Royal Caribbean vs Disney with a toddler?

[lastminutemama]

We are booking a last minute cruise. I thought I had finally settled on an Oasis Western Caribbean cruise, but due to some health issues had to hold off on our actual booking. We will be travelling with our son who will be one month shy of 3 when we go (potty trained).

 

Today the Disney guaranteed veranda is cheaper (but for argument's sake, let's say the same price) as the balconies available on the Oasis. We did Disney in the fall and I think my husband is a little worried about being over Disneyed again.

 

Has anyone done both or have a suggestion/opinion on how to make this last minute decision. I know if I leave it much longer, we're not going anywhere!

[luvsviola]

To go in the free daycare, kids must be 3 on RCCL or pay $8 an hour for Royal Tots.

 

Kids must be 3 on Disney for the free care or pay $6 per hour for the nursery. You can make reservations for the nursery online ahead of time.

 

Kids as young as 2 can go in the free care on Carnival.

 

Between RCCL and Disney, I'd pick Disney every time. Your 2 year old will LOVE it! Plus, the service is just better. Husband has done 2 Disney cruises and 1 RCCL and there was no comparison.

[flhokie]

We are doing Allure next month with DD (2 years old). I've sailed on Royal Caribbean & Disney before DD. Based on my personal experience on each line and reviews on this board I would go with Royal Caribbean. After sailing on Disney, I have no desire to sail on them again and I think DD will enjoy Allure much more.

[lastminutemama]

I'd love to hear what the reasoning is behind both of your answers. What did one of you love so much more about Disney, yet the other loved so much less?

Thanks :)

[flhokie]

A couple of the things I didn't like about Disney...

 

It was the only cruise where I have been left hungry after dining. I am used to traditional cruise dining where I can try 2 different appetizers if I can't decide, etc. on Disney it was very strictly enforced that you could order 1 appetizer, 1 salad or 1 soup (could not get appetizer & salad, etc). Also, when we tried to order room service they were out of all but 2 things on the menu (that was after waiting on hold for 20+ minutes to order).

 

The evening entertainment options were pretty limited for adults--very little variety. By no means am I a big gambler, but I like he option to play some slots occasionally.

 

The Disney ships are beautiful, but I think DD will enjoy Allure much more between the carousel, parades, character breakfast, toddler options (certain events at Adventure Ocean, like a puppet show are open to toddlers with parents plus the parent/toddler programs), certain shows, many dining options, etc.

[lastminutemama]

A couple of the things I didn't like about Disney...

 

It was the only cruise where I have been left hungry after dining. I am used to traditional cruise dining where I can try 2 different appetizers if I can't decide, etc. on Disney it was very strictly enforced that you could order 1 appetizer, 1 salad or 1 soup (could not get appetizer & salad, etc). Also, when we tried to order room service they were out of all but 2 things on the menu (that was after waiting on hold for 20+ minutes to order).

 

The evening entertainment options were pretty limited for adults--very little variety. By no means am I a big gambler, but I like he option to play some slots occasionally.

 

The Disney ships are beautiful, but I think DD will enjoy Allure much more between the carousel, parades, character breakfast, toddler options (certain events at Adventure Ocean, like a puppet show are open to toddlers with parents plus the parent/toddler programs), certain shows, many dining options, etc.

 

Thank you very much for the details. This will be my DH's first cruise and I really don't want him to hate it! I'm pretty sure he's just going along to please me...can't complain about that though! My little guy is so excited by the photo's in Gambee's review and talks about the Octopus in the splash area non stop. He finished potty training based on that photo alone I think. I'm worried he may actually be disappointed if we ended up with Mickey again...oh to have such horrible first world problems at 2 years old.

[Scrapnana]

A couple of the things I didn't like about Disney...

 

It was the only cruise where I have been left hungry after dining. I am used to traditional cruise dining where I can try 2 different appetizers if I can't decide, etc. on Disney it was very strictly enforced that you could order 1 appetizer, 1 salad or 1 soup (could not get appetizer & salad, etc). Also, when we tried to order room service they were out of all but 2 things on the menu (that was after waiting on hold for 20+ minutes to order).

 

 

We had a very different experience on Disney. You could have as many of any course as you wanted. My son-in-law had two orders of lobster on lobster night. One of the ladies at our table regularly ordered two different items in a course. There were no restrictions.

[2CuteKiddies]

We had a very different experience on Disney. You could have as many of any course as you wanted. My son-in-law had two orders of lobster on lobster night. One of the ladies at our table regularly ordered two different items in a course. There were no restrictions.

 

Same with us. I ordered two appetizers every night with no problems.

 

We definitely preferred Disney, but if you just went on them and would be doing the same ship again, it might be worth mixing it up and going on Oasis. Your son will have fun on either one!

[Friend100]

Cruises on a RCCL is a cruise ... bigger the ship, more activities.

 

Cruises on Disney ship, especially, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, is a dream-come-true kind of experience, IMO.

 

Since you have already done a Disney cruise, and if it was on the Fantasy, then I'd go with Oasis. Don't try to always compare everything to DCL as I'd expect you will find things you like more there, and vice versa too. Just go and enjoy everything RCCL offers. But if your last DCL cruise was on Wonder/Magic, and the upcoming one is on Dream/Fantasy, and it is same price as Oasis (which rarely happens), then do DCL.

[Winnigirl]

We've cruised twice on Disney and never had problems like that in the dining room....we ordered whatever we wanted - one of my dd's ordered about three appetizers every night for dinner and no one ever told us that wasn't allowed. Service was terrific. Everything about our cruises on Disney were fantastic.

[Onessa]

We did a Disney cruise and at the time it was very much more than the equivelent RCCI (we were cruising with a group that included two families for whom it was Disney or they were not coming :)). I was not really impressed by the experience -- I like the RCCI or X ship decor more that Disney. My child (then 3YO) really did not like "characters" (beyond santas with real beards or Bucky Badger). She was a daycare child but the kids program was simply too chaotic for her. A few months later on RCCI Radiance of the Sea, she was thrilled with Adventure Ocean program and was always very disappointed to leave.

 

If the prices were about the same or Disney less, I would consider DCL -- but I would not pay more for Disney than for RCCI or X. DCL vs NCL; DCL. DCL vs Princess - a wash!