Talk Me Into A Disney Cruise

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I'm planning my girls' birthday trip in November. Our plan was always to activate APs this summer and surprise them with a birthday at Disney World. You know, back in December when we thought the AP pause might just be for the holiday season? Whomp, whomp.

Instead, we're now looking at a 4 night cruise from Canaveral and then just a one day ticket for their actual birthday in MK. We're doing the long Disney trip this summer, so a cruise and one park day feels like more bang for our buck than another week of parks.

There's a Disney Wish cruise that perfectly overlaps our dates. But, there's also a Royal Carribbean cruise that does the same. Same basic itinerary (Canaveral, Nassau, Private Island, Canaveral), same dates, half the cost of DCL and I could be in two balcony rooms or a suite versus a five person veranda on the Wish.

I know there's a reason Disney costs more, and with soon-to-be nine year old girls we're right in their sweet spot, but double the price? I could do RC and book a VIP tour on their birthday for the same cost. Every time I've looked at Disney cruise pricing, I keep coming back to the incredible cost difference.

So, Dis friends, is it really that much better? Please convince my cheap-at-heart self that I'm sitting here comparing a motel three blocks from the beach with a four star resort on the water.

 

[BadPinkTink]

What is it exactly you are looking for.

Do you want the Disney experience on a cruise ship, basically a Walt Disney World resort on the sea, with all the Disney themeing, Disney entertainment , Disney customer service etc etc.

Or do you want to have a more traditional cruise, which has more traditional cruise activates like a casino, water park, bumper cars, and more Vegas / Broadway style entertainment.

The cost is all relative to what you perceive as value for money. Yes looking purely at the money, Royal Carribbean is a lot cheaper than Disney. But you need to look beyond the money and focus on the type of cruise experience you want.

 

[Mango7100]

It’s also hard to compare because you stated you looked at the Wish— you are talking about a brand new ship with new features and spaces. Also how old are the kids? That may make a difference too…

 

[bakerworld]

As long as you've the fortitude to resist any of the upcharge (beverage packages, dinners & excursions) of RC then I would select that and the VIP day at Disney. If you find yourself enticed into upcharges on RC then you might not been saving what you'd expect.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

What are the ages of your party?

 

[Minniemoo15]

We just booked our first disney cruise with my 7 and 9yo girls. Castaway Cay, the characters, themed dining and kids club were what sold it for us. If you aren’t dead set on Port Canaveral, check out the Miami based cruises. I was surprised at how affordable our 5 night Dream sailing is out of there (well, affordable compared to what I was expecting ). We get an extra night for $1000 less than the comparable 4 night cruises out of PC.

 

[holula]

Which Royal ship? Royal ships are not all made equal.

I agree with the person above who suggested looking from Miami since cruises are a little cheaper on the Dream vs Wish.

 

[CamColt]

What is it exactly you are looking for.

Do you want the Disney experience on a cruise ship, basically a Walt Disney World resort on the sea, with all the Disney themeing, Disney entertainment , Disney customer service etc etc.

Or do you want to have a more traditional cruise, which has more traditional cruise activates like a casino, water park, bumper cars, and more Vegas / Broadway style entertainment.

The cost is all relative to what you perceive as value for money. Yes looking purely at the money, Royal Carribbean is a lot cheaper than Disney. But you need to look beyond the money and focus on the type of cruise experience you want.

This! ^^^

One thing to keep in mind is the lowest price isn't always the best "value". Yes, you can get a similar cruise itinerary for much less, but will it be the experience you want? Does the Disney Magic add anything to the value for you?

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

What is it exactly you are looking for.

Do you want the Disney experience on a cruise ship, basically a Walt Disney World resort on the sea, with all the Disney themeing, Disney entertainment , Disney customer service etc etc.

Or do you want to have a more traditional cruise, which has more traditional cruise activates like a casino, water park, bumper cars, and more Vegas / Broadway style entertainment.

The cost is all relative to what you perceive as value for money. Yes looking purely at the money, Royal Carribbean is a lot cheaper than Disney. But you need to look beyond the money and focus on the type of cruise experience you want.

I want an awesome family vacation, and I know that can come in a variety of formats. Not having a casino is a big plus for Disney, as we hated having to deal with it and the smoke when we cruised NCL in 2017. The entertainment for Disney is also a huge plus, as my kids would much rather see Aladdin and The Little Mermaid than Grease.

