Next best "family" cruises?

[Deb in IA]

OK, I know that this is 'technically' a Disney Cruise Line forum. And having just come back from our 3rd Disney Cruise, I'm as sold as everyone else here that the Disney Cruise Line is THE BEST for families.


But, as people have pointed out, the Disney experience does come with a cost. The DCL is definitely NOT the cheapest cruise line out there, and other competitors give you more for a comparable price.


So, my question is: For those of you who have done family cruises on other lines, which do you think is the best?

 

[becka]

Well I have not gone on any non-DCL cruises yet but we plan on trying Royal Carribean. Their ships look very nice and family friendly especially their new Freedom of the Seas.

 

[Whisker]

I voted other because there wasnt a choice for "dont' have any clue". lol And I wanted to see how this vote turns out.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

We did three DCL's before our last RCCL on Explorer of the Seas. Our next cruise is the March 10, 2007 Western on the Magic. "Nuff said!

 

[logan1_2000]

we've done 4 DCL, 3 RCCL, with 1 more DCL booked and 2 more RCCL booked (so by spring break 2008, 5 of each).

Enjoy both, each has their place. DS, 10, ranks a Radiance class ship and DCL as equally desireable. We'll see how much more (we think) he'll like Adventure of the Seas, Voyager class. Won't do Freedom class for so long as they are exclusively Miami-based--really don't care for Miami as an airport, seaport, or in general as a place to visit.

Disney has a feel that can't be duplicated, but RCCL offers more variety for itinearies, and frankly, sometimes the difference in price just gets too much to ignore (I agree with the general principle that you get what you pay for. For Xmas 2007, the price of our Magic cruise in a cat. 8 would get us a balcony, D1 stateroom on the Mariner, so I get the Disney intangibles--and tangibles--at the expense of "losing" the balcony. I can deal. For thanksgiving 2006, however, the D1 balcony for 6 nights on the Radiance is $2209, vs. $6,068 for a cat. 6, which is a fair comparison (really a cat. 5 should be the fair comparison, but we'll leave it at 6) so far as stateroom goes. Even accounting for 6 days vs. 7, it is a no-brainer (also don't mind having the sunday-saturday itinerary, leaves more travel time at either end, along with more prep and recovery time as well).

If prices were always equal, I'd still make some RCCL ressies to get the itinerary variety--such as being able to do 4 nights in the caribbean rather than the bahamas, in our case on the Enchantment, this past Feb. (a stateroom darn close in size to a cat. 8 for 4 nights for $529/pp!!--couldn't come close to touching that on DCL for their 4 niters, and prefer the better likelihood of warmer weather in Feb. rather than the hit or miss weather in Feb. in Bahamas. Or back in January, got 6 nights in a suite for Western for the same price as 7 nights in a DCL oceanview. A no-brainer, even though we missed the production shows. Though if prices WERE equal, there'd be other times I might opt for DCL, instead of RCCL.

 

[Mmketeer]

Hi all,

We absoultly love DCL, it was the first ship we sailed on and it will always be in our hearts. But, it is expensive for our family Christmas quick 3-4 day cruise's. So, we have been sailing RCCL for the past few years. I personally like them better than Carnival's quick itin ships. They may not be as nice as DCL, but it's more cost effective. The family says they are getting tired of cruising, so this maybe it fr them for awhile so this year we thought we would end it where we began it....on DCL.

NOT DH and I though, we are cruise ahlolic's and this will be our 2nd DCL cruise this year!

Sailed - DCL Wonder & Magic
RCCL- Mariner, Granduer & Enchantment
CCL- Miracle & Fantasy

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Before booking our most recent (still awaiting) cruise through DCL, we always cruised Royal Carribean. They seem to have good prices, as well as good itineraries and plenty of on board activities. I would never do Celebrity though. If you are used to Disney Quality Entertainment and service to begin with..Celebrity will be a HUGE step down..IMO.

 

[pppiglet]

I guess it would depend on the ages of your kids. I have heard that Camp Carnival is great for younger kids, but RCCL has the fun stuff for the teens and older.

The only thing I wouldn't like about RCCL I have read recently is they are the only cruise line that has a lower drinking age of 18. I would be afraid of this if I had kids around 15-18yrs old.