REVIEW: Disney Dream vs. Freedom of the Seas

[Dancing_Nancy]

I know that so many have speculated about choosing DCL or RCCL. I’ve also seen many posts comparing the two cruises. In the last year my family has cruised both (once on the Dream and just recently on the Freedom of the Seas). Granted, the Dream was a 4-night and the Freedom was a 7-night, but I thought I would just add my review to whoever might find it helpful.

First off, both cruises were wonderful. Anything that I might include as a criticism does not take away from the fantastic experience we had on both vacations. We experience great things and then some not-so-perfect things on every vacation (wherever it is), but that doesn’t take away from the blessing of spending time with family and friends away from home.
On both cruises our immediate family (me and my wife—both 33; and three children—2 boys ages 9 & 6 and 1 daughter age 3) traveled with some members of our extended family. However, my review will pertain only to our immediate family and our personal opinions and experiences. Onto the review…

CHECK-IN & CHECK OUT…Whenever we cruise Disney, we always choose to purchase DCL transfers and take them from the airport to the port. We try to arrive at the airport to check-in and receive our boarding number fairly early (around 9 or 10), then catch the shuttle so that when we arrive at Port Canaveral our wait time is minimal. Our experience with RCCL was completely different. We stayed at Titusville the night before the cruise, then headed to the terminal around 11:00. By the time we arrived there were huge lines outside the terminal filled with people trying to get in. We stood in the heat for about 40 minutes. By the time we got inside to security, only one metal detector was being used (for what reason I don’t know). Our family was actually the first family to start using the second metal detector so I assume the line started moving much quicker after that. Of course, then we went upstairs to check-in and found another huge line waiting for us. Thankfully, we were directed to the much shorter priority check-in line because our oldest son was staying in his grandparents’ room and they wanted to make sure everything was documented. I have to say I was very surprised by the less-than-stellar check-in system. Check-out was a similar process. Lots of lines and waiting. CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT ADVANTAGE DISNEY.

FOOD…We were very pleased with the food options on both cruises. We enjoy ordering breakfast at Royal Palace on Disney instead of hitting the buffet. At first when we went to the main dining room on Freedom to order breakfast we were disappointed. All you could order was Eggs Benedict or an omelet…everything else was on a small buffet. However, someone else in our group told us that we should try the breakfast buffet upstairs at the Windjammer so we did the next morning…and all the mornings after that! The Windjammer Buffet was GREAT! Our family loved it and found lots of good food to eat every morning. So in many ways, Breakfast was a toss-up between the two lines. As was lunch—the buffets are both outstanding with many options that will certainly please anyone.

The one difference was at dinner. My wife and I both agreed that the service and the quality of food at dinner in the main dining areas was better on the Dream. Again, that’s not to say we didn’t enjoy the food on Freedom. Our servers were fine, the selection was good, and we LOVED the lobster night. But if we had to give an edge to one it would most definitely be Disney. Disney just seemed to be a little more gourmet, a little classier, and a step up. Every night our menus had food stains on them and the corners were showing wear. Our servers on RCCL complained to us about the group that was in 2nd seating, which I thought was a little out of line. There was only one night that we thought dessert was outstanding. Again, nothing bad and no one complained—we had a great time. But if I had to choose one dinner to attend it would be on the DREAM.

KIDS CLUBS…This one surprised me. I have no idea why, but after doing one session of the Kids Clubs on the Dream, our kids weren’t interested in going back. But on the Freedom, they wanted to go all the time! It was one of the highlights for them. We were impressed with the activities, staff, and rooms. Checking in and out was a piece of cake. And all activities seemed to be age-appropriate. Advantage: FREEDOM.

