Help me...I feel like a traitor!

[U2FanHfx]

We just booked a 7 night cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse this coming December. We looked at Disney again but the price wasn't even close. We are beginning to side with our friends that Disney may be pricing themselves a bit too high and the value is dropping. We returned from our Wonder cruise last month, and while we thoroughly enjoyed it, the amenities of the ship are just not anywhere near the new modern ships. I think Disney may have taken a bit too long to build some new ships. Even our friends that work for Disney see a lot of inventory becoming available for cast members that used to be limited, including the Mediterranean at steep discounts. I know it's a demand and supply thing and people are still going, but I'm wondering how many people that are die hard Disney fans are thinking more like myself.

Don't get me wrong, we booked onboard for a 4 night Dream cruise for next April and the westbound transatlantic next year. For the Dream cruise we may just wait for it to move to 7 nights and move the reservation. For the same price we booked the 4 night in a Cat 5 balcony on Disney, we received a 7 night in a Concierge Balcony stateroom with spa included (like rainforest room) for the duration. I know we need to add the drink card to match Disney but that is under $100.00. Maybe our plan of matching a land vacation with a cruise from now on will include lines other than Disney given that I can sail on other lines that are equal in service for much less cost. Really it comes down to value and I don't know anyone that can just throw money away.

Don't know why, but I do have these guilty feelings for not doing Disney lol. Please don't flame me, just seeing if I need to join a support group

 

[xangav]

Don't feel like a traitor, although it was tough when we booked RCCL the first time! I think I am over it after getting two connecting balconies on NCL's new Epic for a third of the price of a Cat 11!

I still come to these boards and enjoy living vicariously through the threads but I agree with you; it is hard to justify the cost when your kids are telling you to move on! Even so, we are still talking about a future cruise aboard the Dream or Fantasy. Things change so we will see.

So here we are....a support group of 2!

 

[Momto3cuties]

Don;t want to hijack your thread but thought maybe you'd have some good info for us!

We are in the researching stages for a cruise and Disney was appealing to us as we have 3 young kids who would be 6, 4, and 2 by the time we cruised. They enjoyed Magic Kingdom, but we wanted something more relaxing for our next big vacation.

I was a bit shocked at how much more the DCL cruises were than say a 7 night on Carnival or Royal Caribbean. For those of you that are booking on other cruise lines, is it because your kiddos are older now? or it is solely the price?

I, too, do not like to throw money away and want to get the most bang for my buck. That said, my first priority is my kiddos and what they would enjoy the most. So if it is Disney, then Disney we will go. But have to wonder if they'd be just as happy on another cruise line. Most worried that at their ages the other cruise lines might not have activities and the like that are as appealing as those on DCL.

Would love thoughts from those of you that have sailed DCL and other cruise lines with small children -

Thanks!

 

[tvguy]

Any cruise is a great vacation in my book.

My kids were 12 and 16 when we cruised Disney, they cruised HAL at 11 and 15, and NCL America at ages 16 and 20. They loved all three cruises.

Picking a cruise is like picking a restaurant.....sometimes you're in the mood for Denny's......sometimes you're in the mood for Outback Steakhouse......and sometimes you in the mood for that $130 per person speciality restaurant.
And with 2 kids in college, Denny's has gotten a lot of our business.

 

[U2FanHfx]

Great reply TVGuy! I like the restaurant analogy.

Momto3cuties, I think it is DEFINITELY a must do to do a Disney Cruise. Your kids will love it and from what I have read, Disney beats all other lines hands down for the kids programs. Doesn't mean you need to do it this time but I do wonder what there is to do for younger kids on RCCL or others but I'm not sure.

My travel party is just my wife and I. We were looking at amenities, activities and relaxation. Price was a very low priority. That's why we ended up choosing between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Their ships are more modern and have more things to do. Ultimately we selected Celebrity for the pampering and relaxation. Celebrity is also more adult / spa focused which she likes. My wife says that a Disney vacation is not relaxing when she is with me lol. My friend told me I made the wrong choice as the bikinis would be better on Royal. lol <little joke for ya there>

You also need to look no further of our Disney obsession and continued business by reviewing my signature. We have two more already booked! I guess I had two points in my original post, 1) the amenities and activities on Disney are limited now that you compare them to the other lines (they were once all innovative) and 2) the lack of measuring up to these other lines means that the value for dollar also decreases but Disney's prices do not reflect this.

