Major Differences: Disney vs RCCL

[DisneyMomforLife]

So, we have a "ghost date" reservation that we booked onboard a while back and we are trying to decide whether or not to use it next April. We've been on the Wonder twice, the Magic once for an Eastern so it's been the plan to save this last one for the Fantasy for a Western. My kids are getting older (will be 22 and 14 next time) and althought they do still love the "big mickey boat", I think they are excited to get on RCCL's Oasis or Allure and experience that patch of grass next time.

Can anyone who has experienced both tell me what the major differences are? Here are a few questions and/or things I already know. Anyone with Allure or Oasis experience specifically, please chime in as well!!!


I know the rooms are bigger on Disney (not including suites, etc).

I know that Disney allows you to bring liquor and beverages and all other cruise lines do not.

What about soda or other drinks? Do they have to be purchased onboard or are they free?

How is dining done? I'm guessing they have buffets and restaurants that you rotate around? Do the servers follow you around as well or no (thought this was specific to Disney)? If not, how does the tipping work at the end of the week?

How is the service?? The food??

How are the kids clubs? On a ship as big as the Oasis class, do the kids even want to go to the clubs?

Are the pools fresh or salt water? I had thought Disney was the only one who did fresh water but I could be wrong?

I think its safe to assume that independent restaurants on the boardwalk and in the promenade on RCCL ships are extra (such as Johnny Rockets and places like that) but it can't hurt to ask to get confirmation.

Lastly, in general, what else is extra to pay for ... or other differences that I haven't mentioned?

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Kat

 

[mmouse37]

I am putting out a warning for this thread....if anyone attacks another for their opinions or stating their experiences this thread will be shut down. After the fiasco on the DCL vs. Carnival thread, personal attacks will not be tolerated.

MJ

 

[DaParkers]

Maybe the thread starters should stop putting vs in the titles of these threads.

 

[DisneyMomforLife]

Im sorry, I havent been on the boards in a very long time. I
certainly didn't realize a topic *or title, for that matter* would cause such a stir.

 

[gismo1554]

I too would be interested in opinions! My other half doesn't overly like Disney where as I do and so was considering doing a different cruise as a comprimise but scared I wont like it!

 

[mmouse37]

Also, if you do a search either in Google or the Dis search you can find other threads that discuss DCL vs. RCCL and or many other cruise lines.

MJ

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Me too, Ive a rcl cruise booked for october, looking forwrd to comparing for myself, but in the meantime...

 

[Homegrown]

We haven't been on Oasis or Allure (hoping Allure this summer) but did the eastern on the Freedom last summer.

Can anyone who has experienced both tell me what the major differences are? Here are a few questions and/or things I already know. Anyone with Allure or Oasis experience specifically, please chime in as well

I know the rooms are bigger on Disney (not including suites, etc).

The split bathrooms on Disney are MUCH better than most other cruise lines bathrooms, especially when traveling with kids.

I know that Disney allows you to bring liquor and beverages and all other cruise lines do not.

correct

What about soda or other drinks? Do they have to be purchased onboard or are they free?

You have to buy a soda package and then get soda from the bars, this is a pain when the bars are crowded. Once the diner servers learn you're drink choices, they will usually have your soda ready at dinner

How is dining done? I'm guessing they have buffets and restaurants that you rotate around? Do the servers follow you around as well or no (thought this was specific to Disney)? If not, how does the tipping work at the end of the week?

Freedom had one main dinning room for dinner, Disney is the only one that rotates. My 10 year son said he missed the roatating.

How is the service?? The food??

Service was very good, in fact we were suprised at how friendly and efficent it was. The food on the other hand was only so-so. The main dining room was usually pretty good, we got tired of the buffet at lunch. We really missed having a fast food option by the pool.

How are the kids clubs? On a ship as big as the Oasis class, do the kids even want to go to the clubs?