ENTERTAINMENT…I wouldn’t classify our family as Disney-freaks, but we really do love Disney. All of the shows we’ve seen on our three DCL cruises have been fantastic. We especially love ‘Believe’. So I was fairly nervous about the entertainment onboard the Freedom. But my nerves quickly took a back seat! Our family attended all three of the major production shows: Marquee (Broadway style revue); the Magician—incredible!; and Once Upon A Time. Each was excellent and all three of our kids loved them too. The theater is great on both ships…not really a bad seat in the house. I only wish the shows were a little bit longer  Advantage: TOSS-UP

POOLS…Since our kids are the ages they are, we obviously spent a lot of time at the pool on both ships. Clearly, this is where RCCL trumps Disney. I know there have been scads of reviews that describe the design flaws of the pool deck on the Dream and Fantasy and they are true. The pools and adjacent decks on the Disney ships are too small for the amount of passengers. I hope Disney addresses this in the future. However, on the Freedom the pools are much larger, plus there is the huge H20 Splash Zone for the kids. Our kids were happy to bounce back and forth between both areas. Finding chairs in the morning was not a problem on the Freedom. By the afternoon on the Days at Sea the decks were pretty full, but not uncomfortable as they are on DCL ships. Plus there are many more hot tubs for all to share. Clear Advantage: FREEDOM.

STATEROOMS…We were in an inside stateroom on the Dream and an outside view room on the Freedom. Each room was fine for our needs and our room stewards were both outstanding.

MISCELANNEOUS…One thing we noticed on the Freedom is that there seemed to be more to do at night if you weren’t going to go to the show. The Royal Promenade always had something going on, there seemed to be lots of things happening on the pool deck, there were many lounges and corners with singing, karaoke, trivia, etc…, and of course there is the casino. When we cruise Disney, it seems as if the main event each night is the show—which as I said we love—but there doesn’t seem to be much more action apart from that. At least it’s not in the open. And to be honest, I’m really OK with that. We’re the kind of family that can be very content to walk around the deck after the show then heading in for bed after a long day in the sun. But there was something fun about all the activity happening at night on the Freedom too. I guess that’s a TOSS-UP, but something to consider if/when you decide to book.

Again, please know this review was not designed to say one cruise was bad and the other was good. I would sail on both lines again in the future (in fact, we’re already booked again on two cruises: DCL in 2013 and RCCL in 2014!!!). But hopefully this may help you as you decide what’s best for your family.

Let me also say thank you to all who post on the boards. This is truly a wonderful forum and you’ve made all of our Disney trips so much better because of your input and tips. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to try to answer anything.

Happy Cruising!

 

[mlayton14]

Good and honest review thanks. The pool design disaster on the DCL ships is a mystery to most of us. It appears that RCCL gives their ships a wider beam thereby allowing a lot mor space to accommodate outside activities like swimming. Many will argue that Disney didn't want this so to keep with their classic ocean liner look ... Sounds like BS to me. Hopefully the next class of DCL ships are improved in this area .. Wouldnt change anything else

 

[bmer1rick]

Did you try any of the premium dinner restaurants on the Freedom? If so, how were they?

 

[Zandy595]

What about the aesthetics of the ships themselves? Which one did you like better?

 

[Dancing_Nancy]

We did not try any of the premium restaurants and I did not hear anyone talking about them.

As far as the overall feel of the ship, I prefer the Disney style. Disney seems a bit more whimsical and elegant. Freedom was more of a corporate feel to me.

 

[woody73]

Nice review. Thanks for sharing.

Woody

 

[diane648]

Thanks so much for your review & comparison. We were booked on the FOTS for the week of Thanksgiving, but had 2nd thoughts because we didn't know about the kids clubs. Although we've decided to do the Disney Dream instead for this year, it's good to know that your kids enjoyed the club.

 

[kathi]

Thank you for taking the time to post this review. We have only sailed on DCL but have been considering trying RCL or Celebrity. I'm glad to know you had a great time on both DCL and RCL.

 

[E ticket rider]

Good and honest review thanks. The pool design disaster on the DCL ships is a mystery to most of us. It appears that RCCL gives their ships a wider beam thereby allowing a lot mor space to accommodate outside activities like swimming. Many will argue that Disney didn't want this so to keep with their classic ocean liner look ... Sounds like BS to me. Hopefully the next class of DCL ships are improved in this area .. Wouldnt change anything else

The forward funnel kills the top deck space on the Disney ships. Yes, it gives the ships more classic lines, but it is larger than the simple elevator lobbies other ships have in that area. Also, the Dream-class ships have that large deck between the Mickey and Donald pools. Disney just dropped the ball when they allocated space on the pool deck. Freedom and Dream have roughly the same beam (or so the published stats say), so that's not the difference.

 

[cyclenut]

Did you try any of the premium dinner restaurants on the Freedom? If so, how were they?

