Why DCL is worth the price, to me

[rusafee1183]

Disney costs about twice as much as other cruiselines and sometimes it's easy to find yourself wondering if it's worth it. I just thought I would share our recent experience to hopefully help others with their decision.

My DH and I sailed with Disney in 2011 on the Magic, and again in 2012 aboard the Fantasy. I fell in love with the Magic, and only had very MINOR complaints. My husband and I sailed alone, without children and we found some of the adult areas a bit lacking. But, still - we had a great time and we booked on board for the same week the following year aboard the Fantasy. It truly was the most amazing place I had ever set foot in, and we had the time of our lives. The food was amazing, the shows were dazzling, the service was... well, Disney quality service and we couldn't have asked for more.

This year, we decided along with a group of friends (all late 20's to early 30's)to all go on a cruise together to Alaska. I knew Disney was out. They aren't 'Disney People' and I could never convince them to pay what Disney was asking to "sail with a bunch of kids".

So after some research, we decided to sail on Norwegian. And it was HORRIBLE.

We were all given the wrong port information, and booked hotels in walking distance to an (unknown to us) incorrect area. Once we finally found the correct port, and had to pay additional costs for cabs to get there - we waited FOUR AND A HALF HOURS in a line to check in. I am not exaggerating. It was the biggest nightmare and pretty much the worst way to start vacation ever.

The lack of communication would be an ongoing theme. We never once saw our cruise director, we could never hear announcements, we were told the wrong areas to get off the ships for the ports, and on our last night we stood in a blocked off hallway with about 200 people wating to get off the ship, for an announcement to be made a half hour *later* to wait in our rooms for us to get clearance to go ashore.

Once on board after our 4+ hour check in wait, we were so frazzled and exhausted we needed to drink. The sail away drink special was advertised as a low price that they refused to give us. That was the price of the SOUVENIER CUP only. The actaul drink was $7 more served inside of the advertised $2.95 cup. The nickel and diming went on the rest of the week as well.

The "freestyle" cruising felt more to us as an excuse for the waitstaff to be unaccountable for their actions. We all thought we would love the laidback atmosphere, and to not have to worry about set dining times, or bringing formal clothes on top of our bulky cold weather gear. We were wrong. The waitstaff moved from dining room to dining room, never really knowing the menu anywhere - and most times, forgetting to bring what we ordered, scoffing at orders, saying they didn't know about the things we were asking about... and on and on.

The entertainment was awful as well. It was filled with really bad and cheesy variety shows (which I generally love...), and one night ... it was some guy in the theater talking about an acting group and showing old improv clips from the 80's from famous actors that had started in their group. That was the main show of the night.

Not one person looked happy to be working there, said hello as we walked past, nothing to make us feel welcomed. One friend of mine commented that she felt that we were bothering every person we spoke to.

I know I must sound like I am a picky person, who is just hard to please. Or maybe we just sound too demanding.... Honestly, we aren't. It may sound like I drank the kool aid and Disney is the only place that would satisfy me... But, these reviews are coming from a group of 6 people who have sailed almost all of the cruiselines over the years. I am generally somone who can find the good anywhere. There was just not much good to report here.

So, long story LONG DCL is well worth the extra cost. They entertain you with Broadway caliber shows. They treat you well, the feed you amazing foods in spectacular, entertaining restaurants. You don't feel nickle and dimed, and you are never afraid to drink juice because you don't know if it's allowed without a 'drink package'. And most of all, and they act like they are genuinely happy to see you and expect you to have a fabulous time.

Hopefully this review will help you if you are undecided about whether DCL is worth it. We will (most likely) not sail with anyone else again.

 

[Keira1387]

Thanks for posting! We are also in that age bracket that your talking about, with no kids. Most people don't really get why we cruise disney. I would consider myself to be a disney cruise addict, but sometimes the better prices make me think about straying. Thanks so much for posting this! Just what I needed to hear.

 

[rusafee1183]

Thanks for posting! We are also in that age bracket that your talking about, with no kids. Most people don't really get why we cruise disney. I would consider myself to be a disney cruise addict, but sometimes the better prices make me think about straying. Thanks so much for posting this! Just what I needed to hear.

So glad to help! I know it was long winded, but I really wanted to be as detailed as possible

I know how tempting the prices can be elsewhere. I honestly think that the only other cruise line we would try would be Royal Caribbean. Carnival is a little too much of a party scene for us (we aren't huge drinkers) Princess is a little too old, and clearly NCL isn't for us.

People don't really understand why we sail with Disney either or why we are DVC members who visit annually without kids. It just makes us happy!! They don't need to understand....

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I had (reluctantly) booked an NCL cruise to Alaska in September because the time was right (the last one the had going and the only one our schedule would allow) and the price was right and I was hoping my husband could get off work to go with us. But I just cancelled it because he couldn't get the time off - and I am feeling really good about my decision after reading this!

My DS and DBIL go on NCL all the time - but every time I talk to someone who went on an NCL cruise - even if THEY liked it - it just sounds awful to me. Cheap and cheesy....

