Disney Cruise Line how does it Compare??

[Crush Dude!]

Hi folks looking for opinion on DCL!

I have never been on a cruise and am wondering how a Cruise with Disney compares to the likes of Royal Caribbean??

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Hi folks looking for opinion on DCL!

I have never been on a cruise and am wondering how a Cruise with Disney compares to the likes of Royal Caribbean??

Are you tired of me answering your cruise questions?:lookaroun

Royal Caribbean is an excellent cruise line and I won't downplay it. It gets good reviews across the board.

Disney is also excellent at what they do. For families, I send them to Disney right off. Disney built their cruise ships with families and kids in mind, and a lot of other lines are playing catch up in that regard.

With Disney they have also made it possible to enjoy time away from the kids. They have adult only pool areas which a lot of other lines don't have. They have adult night clubs and restaurants that many other lines do too.

You also don't have to worry about sitting in the nightly adult shows and your kids hearing something inappropriate.

There are lots of other comparisons that someone can chime in with.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Are you tired of me answering your cruise questions?:lookaroun

Royal Caribbean is an excellent cruise line and I won't downplay it. It gets good reviews across the board.

Disney is also excellent at what they do. For families, I send them to Disney right off. Disney built their cruise ships with families and kids in mind, and a lot of other lines are playing catch up in that regard.

With Disney they have also made it possible to enjoy time away from the kids. They have adult only pool areas which a lot of other lines don't have. They have adult night clubs and restaurants that many other lines do too.

You also don't have to worry about sitting in the nightly adult shows and your kids hearing something inappropriate.

There are lots of other comparisons that someone can chime in with.

Haha no sorry :wave: Just wanted to open up the discussion for any disney cruise not just european!

Sounds great :wave: The 11 night mediteranean looksa amazing but how about the magic itself??

I know other cruise lines have many shops and places like that onboard does the magic??

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Maybe you'll get some more people to answer!

Disney has two main shops on board with other little ones tucked around. There is no casino onboard which is a big plus for many people.

The Magic is a beautiful ship. Very elegant and not overly disneyfied.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Maybe you'll get some more people to answer!

Disney has two main shops on board with other little ones tucked around. There is no casino onboard which is a big plus for many people.

The Magic is a beautiful ship. Very elegant and not overly disneyfied.

Is there duty free shopping??

On the 11 night mediteranean do i have to book restaurants or can we just have dinner somewhere everynight without ressies??

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Is there duty free shopping??

On the 11 night mediteranean do i have to book restaurants or can we just have dinner somewhere everynight without ressies??

You don't have to reserve anything. If you want to eat at the adult only restaurant you need to book that, but otherwise you will an assigned restaurant every night.

And yes, there is duty free shopping on board.

 

[Crush Dude!]

You don't have to reserve anything. If you want to eat at the adult only restaurant you need to book that, but otherwise you will an assigned restaurant every night.

And yes, there is duty free shopping on board.

Do i get to choose or is it just assigned?

What restaurants have to be booked??

Just Palo?

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Disney will assign you a dining rotation based on your party makeup. You'll alternate between the three main restaurants.

On the Magic and Wonder Palo is the only one that has to be booked. On the Dream and Fantasy Remy's is a new adult only restaurant that has to be booked also.

 

[Phonedave]

Disney will assign you a dining rotation based on your party makeup. You'll alternate between the three main restaurants.

On the Magic and Wonder Palo is the only one that has to be booked. On the Dream and Fantasy Remy's is a new adult only restaurant that has to be booked also.

Just to clarify. You will be assigned to a table service rotation.

However you are free not to attend a table service, and instead eat at one of the buffets whenever you want. Heck, you could go crazy and do both in one night if the spirit moves you.


What you will have a choice of is early or late seating. Both have their advantages and disadvantages - kids bed times, seeing the nightly musical before or after dinner, and possibly having to rush back from shore excursions.

-dave

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Just to clarify. You will be assigned to a table service rotation.

However you are free not to attend a table service, and instead eat at one of the buffets whenever you want. Heck, you could go crazy and do both in one night if the spirit moves you.


What you will have a choice of is early or late seating. Both have their advantages and disadvantages - kids bed times, seeing the nightly musical before or after dinner, and possibly having to rush back from shore excursions.

-dave

Dave is exactly right!

One more thing, if for some reason you do not like the rotation you are assigned you can request to have it changed.

 

[the1nonlysinger]

My personal experience

DH & I went on a land and sea cruise in 2009. 3 days on the Disney Wonder, 4 at WDW. I've never been on a cruise ship before so I don't have anything else to compare it to really- but having said that, I don't think I would enjoy any other cruise nearly as much. (I'm going to throw some photos in here to help with visuals!)

