What makes DCL better then other cruises?

[BriarRosie]

I've cruised 8 times, but only once on DCL. I loved many aspects of the Disney cruise, most of all, the elegance of the ship.

I took the Western sailing a year ago January, and we saw a LOT of other cruise ships at each port. I must be biased, because I kept thinking, "Geez! None of the other ships are as gorgeous as the Disney Magic!" Heck, one Celebrity ship looked like it was made of gigantic Legos!

That aside, I've noticed that on the non-Disney cruises, kids tend to invade the adult areas, like the disco/bar areas. I didn't like that, and I appreciated the kid-free zones on DCL. I loved the quiet at the adult pool.

As for show quality, I think the Disney cruises had better shows, but then again, it helps that I'm a Disney fan. However, the nighttime entertainment was sorely lacking. The duelling piano bar was dead, and the pianists were not on par with Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk. (I tried not to compare them, but they were fairly sad.)

The only thing I miss......casinos. I enjoy going to the casino on cruise ships.

I definitely would take another Disney cruise, just to see Castaway Cay. (My cruise had to bypass it due to poor weather and 13 foot waves!)

 

[randytenn]

Isn't that what happened to the Big Red Boat?

Funny that you should mention the Big Red Boat. On our first cruise, we were right next to the Big Red Boat in Nassau when it went into receivership. The cruise ended right there. We could look over at night and see the crew partying. They knew there was no pay, no tips, so they raided the liquor storage and had a great night.

Disney hired many of them right there. The guests had to find a way home (although I understand the line did try to help them).

 

[jfeasel]

Husband and I just got back from a 3 day Carnival that was very similar to Disney's 3 day to Nassau EXCEPT no Castaway Cay. Here's what I think the difference are:
1. Service - this was a huge difference. We never met our cabin steward on Carnival's Fascination. Our cabin steward on DCL kept our room spotless, asked if we needed anything and made sure he knew who we were. Also, our waiters on DCL asked our names, where we were from, how many cruises we've been on and remembered our drink orders from night to night. Waiters on Carnival didn't get to know us at all. They were all business, which was fine, but I thought the personalized service on Carnival was severly lacking.

2. Food - we're not gourmet eaters, but we like good food. The food on the Fascination was mediocre at best. The buffet on the first day lacked freshness and choices. There was a tomato salad and the tomatos were not ripe. The regular salad bar had lettuce with brown edges and lack of toppings. There was a turkey carving station, but the turkey was not done. DCL has shrimp and lots of variety. Every night at dinner on Carnival, the salad was the same, a bland iceberg. Entrees were not imaginative.

3. Stateroom - we had a balcony stateroom on DCL which was great, but we had our kids with us so we needed the room. There were very few balcony rooms on the Fascination so we had an oceanview room. Room size was fine, but missed the split baths.

4. Carnival and other ships have casinos. Since we live in Ohio, we don't have access to casinos so this was something fun for us. We did a poker tournament and a slot tournament which are fun ways to play without spending a lot of money. My husband and I enjoy having the option of the casino.

5. Check-in and check-out - Disney's port is awesome. Carnival's and Royal Caribbeans are like big warehouses, nothing fancy. Carnival now allows you to keep your luggage on the last night and walk off the ship with it. This is a huge convenience because you don't have to play look for your luggage when leaving the ship. This was a big bonus.

6. Ship decor - you can't beat Disney. The Fascination's indoor colors were black, silver and salmon which made the hallways very dark.

7. Shows - both lines did a top job, but I just love Disney entertainment.

8. Price - you get what you pay for. Disney is more expensive, but you are treated like royality.

9. Kids program - Caribbean and Royal Caribbean's kids clubs are only open certain hours during the day whereas Disney's is open all day long, even on port days. BIG BONUS.

Would I do Carnival again? Maybe. Would I do Royal Caribbean again? Yes. Would I do Disney again, definately. We're planning another cruise with a group of friends and no kids next May and we'll probably pick Royal Caribbean just because it has a casino.

 

[RickW]

Originally posted by jfeasel
Carnival now allows you to keep your luggage on the last night and walk off the ship with it. This is a huge convenience because you don't have to play look for your luggage when leaving the ship. This was a big bonus.

Just a quick note:
You don't HAVE to put your luggage out the night before. If you want to lug it off of the ship yourself, no one is going to come by your stateroom demanding that you hand it over the night before.