 

[Goldberry]

Wow! Thank you so much for posting this! I am taking my family on our very first cruise and picked DCL. My coworkers all grimace when they ask me how much I paid for the cruise and asked me so many times why I didn't go on carnival or RCL. Now I feel so much better. We will be going next month on the16th aboard the dream. I can't wait!

 

[Dug720]

The one thing I've found in researching a solo cruise is that by and large, at least as a solo traveler, Disney is pretty much on par and in some cases cheaper than cruising solo on another line.

 

[junbug]

You don't know how many times I've asked myself is this worth it? Should I go with another line? Thank you so much for you review. I feel so my better.

 

[swimfly]

Thanks for your review! I love your openness and thought you put into your post.

I know how tempting the prices can be elsewhere. I honestly think that the only other cruise line we would try would be Royal Caribbean. Carnival is a little too much of a party scene for us (we aren't huge drinkers) Princess is a little too old, and clearly NCL isn't for us.

We have loved our experiences on RCI. Had even planned to take DD (17 mths) on an RCI cruise when we started planning. But RCI wanted 3 times Disney for an infant which swayed our position. Now that we've experience DCL we won't be going back to RCI. Well maybe when she's a teen and can really enjoy the on board activities of RCI.

Wow! Thank you so much for posting this! I am taking my family on our very first cruise and picked DCL. My coworkers all grimace when they ask me how much I paid for the cruise and asked me so many times why I didn't go on carnival or RCL. Now I feel so much better. We will be going next month on the16th aboard the dream. I can't wait!

I can't stand it when people ask me the cost of my vacation. So tacky. Tell them to stuff it or google it! You will fall in love with the Dream. Just be prepared to rebook on board. Hook... line...sinker!

 

[moosecrouse]

I'm a 42 yr old single male who has been doing WDW at least 1x a year since my oldest nephew was born 14 yrs ago. We have also done 4 Disney cruises with 5th coming up next summer. Have never been on another cruise line but decided to sail NCL Breakaway this October. Figured with the solo cabins and 1/2 hr ride to port perfect chance to try something different.
Will admit I'm going in with very low expectations and am not expecting anything close to DCL but for the cost and lack of having to fly somewhere its a week away from work & those are always good.

 

[MagicMe]

The one thing I've found in researching a solo cruise is that by and large, at least as a solo traveler, Disney is pretty much on par and in some cases cheaper than cruising solo on another line.

I have found this to be very true. I often look at RCL to see if there is something there that might be cheaper but most of the itineraries I look at and the cabin area I'd prefer all end up costing close to what I'd pay on DCL. So as long as I am cruising by myself, I'll choose Disney!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have found this to be very true. I often look at RCL to see if there is something there that might be cheaper but most of the itineraries I look at and the cabin area I'd prefer all end up costing close to what I'd pay on DCL. So as long as I am cruising by myself, I'll choose Disney!

My experience is the opposite. RCCL is generally dramatically cheaper. Last time it was about $500 cheaper to do their 5 night vs DCLs 4 night.

 

[rusafee1183]

I'm glad that this is helping people decide, or at least putting your mind at ease about costs. So happy to help!

I'm a 42 yr old single male who has been doing WDW at least 1x a year since my oldest nephew was born 14 yrs ago. We have also done 4 Disney cruises with 5th coming up next summer. Have never been on another cruise line but decided to sail NCL Breakaway this October. Figured with the solo cabins and 1/2 hr ride to port perfect chance to try something different.
Will admit I'm going in with very low expectations and am not expecting anything close to DCL but for the cost and lack of having to fly somewhere its a week away from work & those are always good.

You'll have to post here and let me know how you like it! And I agree about going in with low expectations. I did the same, mainly because I didn't want to be the buzzkill among my friends constantly comparing it to Disney. I would have received a lot of eye rolls if that was the case.

I showed my husband this review last night, and he agreed with everything I wrote - but also said that maybe it wasn't fair for me to write off the entire cruiseline for something that could have been a fluke. I guess that's true, but to me they just seemed un-apologetic after all of these instances... which led me to believe that was just 'the way it is' to them.

I could be wrong though! (It happens from time to time) He may be right, and it may have just been a fluke. I hope so at least!

I truly hope you have an amazing experience! Make sure you update afterward

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I'm a 42 yr old single male who has been doing WDW at least 1x a year since my oldest nephew was born 14 yrs ago. We have also done 4 Disney cruises with 5th coming up next summer. Have never been on another cruise line but decided to sail NCL Breakaway this October. Figured with the solo cabins and 1/2 hr ride to port perfect chance to try something different.
Will admit I'm going in with very low expectations and am not expecting anything close to DCL but for the cost and lack of having to fly somewhere its a week away from work & those are always good.

If you go into it expecting it to be disappointing then you will find what you expect I think that is what often happens on here.

No, it is not Disney. But that does not automatically make it worse. Different is not automatically bad

 

[darkwing818]

If you go into it expecting it to be disappointing then you will find what you expect I think that is what often happens on here.

No, it is not Disney. But that does not automatically make it worse. Different is not automatically bad

Absolutely Correct.... Self-Fulling Prophecy will always come true!!!!

