Royal Caribbean vs DCL?

[auntlynne]

Off Topic::
Considering the huge discount they get and the number of CMs are at WDW, I've found that the number of CMs that for whatever reasons are able to take advantage of the benefit is small. I think maybe the restrictions, what cruises are offered and the fact that even with the discount you pay about as much as the what the major cruise lines are charging.

ETA, I agree that it is a good thing.

And for my upcoming cruise out of San Juan, airfare from MCO could be $1300 RT. (I booked one month ahead of sail date). Even with a CM discount, it’s not a cheap vacation.

 

[DCLMP]

Off Topic::
Considering the huge discount they get and the number of CMs are at WDW, I've found that the number of CMs that for whatever reasons are able to take advantage of the benefit is small. I think maybe the restrictions, what cruises are offered and the fact that even with the discount you pay about as much as the what the major cruise lines are charging.

ETA, I agree that it is a good thing.

I think it depends on the cruise. I tend to sail on off season cruises that don’t sell particularly well. There was a group of CM’s on my northern European cruise. They were from Burbank from the movie side of Disney. They said the got around 70% off that particular cruise

 

[DCLMP]

And for my upcoming cruise out of San Juan, airfare from MCO could be $1300 RT. (I booked one month ahead of sail date). Even with a CM discount, it’s not a cheap vacation.

Ouch. Airfare is a buzz kill.

 

[DCLMP]

It's all supply and demand. Royal has around 60 ships traveling to over 700 destinations, so they will have sales to fill the cabins. DCL doesn't need to.

I don’t know about that logic. Every cruise lines goal is to fill cabins. Anyway, I think OP was more concerned about quality then pricing logistics.

Sticking with newer ships is good advice.

 

[happycamper47]

I don’t know about that logic. Every cruise lines goal is to fill cabins.

Disney normally fills them without having to lower prices and offering free booze. That was my point.

 

[Cfabar1]

If I had to add in family airfare for cruises, well, I don’t think I would be cruising much.

However, in Florida cruises become relatively affordable family vacations.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I was on the Adventure about a year ago if you have specific questions. Next cruise is Platinum Disney for us.

Food is better on Disney more variety and variations.

Found the adult entertainment unsuitable with swearing too frequently used as the laugh. Sex and period jokes.

Big ship though so tons to do.

 

[DCLMP]

Disney normally fills them without having to lower prices and offering free booze. That was my point.

That's inaccurate they lower prices on a lot of cruises'... GT rates. They also offer discounts to select groups of people like the military, cast members, travel agents, and airline employees.
The myth that DCL sells every room at full price is just that a myth.

It seems like other cruise lines offer sales, but really they just change the promotion. The price doesn't really change that much. Like Disney, the price drops and discounts come after the PIF date. If you really want to score a great deal on a cruise wait until a couple of months out.. that goes for any cruise line.


As far as "free: drink packages they are baked into the cake or are optional. You can usually get a cheaper room by dropping the free drink packages. Sometimes with wifi and gratuities thrown in the add-on is a good deal.

Royal does offer discounts on the drink packages, but they're nowhere near being cheap even when they do. The drink packages are way more than I ever spent on alcohol on a Disney cruise. Disney has the wine packages which I find a pretty good deal.

 

[tinkerone]

It seems like other cruise lines offer sales, but really they just change the promotion. The price doesn't really change that much. Like Disney, the price drops and discounts come after the PIF date. If you really want to score a great deal on a cruise wait until a couple of months out.. that goes for any cruise line.

Royal does offer discounts on the drink packages, but they're nowhere near being cheap even when they do. The drink packages are way more than I ever spent on alcohol on a Disney cruise. Disney has the wine packages which I find a pretty good deal.

We switched to mainly sailing RCL years ago, we like to do B2B and the cost savings is shocking. I will disagree with your pricing comment. I book the sailings we want the day we decide what weeks we will cruise and then sit back and wait. I always save something off the price but it's more often than not that I can save a thousand on each sailing, before paid in full. It's a simple reprice on the paperwork. I've never received a better price after PIF.
I have heard from some that if there is a discount on your cruise after PIF you can only get it back in the form of an onboard credit. Since I have never experienced it myself I would not put hand to Bible but while speaking with people on our cruises, this is what we have been told.
As for the drink packages, I don't think they are priced badly. As with you, we don't spend a lot on alcohol on DCL, I don't like to get a surprise bill at the end of our sailings. Having said that, I always purchase a drink package on RCL. It can always be repriced as well if the cost goes down. I think the most I have paid is $72 Canadian a day which, while it sounds like a lot, includes not only alcohol but also non-alcohol frozen drinks, smoothies at the gym health bar, milkshakes at Johnny Rockets, water (both sparkling and still), canned soda, fountain soda (both canned and fountain are covered at the bars, they are not on DCL), specialty coffees and, last but not least, wines. DH doesn't drink at all so he gets the drink plan that includes it all except alcohol and I've never paid more than $25 a day for that, often less. We average about $100 a day on a drink package between the two of us and with what it includes, it's a bargain.
What we like to do is pick up cans of soda, bottles of water (both types) and keep some in the cooler in our cabin so they are always there. We sailed DCL in Feb and a case of water cost us $55 plus gratuity, not my idea of a bargain.
Anyways, we are all different so I understand what you are saying. It may be your experience but not ours.

