Other cruise lines...

[rob0519]

Put another way, offering the sin would attract the sinners. It may also corrupt the non-sinners. It also would be likely to deter the family set that is the core of Disney's customer base. Disney families would be more likely to vacation elsewhere. As I said earlier, one reason I'm willing to pay a premium for the Disney ship is because those people aren't prevalent. If I wanted over-drinking and gambling, I'd book on Carnival. This is Marketing 101 and Econ 101. Again, your logic escapes me on this at several levels.

I agree that Disney caters to a family oriented demographic and the lack of a Casino and all day alcohol binging keeps people interested in those activities away. Personally, I don't drink much and I don't gamble much, but I don't think all people that enjoy those things are "sinners". Drinking and gambling are both legal activities in licensed environments. I get what you're trying to say. It's just my opinion, but your example seems a bit morally judgmental.

 

[21stamps]

I agree that Disney caters to a family oriented demographic and the lack of a Casino and all day alcohol binging keeps people interested in those activities away. Personally, I don't drink much and I don't gamble much, but I don't think all people that enjoy those things are "sinners". Drinking and gambling are both legal activities in licensed environments. I get what you're trying to say. It's just my opinion, but your example seems a bit morally judgmental.

I think there plenty of people on DCL who drink and have gambled when they aren't on board.

There are much higher end cruise lines if you want a lower chance of being around people who don't do either of those.. specifically the lines that cater to older demographics.

Also, most of what I hear from people taking a Disney Cruise is how much their children live the kids club and how often they're in it.
What are the parents doing during that time?

 

[ChuckElias]

Guys, this is getting pretty silly.

 

[Ralphlaw]

Now I feel guilty about dropping my girls off in the nursery so the wife and I can hit the Aquaduck.

I would certainly condone the Aquaduck, and I think few would consider it "adult" behavior.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Also, most of what I hear from people taking a Disney Cruise is how much their children live the kids club and how often they're in it.
What are the parents doing during that time?

Adult pool, movies, bingo, trivia, plenty of entertainment in the adult clubs, various tastings.

FYI - 1/3 of all passengers on a Disney Cruise are adults traveling without children!

 

[Ralphlaw]

I. I get what you're trying to say. It's just my opinion, but your example seems a bit morally judgmental.

Thanks for basically agreeing with me. "Judgmental" has nasty connotations to it, but I indeed do make moral judgments. I have a few drinks on vacation myself, and before kids I used to actually be a card counter at blackjack at casinos (20 years ago). Since kids, I don't binge drink, and I certainly don't waste time gambling, especially when I know the odds are squarely stacked against me (which is especially true on cruise ships).

Nevertheless, there are moral absolutes, and we will become an extremely wimpy society if "anything goes" becomes our mantra. Parents ignoring their kids is wrong. Binge-drinking, when you have family obligations, is wrong. Sleeping around is wrong. Wasting money with a vice when you have family financial obligations is wrong. The world is not all grey areas. There is still a great deal of black and white, right and wrong, moral and immoral, and frankly I think the world needs more people who are willing to stand up and say it.

Would you want your parents or children blowing money at casinos, and getting hammered to the point of passing out, and on the prowl for quickies on vacation? "What happens in Vegas (or no a cruise ship) stays in Vegas (or on the cruise ship)" is an incredibly damaging slogan. It rips apart families and brings untold misery. Yeah, at some level, it's not my business, but I congratulate those mentors in people's lives who stick their nose into other people's business from time to time. I would certainly do that within my own family, and I generally am willing to call it out on boards like this. Legal versus illegal is the first question. Moral versus immoral is the more enlightened and deeper question. And, of course, if anyone hates me for being morally judgmental, that person is also acting in a morally judgmental way. It's impossible to call someone morally judgmental without being morally judgmental. I know what you're saying, but I do disagree slightly.

And that, in large part, is one reason we choose Disney.