If there were ever a time where I could hold my nose and just pay the fee, a birthday trip after these pandemic years is definitely it. I'm a very logic based decision maker, so the idea that the same 5 days on a Disney cruise are literally double the value of RC is hard to process (and perceived value is so subjective). I'm sure a Disney cruise would be better, but "double" better? My girls would still love the waterpark and laser tag and such if we went the cheaper route, they'd enjoy the shows even if they weren't as good as Disney would have been....

It’s also hard to compare because you stated you looked at the Wish— you are talking about a brand new ship with new features and spaces. Also how old are the kids? That may make a difference too…

They turn nine the day after we disembark. Right in the Disney sweet spot.

As long as you've the fortitude to resist any of the upcharge (beverage packages, dinners & excursions) of RC then I would select that and the VIP day at Disney. If you find yourself enticed into upcharges on RC then you might not been saving what you'd expect.

We'd be fine on the beverage and dinner upcharge costs. We'd probably do the waterpark add-on at their private island, so that's $500-900 depending on time of year (what a range!) but we'd be getting way more OBC to cover it (I'm seeing offers of $425 DCL versus $1500 RC). We'd likely do a Nassau excursion with either cruise, so that cost is a wash. Neither Hubby nor I are the type to get sold on a ton of upcharges, so I would expect that my anticipated savings would be pretty spot on.

The VIP experience would be one really incredible day for sure, but it is only 10 hours instead of 4 days of fun...

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

What are the ages of your party?

Adults in 30s, nearly nine year old triplets.

We just booked our first disney cruise with my 7 and 9yo girls. Castaway Cay, the characters, themed dining and kids club were what sold it for us. If you aren’t dead set on Port Canaveral, check out the Miami based cruises. I was surprised at how affordable our 5 night Dream sailing is out of there (well, affordable compared to what I was expecting ). We get an extra night for $1000 less than the comparable 4 night cruises out of PC.

I was looking at these too, but then we end up disembarking on their actual birthday. I know it's a weird sticking point, but this whole trip was built around being in Magic Kingdom on their birthday and that doesn't work out of Miami.

ETA- I just double checked for my own sanity. For the family rooms for our dates, it's $300 savings for the 5 night out of Miami. It's worth the "MK birthday" for us to do Canaveral for 4 nights.

Which Royal ship? Royal ships are not all made equal.

I agree with the person above who suggested looking from Miami since cruises are a little cheaper on the Dream vs Wish.

Independence of the Seas. Not the massive Oasis class, but next one down. Refurbed in 2018, very well reviewed from what I'm seeing.

Unfortunately, Miami itineraries don't line up with the dates we want.

 

[BadPinkTink]

My girls would still love the waterpark and laser tag and such if we went the cheaper route, they'd enjoy the shows even if they weren't as good as Disney would have been....

See this is why I as a solo cruiser chose Disney Cruise over a cheaper cruise. For what I am paying for the cheapest inside with Disney I could probably get at least a verandah if not a suite with another line.

However, when I looked at the other cruise lines, the things they offer like a climbing wall, casino, laser tag, bumper cars, indoor skydiving, wave riding, zip lining etc, I have no interest in.

Also the shows, where I live if I want to go to Broadway Style shows I can, as most of the touring versions play at a theatre nearby. I only have the chance to see Disney shows when I go to Disneyland.

Therefore its the Disney experience thats important to me.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

One thing to keep in mind is the lowest price isn't always the best "value". Yes, you can get a similar cruise itinerary for much less, but will it be the experience you want? Does the Disney Magic add anything to the value for you?

I mean, of course, the Disney magic adds a ton of value or I wouldn't even be considering it. I'm struggling to quantify if it adds *enough* value to justify the added cost, which is considerable.

I know it's a personal decision for everyone, but having only ever done the "normal" cruise (Carnival pre-kids, Norwegian with 4 year olds), I am trying to wrap my head around Disney being that much better of an experience. I know people adore them and they wouldn't be able to get away with the higher pricing if they weren't a better product. That's why I'm here, to get some real life feedback about them genuinely being that much better than their competitors.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Your biggest problem on DCL is you are a family of 5. Getting one cabin to fit 5 people is a hidden up charge. Those cabins are expensive since there are so few of them and no other options for one cabin. I'd say look at a verandah and an inside across the hall but your kids are young. My kids were 7 and 9 on our first cruise and they loved it so much they never wanted to go back to WDW.

 

[hrhdhd]

It's not double better. And you can get the Disney fix with the park day.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

With 9 yer olds there could be value in DCL but I am not feeling the price difference even so. A day at MK handles most of the character interactions, and the Royal private island is actually more fun for kids of that age than Castaway. (I said what I said.)