My son loved the kids club on the Freedom, but he's an only and generally loves any situation where he gets to hang out with other kids. The thing we didn't like is you have to pay for the kids club after 10. We aren't late night partiers but that still cut the evening shorter than what we wanted some nights.

Are the pools fresh or salt water? I had thought Disney was the only one who did fresh water but I could be wrong?

Pools are fresh

I think its safe to assume that independent restaurants on the boardwalk and in the promenade on RCCL ships are extra (such as Johnny Rockets and places like that) but it can't hurt to ask to get confirmation.

Johnny Rockets is extra, but on the Allure and Oasis it looks like there are a pretty good mixture of pay and free dining areas.

Lastly, in general, what else is extra to pay for ... or other differences that I haven't mentioned?

Both have private island, we like Castaway better that RCCL's, you had to pay to play on the inflatable floating playground at RCCL's island. Lot's of fun but it was something I felt should have been included

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

OK, this is a tough one, we have done mutiple cruise on both and like both for different reasons. I am very active and love the options on the newer RCCL ships (the Flowrider is awesome), my wife on the other had is happy to sit on the balcony and read and enjoy the Disney fun. My son just wants to go and is fine with either. We really enjoy movies and obviously DCL's theater is better and we enjoy DCL's shows better also. RCCL does great parades on their big ships. I think if money were no object, we would probably stay with DCL most of the time, but it is, so in the past we have alternated between the two. I don't think you would disappointed with either, you just have to realize that there are things that one does better that the other.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

To the OP: Great questions!

I've researched the Oasis quite a bit for our family (e.g. reading reviews, trip reports and even the National Geographic TV special on the making of the ship) and know most of the answers to your "factual" questions, but I have never cruised on the Oasis so will let someone who has actually cruised on that ship answer your questions - both the factual ones and the subjective ones (i.e. service, food quality and overall preference).

We ultimately chose to go on Disney vs the Oasis for the following reasons (1) Price: DCL was $1,200 less for our family of 5 when we booked (2) We have had 5 great vacations on DCL and the overall experience has been consistently excellent for us and we believe that we won't be disappointed again, whereas, it's an unknown for us on another line (3) We want to try out the new DCL ships while the kids are still excited about them. We are Disney fans and so are our kids. They've been following the building of the Dream and Fantasy more closely than us and they can't wait to go on it again. (4) The Oasis and the Carnival Dream have the same exact itinerary and will be at the same ports on the same days! Whereas, Disney will be at those same ports, but on different days. Plus the Oasis and Dream visit Nassau (for their Eastern itineraries) and DCL visits Castaway Cay. I would have assumed the major lines would always visit their private island, but that's not the case. Make sure you look at the exact itinerary to make sure it visits the private island or some other port.

Although I stated above that DCL was $1,200 less for our family than the Oasis, unfortunately, that is no longer true if you book today. Since we booked 4 months ago, both ships have gone up in price. The Oasis has gone up by another $300, but DCL has skyrocketed in price by nearly $3,000!!! As DCL prices tend to rise quickly, if you're remotely considering DCL and the prices are still within your budget, book now and if you later change your mind and want to go on the Oasis, cancel and get a full refund of your deposit (as long as you cancel within 75 days of sailing). Alternatively, you can wait until the fall 2012 itineraries open up and book immediately to get the lowest price possible on DCL.

You might want to go to cruisecritic.com and go to the RCCL boards to get some of the "factual" type questions answered. Keep in mind that any of the subjective factors will have answers that vary significantly and will probably be biased one way or the other depending on which board you ask the question.

Good luck with your planning!

 

[5lilfish]

So, we have a "ghost date" reservation that we booked onboard a while back and we are trying to decide whether or not to use it next April. We've been on the Wonder twice, the Magic once for an Eastern so it's been the plan to save this last one for the Fantasy for a Western. My kids are getting older (will be 22 and 14 next time) and althought they do still love the "big mickey boat", I think they are excited to get on RCCL's Oasis or Allure and experience that patch of grass next time.

