Why are Disney cruises still so expensive?

[Clarkson U]

I understand your sentiments and agree that DCL is for you now and may forever be because DW and I were there once; however, since our desired *Disney Fix* no longer exists and then doing the math, sailing a DCL Verandah at virtually the same cost of Yacht Club makes no financial sense nor provides a greater emotional satisfaction and certainly paying the thou$and$ more for a lesser Concierge experience is simply not wise.

Enjoy your future cruising whether DCL or another line.

totally agree - if strictly looking at it from a economic point of view - it would be very hard to say that DCL is the better deal. It does really depend on many factors in my mind including how many extras you get on the ship (fancy dining or specialty dining), how much you drink (alcohol or soda), how much internet you plan to use, etc.

Many other lines give you free wifi, free drink package, free specialty dining and then charge you gratuities for it up front. Sometimes we don't even spend the gratuity amount drinking on the disney ship. Other lines have 3rd and 4th guests free but if you are only 2 people then that doesn't help. It is very variable. If you go on another cruise line but then spend all of your times at specialty dining then the cost may start to normalize out somewhat. Also agree have to definitely compare same class to same class.

I know for some alaska sailings, I can go NCL Haven out of Seattle (domestic flight) for less money than a Verandah on Wonder out of Vancouver (international flight). NCL Haven is even a step above DCL concierge so to me there is no comparison on the economics - but we are probably going to do DCL Wonder because we want that Disney experience for Alaska.

Enjoy your future cruising as well - whether on DCL or another line (we do plan to try out other lines in the future).

 

[Mango7100]

totally agree - if strictly looking at it from a economic point of view - it would be very hard to say that DCL is the better deal. It does really depend on many factors in my mind including how many extras you get on the ship (fancy dining or specialty dining), how much you drink (alcohol or soda), how much internet you plan to use, etc.

Many other lines give you free wifi, free drink package, free specialty dining and then charge you gratuities for it up front. Sometimes we don't even spend the gratuity amount drinking on the disney ship. Other lines have 3rd and 4th guests free but if you are only 2 people then that doesn't help. It is very variable. If you go on another cruise line but then spend all of your times at specialty dining then the cost may start to normalize out somewhat. Also agree have to definitely compare same class to same class.

I know for some alaska sailings, I can go NCL Haven out of Seattle (domestic flight) for less money than a Verandah on Wonder out of Vancouver (international flight). NCL Haven is even a step above DCL concierge so to me there is no comparison on the economics - but we are probably going to do DCL Wonder because we want that Disney experience for Alaska.

Enjoy your future cruising as well - whether on DCL or another line (we do plan to try out other lines in the future).

I do agree that it depends on how much you drink, how many people, etc. We actually compared our week long Haven cruise with the free drinks but charged gratuities up front based on their stated value of the drink package (which value is variable since people drink different amounts) to our DCL cruise in March. We need up almost exactly even between the 2 cruises as far as what we spent on drinks—I drink 2 a day max. DH will drink 3-4 (but when it was paid for up front found himself ordering something just because why not), DD gets a kids drink a day. None of us drink soda.

Either way we had a great Haven cruise and are looking at that for next year with my parents to go to Northern Europe. We also had a great DCL cruise and are looking forward to our next one

 

[phi2012]

We're from the UK.
Cruising on disney in the Caribbean for our family of 5 in a verandah cabin was very close in price to royal caribbean for an equivalent cabin that fitted all of us. We have done both cruise lines (royal pre children, and disney last year) and it was an easy choice when looking at the figures and what each cruise gives us, to decide our next cruise next year is disney.
We much preferred disney, for entertainment, food and theming. I never thought I would be able to justify the cost. But after the last cruise and seeing the prices for our family of 5. It was easy.
That's not to say it would be the same for others. I'm sure for a family of 4 the prices might be significantly different.
Also the ages of our family and our love of disney makes a family/child friendly cruise more desirable.

On the point someone said about disney holidays and disney cruises and prices. An equivalent time onsite at disney, with the UK dining credits offer being offered and tickets, is equal to our cruise cost for 7 nights around the Caribbean next summer.

We also have decided on cruising from America, as European cruises are more expensive for us, even with adding in flight cost (which is crazy really). So we have decided to fly do a week's cruise around the Caribbean and a week onsite, for a few thousand more than just a weeks European cruise.

