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What sets Disney cruises above other cruise lines?
- Thread starter DfromATX
- Start date
Sorry, I forgot about this post. When she gets home later I have her list it all out. Her list of reasons was pretty lengthy. It is worth mentioning that it was free for her as she had to fill in last minute for her step-dad and still said she has no desire to go back on it.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
That could be the case, I didn't think about the possibility. I called Carnival shortly after I posted that to see if I could book using my comps. (I only get an ocean view stateroom comped- so pay the difference between the balcony rate). That ship is completely blacked out to me for all of June- unless I want to pay full price.
I have heard people say that the Oasis and Allure felt too big, so I was wondering if that was the reason. I do have to say that the Broadway at Sea is one of the coolest things I think a cruise line has done.
I don't know anyone who has been on a Quantum class ship yet..I'd love to hear feedback beyond online reviews.
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
For all intents and purposes, DCL simply doesn't do group bookings (other than charters). They offer no group pricing or amenities for agents who want to book a group. This is simply because they don't have to. The ships fill up, without the extra perks to agents.
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I was on one of the inaugurals for the Quantum. It was a press event really, and I got onboard as part of my company's annual convention.
I was very impressed with it. The food was very good. The stateroom was very nice, and its bathroom was better than the one I had on the Explorer of the Seas. You could turn around in the shower without rubbing up against the walls. The service at the time was below average. We were at lunch in one of the table-service restaurants and there was a problem with somebody's meal. I can't remember what it was, but it was kind of minor. Like the burger had come without tomatoes, or something like that. When she mentioned it to the server, he just sort of stood there and looked at her. I swear that I thought to myself, "Oh my god, he's going to ask her what she wants him to do about it." Thankfully, he didn't, but that was the vibe of the service for that sailing. Nobody really knew how to handle unusual situations.
The ship itself was pretty amazing, I thought. I loved the North Star, although I did it while in port, so it didn't go over the side of the ship. I also did the skydiving simulation, which was very cool. The "promenade" was fantastic. And the signature show that I saw (Starwater), was really weird. It was very cool, a lot of great music and acrobatics and staging (the staging was amazing, to be honest); but I could never tell if it was really innovative or just pretentious.
I don't remember a whole lot else off the top of my head, except that I thought the giant pink bear looked stupid. If you have specific questions, I'll try to answer them for you.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
People seem to really like the promenade. I'm really curious about the North Star, was there constantly a long line for it, or do you get to book a time frame to go?
Are DCL ships selling out now? I've seen so many VGT, Florida resident etc rates/discounts lately. I've heard from people doing the longer Europe itineraries that the ships are selling more closer to sail dates because of the lowered rates.
I just have to wonder how many people are willing to spend $13k plus for 2 people for a Disney cruise. I realize some will, but enough to fill up a category?
What all other posters said.....
We've never sailed on any other cruise line but Disney. Why? Yeah, I know it's more expensive than most of the others, but this is why:
1. top notch service (Parks could learn from DCL)
2. excellent restaurants
3. What can I say about Remy and Palo? I still dream about our dinner in Remy.....
4. Clean, well run ship. Our first cruise was during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Was I worried? Not about DCL....
5. More things to do than we ever have time...shows...movies (first run, no less)...great guest speakers. We sailed on the DVC member cruise last August. Went to a talk given by the director/writer of Inside/Out. My daughter's dream job is to work at Pixar. Needless to say, she was in 7th heaven during his talk
6. It's not a floating drunken frat party...
7. Plenty of things for adults to do. And yes, there are kids, but it's not like you're going to be overwhelmed by kids. They have their own spaces on board ship...and I'm sure parents use them...
8. Castaway Cay. Does any other cruise line have it's own island?
9. Did I say top notch service? Our first cruise, the guests in the cabin next to us kept smoking on their veranda. Complained several times since we weren't able to use our veranda that much. They did talk to the people, but unless they could catch them in the act, that's all they could do. Was going to lean around the partition and take a photo of one of them smoking, but didn't want to risk dropping my camera. However, when we returned to our stateroom the last night, laying on our bed were two DCL robes, with a few other goodies from our hostess as an apology.
We won't and don't cruise any other line...unless it's the QE2....
