# How does Royal compare with Disney



## Neptune's Fork

I was in a workplace group discussion today on cruise vacations and a couple of the people were raving about cruising on Royal and saying how it blows away Disney, etc.  One of the two had done a Disney cruise on Wonder. My last two cruises were on Disney (Fantasy and Magic), and I've had one on Carnival. 

So I was just curious as to what makes Royal so much better, so I figured this was the place to ask. 

Any responses can omit a casino response because I could care less about having a smoky casino on board.


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## starvenger

Neptune's Fork said:


> Any responses can omit a casino response because I could care less about having a smoky casino on board.


Just so we have context, is it because you aren't bothered by having a casino on board (this is common) or that you aren't bothered by cigarette smoke (this is less common)?



Neptune's Fork said:


> I was in a workplace group discussion today on cruise vacations and a couple of the people were raving about cruising on Royal and saying how it blows away Disney, etc. One of the two had done a Disney cruise on Wonder. My last two cruises were on Disney (Fantasy and Magic), and I've had one on Carnival.
> 
> So I was just curious as to what makes Royal so much better, so I figured this was the place to ask.


So I feel like your colleagues have engaged in a bit of hyperbole. I don't believe that there is anything on Royal that "blows away" Disney. It's probably more fair to say that Royal and Disney are pretty close in terms of the metrics cruisers care about. However, there are a few areas where I feel Royal does hold a decided advantage - price, activities, number of shows and the opportunity to spend extra money.

Price - this is obvious. Disney cruises costs more than some luxury cruises, yet their competition is the family-friendly brands like Royal and Carnival. This is not necessarily a huge sticking point.

Activities - Disney has the usual cruise activities, plus the Midship Detective Agency game and Aquaduck (on some). Royal has that, plus rock walls, flow rider, ice skating, and a couple of other activities on Oasis/Quantum class ships.

Extra Money - A lesser price brings more ways to separate you from your money (via your SeaPass card). Royal has more specialty restaurants, drink packages and places to shop. And those shops are in places designed for you to see them, whereas there is a good chance that you may never encounter the gift store on a DCL ship.

Coffee - DCL's coffee is complete undrinkable sludge. I'm someone who practically has a cup in hand at all times, and I had to go without for a week. Royal's coffee has a decided advantage in that a) it's brewed, and b) it tastes slightly better than gas station coffee. Yes, this is a backhanded compliment.

******
Now, there are some notable differences, which are good or bad depending on your opinion:
Specialty restaurants - there are generally more of these, and they allow kids to eat there.

Royal Promenade - This does feel like a stretch of indoor mall at times, but I cannot tell you how much I missed not having this when I was on Fantasy and it was raining on a sea day.

Dining - No rotational dining. I don't feel like this is a big deal either way, but you may feel different.

Kids Clubs - The structure of Oceaneers vs Adventure Ocean are noticeably different. Oceaneers has activities, but they're structured to be more encompassing across a larger age group. Adventure Ocean's programs are more specific in terms of ages, although this may change if there are less kids in the program. My kids have enjoyed both, and more importantly, they appreciate the things each program brings to the table.

Pools - Oasis class has more pools, and they are not overrun with kids 

People - There are several Royal ships that have a higher passenger capacity than DCL Fantasy. I haven't been on anything smaller than the Oasis class, so I can't speak to the crowding there. However, I can say that I felt more crowded on the Fantasy than I did on an Oasis class ship. It seems contrary to what the numbers might tell you, I know, but it might have been that the percentage of kids was lower. OTOH, having about 2000 more people unloaded onto a private beach makes for a more crowded experience there.

******
There are some areas where I think things are roughly the same:
Cabin service - I can't say that I've had a cabin steward that was more exceptional or much worse than any other. I do think that DCL does a better job, but again it's probably a few little things here and there.

Dinner service - Service can vary quite a bit depending on who you get. I would say that the service on my last two cruises (Fantasy and Harmony) was the best I've had, and that the servers absolutely earned the extra gratuities we gave them.

Food - Like service, it can vary a lot. The best food I've had was on the (old) Regal Princess in 2006-2007, and that was due in part to a dessert chef who made some amazing souffles. Every. Single. Night. But overall I can't say that food has ever been so bad that it was inedible.

******
And then there are some things that Disney does better
Private Beach - I've not been to Coco Cay, but Castaway Cay is nicer than Labadee, if only because the main beach is less rocky. My opinion here might be tempered with the fact that there were more people on the beach at Labadee than there were at Castaway Cay.

Quality of shows - No surprise here, but Disney's theatre shows are quite good. Mind you, Royal's aqua shows are also very good, but those are exclusive to the Oasis class, and aren't enough to tip the tables in their favour, IMO.

Characters - Yes, Royal has Dreamworks characters. But I'm not a big fan of the non-speaking characters. When you see the princesses and how they interact with guests, that's what impresses me.

I might add on more. That's probably quite a bit for now.


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## DnA2010

starvenger said:


> Just so we have context, is it because you aren't bothered by having a casino on board (this is common) or that you aren't bothered by cigarette smoke (this is less common)?
> 
> 
> So I feel like your colleagues have engaged in a bit of hyperbole. I don't believe that there is anything on Royal that "blows away" Disney. It's probably more fair to say that Royal and Disney are pretty close in terms of the metrics cruisers care about. However, there are a few areas where I feel Royal does hold a decided advantage - price, activities, number of shows and the opportunity to spend extra money.
> 
> Price - this is obvious. Disney cruises costs more than some luxury cruises, yet their competition is the family-friendly brands like Royal and Carnival. This is not necessarily a huge sticking point.
> 
> Activities - Disney has the usual cruise activities, plus the Midship Detective Agency game and Aquaduck (on some). Royal has that, plus rock walls, flow rider, ice skating, and a couple of other activities on Oasis/Quantum class ships.
> 
> Extra Money - A lesser price brings more ways to separate you from your money (via your SeaPass card). Royal has more specialty restaurants, drink packages and places to shop. And those shops are in places designed for you to see them, whereas there is a good chance that you may never encounter the gift store on a DCL ship.
> 
> Coffee - DCL's coffee is complete undrinkable sludge. I'm someone who practically has a cup in hand at all times, and I had to go without for a week. Royal's coffee has a decided advantage in that a) it's brewed, and b) it tastes slightly better than gas station coffee. Yes, this is a backhanded compliment.
> 
> ******
> Now, there are some notable differences, which are good or bad depending on your opinion:
> Specialty restaurants - there are generally more of these, and they allow kids to eat there.
> 
> Royal Promenade - This does feel like a stretch of indoor mall at times, but I cannot tell you how much I missed not having this when I was on Fantasy and it was raining on a sea day.
> 
> Dining - No rotational dining. I don't feel like this is a big deal either way, but you may feel different.
> 
> Kids Clubs - The structure of Oceaneers vs Adventure Ocean are noticeably different. Oceaneers has activities, but they're structured to be more encompassing across a larger age group. Adventure Ocean's programs are more specific in terms of ages, although this may change if there are less kids in the program. My kids have enjoyed both, and more importantly, they appreciate the things each program brings to the table.
> 
> Pools - Oasis class has more pools, and they are not overrun with kids
> 
> People - There are several Royal ships that have a higher passenger capacity than DCL Fantasy. I haven't been on anything smaller than the Oasis class, so I can't speak to the crowding there. However, I can say that I felt more crowded on the Fantasy than I did on an Oasis class ship. It seems contrary to what the numbers might tell you, I know, but it might have been that the percentage of kids was lower. OTOH, having about 2000 more people unloaded onto a private beach makes for a more crowded experience there.
> 
> ******
> There are some areas where I think things are roughly the same:
> Cabin service - I can't say that I've had a cabin steward that was more exceptional or much worse than any other. I do think that DCL does a better job, but again it's probably a few little things here and there.
> 
> Dinner service - Service can vary quite a bit depending on who you get. I would say that the service on my last two cruises (Fantasy and Harmony) was the best I've had, and that the servers absolutely earned the extra gratuities we gave them.
> 
> Food - Like service, it can vary a lot. The best food I've had was on the (old) Regal Princess in 2006-2007, and that was due in part to a dessert chef who made some amazing souffles. Every. Single. Night. But overall I can't say that food has ever been so bad that it was inedible.
> 
> ******
> And then there are some things that Disney does better
> Private Beach - I've not been to Coco Cay, but Castaway Cay is nicer than Labadee, if only because the main beach is less rocky. My opinion here might be tempered with the fact that there were more people on the beach at Labadee than there were at Castaway Cay.
> 
> Quality of shows - No surprise here, but Disney's theatre shows are quite good. Mind you, Royal's aqua shows are also very good, but those are exclusive to the Oasis class, and aren't enough to tip the tables in their favour, IMO.
> 
> Characters - Yes, Royal has Dreamworks characters. But I'm not a big fan of the non-speaking characters. When you see the princesses and how they interact with guests, that's what impresses me.
> 
> I might add on more. That's probably quite a bit for now.





I have to pretty much echo all of this (thanks for saving me the typing!)

We have done a cruise of RCL's Oasis and Freedom (western and eastern Carib) and then HAL's Volendam (Alaska) and then on the Fantasy (Eastern) - we feel that we enjoyed our cruises on Oasis and Fantasy equally, and even though our cruise on the Fantasy was booked on a VGT, it still cost double the Oasis...right now I can't see us going back to Disney due to the difference in cost - being from Canada we also add on a cost for the exchange.

I agree on the above things, other than we have visited Coco Cay, and it is similar to Castaway, we preferred the food on Oasis (and HAL's food was much better than both) but I certainly wouldn't say Royal blows away Disney, other than in price.