Can anyone who has experienced both tell me what the major differences are? Here are a few questions and/or things I already know. Anyone with Allure or Oasis experience specifically, please chime in as well!!!

I will cautiously stick my neck out and answer....We've been on 14 Disney Cruises and 5 RCI cruises...including Oasis of the Seas. I won't review the Disney side of your questions since you have sailed Disney. I'll focus on RCI.

I know the rooms are bigger on Disney (not including suites, etc).
The regular room was smaller. Our Promenade View room was pretty close in size to DCL. I do miss the split bath.

I know that Disney allows you to bring liquor and beverages and all other cruise lines do not.
We don't drunk but I am pretty sure this is correct.

What about soda or other drinks? Do they have to be purchased onboard or are they free?

You have to pay for soda on RCI. You either pay per drink or buy a soda package. With the package you get a sticker on your card...then you can get soda at the bar and restaraunt.

How is dining done? I'm guessing they have buffets and restaurants that you rotate around? Do the servers follow you around as well or no (thought this was specific to Disney)? If not, how does the tipping work at the end of the week?

Disney is the only line with rotational dining. On the Oasis, you are in 1 dining room for the whole cruise.

How is the service?? The food??

In our 5 cruises on RCI we have only had 1 great serving team. 3 have been good at their job but not very personable. 1 was the worst we have had on any cruise. I was not impressed with the dinging room food on RCI. My family felt the food on DCL was/is better. Oasis has a great free place to eat in Central Park. Wonderful salads and sandwhiches.... The buffet is ok...better than many buffets but still not fantastic. I think RCI's pizza is fantastic (and I am not a pizza lover). There is a free donut shop on RCI. Then there are some pay options.

How are the kids clubs? On a ship as big as the Oasis class, do the kids even want to go to the clubs?

My kids (5 kids in the 3-13yr old range) enjoyed the clubs on RCI but did not LOVE them. I'd say they liked the DCL clubs best followed by CCL, then RCI. They still went to the clubs. I hate paying after 10pm.

Are the pools fresh or salt water? I had thought Disney was the only one who did fresh water but I could be wrong?

The H2O zone is fresh. I thought the regular pool was salt water...but maybe i am wrong. I'm not sure I went in the regular pool...just the H2O Zone and the Flowrider.

I think its safe to assume that independent restaurants on the boardwalk and in the promenade on RCCL ships are extra (such as Johnny Rockets and places like that) but it can't hurt to ask to get confirmation.

The donut shop, pizza place and salad/sandwhich place were free. Johnny Rockets, fancy ice Cream, Cupcakes, and the Seafood Shack all had a fee.

Lastly, in general, what else is extra to pay for ... or other differences that I haven't mentioned?
You have to put a $20 deposit on your towel...but if you don't lose it or get it stollen, you get your money back. Your kids might have to pay for extra events that are heavily promoted...spa, late night party, build-a-bear like activity. RCI charges to use a vest on their island. The Soda package and fancy ice cream has a fee. Child activities after 10pm. One other difference...different type of entertainment. I did not find the main shows to be appropriate for kids. I didn't enjoy them either...but I guess that depends on the person. I prefer the DCL shows. RCI has a casino. We enjoy the casino but I feel that there isn't much else to do on RCI...we end up in the casino every night. Other people say they feel that way about lack of adult things on DCl...I guess, yet again, it depends on the person...and what you like.

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

Very tough question. we love DCL and have enjoyed RCI. I would gladly go on either. There are many personal factors that come into play. I have a future cruise booked on DCL and on RCI.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Kat

Edit to add: Some say RCI is cheaper but for every RCI cruise we have taken, the cost has been extremely close what we pay on DCL....sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less (but nothing noteworthy)


Good luck deciding...
Jess

 

[lovethedream]

Since the posters before me did a great job answering your questions, I will only mention this. From personal experience. We had relatives go with us on our last DCL cruise. One relative was thinking of letting her Daughter go. I did not put a deposit down for her. She finally made up her mind and said yes. When I went back to add her, (and I will not give prices as I do not remember exactly anymore), the cost to do so had gone up quite a bit. So much so that they could no longer afford to have her go. I could have easily put down the deposit for her and locked in the price. If she decided not to go, just cancelled it and got my money back. Of course, this is while you still can cancel without penalty.

