Your comparison of DCL with another cruiseline...

[KSFrogge]

I can only comment on RCCL.. DH and I were on the Explorer of the Seas in 2005 - Eastern. We loved the cruise, the service was fabulous and we were happy with our room (interior window to the Promenade), but it was just 2 of us adults. We weren't thrilled with the food, but it was pretty good.

When planning this upcoming cruise for all 5 of us, I had initially planned to go with Carnival on a Christmas or NYE cruise. We consulted with some friends of ours that have been on MANY cruises on many cruise lines, and they said hands down - go with Disney.

They basically told us that everything was far better (rooms, food etc) -- but the one thing that stood out for them on the Disney cruises was that the staff were so much more excited, helpful and attentive ..even on the last days of the cruise. They'd been on Carnival cruises where they would get the impression the staff was tired of being there.

So, to accommodate the budget, I booked an October cruise when the kids are out (most of the week) for conferences.

 

[justmestace]

Everyone I know, knows how much I LOVE Disney and DCL....But....you have to look at things objectively.

If you're looking for a "Disney Experience" then, yes....DCL is far and above and the only obvious choice.

If you're looking for a great way to get from one port to another, then the other cruise lines....okay, the only other two I've done are NCL and Princess.....are comparable. AND...they are MUCH, MUCH cheaper.

I happen to think that even though we did have to tender to Princess Cays....both my husband and I found it superior to Castaway Cay. They had more areas to access your lunch and to sit and eat it. Their kids' area had a shallow pool so that the kids weren't out there in the heat all day with no way of cooling off. The food was better....and I liked that we could exit the "cruise passenger" area and find locals selling their wares.
They offered small portable cabanas to stay in the shade on the beach...and there was more room to spread out. It didn't feel like that mad dash that occurs at Castaway Cay.

Plus.....the other cruise lines have a greater variety of ports to visit. Until the new ships come out, DCL has done the same ones, over and over and over. Except for their "special" cruises....which aren't all that special, since the other lines have done them forever and charge a whole lot less to do them.

Obviously, this IS a Disney Board, and you're going to find 99.999% of the responses saying that DCL is the only way to go. I just don't happen to agree.
It depends a LOT upon your budget....and your desire to see different places.....

We've been very lucky. We've had great rooms, hosts, and meals on the other lines. So I really can't complain. A mini-suite on Princess is comparable to a Cat 4 on DCL....only less expensive and you get concierge service. We had Owner's Suites on NCL which have concierge, two room stewards and two butlers....all for the same cost as a Cat 3 on DCL. The other lines also have more balcony rooms at a lower cost, so if you want a balcony, you could get one for the same price as an inside on DCL.

Enough said. I DO love Disney. There IS that certain feel to it...and for us, it's also a feeling of coming home...since we've cruised with them so much. But....dollar for dollar....port choices.....I think the others win.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Here is one I did to compare to NCL...
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2173138

 

[Pughfamilycruisers]

i too took my first cruise with DCL in 2007 and from the suprise at having our family announced as we boarded, to the glee (literally squeeled at my DH) at sound of the first horn and the tears on the last night at dinner (didn't want to go home) it was amazing and I looked at other lines in preparation for our 2009 cruise and always found things that didn't meet the amazing experience we had on the first med cruise on DCL so we are off to the carribean on DCL in a month. However although I was initially jumping for joy when DCL said they were coming accross the pond to me in the UK the huge $$$ prices for the 2010 european cruises when compared with other lines unfortunatly mean we may not be able to sail with the mouse form our backyard in 2010.

 

[sharen24]

This is our first Disney Cruise and the idea of the "announcement" upon boarding the ship makes me emotional. My kids will go nuts when they SEE this ship, let alone being announced and hearing music and everything.

Just thinking of it brings tears to my eyes!

 

[tvguy]

Also, RCCL's disembarkation is horrible compared to DCL's...hours crammed in a "non-smoking" lounge surrounded by smokers while waiting for my color to be called so I can disembark vs. just walking off the Disney ship when I feel like it...this morning we were off by 7:30 a.m. and back home in Celebration before 9.

For us it was 45 minutes standing in line to get off the ship on Disney versus 45 minutes of sitting in a comfy lounge with entertainment, food and beverages on NCL, HAL, RCCL and Paquet.

 

[justmestace]

For us it was 45 minutes standing in line to get off the ship on Disney versus 45 minutes of sitting in a comfy lounge with entertainment, food and beverages on NCL, HAL, RCCL and Paquet.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Norwegian is now allowing passengers to stay in their rooms until it's time to leave now. Which will be a good change. But yes, at least people could be sitting in a place comfortably.
After the last DCL Panama Canal crossing, people stood in lines that went from the Atrium Lobby all the way through to the back of Parrot Cay.
Just goes to show that no cruise line is going to be without ANY problems at all.

 

[joksten2000]

DCL is the best for kids. Kids really grow up with Mickey and our grandkids had a great time on all our cruises. When we sail alone we will sail out of Cape Liberty on Explorer of the Seas. We love the 12 day cruises and they are less than a seven day DCL cruise

The dining room food is the best on DCL but the buffet food is pretty bad on DCL, RCCL has great buffet food.

We're put up with the small pools for the kids, much prefer the bigger ship and never have felt crowded.

Never cared about cabin size as we are never in it except to sleep.

Daughter and son-in-law now have 2 boys 2.5(been on three cruises) and newborn so we will sail on DCL for another few years.

We're real Disney fans but not to the point that we're willing to spent twice the money for our cruise, that's why we bought a lot of points.

 

[makaylee]

It's amazing how much $$$ I will pay just to experience the feeling I get when the DCL bus pulls up to the terminal and I see the ship, when they "announce" our family as we board the ship, and when the horn plays "When you wish upon a star." No other cruiseline can generate the feelings Disney can.

I feel exactly the same way! I get a bit choked up just thinking about the ships horn. Yes, I'm a sap!

 

[sharen24]

I feel exactly the same way! I get a bit choked up just thinking about the ships horn. Yes, I'm a sap!

I think we need to add tissue to the list of things to pack in our carry on!

 

[alldiz]

Great reading this.....

I can't wait to sail DCL....we have our 1st Dec 3rd. We just came back from a 5 night Carnival to Canada.

I'm hoping Disney just blows DH away. We did enjoy Carnival.....I thought the food was Very good....the beds VERY comfortable. My DD7 did not enjoy the kids club as much as I would have hoped.....I swear she knew it was free

Getting off of Carnival was a breeze.....turns out you don't even have to wait for your number.....just go when you want
Kerri