 

[randumb0]

I think it depends on the itinerary. If you sail the Caribbean on a ship that isn't the Wish then your prices will be comparable to some of the other luxury lines or Royals's newest ships. Alaska or Europe? You will pay waaayyy more on DCL

 

[mousefan73]

To put things in perspective on howDisney gets people to pay more because it’s Disney , I recall when Disney first opened their Greek Sailings, Pete, in one of his podcasts mentioned that one customer had booked I believe it was the Roy suite or basically the biggest cabin on the Magic and it was 150,000.!!!!! Only a complete Disney fan would pay that much because for that amount, you could basically charter your own private yacht

 

[Karin1984]

To put things in perspective on howDisney gets people to pay more because it’s Disney , I recall when Disney first opened their Greek Sailings, Pete, in one of his podcasts mentioned that one customer had booked I believe it was the Roy suite or basically the biggest cabin on the Magic and it was 150,000.!!!!! Only a complete Disney fan would pay that much because for that amount, you could basically charter your own private yacht

Or just buy Greece.

 

[dreamer17555]

I know way too much useless Disney Trivia and the only way to be potentially rewarded for that is by paying probably too much for a DCL sailing so I have a chance to add to my Mickey medallion collection.

 

[MsChristy12]

Welp...this unskilled worker right here with a low-level job just went on the Disney Wish last month!! It was fun! I'll get back on topic...It was expensive. Why? Do we even need to ask why whenever the name DISNEY is attached to it?

 

[epcotrulz]

Because it’s a better experience than other mass market cruise lines. I’m willing to pay that premium for that experience. For some people they don’t care about the “Disney Difference” and that’s cool … but enough people do apparently!

 

[mousefan73]

I know way too much useless Disney Trivia and the only way to be potentially rewarded for that is by paying probably too much for a DCL sailing so I have a chance to add to my Mickey medallion collection.

I thought I knew also alot until I did my first trivia and realized I know nothing. I have a feeling there is a DCL Mafia of people who know everything and where there is contest to collect as many medallions as possible. fits the arguement why DCL is so expensive. I think some of these people would pay DCL rates even if the product suddenly was at carnival level as long as they kept the trivia!

 

[FastPasser.]

I thought I knew also a lot until I did my first trivia and realized I know nothing.

Join the club. We play most of the Disney trivia games and we never win. It's embarrassing because you'd think that being immersed in Disney stuff 4 to 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year for decades, that I'd do much better. Guess I didn't pay attention.

 

[dreamer17555]

I thought I knew also alot until I did my first trivia and realized I know nothing. I have a feeling there is a DCL Mafia of people who know everything and where there is contest to collect as many medallions as possible. fits the arguement why DCL is so expensive. I think some of these people would pay DCL rates even if the product suddenly was at carnival level as long as they kept the trivia!

Pretty much . This is my collection from my last two sailings.

ETA- I have figured out the trick is to make friends before the cruise and to team up once on board! You get great new friends and extra brains working towards the same goal.

 

[Clarkson U]

Because bottom line, there are enough people willing to pay the price that DCL charges such that they can afford to keep prices higher, discounts to a minimum, cut back on services (like paper navigators, full salad bar in Cabanas, early PAT for Platinum, Pirate Buffet, etc) and still fill most sailings for a good part of the year.

Supply and Demand and as long as demand is high no need to drop prices especially since supply won’t be going up much to meet demand.

 

[cvjw]

Sailed last week on the fantasy. 3200 people. All cabins but a few inside were booked. Sailed in January. 3600 people. All cabins booked.

Our head server told us the week before Easter, the fantasy had 4200 guests. The week after Easter had 4500 guests. He said it was nuts. They were struggling to find tables for everyone to eat dinner.

The sailings are full, that is why Disney can charge what they do.

As to vacation time, my sons got 4-5 weeks off right from the start. No earning more vacation. They started with lots of vacation time.

 

[mousefan73]

Sailed last week on the fantasy. 3200 people. All cabins but a few inside were booked. Sailed in January. 3600 people. All cabins booked.

Our head server told us the week before Easter, the fantasy had 4200 guests. The week after Easter had 4500 guests. He said it was nuts. They were struggling to find tables for everyone to eat dinner.