 

[Edd]

I can offer some answers based on my RCL experience on the FOTS and MOTS.

You can purchae drinks individually on board, but at a price. The best thing to do is to buy the drink card and you can refill at any vending station on the ship. The card costs like 30.00 for kids and 40.00 for adults for the week of the cruise. You don't necessarily have to carry the drink container around to get refills. The drink stations have paper cups they use if you do not have the container. It is worth it. They do have water, lemonade, coffee and tea in the Windjammer (buffet restaurant) that is free and open 24/7.

You are assigned a dining room for the duration of the cruise. The dining rooms are all elegant and really beautiful. There is no rotational dining. You will see your waiter, asst. waiter and head waiter all during the dining hour. More than likely you may get a night or two when the kids come, in a group, from the kids clubs and serenade you while you dine. You can carry the tip to the dining room guys in cash or pick up a voucher, they charge your card, from the customer service desk to put in the envelope to give the dining room personnel.

The service on the RCI ship is great along with the food. Remember these guys work for your tips. You might ask your waiter if he knows any tricks. They all do but you have to ask for them to really show you. I have seen some neat tricks with glasses, toothpicks, napkins and bottles by these guys. Great meal choices and actually meals are set up based on the theme for the night.

The kids clubs are great. The Allure and the Oasis have Dreamworks characters aboard the ship. While I was on the Freedom they brought the younger kids from the kids clubs into the dining room and had a huge chorus where all the kids sang to the passengers dining. It was only 10 minutes but a sweet touch.

The pools are fresh water. I have been in the adult pools and, I know this is funny, never noticed or noted whether they are salt water or not. In that case I am assuming it was fresh water.

Jonny Rockets on the ship is a pay restaurant. On the Freedom $4.95 per person. However it is a great lunch. They bring a plate of french fries and onion rings when they come to wait on you. If you like onion rings they are great. The food is absolutely free for the $4.95, all you want to eat. The drinks are expensive and you pay for them. $5.00 to $8.00 for each soda or milkshake. Water is free. They have many restaurants where you can pay a sitting charge. I am not big about them as I feel the food in the dining rooms is really great. You eat so much good stuff during the day to go into the pay restaurants really tones down the thrill of eating there and paying.

The food in the promenade is free. Sorrentos's has pizza, puddings, sandwiches and a few other little goodies which is free. The ice cream store charges you. There is also coffee available free all day long at Sorrentos. The Allure and Oasis have a donut sop in the promenade that charges you for the donuts.

There is a towel deposit that everyone talks about. Not sure how it works on the O & A, but it is a huge beautiful fluffy white towel and when you use those you will be charged $20.00 if you do not return it to the towel station. They are towels you would use in your home. There are other less expensive towels usually along the pool deck where you can pick up to use or you can even bring a regular towel from the room.

I have cruised the two Disney ships, Wonder and Magic, three times and really enjoyed the cruises. However my next reserved cruise will be on the Freedom. I have thoughts about changing to either the Oasis or the Allure, but Port Canaveral is so convenient for my cruising I tend to go back over there. I am 50 miles from the port.

 

[excel]

gtk

 

[Queen of Oakville]

I have a few cruises under my belt with RCCL, Carnival, and Princess (cruising HAL next month). However, I have not yet been on Oasis or Allure.


I know the rooms are bigger on Disney (not including suites, etc).
Can't comment on this yet - first Disney cruise is next year. We generally book inside, and pay more attention to price than cabin size. We spend very little room in our cabin, so size is not important to us. Most cabins are designed to give you sufficient room to nagivate (IMHO).

