Disney vs. RCCL

[NancyIL]

I too like so many may look into a RCCL cruise, I think I have mastered the art of DCL pricing and OBC's, but what is it like for RCCL 's cruises? Do they offer discounts and do travel agents offer OBC's or is it more discount the cruise price.

TIA

Lisa

Royal Caribbean doesn't allow discounting, so it's the same situation as with DCL. I book with an online discount travel agency that gives me onboard credit.

 

[unionville]

I'm curious how tipping for your wait staff works with this program.......Would you mind sharing?

We have cruised on Disney twice, but we have also been on Carnival, Holland America, and Princess. Princess was our only "anytime dining" experience. On other cruiselines, tips are automatically added to your account each day. You don't pay the tip at the end of your cruise. I guess the servers each receive their "share" at the end of the cruise. We did not have the same server each night. We also ate at two of the speciality restaurants on Princess (like Palo's). There was a surcharge and we tried to tip an additional amount. Our server said they were not allowed to take an additional tip that the best reward would be to mention their name on the survey at the end of the cruise. I've never had a Palo server turn down an additional tip!

 

[tchrmom]

I know no place in our world is safe, but how did you feel about safety on the ship? My DD is so used to going to the club or pool with new ship friends, usually Disers, or with her brother. If I knew how to work this part out for both our sakes, I'd probably do RCCL. (We've cruised with them before kids, and had no issues at all.) At this age, many of the activities on RCCL are more her speed. She wanted to try the teen club at least one time on DCL which is why we are going again this year, but her brother will also be there.
Also, now that the staterroms are non-smoking, it looks even more attractive.

I admit......I too had the idea that Disney was "safer".......and we were reluctant to give our 13 year free run of the ship. The rule was.....you can be with another friend/friends that you have met on the ship.....but the minute you are alone, use the dec phone (as mentioned in my original post) to call us ASAP, and we will come and hang with you. This worked out great....and I was never worried about her safety. (and.she met some great friends.....so we never really had to go to her rescue! )

 

[tchrmom]

I too like so many may look into a RCCL cruise, I think I have mastered the art of DCL pricing and OBC's, but what is it like for RCCL 's cruises? Do they offer discounts and do travel agents offer OBC's or is it more discount the cruise price.

We have always booked DCL on board.......so we did the same with RCCL. We booked 2 "N" rooms, so we got $100.00 on board credit for each, added cruise insurance....since my father in law is not in the best of health. The total was $5100. (This included a "fuel charge") I paid $4900 for the 6/21/08 cruise (2 "Q" rooms) with NO insurance or on board credit. (no fuel charge for us this trip, thanks to the att. general of FL!) So.....I felt it was about the same for the 2009 trip.....still cheaper than the 7 day western cruise Disney quoted me at $7061.00

 

[jodifla]

Thanks for your honest and practical assessment!

I've been on about a dozen cruises on several lines...DCL, RCCL, Carnival, NCL as well as some defunct lines.

ALL the cruises have been GREAT! We really enjoy DCL, but when it doesn't fit into the budget, another cruise line will.

 

[jajomo0118]

So here is the real question, If DCL was more "in" budget would you be even looking at other cruise line, or has your family just out grown DCL due to the teen/tween group. Would love to hear anyone one this..

(for us its alittle of both)

 

[unionville]

Our family is looking for new ports and larger pools! The Splash Zone has my 8 year old son's attention. More specialty restaurants are also a plus. We have done WDW so often that the characters are not that important to my son anymore - now Mom still loves them! I'm sure we will be back on DCL when the new ships sail. For now, the 10 year old boats and the so-so itineraries prevent us from paying a premium price. With that said, we really did enjoy our Mexican Riviera cruise with Mickey. It was fun seeing new ports and spending time at Disneyland. Captain Mickey knows how to host a cruise!

 

[inkedupmomma]

ok so a newbie to any cruising i take it that rccl is the way to go if you are not doing dcl?? im so sad that disney charges SOOO much more. I want to do the disney cruise so bad since my dd and ds are still young, but for that price i could do rccl and then go to wdw!