We've never sailed on any other cruise line but Disney. Why? Yeah, I know it's more expensive than most of the others, but this is why:
1. top notch service (Parks could learn from DCL)
2. excellent restaurants
3. What can I say about Remy and Palo? I still dream about our dinner in Remy.....
4. Clean, well run ship. Our first cruise was during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Was I worried? Not about DCL....
5. More things to do than we ever have time...shows...movies (first run, no less)...great guest speakers. We sailed on the DVC member cruise last August. Went to a talk given by the director/writer of Inside/Out. My daughter's dream job is to work at Pixar. Needless to say, she was in 7th heaven during his talk
6. It's not a floating drunken frat party...
7. Plenty of things for adults to do. And yes, there are kids, but it's not like you're going to be overwhelmed by kids. They have their own spaces on board ship...and I'm sure parents use them...
8. Castaway Cay. Does any other cruise line have it's own island?
9. Did I say top notch service? Our first cruise, the guests in the cabin next to us kept smoking on their veranda. Complained several times since we weren't able to use our veranda that much. They did talk to the people, but unless they could catch them in the act, that's all they could do. Was going to lean around the partition and take a photo of one of them smoking, but didn't want to risk dropping my camera. However, when we returned to our stateroom the last night, laying on our bed were two DCL robes, with a few other goodies from our hostess as an apology.
We won't and don't cruise any other line...unless it's the QE2....
21stamps
Well-Known Member
Honestly, when I made the decision to book the Fantasy for Thanksgiving, and compared it to the Oasis, the price difference was (in my mind) the cost of what I would have lost gambling.What all other posters said.....
We've never sailed on any other cruise line but Disney. Why? Yeah, I know it's more expensive than most of the others, but this is why:
1. top notch service (Parks could learn from DCL)
2. excellent restaurants
3. What can I say about Remy and Palo? I still dream about our dinner in Remy.....
4. Clean, well run ship. Our first cruise was during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Was I worried? Not about DCL....
5. More things to do than we ever have time...shows...movies (first run, no less)...great guest speakers. We sailed on the DVC member cruise last August. Went to a talk given by the director/writer of Inside/Out. My daughter's dream job is to work at Pixar. Needless to say, she was in 7th heaven during his talk
6. It's not a floating drunken frat party...
7. Plenty of things for adults to do. And yes, there are kids, but it's not like you're going to be overwhelmed by kids. They have their own spaces on board ship...and I'm sure parents use them...
8. Castaway Cay. Does any other cruise line have it's own island?
9. Did I say top notch service? Our first cruise, the guests in the cabin next to us kept smoking on their veranda. Complained several times since we weren't able to use our veranda that much. They did talk to the people, but unless they could catch them in the act, that's all they could do. Was going to lean around the partition and take a photo of one of them smoking, but didn't want to risk dropping my camera. However, when we returned to our stateroom the last night, laying on our bed were two DCL robes, with a few other goodies from our hostess as an apology.
We won't and don't cruise any other line...unless it's the QE2....
. So that was easy. Mainly though, I just wanted to do a Very Merrytime Cruise, and didn't seriously entertain RCCL for this year.But for the Southern Caribbean and 11 night Europe itineraries, is the service worth $6-7k more above them? I guess that all comes down to the individual, their "value limit", and what their kids are into. I.e rock climbing walls, ice skating, zip lining etc.
I am super excited to do the Palo brunch that everyone raves about!!! I'm not doing Remy alone though, sounds like it's mostly couples doing "date night", I'd rather skip that.lol
Honestly, when I made the decision to book the Fantasy for Thanksgiving, and compared it to the Oasis, the price difference was (in my mind) the cost of what I would have lost gambling.
But for the Southern Caribbean and 11 night Europe itineraries, is the service worth $6-7k more above them? I guess that all comes down to the individual, their "value limit", and what their kids are into. I.e rock climbing walls, ice skating, zip lining etc.
I am super excited to do the Palo brunch that everyone raves about!!! I'm not doing Remy alone though, sounds like it's mostly couples doing "date night", I'd rather skip that.lol
If I'm during Europe, it's not going to be DCL, it will be one of the Cunard ships.... Or maybe VRC, but I read some not so favorable reviews about them....not the experiences since they are some of the best (and that's what they are known for), but the longships themselves....