I know that Disney allows you to bring liquor and beverages and all other cruise lines do not.
Not true. Royal does not allow you to bring alcohol on board. Carnival allows one wine bottle per adult, and HAL allows you to bring wine on board.

What about soda or other drinks? Do they have to be purchased onboard or are they free?
Royal and Carnival both have soda cards ($ depends on length of cruise). The cards are per person, and the user gets unlimmited soda beverages. Royal serves fountain soda, whereas Carnival serves cans. HAL also has some kind of soda card, which I have yet to figure out - there program is a credit based card not unlimitted.

How is dining done? I'm guessing they have buffets and restaurants that you rotate around? Do the servers follow you around as well or no (thought this was specific to Disney)? If not, how does the tipping work at the end of the week?
Both have a "lido deck" buffet. They also have one or more main dining rooms, depending on the size of the ship. You dine in the same MDR every night - there is no rotation. Most ships have premium restaurants which you pay extra for (Oasis/ALlure have several options). There are also (depending on the ships) other lunch/dinner options included such as pizza, pasta, burgers, Indian, Japanese ... Tipping is based on a per person suggested. It's really more of a service fee, you can always tip additionally.

How is the service?? The food??
IMO - service on Royal is excellent. I think the service on Carnival is not that great (others will disagree). Carnival may have the edge on food, but alot of this will vary by ship. You will generally, get better food (and dining options) on the larger ships. You will generally get better service on the smaller ships. YMMV

How are the kids clubs? On a ship as big as the Oasis class, do the kids even want to go to the clubs?
We've only used the kid's clubs on Carnival. My daughter loved it, my son not so much (he was 3 at the time). I've heard good things about Royals AO. Alot depends too on the sailig and the specific counsellers that are on board.


Are the pools fresh or salt water? I had thought Disney was the only one who did fresh water but I could be wrong?
Salt Water.

I think its safe to assume that independent restaurants on the boardwalk and in the promenade on RCCL ships are extra (such as Johnny Rockets and places like that) but it can't hurt to ask to get confirmation.
Generally, anything that is a private chain - ex. Seattle coffee is extra and not included.


Lastly, in general, what else is extra to pay for ... or other differences that I haven't mentioned?
For most cruiselines, extras include alcohol, soda cards, spa, gift shop, excursions, and premium restaurants.

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

I will let you know in 2012 after our Disney DREAM cruise!
Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

[DaParkers]

I've seen two different answers for the pools question.......Salt and Fresh? Which is it?

 

[woody73]

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

We pick either one -- DCL or RCCL -- depending on itinerary and price.

Woody

 

[spacecanada]

We have taken six RCCL cruises and one Disney cruise, so I am very familiar with RCCL. We only recently found out Disney had a cruise line, and it is now our favourite, with RCCL a close second.

I know the rooms are bigger on Disney (not including suites, etc).

That's an understatement. Our last RCCL stateroom was so small it felt cramped with just the two of us. Thank goodness we are hardly ever in our room. Actually, even the balcony stateroom for our honeymoon was really small. The Category 9 on Disney was so big we actually enjoyed spending some time in our room to unwind or just have quiet time. Win for Disney. There are no fridges or coolers in the RCCL rooms (maybe in the suites; don't know) which we certainly missed after being on DCL.

I know that Disney allows you to bring liquor and beverages and all other cruise lines do not.

We don't drink, so I cannot comment on this other than I saw a lot of alcohol being confiscated when boarding the ship in certain ports, all of which was returned to the owners on debarkataion day. So I'm told.

What about soda or other drinks? Do they have to be purchased onboard or are they free?

Yes, fizzy drinks have an extra charge. As does juice. Milk is even extra outside of breakfast. Real fruit juice is extra. I don't know what all is included with the fizzy drink card though, but I remember it included virgin drinks when I was a kid - 12 Shirley Temples in one afternoon... not sure if they would be included now. We stuck with water most of the time.

