Carnival Cruiser Experiences Disney for the First Time!

[jwalk03]

Let me start by saying I have been on 3 previous Carnival cruises and I have enjoyed each of them, BUT I just returned from my first Disney Cruise, and it simply blew Carnival AWAY! Now going into it I certainly excepted Disney to be better than Carnival given the significantly higher price that they charge, and they really did deliver. I had VERY HIGH expectations after all the research I did prior to the Disney cruise, and Disney really did meet and even exceed those high expectations. Let me explain the pluses and minus of each. (I can only compare CCL and DCL, as I have not tried any other lines…..YET)

 

Food

Disney’s food was just simply better, and of much higher quality than the food on Carnival. I mean in the MDR I had lamb chops that were amazing! Veal that was awesome! Lobster & Crab pasta simply delicious! Just to name a few. I will say the one thing I missed from Carnival was the warm chocolate melting cake. Disney’s desserts were good (especially the cheesecake! Carnival’s cheesecake is ALWAYS terrible and I don’t know why!), but I really would have enjoyed a warm chocolate melting cake.

 

The buffet food on Disney was also a step above. Lots more seafood options (including peel and eat shrimp everyday!) The breakfast buffet included steak & eggs! And I must say I absolutely loved the Mickey Mouse shaped waffles! One thing I did not like about Disney was the lack or MDR alternatives on the last night of the cruise. We were exhausted from a long day at Castaway Cay and didn’t feel like going to the MDR for dinner, but when we tried to go to Cabanas (The buffet/alternative restaurant on Disney) that they do not serve dinner on the final evening of the cruise. The only available alternative was Mater’s Grill (Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Fries, etc) I mean I couldn’t even get Pizza because it closed down at 6PM and didn’t re-open until 9.

 

We did not have a chance to try Palo or Remy on this cruise, so I can’t compare them to Carnival’s steakhouse, but I will say that I think the MDR food on Disney is better than the steakhouse on Carnival, so I can only imagine how good Remy & Palo must be! Can’t wait to try them next time!

 

Overall Disney definitely wins the food battle.

 

Rooms

I loved the setup of the balcony rooms on Disney. They provided SO MUCH room I didn’t even know what to do with all of it! Also providing the curtain to separate the seating area (and children’s sleeping area) from the parents bed was great! Nice touch. We were traveling with our almost 2 year and Disney also provided a diaper genie in the room that the steward emptied twice per day, very very convenient! And a really nice tough that made traveling with baby much easier. The balconies have sliding glass doors which is a much better feature than the Carnival ones as well.

 

I also loved the bathroom setup. Splitting the bathroom into 2 separate rooms is a marvelous idea! One bathroom had a sink, mirror, and toilet, while the other had a sink, mirror, and shower. This allowed all of us to get ready at the same time. It was great! And the shower is SOOO much larger than the Carnival showers. I am over 6 feet tall, and always struggle with the Carnival showers, there just simply isn’t enough room! Not a problem on Disney at all! The shower also included a small tub to bathe children (very nice!), a regular shower head, and also a rain head which I could stand under without hitting my head! A much better setup than the Carnival bathrooms. Also just one comment on the public bathrooms- they are HUGE compared to the ones on Carnival!!! No backing in required in these bad boys! LOL. And each of them is different and they stick with whatever the theme in that portion of the ship is! It was a nice touch for sure.

 

The stateroom TV system is incredible as well. You can literally watch every Disney movie on demand in room, plus other Disney Channels chows, and cartoons, etc. It was awesome, even though we didn’t watch it a lot. Too much other stuff to do on a cruise than sit in your cabin and watch TV. Also Disney has ESPN and ESPN2 available in your cabin, unlike Carnival where the only way to watch ESPN is in bars or on the big screen.

 

All of the rooms include a mini-fridge and its empty so you can use it for your own drinks without having to remove all the annoying mini-bar stuff, and it actually keeps things really cold, unlike the Carnival ones.

 

Disney wins hands down in the room category. I can’t think of a single room feature from Carnival that is better.

 

Service

Let me just say that I have never had bad service on a Carnival cruise, but again Disney’s was just simply better. Every single cast member that I interacted with was phenomenal. Always asking if you are enjoying yourself, is this your first cruise, is there anything I can do to make your experience better, etc. Special requests were always fulfilled.

