New here...is it worth the extra $$

[Figee17]

I am a Disney World regular but haven't ventured into DCL yet, and I can not wait!!!

We are considering a 3 night cruise out of Miami on the Magic on December 27 this year (we already have flights booked and currently have hotel reservations in Fort Lauderdale, but I would much prefer a Disney Cruise!). Any advice on how to convince DH?

Is it worth the extra $$ vs a non-Disney cruise? Our family is myself, DH, and DS3.

 

[darkwing818]

I am a Disney World regular but haven't ventured into DCL yet, and I can not wait!!!

We are considering a 3 night cruise out of Miami on the Magic on December 27 this year (we already have flights booked and currently have hotel reservations in Fort Lauderdale, but I would much prefer a Disney Cruise!). Any advice on how to convince DH?

Is it worth the extra $$ vs a non-Disney cruise? Our family is myself, DH, and DS3.

We cruised other cruise lines, Celebrity, RCCL & HAL. While DCL will probably be more expensive (there are a # of cost variables to consider), we feel we get better value (not cost) sailing with Disney. We also usually combine, our cruises with WDW vacations. But bottom line everyone is different, if you're looking strictly at cost, then your decision will be a bit of a challenge. P.S. our 2 DDs loved DCL from our 1st cruise in 2001, they were 8 & 10, now 12 years later, & 10 cruises completed, they still enjoy DCL .....

 

[over50visits]

I am a Disney World regular but haven't ventured into DCL yet, and I can not wait!!!

We are considering a 3 night cruise out of Miami on the Magic on December 27 this year (we already have flights booked and currently have hotel reservations in Fort Lauderdale, but I would much prefer a Disney Cruise!). Any advice on how to convince DH?

Is it worth the extra $$ vs a non-Disney cruise? Our family is myself, DH, and DS3.

In a word, YES!

- Better maintained ships
- Generally bigger staterooms
- The friendliest staff we've encountered (genuinely happy to see and serve you)
- Split bathroom (believe me, you'll never want to have anything else)
- Rotational dining
- Beautiful port terminal
- Arguably the best island (Castaway Cay) in the world for a cruise ship
- Excellent family oriented theater performances
- First run movies
- Disney characters
- Bring your own alcohol on board
- Travel and Leisures #1 cruise line in the world for 5 years
- JD Powers #1 cruise line for customer satisfaction.

That should about do it.

 

[BBQMommy]

Yes!

 

[Tancos3]

In a word, YES!

- Better maintained ships
- Generally bigger staterooms
- The friendliest staff we've encountered (genuinely happy to see and serve you)
- Split bathroom (believe me, you'll never want to have anything else)
- Rotational dining
- Bbeautiful port terminal
- Arguably the best island (Castaway Cay) in the world for a cruise ship
- Excellent family oriented theater performances
- First run movies
- Disney characters
- Bring your own alcohol on board
- Travel and Leisures #1 cruise line in the world for 5 years
- JD Powers #1 cruise line for customer satisfaction.

That should about do it.

DITTO!

DCL is the 4th cruise line I have sailed and vow never to go back. The service was second to none and truly the best experience I have ever had. Even my DH who was Leary about taking another cruise (his choice was to go back to an all inclusive, but I really wanted to take our DS on a cruise) can't talk about anything but our last cruise on the Fantasy this past may.

 

[Figee17]

Thanks for the replies. Thats how I've been looking at it too, its just convincing DH. It took some convincing to get him on his first cruise and then he was hooked, so if I could just get him on there...LOL.

Now I am so hyped up on vacation planning (December cruises and Hawaii summer of 2014, Oh My!!!...you might be able to see why DH is hesitant to spend the $$ on a cruise in December, hahaha) I won't be able to go to sleep.

DH gets home from a business trip on Thursday evening, so I will have to wait for my answer. More time to "plot", hahaha.

 

[Desi]

YES! Other cruise lines nickle & dime you to death,(or leave you in the middle of the ocean) to the point that most of the time you've paid more than you would've for a Diseny Cruise.

 

[ilovetexas]

Well, I'll be the first to jump in and say...not necessarily.

I've gotten good service on each line I've sailed and only one truly miserable experience...it was on Disney. Granted, it was outside the norm, but that can happen anywhere.

Food is better on other lines.

Kids clubs...depends on your kid. Some love DCL, some prefer others, and some won't go in a kids club on any line. It varies by child.