How is dining done? I'm guessing they have buffets and restaurants that you rotate around? Do the servers follow you around as well or no (thought this was specific to Disney)? If not, how does the tipping work at the end of the week?

RCCL has introduced Anytime Dining alongside their Traditional Dining. You must choose one or the other and keep it throughout the cruise. Traditional Dining you are seated at the same table with the same tablemates and waitstaff each night. There is only one restaurant and there is no rotational dining. The one dining room is usually very nice, similar to Tritons/Lumiere's. Anytime Dining is similar to any restaurant you would find at home. You can either make reservations ahead of time or arrive when you want (during open hours) and will be seated shortly thereafter. You may get a table by yourself or with different table mates every night. You will hvae different servers each night, but you can reserve a table with a particular waiter if you like them. We don't like the Anytime Dining at all because we have special diets and had to explain them to the new waiters each time. There is no printout system like they have on Dinsey when you check in for supper to flag allergies or whatever. A lot ofpeople like it for the flexibele dining time and more casual atmosphere; we still prefer traditional but that works better for us.

Without looking at their website, I think RCCL has a similar program where kids can be picked up by counselors and taken tot he children's programmes sometime through dinner. You need to have Traditional Dining to use this feature. I think they call it Family Time Dining or something similar.

Tipping is based on which dining option you choose. If you have Traditional Dining you will get gratuity cards/envelopes for each member of your waitstaff like you would on Disney. If you choose Anytime Dining you will pay the gratuity to Guest Services who will then enter it to the pool for those waiters. If you had a server who stood out and you would like to tip them further you can make a comment at Guest Services and either leave an additional tip for them there or find them at the dining room and give it to them then. It's not as confusing as it sounds.

We also really enjoy the rotational dining (yay, Disney!) but also enjoy dining in the more formal dining room every nght, so for us, both are good in this regard. Animator's is always fun though, and Pirate night. There aren't any real theme nights in the dining rooms on RCCL but they do have an international show one night where the servers parade around the restaurant.

How is the service?? The food??

The service is good, but there's the occasional bad apple (just like anywhere else). Most of them go out of their way to help you and make your trip special and pleasant. Our latest dining room staff were lacklustre and the head waiter didn't understand our special diets/allergies but we've had other RCCL waitstaff who were brilliant. I do think Disney does have better service overall, just by a little bit, probably because they are used to working with families.

The food on RCCL is good. Again, we have special diets so we get special food most of the time so I cannot comment on the main courses most people get, but our tablemates usually enjoy what they get. The chefs never went out of their way to make anything stellar for us like DCL did though. For instance, if something wasn't safe we had to pick something else - they didn't have dairy-free pancakes at all but Disney does! But, if we didn't like the main menu the waitstaff would get us some curry from the crew mess which was superb. Really, the crew eat better than the guests as far as ethnic food goes so don't be afraid to ask if you don't fancy anything on the main menu. The juice at the buffet is gross - it's like powdered drink mix, so skip those. Can't comment on the rest of the buffets because we didn't eat them due to allergies, but it looked like there was a good selection every day, including ethnic foods, soups, salads, sandwich station, desserts, etc. The buffets are also open longer than DCL, and open at supper, which is a bonus if you want second dessert or a random nibble in the afternoon.

Overall, I think the special diets food on DCL is better. They understand allergies and restrictions better and do more for those people than RCCL does.

How are the kids clubs? On a ship as big as the Oasis class, do the kids even want to go to the clubs?

I haven't been in the RCCL kids clubs since I was a kid, so I cannot offer any updates. Things have changed in the 10 years since I was last in there.

Are the pools fresh or salt water? I had thought Disney was the only one who did fresh water but I could be wrong?

I don't remember, but we swam in it whatever it was and enjoyed it. I know Princess used sea water when we sailed with them.

I think its safe to assume that independent restaurants on the boardwalk and in the promenade on RCCL ships are extra (such as Johnny Rockets and places like that) but it can't hurt to ask to get confirmation.