 

[21stamps]

Thanks for basically agreeing with me. "Judgmental" has nasty connotations to it, but I indeed do make moral judgments. I have a few drinks on vacation myself, and before kids I used to actually be a card counter at blackjack at casinos (20 years ago). Since kids, I don't binge drink, and I certainly don't waste time gambling, especially when I know the odds are squarely stacked against me (which is especially true on cruise ships).

Nevertheless, there are moral absolutes, and we will become an extremely wimpy society if "anything goes" becomes our mantra. Parents ignoring their kids is wrong. Binge-drinking, when you have family obligations, is wrong. Sleeping around is wrong. Wasting money with a vice when you have family financial obligations is wrong. The world is not all grey areas. There is still a great deal of black and white, right and wrong, moral and immoral, and frankly I think the world needs more people who are willing to stand up and say it.

Would you want your parents or children blowing money at casinos, and getting hammered to the point of passing out, and on the prowl for quickies on vacation? "What happens in Vegas (or no a cruise ship) stays in Vegas (or on the cruise ship)" is an incredibly damaging slogan. It rips apart families and brings untold misery. Yeah, at some level, it's not my business, but I congratulate those mentors in people's lives who stick their nose into other people's business from time to time. I would certainly do that within my own family, and I generally am willing to call it out on boards like this. Legal versus illegal is the first question. Moral versus immoral is the more enlightened and deeper question. And, of course, if anyone hates me for being morally judgmental, that person is also acting in a morally judgmental way. It's impossible to call someone morally judgmental without being morally judgmental. I know what you're saying, but I do disagree slightly.

And that, in large part, is one reason we choose Disney.

I usually agree with your posts, but I have to respond with a few counterpoints to this.

I gamble. Once or twice a month max occasionally, sometimes I don't gamble at all in a month. I play Blackjack/Hold 'em, and enjoy both of them. I like to think I'm a responsible gambler, my kid is not impacted at all by this. The money I win has the bulk of it set aside for the next time. When I lose the money is typically from previous winnings anyway.

I had to cancel a portion of our November/December 2016 vacation due to work issues. Gave kiddo the choice of which portion to postpone- DCL or WDW. We were past final payment and I 100% that he would chose WDW to cancel. He didn't, he wanted to go to WDW. (In fairness, he didn't have an experienced choice as he has only been to Disney and not on DCL)

So anyway, I cancelled the Fantasy, lost a portion of money paid. And we went to Disney World for 9 nights, at 3 times the cost of my 5A cabin on the Fantasy, so I definitely didn't come out ahead.

Point being, my child is the center of my universe. We travel together, we do many outings together. Playing cards with friends doesn't lessen any of that.

If someone is an avid golfer do you feel they are taking money away from their children? Honestly, that's quite a judgement to say that if a parent spends money- that they can afford- on certain entertainment, is a bad parent or wouldn't be on a Disney cruise. Parents still have lives with kids, maybe it's golf, maybe it's softball, maybe it's a combination and some small gambling. It's all spending money on something.


Last point, on our upcoming cruise my kid is not going to be in the kids club all day/evenings while I'm doing tastings and at the adult pool.
Parents need alone time too on vacation, so I'm not saying that someone's wrong for their kids frequenting the clubs. .. just saying that you may be misjudging a lot of people.

 

[jaklgreen]

Adult pool, movies, bingo, trivia, plenty of entertainment in the adult clubs, various tastings.

FYI - 1/3 of all passengers on a Disney Cruise are adults traveling without children!

I am taking my first Disney cruise without kids in 3 weeks. I plan on doing nothing and enjoying it. I will eat, sit in the adult area and read, and maybe go to the spa. I can easily fill my time without getting wasted or gamble my money away, that is why I chose to go back on the Disney cruise. But if that is what a person likes(gambling and drinking) then there are plenty of other cruise lines out there for a person to enjoy. To each his own.