The on-board entertainment was phenominal- especially for Disney fans. Broadway quality shows- including Toy Story the musical- which rocked. We watched a brand-new movie in their theatre (Bolt in 3-D) and participated in some of the games they had on board. They had a cast-off deck party and a Pirates IN the Carribean deck party the final night of the cruise (with fireworks at sea!)

I hear that food is exceptional no matter what cruise line you sail with- Disney was no different. Palo was especially amazing and we really enjoyed all of the special touches that the restaurants included (like the Artist's Palette- with it's changing decor throughout the night).

Here are some photos from Palo:

As two adults traveling without children, we never felt out of place at all- and honestly, there didn't seem to be an abundance of children anywhere! The kids activities sound like so much fun- I wish I could have done them.

Castaway Cay was the highlight of our cruise- it was picture perfect and such an incredible island getaway. They have adult-only quiet areas, family areas and a kids beach.

I'm running out of adjectives to describe just how great it was. One of the biggest benefits in my eyes was that it was good clean, wholesome entertainment. Granted we didn't frequent the adult night clubs or bars but we never once saw any drunken guests or inappropriate behavior. It was just what it should be- a relaxing get-away with tons of options and nothing that offended us!

And I know a big concern of a lot of potential cruisers is that you will be hit over the head with Disney characters- or that it will be like the parks. In reality- it's much different than that. The only time you SEE characters are at the deck parties, or on stage. So, if you want to avoid characters (and who would want to?) then it's totally doable. The design of the boat is sophisticated and the tributes to Disney are much more subtle (think hidden mickey's!)

My ONLY complaint was that I got seasick- and that's a personal issue! So if you like cruising- definitely go Disney. If I can answer any questions, please let me know!!

 

[Tybee]

My mother is a cruise travel agent, so I've been on many cruises (and she's been on many, many more than I). My wife (fiancee at the time) and I joined her on a 3 or 4 day cruise on the Wonder in 2002 as part of a combined trip to WDW. We were VERY impressed with Disney's take on cruising.

If you go on enough cruises, you kind of learn that there's a lot of parity in terms of amenities. With a few exceptions, one ship is not VASTLY different from another in terms of experiences offered. Every cruiseship/line is going to have duty-free shopping, live shows, a movie theater, spa, dance clubs, sit-down dining and buffets, a private beach, and a few adults-only entertainment options (which in many cases includes casinos). But Disney ups the ante in almost every instance. Everything's just a little bit nicer, a little bit more elaborate. It's the same Disney magic you see in the resorts.

We really liked the rotational dining. Really kept things fresh. I tend to try and make it to the dining room as much as possible (certainly for dinner) on cruises because the food is infinitely better than the buffets. And the varied dining experiences provided even more motivation (Artist's Palate was easily the standout of the three for obvious reasons). We also enjoyed Palo though that was our first night and my wife's first time on a boat so she was a little seasick. :animwink:

Disney's movie theaters and shows were also a step above what you'd find on other lines. Most lines, if they have a movie theater, show second run movies. But Disney obviously has access to their own vast library of entertainment, so on our cruise, we actually saw an advance screening of "Signs" (hadn't been released in theaters yet) and the currently running "Lilo & Stitch." The ship's main theater hosted both live entertainment and could be converted to show movie premieres to a large audience with full surround sound, etc. But even the secondary theater was beautiful.

We were also blown away with how expertly Disney caters to three or four different groups while keeping everyone happy: parents and young children, teens, and adults. DCL is the first line I've been on where parents could easily get away from their kids to have some alone time because they have such amazing childcare/engagement programs. At the same time, they offer even more opportunities for families to have fun together. Teens are always a tricky demographic to manage on cruiseships (I know, because my brother and I went on several cruises as teenagers, and we made our own fun, if you catch my drift). But Disney gets teens perfectly and has just as much stuff geared toward them. Finally, it is a testament to their logistics that adults traveling without kids (that was us) could have a great time and never feel overwhelmed by bedraggled parents, screaming kids or surly teens, nor feel like we lacked adult-geared options.

Which brings me to Castaway Cay. As I said, every line has it's own private beach/out island. But Disney's is ridiculous. The theming is great. And the concept of a separate beach for families, teens and adults is pure genius. I have never, NEVER enjoyed an out island (Hell, a beach) as much as I enjoyed Castaway Cay. My mom expressed the same sentiment and to this day my wife still waxes rhapsodic about how peaceful and beautiful the adults-only beach was. At the end of the day they set up a service with fresh grilled fish, mango, papaya...It was divine.