 

[LadyZolt]

So here is the real question, If DCL was more "in" budget would you be even looking at other cruise line, or has your family just out grown DCL due to the teen/tween group.

For me at this point, it's really about the cruise itinerary. I've done two Disney cruises for the fun of cruising and to add to our Disney World vacation, but DH and I really want to cruise to Alaska, do a river cruise in Europe, cruise the Panama Canal and to South America, and sail on an actual sailing ship with a mast and sails. LOL! If Disney offered itineraries and pricing that were competitive with what's currently available, I'd sail Disney.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[jajomo0118]

For me at this point, it's really about the cruise itinerary. I've done two Disney cruises for the fun of cruising and to add to our Disney World vacation, but DH and I really want to cruise to Alaska, do a river cruise in Europe, cruise the Panama Canal and to South America, and sail on an actual sailing ship with a mast and sails. LOL! If Disney offered itineraries and pricing that were competitive with what's currently available, I'd sail Disney.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

I think most of us want our "Disney" but with a RCCL fleet...lol

 

[unionville]

ok so a newbie to any cruising i take it that rccl is the way to go if you are not doing dcl?? im so sad that disney charges SOOO much more. I want to do the disney cruise so bad since my dd and ds are still young, but for that price i could do rccl and then go to wdw!

I think you have to make the right choice for your family. We have not cruised RCCL yet (we are looking at June 2009). My son loved the Caribbean Princess when he was 7 years old just as must as his two DCL cruises. We were on Holand American in Alaska last summer and he had a blast! Keep in mind that there is really not many kids on a Holland America ship in Alaska!!! I think a cruise on another line is what you make of it. For our family, cruising is a great vacation - mom and dad get alone time & child gets to have lots of fun too!

 

[tchrmom]

So here is the real question, If DCL was more "in" budget would you be even looking at other cruise line, or has your family just out grown DCL due to the teen/tween group. Would love to hear anyone one this..

(for us its alittle of both)

If DCL was "in budget"....we would have probably never tried RCCL. We were VERY pleased. However, the cost MADE us consider another line, if we were going to cruise again. That "opened the door" for us.......once we walked through that door, we realized that there are other cruise lines that can meet our needs AND expectations.

 

[CruisinEars]

Thanks for the comparison. My dh and I have been discussing a RCCL cruise. I priced out the exact week in 2009 on RCCL that we are going on DCL and the RCCL was actually more expensive. We are paying $3100 for a cat 10 for 4 (with the rebooking 10% discount) and it came to over $3500 on RCCL in a room of similar square footage. The only difference was that the RCCL room would have a window, which is not important to us. And RCCL's price didn't include taxes, fuel charges etc. Otherwise we would have considered canceling our Magic cruise and gone with RCCL.

After this cruise we do want to try other itineraries so we will be considering other cruiselines.

 

[slk]

We have always booked DCL on board.......so we did the same with RCCL. We booked 2 "N" rooms, so we got $100.00 on board credit for each, added cruise insurance....since my father in law is not in the best of health. The total was $5100. (This included a "fuel charge") I paid $4900 for the 6/21/08 cruise (2 "Q" rooms) with NO insurance or on board credit. (no fuel charge for us this trip, thanks to the att. general of FL!) So.....I felt it was about the same for the 2009 trip.....still cheaper than the 7 day western cruise Disney quoted me at $7061.00

I get from this that you rebooked your 2nd cruise onboard. But, for your 1st RC cruise how did you book it - through RC, travel agent?
Just curious and if you did get any OBC when you originally booked.
Thanks!

 

[DVCcruise]

Hey Fran,

I was lucky enough to find your post. We decided against LA this summer with DCL and booked the Liberty of the Seas for next week. I have really enjoyed your post. They just increased my excitment for next Saturday. I'm hoping to find the same great vacation to match our 3 Disney cruises. Since we Jake is now 13, we think he will have a blast on these big ships. We'll have to check back in next week and let you know about our week.