 

[Ralphlaw]

I don't think many people have a problem with a little card playing, a few drinks, and some sane adult time. Minus the gambling, that's exactly what you get on a Disney cruise. I do have a problem with cruise lines that go beyond that and actually market themselves to people who want to engage in blatant immoral and damaging behavior. Yeah, there's nothing illegal about it (probably), but I refuse to wimp out and say there's nothing "wrong" with it. It sounds like you agree, and I congratulate you on being an attentive parent. My daughter goes to her clubs while my wife and I watch the Disney "adult" comedian and have a few drinks. In fact, my son just turned 18, and we let him drink as well. That's illegal in my state, but I don't think it's terrible to let him have a taste of alcohol with us in that controlled environment. His urge to taste forbidden fruits might thus be sated.

Anyhow, when we do this, we aren't dumping our daughter on the kid staff and then forgetting about her, and you don't seem to be doing that either. Bravo.

 

[jaklgreen]

I don't think many people have a problem with a little card playing, a few drinks, and some sane adult time. Minus the gambling, that's exactly what you get on a Disney cruise. I do have a problem with cruise lines that go beyond that and actually market themselves to people who want to engage in blatant immoral and damaging behavior. Yeah, there's nothing illegal about it (probably), but I refuse to wimp out and say there's nothing "wrong" with it. It sounds like you agree, and I congratulate you on being an attentive parent. My daughter goes to her clubs while my wife and my watch the Disney "adult" comedian and have a few drinks. In fact, my son just turned 18, and we let him drink as well. That's illegal in my state, but I don't think it's terrible to let him have a taste of alcohol with us in that controlled environment. His urge to taste forbidden fruits might thus be sated.

Anyhow, when we do this, we aren't dumping our daughter on the kid staff and then forgetting about her.

There is a balance. It's the parent's vacation too so there is nothing wrong in having the kids go and enjoy themselves in the kid's club while the adults do something else. I wouldn't be doing it in the nightclub, that is just wrong. People need to have more class, especially if you have your children with you.

 

[21stamps]

I am taking my first Disney cruise without kids in 3 weeks. I plan on doing nothing and enjoying it. I will eat, sit in the adult area and read, and maybe go to the spa. I can easily fill my time without getting wasted or gamble my money away, that is why I chose to go back on the Disney cruise. But if that is what a person likes(gambling and drinking) then there are plenty of other cruise lines out there for a person to enjoy. To each his own.

Do you think Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Megaships are so popular with families because of the casinos and nightclubs?

 

[jaklgreen]

Do you think Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Megaships are so popular with families because of the casinos and nightclubs?

I have no idea and honestly do not know what your point is? Did I specifically mention those cruise lines? No.

 

[21stamps]

I have no idea and honestly do not know what your point is? Did I specifically mention those cruise lines? No.

My point is that contrary to apparent thread opinion, there are other lines that offer great family entertainment. Not knocking DCL at all, but it appears that people here have an impression that other lines are full of people who drink and gamble during their cruise.
Believe it or not, you'll find many people on DCL that you'll also find on the other 2.
Also believe it or not, many of these ships are not too far off in price from many Disney sailings.


Just an FYI below. Everyone's going to have personal preferences, but I think the assumptions in this thread have been a bit much.

 

[mlayton144]

My point is that contrary to apparent thread opinion, there are other lines that offer great family entertainment. Not knocking DCL at all, but it appears that people here have an impression that other lines are full of people who drink and gamble during their cruise.
Believe it or not, you'll find many people on DCL that you'll also find on the other 2.
Also believe it or not, many of these ships are not too far off in price from many Disney sailings.


Just an FYI below. Everyone's going to have personal preferences, but I think the assumptions in this thread have been a bit much.

View attachment 227398

That same websites 4 of the top 5 ships for families were Disney, and these were voted on by the cruisers themselves not some individual critic. Just a little more balance to the above

 

[21stamps]

That same websites 4 of the top 5 ships for families were Disney, and these were voted on by the cruisers themselves not some individual critic. Just a little more balance to the above

My post wasn't slanted. It was just a statement, I wasn't ranking them. Votes can be slanted because you don't know who is participating.