Johnny Rockets and Starbucks are extra, yes. The cupcake store is also. There are some free places too - pizza, burgers, buffets, etc. Anything with an additional cost is clearly marked. But, just like Disney, the cookies/cakes/squares at most coffee places are usually free even if they charge for the coffee. You can get a list of which places have additional charges from guest services any time.

I don't like guessing whether or not a place has a fee, and that made me feel a little nervous to try new things, but that's just me. There's another point for Disney in my books.

Lastly, in general, what else is extra to pay for ... or other differences that I haven't mentioned?

We've noticed a lot of cut backs on RCCL; things that now have a charge that used to be free. We felt like there were extra charges all over the place for simple things like juice or soy milk. We do enjoy some of the more adventurous activities on RCCL like mini golf and rock climbing walls. The activites during the day are simple and we found some we really enjoyed.

The shows, as mentioned by someone else, are hit and miss. Some are great and others are way too adult-oriented for our enjoyment. Some are dated to the 60s or 70s and we simply didn't 'get' them. Disney shows are meant for families and so we enjoyed their shows a lot more. We actually looked forward to EVERY show on Disney. Can't say the same about RCCL: Boogie Nights and Disco; 60s mystery detective shows based on TV shows from that time; comedians with foul language (at times; only in adult areas) - no thanks. Don't get me wrong, I am sure they were great shows, but we don't realte to them as much as the ones on Disney. We are very family-minded people who work with kids and enjoy simple kid things more than we enjoy Austin Powers or 60s detective television shows.

Both cruise lines have good excursions (both in selection and quality) at reasonable prices. Disney offers more excursions for younger children.

RCCL's island has had some upgrades since I was there last, so I cannot comment on it, but I know it still isn't as nice as Castaway Cay. Nothing can quite compare to CC.

Oh, oh... and NO CASINO on DCL!!! I cannot tell you how disgusting the casinos are. Cigarette smoke, flashing lights, dinging sounds - scary! (I'm actually quite afraid of them.) There were always a few times when we walked through the casino to get where we were going (as opposed to going up a floor, across, and down again on the other side) and it was horrible. Every other cruise line has casinos, and they really make us uncomfortable. (We also don't believe in gambling.)

Lastly, the photo service on RCCL is still good. We found the poses to be overly stiff and unnatural though. DCL photographers are far more friendly and relaxed, probably from working with so many children.

Oh ... and lastly, lastly ... having cruised both RCCL and Disney - which would you be more likely to pick for a future cruise??

Honestly, it would depend on the intinerary, timing, and price. If RCCL was going to where we wanted to go at the time we wanted to go and Disney didn't, we'd go with RCCL. If we were going someplace outside of Noth/Central America and Disney was there at the same time but more expensive (up to, say 150%), we'd choose Disney. All things being equal, we would choose Disney over RCCL. However, RCCL cruises to more locations around the world (we just did Scandinavia in September 2010) and do so more often.

We do like the extra Disney magic that is added into everything that gives it something a little more special. It's not really missed on RCL, as they do a good job themselves and keeping things elegant and enjoyable, but it does make you smile a bit more when it's there on DCL.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

I just wanted to clarify my answer above on teh drinks. Both RCCL and Carnival give you free iced tea and lemonade (I usually mix them 1/2 and 1/2 - it's yummy and free!). Also coffee and tea are free. Juices are free at breakfast. With carnival, at dinner, you get free espresso or capps; Royal charges you.



As for the pool question ... I said "salt" but I meant "sea water". On our last cruise (Grandeur of the Seas) .... It was hard to stand in the pool, my legs kept floating up.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We really enjoy the anytime dining that we choose when we travel on either Princess or RCCL. We very much enjoy RCCL's private island. The main difference is that you have to tender in. Food there and at CC were comparable.

 

[NancyIL]

In general - I choose the ship that goes where I want to go at a price I'm willing to pay.