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## ldo

I preferred the rccl kids clubs for under 12. I have shy kids and they really just got lost in the crowd on dcl. Which seemed like a daycare center without much counselor interaction. Otoh my 13+ teen loved dcl teen space much better than rccl.
Otherwise, I would choose dcl over rccl  for food, movies, cabin layout, entertainment, characters, and pixie dust. My other older teens strongly prefer dcl even though they never stepped foot into the teen club.


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## elaine amj

I didn't care for the Dreamworks characters - they're terrible in comparison to Disney characters from an acting perspective. Although our Fiona was very good.

I felt DCL had more activities for the whole family to enjoy together than RCCL. And our kids far preferred DCL's kids club. I thought RCCL was a disappointment - with very few "special" activities that were different from things they could do at camps at home.


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## starvenger

elaine amj said:


> I didn't care for the Dreamworks characters - they're terrible in comparison to Disney characters from an acting perspective. Although our Fiona was very good.


I assume that the DCL character players are required to go through the same training that the park people go through. I don't know that the people portraying the DW characters are any better than those people at a Six Flags or Cedar Fair park.



elaine amj said:


> I felt DCL had more activities for the whole family to enjoy together than RCCL. And our kids far preferred DCL's kids club. I thought RCCL was a disappointment - with very few "special" activities that were different from things they could do at camps at home.


To be honest, this is what I expect out of the kids clubs. Maybe there's a bit of a cruise slant to it, but "glorified summer camp" works for me, and it worked for the kids. They also liked Oceaneers, although I wasn't a fan since it was more chaotic.


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## elaine amj

starvenger said:


> To be honest, this is what I expect out of the kids clubs. Maybe there's a bit of a cruise slant to it, but "glorified summer camp" works for me, and it worked for the kids. They also liked Oceaneers, although I wasn't a fan since it was more chaotic.



For the expense of a cruise, I expected a bit better to be honest. Otherwise I could leave my kids at a cheaper summer camp at home. Royal promised me cool activities on their website but then my kids played gaga ball and various circle games for most of the cruise. DCL had the cool kids area with neat touches that camps at home don't have. 

Anyway, that's just us and reasons I pay for a cruise. Oh well, my kids are teens now and rapidly aging out of all this. I do also expect special entertainment and cool activities for us adults that I can't get at home.


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## Neptune's Fork

No, I don't think they were engaging in hyperbole, they were just opinionated types.  So in their world Disney was like a carnival whereas Royal was like Disney World (no irony intended).  It sounds to me like, from the feedback so far, that people are basically saying they are equal?  One is better in some things and the other better in other things?


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## starvenger

That’s pretty much it. For sure, people have preferences (I like Royal better, for example) but at the end of the day it’s unlikely you’ll regret going on either one.


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## Frozen2014

I've been on Disney Magic and for Royal, a couple of older ships plus recently the Allure (Oasis class)....Magic and Allure were with our kids.  We have Symphony booked in the future with them as well.

I love Disney parks, but for cruises, I really like both but I'm more of a Royal fan.

Disney is more expensive.  Shows are amazing and all will entertain kids.  Kids will not be bored during the cruise.

To me, Disney is a ship that caters to kids.  Royal is a ship that caters to families and non-families.  As an adult, I found more things to do on Royal (i.e. was bored when our kids were busy when on Magic ship).

It's hard to just say Royal since they have so many different ships, so I am going to talk more of Allure...one of the bigger newer ships.  They have a full Broadway show, which is first class.  They also have Aqua show, ice shows, and other DreamWorks shows that are enjoyed by the whole family.  All very impressive.  The Headliners, depending on who it is, may bore or not be appropriate for kids.  (The one that we had was actually more interest to y 6 year old than to me...but it just wan't my style of music, whereas she is open to everything)

Tons of food options at Royal - lots included, plus some specialty with extra charge.  It is also flexible where you can book a set time (early or late seating) or you can do 'My Time'...and with that, you can make reservations for the time you like each night, or just show up when you are there and wait like a normal restaurant for a table.
Rotational dining worked well too on Disney.

Bigger and more pools on Royal.  The Disney ones got so crowded that you could sit in them but not swim or do much.  However, not all Royal ships have waterslides.  There are other fun and different activities though such as Rock Wall, Flowrider, Zip Line (Oasis class), and Quantum class has other cool stuff.  There are also other fun activities going on that is posted in the cruise compass each day .  The Boardwalk area is fun with kids... and Central park is nice to walk through.  There is also a parade on the Promenade that is fun.

Royal also has different kinds of staterooms that are fun.  We had an inside Promenade which we actually enjoyed, and next have a Boardwalk balcony booked.  The washrooms are better on Disney with the sink separate from the rest (from that I remember).

Our kids had a lot of fun with the DreamWorks characters.  There weren't line ups like on Disney, but also, it was more of a 'get your photo taken' meetings.  There was a bit of interaction depending on the character, but more on Disney ship.  We did the character breakfast (small fee) and enjoyed it.  There was also an extra Aqua and Ice Show with DreamWorks.

I can't comment on the kids club as our kids weren't interested in it on Allure.  My son did like the one on Magic and we did a few open house activities with our younger one.  (Otherwise, she was under 3 so couldn't go).  With Royal though, they do have scheduled activities with a kids cruise compass and it looked pretty good.

Do you have a particular ship in mind?  If going with kids, I recommend Oasis class, and if you want something smaller, then one with DreamWorks as you know it caters to kids.


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## lynch34

I've been on both and my kids and my spouse much preferred RCL.  Disney is shameful in the amount of real estate they devote to pools.  The food is comparable.  Shows are good on both.  Price is no competition.  They both blow away the other cruiselines but RCL is better.


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## bumbershoot

We prefer royal. Actually, we prefer cruising, so a line that allows for more of that is better. 

Price is better. Aesthetics for us is better. Are better? Hmm. 

Vegetarian foods are about the same. I have my faves and my ughs on both lines. 

I don’t care one little bit about rotational dining. To me all it does is make things slightly more confusing. 

Pools are cold but better on royal. 



ldo said:


> I preferred the rccl kids clubs for under 12. I have shy kids and they really just got lost in the crowd on dcl. Which seemed like a daycare center without much counselor interaction.



Agreed. And I have an extrovert!! He likes adults and likes how the royal counselors get to know the kids. He’s just one in a sea of faces on Disney. On royal they know him by name even outside the club by day 2. 



elaine amj said:


> I didn't care for the Dreamworks characters - they're terrible in comparison to Disney characters from an acting perspective. Although our Fiona was very good.



My tiny experience is opposite. Wrll, not opposite somce I avoid characters on dcl. But the one (and only, bc the food was so bad) time we did the dreamworks breakfast the characters were terrific. Po actually got a smile out of me, and as a lifelong characterphobe that’s BIG. 



elaine amj said:


> DCL had the cool kids area with neat touches that camps at home don't have.



Hmm. DS played loads of gagaball on dcl. And he said they play it wrong. 

Other than that they talk down to the kids (his experience on our cruises...he despises being talked down to), and they let them just play alone. Lots of video games. We have that at home. He did like the lightup floor for dancing on dream, but then they dance on Royal, too.


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## cruiser21

ldo said:


> I preferred the rccl kids clubs for under 12. I have shy kids and they really just got lost in the crowd on dcl. Which seemed like a daycare center without much counselor interaction. Otoh my 13+ teen loved dcl teen space much better than rccl.
> Otherwise, I would choose dcl over rccl  for food, movies, cabin layout, entertainment, characters, and pixie dust. My other older teens strongly prefer dcl even though they never stepped foot into the teen club.


My kids were never crazy about the Oceaneer's club, but love the Edge and Vibe on DCL. Luckily they were able to start going to Edge at age 10 before DCL changed their policy on that. When I read posts on here where people state they need to take another dcl cruise on here before their kids outgrow it...I'm like hold on. I honestly think DCL does a better jobs with the teens then they do with the little kids. Daycare is a good word for it.  The one thing about DCL is there's always lots of teens onboard anytime of year. Due to price parents will pull their kids out of school to cruise on DCL....or there's just a lot of homeschooler's on DCL. We cruised Nov 11 and there were 70 vibe kids.


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## Mrsjvb

there are only two things that in my opinion Disney does better:  their  shows are far superior and their adult only areas are actually policed to be adult only.

we hated the rotational dining.   we hated most of the food( only really liked the cold soups and a few appetizers)  in the MDR and Buffet.   y only enjoyed our specialty dining meals.  

Cabins: for the price of a navigator balcony on Disney we can get a full suite on Royal with all the attendant perks.  
specialty dining:   okay, slight teeny tiny edge to Disney here.  the brunch is worth it. no such comparable  concept on Royal.

crew:   welp to be perfectly frank, I felt the Disney crew were too smug and snooty.  not very personable at all except for our assistant waiter.  I got a LOT of rolled eyes when I passed on dessert every night( nothing remotely appealed to me) or only ordered 2-3 courses.  never once saw hide nor hair of the cabin steward .

activities: as we do not have kids the  fact that most activities  encouraged their  participation was not appealing at all.  their adult only  things all had a (hefty) price tag.


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## ludari

I sailed on more Disney Cruises than any other cruise line but I last year I sailed on Royal's Anthem of the Seas.  Comparing that one Royal's ship to all of the Disney's ships I can honestly say that on the Anthem of the Seas that ship had better activities for families and adults.  I also thought the technology around the ship was impressive including the virtual balcony room I stayed in which exceeded anything that Disney currently offers. However Disney does exceed when it comes to entertainment and service.  I also found that Disney's food in the MDR was slightly better than Royal's food.  Also Disney's staterooms seem larger than Royal's staterooms (comparing my room and my friends rooms on Royal). Obviously I'm partial to Disney but I'm open to trying different cruise lines if the itinerary is something I'm interested in.