 

[DCLMP]

We switched to mainly sailing RCL years ago, we like to do B2B and the cost savings is shocking. I will disagree with your pricing comment. I book the sailings we want the day we decide what weeks we will cruise and then sit back and wait. I always save something off the price but it's more often than not that I can save a thousand on each sailing, before paid in full. It's a simple reprice on the paperwork. I've never received a better price after PIF.
I have heard from some that if there is a discount on your cruise after PIF you can only get it back in the form of an onboard credit. Since I have never experienced it myself I would not put hand to Bible but while speaking with people on our cruises, this is what we have been told.
As for the drink packages, I don't think they are priced badly. As with you, we don't spend a lot on alcohol on DCL, I don't like to get a surprise bill at the end of our sailings. Having said that, I always purchase a drink package on RCL. It can always be repriced as well if the cost goes down. I think the most I have paid is $72 Canadian a day which, while it sounds like a lot, includes not only alcohol but also non-alcohol frozen drinks, smoothies at the gym health bar, milkshakes at Johnny Rockets, water (both sparkling and still), canned soda, fountain soda (both canned and fountain are covered at the bars, they are not on DCL), specialty coffees and, last but not least, wines. DH doesn't drink at all so he gets the drink plan that includes it all except alcohol and I've never paid more than $25 a day for that, often less. We average about $100 a day on a drink package between the two of us and with what it includes, it's a bargain.
What we like to do is pick up cans of soda, bottles of water (both types) and keep some in the cooler in our cabin so they are always there. We sailed DCL in Feb and a case of water cost us $55 plus gratuity, not my idea of a bargain.
Anyways, we are all different so I understand what you are saying. It may be your experience but not ours.

You're not going to get a better price after PIF if you booked before PIF that is pretty much common knowledge. There are also not going to be price cuts on every cruise that's also common knowledge, but you can find deals if you are flexible. I don't book far enough ahead to keep repricing cruises.

I know what Royal drink packages include, but I would never drink all that. It's massive calorie overload.

I brink my own beer on Disney and a few water non-disposable water bottles to fill and put in the fridge. We also buy the wine package. I'm not a Disney defender, but if there is a way to save money on a Disney it's on drinks. I think 100 a day for drinks is a lot, but if the cruise is half the price then why not. It's more of a convenience thing than anything. I purchased the drink package on our upcoming Royal cruise for convenience, but it's certainly not saving me any money.

 

[auntlynne]

@tinkerone - how do you get both kinds of drink packages in one cabin? I thought it was all guests or no guests? Maybe any combination of drink packages as long as everyone has something? (I’m assuming husband is not a minor). Curious here.

 

[tinkerone]

@tinkerone - how do you get both kinds of drink packages in one cabin? I thought it was all guests or no guests? Maybe any combination of drink packages as long as everyone has something? (I’m assuming husband is not a minor). Curious here.

You have to call RCL, you can't do it online. I just let them know that DH doesn't drink and I wish to purchase one premium package and one coffee package. DH doesn't drink for medical reasons but I don't think they have ever asked for the reason I am booking two different packages. If they have, I can tell you I have never gone into detail.
We have never had a issue doing this and we have been sailing with them for probably 8 years.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[DCLMP]

You have to call RCL, you can't do it online. I just let them know that DH doesn't drink and I wish to purchase one premium package and one coffee package. DH doesn't drink for medical reasons but I don't think they have ever asked for the reason I am booking two different packages. If they have, I can tell you I have never gone into detail.
We have never had a issue doing this and we have been sailing with them for probably 8 years.

I had to do that for my son. He's 18 but it's a European cruise, but since the drinking age is 18 in Europe they expect you to buy it for your high school senior. I can't imagine any parent buying an unlimited drink package for a teenager, but I'm sure those parents are out there.

I personally think Royal should keep it at 21 for any itinerary like NCL and most cruise lines do. I think it's more of a money grab because now you're forced to buy your teen a refresher package if you want the drink package.