SKMurphy

I have been on multiple cruise lines and multiple ships.  

To me, the prime reason to go on the Disney ships is the character experience.  You pre-pay for a usb for all your photos (prices are based on # of days in your cruise).  Then you and your kids get pictures with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Chip & Dale, and Donald and Daisy dressed in ..at a minimum....sailor clothes, beach clothes, pirate clothes, evening garb, and if you are on special cruise & lucky...halloween costumes or holiday garb, all the Princesses in their regular dresses, plus evening garb plus a Frozen interchange with Elsa & Anna, plus Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Hook & Mr. Smee.  Plus special background pics Plus all the other characters on the ship at the time, which could include Doc Mc, Johnny somebody, Doug and Ralph(?) from "UP".  It is not usual to get 100 photos in a 3 to 4 day cruise with borders on them commemorating the event. Plus the pictures taken in all the restaurants.  Expect lines, but with a family, we tag team and as we can send someone to wait on line on a different deck while pictures are taken on another.  Most pictures are in the atrium or by the theater/shops.  I am an adult.  I LOVE the character experience.  If you chase characters at the park, then a Disney cruise is great for you!  You will get more Disney character pictures here in 3 or 4 day cruise than you would ever get in the parks, except maybe for Halloween or Christmas special events at Disney World.  

If you don't like characters or you don't want pictures, I wouldn't spend the money.  Go RCL.

However, as you can expect, the shows on Disney are hands down the best I've seen on any cruise line.  They are Disney.  Sound, music, dancing, story lines, special effects...the best.  They're cast members train in Toronto for months before coming to the ship and stay together for the life of their contract.  Then are retrained with their new "crew mates".   No other cruise line has it better.  

Disney also has multiple movie theaters.  1st run Disney (and Marvel, and StarWars) movies that come out even while the ship is on a cruise will be shown in the theater.  Check the movie schedules daily.  

The kids clubs are said to be fantastic.  As a crafter, I've been envious.  They take care of the kids from little-little to teenager and really watch out for the kids.  For the tiny ones, Goofy comes in in his PJs when it's nap time.  The camp counselors do a great job of keeping the kids interested.

There are adult only sections of the ship with a private pool and bar area, so when the kids are in camp, the parents can have some quiet time.  

The food is very good.  I saw someone say that the RCL food is better.  I have not found that to be true.  Disney food has been better than RCL on the cruises I have been on.  However, I recently went on a HAL transatlantic and the food was phenomenal on that cruise.  There's a soda station on the pool deck, so all coke, sprite, etc. are free (no charge) and there's a self-serve ice cream machine and other good food options (fresh fruit, salads) as well as pizza, burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches, also available on the pool deck.  All no charge.  When I was on RCL or HAL, I had to pay for cokes.

Disney does NOT have a casino on board ship, so if you feel the need to gamble, you'll had to do it on Nassau when you dock.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I agree that Disney is pricing itself out of the market with the pricing for its cruises.  I'm not sure why it is using that cost model.  I limit my Disney cruises now (but I am also retired) to one a year or one every 2 years.   

Today is Jan 7, 2020.  Azipod problem on NA is still ongoing.  My brother-in-law is on the ship currently in San Juan.  It has had to modify it's planned route/times due to the azipod issue.  It is moving slower than normal and he has been told that they will be late arriving into Port Everglades on Saturday.  But with the earthquake in San Juan and no local power, I"m not sure if the NA will be impacted more.