Why is Disney so high priced?

Why is Disney so high priced? For a 7 nt cruise.. in a 5C regular balcony room.. so not the greatest.. it is over 5k..to Fl/Bahamas..

I am going on a RCL Anthem Suite.. for just over 5k.. for 10 nights Caribbean!

Why is Disney so high priced? For a 7 nt cruise.. in a 5C regular balcony room.. so not the greatest.. it is over 5k..to Fl/Bahamas..

I am going on a RCL Anthem Suite.. for just over 5k.. for 10 nights Caribbean!

Just as a note - the rooms onboard DCL ships are typically larger than the same category/type room on other cruise line ships.

As to "why" - unfortunately, it's because they can. And people will pay for it.

If you can find a cruise with Disney-equivalent entertainment/amenities for a lesser charge, let me know.

Just as a note - the rooms onboard DCL ships are typically larger than the same category/type room on other cruise line ships.

 

As to "why" - unfortunately, it's because they can. And people will pay for it.

 

If you can find a cruise with Disney-equivalent entertainment/amenities for a lesser charge, let me know.

I hope I will be back here singing their praises...Disney is a great product.. I want to try them in cruising.. hope they live up to it.

Hi. IMHO I think from what I can see is quality and nearly all inclusive. I have only cruised once in the magic with kids and it was awesome we come from Australia so it costs another 10k Aussie dollar for flights etc. we have booked a cruise here on p&o and you need to pay for soft drinks tea coffee etc and only select fast meals

are included after 10 30 have to pay for kids club etc etc Disney all included except baby's. Good selection of shore excursions. I personally think it's ok priced for the quality considering the other costs to get there.

I hope I will be back here singing their praises...Disney is a great product.. I want to try them in cruising.. hope they live up to it.

Think of Disney DCL like an Apple product.

You either buy into it and LOVE it, or you think it is nice and shiny, was really great and worked, but so did your old smartphone, laptop, tablet, so overprices for the shiny stuff.

Apple fanboy here so no disrespect to Apple, it's just kind of do you see the value in a long term investment in a product, or did they do the same job, really well, just not as seamlessly?

ex techie

Bottom line--because they can. 16 years ago, DCL cabins were larger than on other ships but there has been a lot of "catch up" over those years. And some other ships have a lot more categories and subcategories than DCL.

There has also been a lot of "catch up" as to amenities on ships, dining options, and even entertainment. DCL prices have gone way up in the last few years. I can easily get a balcony cabin on some other lines (and not low end lines) for half the price of an inside cabin on DCL. In fact, we have a 7 night cruise coming up soon in order to "check out" the new line and ship. The cheapest comparable balcony option on DCL is a VGT on the Magic for $3000. My booking on the other line is a hair over $2000 and includes cruise fare, insurance, transfers, and air! It does not include a soda package (that's $56 extra but includes shakes and "mocktails") or the Palo that I'd get free on DCL since I'm platinum with them; specialty dining on the other line is $25 per person. So, for under $2200, I've been as comparable to a DCL VGT as I can...but with DCL I'd still have to buy air, transfers, and insurance.

Do I expect the shows to be as good as DCL? No, I honestly don't. I do know that the new shows will not be on this cruise. The variety acts? Probably will be as good, and at least it will be performers who are new to us. Will they have furries and princesses? No, that won't happen, but they will have various roaming performers around the ship. Food? I'm expecting it to be comparable. Service? We'll find out.

The interesting part is WHY we have chosen to do this "check them out" cruise. The reason is simple--we have a European sailing booked on DCL next spring. This other line, in the same ship we are checking out will give us a deluxe (oversized) balcony cabin for almost exactly half the cost of an our inside booking on DCL. The "standard" balcony was sold out or the comparison would be even more striking. Going up to a balcony on DCL (which is no longer available) would have doubled the cost, so I'm going for 1/4 the cost of a DCL balcony. At this point I have bookings on both ships; after our "check them out" cruise, we'll talk as a family and determine which booking we will cancel.

My experience with other lines so far is that they are better in some areas than DCL (for example, Celebrity has better food), but less good in other areas (the DCL cabins were nicer than Celebrity and the Celebrity "furries" were just sad). But when we returned from an excursion in Alaska, a Celebrity crew member handed us a warm washcloth (not a cold hand wipe) and a second was there offering a cup of hot chocolate.

