Summer 2018 itineraries released this week!

[RedSox68]

We've been there a few times and I have to agree with her.

Yes, you're right, Disney is more expensive no matter how you slice it. I'm planning on about 10K for Disney and 7 K for Royal, and if it shakes out that way I'll stick with Disney.

I think for anyone with kids, or who haven't done Disney at least once, it may well be worth it to experience it all. They do offer a unique service with the rotating themed restaurants, etc. Having done 10, I am looking forward to my 11th to use my platinum perks. The WBTA this year was very reasonably priced compared to what we paid 10 years ago, so I feel it was a win-win

 

[keaster]

Our issue is that DCL only charges in US dollars. So our $10,316US dollar Northern European cruise will actually come out to just over $13,000 Canadian at current exchange rate.

I just took a quick glance at Norwegian, I can book for the same departure date a 9-night Northern European cruise (same itinerary with an extra port stop in Berlin) for $7600 Canadian and that includes free beverage package and specialty dining. That's in a mini-suite balcony on the Breakaway.

So once RCCL comes out with their pricing, we will make a final decision. I LOVE Disney so it is killing me lol!

 

[RedSox68]

Our issue is that DCL only charges in US dollars. So our $10,316US dollar Northern European cruise will actually come out to just over $13,000 Canadian at current exchange rate.

I just took a quick glance at Norwegian, I can book for the same departure date a 9-night Northern European cruise (same itinerary with an extra port stop in Berlin) for $7300 Canadian and that includes free beverage package and specialty dining. That's in a mini-suite balcony on the Breakaway.

So once RCCL comes out with their pricing, we will make a final decision. I LOVE Disney so it is killing me lol!

Understandable -- but you can't beat that pricing from NCL. Every year we get excited for the new itineraries on release date and hold out hope we can take one, then we get our quotes and look elsewhere. We wanted to do Alaska with DCL, but went with HAL (cheaper and they do Glacier Bay); we wanted to do Norway with DCL because of the Frozen theme, but got our quote and cancelled. Then in 2015 we wanted to do the 12-night British Isles and, as I mentioned earlier, compared it to the same itinerary on Princess and saved almost $7,000 by going with Princess (same category stateroom too). It's tough because I love Disney's ships and their themed restaurants, no casinos, characters, split bath and their ambiance and care, but the pricing isn't worth me going into my retirement savings to take it

 

[ckelly14]

Our issue is that DCL only charges in US dollars. So our $10,316US dollar Northern European cruise will actually come out to just over $13,000 Canadian at current exchange rate.

I just took a quick glance at Norwegian, I can book for the same departure date a 9-night Northern European cruise (same itinerary with an extra port stop in Berlin) for $7600 Canadian and that includes free beverage package and specialty dining. That's in a mini-suite balcony on the Breakaway.

So once RCCL comes out with their pricing, we will make a final decision. I LOVE Disney so it is killing me lol!

Funny you said that. Looked at the same Med itinerary on Norwegian and I can get a 2 bedroom Haven suite July 2018 (with free drinks/specialty dining/wifi/and excursions) for 10K.

 

[gilsan]

Our issue is that DCL only charges in US dollars. So our $10,316US dollar Northern European cruise will actually come out to just over $13,000 Canadian at current exchange rate.

I just took a quick glance at Norwegian, I can book for the same departure date a 9-night Northern European cruise (same itinerary with an extra port stop in Berlin) for $7600 Canadian and that includes free beverage package and specialty dining. That's in a mini-suite balcony on the Breakaway.

So once RCCL comes out with their pricing, we will make a final decision. I LOVE Disney so it is killing me lol!

I checked we can get a Haven suite on NCL for the 9 night Northern European for just over $13,000CAD, I even saw it as low as 10,000 with Canada at par pricing for this year. For a cruise with so many ports I don't think Disney is necessarily worth it (I also would only book a balcony on NCL because we wouldn't be on the ship enough to enjoy the Haven )

 

[NancyIL]

We priced one of those out a couple of years ago and realized that we could never afford Disney for any specialty cruises. Other cruise lines who do those itineraries on a regular basis are much more in line with our budget. Someone else posted over $5,000 for a 7A on the 7-night British Isles Cruise. We only paid $2,000 more than that for the 12-night on Princess AND that was for 3 adults.

