RCI versus Disney Cruise Line

[oceanvacations]

Hello Fellow Cruisers!

 

My family (me, husband, twins, age 11) have sailed Disney numerous times - on all the boats. My husband wants to try Allure of of Seas but I'm not sure that's a good fit for us. Anybody made the switch? I love Disney because I feel that kids are their business and it's going to be a better experience for them - and when it's good for them, it's good for us. Also, I am uncomfortable with the range of people that would be on the boat; not the majority just families/grandparents. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[RSLeesburg]

You should check out the RCI forum - there are quite a few people who have gone on both, and freely give their opinions on the matter :)

 

From what I can tell, some love RCI, some prefer Disney, and some like them both.

 

We are going on our first cruise ever with our 4 y/o son and selected RCi because we wanted to sail out of Baltimore, and we did not want to do any of the mega ships - too many people for my liking...lol

[boulders]

The majority of passengers on the Allure will be family groups. Their children will just tend to be a few years older than the families with children on Disney. There will be more teens than toddlers.

 

There have been a couple of threads recently comparing the bigger RCCL ships with Disney by people who had sailed Disney several times first.

 

Here's one by someone who missed DCL http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1828779

 

And one by someone who loved RCCL http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1832410&highlight=freedom+disney

 

As long as you keep in mind that just because Disney does things a certain way doesn't mean that other cruise lines do things that way, you'll be fine.

[Keith1010]

The key is to remember is that the experience will not be Disney. It will be different so if you want something to be very similar to Disney stick with Disney.

 

One thing to remember is that the kids are still at the right age to enjoy Disney. In a few years time they will likely want to be on other lines such as RCI so you should think through if this is the time you want to go with RCI or if you want to wait another couple of years.

 

Keith

[Mack2]

My wife and I took a cruise, leaving our son with the grandparents while we went aboard the Explorer of the Seas during it's inaugural year. At the time, the Explorer was the largest cruise ship on the seas (yes, it was THAT long ago). We were on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary and we felt guilty leaving our kid with the grandparents while we were happily cruising on this amazing ship. The Aquarium Bar had these huge fish tanks that we knew our son would've loved. The ice skating rink, the Royal Promenade. So many things we had on the Explorer that kids would love.

 

Since we were on the Eastern intinerary, we ran across the Disney Magic in St. Thomas. As always, there were lots of ships in St. Thomas, but we were on the largest cruise ship in the world in it's inaugural year. It seemed like everyone on all the ships in St Thomas were outside staring at the Explorer. As the ships left port, they blew their main horns.

 

BAHHHH!! There goes Carnival

BAAHHHHH!! There goes Princess

BAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! Woohoo! The Explorer!!

 

Then the Magic blows it's main horn to the tune of When You Wish Upon a Star.

 

That was it. Next cruise, taking the kids, going on THAT SHIP!

 

Disney IS magical. We sailed with them a few times. Seeing the original Hercules stage show, the World Premiere of Pixar's Chicken Little, and the Disney Dreams show. Disney brainwashed us into Pin Trading. When our daughter was 18 months, she fell in love with the Princesses. As the OP knows... Disney is an experience unto itself... the company prides itself on marketing the magic. After the kids got a little older, we took them to Walt Disney World... The boys seemed to like Universal Studios better than Magic Kingdom/MGM. I liked Epcot almost as much as I nerded out at Harry Potter in Universal.

 

In the meantime, we went back to RCI. Sailing the Explorer again, the Navigator, the Oasis. We went aboard the Grand Princess, the Carnival Legend, the Norwegian Epic.

 

It has been 7 years since we last sailed Disney. Two years since WDW. Our last cruise was aboard the Epic, and the year prior was aboard the Oasis. The Oasis is an amazing ship.

I'll repeat it - The Oasis is an amazing ship.

 

It's huge and never felt crowded. The kids enjoyed Adventure Ocean. My kids were 12, 9, and 7 at the time of that sailing. There's so much to do, so many different venues to get a HUGE variety of foods. From hand carved roast beef sandwiches in Central Park, to the Seafood Shack that you have to pay for, or the buffet, MDR, any a dozen other places. Service was decent and the amenities are exciting. Hairspray was amazing (I hear Chicago is great, too)

 

This past cruise, aboard the Epic, we saw the Disney Dream in St. Thomas. I want to go on that ship.