No question, DCL has the best entertainment I've seen, but I've seen the shows many times. Yes, the free soda is nice, but one non-alcoholic drink/smoothie per day on DCL is almost $4 (with mandatory tip)...so the difference isn't that great. DCL has a great kid space/kid program, but my daughter hasn't been a kid for many years. OH, I do like that we can separate the beds on the other line--as a mother and adult daughter traveling together, this is our preference rather than one of us sleeping on the flip couch. It isn't BAD, but it isn't as nice as a real bed.

My personal opinion--DCL has decreased the benefits of their Castaway Club program and increased the cost of their cruises to the point where I'm opting to explore other alternatives. Per my TA, I'm certainly not the only one looking! I may not find an alternative that I'm fully satisfied with, but then again, I might.

Edited as I read the above:

The line I'm considering does not charge for coffee or tea--only for specialty coffee (same as DCL).

I don't know about late night charges for kid programming as we don't have kids.

No extra charges for snack type food, a 24/7 food outlet, no charge for room service other than $3 for pizza...but we can get pizza at the 24/7 outlet at no charge.

I've heard the room service isn't very good...but neither is DCL's (mixed up orders, etc).

DCL has been increasing their "Pay extra" items--the Dream now has an ice cream, sundae, candy, etc. outlet with an extra charge, located very close to Cabanas, the buffet food outlet.

DCL's internet package is better...but if I make platinum on the other line, I'll get free internet! Gotta book concierge on DCL to get free wifi.

DCL is a good product, but I no longer think they are the only ship on the sea.....

Moki'smommy,

The variety act's you may have met before!

Gary Delana and Michael Harrison are both working on Princess now!

ex techie

Moki'smommy,

 

The variety act's you may have met before!

 

Gary Delana and Michael Harrison are both working on Princess now!

 

ex techie

No, I've received an e-mail (form letter) telling me what the shows, big screen movies, and variety acts will be. This did allow me to determine that none of the 5 new shows that Princess is introducing over the next year will be on this sailing and that I didn't recognize any of the variety act names. FWIW, their 5 new shows are being done by the guy who did Wicked and Pippen--again, maybe trying to give the same quality as some other lines. But I'll be seeing their "old" shows on this sailing.

Seeing Gary Delena again would be fine with me--it's been a long time and he did change his show each time we saw him. Mr. Tennis Ball got really old after a while. Michael Harrison seemed like a nice guy, but the show never changed...ever.....

Please understand, we like DCL and particularly have strong feelings for the Magic. But there came a moment when we were willing to look elsewhere, in part because many of our favorite CMs are now scattered all over the line. They made the experience on DCL special. The newbies don't do it for us in the same way.

I agree with much of what moki'smommy has written in her replies. We love Disney, know it costs more and are willing to pay more for DCL from time to time for specific itineraries. We are doing the Southern Caribbean in a few months, but the basic Eastern and Western Caribbean get old after doing them 3 to 4 times each. Ironically, we are checking out the same other cruise line that she and her family are checking. Mostly because we want a better variety of itineraries. When DCL's summer 2017 itineraries are released, we will likely do something on the Magic, and book something similar on the other cruise line if we like our first cruise on that line in October, 2016. The 10 day cruise we booked on the other cruise line was approximately 30% to 40% lower per day than DCL (itineraries are not comparable). I will be anxious to see what extra charges we might incur - although gratuities were included in the cruise price.

................

As to "why" - .......... it's because they can. And people will pay for it.

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Agree! It's because they can!

When people are willing to pay more for a product they like, it makes sense to charge more for it. ;)

Kids are snorting high on expensive pixie dust. No other cruise line offers it.