You need to compare apples to apples and I consider both NCL and Carnival, of a lower "tier" than Disney. I consider Disney and Royal on the same tier and Celebrity a bit higher. I have another friend that has been on around 20 cruises or so and he agrees with that assessment. Actually he referred to NCL and Carnival as the "Wal-Mart" of cruise lines. Ultimately all cruise lines have their niche and are marketing to them.

Hope this helps!

CJM

 

[pluto1979]

Do not feel bad. You have to try new things and experiances without it being Disney. I too had that same feeling when I went on NCL. I must say though that I feel as if Disney is well worth the price and value. I do not think anything compares to it. The ship was just not the sam nor the quality of those that work aboard the vessel. However, with that being said, I was with my family and that made the vacation.

Being with those you love always makes the trip more special and worth it! Do not feel bad. Disney is still there for you!
Enjoy your cruises on both ships because your with those you love!

 

[ktjl92]

No need to feel like a traitor -

Just remember when you're comparing prices to consider the 'hidden' extras on other cruise lines - such as fees for activities, higher fees (than at Palo) for the specialty restaurants, and charges for soft drinks/coffee/tea, etc., and the fact that you cannot bring any of your own beverages on board other lines. The upfront may be less, but you may find yourself with more out-of-pocket expenses.

Of course, you still may be ahead in the long run - just other things to consider when figuring the price differentials.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Don't feel bad!!

I always say that I'm a traveler or a cruiser, not singularly a disney cruiser. I love disney and really think they do a fab job but if you only cruised dcl up til now there's a lot of the world that you wouldn't be seeing b/c dcl doesn't go there.

Also, even w/ extra costs, other lines are often a better value, and each cruise line has it's strengths so while dcl does some things better there's other lines that do other things better.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[ksucats]

Just remember when you're comparing prices to consider the 'hidden' extras on other cruise lines - such as fees for activities, higher fees (than at Palo) for the specialty restaurants, and charges for soft drinks/coffee/tea, etc., and the fact that you cannot bring any of your own beverages on board other lines. The upfront may be less, but you may find yourself with more out-of-pocket expenses.

I also added in the fact that I know I won't lose any money in the casino to help justify paying a little more upfront.

 

[NancyIL]

I also added in the fact that I know I won't lose any money in the casino to help justify paying a little more upfront.

Most people who play BINGO on DCL don't end up richer!

 

[ksucats]

Most people who play BINGO on DCL don't end up richer!

That may be true, but for me personally I am a lot less likely to get tied up in Bingo than I am at a casino. Bingo just isn't as appealing to me, so I won't lose any money there.

 

[NancyIL]

That may be true, but for me personally I am a lot less likely to get tied up in Bingo than I am at a casino. Bingo just isn't as appealing to me, so I won't lose any money there.

I played BINGO on a cruise just once (on RCI). It was the "win a free cruise" BINGO, or as I like to call it - "donate to someone else's free cruise"! I would rather lose my money a quarter at a time in a slot machine over a period of several hours, than all at once in a 15-minute BINGO game. However, I usually steer clear of casinos on cruise ships because I detest the smell of cigarette smoke.

To the OP - no need to feel like a traitor. DCL's prices will come down when the law of supply and demand necessitates. If more people just said no to DCL's high prices, they would offer more incentives to book. Instead, too many people just roll over and pay what the MOUSE asks - "because it's Disney."

 

[NC DCL fans]

Don't forget to consider the quality of the private islands with the different cruise lines, if you cruise visits one. Every time I start to price out another cruise line, I keep thinking that there would be no Castaway Cay! I think we pretty much go to visit castaway cay. Our first cruise was a wonder cruise double dip to castaway cay in june 08 - so we're spoiled for life now. We haven't visited any other cruise lines private islands, though, so maybe are missing out on something better (but I doubt it!)

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

I know how you feel!

We booked a Carnival cruise to Canada for July after we fell in love with DCL in March! We booked a March 2011 cruise onboard, we just "needed" another cruise, did not want the summer heat of the Bahamas or the airfare for Europe.

We would have paid more for DCL if they offered a cruise from a port drivable to us (Baltimore, NYC, or Boston) but it was not an option.

We will be on the boat over July 4th and miss out on fireworks since DCL has the patent and the school for cruise ship fireworks. That and Castaway Cay and the fact that I will have to explain multiple times a day that Minnie and Mickey are not on the cruise to DD.