We also recently sailed the Freedom and have been on the Wonder. We dined in Chops and in our view, Palo was MUCH better. It wasn't even close.

 

[cyclenut]

What about the aesthetics of the ships themselves? Which one did you like better?

I am not speaking for the OP on this and cannot compare to the Dream anyway, but we were absolutely blown away by the Freedom. Beautiful ship. Spectacular features. Really impressive and unique.

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks for taking the time to share with us!!
I wonder what the boarding process is like in fort lauderdale

 

[cyclenut]

I know that so many have speculated about choosing DCL or RCCL. I’ve also seen many posts comparing the two cruises. In the last year my family has cruised both (once on the Dream and just recently on the Freedom of the Seas). Granted, the Dream was a 4-night and the Freedom was a 7-night, but I thought I would just add my review to whoever might find it helpful.

First off, both cruises were wonderful. Anything that I might include as a criticism does not take away from the fantastic experience we had on both vacations. We experience great things and then some not-so-perfect things on every vacation (wherever it is), but that doesn’t take away from the blessing of spending time with family and friends away from home.
On both cruises our immediate family (me and my wife—both 33; and three children—2 boys ages 9 & 6 and 1 daughter age 3) traveled with some members of our extended family. However, my review will pertain only to our immediate family and our personal opinions and experiences. Onto the review…

CHECK-IN & CHECK OUT…Whenever we cruise Disney, we always choose to purchase DCL transfers and take them from the airport to the port. We try to arrive at the airport to check-in and receive our boarding number fairly early (around 9 or 10), then catch the shuttle so that when we arrive at Port Canaveral our wait time is minimal. Our experience with RCCL was completely different. We stayed at Titusville the night before the cruise, then headed to the terminal around 11:00. By the time we arrived there were huge lines outside the terminal filled with people trying to get in. We stood in the heat for about 40 minutes. By the time we got inside to security, only one metal detector was being used (for what reason I don’t know). Our family was actually the first family to start using the second metal detector so I assume the line started moving much quicker after that. Of course, then we went upstairs to check-in and found another huge line waiting for us. Thankfully, we were directed to the much shorter priority check-in line because our oldest son was staying in his grandparents’ room and they wanted to make sure everything was documented. I have to say I was very surprised by the less-than-stellar check-in system. Check-out was a similar process. Lots of lines and waiting. CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT ADVANTAGE DISNEY.

FOOD…We were very pleased with the food options on both cruises. We enjoy ordering breakfast at Royal Palace on Disney instead of hitting the buffet. At first when we went to the main dining room on Freedom to order breakfast we were disappointed. All you could order was Eggs Benedict or an omelet…everything else was on a small buffet. However, someone else in our group told us that we should try the breakfast buffet upstairs at the Windjammer so we did the next morning…and all the mornings after that! The Windjammer Buffet was GREAT! Our family loved it and found lots of good food to eat every morning. So in many ways, Breakfast was a toss-up between the two lines. As was lunch—the buffets are both outstanding with many options that will certainly please anyone.

The one difference was at dinner. My wife and I both agreed that the service and the quality of food at dinner in the main dining areas was better on the Dream. Again, that’s not to say we didn’t enjoy the food on Freedom. Our servers were fine, the selection was good, and we LOVED the lobster night. But if we had to give an edge to one it would most definitely be Disney. Disney just seemed to be a little more gourmet, a little classier, and a step up. Every night our menus had food stains on them and the corners were showing wear. Our servers on RCCL complained to us about the group that was in 2nd seating, which I thought was a little out of line. There was only one night that we thought dessert was outstanding. Again, nothing bad and no one complained—we had a great time. But if I had to choose one dinner to attend it would be on the DREAM.

KIDS CLUBS…This one surprised me. I have no idea why, but after doing one session of the Kids Clubs on the Dream, our kids weren’t interested in going back. But on the Freedom, they wanted to go all the time! It was one of the highlights for them. We were impressed with the activities, staff, and rooms. Checking in and out was a piece of cake. And all activities seemed to be age-appropriate. Advantage: FREEDOM.