The sailings are full, that is why Disney can charge what they do.

As to vacation time, my sons got 4-5 weeks off right from the start. No earning more vacation. They started with lots of vacation time.

concerning ships being full. Are we still in the timezone where some sailing this past winter and this spring are using Covid future cruise credits? I wonder when the period is when that option expired and if we are there yet? I know many did refunds but many took advanage of the 150% discounts orwhat they were back then. becuase looking ahead things are more discounted than they use to be.

 

[Calantha]

concerning ships being full. Are we still in the timezone where some sailing this past winter and this spring are using Covid future cruise credits? I wonder when the period is when that option expired and if we are there yet? I know many did refunds but many took advanage of the 150% discounts orwhat they were back then. becuase looking ahead things are more discounted than they use to be.

All covid FCC expired 9/30/22. There were lots of complaints about this in the late summer, but there shouldn't be any left. However, maybe some people might still have cancelled Wish 50% off...but that wouldn't account for that many.

 

[Freeman867]

Sailed last week on the fantasy. 3200 people. All cabins but a few inside were booked. Sailed in January. 3600 people. All cabins booked.

Our head server told us the week before Easter, the fantasy had 4200 guests. The week after Easter had 4500 guests. He said it was nuts. They were struggling to find tables for everyone to eat dinner.

The sailings are full, that is why Disney can charge what they do.

As to vacation time, my sons got 4-5 weeks off right from the start. No earning more vacation. They started with lots of vacation time.

You get it. It doesn't matter what millions think of the price as long as 4,500 can afford it and do pay it. This is the very definition of a luxury good. You simply don't lower prices on something when you're filling the boat and scrambling to find tables for everyone to eat dinner. In fact, the prices should probably be even higher if this is the case. Unfortunately, Disney doesn't care if it prices YOU out of their ships if you're being replaced by someone who will pay $500 more per person. Sad reality, but that's the business of it all.

 

[mlayton14]

You get it. It doesn't matter what millions think of the price as long as 4,500 can afford it and do pay it. This is the very definition of a luxury good. You simply don't lower prices on something when you're filling the boat and scrambling to find tables for everyone to eat dinner. In fact, the prices should probably be even higher if this is the case. Unfortunately, Disney doesn't care if it prices YOU out of their ships if you're being replaced by someone who will pay $500 more per person. Sad reality, but that's the business of it all.

I would add that is the case for all cruise lines , none of these CEOs are giving charity to get folks on their ships , they will charge what people are willing to pay

 

[DCLMP]

I think it depends on the itinerary. If you sail the Caribbean on a ship that isn't the Wish then your prices will be comparable to some of the other luxury lines or Royals's newest ships. Alaska or Europe? You will pay waaayyy more on DCL

I've sailed on a lot of reasonably priced Disney cruises...29 now. If you sail on a prime itinerary on peak weeks when kids are out of school you are going to pay through the nose.

 

[Carohs]

I tend to book the lowest fair available. I don't see the value in a lot of things and as much as I enjoy Disney I'm not a diehard fan. We also have kids and while there maybe a thing or two Disney can do better they are the hands down most family friendly of all lines.
1. Best in kids clubs with variety of activities. Wide availability and open all day
2. Set meal times with serving crew that follow you and interact with LOs (eg: magic tricks, "squeaky" arm band) Consistency is so important for kids
3. Poolside movies that you can actually see and hear
4. G rated game show type of entertainment kids can actually participate in
5. Trivia facts that kids can relate to or have a familiar point of reference
6. No having to walk through, around, or near smoke
7. Split bathroom set up in most cabins
8. A room that not only "accommodates" 4 but has actual comfortable beds for all 4, one of which can be shared without the awkward split from two twin beds joins together.
9. The "magic" and the priceless experience of your kids believing in it

I'm sure there's more than that but for us this is all worth the little extra premium Disney charges and we don't miss any of the add-ons those other lines charge.

Besides that, going off season or finding a GT rate makes it not so much more. I find that I can even save by booking an inside on DCL. Inside room on other lines might say they sleep four, but bonk your head on a pullman above your bed or trip on the ladder more often than not from smaller cabins and housekeeping that doesn't store these on a daily basis, and you start to question whether those rooms in practicality sleep 4.