What all other posters said.....
We've never sailed on any other cruise line but Disney. Why? Yeah, I know it's more expensive than most of the others, but this is why:
1. top notch service (Parks could learn from DCL)
2. excellent restaurants
3. What can I say about Remy and Palo? I still dream about our dinner in Remy.....
4. Clean, well run ship. Our first cruise was during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Was I worried? Not about DCL....
5. More things to do than we ever have time...shows...movies (first run, no less)...great guest speakers. We sailed on the DVC member cruise last August. Went to a talk given by the director/writer of Inside/Out. My daughter's dream job is to work at Pixar. Needless to say, she was in 7th heaven during his talk
6. It's not a floating drunken frat party...
7. Plenty of things for adults to do. And yes, there are kids, but it's not like you're going to be overwhelmed by kids. They have their own spaces on board ship...and I'm sure parents use them...
8. Castaway Cay. Does any other cruise line have it's own island?
9. Did I say top notch service? Our first cruise, the guests in the cabin next to us kept smoking on their veranda. Complained several times since we weren't able to use our veranda that much. They did talk to the people, but unless they could catch them in the act, that's all they could do. Was going to lean around the partition and take a photo of one of them smoking, but didn't want to risk dropping my camera. However, when we returned to our stateroom the last night, laying on our bed were two DCL robes, with a few other goodies from our hostess as an apology.
We won't and don't cruise any other line...unless it's the QE2....
And don't forget about the sense of magic. Somewhere on that ship, Mickey, Donald, Pluto and the princesses have their own cabins, and they come out at unpredictable times to see everyone. Once, on our Baltic Cruise, I was working out in the fitness area, and along comes Goofy in sweat clothes for his workout. Dorky, yeah, but also delightful.
By the way, some of the other cruise lines do have their islands, from what I understand, but they're not nearly as good as Castaway Cay. We're going over Christmas, and we may not leave the boat except for Castaway Cay. My kids, among other things, can't wait to see Dr. Strange and the new Star Wars movie onboard, probably more than once. Just one of the perks, and you must admit that the lack of drunks, chain smokers, gamblers, and people on the make is a nice amenity of being on a Disney ship.
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
But not with other lines?
What does this mean? What are your expectations? If you list them, maybe some of us could give you an idea if they'll be met.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
I am a little late to this thread but wanted to add, we love the food on the DCL. My girls and I have been on 5 Disney cruises and going on the 6th next year. We love how you can get whatever you want and even 2 or 3 meals if you want to try something that you have never had. My kids eat, what I would call, "normal" food(not kids meals). So they are thrilled to be able to enjoy the steak and fish and other good foods that we do not get on a regular basis. Not to mention the desserts. yum Every trip they seem to get more daring and try something new that they have never had. It was lobster and mussels last trip.(We live in the midwest and seafood here is not the best). The rooms are a good size and always spotless. In fact the whole ship is spotless. Which is more then I can say about the Celebrity cruise I went on. I also think that the ships themselves are very classic looking, more sophisticated but with Disney touches. We have never had any issues on our cruises and always are sad to leave.
David Bailey
New Member
Not to belabor the point but DCL is a cut above! "Who puts DCL above other cruises?" Apparently everyone now! Look at their ratings!
We started cruising in 2004 on DCL and are about to board for our 21st and 22nd cruises as a B2B out of Puerto Rico.
Yes, we took our kids when they were young but frankly, we cruised for us! (The parents!!) On the Fantasy last fall we did 15 nights on the ship as adults and NEVER have we had a better experience on board! Our children are grown and I am now 51 years old. We still love the characters, the experience and all.
THAT BEING SAID:
We have frequently taken part in a lot of the upper scale experiences, too... This is what I find funny, though. People think Disney is a KIDDY thing. That is plain FALSE and UNINFORMED! Here is my best example:
Last year we spent $600 on an extravagant meal experience for my wife and I in Las Vegas. It was a once in a lifetime thing, real BUCKET LIST meal!
On the Fantasy we spent 1/4 of that and had almost the exact same experience in Remy. Anyone who has done it knows!
