Disney Newbie!

[lanabanana]

I am a Diamond member of Royal Caribbean and will be trying Disney for the first time next month....just a 3 day cruise on the Wonder. Speaking of "wonder", I'm wondering what you all can tell me about what I will find different, for those of you who have cruised both lines?

 

Thanks!

[greatdanemom]

Another RCCL "Diamond" here. I cruise DCL periodically with my teen. Let's see, what are the main differences I notice...

 

Cabins - DCL cabins are generously sized when comparing the Interior or Oceanviews. Balcony cabins we've found to be pretty comparable especially if you are comparing dollar for dollar versus the size.

 

Service - We've found both lines to be more similar than different on this. The biggest difference we've noticed here is the service the children receive. DCL makes a bigger fuss over them whereas RCCL tends to not really single them out as individuals (the reason I take my daughter on DCL and my husband on RCCL!) :D

 

Food & dining - Pretty much dead even here but as we frequent cruisers always say food is very subjective. Right? We highly prefer the Windjammer on RCCL over the DCL buffet. On DCL we feel like we're back in the school cafeteria as they hand us our little tray and we walk down the straight buffet line. Windjammers are much more nicely laid out, offer more seating, and have a wider range of choices. We also miss Anytime Dining when we sail DCL as we prefer the convenience of choosing our own time to dine based on our days' activities. However, DCL does traditional seating dining very nicely. We enjoy rotating through the different restaurants each night while still having the same waitstaff and tablemates. Lots of people are also very excited by the fact that there is a "free" soda & coffee station on the pool deck. I put quotes on "free" because if I compare the cost of my average DCL with my average RCCL I don't really feel the "free" vibe here.

 

Cleanliness/maintenance - Both lines take very good care of their ships and any maintenance needs are promptly addressed. DCL gives out hand wipes at restaurant entrances and RCCL has sanitizer gel stations at theirs and elsewhere. Cabins are always kept very nice on both lines but I have noticed a little more wear and tear in our DCL rooms, probably due to the number of children, strollers, etc. Nothing awful, just chips out of woodwork, dings in walls, etc. Just small things that wouldn't get fixed until the next drydock.

 

Entertainment - DCL has the characters and the Disney productions. If you're into the Disney "magic" it's a delightful experience. We also enjoy the Broadway type shows and live orchestra that RCCL has but DCL manages to bring a tear to our eyes.

 

Adult Areas - One of my favorite places in the world is a Solarium on an RCCL ship. DCL does have an adult pool area but it's an outdoors one. In my experience they enforce the "adult only" on a par with RCCL. Now and then a youngster slips through but mostly it's quiet. DCL's coffee shop is in the adult area which is nice if you're able to get away from the kids to get your coffee but super inconvenient if you want a specialty coffee treat while you're with your children.

 

Fellow passengers - Okay, this is the big difference but that shouldn't be a surprise. There are usually about 1000 children on a DCL cruise. To me the cruises are very similar to the Spring Break cruise I did on RCCL. Most of them are adorable and its a delight to watch them with the characters and activities. But a few are overindulged snowflakes who think they can man the elevators, run the halls, and grab things from the buffet with their hands. When I cruise DCL I go in a tolerant state of mind and I have a good time. I also leave hubby at home now since tolerance is not a characteristic he chooses to embrace!

 

Most everyone enjoys their DCL cruises and I hope you do, too. They're different in some ways from RCCL - some ways better, some ways worse. But overall they're a fun and enjoyable way to sail. You'll see me on plenty of both lines' cruises.

[lanabanana]

Wow...thanks, Cheryl. That's very comprehensive. I'm very much looking forward to giving it a try, even though it's only a 3 nt cruise and that is BY FAR my shortest. Seems like it's not even worth unpacking! :D

[greatdanemom]

Three days does go by way too fast but it's still worth doing. Heck, it's better than staying at home!

 

Two other differences that crossed my mind - no library or casino on DCL.

[nccruiser47]

I'm a DCL newbie also.........just booked a week on the Wonder going to the Mexican Riviera. I've done all my cruising on NCL, but looking forward to the Disney atmosphere.........have always been a Disney fan. I think the biggest difference for me will be no Freestyle Dining, but I will adapt!!! I do applaud Disney for not charging us single cruisers double cruise fare....theirs is just 175%..

