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DCL vs Royal Carib.


yousee1
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I have wondered for the longest time just how different the two lines are. I have heard others say DCL wins and I would think "surely they can't be that different!". Well, YES they are :).

Overall, Disney wins.

 

We were just on the Wonder. 7 day sailing.

 

DCL does better:

food quality,variety and taste

their app (get the app!!!! it is a must!) and portable phones

entertainment

treating you like guests of honor

more space in the interior room. While minor, still helped.

More activity options (free cooking class, napkin folding,etc)

Rotational dining and entertainment while dining

Fireworks!!

Better things on TV (movies such as Elf and the new Ghostbusters, Disney Jr. shows, Disney movies)

 

 

RCCL does better:

food availability

library and game room

less announcements

 

I would say the ships' cleanliness was about the same. I would not say the Wonder was pristine because I saw a few minor things that they did not fix while in dry dock such as floor corners and edges that were in need of repair (nothing major). They left the old and rather ancient blow dryers in the bathroom. I think they could have spruced things up better while in dry dock.

I can't compare the kids' club on both ships because we only used DCL kids club. I will say the DCL kids club HAS to be the winner. You just can't beat what they have for kids.

 

I am sure I missed some things on here, but I wanted to post that I am amazed how different the ships are. We are DCL converts!

Edited by yousee1
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Excellent summary and overall I agree with you.

 

Did DCL put the new hairdryers in the desk drawer? THey did on the Magic, although they also left the old one in the bathroom.

 

Food availability on DCL is 24/7 thru room service...although compared to other lines, the room service menu and quality leaves a bit to be desired.

 

The library on DCL was never very good, but we hated to see them remove it. Do they still have the loaner book shelf in the Cove Cafe since the dry dock? The Magic has this, but the Fantasy does not.

Edited by moki'smommy
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Great topic! This has been a constant debate for me for some time. I've sailed 5 times with each line, and happen to enjoy both. I think the answer to the debate boils down to what you want on your cruise, where you want to leave from, what itinerary you are interested in and how much you are willing to pay for it in the end. I have found that the latter, can be quite a significant difference, but I believe if you have the resources and are willing to pay more, DCL has some certain advantages which you've mentioned here.

 

This price difference is very significant for my family and I who enjoy cruising and will certainly be able to do so more frequently with RCCL. Plus RCCL leaves out of our home state of NJ year round, which makes cruising with them a very appealing option. The kids clubs on RCCL, while perhaps not quite as nice as DCL, are still excellent. And if you like to gamble, you'll only find a casino on RCCL. Plus RCCL is very innovative and brings a lot of new and exciting features to their ships.

 

That said, I like both lines very much. And while I believe DCL to be just a tick better, I'm not always sure I can use this argument to justify the price difference. I can certainly afford to cruise more frequently with RCCL, and there's something to be said for that as well!

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Interesting on the dryers--I was on the same sailing and had a new one in the drawer.

 

RCCL does offer cooking classes and towel folding classes. I have done them several times.

 

For me? I would say Disney just does entertainment better all the way around. From shows to dining entertainment there is no comparison.

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I haven't cruised Royal, but I have cruised Carnival. I can't say DCL wins. They are both have their plus and minus's. Carnival has more plus's, but Disney had the intangible warm, fuzzy, magical feeling that you only get on Disney. I'm happy to cruise on either. My kids prefer Disney, but I won't pay an arm and a leg for the Disney experience. I cruise DCL when I get a good deal. I absolutely loved our Carnival Vista Med cruise, and I can't wait for the Horizon itinerary's to be released. I'm also looking at a number of different itinerary's on Royal.

I think it really depends on what your looking for in a cruise, and how much your willing to pay. I personally would not pay quadruple to cruise on DCL in Europe. If I want the DCL experience( and I totally get the Magic) I look for cruises that are offseason and are lower in price.

We just got off the Wonder. I loved the new Tiana's place and all the renovations. I've cruised on all the ships multiple times, but the Wonder has always been my favorite. Our next cruise is on the Carnival Vista, and I'm looking forward to that as much as I would a DCL cruise. It's not Disney, but it's fantastic in a different way.

Edited by sm3ds
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THe RCCL cooking classes, if I remember correctly, had a fee.

DCL offered napkin folding a little more often.

Yes, there was a new hair dryer on the drawer in the cabin, but they left the ancient and ugly one on the wall in the bathroom.

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If Disney cruises were priced like most Royal Caribbean cruises - I'd sail with Disney far more often! They aren't, so my Disney cruises are occasional splurges. I'm looking forward to my April 2018 Panama Canal cruise on the Disney Wonder, but I also have 1 HAL and 3 RCI cruises booked between now and then.