 

[TinkBell10]

Thanks to the OP for the detailed review! My sister and her husband sailed NCL to Alaska a couple of years ago, and they had very similar experiences. To, add....they are not fussy foodies by any means, but were VERY disappointed with the food offerings on the ship. They said they were so excited when they were in port so they could go ashore and find "decent food!"

Our very first cruise in 2001 was with RCCI. While we enjoyed it, we haven't been back since discovering DCL. Although, we are giving it another try in November due to the great deal we got. We also tried the new Carnival Dream when it was brand new. While the ship was beautiful, the service & entertainment was lacking....and just didn't have the magical feel as DCL.

To make a long story short...I totally think Disney is worth the extra cost!

 

[rusafee1183]

Thanks to the OP for the detailed review! My sister and her husband sailed NCL to Alaska a couple of years ago, and they had very similar experiences. To, add....they are not fussy foodies by any means, but were VERY disappointed with the food offerings on the ship. They said they were so excited when they were in port so they could go ashore and find "decent food!"

I totally agree. We are not fussy about food either. I do like to try new things, and I have an adventerous palatte - and more than once it was said "what they lack in quality, they make up in quantity"

They had a TON of food, all the time. Not bad, but not really very good either. It was the equivelant of ... like a Golden Corral. Or an Old Country Buffet, maybe.

 

[ZonaCruiser]

I totally agree. We are not fussy about food either. I do like to try new things, and I have an adventerous palatte - and more than once it was said "what they lack in quality, they make up in quantity"

They had a TON of food, all the time. Not bad, but not really very good either. It was the equivelant of ... like a Golden Corral. Or an Old Country Buffet, maybe.

Never been on NCL, so I'm curious - what I've heard is that if you're going on NCL, you need to budget for the specialty restaurants. A lot of reviews say that all the specialty places are good, but then you end up paying each time. Did you try many of the other restaurants, or stick to the MDR and buffet?

 

[moosecrouse]

Absolutely Correct.... Self-Fulling Prophecy will always come true!!!!

Not going in with the expectations of the trip being bad. Just with the idea that it isnt DCL & I shouldnt be expecting the same level of service & quality DCL provides. Trip is costing a pretty enough penny that I hope not to be disappointed.

 

[jrabbit]

Disney costs about twice as much as other cruiselines and sometimes it's easy to find yourself wondering if it's worth it. I just thought I would share our recent experience to hopefully help others with their decision.
...
So after some research, we decided to sail on Norwegian. And it was HORRIBLE.
...
The "freestyle" cruising felt more to us as an excuse for the waitstaff to be unaccountable for their actions. We all thought we would love the laidback atmosphere, and to not have to worry about set dining times, or bringing formal clothes on top of our bulky cold weather gear. We were wrong. The waitstaff moved from dining room to dining room, never really knowing the menu anywhere - and most times, forgetting to bring what we ordered, scoffing at orders, saying they didn't know about the things we were asking about... and on and on.

The entertainment was awful as well. It was filled with really bad and cheesy variety shows (which I generally love...), and one night ... it was some guy in the theater talking about an acting group and showing old improv clips from the 80's from famous actors that had started in their group. That was the main show of the night.

Not one person looked happy to be working there, said hello as we walked past, nothing to make us feel welcomed. One friend of mine commented that she felt that we were bothering every person we spoke to.

I know I must sound like I am a picky person, who is just hard to please. Or maybe we just sound too demanding.... Honestly, we aren't. It may sound like I drank the kool aid and Disney is the only place that would satisfy me... But, these reviews are coming from a group of 6 people who have sailed almost all of the cruiselines over the years. I am generally somone who can find the good anywhere. There was just not much good to report here.
...

Hey, we were on that cruise ... except it was a few years ago and in the Med!!! Main Dinning Rooms - Service Horrible!! Food only slightly better. Buffet food - WORSE THAN HORRIBLE. And we were on a NoroVirus cruise so we could not serve our selves. The servers would visit with each other and when we tried to get their attention, they would turn their backs on us!! Shows were slightly better than your description. One highlight was the cruise director - he was amazing. Actually the only amazing thing about the cruise, where everything was pretty poor. About half way through the cruise we started eating dinners in the additional charge restaurants and the service and food improved - but not even to DCL's MDR levels and no where near Palo. We went on this cruise for the ports - and they were spectacular. Just the floating hotel / restaurant sucked. Oh Yea, freestyle means that you are invisible.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Not going in with the expectations of the trip being bad. Just with the idea that it isnt DCL & I shouldnt be expecting the same level of service & quality DCL provides. Trip is costing a pretty enough penny that I hope not to be disappointed.

Yeah I kinda feel the same way too. The other lines may be cheaper, but they STILL COST! We paid over $1500 easy to Carnival when all was said and done, and other than the nice ports, I couldn't wait to get off and go back to Disneyworld... So I think I'd be better off saving that $1500 and putting it towards my next DCL, even if it takes an extra year or a few days shorter. At least I won't be glad to be home after spending a bunch...