It boils down to personal preference. Personally, I have no desire to sail on the DCL Wonder, but think the DCL Fantasy is great.
Disney is attractive for certain reasons.
RCI is attractive for many reasons, as is NCL.

Depends on your kid too. Toddler or princess loving girl- I would probably choose Disney without even considering another.

Ardrenaline loving kid, or older kids- things like rope climbing courses, waterparks, planks, ice skating, zip lining..etc. A character probably won't be as attractive to that kid as the amenities I just listed. However, the next cruise that same kid would love to go on a DCL Star Wars Cruise.

Again, it's all preference. But to pretend that RCI and NCL's Megaships are not extremely popular with families, or not appropriate for kids, is an absolute joke.

 

[mlayton144]

My post wasn't slanted. It was just a statement, I wasn't ranking them. Votes can be slanted because you don't know who is participating.

It boils down to personal preference. Personally, I have no desire to sail on the DCL Wonder, but think the DCL Fantasy is great.
Disney is attractive for certain reasons.
RCI is attractive for many reasons, as is NCL.

Depends on your kid too. Toddler or princess loving girl- I would probably choose Disney without even considering another.

Ardrenaline loving kid, or older kids- things like rope climbing courses, waterparks, planks, ice skating, zip lining..etc. A character probably won't be as attractive to that kid as the amenities I just listed. However, the next cruise that same kid would love to go on a DCL Star Wars Cruise.

Again, it's all preference. But to pretend that RCI and NCL's Megaships are not extremely popular with families, or not appropriate for kids, is an absolute joke.

Who is pretending ? And extremely popular is relative , I keep thinking about how my in laws said how popular The anthem of the seas was with kids and I asked them how many kids were actually onboard for their cruise with 5000 people onboard, there answer was 300, LOL !!

 

[21stamps]

Who is pretending ? And extremely popular is relative , I keep thinking about how my in laws said how popular The anthem of the seas was with kids and I asked them how many kids were actually onboard for their cruise with 5000 people onboard, there answer was 300, LOL !!

I've never counted the amount of kids onboard any of my cruises, I probably can't even guess.lol.. but tbh, I've never paid attention.

I do anticipate that there will be more children on our Thanksgiving Western Caribbean than there will be on our June Alaskan cruise. I'd be happy if neither one was packed with children though.

 

[21stamps]

I've said it several times, I do think that DCL's new ships will offer some of the amenities of the Megaships for the older kids.

And who knows, I may actually hate NCL, and decide to switch to DCL for Alaska..but I'd have to change my room category.

I don't see us hating the cruise, I'm anticipating loving it.. went back and forth on what ship.,think I chose correctly for us, but I'll find out in a couple of months.

 

[Ralphlaw]

.

Again, it's all preference. But to pretend that RCI and NCL's Megaships are not extremely popular with families, or not appropriate for kids, is an absolute joke.

Very true. The big adult party boats ala Carnival would have me worried. RC and NCL are pretty good at keeping a limit on the bad behavior, from what I understand. I did see a topless top deck on my NCL cruise 20 years ago, and there certainly was a lot more drinking, smoking and oglers among the older men, but I would not consider them a sin ship. Church going friends of ours have taken their teenage kids on RC, and had a very good time. With that being said, there's nothing like the magic and service of Disney, especially when the kids are younger. I'm also far more confident that my kids and I won't stumble across something truly bad on a Disney ship, but even there you'll find the occasional yuck.

 

[ScoutN]

I am taking my first Disney cruise without kids in 3 weeks. I plan on doing nothing and enjoying it. I will eat, sit in the adult area and read, and maybe go to the spa. I can easily fill my time without getting wasted or gamble my money away, that is why I chose to go back on the Disney cruise. But if that is what a person likes(gambling and drinking) then there are plenty of other cruise lines out there for a person to enjoy. To each his own.

You'll love it. My wife and I are under 100 days until our third DCL trip of the year. We typically try to do two per year with them. We have no kids and have tried Royal Scaribbean, Carnivomit and Norowegian but decided we enjoy DCL's product much, much better.