 

Our wait staff really was great, and they were not completely overwhelmed by the number of guests they were serving the way the Carnival wait staff always seems to be. When you entered your dining room each night the waiters were all there waiting to seat you. I loved the rotational dining. It was like going to a different restraint each night, but having the same wait staff that already knew your preferences. One of the biggest wow moments for me was when the waiter brought my almost 2 year old her meal, and actually started cutting it all up for her, so that her mother and I could start enjoying our dinners. It really was awesome. We also saw our waiter in Cabanas for breakfast and he would bring fruit over for our daughter to snack on while we were getting her breakfast ready. It was very thoughtful of him. It really was this little touches that took a good cruise experience and made it simply great!

 

Entertainment

The main shows on Disney were just as great as you would expect them to be. Disney has a HUGE advantage in this area given all of the characters they have at their disposable that everyone is already familiar with. In 3 Carnival cruises I have literally only found one main production show that was even worth sitting through the entire thing! (Ticket to Ride on Carnival Freedom) Every other show I have gone to, I have left before it was over because I found it unwatchable. Disney’s productions were marvelous, with the Golden Mickey’s being my absolute favorite. I mean they even decorate the hallways leading to the Walt Disney Theater like an awards show entrance, complete with a rope line and red carpet. It was a very nice touch.

 

I will say that I missed the comedians from Carnival, though this was less of a big deal since the main productions were so good. On Carnival since most of the shows are terrible, we usually just skip them and go see a comedian instead.

 

The bars on the Carnival ships are definitely busier than the ones on Disney, but overall the bars themselves were better on Disney. All of the various adult bars on clustered together in one themed area on Deck 4 Aft, The District. It was very cool, and each better had a very different theme and feeling. Disney really does themes better than anyone. When you went into the champagne bar, it felt like you were inside a bottle of champagne. In the skyline bar, you really felt like you were sitting in a lounge overlooking a famous city’s skyline. Simply spectacular. I also found the drink prices on Disney to be far more reasonably priced. A Captain & Coke was like $5.50, that’s easily a $8 drink on a Carnival ship.

 

Again, Disney wins in the entertainment category, though if you are looking for packed bars, and a big ole drunken party Carnival may be the better option.

 

Pools

The Mickey & Donald pools are both larger than the pools I have experienced on any Carnival ship, and they are freshwater instead of salt water which is a huge plus to me. It makes swimming in them much more enjoyable. One other really cool feature of the pools is that when they have big deck parties, they actually cover the pools, creating WAY MORE deck space! Great idea!

 

The adults only pool is area on Disney is phenomenal! Blows Carnival out of the water. It is so nice to have adult only pool, hot tubs, bar and everything right together. It always bugs me on Carnival on the Conquest class ships that the adults only pool is at the opposite end of the ship from the Serenity area. Also the adults only pool is not very peaceful with the pizza and ice cream areas right there with it. So while kids may not be in the pool, they are certainly in the area, and it loses its quiet appeal. On Disney Dream the adult pool has 3 different depths, depending on if you just want to sit in like a ½ foot of water, jump in the 6 ft deep area, or sit around in the 3-4 ft part. It really is a neat setup. Also there is a bar right there to order drinks without even having to get all the way out of the pool!

 

There are also 2 hot tubs in the adult only area, and they are actually HOT! It’s amazing! I have always found the Carnival hot tubs to be more like bath water than a hot tub, not on Disney. I mean I could only sit in the hot tub for 10-15 minutes and had to get out. This is the way it should be. Also the hot tubs have a clear bottom so you can see straight down off the side of the ship which is neat, and the side of the hot tub is also clear so it makes it look like an infinity pool! (The hot tubs on the pool deck are this way as well, not just the ones in the adult area)

 

The one other nice thing in the adult only area, in addition to the pool side bar, there is also the cove café when you can get food, and coffee, etc without having to leave the adult area. It really is a great setup!!

 

The AquaDuck is a very unique ride and while I enjoyed it, I would have liked a regular body slide too. So I did miss the regular waterslides that you can find on most of the Carnival ships. I would not trade the AquaDuck for a body slide, but I would really like to see a ship with both.