 

[Cheburashka]

WIth nine year old girls, I would choose Disney, but I would sail the Dream rather than the Wish. The Wish is the newest ship and therefore the highest priced per night. Imo the upcharge won't be worth it for new cruisers, as all of the ships are kept in tip top condition, and the Dream class ships (Dream & Fantasy) have great features themselves (Aqua Duck, Midship Detective Agency, etc.). As a veteran DCL cruiser I personally prefer the Dream class to the previews I've seen of the Wish so far, anyway. And in November, Disney ships will be beautifully decorated for Christmas. Even Castaway Cay will have a nice Christmas theme. If you like Disney's holiday decor, then you'll really like being on the ships at that time of year.

 

[Cheburashka]

I'll add that the Dream is sailing from Miami, which makes it harder to pair with a Disney stay, but not impossible. You could rent a car and drive from the port to Orlando (about 4 hours) after the cruise. Or you could forgo Disney World for once, and sail a 5 night on the Dream rather than a 4 night on the Wish. 5 nights is an awesome length for a cruise, better than 4.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Your biggest problem on DCL is you are a family of 5.

Dude, my biggest problem with planning travel anywhere, anytime is the darn third child! "You want a value room? Too bad, they max out at 4!" And not just Disney. We end up having to book two rooms or pay the significant upcharge for the 5th sleeping surface just about everywhere.

My kids were 7 and 9 on our first cruise and they loved it so much they never wanted to go back to WDW.

This is why we're even considering the Disney premium. People seem to swear by them.

WIth nine year old girls, I would choose Disney, but I would sail the Fantasy or the Dream rather than the Wish.

We're not flexible with our dates/port. This year, the week that school is closed leads into their birthday on Saturday, then we fly home Sunday. Because of the way leap years fall, Jersey Week won't line up like this again until they're in college and it's irrelevant. If I want the MK birthday over the school holiday, it's the Wish out of Canaveral or bust.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I'll add that the Dream is sailing from Miami, which makes it harder to pair with a Disney stay, but not impossible. You could rent a car and drive from the port to Orlando (about 4 hours) after the cruise. Or you could forgo Disney World for once, and sail a 5 night on the Dream rather than a 4 night on the Wish. 5 nights is an awesome length for a cruise, better than 4.

I've been looking at that sailing, but it disembarks on their birthday. Maybe I'm being silly, but that doesn't feel magical to me. I recognize that I'm being pretty inflexible on that front, but "Magic Kingdom on your birthday" was the nugget that started this whole thing and I don't think I'm ready to give that up.

 

[Demke Family]

I'm planning my girls' birthday trip in November. Our plan was always to activate APs this summer and surprise them with a birthday at Disney World. You know, back in December when we thought the AP pause might just be for the holiday season? Whomp, whomp.

Instead, we're now looking at a 4 night cruise from Canaveral and then just a one day ticket for their actual birthday in MK. We're doing the long Disney trip this summer, so a cruise and one park day feels like more bang for our buck than another week of parks.

There's a Disney Wish cruise that perfectly overlaps our dates. But, there's also a Royal Carribbean cruise that does the same. Same basic itinerary (Canaveral, Nassau, Private Island, Canaveral), same dates, half the cost of DCL and I could be in two balcony rooms or a suite versus a five person veranda on the Wish.

I know there's a reason Disney costs more, and with soon-to-be nine year old girls we're right in their sweet spot, but double the price? I could do RC and book a VIP tour on their birthday for the same cost. Every time I've looked at Disney cruise pricing, I keep coming back to the incredible cost difference.

So, Dis friends, is it really that much better? Please convince my cheap-at-heart self that I'm sitting here comparing a motel three blocks from the beach with a four star resort on the water.

To be honest, it really depends on how much your family loved Disney. We have done. It’s RC and Disney many times. The new RC ships have sooooo much to do and very nice restaurants that are additional costs. Sending a little more for a nicer room with a balcony is always worth it. Everything is extra so you need to build that into the cost.
I am much more comfortable letting my kids roam the ship on a Disney Cruise. We love the shows and the great service but do sometimes get a little bored of trivia and bingo.
The Disney island is much nicer and more chill than the RC private island where anything you do costs extra and it’s pretty chaotic.
With the cost of Disney being so much higher each time we go, half the time we do RC. The extra special things your girls will want to do on Disney will also be extra- like the boutique and the princess tea.