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I haven't cruised Royal, but I have cruised Carnival. I can't say DCL wins. They are both have their plus and minus's. Carnival has more plus's, but Disney had the intangible warm, fuzzy, magical feeling that you only get on Disney. I'm happy to cruise on either. My kids prefer Disney, but I won't pay an arm and a leg for the Disney experience. I cruise DCL when I get a good deal. I absolutely loved our Carnival Vista Med cruise, and I can't wait for the Horizon itinerary's to be released. I'm also looking at a number of different itinerary's on Royal.

 

I think it really depends on what your looking for in a cruise, and how much your willing to pay. I personally would not pay quadruple to cruise on DCL in Europe. If I want the DCL experience( and I totally get the Magic) I look for cruises that are offseason and are lower in price.

 

We just got off the Wonder. I loved the new Tiana's place and all the renovations. I've cruised on all the ships multiple times, but the Wonder has always been my favorite. Our next cruise is on the Carnival Vista, and I'm looking forward to that as much as I would a DCL cruise. It's not Disney, but it's fantastic in a different way.

 

 

Dang, this could've been me writing this, except for the Wonder being my favorite DCL ship. We too loved the Vista and have a B2B booked on her for June and are looking forward to the Disney Magic for the first time next October. We'll probably be on the new Horizon in 2018 for sons graduation, were really hoping they decide to do Northern Europe that season, should be released real soon!

 

 

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I haven't cruised Royal, but I have cruised Carnival. I can't say DCL wins. They are both have their plus and minus's. Carnival has more plus's, but Disney had the intangible warm, fuzzy, magical feeling that you only get on Disney. I'm happy to cruise on either. My kids prefer Disney, but I won't pay an arm and a leg for the Disney experience. I cruise DCL when I get a good deal. I absolutely loved our Carnival Vista Med cruise, and I can't wait for the Horizon itinerary's to be released. I'm also looking at a number of different itinerary's on Royal.

I think it really depends on what your looking for in a cruise, and how much your willing to pay. I personally would not pay quadruple to cruise on DCL in Europe. If I want the DCL experience( and I totally get the Magic) I look for cruises that are offseason and are lower in price.

We just got off the Wonder. I loved the new Tiana's place and all the renovations. I've cruised on all the ships multiple times, but the Wonder has always been my favorite. Our next cruise is on the Carnival Vista, and I'm looking forward to that as much as I would a DCL cruise. It's not Disney, but it's fantastic in a different way.

 

did you find the passengers on the vista med cruise different than the passengers on on carnival cruises in the US?

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One of our editors did a side-by-side comparison of Disney & Royal if anyone is interested in checking it out -- you don't have to leave the site! Royal Caribbean vs. Disney Cruise Line.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

 

good, comprehensive comparison!!

 

i would only add in the comparison of the kids programming, the kids club open houses are very nice for kids who are unwilling to go to the kids clubs on their own.....

when our kids were little, there is no way they would have gone to the clubs by themselves..

parents being able to accompany their kids to the kids club open houses makes it possible for these painfully shy kids to also experience the fun activities available in the kids clubs..

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I too have been on several Disney cruises. Magic, Wonder and the Dream. I have also been on the Oasis twice and the Allure once. Have been on the smaller Royal ships too. I loved the Disney ships except for the fact there was no casino. I am booked on the Harmony for 7 days and it is cheaper than any Disney cruise I can get. That being said I will go on Disney if they run a super deal. Living in Fla. I check Disney fla resident rates all the time but when a 7 day Royal cruise is cheaper I will go with them. The buffet on the Dream was amazing. We had stone crab claws every day!

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I would think most people agree that Disney offers (on average) a superior product to the other lines (some things are subjective of course, like food).

 

Disney also charges a very significant premium to other lines and that cannot be ignored either.

 

Now I will say, for teens/young adults, I do think RCCL and NCL on their mega ships may offer a better experience in that the clubs are comparable and there are more activities offered that Disney doesn't have (flowriders, climbing walls, skydiving, bumper cars, etc...) When you combine that with the price differential I have to lean to those lines for those ages.

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I would think most people agree that Disney offers (on average) a superior product to the other lines (some things are subjective of course, like food).

 

Disney also charges a very significant premium to other lines and that cannot be ignored either.

 

Now I will say, for teens/young adults, I do think RCCL and NCL on their mega ships may offer a better experience in that the clubs are comparable and there are more activities offered that Disney doesn't have (flowriders, climbing walls, skydiving, bumper cars, etc...) When you combine that with the price differential I have to lean to those lines for those ages.