 

The kids will enjoy ANY vacation, regardless what you do and where you are. For my family... I think we enjoy RCI a lot.

The kids weren't crazy about the Norwegian kids' club. Shows on the Epic were great.

They liked Princess's club, but my wife and I felt oddly young on the Grand.

Carnival? It's a good bargain. < pause > Yeah. It's a good bargain.

 

Don't be afraid to try new things. You can always go back next time.

[Mack2]

I'll post pictures from the Oasis, 2011.

 

 

 

 

It's a nice mix of passengers. Not too old, not too drunk, people wore foot apparel to the buffet. We cruised in November, but there were enough kids around for my kids to make friends with (and still can contact each other through the X-Box :confused: ). Big ship.

[Friend100]

This past cruise, aboard the Epic, we saw the Disney Dream in St. Thomas. I want to go on that ship.

 

Minor point - if it was at St. Thomas, then it should be the Disney Fantasy instead.

[Mack2]

Minor point - if it was at St. Thomas, then it should be the Disney Fantasy instead.

 

You're right... I had to look it up... it looks that we saw the Dream in the Bahamas... Epic only goes to three ports on their Eastern Itinerary... they all blend in after a while.

 

[flhokie]

Only you can decide what's best for your family. I've seen many people post post things about the Disney children's programs, but as many (or more) post positives about RCCL's children's programs.

 

I've sailed many ships & cruise lines, but our upcoming cruise is our 1st with a child (DD is 2). We will be sailing on Allure of the Seas.

 

Personally, unless DD really, really wants to do a Disney cruise when she gets older or there we find some kind of awesome deal (and she really wants to do it), I doubt we will sail on them.

 

I really prefer RCCL overall and have read so many great things about their children's programs (can't wait til DD is old enough for AO). The variety provided by their ships gives something for everyone. I like Disney, but felt that there wasn't much for someone who isn't in love with Disney.

[Friend100]

Go to the ship and be prepared to be WOWed by the variety of onboard activities (outdoor and indoor), the amount of dining options, variety of cabin types, together with top class entertainment, with lots of high-energy non-stop fun, along with good food and services, while at the same time not difficult to find a quiet spot to just relax and do nothing if you choose to ... doing all these together with the other few thousand people on the same ship who are also looking for more or less same experience.

 

Don't go to the ship and expect a magical experience similar to what you had from your Disney cruise though.

[flhokie]

Go to the ship and be prepared to be WOWed by the variety of onboard activities (outdoor and indoor), the amount of dining options, variety of cabin types, together with top class entertainment, with lots of high-energy non-stop fun, along with good food and services, while at the same time not difficult to find a quiet spot to just relax and do nothing if you choose to ... doing all these together with the other few thousand people on the same ship who are also looking for more or less same experience.

 

Don't go to the ship and expect a magical experience similar to what you had from your Disney cruise though.

 

Good way of putting it. They are different experiences. It all depends on what someone is looking for.

[MM4M]

There are many other kid friendly activities that are not related to the Adventure Ocean rooms. Character Dining:Madagascar, Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon,etc. These characters also do a parade and Ice Show, etc

[Onessa]

AT 11YO it is not necessarily a "kids program" question anymore. You need to assess what your kids will be more interested in. Highly active kids of that age may find more on one of the RCCI mega ships that will interest them. Tweens still really into Disney or into the shows and that type of entertainment may prefer Disney.

[queenL]

I've sailed Disney Dream and Oasis. I'd sail either again but there is no cruise like Oasis! In my 20 cruises it was/is THE BEST ship I've sailed on. Disney didn't leave that impression on me. I thought it was a great experience, they catered to families in every way imaginable but Oasis was still the better cruise IMO! Furthermore I think Disney is better suited for younger children. Your tweens would LOVE the activities aboard Allure!

[sharktums]

We have sailed recently on both Allure and Fantasy with our 4 or 5 year old daughter (age when sailed). They were both fabulous and we all loved both. We're going back on Allure this August and have sailed Royal Caribbean two other times since Fantasy and have no Disney ship booked currently. Most of the time I just feel that Disney is too expensive over RCCL.