Disney cruise review from a carnival state of mind.

[moki'smommy]

Tip envelopes are placed in your cabin on the second to last full day and are supposed to be handed out on the last night.

 

The final morning breakfast is always a bit crazy. They are packing up the kitchen stuff to be off loaded, taking on new food for the next cruise, dealing with crew members who are not working because their contract is over and they may have an early flight, etc. It is a hectic time for all...and that has nothing to do with tips or envelopes.

 

It is best to NOT leave the tip issue till the last morning as you may not have your normal serving team then (usually you do, but schedule issues can and do happen!) If you are not dining in the MDR on the last night, it is polite to stop by and give the crew the envelopes OR just give them to the head server at the door and ask him to get them to the correct people. It only needs to take a minute.

[Loonbeam]

I meant passed out by pax. I give out at dinner night before when I have TD (on Disney, always), for the reasons noted in the next post, but I saw a LOT of people handing envelopes over at breakfast.

 

But at least on the last 2 cruises I can recall, buffet was not mentioned. I knew about it already, but no idea if our tablemates did. I prefer the MDR because they give you bag storage (kindof)

 

 

Our 3 Day Dream was our first DCL and we knew about the option to eat at the buffet debarkation day. We choose NOT to. But I think your wrong about the envelopes.

 

Nope, sorry that is wrong based on our Dream experience last April. Envelopes came out the night before, we brought them to dinner, we were VERY VERY happy to fill them as our service and experience was spectacular, and it made it even better for us knowing that we WOULD see them again in the morning (we made it a family reunion across 3 states, so that was our last family dinner and buffet wouldn't have worked to visit, so we did come back for our morning debarkation breakfast and one last time for perfect service). We tipped them the night BEFORE and gave them a hug good bye in the morning.

 

They do NOT leave the tip envelopes until the morning you leave. Sorry to be blunt, and you might sense a harumph, but on our experienced, this information is just plain wrong. Its left in your stateroom long before dinner on the last night.

[slimkat]

Great review! Found it very informative. Thanks.

[bransworld]

Thanks for this review. So far I have only sailed on three Carnival ships. But I love Disney. I finally just tonight booked my first Disney cruise on board the Disney Fantasy for May 2, 2015. Just 400 days til Sail Away!

[Irene7]

Thanks for this review. So far I have only sailed on three Carnival ships. But I love Disney. I finally just tonight booked my first Disney cruise on board the Disney Fantasy for May 2, 2015. Just 400 days til Sail Away!

 

That is wonderful! I can't wait until we can take another Disney cruise. Time will go by fast, enjoy! :)

[Hawaii697]

Thanks so much for your comparison review. I loved cruising and have only cruised on Carnival.

 

For my granddaughter's 5th birthday, my original plan was to take her to Disney for 5 days. However, having been to Disney a zillion time with my own kids, I decided to make it a win win for me and my granddaughter. She gets Disney and I get to cruise, on a different cruise line. I cruise Carnival because of the price and actually have a great time with family and friends when I sail.

 

I've heard very good things about Disney, but the price is by far more expensive. Thankfully, my granddaugther's birthday is in October where prices are slightly lower.

 

I also hear that Disney buffets are very good. I can't wait to write my own comparison review. :D

[blondietink]

Thank you for your review. We are Carnival cruisers but are booked on our 1st Disney cruise in December.

[bunnyman]

Did several Carnival cruises over the years (plus Celebrity & RC). Have to say Disney was up there, and the rest of the family, thought Disney was superior. As to worth the cost, add in flying from NY and it's a tough sell, but we did take advantage 2 years ago with an 8 day Disney cruise without flying and was easier to swallow.

[megansdad1]

Thanks for this review. So far I have only sailed on three Carnival ships. But I love Disney. I finally just tonight booked my first Disney cruise on board the Disney Fantasy for May 2, 2015. Just 400 days til Sail Away!

 

400 days is brutal. I have 384 until my next booked cruise, not that I am counting. lol I am hoping to book a NCL cruise in the time being. Been dying to do Boston to Bermuda

[gelo7]

Nice review.

[Got2GoGo]

Great comparison review! We had such a bad experience on the Carnival Fantasy that we have a hard time booking Carnival anymore. We find that Disney is by far a better fit for us right now. We hope to do one more next year and then try another line. But honestly, the price of Carnival keeps grabbing my attention! We might try again but go with the newer, bigger ships

 

I've cruised on the Disney Dream (loved it) and I'm currently booked on the Carnival Fantasy. If you don't mind expanding - what happened that was so unpleasant on Carnival Fantasy. This will be my first Carnival cruise. Thanks!