All of this said, don't decide based on the cruise line (unless you have kids, in which case I agree with Disneyfalcon -- go with DCL, no question). Probably a better criteria for choosing is the itinerary, because it is the ports that most differentiate one cruise from another, IMO. Just think of the ship as a floating hotel. You want a nice one and one geared to your tastes, obviously, but it's the destinations that make the difference.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Just to clarify. You will be assigned to a table service rotation.

However you are free not to attend a table service, and instead eat at one of the buffets whenever you want. Heck, you could go crazy and do both in one night if the spirit moves you.


What you will have a choice of is early or late seating. Both have their advantages and disadvantages - kids bed times, seeing the nightly musical before or after dinner, and possibly having to rush back from shore excursions.

-dave

Do the buffets have set hours?? Or do they just serve continuously??

 

[Crush Dude!]

DH & I went on a land and sea cruise in 2009. 3 days on the Disney Wonder, 4 at WDW. I've never been on a cruise ship before so I don't have anything else to compare it to really- but having said that, I don't think I would enjoy any other cruise nearly as much. (I'm going to throw some photos in here to help with visuals!)

The on-board entertainment was phenominal- especially for Disney fans. Broadway quality shows- including Toy Story the musical- which rocked. We watched a brand-new movie in their theatre (Bolt in 3-D) and participated in some of the games they had on board. They had a cast-off deck party and a Pirates IN the Carribean deck party the final night of the cruise (with fireworks at sea!)

I hear that food is exceptional no matter what cruise line you sail with- Disney was no different. Palo was especially amazing and we really enjoyed all of the special touches that the restaurants included (like the Artist's Palette- with it's changing decor throughout the night).

Here are some photos from Palo:

As two adults traveling without children, we never felt out of place at all- and honestly, there didn't seem to be an abundance of children anywhere! The kids activities sound like so much fun- I wish I could have done them.

Castaway Cay was the highlight of our cruise- it was picture perfect and such an incredible island getaway. They have adult-only quiet areas, family areas and a kids beach.

I'm running out of adjectives to describe just how great it was. One of the biggest benefits in my eyes was that it was good clean, wholesome entertainment. Granted we didn't frequent the adult night clubs or bars but we never once saw any drunken guests or inappropriate behavior. It was just what it should be- a relaxing get-away with tons of options and nothing that offended us!

And I know a big concern of a lot of potential cruisers is that you will be hit over the head with Disney characters- or that it will be like the parks. In reality- it's much different than that. The only time you SEE characters are at the deck parties, or on stage. So, if you want to avoid characters (and who would want to?) then it's totally doable. The design of the boat is sophisticated and the tributes to Disney are much more subtle (think hidden mickey's!)

My ONLY complaint was that I got seasick- and that's a personal issue! So if you like cruising- definitely go Disney. If I can answer any questions, please let me know!!

Love the pics

And thanks so much for the report
Great to hear such good things about a persons first cruise

 

[Crush Dude!]

My mother is a cruise travel agent, so I've been on many cruises (and she's been on many, many more than I). My wife (fiancee at the time) and I joined her on a 3 or 4 day cruise on the Wonder in 2002 as part of a combined trip to WDW. We were VERY impressed with Disney's take on cruising.

If you go on enough cruises, you kind of learn that there's a lot of parity in terms of amenities. With a few exceptions, one ship is not VASTLY different from another in terms of experiences offered. Every cruiseship/line is going to have duty-free shopping, live shows, a movie theater, spa, dance clubs, sit-down dining and buffets, a private beach, and a few adults-only entertainment options (which in many cases includes casinos). But Disney ups the ante in almost every instance. Everything's just a little bit nicer, a little bit more elaborate. It's the same Disney magic you see in the resorts.

We really liked the rotational dining. Really kept things fresh. I tend to try and make it to the dining room as much as possible (certainly for dinner) on cruises because the food is infinitely better than the buffets. And the varied dining experiences provided even more motivation (Artist's Palate was easily the standout of the three for obvious reasons). We also enjoyed Palo though that was our first night and my wife's first time on a boat so she was a little seasick. :animwink:

Disney's movie theaters and shows were also a step above what you'd find on other lines. Most lines, if they have a movie theater, show second run movies. But Disney obviously has access to their own vast library of entertainment, so on our cruise, we actually saw an advance screening of "Signs" (hadn't been released in theaters yet) and the currently running "Lilo & Stitch." The ship's main theater hosted both live entertainment and could be converted to show movie premieres to a large audience with full surround sound, etc. But even the secondary theater was beautiful.