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## holden

We've done a few Disney cruises and many Royal cruises.  For our family, Royal is better.  Ice skating, bumper cars, indoor skydiving, zip line, roller skating, circus school...I could go on.  There is so much to do on the newer/larger Royal ships!  

Our kids don't like kids' clubs in general, so that's not a factor for us.  We don't care too much about the shows either.  Add to that the extra cost of a Disney cruise, and Royal comes out way ahead.


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## ustasmom

Just this month I cruised Royal with 3 kids without DH and then he joined us for Disney Magic. He had cruised Royal in the past. So this perspective comes from cruising with kids.

We sailed on the Majesty. On the small side but I paid $43.75 per night per person (not including tax or tip) for the cruise. I bought wifi and nothing else. My kids noticed the drinking. It was hard not to notice the drinking and the drunks. And we had to walk through bars and the casino A LOT. We saw 2 comedians. Both were very good and relatively clean (for a general audience show.) The musical shows, though, they were awful.The buffet was hard for me (gluten-free) but the kids didn't mind it. Dinner in the dining room was a huge hit, though. I traveled with 2 teen boys and a 10 year old girl. The boys ate and ate and ate. One son ordered two or three dinners every night. And one night I watched the two of them devour 10 chocolate souffles. The service was impeccable. We had oceanview adjoining rooms (2 per room.) They were fine for two though they did have an upper berth. We didn't get off the ship in Nassau and couldn't tender at Coco Cay, so we were on the ship the whole time. My daughter liked the activities although there were very few kids on this cruise. My teens wanted no part of the teen activities, though. The pools were very cold. My kids were less than enthused about hanging out in hot tubs with drunks. That being said, we had more downtime since there wasn't so much to do. Now, we travel with a transport chair. Royal Caribbean made sure that we went to the correct lines, window, etc.

So then a week later we boarded the Disney Magic. I was really surprised that they didn't have any sort of disability services at the port since Disney is so fabulous about it in their parks. Check in was slow. We also had adjoining oceanview staterooms on the Magic. Huge difference from Royal. Now this one cost me $86 per night per person (not including tax or tip) so fully double what I paid on Royal. We had second seating. It was slow. And everyone was rather underwhelmed with the food and the choices. Now the shows, that is where Disney won. Too loud for dh but the kids and I loved them. We liked how little drinking there was. We liked less cigarette smoke and no casino. And we liked the warmer pools. My daughter could have lived in Oceaneer Club the whole time if given the choice. My teens went to Vibe a little bit. But seeing Thor, Coco and The Last Jedi (the night before it released) was a definite homerun to them. Now the downfall of the Disney cruise to them, was the amount of children.

So we had two entirely different experiences yet both were great. We have one trip left in us (we are pretty tripped out.) So we have one more week in WDW before the passes come down until Star Wars Land. I shortened our trip and gave them an option for another cruise (again, it costs me more to feed them at Disney.) We had a few options: a 10 night out of NYC on Norwegian ($31 per night interior), a Royal Oasis 7 night trip ($73 per night interior) or Disney Wonder 4 night ($55 per night oceanview.) We discussed all of our options and the teens were pretty clear that they much preferred Disney over Royal.


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## starvenger

This sounds about right to me. Can't really complain about the price for Majesty but it is a pretty small - and old - ship. I'm not adverse to the smaller ships but I do think that the larger vessels have more to offer for the kids, especially when you choose to stay onboard or if it's a rain day. I don't mind the casino and will partake in some of the table games on the non-smoking side (although 6:5 payouts on a Blackjack sucks), but I do like it if it's positioned such that it's avoidable (since there does tend to be a bit of smoking there and the kids don't need to smell that). Doesn't sound like that's the case on Majesty.

Too bad about the drunks. I know I've done my share of excessive drinking when I was younger, but mostly at house parties so I likely only ruined dozens of people's enjoyment as opposed to 3-or-4 digits worth of people. No excuses on my part though, and I like to think I learned from my younger days.

Also agree about the amount of kids on a DCL. Completely expected, of course, but it can be overwhelming at times. Agreed about the shows as well. But I'm not really a fan of musicals, so my position here may be suspect.



ustasmom said:


> And one night I watched the two of them devour 10 chocolate souffles.


Back on the old Regal Princess (2006-2007, pre-kids) there was a dessert chef who specialized in souffles. I say without exaggeration that these were some of the best souffles I've ever had, and even more impressive considering that they needed to make this for a large number of people each night.

Aside - we are tentatively booked on the Caribbean Princess for end of August. If we lock that down I'll be sure to at least summarize my trip along with comparisons to my previous Royal and DCL cruises. It looks like a pretty good ship for the kids so I'm definitely interested in how they will like it.


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## msjprincess

starvenger said:


> *This sounds about right to me. Can't really complain about the price for Majesty but it is a pretty small - and old - ship. I'm not adverse to the smaller ships but I do think that the larger vessels have more to offer for the kids, especially when you choose to stay onboard or if it's a rain day. I don't mind the casino and will partake in some of the table games on the non-smoking side (although 6:5 payouts on a Blackjack sucks), but I do like it if it's positioned such that it's avoidable (since there does tend to be a bit of smoking there and the kids don't need to smell that). Doesn't sound like that's the case on Majesty.
> 
> Too bad about the drunks. I know I've done my share of excessive drinking when I was younger, but mostly at house parties so I likely only ruined dozens of people's enjoyment as opposed to 3-or-4 digits worth of people. No excuses on my part though, and I like to think I learned from my younger days.*
> 
> Also agree about the amount of kids on a DCL. Completely expected, of course, but it can be overwhelming at times. Agreed about the shows as well. But I'm not really a fan of musicals, so my position here may be suspect.
> 
> 
> Back on the old Regal Princess (2006-2007, pre-kids) there was a dessert chef who specialized in souffles. I say without exaggeration that these were some of the best souffles I've ever had, and even more impressive considering that they needed to make this for a large number of people each night.
> 
> Aside - we are tentatively booked on the Caribbean Princess for end of August. If we lock that down I'll be sure to at least summarize my trip along with comparisons to my previous Royal and DCL cruises. It looks like a pretty good ship for the kids so I'm definitely interested in how they will like it.



ITA

My kids are big fans of RCCL but I think they would be bored out of their mind on Majesty. I know everyone is different but if I'm going with my teens I won't sail on anything smaller than Voyager class.

My last few cruise have been on Freedom class ships I completely avoided the casino. 

Smaller, older ships with shorter itineraries usually have more of a party, booze cruise vibe.


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## starvenger

starvenger said:


> Aside - we are tentatively booked on the Caribbean Princess for end of August. If we lock that down I'll be sure to at least summarize my trip along with comparisons to my previous Royal and DCL cruises. It looks like a pretty good ship for the kids so I'm definitely interested in how they will like it.


So it turns out that while the kids program on Princess looks good, there is nothing really for toddlers (my nephew will be 2) like there is on DCL and the larger Royal ships. So it's (again tentatively) a return to Allure, with roughly the same itinerary - Nassau, Cozumel, Roatan (Honduras) and Puerto Costa Maya (Mexico).


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## PrincessBelle39

Having done both, I enjoyed both of them equally.  I don't really think that one stood out over the other.  The kids loved the kids club on both them.  Maybe I liked Disney's food a little more that Royal.  But each of the ships were beautiful and offered a wonderful experience.  In saying that, I have booked Royal for my next cruise because the price is so different.  On Royal we have two rooms for 1/2 the price of one on Disney.


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## Jenlynn3

My mom booked a cruise on the Fantasy for her 70th and my Great Aunts 90th. Was trying to talk to her into an Oasis class but she thought Fantasy would be better for my Great Aunt and herself. All the grandkids are between ages 14-17 and thought more action would be on the Oasis (flow rider, ice skating etc). My BF is suppose to go however I don’t think DCL is for him 1. Not a big Disney fan 2. Likes live and late night entertainment and action packed activities. Isn’t most of Disney’s adult entertainment pg13? Been almost 6 years since of the Fantasy


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## ThistleMae

I have to say I've never cruised Disney, but have done Royal, Carnival and Norwegian.  I loved them all.  There are some minor differences between them but they are mainly all the same regarding "Plenty to Do!"  Carnival is very reasonably priced and I've been on 3 or their ships.  I love the movies at night and the dance parties, which all the cruiseships usually have, unless they are the older ones.  They all stop at the best Islands, no matter where you go.  I hold my breath walking through the Casino's and try to avoid having to that if I can.  I just love cruising!


----------



## starvenger

My general impression has been that Royal has a lot more to offer adults, but at the end of the day, it's a cruise, so I don't think your BF will outright hate anything. 

The entertainment is indeed PG13, but I would take Disney's secondary originals/revues over Royal's secondary originals/revues/featured performer any day of the week.

Not really sure how the late night entertainment is. Our kids were a little younger when we went on Fantasy in 2015, and we kind of skipped out on all of that.


----------



## roxysmum123

For us, the itineraries and pricing is what pulls us to Royal again and again.


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## DisneyNurse19

ThistleMae said:


> I have to say I've never cruised Disney, but have done Royal, Carnival and Norwegian.  I loved them all.  There are some minor differences between them but they are mainly all the same regarding "Plenty to Do!"  Carnival is very reasonably priced and I've been on 3 or their ships.  I love the movies at night and the dance parties, which all the cruiseships usually have, unless they are the older ones.  They all stop at the best Islands, no matter where you go.  I hold my breath walking through the Casino's and try to avoid having to that if I can.  I just love cruising!




I am a little confused that you say you 'hold your breath' when walking through the Casino. We often walked through the Casino on the Independence of the Seas and never saw anyone smoking or could smell any smoke.