 

I will be the one to disagree with you. I think Disney offers a superior product if your really into Disney. As far as food and service go I thought Carnival exceeded or were equal to them in many areas. My kids have grown up on DCL and prefer Disney clubs. They are getting a getting a little sick of the counselors on DCL. We just got off the Wonder and Apparently the Edge is now a "safe space" where certain topics are off limits. I'm not raising my kids to be snowflakes so I guess at some point I'll take that up with Disney. My kids have made friends all over the country that they talk to daily. They have different political and religious beliefs, but they all manage to get along without adults telling them what they can and cannot discuss. I think we'll try Royal or NCL soon and see how they like that.

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They are getting a getting a little sick of the counselors on DCL. We just got off the Wonder and Apparently the Edge is now a "safe space" where certain topics are off limits. I'm not raising my kids to be snowflakes so I guess at some point I'll take that up with Disney. .

 

Normally I would agree with you. However, surrounding the recent election and continuing till the present, I have seen some HORRIBLE adult posts and "in person" actions concerning politics. I have no problem with DCL enforcing a "no politics" rule in the kid programming as both adults and kids seem to feel the need to escalate some of these discussions to serious argument. I had hoped that this behavior would abate after the election (regardless of the outcome), but this has not been my experience.

 

As to the casino comment above--many people choose DCL specifically because it doesn't have a casino. On other ships, whether it is possible or easy to avoid the casino depends on the line and the ship. Of course, some people avoid DCL because they want a casino.

Edited by moki'smommy
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Normally I would agree with you. However' date=' surrounding the recent election and continuing till the present, I have seen some HORRIBLE adult posts and "in person" actions concerning politics. I have no problem with DCL enforcing a "no politics" rule in the kid programming as both adults and kids seem to feel the need to escalate some of these discussions to serious argument. I had hoped that this behavior would abate after the election (regardless of the outcome), but this has not been my experience.

 

As to the casino comment above--many people choose DCL specifically because it doesn't have a casino. On other ships, whether it is possible or easy to avoid the casino depends on the line and the ship. Of course, some people avoid DCL because they want a casino.[/quote']

My kids were up to 2am on election night skyping with kids on the east coast they had met on other cruises. They were half Trump and half Hillary and gee they are all still friends today. This was our 4th time on the wonder over the last year and I know the counselors and what their political views are. Funny thing is none of them are American. I've told my kids to talk about what they want as long as they are not insulting or using bad language. If Disney has a problem with that they can take it up with me.If kids can't discuss current events with a little discourse were going to end up with a gereration of idiots. What I've see from some of the college students it may be to late.

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My kids were up to 2am on election night skyping with kids on the east coast they had met on other cruises. They were half Trump and half Hillary and gee they are all still friends today. This was our 4th time on the wonder over the last year and I know the counselors and what their political views are. Funny thing is none of them are American. I've told my kids to talk about what they want as long as they are not insulting or using bad language. If Disney has a problem with that they can take it up with me.If kids can't discuss current events with a little discourse were going to end up with a gereration of idiots. What I've see from some of the college students it may be to late.

 

Glad to hear that your kids have better behavior than a lot of adults I've encountered! That's good parenting showing up.

 

I've seen so much ugliness lately, some of it directed at me, that I've decided it is best to keep my fingers still and my mouth shut on politics. A seemingly benign comment cause a tirade on line!

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Glad to hear that your kids have better behavior than a lot of adults I've encountered! That's good parenting showing up.

 

I've seen so much ugliness lately' date=' some of it directed at me, that I've decided it is best to keep my fingers still and my mouth shut on politics. A seemingly benign comment cause a tirade on line![/quote']

 

I think the best thing to come out of this election is kids taking an interest in the election. As a homeschooler my kids have learned so much over the last year without me pushing them too. They have been engaged since day one. So I'm grateful for the 18 month soap opera. It provided with me an infinite amount of teachable moments. I think I can cross American Government off the curriculum now.

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RCCL does better:

food availability

library and game room

less announcements

 

 

I was surprised to see RCCL with less announcements. Unless something has changed at RCCL in the last 3-4 years I always experienced way too many announcements.

 

 

 

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I have wondered for the longest time just how different the two lines are. I have heard others say DCL wins and I would think "surely they can't be that different!". Well, YES they are :).

Overall, Disney wins.

 

We were just on the Wonder. 7 day sailing.

 

DCL does better:

food quality,variety and taste

their app (get the app!!!! it is a must!) and portable phones

entertainment

treating you like guests of honor

more space in the interior room. While minor, still helped.

More activity options (free cooking class, napkin folding,etc)

Rotational dining and entertainment while dining

Fireworks!!