While Castaway Cay is nice, I've been to three cruise line's private islands and Half Moon Cay is hands down the best. (Shared by HAL and CCL)

Disney shows are great but it really depends on the type of entertainment you prefer. I do like that their shows are early if you have late dinner seating. On other lines, I rarely see shows because my eyes start closing at 9 p.m.

The Carnival Breeze (which sails out of Miami, I believe) has split bathrooms in their Deluxe OV staterooms, too. While I love the split bathrooms, I will give them up in a heartbeat for the shower in the Aqua Class rooms on Celebrity.

Having a movie theater onboard is great on DCL, but it was pretty fun watching movies on deck on other lines, too.

Nickel and dimeing happens on all lines, including DCL. They just don't do it as much because as a general rule, their fares are much higher than other mainstream lines.

It really just depends on you and your family. Do I think it's worth the extra money? No. Do I think it's a great cruise? Sure! But I love to cruise and love them all. This is a Disney board, the answers you get are going to be skewed in favor of Disney. If you'd like to research other lines, go to the boards at Cruise Critic.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

(They will hear the same thing from me on cruise critic too. Frankly that place is for the most part a 'if you don't like our cruise line, leave' kinda place and if anyone tries to be true to their experience in a critical way, they are labelled a complainer who is of course impossible to please...speaking in generalities of course but if objectivity is what you are looking for, its just occasionally present...)

Sheesh. Hold me back peeps, hold me back....

My suggestion is to book a 4-5 day or so. Costs the same as a 7 day crappy Carnival and will blow your mind.

You seriously do get what you pay for and if you know you love the parks, imagine all the upscale service, magic, technology 24/7. It brings the parks to you and Castaway Cay is one of the nicest place at I've cruised to (I've been to quite a few places. I'm not saying its better than Hawaii but not all of us can get there anytime soon and I love Castaway, Roatan and Blue Lagoon has a soft spot in my heart too)

You might choose RCI but depending on ship and time of year, it might not be that much less than Disney and then you might choose to buy a soda card or there have all these pay additional pay for food places like Johnny Rockets that charges a cover charge but doesn't include milkshakes...just seems odd to me on a cruise. (Like going to a mall or something.) At least that is on the larger mass ships anyway.

With Disney, there is tons to do and you don't have to make reservations (like for shows or anything.)

Used to really enjoy my CCLs but I strongly disliked my recent one and the service is abysmal compared to Disney. I only have been on a 3 day but it was great! I added on WDW before that for one day and 1 park day plus 3 day cruise filled 20 pages typed normal! Wowee.

We also got the disney chase rewards card which allowed us to put the cruise on 6 months same as cash plan (not advocating debt, just saying its an option) and with it we got $50 on board credit (not sure if that special is still running) and every dollar we use it for adds up to Disney rewards so I only had to pay $44 for my next cruise deposit!!! What what! So there are options to get the cruise economical too.

We are going on a 4 day next and tacking on some WDW days. No other Disney vacation like it! We really like the parks... But we REALLY REALLY like the cruising...

Hope that helps!

 

[sullins5]

YES!!!
Here's our take on it:
My hubs didn't want to cruise at all!! He'd never been on one due to getting sick on a small charter boat once. Not much of a 'rider' at the theme parks either. But, we go to WDW at least every other year, and he LOVES Disney's customer service, excellence, and the ambiance and magic of it all.
My dd and I had been on a RCCL cruise in 2005 and weren't real impressed. But my dream was to go on a Disney cruise, so in 2011 for my birthday, and his parents 50th Anniversary, I talked my hubs into it. Not once did he get excited(and I was a 'tad nervous about that)...until we got on the ship, and enjoyed all the shows, food, music, parties, relaxing, working out, etc. Do you know what he said when we disembarked? BEST vacation EVER!!! Better than going to WDW!!! Sometimes...they just have to see it to believe it!

 

[TXDCLfan]

Well, I'll be the first to jump in and say...not necessarily.

I've gotten good service on each line I've sailed and only one truly miserable experience...it was on Disney. Granted, it was outside the norm, but that can happen anywhere.

Food is better on other lines.

Kids clubs...depends on your kid. Some love DCL, some prefer others, and some won't go in a kids club on any line. It varies by child.

While Castaway Cay is nice, I've been to three cruise line's private islands and Half Moon Cay is hands down the best. (Shared by HAL and CCL)

Disney shows are great but it really depends on the type of entertainment you prefer. I do like that their shows are early if you have late dinner seating. On other lines, I rarely see shows because my eyes start closing at 9 p.m.