 

Disney wins easily on Pools, Hot tubs, and Adult only area.

 

Pictures

There were never long lines to debark the ship in port because Disney does not have annoying photographers that try to force everyone to get their picture taken on the gangway and hold up the line! The photographers are available if you WANT to get a picture, but don’t try to force you, and don’t hold up others who are just trying to get off the ship. Carnival please read this and stop it with the annoying photographers!

 

At all of the characters experiences Disney has a professional photographer to take pictures, but they also ALWAYS have a second cast member there that will take pictures with your personal camera, cell phone, etc so that you are not forced to buy all of the professional pictures. They were more than willing to take the extra time to get good shots, or do different groupings of people, and since the CM was there you were not forced to leave anyone out. Very nice! Carnival would never do anything like this because they want you to purchase the professional pictures, Disney makes it easy for you to choose.

 

The entire photo experience is better on Disney. All of you pictures are linked to you room key, and you can view them digitally, or it will tell you your photo book number, and you just pull it out and bam ALL of the print outs are right there too. No endless searching on board after board trying to find yourself. So much more convenient, and I actually purchased a few photos because it was so user friendly. I have never purchased a single photo on Carnival because I don’t want to spend the time searching all over the place to find the darn things!

 

Misc.

Just some other random observations of things that made my Disney cruise great!

 

- Disney is a more relaxed atmosphere. The cruise director NEVER made endless announcements about booking shore excursions, or Bingo, or duty free specials, or gold by the inch! In fact outside of the announcements around the muster drill, and announcements that we were cleared to go ashore, or preparing to depart ports, I really can’t remember any others. It was nice.

- Having a fireworks show at sea was AWESOME! This is definitely not something you want to miss on a Disney cruise. Also the midnight buffet after the fireworks show was INCREDIBLE! Freshly made crapes that you could stuff and top with whatever you like! I was in heaven. (Lots and lots of other options too, but the crapes were my favorite part)

- Castaway Cay was gorgeous! And being able to dock there instead of having to tender made it more convenient. (I have not actually been to Half Moon Cay, so I can’t effectively compare the 2, but I really loved Castaway Cay.)

- The onboard movie theater looked great. Its 2 decks, and has nice cushy seats, and it shows movies that are currently in theaters for FREE! I also hear that if a new Disney movie is premiering during your cruise that they do a midnight PremEAR onboard, which would be cool, though I didn’t actually get to experience this because no new Disney movies hit theaters during our cruise.

- There were no chair hogs, I never had any issue finding a lounger in the sun, or a cushy chair in the adults only area, or a table at the buffet, or a seat in the theater. TO be honest I never felt crowded on this ship AT ALL. Even though it is the largest ship I have sailed on to date.

- All of the décor on the ship felt far more elegant than anything I have experienced on a Carnival ship. While I don’t hate Carnival’s exaggerated décor the way that many people do, I just found the Disney décor to be much nicer, and more elegant. Disney also had a lot of little touches to be on the lookout for that were quite enjoyable. As you are riding up in some of the elevators there are various characters painted along the elevators shafts, and they are different in each elevator! This made it fun to look for different characters each time! In some of the hallways there were “paintings” of characters that looked very real, that were actually digital screens and they would come to life! This was a real treat that I absolutely loved!! It kind of startled me the first time, but then after that I was always trying to find other ones throughout the ship. All of the walls, and lighting, and curtains, and railings throughout the ship had subtle Disney references (often Mickey Mouse ears, but not always) that really made things fun. I never found it to be over the top either, just enjoyable.

- I also found the ship to be very easy to navigate. You could walk from one end of the ship to the other on most of the decks, and you could do so without having to talk through a dining room, which was really nice!

 

So let me just say that if you have never tried a Disney cruise that you absolutely, positively SHOULD! Yes they charge a premium price, but they also deliver a premium product. It really is worth the price. Do yourself a favor and save the money and experience a Disney cruise. (Skip 2 or 3 Carnival cruises if you have to save the money!) I am sure I will take another Carnival cruise at some point, as they do deliver a decent product at a very affordable price, but I am already trying to figure out when I can do another Disney cruise this year! Because the experience really was unforgettable!