Disney is not just for kids any more.
Over the years as fans grow up Disney has kept up with the desires of those fans whether they are 12 years old or 50 years old in ONLY the way Disney can!!
Disney Magic Puerto Rico in
We started cruising in 2004 on DCL and are about to board for our 21st and 22nd cruises as a B2B out of Puerto Rico.
Yes, we took our kids when they were young but frankly, we cruised for us! (The parents!!) On the Fantasy last fall we did 15 nights on the ship as adults and NEVER have we had a better experience on board! Our children are grown and I am now 51 years old. We still love the characters, the experience and all.
THAT BEING SAID:
We have frequently taken part in a lot of the upper scale experiences, too... This is what I find funny, though. People think Disney is a KIDDY thing. That is plain FALSE and UNINFORMED! Here is my best example:
Last year we spent $600 on an extravagant meal experience for my wife and I in Las Vegas. It was a once in a lifetime thing, real BUCKET LIST meal!
On the Fantasy we spent 1/4 of that and had almost the exact same experience in Remy. Anyone who has done it knows!
Disney is not just for kids any more.
Over the years as fans grow up Disney has kept up with the desires of those fans whether they are 12 years old or 50 years old in ONLY the way Disney can!!
Disney Magic Puerto Rico in
Many people hold Disney to a higher standard, they just expect more from Disney.But not with other lines?
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
And they should, because they'll get it. Disney SETS a higher standard, particularly in entertainment and service. I wasn't objecting to the poster's comment about Disney meeting certain expectations. I was questioning the implication that other cruise lines don't need to meet any expectations.
TDogg76
Member
Just went on my first one and would say..Not Much, if you are not a kid! You are paying for extremely awesome experiences for children 3-17 years old! When it comes to adult stuff! My wife and I were bored! Outside of lounges there were not many things to do! And how long can you sit and drink listening to a piano?Everything has to be planned around your dinner! And we were seated with three other couples at the same table every night for dinner! Very weird and uncomfortable since we are intraverts! Why can a cruise ship not have two or four top tables for dining? Food and service was good, not great! Castaway Cay was beautiful but all excursions were cancelled because of wind??? It was barely windy!! Apparantely, that cancel stuff a lot there! Safety first!
We would not do another Disney Cruise without children! That is where your money is going! If you are an adult...do Princess or Holland America!
We would not do another Disney Cruise without children! That is where your money is going! If you are an adult...do Princess or Holland America!
EOD K9
Well-Known Member
Once again, there is stuff for adults. They had trivia in the form of 80s and 90s name that tune. One night they did a sports trivia. They had a golf chip shot contest in the atrium. We did a towel folding class and a drawing Mickey and Goofy class. My father in law used the golf simulators. We also ran on deck four, used the gym, took a spin class, etc. One night we had a blast with Match Your Mate. Everything was advertised in the Navigator.
On our second cruise we were seated by ourselves without kids and never asked. You can always make that request. I'm curious, and this is not mocking, did you really not know that your tablemates would be with you every night? I knew that going in, but I don't know if that was due to research or advertising. Sorry this wasn't for you and hope you find a line that suits you and the wife.
Someone needs to remove the exclamation point key from your keyboard...
rufio
Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if we even went on the same cruise lines. Carnival was such a waste of money! There was nothing to do if you weren't drinking or gambling. The "shows" were basically concerts with the same random people each night, some of the comedians were funny and others weren't. People were constantly in my face giving me flyers for stuff they wanted me to buy FOR A GREAT DEAL! Everything seemed so gimmicky. On Disney you have Broadway-style shows each night, multiple movie theaters to choose from, a variety of amazing themed bars and clubs, top scale restaurants, both in the normal rotational dining and the ones you pay extra for. We were shocked at how little there was to do on Carnival. There was one small pool on our ship and kids running wild everywhere! I will try other cruise lines in the future, but I will absolutely never sail Carnival again.
I've been on 3 Carnival cruises (still no Disney). I have found that most Carnival cruises are full when we sail, and although we've not yet had a bad cruise, we are ready to "upgrade". We are thinking of cruising on the Oasis out of Florida (still much cheaper than Disney). I too would be curious what others think of Royal's Oasis.