The other thing to consider is revenue stream. Other cruise lines have a variety of revenue streams onboard:

1. Casinos

2. Multiple upcharge restaurants (well more than Disney's 1-2)

3. Soda cards

4. Commercial stores such as Michael Kors, Izod, etc. (not sure whether they pay rent or give % of sales...)

5. on some lines the nursery charges a fee after a certain hour at night

6. Some lines charge for certain items on room service, or charge a delivery fee/service charge at night

7. some lines also offer upcharge items in the MDR, for instance you can get lobster or nicer steaks at dinner for a charge

Now, the per-item $ on these things may not be a lot, but they provide diverse revenue for these cruise lines. Disney has fewer sources of revenue (they probably especially feel the lack of casino income) and so covers their costs with your cruise fee itself.

What will be interesting to watch is how the cost of a Disney cruise changes as they go to more a la carte pricing on items - if it changes at all.

People are willing to pay more for the Disney name and Disney's version of cruising .

Plus Disney Cruise Line only has 4 ships to fill , supply & demand.

The "magic" isn't cheap! Disney has a great product, but you pay for it!

On top of what everyone said, also consider that pop (soda) and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price. No having to buy a package extra. :)

Diseny really does everything top of the line---plus service. However you really need to be into Disney, and have a few kids with you.

Diseny really does everything top of the line---plus service. However you really need to be into Disney, and have a few kids with you.

I'll have to take the opposite view. We've never traveled DCL with kids (well, under 18 anyway), and love every minute of it.

On top of what everyone said, also consider that pop (soda) and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price. No having to buy a package extra. :)

Not totally true. DCL offers complimentary soda and soda with a little grenadine or cherry juice in it, but there is a fee for a virgin pina colada, smoothies, milkshakes, etc. And that fee is close to $4 per drink including the auto-gratuity. If I'm saving thousands of dollars on the price of a cruise, paying $8 per day for a package that includes soda, premium hot chocolate (not instant), as well as mocktails and shakes seems like small potatoes. I'm not exaggerating. My 7 nights on Princess is approximately $2000 less than the cheapest 7 night VGT I can get on DCL. Different embarkation port, otherwise similar but slightly different ports of call (that's good too, the standard Eastern and Western have gotten old)

Pam, you are right that there are lines that do each of the items you listed as upcharges. Unless it is NCL, I'm not aware of any line that has all of those charges on the same line.

I suspect that a significant portion of DCL's "first 2 in a stateroom" charge is to underwrite their kid programming. That way, they can still keep their 3rd and 4th person charges looking reasonable, BUT it means that people without kids are paying serious money to pay for those kid programs. Not a bad thing if you have a kid, but pricey if you don't.

One other thing--if I book air thru Princess, it is at the same price or less than what I can find on line AND I get to choose my flights (yes, there may be price changes based on my choices, but they reflect the actual cost of the selected flight over the cheapest.) On DCL, my quoted "DCL air" price has always been more than airline + transfers on my own, I get no choice in flights or airlines, and if I make any "requests" like direct flight or depart before or after X time, I get charged an extra $50 per person "air deviation" fee. I almost never book air thru DCL because their program is so bad!

While I consider a casino to be a negative, I have a choice whether I make that contribution to the cruise line or not. I don't have a choice in subsidizing kid programming.

I'll let you know what I think about Princess when we return. Right now, I'm reading a few things I don't particularly like but a lot that sounds good.

Disney is a higher price because they provide a cruise for families better than any others do. It's like their parks on land. No one compares to what they provide for families but the price is not cheap.

Keith

I never thought Disney's 3rd and 4th person charges were all that cheap. Even RCL's Oasis class ships are roughly $2,000 cheaper for the time I'm cruising. Same category too.

Basically, it really is the "because they can." It's the same as the parks. They raise prices two times in one year. Because they can. Because demand is so much, they actually need to drive people away for the parks. Yes, Disney is top-line. I haven't tried RCL, but of the other mainstream lines, I find Disney's food, service, entertainment, etc. a clear notch ahead. I mean, if you've cruised a lot, Disney's crowd control is frankly amazing. And that's not something most people really notice. Still, for all that it's better, it's not like the other lines are bad or anything. Everyone has really improved. So, Disney inching closer to double the price really makes it hard to justify unless you or your kids really like Disney, or you're able to snag a rare deal (they do exist, they're just really rare).

Why is Disney so high priced?