ENTERTAINMENT…I wouldn’t classify our family as Disney-freaks, but we really do love Disney. All of the shows we’ve seen on our three DCL cruises have been fantastic. We especially love ‘Believe’. So I was fairly nervous about the entertainment onboard the Freedom. But my nerves quickly took a back seat! Our family attended all three of the major production shows: Marquee (Broadway style revue); the Magician—incredible!; and Once Upon A Time. Each was excellent and all three of our kids loved them too. The theater is great on both ships…not really a bad seat in the house. I only wish the shows were a little bit longer  Advantage: TOSS-UP

POOLS…Since our kids are the ages they are, we obviously spent a lot of time at the pool on both ships. Clearly, this is where RCCL trumps Disney. I know there have been scads of reviews that describe the design flaws of the pool deck on the Dream and Fantasy and they are true. The pools and adjacent decks on the Disney ships are too small for the amount of passengers. I hope Disney addresses this in the future. However, on the Freedom the pools are much larger, plus there is the huge H20 Splash Zone for the kids. Our kids were happy to bounce back and forth between both areas. Finding chairs in the morning was not a problem on the Freedom. By the afternoon on the Days at Sea the decks were pretty full, but not uncomfortable as they are on DCL ships. Plus there are many more hot tubs for all to share. Clear Advantage: FREEDOM.

STATEROOMS…We were in an inside stateroom on the Dream and an outside view room on the Freedom. Each room was fine for our needs and our room stewards were both outstanding.

MISCELANNEOUS…One thing we noticed on the Freedom is that there seemed to be more to do at night if you weren’t going to go to the show. The Royal Promenade always had something going on, there seemed to be lots of things happening on the pool deck, there were many lounges and corners with singing, karaoke, trivia, etc…, and of course there is the casino. When we cruise Disney, it seems as if the main event each night is the show—which as I said we love—but there doesn’t seem to be much more action apart from that. At least it’s not in the open. And to be honest, I’m really OK with that. We’re the kind of family that can be very content to walk around the deck after the show then heading in for bed after a long day in the sun. But there was something fun about all the activity happening at night on the Freedom too. I guess that’s a TOSS-UP, but something to consider if/when you decide to book.

Again, please know this review was not designed to say one cruise was bad and the other was good. I would sail on both lines again in the future (in fact, we’re already booked again on two cruises: DCL in 2013 and RCCL in 2014!!!). But hopefully this may help you as you decide what’s best for your family.

Let me also say thank you to all who post on the boards. This is truly a wonderful forum and you’ve made all of our Disney trips so much better because of your input and tips. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to try to answer anything.

Happy Cruising!

What an excellent review. So sorry to hear about the boarding process you experienced. DW and I were really fortunate on our recent Freedom cruise. It took us about 30 minutes to go from bus tomWindjammer. I guess it is all about timing. I have to agree with you that, generally speaking, Disney has the embarkation advantage, especially in Port Canaveral. Boarding in other ports is a much more ordinary experience.

We also agree with your assessment of the food.

 

[Disney On A Dime!]

Thanks for taking the time to share with us!!
I wonder what the boarding process is like in fort lauderdale

We boarded the Liberty of the Seas in Ft. Lauderdale this past April. We arrived at the port around 11AM. Quickly went through security, and check-in. Then we had to wait for actual boarding. RCI had a very efficient process, though; we waited in chairs in the actual order we arrived in. Once the ship was cleared thru customs...we boarded the ship in our arrival order. This was around 12noon.


We have also cruised out of Port Canaveral on the Freedom of the Seas (August 2011) and did not have the line outside of security that the OP had. Boarding went very fast and we actually just walked from security to check-in to boarding without any stops. This was around 11:30AM arrival time.


Now in Miami in 2009 and 2010 we had two different experiences. (Both were for the LOTS) In 2009 everything was crowded...the security line, check-in and the line to board the ship. Apparently boarding had been held up by customs, and we did not start boarding until 12:30 or so. In 2010...smooth sailing thru boarding.


Main point: Who knows on any given day what boarding will be like for any ship? It could be a security scanner that is down causing the delay to get into the check-in area. It could be customs holding up boarding due to dealing with the previous debarking of passengers. It's a toss-up...IMHO. For us DCL has been relatively smooth for boarding, however; we do arrive at the port early for DCL...and then have to wait to for the boarding process to begin. (You know the numbers to be called...and everyone standing waiting to get on the ship)


We love both cruiselines!
Crystal

 

[mlayton14]

The forward funnel kills the top deck space on the Disney ships. Yes, it gives the ships more classic lines, but it is larger than the simple elevator lobbies other ships have in that area. Also, the Dream-class ships have that large deck between the Mickey and Donald pools. Disney just dropped the ball when they allocated space on the pool deck. Freedom and Dream have roughly the same beam (or so the published stats say), so that's not the difference.