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## msjprincess

DisneyNurse19 said:


> I am a little confused that you say you 'hold your breath' when walking through the Casino. We often walked through the Casino on the Independence of the Seas and never saw anyone smoking or could smell any smoke.


Were you on Independence out of the UK or US? It's non-smoking out of the UK, smoking out of the US.


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## DisneyNurse19

msjprincess said:


> Were you on Independence out of the UK or US? It's non-smoking out of the UK, smoking out of the US.




Oh ok, yes we sailed out of the UK. Must remember that if we sail with them again. Plus we also had kettles in the room and proper English sausages for breakfast. We also loved the English puddings at the buffet which i presume you wouldn't get if sailing from the US?


----------



## Mommy_FamilyCEO

I haven't read all the previous replies, so I apologize if this is repetitive.  We have been on one Disney and many RCL - including the most recent one being on Oasis of the Seas.  The entire time we were on the DCL I kept thinking - this is nice and all, but really I don't think it was really worth all the extra money.  My kids (age 9,7, and 5) LOVED it though. We loved the rotational dining, loved the service, loved the extra touches - but I was having a hard time stomaching the price.  The next year we did Oasis - b/c my older child saw all the commericials on tv and wanted the rock wall, flo rider, etc.  I have to admit - I really was excited to do the RCL too since I missed the casino on the DCL cruise.  However - after a week on the Oasis, I walked away thinking that even though it was nice - it still was missing something.   It just didn't feel as clean to me, or as personalized of service.   I liked the activities  - but I also found that there was a different "feel".  For me - we each individually found things we liked on the Oasis - but we didn't really have as much "family" time together.   In the evenings we would leave the kids in the kids club and spend some time in the casino - but they HATED the kids club.  This year, we are doing another cruise and I asked the kids which cruise line they wanted to go - since there were iteneraies that would work for us on both DCL and RCL.  Suprisingly, they ALL said they wanted to go back to Disney.  I was shocked - since they all liked all the extra things like rock wall, ice skating, etc - but they said that it just didn't feel as special.  I am sure we will one day go back to RCL as well (especially because of $$$) but for us now - DCL is our preference.


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## starvenger

No apologies needed. I think this was a pretty good synopsis of your two cruises!


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## mkh531

Mommy_FamilyCEO said:


> I haven't read all the previous replies, so I apologize if this is repetitive.  We have been on one Disney and many RCL - including the most recent one being on Oasis of the Seas.  The entire time we were on the DCL I kept thinking - this is nice and all, but really I don't think it was really worth all the extra money.  My kids (age 9,7, and 5) LOVED it though. We loved the rotational dining, loved the service, loved the extra touches - but I was having a hard time stomaching the price.  The next year we did Oasis - b/c my older child saw all the commericials on tv and wanted the rock wall, flo rider, etc.  I have to admit - I really was excited to do the RCL too since I missed the casino on the DCL cruise.  However - after a week on the Oasis, I walked away thinking that even though it was nice - it still was missing something.   It just didn't feel as clean to me, or as personalized of service.   I liked the activities  - but I also found that there was a different "feel".  For me - we each individually found things we liked on the Oasis - but we didn't really have as much "family" time together.   In the evenings we would leave the kids in the kids club and spend some time in the casino - but they HATED the kids club.  This year, we are doing another cruise and I asked the kids which cruise line they wanted to go - since there were iteneraies that would work for us on both DCL and RCL.  Suprisingly, they ALL said they wanted to go back to Disney.  I was shocked - since they all liked all the extra things like rock wall, ice skating, etc - but they said that it just didn't feel as special.  I am sure we will one day go back to RCL as well (especially because of $$$) but for us now - DCL is our preference.



Thank you for this, We just got off of our second DCL cruise and I worry about  the loss of “special touches” on other cruise lines. Disney character meet and greets and random character appearances (Goofy walking around the deck in his golf  outfit, Donald showing up to dance the Salsa in D lounge) make the whole thing so much more...well....magical!  I want to book a cheaper cruise but I feel lije the whole time I’d be thinking “this isn’t Disney”.  We went to Universal  this week and had a similar experience..it was nice, and they did the Harry Potter thing very well, but it just wasn’t Disney. I guess I’m a Disney addict.


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## starvenger

I think you *will* go “this isn’t Disney”. I found myself doing something similar on Fantasy (in reverse) after going on Allure a couple of times. Comparison is inevitable, so why fight it? 

And at the end of the day, the worst that will (probably) happen is that you had a nice cruise, but you liked DCL better. Not the worst problem to have, I think.


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## lynch34

mkh531 said:


> Thank you for this, We just got off of our second DCL cruise and I worry about  the loss of “special touches” on other cruise lines. Disney character meet and greets and random character appearances (Goofy walking around the deck in his golf  outfit, Donald showing up to dance the Salsa in D lounge) make the whole thing so much more...well....magical!  I want to book a cheaper cruise but I feel lije the whole time I’d be thinking “this isn’t Disney”.  We went to Universal  this week and had a similar experience..it was nice, and they did the Harry Potter thing very well, but it just wasn’t Disney. I guess I’m a Disney addict.




Royal Carribean is just better.  My kids prefer it.  My wife prefers it.  I prefer it.  It's just better.  We are Disney junkies but RCL is just better.


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## HappyPeach

I prefer Royal.  
After 11 DCL cruises, I'd seen all of the shows and nothing was fresh; villains tonight, golden mickeys, wishes, twice charmed, toy story... Same old shows with nothing new for frequent cruisers.  I just got off Oasis last week and saw Cats, a phenomenal aerial show, 2 different aqua shows, an ice skating show, plus the headliner comedians.  

I don't care about rotational dining and I don't need a big show by the waiters interrupting conversation at most of the dinners.  Food is good on both. Both have pay-extra dining options.  Both cruise lines are clean with good cabin stewards.  The pool situation was better on the Royal ships I've sailed than any of the DCL ships (I've been on all 4.)

Both have good kid / teen clubs.  To me, this is what your kid makes of it and whether or not they're shy or outgoing.  My kid played an awful lot of computer games - video games and computer animation stuff in Disney.  Royal has the edge on the other active / sport choices on board.  Flowrider, rock wall, mini golf, zip line, ice skating, plus the standard sports court stuff.  Disney's pools are too small so Royal wins that one,too.

I like the "free" cokes and all-you-can-take towels on DCL.  But not enough to tip the balance for me.  We cruise in verandah suites on DCL and suites on Royal.  There are a lot more concierge-level options on Royal and the perks are outstanding.  I get double points toward Crown and Anchor, free voom internet access, designated concierge(s), private dining room, lounge with complimentary cocktails, specialty coffee, and hors d'oeuvres.  Both cruise lines give a welcome fruit / dessert plate. DCL gives a gift (backpack, umbrella, game set... are some of the things I've received.)  The price is what initially prodded us to jump to Royal.  We saved half.  

I've been to Castaway Cay, Coco Cay, and Labadee.  I liked them all.  They're all nice.  Castaway is probably the cutest and has impeccable theming.  I think the experience on all of the 'private islands' is highly dependent on how full your ship is.  (And these days, they all seem full.)

I apologize if my post seems scattered, I've been writing in bits and pieces with multiple interruptions.


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## luvthemouse71

I have sailed RC, DCL, and Norwegian. I enjoyed all three cruises. I liked the crew on Norwegian very much, they were personable and the cruise director was awesome. 

I loved our Disney cruise but due to price, it isn’t something I’d do all of  the time. I’m more likely to sail RC because it’s more affordable. My first cruise was Independence of the Seas and I enjoyed that immensely. They all have their benefits but it comes down to cost for me.


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## moericus

We're Crown and Anchor and we just sailed with friends that have recently done multiple DCCL cruises.  I can't speak for them but what I gathered from asking is..

It's a theme park vs. beach resort analogy.  They're both good in their own way.  Are you more comfortable being 'bored' by reading a book in the Solarium, staring out into the horizon on your balcony, people-watching strolls down the promenade, longer formal dinners?  Then RCCL is the more laid-back cruise for you.  Do you need suggestions for how to fill every minute of your day?  Do you need popcorn and a movie available 24-7?  Then DCCL's floating theme park is for you.

And I don't mean to say RCCL doesn't have activities constantly going.  You just have to take on more initiative to find them.  I think on RCCL your average cruiser is just 'taking it easy'.  I'm loving the water-slide and splash park renovations.  That's one thing Disney has improved for everyone.


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## starvenger

I wouldn't go so far as to call DCL a "Theme Park" because while there are meet and greets, the only real ride is the AquaDuck on Dream and Fantasy. Better to describe it as a more "exclusive" (relative to the parks), immersive Disney experience that happens to be on a pretty nice cruise ship.


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## bbel

starvenger said:


> I wouldn't go so far as to call DCL a "Theme Park" because while there are meet and greets, the only real ride is the AquaDuck on Dream and Fantasy. Better to describe it as a more "exclusive" (relative to the parks), immersive Disney experience that happens to be on a pretty nice cruise ship.



Exactly. And if you pick certain ships (on other lines not just rcl) they are way more 'theme park' than dcl. 

I find dcl the tame, sit back and chill option.

In my experience there's more going on, multiple options at the same time, without having to hunt it out on rcl than dcl. I found with dcl, while theres always something going on, when you look at the navigator very little over laps, so if you dont want to do towel folding and you dont want to spend your cruise watching movies, theres not much else to do....


----------



## Frozen2014

bbel said:


> Exactly. And if you pick certain ships (on other lines not just rcl) they are way more 'theme park' than dcl.
> 
> I find dcl the tame, sit back and chill option.
> 
> In my experience there's more going on, multiple options at the same time, without having to hunt it out on rcl than dcl. I found with dcl, while theres always something going on, when you look at the navigator very little over laps, so if you dont want to do towel folding and you dont want to spend your cruise watching movies, theres not much else to do....