The Carnival Breeze (which sails out of Miami, I believe) has split bathrooms in their Deluxe OV staterooms, too. While I love the split bathrooms, I will give them up in a heartbeat for the shower in the Aqua Class rooms on Celebrity.

Having a movie theater onboard is great on DCL, but it was pretty fun watching movies on deck on other lines, too.

Nickel and dimeing happens on all lines, including DCL. They just don't do it as much because as a general rule, their fares are much higher than other mainstream lines.

It really just depends on you and your family. Do I think it's worth the extra money? No. Do I think it's a great cruise? Sure! But I love to cruise and love them all. This is a Disney board, the answers you get are going to be skewed in favor of Disney. If you'd like to research other lines, go to the boards at Cruise Critic.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

Half moon cay BLOWS Castaway Cay away as far as shear beauty

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

There were a few additional details that made a huge difference to us that haven't already been mentioned:

*Bathroom includes a bathtub, not just a shower
*The stateroom has a very sturdy privacy curtain between one part of the room and the other. This meant that our DS could sleep on the bed in the further part of the room and we could close the curtain and still have a small light on and get to read. It really does a great job dividing the room (at least in the verandah class, which is the one we sailed). Our DS went to bed much earlier than we did and is a light sleeper and it was really nice not to have to lay there quiet in the dark waiting for him to fall asleep.
*Meals are extremely kid-friendly. Mainly, the children's food is brought out right away, as soon as it's ordered, so the kids don't have to wait until Mom and Dad get their first course or entree or whatever. It's SO hard for little ones to wait to eat, and it seemed like DS's meal hit the table practically before we were finished reading the menu. Such a small but impressive detail.
*There's a set kid's menu that's the same every night, and then one that is a kid-version of the grown-up menu that you have. As much as I wanted him to branch out, it made DS extremely happy to order the same dang thing every night (and it's his vacation too--why fight it?).

 

[kapoof]

We are wdw lovers and wanted to branch out to try cruising, which we are next month. We chose dcl because for the reputation disney has. I can't even think of choosing another cruise line over disney . Now to convince your dh to try dcl run the numbers. For us cruising is less pricey...no dining plan or very expensive park hoppers to buy!

 

[JnDRader]

I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Service has been phenomenal. As pp mentioned with the kids meals, they get them out quick. Drinks are waiting for you after the first night where they learn what your preference is. We loved the rotational dining.

The main thing I liked, and I'm a hubby, is the Disney atmosphere. Not once did a teen ask me to buy them alcohol lol! All the shows were kid safe. My daughter loved the comedy show on our first Dream cruise. Our son, 7yo at the time, loved the kids club. He practically lived there. On our first cruise I think we were asked if we wanted to buy a drink twice. On the magic we were asked about 20 times the first afternoon lol! Always politely and never pushy though. I'm a soda drinker so I liked having a fountain drink "included" even though I know Disney's cruise fare is higher. The only thing we spent $ on board for was souvenirs.

My navy cruises don't count so I can't compare to any other cruise lines except through second hand experience. My parents in law had been on a RCCL cruise the year before. An older ship but they said it was a night and day difference. They loved DCL and commented that they thought the other cruise was nice until they went on Disney. Sister in law went on several cruises as a teen and also said Disney was much nicer than anything she experienced before but I'm knot sure what lines she went on.

Good luck!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Another thing to add. After the Triumph problem, we figured they'd be double careful and we still cruised a few weeks after it on the Dream. Just over a week later, my mom called me to say "isn't that the ship you just got off?" And it was. Mechanical back up generator problems n they flew people back and cancelled the next sailing. That was two embarkations after us. I don't think I would have cared all that much but certain ones in our party don't have passports and refuse to fly.

So dad knew that mom being a worrier wouldn't set one toe on a carnival so he was smart and booked DCL and mom never worried about mechanical failure with Disney.

Im kinda with her. 1.5 weeks after debarkation is too close to comfort for me too. Even without that, I'm sick of the "Let me take your picture!" "Buy a drink!" "Buy bingo cards!" etc. I'm over bean bag tosses, hairy chest or belly flop contests and trivia as entertainment. Its not bad once or twice but its nothing compared to Disney. And the crew is just rude or at least our last crew was. They literally scream and fight each other. Another person who went on it said the same thing. I can't ever imagine DC CMs in a screaming fit while serving the buffet...