We were also blown away with how expertly Disney caters to three or four different groups while keeping everyone happy: parents and young children, teens, and adults. DCL is the first line I've been on where parents could easily get away from their kids to have some alone time because they have such amazing childcare/engagement programs. At the same time, they offer even more opportunities for families to have fun together. Teens are always a tricky demographic to manage on cruiseships (I know, because my brother and I went on several cruises as teenagers, and we made our own fun, if you catch my drift). But Disney gets teens perfectly and has just as much stuff geared toward them. Finally, it is a testament to their logistics that adults traveling without kids (that was us) could have a great time and never feel overwhelmed by bedraggled parents, screaming kids or surly teens, nor feel like we lacked adult-geared options.

Which brings me to Castaway Cay. As I said, every line has it's own private beach/out island. But Disney's is ridiculous. The theming is great. And the concept of a separate beach for families, teens and adults is pure genius. I have never, NEVER enjoyed an out island (Hell, a beach) as much as I enjoyed Castaway Cay. My mom expressed the same sentiment and to this day my wife still waxes rhapsodic about how peaceful and beautiful the adults-only beach was. At the end of the day they set up a service with fresh grilled fish, mango, papaya...It was divine.

All of this said, don't decide based on the cruise line (unless you have kids, in which case I agree with Disneyfalcon -- go with DCL, no question). Probably a better criteria for choosing is the itinerary, because it is the ports that most differentiate one cruise from another, IMO. Just think of the ship as a floating hotel. You want a nice one and one geared to your tastes, obviously, but it's the destinations that make the difference.

Great info thanks a million :wave::wave::wave:

 

[wdwhoneymooner]

Do the buffets have set hours?? Or do they just serve continuously??

I believe the buffets do have set hours too but if you're hungry the counter service areas are open for extended periods: pizza, hot dogs, burgers, fries, sandwiches, snacks, etc.

 

[Crush Dude!]

I believe the buffets do have set hours too but if you're hungry the counter service areas are open for extended periods: pizza, hot dogs, burgers, fries, sandwiches, snacks, etc.

And you cant eat at them as often as you like??

 

[the1nonlysinger]

Do the buffets have set hours?? Or do they just serve continuously??

The buffets do have set hours. But there are counter service locations that open late (til 10 pm) and you can order room service for free too. The only things that I remember not being included are alcoholic beverages and if you make a reservation at Palo (which was a set fee per person). (And maybe certain things for room service... but my favorite was chocolate chip cookies and milk delivered right to the room! Or pizza! Perfect for the late night cravings.)

Here's a website that has more info on all the eating locations and their times:
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/wonder/dining/

 

[Crush Dude!]

The buffets do have set hours. But there are counter service locations that open late (til 10 pm) and you can order room service for free too. The only things that I remember not being included are alcoholic beverages and if you make a reservation at Palo (which was a set fee per person). (And maybe certain things for room service... but my favorite was chocolate chip cookies and milk delivered right to the room! Or pizza! Perfect for the late night cravings.)

Here's a website that has more info on all the eating locations and their times:
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/wonder/dining/

Haha thats crazy, its just that having never been on a cruise i dont know what to expect!

So far DCL is sounding just amazing :sohappy:

 

[Phonedave]

Do the buffets have set hours?? Or do they just serve continuously??

They don't have set seating hours, but they have set operating hours. Each day you get a "Personal Navigator" in your state room. It has a TV Guide like grid listing the times for all events the next day, and the dining hours.

An example is as follows

BREAKFAST
Goofy's Galley - 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Beach Blanket Buffet - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Parrot Cay Buffet - 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Tritons (A la Carte) - 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

LUNCH
Goofy's Galley - 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Pinocchio's Pizza - 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Pluto's Dog House - 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tritons (Al la carte) - 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Beach Blanket Buffet - 12:00 PM - 2:15 PM

DINNER
Animators Pallette - 5:45 and 8:15 (these are assigned rotation only)
Tritons - 5:45 and 8:15 (these are assigned rotation only)
Parrot Cay - 5:45 and 8:15 (these are assigned rotation only)
Plutos Dog House - 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Beach Blanket (Al la carte) - 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (it switches to walk up table service for dinner)

LATE NIGHT
Goofy's Galley (Ice Cream only) 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Pinocchio's Pizza - 9:30 PM - 12:30 PM
Pirate Deck Party Buffet - 10:30 PM - 11:15 PM (This was the night they were having the Pirates in the Carribbean party, so there was a buffet set up on deck - this is not a nightly thing)

ADDED FEATURES
Beverage Station - 24 Hours
Room Service - 24 Hours


As other have said everything is free except for the following

1) Alcohol - from anywhere on the ship
2) If you dine at Palo in place of your normal dining rotation, there is an upcharge. I believe it is still $10 per person
3) Soda and water from ROOM SERVICE is not free. All other soda and water - including the 24 hours beverage stations on deck - are free.
4) While room service is free, you should really tip them, as they are not included in the tip-out that you do at the end of the cruise.

-dave