Completely agree.  I'm looking at the compass for our upcoming cruise on Symphony (in 3 days!), which can be viewed now on the Royal App, and wow...there is so much going on, I don't know how we'll pick...and that is the listed activities, shows, games, live music....never mind about all the ongoing stuff such as zipline, Abyss, waterslides, mini golf, rock wall, etc etc etc

From the comment above...sure a Royal cruise can be laid back with resting by the pool if that's what you want.  But it can also be completely active with things constantly going on with multiple things to select from.


----------



## starvenger

Frozen2014 said:


> I don't know how we'll pick...and that is the listed activities, shows, games, live music....never mind about all the ongoing stuff such as zipline, Abyss, waterslides, mini golf, rock wall, etc etc etc


Pick 1-3 (non-meal related) things in the Cruise Compass that you really want to do on any given day. Shows, activities, whatever. For everything else, play it by ear.


----------



## Frozen2014

starvenger said:


> Pick 1-3 (non-meal related) things in the Cruise Compass that you really want to do on any given day. Shows, activities, whatever. For everything else, play it by ear.


Yes exactly..I've noted shows and stuff and we'll take it from there at the time what we feel like doing.


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## moericus

I never meant to imply RCCL doesn't have activities constantly going.  Especially when you include Oasis and Anthem class ships.


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## Denise W

moericus said:


> I never meant to imply RCCL doesn't have activities constantly going.  Especially when you include Oasis and Anthem class ships.


Agreed. RCCL has way more activities than DCL, and I have been on both lines 8-9 times.
Denise


----------



## MSPeeler

After reading this thread, I have to say I am heartbroken that I am "priced out" of DCL at this point. Everything listed about DCL that isn't included with RCCL, is everything I love.  I really want to try RCCL, but I just know I would be in "comparison mode". UGH!

and not to mention, for my boys, they loved Kids Club, daughter was terrified to even try to go to Edge alone (not good at making friends), which was crappy for me but whatever, so I don't think that would change no matter the Cruise line.  

We are HUGE Disney fans, love meet n greets, rotational dining (I like having schedules), etc.

I am not sold on switching, but want to be...


----------



## starvenger

MSPeeler said:


> After reading this thread, I have to say I am heartbroken that I am "priced out" of DCL at this point. Everything listed about DCL that isn't included with RCCL, is everything I love.  I really want to try RCCL, but I just know I would be in "comparison mode". UGH!
> 
> and not to mention, for my boys, they loved Kids Club, daughter was terrified to even try to go to Edge alone (not good at making friends), which was crappy for me but whatever, so I don't think that would change no matter the Cruise line.
> 
> We are HUGE Disney fans, love meet n greets, rotational dining (I like having schedules), etc.
> 
> I am not sold on switching, but want to be...


I think this is where you really need to look at what is more important to you with regards to your cruise. Is the Disney Experience, or is it the cruise itself? 

If it's the former, I think you stick with DCL. It probably means less cruising, and perhaps more (long) road trips to beach towns, but you aren't sacrificing what you love about DCL. 

If it's the latter, you'll be able to adapt. You will miss the Disney intangibles for sure, but at the end of the day you're on a boat that's going to places you want to go. So long as you keep a positive attitude, you'll enjoy yourself.


----------



## jacknsally19

MSPeeler said:


> After reading this thread, I have to say I am heartbroken that I am "priced out" of DCL at this point. Everything listed about DCL that isn't included with RCCL, is everything I love.  I really want to try RCCL, but I just know I would be in "comparison mode". UGH!
> 
> and not to mention, for my boys, they loved Kids Club, daughter was terrified to even try to go to Edge alone (not good at making friends), which was crappy for me but whatever, so I don't think that would change no matter the Cruise line.
> 
> We are HUGE Disney fans, love meet n greets, rotational dining (I like having schedules), etc.
> 
> I am not sold on switching, but want to be...



I am a big Disney fan too....  I wanted the 7 day out of Barcelona for 2020 on the Magic....  It was $8300 for oceanview only, OBB, 2A1K. THAT PRICING IS INSANE.    For a 7 day out of Barcelona on RCCL next summer, my agent just quoted me $4500 for a room with a balcony.  (And $6200 for a suite....)  Saving $4,000 is soooo worth it.  (Disney magic is nice - but not an extra 4k nice!) Perhaps that will really sell it for you! We might use that money to tack on a week in Paris before our trip.  I spoke to my daughter about doing a non-disney ship and she was super excited.  But she is getting a little older and not as into the character meet and greets like she once was....  Also, it sounds like there is less reliance on screen time in the RCCL kids club and at the pool.  I'm pretty pleased about that because we really try to limit screen time.


----------



## mevelandry

MSPeeler said:


> After reading this thread, I have to say I am heartbroken that I am "priced out" of DCL at this point. *Everything listed about DCL that isn't included with RCCL, is everything I love. * I really want to try RCCL, but I just know I would be in "comparison mode". UGH!
> 
> and not to mention, for my boys, they loved Kids Club, daughter was terrified to even try to go to Edge alone (not good at making friends), which was crappy for me but whatever, so I don't think that would change no matter the Cruise line.
> 
> We are HUGE Disney fans, love meet n greets, rotational dining (I like having schedules), etc.
> 
> I am not sold on switching, but want to be...



Can you be a little more specific on what you love that isn't included with RCCL?


----------



## msjprincess

MSPeeler said:


> After reading this thread, I have to say I am heartbroken that I am "priced out" of DCL at this point. *Everything listed about DCL that isn't included with RCCL, is everything I love.*  I really want to try RCCL, but I just know I would be in "comparison mode". UGH!
> 
> and not to mention, for my boys, they loved Kids Club, daughter was terrified to even try to go to Edge alone (not good at making friends), which was crappy for me but whatever, so I don't think that would change no matter the Cruise line.
> 
> We are HUGE Disney fans, love meet n greets, rotational dining (I like having schedules), etc.
> 
> I am not sold on switching, but want to be...




What type of things? Going back over this thread I don't see many things that are different.


----------



## ForMyBoys

Hi, As an adult I prefer RCI over Disney and felt we got more for our money.  However my kids preferred the Disney kids clubs so our next cruise is a short 4 nighter on Disney.  However our kids are getting older and I'm looking at different cruise lines for our European cruise.  I would choose RCI in a heart beat.


----------



## MSPeeler

starvenger said:


> I think this is where you really need to look at what is more important to you with regards to your cruise. Is the Disney Experience, or is it the cruise itself?
> 
> If it's the former, I think you stick with DCL. It probably means less cruising, and perhaps more (long) road trips to beach towns, but you aren't sacrificing what you love about DCL.
> 
> If it's the latter, you'll be able to adapt. You will miss the Disney intangibles for sure, but at the end of the day you're on a boat that's going to places you want to go. So long as you keep a positive attitude, you'll enjoy yourself.





jacknsally19 said:


> I am a big Disney fan too....  I wanted the 7 day out of Barcelona for 2020 on the Magic....  It was $8300 for oceanview only, OBB, 2A1K. THAT PRICING IS INSANE.    For a 7 day out of Barcelona on RCCL next summer, my agent just quoted me $4500 for a room with a balcony.  (And $6200 for a suite....)  Saving $4,000 is soooo worth it.  (Disney magic is nice - but not an extra 4k nice!) Perhaps that will really sell it for you! We might use that money to tack on a week in Paris before our trip.  I spoke to my daughter about doing a non-disney ship and she was super excited.  But she is getting a little older and not as into the character meet and greets like she once was....  Also, it sounds like there is less reliance on screen time in the RCCL kids club and at the pool.  I'm pretty pleased about that because we really try to limit screen time.





mevelandry said:


> Can you be a little more specific on what you love that isn't included with RCCL?





msjprincess said:


> What type of things? Going back over this thread I don't see many things that are different.



Thanks for the replies.

I think it really is the Disney experience that I myself would miss. My kids will miss the Disney character meet n greets, my husband will not like that there is not a movie theater, I'm not sure about the shows, but we love the Disney shows on board thus far (we've only done Fantasy and Dream as we can only sail out of PC at this time).
I don't care which ports we go to, we have only done 1 port excursion and I hated it. I'm there for the ship honestly. I don't like casinos, and don't want to walk through or by one. I don't want to constantly walk by stores which my kids will beg for things in I'm sure. We would love to do an Eastern Caribbean to explore those ports possibly (might like them), but we can only sail during fall break and that's always Western Caribbean week for some reason. Castaway Cay is our very favorite day, we look forward to that beach every time and can't imagine another beach/island being as nice, with free food as well? The kids club, as mentioned, my boys adore and spent much time only the play floor and did many of the "events" that were scheduled and centered around Disney characters. We'll miss the Aquaduck and knowing that we can eat anything and it's included (obviously with a price).

Also, we are a family of 5. I need a room that can fit 5 of us, and online I can not get a quote... SO annoying!

I'm sure I am missing something.


----------



## Cackyschmackers

We're a family of 5 too and are trying RCCL in June for the first time after 6 DCL cruises.  I have no idea what we'll think. It will be on the Anthem, which seems absolutely enormous,  so I don't even think it's a side by side comparison  (we like the Magic class ships).  One thing I will say,  the rotational dining isn't something I think we'll miss. I will not miss the "sales talk" about receiving all excellent ratings 7 nights in a row  Or the excess chit chat.  I can't say we've received outstanding service that we'd miss from having rotational dining.  We've seen so many of the same shows multiple times, so we're looking forward to something different.  I think it sounds like we can steer clear of the casino smoke (I hope)  .  We have two connecting virtual balcony rooms that sound very cool. My girls were never fans of the kids clubs.  I think they have free ice cream!!! Yes, we'll miss Mickey and Minnie in all their fancy outfits,  but honestly it will be a weight off that there will be no character lines we'll feel compelled to wait in.  I do know I'll very much miss the included all I can drink diet coke!  But we're allowed to bring on 12 17oz bottles per stateroom  Should be interesting to see what we think!  I'll report back!