[suezyq50]

I do like the docking at Castaway Cay as opposed to tendering at Coco Cay. I think Disney has a lot more chocolate options. If you do like the speciality coffees, Disney has a frequency card.

[pgdisney]

DCL is overall a great experience and one that my kids talk about at least once a week. It's hard to explain but there's just something "magical" about a Disney cruise. The sailaway party is a lot of fun and really gets the cruise off to a great start.

 

I will say that a 3 nighter is WAY too short. I hope you have a great cruise!

[Cheryl H]

Can you expand on the explanation? What is dining rotation? So each night you are to report to a different dining room? Is it preassigned, or you just pick? And is that only dinner. Are the dining rooms open for lunch or breakfast? or just the buffet?

 

We are considering Disney. We love RCCL, but have just had our 3rd cruise cancelled with them. This will be our 10th cruise, and 3 out of 10 aren't too good of odds, or maybe we're just "lucky".

 

I'm disappointed to hear there's no indoor pool on Disney. I love the solarium pool.

 

And what are the round tubs that I saw listed. Are they a two person tub? Or more like a barrell? I was reading the ship descriptions over on Expedia.

 

Also you mentioned "free" soft drinks at the pool. So is there also free soft drinks in the dining room as well?

 

Thanks!

[Shebbieal]

Cheryl,

 

Soda is free at meals and at the soda station by the pool. If you order at a bar it is NOT free.

 

The rotational dining is, you eat at the same table number with same waiter but you go to a diferent restaurant each night (they have 3). For example you sit at table number 100, just go to that same number in all the restaurants. The tables are in almost the same place. Understand?

 

Disney's hottubs are normal size ones, maybe 8 people? N o indoor pool.

 

Disney is very strict about adult only areas. Way more diligent thaqn RCCL.

 

Any other questions or concerns, I am diamond plus on RCCL and am booked for my 5th time on DCL, so I am very experienced with the 2 lines. Both lines are excellent but different!!

 

Sherry

[Cheryl H]

Thanks Sherry!

 

The tub question was referring to the tubs in the rooms. Expedia for some reason listed some room tubs as round. Wasn't sure what that was all about.

 

What areas are adult only? I'm assuming there's probably 1 adult pool, plus the lounge areas?

 

Thanks!

[Shebbieal]

Cheryl,

 

I have no idea about the bathtubs,,,,,,,,,,,I use a power wheelchair, and it is shower only in those rooms.

 

The adult areas are the quiet cove pool, the lounges at night, an adult beach at Castaway cay and Palo. Me and the hubby did DCL just the 2 of us once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Disney is way more a relaxing cruise, things wind down early on board. The shows are fabulous,,but canned music. The sail a way is great,,Castaway Cay is the best! Way better docking than tendering!!!!!!!!!

 

I am excited about sailing on the Dream next Oct. This cruise will be Christmas for my daughters family, of course hubby and I will be there too.

 

Navigator in Jan and Liberty in Feb ,,cruising is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sherry

[lanabanana]

Just returned home from our 3 nt cruise on the Wonder. All I can say is, "WOW!". And "wow" about two things......the entertainment and the KIDS! Of course I was expecting kids, but WOW, there are a LOT of kids. :eek: I guess that makes total sense, but I don't think I was quite prepared for so many. And then, "wow" to the entertainment. Loved, loved, loved the shows and would pay $$ to see them on stage in NYC. They were that good.

 

I loved the seperate toilet and shower rooms in the cabin. And we had 4 adults sharing a balcony cabin and we didn't even use all the storage. I couldn't believe it. I also liked the bunk bed set-up, rather than a pull-out sleeper sofa. It gives you more room for moving around and they were comfortable (picture mid-50's grandma, sleeping on the top bunk!).

 

Really enjoyed DCL's disembarkation process. It beats RCL, hands down. You are assigned breakfast time in a restaurant and just disembark when you are finished. No waiting around in public areas for your color tag to be called. The luggage is all easily found in the terminal.

 

We have another RCL cruise in two weeks, and then are cruising on the DCL Dream in January. I'm happy to have BOTH cruise lines in my life. Thanks, Disney!