Looking for objective thoughts please...DCL vs RC

[winniedapooh]

Hello All my DIS Friends...here is what I am pondering DCL vs a RC Dec New Years cruise.

The players:
Me and DH
DS 22 and GF 20 , DS 19 and GF 20
DD 24 , DD 17 , and DD 7

There will be 3 staterooms as shown above. We are currently booked B2B from the last week of Dec until beg of Jan--over New Years out of Miami. 10 days, 2 veranda's and an inside room--for the girls. One DD does not like Veranda's--but is open to an ocean view.

We are not huge drinkers of alcohol...well 24 and 22 yo might like it and hubby some. They do ALL drink soda though. I looked quickly last night and saw that RC had an 8 night for same time frame out of PC leaving the 27th which would cost roughly 9K less.

What am I missing...new ports to go to...smaller staterooms, would we need 4, thus bringing the price up too much?? Would they drink that much soda and eat that much extra to warrant staying with DCL. This is typed very quickly and I WILL have more questions...Thanks so much in advance!!!

 

[bahacca]

I would price out a 4th cabin. If the cost difference is 9K, I find it hard to believe 1 extra cabin would be 9K! (THen again it is NYE, but I'd price it out). THen see what the price difference really is.
Has everyone been on DCL before? Has anyone been on RCI? What is on the RCI ship that people would partake in? If most of the people would enjoy the surfrider, ice skating, bowling, rock climbing, etc that is offered on other ships, then I think a new experience,especially for less money, would be fantastic. BUt if you don't gamble, shop and are into the Disney life and not fond of the offerings on the other ship, I'd stick with Disney. No use saving money for a ship where you won't use the amenities and be bored.

 

[winniedapooh]

Thanks so much bahacca. I am going to price it out tonight. I had some of the girls look at the ports and they are fine with that...will miss CC though! The shows are fine.

My worries are the food and kids club for the 7 yo--she is special needs (cognitive delays with a genetic disorder) and LOVES the kids club. Can anyone comment about RC kids club?

TIA

 

[bumbershoot]

What ship are you looking at?

I can't imagine one extra room plus soda is going to bring it up to 9K.

Does this trip include CocoCay? There were many parts of Coco that I liked MORE than Castaway. First one? As soon as you're off the ship you're walking on sand. Not concrete. Second one? Chickens and cats and iguanas. Not sure how they all exist together, but they seem to. (though I didn't actually see the iguanas; they were off on the nature trail area and we didn't walk that) Third? Many, smaller, cove-like beach areas instead of the vast swath of beach you see when you get off the Disney ship. Just FELT more private.

Beverage packages work on Cococay.

 

[winniedapooh]

Hi bumbershoot...that is the one downside...no private island...8 nights leaving 12/27 on Explorer of the Seas.


27-Dec Port Canaveral, Florida 5:30 PM

28-Dec Cruising

29-Dec Labadee, Haiti 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Docked

30-Dec San Juan, Puerto Rico 2:00 PM 11:00 PM Docked

31-Dec St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 7:00 AM 4:00 PM Docked

01-Jan Philipsburg, St. Maarten 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

02-Jan Cruising

03-Jan Cruising

04-Jan Port Canaveral, Florida 8:00 AM

Thanks for any suggestions or thoughts.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ah, but Labadee is Royal's! It's their own place. You'll have a great time there, from what I've read about it.

Oh, you get San Juan and St Maarten. Two of my brand new favorite places! In January we were on Freedom for 3 sea days, cococay, san juan, and st maarten, and it was amazing.


What is it that your DD needs/wants in the kid's club?

On our cruise they had the 6-8 year olds together with the 9-11s. It was one big space, with a lot less to obviously do, but they had nearly constant activities. DS was slow to warm up to it (being used to the extreme level of *stuff* and prettiness of Dream's club/lab), but he ended up loving it just the same. The staff in the kid's area seemed just as kind and caring as the staff at the Club/Lab, and because I'm personally biased against the chaos of checking in and out on Dream, I liked the simple and easy check in/out on Freedom.

That said, at least on Freedom, you have to walk through the (incredibly noisy and flashy-lights) arcade to get to/from the kid's areas...and that was a negative for me.

 

[winniedapooh]

Ahhh, I forgot they had two islands, lol! Thanks so much for the information. I have emailed my TA at DU to see what magic she can make for me. She suggested 3 staterooms and not 4 too!

DD, 6, is immature for her age and loves to be kept busy! She even begged t go back to the kids club when we took her off of the ship in St. Maarten! I think I am about sold. I just need to do the research on extra costs, room/deck layouts, etc. Thanks again so much!!!

 

[NancyIL]

Ahhh, I forgot they had two islands, lol! Thanks so much for the information. I have emailed my TA at DU to see what magic she can make for me. She suggested 3 staterooms and not 4 too!

Labadee is a private beach, and not an island. The advantage of it over Castaway Cay is latitude. The Bahamas can be chilly at that time of year, whereas Haiti is further south in the Caribbean and should be warmer.

Buy the soda package on RCI and you won't have to worry about people drinking too much of it.

 

[winniedapooh]

Thanks so much NancyIL I appreciate your feedback! Looking ahead to a new adventure and hoping we will not be disappointed!

 

[brekken1]

That is a great itinerary! Such wonderful ports.

 

[winniedapooh]

What a savings...we are saving over 2K going on the 8 night RC vs a 5 night DCL, leaving the same day. Will we be sad...I am sure some...but that savings with all of the people I have did it for me...the saves for the 8 night over a B2B 9 night on DCL is over 10K...

 

[woody73]

. . . the saves for the 8 night over a B2B 9 night on DCL is over 10K

Nice savings!

Woody