Better things on TV (movies such as Elf and the new Ghostbusters, Disney Jr. shows, Disney movies)

 

 

RCCL does better:

food availability

library and game room

less announcements

 

I would say the ships' cleanliness was about the same. I would not say the Wonder was pristine because I saw a few minor things that they did not fix while in dry dock such as floor corners and edges that were in need of repair (nothing major). They left the old and rather ancient blow dryers in the bathroom. I think they could have spruced things up better while in dry dock.

I can't compare the kids' club on both ships because we only used DCL kids club. I will say the DCL kids club HAS to be the winner. You just can't beat what they have for kids.

 

I am sure I missed some things on here, but I wanted to post that I am amazed how different the ships are. We are DCL converts!

 

I really think it depends on the RCI ship and the ages of your children. We just did the Magic (3rd time). We have been on the Fantasy twice. This last cruise was the best Disney cruise but I think that had more to do with my daughter's age. She does a lot more crafts, etc. now. She had a bad experience in the Disney kids' club before and won't go back in. I'm not thrilled at ALL with a 3-12 age range for kids in Disney's clubs. That's just oo big a spread. Also the clubs are usually SO crowded that kids never get the attention that they do in other clubs. Oh...one thing I really don't like about the Magic is how crowded you feel. The shows/events in the atrium were wall-to-wall people.

 

One thing I love about Disney is the storage space in the rooms - lots of drawers, under the bed space for suitcases, etc. Oh...and since someone mentioned the hairdryers...the new ones were terrible. It took forever to dry my daughter's hair. Next time, I'll bring my own.

 

On this cruise - finally - the food was good (except for breakfast which was the worst food I've ever had on a cruise)! On our previous Disney cruises the food was seriously just okay. One thing that I like better on RCI is that they have buffet dinner - and a lot of dining options. I can live without the rotational dining on Disney. The show in AP is best - the rest doesn't matter to me.

 

I enjoyed two of the (7) shows on the Magic. We liked the shows on Oasis a lot and are looking forward to the shows on Allure in February.

 

The pools on the Magic were horrid. There was no such thing as "swimming". You "stood" with 60 other people. The Oasis has several pools to enjoy.

 

We got a good deal on our Magic cruise but I wouldn't pay some of Disney's outrageous prices. To me there is just not that much of a difference.

 

Each line has its good and not so good. We've cruised a lot of lines and a lot of ships and really haven't had a terrible cruise. There's something out there for everyone!

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I think it really depends on what your looking for in a cruise, and how much your willing to pay. I personally would not pay quadruple to cruise on DCL in Europe.

 

I say this ALL the time! I would never sail DCL to Europe or Alaska. Those are port-intensive cruises and to me just a waste of money on Disney. We did an AMAZING Baltic cruise on the Serenade (I love her!) this summer. Had a balcony room for 13 nights for 3 of us for just over $7,000. That would probably be a $20,000+ cruise on Disney. And seriously we were in port so much we could have been on a tugboat and wouldn't have noticed! We didn't even eat in a dining room once (we were just exhausted when we got back to the ship at night).

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I say this ALL the time! I would never sail DCL to Europe or Alaska. Those are port-intensive cruises and to me just a waste of money on Disney. We did an AMAZING Baltic cruise on the Serenade (I love her!) this summer. Had a balcony room for 13 nights for 3 of us for just over $7,000. That would probably be a $20,000+ cruise on Disney. And seriously we were in port so much we could have been on a tugboat and wouldn't have noticed! We didn't even eat in a dining room once (we were just exhausted when we got back to the ship at night).

 

We canceled a British Isles/? B2B on DCL when we found out that we could book a balcony on Princess for half the cost of an inside on DCL. A balcony on DCL was almost exactly 4 times the Princess cost. But in all fairness, the DCL cruise went from fully booked to *GT status as they had so many cancelations!

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I say this ALL the time! I would never sail DCL to Europe or Alaska. Those are port-intensive cruises and to me just a waste of money on Disney. We did an AMAZING Baltic cruise on the Serenade (I love her!) this summer. Had a balcony room for 13 nights for 3 of us for just over $7,000. That would probably be a $20,000+ cruise on Disney. And seriously we were in port so much we could have been on a tugboat and wouldn't have noticed! We didn't even eat in a dining room once (we were just exhausted when we got back to the ship at night).

 

since we live on the med, on a DCL med cruise the ship is our destination, not the ports...

i'm happy to stay on the ship the entire time....

it's our little disney fix, since traveling to WDW has become just too costly for us to do on a regular basis anymore...

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since we live on the med, on a DCL med cruise the ship is our destination, not the ports...

i'm happy to stay on the ship the entire time....

it's our little disney fix, since traveling to WDW has become just too costly for us to do on a regular basis anymore...

 

In past years, the Med cruises have not been nearly so costly as the Brit Isles/Baltic/Northern Europe cruises.

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