Don't know where you are getting your data but freedom has s 180+ ft beam while dream 120 .... That's not a gigantic difference? Try 50-60k sq ft difference just on pool deck

 

[Keira1387]

Great review!

 

[mcd2745]

I know that so many have speculated about choosing DCL or RCCL. I’ve also seen many posts comparing the two cruises. In the last year my family has cruised both (once on the Dream and just recently on the Freedom of the Seas). Granted, the Dream was a 4-night and the Freedom was a 7-night, but I thought I would just add my review to whoever might find it helpful.

First off, both cruises were wonderful. Anything that I might include as a criticism does not take away from the fantastic experience we had on both vacations. We experience great things and then some not-so-perfect things on every vacation (wherever it is), but that doesn’t take away from the blessing of spending time with family and friends away from home.
On both cruises our immediate family (me and my wife—both 33; and three children—2 boys ages 9 & 6 and 1 daughter age 3) traveled with some members of our extended family. However, my review will pertain only to our immediate family and our personal opinions and experiences. Onto the review…

CHECK-IN & CHECK OUT…Whenever we cruise Disney, we always choose to purchase DCL transfers and take them from the airport to the port. We try to arrive at the airport to check-in and receive our boarding number fairly early (around 9 or 10), then catch the shuttle so that when we arrive at Port Canaveral our wait time is minimal. Our experience with RCCL was completely different. We stayed at Titusville the night before the cruise, then headed to the terminal around 11:00. By the time we arrived there were huge lines outside the terminal filled with people trying to get in. We stood in the heat for about 40 minutes. By the time we got inside to security, only one metal detector was being used (for what reason I don’t know). Our family was actually the first family to start using the second metal detector so I assume the line started moving much quicker after that. Of course, then we went upstairs to check-in and found another huge line waiting for us. Thankfully, we were directed to the much shorter priority check-in line because our oldest son was staying in his grandparents’ room and they wanted to make sure everything was documented. I have to say I was very surprised by the less-than-stellar check-in system. Check-out was a similar process. Lots of lines and waiting. CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT ADVANTAGE DISNEY.

FOOD…We were very pleased with the food options on both cruises. We enjoy ordering breakfast at Royal Palace on Disney instead of hitting the buffet. At first when we went to the main dining room on Freedom to order breakfast we were disappointed. All you could order was Eggs Benedict or an omelet…everything else was on a small buffet. However, someone else in our group told us that we should try the breakfast buffet upstairs at the Windjammer so we did the next morning…and all the mornings after that! The Windjammer Buffet was GREAT! Our family loved it and found lots of good food to eat every morning. So in many ways, Breakfast was a toss-up between the two lines. As was lunch—the buffets are both outstanding with many options that will certainly please anyone.

The one difference was at dinner. My wife and I both agreed that the service and the quality of food at dinner in the main dining areas was better on the Dream. Again, that’s not to say we didn’t enjoy the food on Freedom. Our servers were fine, the selection was good, and we LOVED the lobster night. But if we had to give an edge to one it would most definitely be Disney. Disney just seemed to be a little more gourmet, a little classier, and a step up. Every night our menus had food stains on them and the corners were showing wear. Our servers on RCCL complained to us about the group that was in 2nd seating, which I thought was a little out of line. There was only one night that we thought dessert was outstanding. Again, nothing bad and no one complained—we had a great time. But if I had to choose one dinner to attend it would be on the DREAM.

KIDS CLUBS…This one surprised me. I have no idea why, but after doing one session of the Kids Clubs on the Dream, our kids weren’t interested in going back. But on the Freedom, they wanted to go all the time! It was one of the highlights for them. We were impressed with the activities, staff, and rooms. Checking in and out was a piece of cake. And all activities seemed to be age-appropriate. Advantage: FREEDOM.