----------



## mousefan73

this summer we are doing the Oasis of the Seas in June and the Fantasy end of August, I will have a 13 yr old DD and a 14 yr old DS.. I will definately do a trip report comparing the two.. We have done the Dream, so we can already comparte Oasis ...


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## msjprincess

I've never had a problem avoiding the casino on Freedom or Oasis class ships. I either go up one floor to the promenade walk acrosse and then down on the other side. On freedom class there is an outside deck on the same deck as the casino so that's also an option.


----------



## msjprincess

Cackyschmackers said:


> We're a family of 5 too and are trying RCCL in June for the first time after 6 DCL cruises.  I have no idea what we'll think. It will be on the Anthem, which seems absolutely enormous,  so I don't even think it's a side by side comparison  (we like the Magic class ships).  One thing I will say,  the rotational dining isn't something I think we'll miss. I will not miss the "sales talk" about receiving all excellent ratings 7 nights in a row  Or the excess chit chat.  I can't say we've received outstanding service that we'd miss from having rotational dining.  We've seen so many of the same shows multiple times, so we're looking forward to something different.  I think it sounds like we can steer clear of the casino smoke (I hope)  .  We have two connecting virtual balcony rooms that sound very cool. My girls were never fans of the kids clubs.  I think they have free ice cream!!! Yes, we'll miss Mickey and Minnie in all their fancy outfits,  but honestly it will be a weight off that there will be no character lines we'll feel compelled to wait in.  I* do know I'll very much miss the included all I can drink diet coke!*  But we're allowed to bring on 12 17oz bottles per stateroom  Should be interesting to see what we think!  I'll report back!




FYI. The soda package is only about $70 a week.


----------



## Cackyschmackers

msjprincess said:


> FYI. The soda package is only about $70 a week.



Thanks  I can actually get it for $60 in my cruise  planner now, but I can't rationalize spending that much since we can bring on a 12 pk and we'll be off the ship for two of the days  (I only drink soda in the day for lunch, never with dinner).  Just seems steep so I figure I can buy a few cans if I need to.


----------



## bbel




----------



## mevelandry

MSPeeler said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> I think it really is the Disney experience that I myself would miss. My kids will miss the Disney character meet n greets, my husband will not like that there is not a movie theater, I'm not sure about the shows, but we love the Disney shows on board thus far (we've only done Fantasy and Dream as we can only sail out of PC at this time).
> I don't care which ports we go to, we have only done 1 port excursion and I hated it. I'm there for the ship honestly. I don't like casinos, and don't want to walk through or by one. I don't want to constantly walk by stores which my kids will beg for things in I'm sure. We would love to do an Eastern Caribbean to explore those ports possibly (might like them), but we can only sail during fall break and that's always Western Caribbean week for some reason. Castaway Cay is our very favorite day, we look forward to that beach every time and can't imagine another beach/island being as nice, with free food as well? The kids club, as mentioned, my boys adore and spent much time only the play floor and did many of the "events" that were scheduled and centered around Disney characters. We'll miss the Aquaduck and knowing that we can eat anything and it's included (obviously with a price).
> 
> Also, we are a family of 5. I need a room that can fit 5 of us, and online I can not get a quote... SO annoying!
> 
> I'm sure I am missing something.



Most cruise lines have private island --with food included-- that are just as good as Castaway Cay (if not better, depending on who you talk to). 

I think RCCL have characters meet and greet. 

Some cruise lines make up for movie theaters by having either dive-in movies or presenting movies in their main theaters which is almost as good as a movie theater. 

Not all ships are the same, on some ships you can easily avoid the casinos. And they do not necessarily have more shops than DCL does. 

As I always say: there's life after DCL. There are some things DCL do better and some things other cruise lines do better. When you are aware of the main differences, sometimes you can do things to compensate if something is missing. Like, with the 1000$+ you'll save, you can certainly add the soda package and still have the money left for other things and/or excursions.


----------



## bbel

mevelandry said:


> Most cruise lines have private island --with food included-- that are just as good as Castaway Cay (if not better, depending on who you talk to).
> 
> I think RCCL have characters meet and greet.
> 
> Some cruise lines make up for movie theaters by having either dive-in movies or presenting movies in their main theaters which is almost as good as a movie theater.
> 
> Not all ships are the same, on some ships you can easily avoid the casinos. And they do not necessarily have more shops than DCL does.
> 
> As I always say: there's life after DCL. There are some things DCL do better and some things other cruise lines do better. When you are aware of the main differences, sometimes you can do things to compensate if something is missing. Like, with the 1000$+ you'll save, you can certainly add the soda package and still have the money left for other things and/or excursions.



I know I've only ever worked on them, but I prefer coco cay over castaway cay (as I'd never chose to cruise a Caribbean itinerary), and the next time I go to coco it will be even better and no more tendering! 

Royal is ending their DreamWorks partnership at the end of the month, but I dont think that's a deal break for most people. 

And I think at least Radiance class on royal has a movie theatre and the oasis class ship have a family theatre where they show DreamWorks and Disney movies and do puppet shows. And on top of that most afternoons theres a movie in the main theatre and/or other venue and by the pool throughout the day (including Disney classics and the live actions).

If your kids dont beg for things on Disney then they're probably not going to on other lines either, unless they're into designer brands and watches and jewelry... theres a lot less toys and only basic kid friendly things in the stores (stationary, magents, candy, travel games, caps, one or two options of bears)...

I totally agree that on every ship I've been on with one, the casino is totally avoidable and you actually have to make an effort to find it, not avoid it. 

If you're a fan of the aquaduck, there's ships out there with many more options of water slides, for all ages and thrill seekers...

I totally agree that there is life after dcl. Dcl taught me that I love the ocean and ship life, it will always be extra special to me, i wasnt even really a Disney fan before life at dcl. Disney will always be number one and I'm so thankful for all the amazing and precious memories....but I am so glad I moved on.

But I get it, if you're adamant that it's only Disney for you then you're going to see many problems in other lines, and find multiple reasons for not giving it try. If Disney is for you, have fun. But other cruise lines are far from the downgrade that many people seem to think they are...


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## msjprincess

On Allure this past November they showed movies at the Aqua theater, family movies at the theater in Adventure Ocean and 3D movies during the day in the main theater.



ETA
And I agree that most of the shops are not filled with things that kids would want. I would guess there are definitely more things that a kid would want in the stores on DCL ships.


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## mevelandry

bbel said:


> (...) But other cruise lines are far from the downgrade that many people seem to think they are...



I agree with everything you said... And especially this!


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## Cackyschmackers

I just learned something super fantastic that I will preliminarily  add to the pros list for Royal Caribbean: I just learned that on the Anthem, their adult only Solarium, which is an immense glass covered indoor pool with fabulous views of the sea, is actually accessible to those 16 years of age and up! Maybe some of you will think that is good or some of you may think that is bad, but it is great for us since I will be with my 16 year old daughter. I am thrilled that I am able to share this beautiful space with her. In addition, because the
Anthem sails out of New Jersey, it seems that it will be a great choice for us in the Winter months. We sailed from New York on DCL in November, and I felt the 1st, 2nd, and last days of the cruise were kind of wasted with chilly, windy inclement weather. Having the solarium pools in the glass enclosed  space would be such an advantage. We would not feel we wasted any sea days getting to where we are going. I was also on a very impressive Viking ship about a year ago, which also has the enclosed glass retractable roof on the pool deck. It is amazing for sailing in inclement weather. Just a side note I was very happy to learn.   I know some of you may have mixed feelings with 16 year olds being allowed in adult spaces but we can save that for another thread. Lol


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## Denise W

Cackyschmackers said:


> I just learned something super fantastic that I will preliminarily  add to the pros list for Royal Caribbean: I just learned that on the Anthem, their adult only Solarium, which is an immense glass covered indoor pool with fabulous views of the sea, is actually accessible to those 16 years of age and up! Maybe some of you will think that is good or some of you may think that is bad, but it is great for us since I will be with my 16 year old daughter. I am thrilled that I am able to share this beautiful space with her. In addition, because the
> Anthem sails out of New Jersey, it seems that it will be a great choice for us in the Winter months. We sailed from New York on DCL in November, and I felt the 1st, 2nd, and last days of the cruise were kind of wasted with chilly, windy inclement weather. Having the solarium pools in the glass enclosed  space would be such an advantage. We would not feel we wasted any sea days getting to where we are going. I was also on a very impressive Viking ship about a year ago, which also has the enclosed glass retractable roof on the pool deck. It is amazing for sailing in inclement weather. Just a side note I was very happy to learn.   I know some of you may have mixed feelings with 16 year olds being allowed in adult spaces but we can save that for another thread. Lol


We sailed on Anthem in January 2018. It was 13 degrees when we boarded. Anthem is a great ship for colder climates and it was warm enough by the second day to walk around outside. We are sailing her in July this year and January again next year.
Denise


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## ForMyBoys

I do love Disney cruises, but I find many of the activities separate the family.  On our Royal Caribbean cruise my teen was able to attend all shows with us, but on Disney many are labeled adult only even if they aren't really risque.


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## Scillycruisers

Having just finished an amazing week on the Symphony of the Seas, my DS (12) has no interest in cruising with DCL again!!


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## czmom

Scillycruisers said:


> Having just finished an amazing week on the Symphony of the Seas, my DS (12) has no interest in cruising with DCL again!!