Thanks again for the post!
Susan

 

[tchrmom]

I get from this that you rebooked your 2nd cruise onboard. But, for your 1st RC cruise how did you book it - through RC, travel agent?
Just curious and if you did get any OBC when you originally booked.
Thanks!

For our first.....we booked online......that cruise was $4900 vs. Disney's $6700. There was no onboard credit. With the 2nd cruise we booked onboard, each room....remember we got 2 adjoining rooms, got a $100.00 on board credit.

Hey Fran,

I was lucky enough to find your post. We decided against LA this summer with DCL and booked the Liberty of the Seas for next week. I have really enjoyed your post. They just increased my excitment for next Saturday. I'm hoping to find the same great vacation to match our 3 Disney cruises. Since we Jake is now 13, we think he will have a blast on these big ships. We'll have to check back in next week and let you know about our week.

Thanks again for the post!
Susan

Susan.........You will LOVE it! Have fun, and let me know how YOU think RCCL and Disney compare.

 

[unionville]

Hey Fran,

I was lucky enough to find your post. We decided against LA this summer with DCL and booked the Liberty of the Seas for next week. I have really enjoyed your post. They just increased my excitment for next Saturday. I'm hoping to find the same great vacation to match our 3 Disney cruises. Since we Jake is now 13, we think he will have a blast on these big ships. We'll have to check back in next week and let you know about our week.

Thanks again for the post!
Susan

Please give us a review when you return. Hope you have a great week cruising!

 

[kaykels]

So here is the real question, If DCL was more "in" budget would you be even looking at other cruise line, or has your family just out grown DCL due to the teen/tween group. Would love to hear anyone one this..

(for us its alittle of both)

I'd like to field that one. TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, YES, I'D STILL LOOK AT OTHER SHIPS FOR A CHANGE OF PACE, BUT I WOULDN'T LOOK QUITE AS HARD. I'D KEEP COMING BACK.
I'm MAD at Disney and I hope they execs are reading this. DCL was our first cruise experience and we have sailed with them 5 times. I have also sailed other lines since then and while we absolutely love Disney and Castaway Cay, they have gone crazy with the pricing! I can't believe they can fill these ships! These ships are getting older and don't have the ammenities of the Voyager and Radiance class ships, nevermind the Freedom class. And I'd bet my life that the new ships won't have near as much to offer as Genesis class. That Oasis of the Seas is unbelievable!


Try comparing a holiday week on DCL with any other comparable cruise. You'll see an insane difference. At the moment, Thanksgiving week would cost my family over 10,000. It's a little more than half price for Liberty of the Seas that week. So while I'll be missing Castaway Cay terribly, I'm sure I can drown my sorrows while I"m riding the flow rider, climbing the rock wall, watching a parade on the promenade and trying out the casino. I don't think I'll suffer too much. So keep the stories coming.

 

[cmash95]

For me at this point, it's really about the cruise itinerary. I've done two Disney cruises for the fun of cruising and to add to our Disney World vacation, but DH and I really want to cruise to Alaska, do a river cruise in Europe, cruise the Panama Canal and to South America, and sail on an actual sailing ship with a mast and sails. LOL! If Disney offered itineraries and pricing that were competitive with what's currently available, I'd sail Disney.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

if you want to do that sort of thing then in my opinion, princess or celebrity are the way to go not RCCL. especially alaska. and I don't know if they have boats that still fit through the canal.

 

[LadyZolt]

if you want to do that sort of thing then in my opinion, princess or celebrity are the way to go not RCCL. especially alaska. and I don't know if they have boats that still fit through the canal.

Oh, definitely -- we've already decided to do Princess for the Alaska cruise because our TA has done it and has told us all about it. It sounds great! RCCL does have Alaska cruises, but I think the Princess ones have more of what we're lookigng for. We're doing RCCL for a Panama Canal/South America cruise this fall, and that'll be our first "non-Disney" cruise. I really loved the Disney cruises, but we're interested in sailing to destinations that Disney just doesn't usually go.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)