MouseOfCards
Finally jumped in . . .
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2016
- Messages
- 1,477
We have done several Disney and several other cruise lines. We recently took a Royal cruise to Alaska (our 3rd time there). Here's a few quick observations/comparisons:
1. We originally booked Royal out of Seattle due to concerns that Canada might keep their ports closed, possibly leading to Disney cancelling their cruises out of Vancouver. If we were certain that Vancouver would stay open, we likely would have opted for Disney.
2. Royal's Quantum of the Seas is massive (holds 4,900 passengers). We thought the Disney ships were large, but the Disney Wonder seemed minuscule sitting next to Quantum.
3. We were told that there were 4,500 passengers on board, which was surprising to us since the ship, activities, shows, restaurants, lines, etc. never seemed very crowded. Even in our main dining room (1 of 4), there were always a good number of tables (at least 10) noticeably empty every night - except for the night they served lobster tails and the dining room was packed. However, lengthy waits for the elevators were common.
4. Embarking and disembarking was incredibly efficient, especially for such a huge ship, and seemingly faster than Disney.
5. Royal seems to have more preferred docking than Disney (e.g. in Juneau, Alaska, the Disney Wonder docks much farther away from downtown than Royal, which might be a problem when coming with granny and her wheelchair).
6. There were lots of activities for the kiddies (and adults) on the ship, including bumper cars, laser tag, pools, North Star, table hockey, etc., much more than the smaller Royal ships especially.
7. None of the shows was very kid friendly, catering mostly to the adult audience. We all missed the great productions on the Disney ships.
8. The kids clubs were very popular, but seemed understaffed. They showed movies, including Disney cartoons, to end the evenings.
9. The buffet food was surprisingly good and consistent, better than we remember on Disney.
10. The much-hyped Coastal Kitchen restaurant (for suite guests) seemed overrated. Surprisingly, they didn't offer some of the menu items offered in the main dining room (such as prime rib and the whole lobster option). It's was definitely more quiet and intimate, and half-empty the nights we dined there.
11. The ship had 4 main dining rooms, each themed differently, but all offering the same meals prepared by the same kitchen staff. We missed the dining rotation and the fun themes on Disney ships.
12. We loved the junior suites on Quantum for our families with a full bathroom and a separate toilet and sink, a large and comfortable bed, a drop down bunk bed that we're used to on Disney, and a sofa bed that can sleep 2 very comfortably. The room felt much more spacious than Disney's family verandah rooms and were significantly cheaper. However, there's no curtain separating the 2 sleeping areas.
13. Most staff were friendly and attentive, just like on Disney.
14. We paid for the fastest wifi, which was very strong in the main dining and common areas, but almost useless in our staterooms.
15. We definitely missed the familiar Disney songs throughout the ship.
16. Overall, Quantum and Alaska was a wonderful time enjoyed by our party.
1. We originally booked Royal out of Seattle due to concerns that Canada might keep their ports closed, possibly leading to Disney cancelling their cruises out of Vancouver. If we were certain that Vancouver would stay open, we likely would have opted for Disney.
2. Royal's Quantum of the Seas is massive (holds 4,900 passengers). We thought the Disney ships were large, but the Disney Wonder seemed minuscule sitting next to Quantum.
3. We were told that there were 4,500 passengers on board, which was surprising to us since the ship, activities, shows, restaurants, lines, etc. never seemed very crowded. Even in our main dining room (1 of 4), there were always a good number of tables (at least 10) noticeably empty every night - except for the night they served lobster tails and the dining room was packed. However, lengthy waits for the elevators were common.
4. Embarking and disembarking was incredibly efficient, especially for such a huge ship, and seemingly faster than Disney.
5. Royal seems to have more preferred docking than Disney (e.g. in Juneau, Alaska, the Disney Wonder docks much farther away from downtown than Royal, which might be a problem when coming with granny and her wheelchair).
6. There were lots of activities for the kiddies (and adults) on the ship, including bumper cars, laser tag, pools, North Star, table hockey, etc., much more than the smaller Royal ships especially.
7. None of the shows was very kid friendly, catering mostly to the adult audience. We all missed the great productions on the Disney ships.
8. The kids clubs were very popular, but seemed understaffed. They showed movies, including Disney cartoons, to end the evenings.
9. The buffet food was surprisingly good and consistent, better than we remember on Disney.
10. The much-hyped Coastal Kitchen restaurant (for suite guests) seemed overrated. Surprisingly, they didn't offer some of the menu items offered in the main dining room (such as prime rib and the whole lobster option). It's was definitely more quiet and intimate, and half-empty the nights we dined there.
11. The ship had 4 main dining rooms, each themed differently, but all offering the same meals prepared by the same kitchen staff. We missed the dining rotation and the fun themes on Disney ships.
12. We loved the junior suites on Quantum for our families with a full bathroom and a separate toilet and sink, a large and comfortable bed, a drop down bunk bed that we're used to on Disney, and a sofa bed that can sleep 2 very comfortably. The room felt much more spacious than Disney's family verandah rooms and were significantly cheaper. However, there's no curtain separating the 2 sleeping areas.
13. Most staff were friendly and attentive, just like on Disney.
14. We paid for the fastest wifi, which was very strong in the main dining and common areas, but almost useless in our staterooms.
15. We definitely missed the familiar Disney songs throughout the ship.
16. Overall, Quantum and Alaska was a wonderful time enjoyed by our party.
Last edited:
We totally did wave!!!