As you can tell, there are many opinions on why. You really need to compare apples to apples. For example, I priced out Alaska on DCL, cheapest ocean view room and then looked at Princess. Princess ocean view room was much cheaper, but waaay smaller. I'd have to book a mini suite with Princess to get a comparable room to DCL's cheapest ocean view. And, I wouldn't have the split bathroom, which is like having 2 bathrooms when you sail DCL. Once I compared actual rooms sizes/amenities, there was only a couple hundred dollars difference.

I don't drink soda, but other people in my party do and they can get it for free on DCL. Other lines would force our entire party to buy a soda package if only one person wanted it.

I am tired of the Disney live shows, but when I read trip reports from other lines, people often say they only had one or 2 good shows on a 7 night cruise. If DCL had more show options, I probably wouldn't even consider a different cruise line.

Why is Disney so high priced? For a 7 nt cruise.. in a 5C regular balcony room.. so not the greatest.. it is over 5k..to Fl/Bahamas..

I am going on a RCL Anthem Suite.. for just over 5k.. for 10 nights Caribbean!

Simple supply and demand. The demand is high enough for Disney that they can charge what they do. The same applies to the Disney parks and resort hotels. They are not cheap. Why the demand is so high is due to a variety of reasons. Quality, high calibre entertainment, innovative ships, attention to detail, exceptional Disney style service, etc. etc. The list goes on, but the product is good enough that Disney can consistently charge higher per diems than any of their competition.

As a fan of cruising and Disney, I feel it's worth every penny. I don't sail on Disney for every cruise, but when the budget allows and I do I'm always extremely satisfied. I'm a true believer in that you get what you pay for!

Personally I'm glad Disney doesn't have a "price to fill" philosophy like so many other cruise lines. Yes the others are cheap but in so many ways the product is cheaper because of it.

Free market determines the price. Disney has many trademark characters that kids love. Parents give kids what they want. Enough to said.

The other thing to consider is revenue stream. Other cruise lines have a variety of revenue streams onboard:

 

1. Casinos

2. Multiple upcharge restaurants (well more than Disney's 1-2)

3. Soda cards

4. Commercial stores such as Michael Kors, Izod, etc. (not sure whether they pay rent or give % of sales...)

5. on some lines the nursery charges a fee after a certain hour at night

6. Some lines charge for certain items on room service, or charge a delivery fee/service charge at night

7. some lines also offer upcharge items in the MDR, for instance you can get lobster or nicer steaks at dinner for a charge

 

Now, the per-item $ on these things may not be a lot, but they provide diverse revenue for these cruise lines. Disney has fewer sources of revenue (they probably especially feel the lack of casino income) and so covers their costs with your cruise fee itself.

 

What will be interesting to watch is how the cost of a Disney cruise changes as they go to more a la carte pricing on items - if it changes at all.

Don't forget:

8. Booze packages ("All-you-can-drink", up to a certain point). While some folks get their money's worth off of these, you better believe the other cruise lines make money off them overall.

I guess you can tell by my signature I mostly sail Cunard & occasionally Disney.:rolleyes: I am spoiled by Cunard's ship design (classic liner), interiors, attention to detail and service, and by the beautiful public spaces and lounges, & enrichment program.

The main reason I am willing to pay for and occasionally sail Disney is the classic liner look (that's a big reason), beautiful interiors and supreme service. Both lines seem to understand flawless attention to detail. Disney ships are an extension of their parks and I love those too. The Disney shows are better than Cunard though no one can beat Cunard's on board speakers/enrichment programs. The lone complaint in regards to Disney was that I had to eat in the specialty restaurants on Disney to find a decent meal.

The price point for Cunard, as well as Oceania or SilverSea and Disney are very similar. So it is not more costly than some other very nice lines though it certainly is a great deal more costly than mass market lines. Disney may charge more because they offer characters, Disney style entertainment, sodas, no gambling, superb kids programs, but each person has their own reason for paying, and you have to decide if it is worth it to you - no one can say whether it is justified in your mind except for you. For me it's worth it, because it's one of the rare lines which offers something different from the mass market; I just don't personally like big box ships, but I know many people love them. There's a line out there for everyone. Although if you have to ask how they justify it, then maybe Disney won't be for you. I have never thought twice that I am not getting a product equal to what I paid.