Understood - but so far the pricing I'm seeing is extreme and comparing it to other cruise lines it is several hundred, if not a few thousand, more -- depending on the category and itinerary. Even the oceanview prices we were quoted last year were more than we could pay for a verandah on another cruise line for longer cruises. I feel bad for the loyal Disney cruisers who want to continue their tradition. And I don't hold out much hope that two more ships will lower or level off the pricing

I absolutely agree that Disney's pricing for their port-intensive cruises (especially in Europe) is usually MUCH higher than that of other cruise lines. That's why my most recent Disney cruises were the May 2013 and 2015 Transatlantic and next year's Panama Canal cruise - in an inside!

I think RCI's 11 and 13-night "Ultimate Scandinavia/Russia" itineraries (one in June and one in July 2017) are among the best for a great Baltic itinerary at a reasonable price. I was on the 11-night in 2014, and would love to do that again.

You mentioned elsewhere HAL's 14-night cruise from Seattle. I went on that in 2011, and it has a great itinerary. However, it goes to Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm, but not Glacier Bay.

 

[RedSox68]

I absolutely agree that Disney's pricing for their port-intensive cruises (especially in Europe) is usually MUCH higher than that of other cruise lines. That's why my most recent Disney cruises were the May 2013 and 2015 Transatlantic and next year's Panama Canal cruise - in an inside!

You mentioned elsewhere HAL's 14-night cruise from Seattle. I went on that in 2011, and it has a great itinerary. However, it goes to Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm, but not Glacier Bay.

Yeah, but since we did Glacier Bay in 2012, I'm okay with seeing other glaciers. But for our first one, we wanted to see Glacier Bay. If anyone has a chance to do the cruise and land tour (20 days total), it was the highlight of our lives. We went all the way up into the Yukon and they took care of everything -- hotels, some meals and excursions, and all transportation including the flights from White Horse back to Vancouver. Total costs for 7-night cruise and 12 nights on land in 4 star hotels for three adults (including adding airfare, all land meals, gratuities, port taxes and fees, all other taxes and all ground transportation) = less than $18,000. And it was all first class service all the way!

 

[kaseyC]

We have been sailing DCL since 2000. We are Platinum on DCL but all of our European cruises have been on other lines, mostly NCL but also Celebrity and Carnival. The itineraries and private touring in each port is more important to us than the Disney difference. For some of those European itineraries, we were literally off the ship from morning to night, we would have dinner, review the next days plans and off to bed. We are also a family of 5 and we are concierge cruisers, 2bedroom Haven suites on NCL were usually less than half what DCL charges for a 1 bedroom suite. What did we do with the savings...private tours tailored to the needs of our family in every port with drivers and licensed guides for some sites, lots of shopping for our 3 girls and pre and post cruise stays through out Europe.

 

[cruiser21]

The NCL Breakaway 9 night Baltic is approx 4k in a balcony for 2 people give or take a few hundred depending on the week. Not much more for 4 people. 2 free picks(drink package, internet etc) from a choice of 5. I think I saw a quote of 16k for DCL. So I just thought I'd pass that info on.

 

[ckelly14]

We have been sailing DCL since 2000. We are Platinum on DCL but all of our European cruises have been on other lines, mostly NCL but also Celebrity and Carnival. The itineraries and private touring in each port is more important to us than the Disney difference. For some of those European itineraries, we were literally off the ship from morning to night, we would have dinner, review the next days plans and off to bed. We are also a family of 5 and we are concierge cruisers, 2bedroom Haven suites on NCL were usually less than half what DCL charges for a 1 bedroom suite. What did we do with the savings...private tours tailored to the needs of our family in every port with drivers and licensed guides for some sites, lots of shopping for our 3 girls and pre and post cruise stays through out Europe.

Great info. As someone else posted, I'm not sure I'd pick the Haven on this particular itinerary but I'm intrigued by your experience. Food is important to us, and we almost always do just specialty dining on RCCL (hate the main dining room). Just curious about you NCL experience in the Haven restaurant and the specialty dining on board. Not trying to hijack this thread so please PM me if you like or let me know if you have done any reviews. Thanks!

 

[lorimay]

Yeah, but since we did Glacier Bay in 2012, I'm okay with seeing other glaciers. But for our first one, we wanted to see Glacier Bay. If anyone has a chance to do the cruise and land tour (20 days total), it was the highlight of our lives. We went all the way up into the Yukon and they took care of everything -- hotels, some meals and excursions, and all transportation including the flights from White Horse back to Vancouver. Total costs for 7-night cruise and 12 nights on land in 4 star hotels for three adults (including adding airfare, all land meals, gratuities, port taxes and fees, all other taxes and all ground transportation) = less than $18,000. And it was all first class service all the way!