Just some comparisons. Its been 10 yes since I was on an RCI but it was OK. Not memorable but fine. Not magical like Disney...

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I think it really depends on how much extra we're talking about - is it worth twice as much as other cruises - hmm, maybe not. Is it worth a couple hundred dollars more - probably.

I've found great service on every line I've cruised with (and not so great service as well - including DCL).

I would recommend assessing what you want out of the cruise and what ammenities you'll use and not use.

For instance - while I think the Oasis or the Allure (or the new Quantam of the Seas) look amazing and have phenominal activities on board, we're not into rock climbing, ice skating, roller skating, simulated sky diving, being transported up and over the ship in a bubble, etc. When I take that stuff out, they become ships like any other and so I tend towards looking at what features of a ship I will use, what the cost is, where it departs from, what my other costs will be, etc and make the determination from there.

Is a DCL cruise great - yes
Are other cruises great - yes

For me, cruises require a lot of research upfront - once I've picked the ship and the date, then the rest is bits and pieces (unlike WDW, where you could pick any hotel and then the planning really begins!).

(They will hear the same thing from me on cruise critic too. Frankly that place is for the most part a 'if you don't like our cruise line, leave' kinda place and if anyone tries to be true to their experience in a critical way, they are labelled a complainer who is of course impossible to please...speaking in generalities of course but if objectivity is what you are looking for, its just occasionally present...)

That happens just as much on this board. There are huge threads like this either when someone complains about something on their cruise or states that another cruiseline is as good or *gasp* better than DCL at something.

I personally have been told several times that if I don't absolutely adore DCL and think they can do no wrong, that I have no business being on this board. And other posters have been told the same thing as well.

 

[ilovetexas]

In response to TwinPrincessMermaids comment that I can't find on this thread but was quoted by PrincessTrisha, all boards specific to a cruise line are very protective of their favorite. Including this one.

The reason I suggested Cruise Critic is that there is a different section of the board for Disney, HAL, Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, P&O, NCL, etc. The OP can do far better research on other lines on Cruise Critic than she can here. This is the best place to ask about Disney, there are much better places to get unbiased opinions on other lines.

Of course, they will be just as biased to their favorite as most people here are to DCL.

I guess I'm lucky I don't have a favorite. My favorite is the one that takes me where I want to go, when I want to go there, provides the atmosphere I want for that trip (different for a 3 or 4 day with kids vs. a 7 day with DH vs. a 5 or 7 day with extended family or friends), and all at a price that works in my budget at the time.

 

[awilliams4]

is it worth the extra $$ vs a non-disney cruise? Our family is myself, dh, and ds3.

'yes!'

 

[cajunprincess]

We have planned our first DCL for February. We are really excited! We have cruised with Carnival before and have been left with not such a great feeling with them after our last cruise...

So since my DH LOVES cruising and we now have a little one, we decided DCL would be a great fit for us. They care about their customers and have plenty for our DS to do and lots for us to do as a family!

I truly feel like it's going to be a great time, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

I don't know that you are going to find many people here that say it's not worth it though. But for a family with little ones, I think it would be PERFECT!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We may have our favorites, but we can still be objective. Disney isn't perfect. My dad spent his entire last night and debarkation morning complaining to guest services and going up the ladder as high as he could go because the tram at Castaway Cay took off while they were getting on and he jumped off and hurt himself. (So I only load behind the driver where he can see me...)

I will be objective that the entertainment staff on my CCL Dream was hilarious and MCed one of the literally funniest nights of my life. (Guess you would have had to be there!) and my reviews give them that credit.

Unfortunately, the service has declined miserably and the only conversation our room steward had was about he only earns our tips. I should call that trip the "guilt trip" because that is how I felt all the time... We had abysmal service for the MDRs. I have had exceptional service on CCL in the past but now they have understaffed them and think we won't notice, except that they are overwhelmed and can't keep up.

So that's being objective. Still think, and not the only one, that a great cruise vacation is better served on Disney. Doesn't mean I won't do the other lines (not any time soon though, hope they recover a bit first and it would take away from my DCL vacation fund and I don't have a rewards card for the other guys), but it does mean that to me, dollar for dollar, even if it was shorter the DCL was a much better trip than the longer CCL. All the islands are still great. But the ship activities are much more superior.

If you think Six Flags is better than WDW, than a cheap CCL is for you. And Six Flags IS fun! And you can go more often in most cases. It won't offer nearly what WDW does though, but you get what you pay for in every sense.

Nuff said.