ENTERTAINMENT…I wouldn’t classify our family as Disney-freaks, but we really do love Disney. All of the shows we’ve seen on our three DCL cruises have been fantastic. We especially love ‘Believe’. So I was fairly nervous about the entertainment onboard the Freedom. But my nerves quickly took a back seat! Our family attended all three of the major production shows: Marquee (Broadway style revue); the Magician—incredible!; and Once Upon A Time. Each was excellent and all three of our kids loved them too. The theater is great on both ships…not really a bad seat in the house. I only wish the shows were a little bit longer  Advantage: TOSS-UP

POOLS…Since our kids are the ages they are, we obviously spent a lot of time at the pool on both ships. Clearly, this is where RCCL trumps Disney. I know there have been scads of reviews that describe the design flaws of the pool deck on the Dream and Fantasy and they are true. The pools and adjacent decks on the Disney ships are too small for the amount of passengers. I hope Disney addresses this in the future. However, on the Freedom the pools are much larger, plus there is the huge H20 Splash Zone for the kids. Our kids were happy to bounce back and forth between both areas. Finding chairs in the morning was not a problem on the Freedom. By the afternoon on the Days at Sea the decks were pretty full, but not uncomfortable as they are on DCL ships. Plus there are many more hot tubs for all to share. Clear Advantage: FREEDOM.

STATEROOMS…We were in an inside stateroom on the Dream and an outside view room on the Freedom. Each room was fine for our needs and our room stewards were both outstanding.

MISCELANNEOUS…One thing we noticed on the Freedom is that there seemed to be more to do at night if you weren’t going to go to the show. The Royal Promenade always had something going on, there seemed to be lots of things happening on the pool deck, there were many lounges and corners with singing, karaoke, trivia, etc…, and of course there is the casino. When we cruise Disney, it seems as if the main event each night is the show—which as I said we love—but there doesn’t seem to be much more action apart from that. At least it’s not in the open. And to be honest, I’m really OK with that. We’re the kind of family that can be very content to walk around the deck after the show then heading in for bed after a long day in the sun. But there was something fun about all the activity happening at night on the Freedom too. I guess that’s a TOSS-UP, but something to consider if/when you decide to book.

Again, please know this review was not designed to say one cruise was bad and the other was good. I would sail on both lines again in the future (in fact, we’re already booked again on two cruises: DCL in 2013 and RCCL in 2014!!!). But hopefully this may help you as you decide what’s best for your family.

Let me also say thank you to all who post on the boards. This is truly a wonderful forum and you’ve made all of our Disney trips so much better because of your input and tips. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to try to answer anything.

Happy Cruising!

Nice review. Having sailed on both ships as well (just getting off the Dream last week), I agree with most everything.

I was very surprised also how much more my son liked the kids club on Freedom - but I chalked a lot of that up to age (he was 7 when on Freedom and 10 on the Dream). My daughter (4 on Freedom and 7 on the Dream) loved both.

I also agree with the lack of things to do on the Dream if you decide to not go to one of the shows. They do not schedule any other activities or character greets during that time (other than maybe a movie in the BV theater). It's like they want to force you to go to the show.

I liked the layout of Freedom better with the Royal Promenade as kind of a central "hub" with food/beverage and shopping options all in in that one "strip". Many people have written about some of the flaws of the Dream's layout and they are valid criticisms. Having to go through the adult pool area or through the adult "District" (after 9pm) with kids or through the buffet area if you get off certain elevators at certain floors is very questionable. And then of course, there is the pool deck - - although, the Aquaduck is great.

We felt the staterooms were kind of a wash as well (we had oceanview on both). Disney's split-bath idea is a plus though.

I've read that Disney did make some improvements on the Fantasy and we're booked on her for next summer, so we'll see.

 

[iuki]

Loved your review. I copied/pasted your review to my daughter.

Your comparison, I felt, was straight-forward and honest.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[MEK]

Thanks so much for your thorough and honest comparison of both ships and cruises. It was very helpful.

 

[sftnslky]

The forward funnel kills the top deck space on the Disney ships. Yes, it gives the ships more classic lines, but it is larger than the simple elevator lobbies other ships have in that area. Also, the Dream-class ships have that large deck between the Mickey and Donald pools. Disney just dropped the ball when they allocated space on the pool deck. Freedom and Dream have roughly the same beam (or so the published stats say), so that's not the difference.

Sorry for being OT, but how did you create your cruise profile? It is adorable.