jheber1011 Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 I have been on 3 cruises, all Disney and I loved every minute of it, but the cost is definitely high. Those of you who have done both Disney and Royal Caribbean, tell me the good and the bad. If Disney is the only cruise line you know, can you be happy on RC? Thanks for any input. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Welcome Jennifer!I will recommend two resources to assist you: First is our DCL vs RC comparison blog post: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2014/12/22/first-time-cruisers-comparing-royal-caribbean-disney-cruise-line And we also recorded a podcast episode with the author of the Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line comparing the lines: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-50-royal-caribbean-versus-disney-cruise-line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Hi Jennifer I have been on all Disney ships and about 10 of RCI ships- I like both -for different reasons Service is great on Disney and they keep the "Disney theming" going which if you love Disney is great- I think the food overall on RCI ships is better, albeit Palo's brunch is fabulous Pros and Cons for both but if you love cruising, you would also like RCI, but ships can be varied with RCI. PM me if you have specific questions. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've been on four Disney cruises, seven with Royal, three with Carnival, three with Holland, one with Pincess, two with NCL, and another with Celebrity, so I can offer quite a few comparisons. However, before I do so, tell me what it is that you liked about Disney so that I can offer a specific comparison as everyone's cruise is a bit different depending on their likes and dislikes. Thus, what might not compare might not be important to you because it's not something you're interested in. I will say that even though my wife isn't a Disney fan, she liked Disney the best because it was a bit more inclusive and the kids clubs were less restricted in their hours. However, she also agrees that they're over priced and doesn't like the fixed dining. Prior to that, her favorite line was NCL because of the freestyle concept before the other lines went to my time dining and became less restrictive with their suggested dress policies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Two Disneys, 10 or so Royals, 2 Carnivals and our first on NCL coming up in a year or so. Taking money out of the equation my preference would always be Disney. Just felt like the attention to detail and service was spectacular for us on both cruises we did with Disney. Royal is solid and we enjoy them (2 more this year so clearly not anti-Royal) but on all the cruises we have been on it has felt just a notch behind Disney, Carnival distant third and expecting NCL to be comparable to Royal from all accounts. Including price though makes it a really tough decision. Typically Disney seems to run 2 times a comparable RCL which exceeds my cost/benefit point and explains why we do Royal much more frequently than Disney though. Things we do/don't worry about when we cruise that might affect your decision. Not really "foodies", MDR works for us, more about having a good attentive wait team, relaxing and enjoying ourselves that obsessing over whether the food was the greatest thing in the world. Occasionally do a Specialty but not a big deal. Not really gamblers, might do a few dollars on slots or a couple rounds of blackjack but generally avoid the smokepit :) Not heavy drinkers, a couple of beers/drinks a day is good, not paying for high end liquor, etc. Enjoy casual entertainment, relaxing, disconnecting from the "real" world. My feeling, Disney is a notch above but the notch isn't usually big enough to justify the price gap and I think you would be happy on a Royal cruise. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Keep in mind that knowing which DCL ships you've been on and which Royal ships you're considering will be helpful. For example, I felt overall entertainment was better on Disney, but I believe Royal would compete quite well if you're looking at Freedom and Oasis class ships. I also found the food more appealing on DCL and my wife felt like there was less nickel and diming on DCL. However, Royal is still less compared to Carnival and NCL in my opinion. Whether you have kids and their ages also matter. Royal could be more appealing to teens as there are more activities for them while Disney may be more appealing for younger children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheber1011 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 We have cruised on both the Magic and the new Fantasy and one of the overwhelming things is determining which ship to go on. We do have two children (17 and 15) so things for them are important. Buying the drink packages are something very new to me and I'm wondering are there other things not included that may be included on Disney? Is it also true there are no self serve laundry facilities or irons? All smaller concerns but just trying to be more educated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've actually heard from others that there's more for teens to do on the newer Royal ships than even on the newest Disney ships. However, just like the Disney Magic and Fantasy differ, recognize that the various classes of ships that Royal has differ, too. For example, there's much more to do on the three newest classes than on the older ships; however, I think you'll enjoy the newer ships equally especially the ones with the a Broadway shows as they'll better compare entertainment wise. While soda is not provided in the fare like on Disney, you're not compelled to purchase a beverage package unless that's important to you. if it is important, than choose the package that best meets your needs and compare the costs once that is added in. Another plus is that you'll have more itineraries to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 We have cruised on both the Magic and the new Fantasy and one of the overwhelming things is determining which ship to go on. We do have two children (17 and 15) so things for them are important. Buying the drink packages are something very new to me and I'm wondering are there other things not included that may be included on Disney? Is it also true there are no self serve laundry facilities or irons? All smaller concerns but just trying to be more educated. In terms of picking a ship, I think it's a safe bet to choose from any of the Freedom, Oasis or Quantum class ships. They are all relatively new and offer among the very best in terms of restaurants, onboard activities, features, tech, etc. They would also stack up favorably to Disney's ships. For the drink packages, the alcohol packages have no comparison to DCL since Disney does not offer drink packages. RC offers soda packages, which as you know, soft drinks are free on DCL. It's true, no self-serve laundry. You can have clothes pressed and/or cleaned via the ship's dry cleaner for a modest charge. Please feel free to post as many questions as you want! DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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