I felt like a traitor for a while and have not put as much effort into organizing the trip, partly in fear of to much effort leading to too much disappointment after the FE and Disney outfits (no one sells custom Carnival shirts on ebay) and am just going to be ready to have a relaxing vacation and anything above that is a bonus.

After you have doughnuts and coffee delivery while waiting for the princesses on DCL the bar is set high!

Have a great cruise and embrace the differences, as much as you can, including the extra $$$ towards the next DCL!

 

[robsmom]

I guess I need to be on the traitor list. After 2 great cruises with Disney, we went on the Celebrity Soltisce last summer and have never looked back. We are headed on the Eclipse Baltic Cruise this summer. You are going to love the Eclipse. I love the Magic but it can't compare to a Celebrity Solstice class ship. The kids activities are very good, the service is excellent. The price difference is incredible. I just checked and to take a 12 day Baltic Cruise would be $6500 more than we are paying for the 14 day Eclipse cruise in a comparable verandah cabin (newer and better bathroom).

 

[jjgarv]

DH and I are very serious about our love for Disney and Disney cruises, especially. However, we tried a Princess cruise this past spring, because we could get 7 nights and new ports for the price of a 4-night Wonder. And while we weren't as impressed with the ship/staff/food as compared to Disney, we got to see/explore 5 different islands that we had never been to before. It was awesome to hike through the rainforests of Dominica and Grendada to swim in waterfalls, to snorkel with sea turtles in Bonaire, and hike Mt. Hooiberg and go off-roading to the natural pool in Aruba.

While we already have two more Disney cruises booked with our daughter, we also plan on trying out the Oasis in the next year or so. While DD is still young and 'into' the characters, we will continue to sail Disney. However, I've watched my older nephews/nieces (they are in their early teens) have a complete blast on their last couple of Royal Caribbean cruises, so I see that as a possibility in our future when DD is a bit older. (And I certainly won't complain about the money saved!)

All that being said... The Disney Magic was the start to our honeymoon (and love of cruising) ten years ago, so I know that DH and I will continue to sail Disney and visit Castaway Cay and sip Konk Koolers even if other cruise lines are sprinkled in here and there.

You're not a traitor...there are a lot of factors the come in to play when choosing which cruise line/ship/itinerary to sail on.

 

[U2FanHfx]

Thanks for all the replies. I started this thread as kind of a joke. A little AA like meeting where you admit you are a Disney Addict and you are trying to ween yourself off.

That being said I am concerned about the comparison of the two but I am confident in the research I have done and hey, I have to listen to the boss right

We also got married on the Magic so it will always be our favorite. Here's looking forward to many cruises, both on and off Disney.

CJM

 

[Costumesaremylife]

the fact that you cannot bring any of your own beverages on board other lines.

I would have to disagree on this.
I have brought soda on Carnival, Princess and only a month ago on Royal Caribbean. As far as wine and beer go, I know on Princess they were letting people because there was a liquor store at the pier in Puerto Rico. I don't drink though so I 'm not sure of the rules on the others. There is a chat board devoted to cruising that I used to find out what's going on on other ships.

 

[mhl1414]

I took my son on a 7 day Carnival for $429 for each of us 2 years ago! I just couldn't turn town the price. Even tough the kids areas are not as impressive, he had a great time. I thought the food was better on Carnival than Disney for me, but liked having more kid friendly options with Disney. The service was better on Disney and I liked having more things we could do together on Disney. Also, Carnival was very smokey in areas. With that being said, I don't regret my Carnival cruise. We had a blast could not beat that price and would do it again for the right deal, however I am booked for the Dream next year. I now have a toddler who loves Mickey and my son is getting older and can't wait for the aqua duck! I compared prices on some of the other newer ships before booking, but I have to agree with others Disney has very little extra fees once onboard and that makes a big difference. Some of the other newer ships have lots of activitys but they all come with a price. Also, the day at Castaway Cay can't be beat and is included! You don't have to spend a dime if you don't want to!

 

[cmclaura]

We decided to buy into the DVC so that we could cruise on DCL just about every year. It's worked out great for us. Sure, we have to pay for it for the first 10 years, plus the fees, but on the whole, we'll be getting 40 years of cruises after the intial 10 years for just the fees each year.

And that's a price I can very easily deal with as the first 10 years of cruises pretty much work out at an equal cost and the rest will end up costing us much, much less than rack rate.