My 10 and 12 year old said the same thing in January! We loved the Symphony, and have the Mariner booked for next year


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## starvenger

czmom said:


> My 10 and 12 year old said the same thing in January! We loved the Symphony, and have the Mariner booked for next year


As luck would have it, the rc blog is doing a live(ish) blog of their b2b Mariner cruise.


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## czmom

starvenger said:


> As luck would have it, the rc blog is doing a live(ish) blog of their b2b Mariner cruise.



Awesome! Perfect timing.


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## KashasMom

moericus said:


> We're Crown and Anchor and we just sailed with friends that have recently done multiple DCCL cruises.  I can't speak for them but what I gathered from asking is..
> 
> It's a theme park vs. beach resort analogy.  They're both good in their own way.  Are you more comfortable being 'bored' by reading a book in the Solarium, staring out into the horizon on your balcony, people-watching strolls down the promenade, longer formal dinners?  Then RCCL is the more laid-back cruise for you.  Do you need suggestions for how to fill every minute of your day?  Do you need popcorn and a movie available 24-7?  Then DCCL's floating theme park is for you.
> 
> And I don't mean to say RCCL doesn't have activities constantly going.  You just have to take on more initiative to find them.  I think on RCCL your average cruiser is just 'taking it easy'.  I'm loving the water-slide and splash park renovations.  That's one thing Disney has improved for everyone.



This is the complete opposite of our experiences on the Oasis class ships. Other than the Very Merrytime cruises we find the Disney cruises so boring! We moved away from DCL because my daughter was looking for more active cruises. With rock climbing walls, multiple pools, Ultimate Abyss, Flow Rider, multiple slides, ice skating, movies, Zip Line, etc. she's got plenty to keep her busy. As far as longer formal dinners - dinners on DCL are so long they are painful. Love having a dinner buffet on Royal for those nights where we don't want a longer dinner.


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## mousefan73

The more I read this thread the more I am going excited for our Oasis sailing this June in the Med. my kids are 12 and 14 at sailing. Only bad thing she goes intondry dock after our cruise.


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## TJA

Cackyschmackers said:


> I just learned something super fantastic that I will preliminarily  add to the pros list for Royal Caribbean: I just learned that on the Anthem, their adult only Solarium, which is an immense glass covered indoor pool with fabulous views of the sea, is actually accessible to those 16 years of age and up! Maybe some of you will think that is good or some of you may think that is bad, but it is great for us since I will be with my 16 year old daughter. I am thrilled that I am able to share this beautiful space with her. In addition, because the
> Anthem sails out of New Jersey, it seems that it will be a great choice for us in the Winter months. We sailed from New York on DCL in November, and I felt the 1st, 2nd, and last days of the cruise were kind of wasted with chilly, windy inclement weather. Having the solarium pools in the glass enclosed  space would be such an advantage. We would not feel we wasted any sea days getting to where we are going. I was also on a very impressive Viking ship about a year ago, which also has the enclosed glass retractable roof on the pool deck. It is amazing for sailing in inclement weather. Just a side note I was very happy to learn.   I know some of you may have mixed feelings with 16 year olds being allowed in adult spaces but we can save that for another thread. Lol



So good to know!  I hate to wish my girls to get older, but it was such a bummer last summer on the Wonder when we couldn't go in the fitness room as a family each day (my girls were age 15).  I'm hoping this summer on Royal (Jewel of the Seas) that they will be considered old enough to go in that pool you describe (if there is even one on the Jewel) and also into the fitness room with us without a hassle.  They have never been interested in the kids/teens clubs, and we really love our family time together.  Can't wait to try the Jewel and very excited to start out in Rome!


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## hkriw

we are on Liberty of the Seas in 2 weeks for Spring Break.  This is our first RCCL and we have had 3 DCL trips.  For us it was the price and timing- we can not longer go during the school year as they get older- the amount of school work that is to be made up is absurd.  So for spring break the price of this trip (cruise alone) Spacious Panoramic was about 1/3 of all the DCL quotes we got for the same week (various ocean view to obstructed verandah).  We are excited to try something new and I'll do my best to remember to report back.  DD is 14 and DS is 10.


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## Amw1064

jacknsally19 said:


> I am a big Disney fan too....  I wanted the 7 day out of Barcelona for 2020 on the Magic....  It was $8300 for oceanview only, OBB, 2A1K. THAT PRICING IS INSANE.    For a 7 day out of Barcelona on RCCL next summer, my agent just quoted me $4500 for a room with a balcony.  (And $6200 for a suite....)  Saving $4,000 is soooo worth it.  (Disney magic is nice - but not an extra 4k nice!) Perhaps that will really sell it for you! We might use that money to tack on a week in Paris before our trip.  I spoke to my daughter about doing a non-disney ship and she was super excited.  But she is getting a little older and not as into the character meet and greets like she once was....  Also, it sounds like there is less reliance on screen time in the RCCL kids club and at the pool.  I'm pretty pleased about that because we really try to limit screen time.


I have been looking for 2020 as well.  We have been on many Disney cruises and all the ships.  My daughter would be 17 when we would sail and she never goes into the Vibe or Edge but did love the kids clubs when she was younger.  We want to do a European cruise and are thinking of trying RC.  We like the itinerary (and price) of the 12 day on the Vision of the Seas but it doesn't look like there would be anything to do on the 3 sea days.  Anyone have any insight on this ship?   I keep wanting to hold it but the deposit is nonrefundable.  Is this something that is normal with RC?   Would 12 days on this ship be to long?


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## Daisimae

My husband and I are in our 50s and we travel with an older friend who is more like a mother to us.  For what we spend on a 3-night Disney cruise to the Bahamas, we can have a 7 night on Royal.  So we do a 3-night on DCL if we are going to the parks, (usually for five nights), to give us a good weeks vacation.  If we aren't going to the parks we are on Royal.  We like things like the characters and rotational dining, but, being able to cruise longer and to different places makes Royal worth it for us.  We've been on two of the Oasis Class ships and a couple of ships in the other classes too.  The Oasis class are our favorites, especially with the Boardwalk Balcony cabins.  We vacation once every year more or less.  Since we have no plans to go back to the parks until the 50th Anniversary upgrades/new attractions are available, we will probably be on RCCL for the next few years.


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## pangyal

This is a very timely thread! We are multiple-DCL cruisers and are currently on our very first RCCL cruise, on Anthem, heading back to NJ for disembarkation tomorrow. OMG, this was the best week ever. I will say that having the internet for the whole time on our cruise was life-changing (both the hubster and I need to be accessible while away)...I cannot stand the “per MB” nonsense on DCL.

Overall, there are so many pluses and minuses on both sides that I feel they come up equal, but very different products for sure. We have already booked on Allure for 2021 (already on DCL next winter) and hope we love it as much as Anthem.

I will say that we have not had a dull moment on this cruise. I will also say that I have not opened even one Compass. I seriously don’t know where this time went!


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## nancy drew

MSPeeler said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> I think it really is the Disney experience that I myself would miss. My kids will miss the Disney character meet n greets, my husband will not like that there is not a movie theater, I'm not sure about the shows, but we love the Disney shows on board thus far (we've only done Fantasy and Dream as we can only sail out of PC at this time).
> I don't care which ports we go to, we have only done 1 port excursion and I hated it. I'm there for the ship honestly. I don't like casinos, and don't want to walk through or by one. I don't want to constantly walk by stores which my kids will beg for things in I'm sure. We would love to do an Eastern Caribbean to explore those ports possibly (might like them), but we can only sail during fall break and that's always Western Caribbean week for some reason. Castaway Cay is our very favorite day, we look forward to that beach every time and can't imagine another beach/island being as nice, with free food as well? The kids club, as mentioned, my boys adore and spent much time only the play floor and did many of the "events" that were scheduled and centered around Disney characters. We'll miss the Aquaduck and knowing that we can eat anything and it's included (obviously with a price).
> 
> Also, we are a family of 5. I need a room that can fit 5 of us, and online I can not get a quote... SO annoying!
> 
> I'm sure I am missing something.



We were just on Symphony and movies were shown at the Aqua Theater several times.  Although we were so busy we never had time to sit and watch a movie. 

The shows on Symphony were FAR better than any Disney show I have ever seen.  RCI definitely has better shows. 

My kids never once begged for anything in the stores and we were not "constantly" walking past stores.  I found the stores on DCL to be much more kid-friendly and tempting.  If your kids will beg for Kate Spade, Chanel, etc. then you might have an issue.  My kids walked right past all of the watches and jewelry and make up and alcohol and headed for the free pizza. 

RCI has 2 private islands, with plans for several more.  There are many beaches that are nicer than Castaway Cay, and when you get off the ship and do excursions you will find them. 

My kids did not enjoy Disney kids clubs, but have enjoyed clubs on other cruise lines.  They do not like chaos and hundreds of kids running around.  They like activities and counselors who interact with them.

There were 3 water slides on the Symphony, vs two on DCL.

Most food was included, unless you were looking for filet mignon, lobster, or sushi.  We had access to pizza until 3am, hot dogs, buffet food, Mexican food, sandwiches, fruit, pastries, salads, and more all day in different parts of the ship. 

There were so many activities that we could do at any time.  The rock wall, Flow Rider, Abyss slide, carousel, ice skating, climbing structure, and multiple shows (Broadway/stage show (x2), Aqua (x2), skating (x2)) etc. are available during the day.  There is almost too much to do!

Symphony has 3 pools, 4 if you include the adult pool, and they were not nearly as full of people as any DCL pool, which is disgusting.

You can get an idea of the price for a family of 5 by looking at the cost for one child and adding that to the price of a quote for a family of 4.  That should give you an idea of what you would spend.  A travel agent can also find pricing for you. 