I would love to do something like this.
We did a 7 night cruise a few years ago, not nearly enough, this sounds amazing.
What time of year did you do this?

 

[RedSox68]

I would love to do something like this.
We did a 7 night cruise a few years ago, not nearly enough, this sounds amazing.
What time of year did you do this?

We did it in May 2012 -- in fact we were the first cruise out that year for HAL. We still saw a lot of ice and snow and it was blissful. They (and Princess) also offer shorter versions where you spend a couple of night in Denali (the train trip there alone is worth it -- and be sure to eat in the dining car).

 

[kaseyC]

Great info. As someone else posted, I'm not sure I'd pick the Haven on this particular itinerary but I'm intrigued by your experience. Food is important to us, and we almost always do just specialty dining on RCCL (hate the main dining room). Just curious about you NCL experience in the Haven restaurant and the specialty dining on board. Not trying to hijack this thread so please PM me if you like or let me know if you have done any reviews. Thanks!

We've always enjoyed the meals in the Haven restaurant and the specialty dining on board. We usually do a mix of the Haven restaurant and some of our favorite specialties. One thing we love about NCL concierge experience is that you can have in suite dining from any restaurant on board during their operating hours. The butler will serve it course by course if you prefer and you can order from multiple venues. It was a great option to have after a 10 hr touring day.

How is the specialty dining on RCCL? We our cruising them for the first time in a few weeks on the Harmony of the Seas for Spring Break. Trying out one of the Crown Loft suites.

 

[RedSox68]

We've always enjoyed the meals in the Haven restaurant and the specialty dining on board. We usually do a mix of the Haven restaurant and some of our favorite specialties. One thing we love about NCL concierge experience is that you can have in suite dining from any restaurant on board during their operating hours. The butler will serve it course by course if you prefer and you can order from multiple venues. It was a great option to have after a 10 hr touring day.

WOW, I gotta get me a Haven Suite -- I would love that kind of attentive service.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

New
Disney Fantasy June 30, 2018 11 night Southern Caribbean

Cat 8A 2A2K $14,085.16 ($4,367/$4,367/$2,486/$2,386)
No air, ins, transfers, pp gratuities or OBB.

UGH -- this is more than $1,000/night! Way too rich for our budget. Maybe the EBTA will be more in our line.

It is surprising this time around how fast people are getting through on the phone lines!

Anyone know what this might be for a 10A? 2 adults, 2 kids.

 

[keaster]

Anyone know what this might be for a 10A? 2 adults, 2 kids.

From the pinned thread keeping track of today's pricing, there isn't one for 2 adults, 2 kids in a 10A but there is the following, both with OBB:

Cat 10A 3A $9803.55 no air/ins/trans yes OBB
Cat 11C 2A2K (10,4) $11,862.80 no ins/grat/trans yes OBB

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

From the pinned thread keeping track of today's pricing, there isn't one for 2 adults, 2 kids in a 10A but there is the following, both with OBB:

Cat 10A 3A $9803.55 no air/ins/trans yes OBB
Cat 11C 2A2K (10,4) $11,862.80 no ins/grat/trans yes OBB

Thank you!

 

[ckelly14]

How is the specialty dining on RCCL? We our cruising them for the first time in a few weeks on the Harmony of the Seas for Spring Break. Trying out one of the Crown Loft suites.

We stopped eating in the MDR after our first cruise. The kids love Windjammer, and I really enjoyed Giovanni's and Samba Grill. Chops was just OK for me. This is on the Radiance. Haven't been on an Oasis Class ship yet. I have heard very good things about the Coastal Kitchen. Report back and let us know how it went!

 

[anricat]

Ugh, just read the article and they messed up my 2018 plans to N Europe. Now we have to figure if we're going to do Disney at another time, or doing something else. Bummed.

Same boat. We were hoping for Northern Europe in June, but that late date just doesn't work for us. We are doing mediterranean as plan B.

 

[psac]

WOW, I gotta get me a Haven Suite -- I would love that kind of attentive service.

I know we're getting off topic, but we also loved the Haven suite perks. But we would never book the Breakaway without them. It is WAY over packed. It's the same size as the Fantasy, but with 750 more cabins! It's the same theoretical max occupancy (DCL assumes a higher number of passengers per cabin), but I think the kids staying in the kids clubs take up a lot less public space than the extra adults all over everywhere. And this is coming from a couple without kids! In the Haven though, you're really secluded in a great way. So for us it's either Haven or DCL.

Having said all that, with DCLs prices, if it's either the Breakaway (non Haven) or no cruise at all, it's still a heck of a lot better than staying at home.