Mariner or Magic?

[belleandthebeast]

My mom really wants to cruise again next year. She loved our cruise on the Wonder and has been bitten by the travel bug.

I have priced both RCCL Mariner of the Seas and Disney Magic for the same time, same port, Easter Caribbean.

The Mariner was pricing $500 less than the Magic. The Mariner was a balcony room, the Magic an oceanview.

Not sure what to do. IMO, the Magic outweighs the Mariner based on disembarkation and split bathrooms only. Not to mention the service.

I really like both lines but do I really want to spend the extra $500 and I can get a balcony for the 1st time? Ahhh decisions.

What would you do?

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Balconies are great, however we found out that we are in our room so little that it wasnt worth the extra money for us. If you plan on sitting outside on it often, then go for it.
There are nice soft lounge chairs on deck 4 on The Magic and it is quiet there. If we want to sit and quietly watch the seas, we go and sit there. People often sit and read or sleep on deck 4. And on deck 7, AFT there is a balcony that most people dont even know exists. It is a great place to sit with privacy without your own balcony.
Guess you have to decide how much you would really use it and weigh that against the money it costs.
Personally I vote for the Magic, but I'm DCL nut.
Good luck with your choice,
mom x4,grandma x4

 

[Jsme]

I would vote for the Magic. If you want to do a RCCL try the new Freedom that is coming out and will be leaving from Miami. That will be the next cruise I book (I hope). We have 2 DC's booked. So I am thinking in 2007 a RCCL on the Freedom.

 

[kcashner]

Another consideration--what is the smoking policy on the ship. Some ships have no "non-smoking" cabins. Some ships have cabins significantly smaller than those on DCL. Try (as much as possible) to compare apples to apples. Then book on our favorite ship--the Magic!

 

[Quirky Cruiser]

I have to preface this by saying that I have not been on the Mariner...Yet. I have taken several Disney cruises, as have my parents, and we LOVE the Disney ships. This past April my parents had the opporutnity to sail on the Mariner and they had a blast - so much so that we booked it for the whole family next April vacation (which happens to fall on Easter). My parents said that the service and amenities were up to par with Disney and that they felt there were more options for things to do (especially for older kids, teens, etc). My mother did say that she enjoyed the food a little better on Disney, but that there were also more options for food on the Mariner. For us, the factor that really made the difference was the cost. We would have loved to sail Disney next April, but it was $20,000+ for three balcony staterooms (6 people total - all adults) - The Mariner was about $8000. That is a HUGE difference. You really have to decide what experience you are looking for - if you want the Disney theming, go with Disney. If you are looking for a great cruise without the Disney theming, but with distinct theming of their own - go with the Mariner. Either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed and I think you'll have a fantastic time....good luck with your decision....

 

[TheWog]

I, too, am torn like you. I have priced out the Mariner vs. Magic and our timeframe/itinerary came out over $1,000 less on the Mariner for a similar verandah stateroom. My son really wants the Magic, so we may end up going with that, but if he didn't have a preference I would try the Mariner.

 

[mickeyfan1]

I have booked the Mariner for next June. I am on DCL next month. ALl cruise ships have their good and bad points. I wasn't thrilled with the lousy dining room service and the institutional food on the Wonder in Dec of 2000. I wasn't impressed with the Soveriegn's decor, but that was before the dry dock last year. As I don't have kids, the clubs mean nothing to me, except the kids seem to like them and aren't all over the ship being bored. But I think the adult stuff on DCL is pretty lacking. I have never had a balcony room on any cruise, but will on the Mariner as DH and I will spend a lot of time out there, rather than in a windowless room.

You have to compare all aspects of the 2 cruises. The ports, activities on board for kids, room size, etc. Many people have been on RCCL and raved about the activites for kids. It may come down to money, and if your choice is inside DCL versus outside with balcony RCCL, I would pick the balcony any day. But that is just me.

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

If you want to do a RCCL try the new Freedom that is coming out and will be leaving from Miami.

I just finished making reservations for the Freedom for July 2006! We booked a verandah for my husband & I, and a Promenade view room for our daughters. It looks like a very, very cool ship! I can't wait to give it a try!

 

[Mojomanny]

Here are is a comparison of the two ships:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=516133

Here is my webshots page which has an extensive photo collection taken on both ships: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=516133


Who ever commented about taking a new ship .. Mariner is only 2 years old this fall! How much newer do you think a fleet should be?

 

[Jsme]

I just finished making reservations for the Freedom for July 2006! We booked a verandah for my husband & I, and a Promenade view room for our daughters. It looks like a very, very cool ship! I can't wait to give it a try!

We are talking about changing our 4 day Wonder next November to either a 7 day on the Magic or the Freedom. Dh said tonight...remember when we went with RCCL between our first and second Disney cruise? Remember how the food was not as good? Remember we kept on saying we liked Disney better? I do not know what we will do in 2006. Decisions like this are just too big for me.....

 

[off to neverland]

Mojomanny,

Just read your review, and posted there how helpful it was. I appreciate the great info so much.

On your link to pics, you have posted the review instead of the pics. I'd love to see your pictures!

 

[kaseyC]

I just finished making reservations for the Freedom for July 2006! We booked a verandah for my husband & I, and a Promenade view room for our daughters. It looks like a very, very cool ship! I can't wait to give it a try!

Last week, we booked the Freedom for March 2007. I wanted to book early because we wanted one of the Royal Family suites and there are only 4 of them - from what I have read on the RCCL Boards they go fast.