Cackyschmackers said:


> I just learned something super fantastic that I will preliminarily  add to the pros list for Royal Caribbean: I just learned that on the Anthem, their adult only Solarium, which is an immense glass covered indoor pool with fabulous views of the sea, is actually accessible to those 16 years of age and up! Maybe some of you will think that is good or some of you may think that is bad, but it is great for us since I will be with my 16 year old daughter. I am thrilled that I am able to share this beautiful space with her. In addition, because the
> Anthem sails out of New Jersey, it seems that it will be a great choice for us in the Winter months. We sailed from New York on DCL in November, and I felt the 1st, 2nd, and last days of the cruise were kind of wasted with chilly, windy inclement weather. Having the solarium pools in the glass enclosed  space would be such an advantage. We would not feel we wasted any sea days getting to where we are going. I was also on a very impressive Viking ship about a year ago, which also has the enclosed glass retractable roof on the pool deck. It is amazing for sailing in inclement weather. Just a side note I was very happy to learn.   I know some of you may have mixed feelings with 16 year olds being allowed in adult spaces but we can save that for another thread. Lol



We enjoyed the Solarium on Symphony, which is also 16+.  My daughter is 15 and went in, and no one said anything.  It was my favorite place, and you didn't have little kids parading through all the time like you do on DCL.  Much more of a quiet adult retreat!!



KashasMom said:


> This is the complete opposite of our experiences on the Oasis class ships. Other than the Very Merrytime cruises we find the Disney cruises so boring! We moved away from DCL because my daughter was looking for more active cruises. With rock climbing walls, multiple pools, Ultimate Abyss, Flow Rider, multiple slides, ice skating, movies, Zip Line, etc. she's got plenty to keep her busy. As far as longer formal dinners - dinners on DCL are so long they are painful. Love having a dinner buffet on Royal for those nights where we don't want a longer dinner.



Advice for next time: we told our servers on Symphony that we would like a shorter dinner and they had us out of there in under an hour each night.  More time for shows and night life, both of which are very well done on RCI!  LOVED our serving team for our Main Dining Room dinners!


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## Frozen2014

nancy drew said:


> We were just on Symphony and movies were shown at the Aqua Theater several times.  Although we were so busy we never had time to sit and watch a movie.
> 
> The shows on Symphony were FAR better than any Disney show I have ever seen.  RCI definitely has better shows.
> 
> My kids never once begged for anything in the stores and we were not "constantly" walking past stores.  I found the stores on DCL to be much more kid-friendly and tempting.  If your kids will beg for Kate Spade, Chanel, etc. then you might have an issue.  My kids walked right past all of the watches and jewelry and make up and alcohol and headed for the free pizza.
> 
> RCI has 2 private islands, with plans for several more.  There are many beaches that are nicer than Castaway Cay, and when you get off the ship and do excursions you will find them.
> 
> My kids did not enjoy Disney kids clubs, but have enjoyed clubs on other cruise lines.  They do not like chaos and hundreds of kids running around.  They like activities and counselors who interact with them.
> 
> There were 3 water slides on the Symphony, vs two on DCL.
> 
> Most food was included, unless you were looking for filet mignon, lobster, or sushi.  We had access to pizza until 3am, hot dogs, buffet food, Mexican food, sandwiches, fruit, pastries, salads, and more all day in different parts of the ship.
> 
> There were so many activities that we could do at any time.  The rock wall, Flow Rider, Abyss slide, carousel, ice skating, climbing structure, and multiple shows (Broadway/stage show (x2), Aqua (x2), skating (x2)) etc. are available during the day.  There is almost too much to do!
> 
> Symphony has 3 pools, 4 if you include the adult pool, and they were not nearly as full of people as any DCL pool, which is disgusting.
> 
> You can get an idea of the price for a family of 5 by looking at the cost for one child and adding that to the price of a quote for a family of 4.  That should give you an idea of what you would spend.  A travel agent can also find pricing for you.
> 
> 
> 
> We enjoyed the Solarium on Symphony, which is also 16+.  My daughter is 15 and went in, and no one said anything.  It was my favorite place, and you didn't have little kids parading through all the time like you do on DCL.  Much more of a quiet adult retreat!!
> 
> 
> 
> Advice for next time: we told our servers on Symphony that we would like a shorter dinner and they had us out of there in under an hour each night.  More time for shows and night life, both of which are very well done on RCI!  LOVED our serving team for our Main Dining Room dinners!



Great feedback on Symphony.  We were just on her as well and OMG what an amazing ship!  So much to do and just beautiful with the decor and art work (and so fun to explore). 

Same experience with dining. Our waiter was quite efficient but the one evening iSjate was playing early at 7pm.  We just mentioned to him that we wanted to catch a show and he made sure we were out in plenty of time.


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## braycon

I must admit I always find these comparison threads interesting.  As many have suggested, your preference depends a lot on you, your family, and what you’re looking for/value in a cruise.  Our cruises have pretty much been a 50/50 split between RC and Disney (about 7 on each line).  When our boys were teenagers, they greatly preferred RC - we were on the larger ships and the activities and additional teenagers (girls) were a big plus to them.  We enjoy RC - no real complaints - but if the price were the same, my wife and I would choose Disney.  We enjoy the rotational dining, and have generally preferred Disney’s dining, characters, ship aesthetics, spa, service level (although both are generally very good) and, despite some other enthusiastic perspectives in this thread, we enjoy the Disney shows more.  We also find Castaway Cay superior to RC’s Labadee or Coco Cay (perhaps this changes with the new version of Coco).  So, although everyone is entitled to their opinion, I adamantly disagree that RC is better and certainly not - IMHO - significantly so. 

However, they definitely don’t cost the same, as has been pointed out repeatedly.  It’s not even close, and this really can make Disney a tough choice.  Disney is welcome to charge what they want - and God knows they do - but the expense means we look at other options.  The value equation, therefore, is more complex.  RC is much more accessible, has more ships, more itineraries, and also offers a great vacation.  We have a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise planned late this summer on Freedom of the Seas, and we’re excited about it.  It was about the same price as a 4-nighter on the Dream.  We’ve done Nassau, but never the ABC islands and never San Juan.  So, 3 more nights on a totally new itinerary, on a very good ship?  Well, we’re excited to be back on RC for this.  Now, we also have a reservation for Disney’s Fantasy in 2020, but it’s a 5-night cruise that’s a bit more affordable than that ship’s typical 7-night EC or WC.  We are looking forward to that, too, but boy it would be nice to be on a 7-nighter.  We keep hoping the new ships will drive Disney’s prices down a bit, but nothing really seems to do that. 

We are also planning to do Alaska in the future but, because we aren’t lottery winners, we will probably be sailing Princess or RC.  I look at Disney’s Alaska prices, and I just laugh.  I love the Wonder, but I’m pretty sure I don’t love it that much.

In short, you can’t go wrong with either cruise line in our opinion.  Really great, albeit quite different, experiences.  It’s what works for you and your family. I don’t begrudge anyone their opinion on either cruise line, but the short for us is, although we prefer Disney, the Disney ticket price means we’re going to continue to cruise on RC, Princess, and other cruise lines, as well.


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## mousefan73

braycon said:


> We are also planning to do Alaska in the future but, because we aren’t lottery winners, we will probably be sailing Princess or RC.  I look at Disney’s Alaska prices, and I just laugh.  I love the Wonder, but I’m pretty sure I don’t love it that much.
> 
> .




That's too funny. I also laughted when I saw the Norway DCL cruise prices.. we are in Europe and that was on my bucket list. we love disney but not that much.. it's realy crazy and people pay.


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## John VN

braycon said:


> I must admit I always find these comparison threads interesting.................
> ..........However, they definitely don’t cost the same, as has been pointed out repeatedly.  It’s not even close, and this really can make Disney a tough choice...............  RC is much more accessible, has more ships, more itineraries, and also offers a great vacation.  *We have a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise planned late this summer on Freedom of the Seas, and we’re excited about it.  It was about the same price as a 4-nighter on the Dream.*.............
> .........We are also planning to do Alaska in the future but, because we aren’t lottery winners, we will probably be sailing Princess or RC.  I look at Disney’s Alaska prices, and I just laugh.  I love the Wonder, but I’m pretty sure I don’t love it that much.
> 
> In short, you can’t go wrong with either cruise line in our opinion.  Really great, albeit quite different, experiences.  It’s what works for you and your family. I don’t begrudge anyone their opinion on either cruise line, but the short for us is, although we prefer Disney, the Disney ticket price means we’re going to continue to cruise on RC, Princess, and other cruise lines, as well.



*Value for length of cruise* has become priority 1 as we age.  Really enjoyed DCL years ago because at the time the co$t was fortunately not the major end-all part of the equation.  SPLURGE if the budget allows since *it's really neat* to experience the MK Fireworks while in the Kingdom rather than across the water plus there might not be another opportunity to do so. We have a 7 night western Nov. cruise and again going with Value-4-Length so jumping to a new cruise line for us.


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## mevelandry

John VN said:


> *Value for length of cruise* has become priority 1 as we age.  Really enjoyed DCL years ago because at the time the co$t was fortunately not the major end-all part of the equation.  SPLURGE if the budget allows since *it's really neat* to experience the MK Fireworks while in the Kingdom rather than across the water plus there might not be another opportunity to do so. We have a 7 night western Nov. cruise and again going with Value-4-Length so jumping to a new cruise line for us.



"Value-4-length" ...DH and I are getting there too. I thought I had convinced my DH to try one of the new DCL ships in 2021 or 2023... 

But after our cruise last week (which was a 4 nights on Carnival & was pretty awesome), he told me point blank: "Why pay 2000$ to go 3 nights on a DCL ship when we can get a very good 7 nights cruise on another cruise line for the same price?" 

I can see his point... I guess we'll see. If the new DCL ships turn out to be carbon copies of the Dream/Fantasy, maybe I'll change my mind.


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