Edited April 4, 2014 by Got2GoGo

[megansdad1]

I've cruised on the Disney Dream (loved it) and I'm currently booked on the Carnival Fantasy. If you don't mind expanding - what happened that was so unpleasant on Carnival Fantasy. This will be my first Carnival cruise. Thanks!

 

The Fantasy is one of the oldest ships in their fleet (1990). Comparing that to a disney dream Cruise is truly an apples or oranges.

[JaniceB]

Thanks for the review. I am taking my granddaughters for their birthday on the Fantasy. They have never cruised before but my daughters and I have cruised Carnival. I enjoy my carnival cruises but thought this would be much better for the young girls and I couldn't pass up the military rate on the cruise which happens to be their birth month (all 3 November babies). It was a toss up between the Carnival Breeze and this ship but location, Castaway Cay and Disney characters won out.

[TheShayQueen]

(all 3 November babies).

 

I'M a November baby too!!! Can you take me with you? :D

 

This is a great review! I've been periodically looking at Disney cruises in hopes to book one soon. I'm aiming for 2016, when my youngest son will be 5 years old, but of course the Disney schedule isn't out yet. I guess I have to wait patiently and read reviews until then.

[JaniceB]

Lol!

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

[mitsguy2001]

I also was recently on the Disney Dream, and have been on several Carnival cruises. I posted a review of my recent Disney Dream cruise, which also includes a lot of comparisons to Carnival. Do check out my review; you may find it interesting:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2108843

 

Obviously, the main disadvantage to Disney is the cost.

 

Since you say you haven't been on a Carnival ship comparable to the Disney Dream: you may like Carnival's Dream-class ships: the Carnival Dream, Magic, and Breeze. They are about the same size as the Disney Dream and from the same era. My review included a lot of comparisons between the ships.

[mitsguy2001]

Nice write-up. We took our kids on Disney for thier first cruise and they loved it. I agree about the nightlife it is truly non existent on Disney, and I didnt miss the casino on the 4 day. But I might feel differently on a 7 day or longer.:)

 

I felt that the nightlife on Disney was decent. Although, my cruise was in early September, at the very beginning of the school year, so there may have been fewer children than usual, so maybe my week wasn't representative of Disney cruises in general. Again, check out the review that I posted.

[mitsguy2001]

On some of the newer Carnival ships have cabins with the same split bathroom configuration.

 

I believe that the only Carnival ships that have such rooms are the Dream-class ships (Dream, Magic, and Breeze), and only the Deluxe Oceanview rooms (Categories 6L, 6M, and 6N) have the split baths. I've never been in such a room, so I don't know if it is comparable to Disney or not. The balcony rooms do not have split baths. On Disney, I think the Cat. 11x rooms are the only ones without the split bath, but I could be wrong.

[meatloafsfan]

I believe that the only Carnival ships that have such rooms are the Dream-class ships (Dream, Magic, and Breeze), and only the Deluxe Oceanview rooms (Categories 6L, 6M, and 6N) have the split baths. I've never been in such a room, so I don't know if it is comparable to Disney or not. The balcony rooms do not have split baths. On Disney, I think the Cat. 11x rooms are the only ones without the split bath, but I could be wrong.

 

And DCLs accessible cabins - no split bath in those either.

[Tonka's Skipper]

The other lines are copying DCL split baths as they are very popular.

 

AKK

[mitsguy2001]

And DCLs accessible cabins - no split bath in those either.

 

And I guess also the rooms that were designed as accessible cabins but for whatever reason were not designated as such.

[kcruzgrl]

Didn't read all 3 pages of comments, so don't know if anyone touched on this, but the Chocolate Soufflé on DCL at Palo is a million times even better than Carnival's molten lava cake. (Same idea, but you order it at the beginning of the meal because they are made to order and take 45 minutes, they are hot and gushing with liquid chocolate) Usually the server will order you one even if you don't want it because they are that good. I like the ones on Carnival, but they pale in comparison to Palo's. Give it a try next time you are on DCL.

[meatloafsfan]

I would hope that something you pay extra for (dining in a specialty restaurant at $25 extra per person) would be better (cooked to order, perfect every time) than something mass produced for the other MDR (serving 3000+ people in a short period of time and included in your cruise fare).

 

I mean the desserts in the Carnival coffee shop are 10x better than what DCL serves at the Cove Cafe but you pay extra on Carnival and don't on DCL - I would certainly hope they are better!