise in 2011, it really wasn't something that I wanted to do, since I've gotten seasick when going whale watching or deep-sea fishing in the past. Found out after our first cruise, that I'm fine on a cruise liner. My wife was insistent and while doing my research I found that DCL was the only cruise line at the time that had each ship hit 100% on their inspections one year and most of their other inspections came back with high scores on others. It does help that they only had 4 ships at the time, but still that was a plus in their favor in my book. It was also a cruise line that had the fewest mechanical issues with their ships. So, another plus for them in my book.

While I've always enjoyed going to Disneyland growing up, my wife used to work there as a teenager. Her brother and sister also worked at Disneyland and her sister still does at one of the hotels. So, she is a big Disney fan so that is another plus in their favor.

Neither my wife nor I are party animals and at our age, the slower pace of the DCL cruises has been more to our liking. We enjoy interacting with the cruise staff and waiters. A casino for us is not a draw but a drawback to us, nor is fancy activities that the other cruise lines offer, since it wouldn't be something that we would participate in normally.

The cost hasn't bothered me as much, my wife wants a veranda, and have gotten a category 7A each time, which works for us. We have so far only cruised on the Magic and Wonder (both twice), with really no plans to go on the larger ships. We have done the Med, Eastern Caribbean, Alaska and Mexican Riveria, with a B2B scheduled for the Mexican Riveria in 2026.

I just don't feel that the other cruise lines would offer me something that I would enjoy compared to DCL and as long as I'm comfortable paying what they are asking, that will continue. But value is subjective to everyone and what I feel is a good value might not be for someone else.

Psy

 

[TheBigErn]

My question isn't about affordability. It's about why are other quality cruise lines are so much cheaper.

 

[brentm77]

My question isn't about affordability. It's about why are other quality cruise lines are so much cheaper.

That's been answered by others, I think. People were explaining differences that make them "better" in some people's opinion. When a product is better, it can demand higher pricing.

But it's actually really simple. It's because the other lines don't have the name "Disney" on them mostly, plus the lack of Disney theming and intellectual property. That really is it. Disney can demand a premium because people associate the name with quality, nostalgia, and characters they love. DCL also does some things better, which also nudges up demand, allowing them to price their cruises higher than similar brands. Finally, I think Disney feels "safe" to some customers who otherwise wouldn't cruise, also driving up demand. But in the end, it's the name on the ship more than anything.