Edited March 4, 2014 by jwalk03

[mere08]

Thanks so much for your review! We really wanted to do a Disney cruise this spring but waited too long to book and the cost skyrocketed hence the Carnival cruise booked for May. Disney cruises get stellar reviews and I can't wait to take one.

[cherbear4000]

Thanks for the comparison. I have been wanting to do a Disney cruise but wasn't sure if I could justify the price difference. DH and I are in our 30s with no children. I have been told by some that Disney cruises are more geared toward families with young children. Would you say that is the case? Also are there children running around everywhere? When we cruise Carnival in the summer there are gangs of children and teens roaming the ship at all hours. I prefer Carnival during the school year when there are hardly any children on board.

[missdebi]

Thanks for your observations we do WDW yearly with the grandchildren but enjoy Carnival Cruises for us because we do enjoy the casino nightly and no casino on Disney. I would expect a premium product from Disney given my experiences with the parks but as you said it comes at a premium cost. Carnival usually does meet our needs but I feel that service has declined slightly over the years especially in the MDR they really need to revamp the experience from wait staff to food. I know they are changing the menu but this will only work if the food is good and the staff does their job in a timely manner.

[GatorGirl57]

Thanks for the review, and I agree with basically every point. However, even after my Disney cruise, I went back to Carnival --- you are paying for all those great extras on the Disney ship. For a current comparison for thread readers:

 

Carnival: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral on the Sunshine in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan)

 

Inside room: $844 per person

 

Disney: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Castaway Cay)

 

Inside room: 2,569 per person

 

You could go on the Carnival cruise three times ($2,532) for slightly less than one time on Disney. Or, you could eat at the steakhouse every night, buy pictures and alcohol galore, and expensive shore excursions, and still not be as expensive as Disney.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Disney cruise. But, don't think it doesn't come with a price.

Edited March 4, 2014 by GatorGirl57

[jwalk03]

Thanks for the comparison. I have been wanting to do a Disney cruise but wasn't sure if I could justify the price difference. DH and I are in our 30s with no children. I have been told by some that Disney cruises are more geared toward families with young children. Would you say that is the case? Also are there children running around everywhere? When we cruise Carnival in the summer there are gangs of children and teens roaming the ship at all hours. I prefer Carnival during the school year when there are hardly any children on board.

 

We did travel with our almost 2 year old daughter this time, but I would without hesitation take a Disney cruise withour her as well. There is plenty to do without children. The adult only pool area alone would be worth it. Also "The District" which is where most of the ships bars are is strictly 18+ after 9PM each night. Remy & Palo (the 2 upcharge restaraunts) are also 18+ only.

 

I honestly did not experience a bunch of kids running around everywhere. We did go in Feb, when most kids are in school of course, but also Disney's children's programs seemed to be pretty amazing, so I dont think you will experience an abundence of children running around at all. (This may not be true if you go in Jul or Aug when all kids are out of school of course)

 

The Teen area of the ship also looked very nice. It had its own sun deck, pool, and hot tub, completely seperate from the other ppool decks.

 

I really think Disney does a good job of catering to every member of the family, not just children.

[jwalk03]

Thanks so much for your review! We really wanted to do a Disney cruise this spring but waited too long to book and the cost skyrocketed hence the Carnival cruise booked for May. Disney cruises get stellar reviews and I can't wait to take one.

 

I red LOTS and LOTS of reviews before we went, and honestly everything great you read about Disney is true. My excpectations were very high after reading all the good things, and Disney still delievered.

[Vitamin_Sea]

And I will add this....

 

 

DCL does a great job, no question about it and they make sure you PAY for it.

In fact, DCL is sometimes 3 times the price of a CCL cruise.

 

So...If my family can take 3 CCL cruises or 1 DCL cruise, just take a guess what were doing.

 

:)

Edited March 4, 2014 by limoguy1

[jwalk03]

Thanks for the review, and I agree with basically every point. However, even after my Disney cruise, I went back to Carnival --- you are paying for all those great extras on the Disney ship. For a current comparison for thread readers:

 

Carnival: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral on the Sunshine in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan)

 

Inside room: $844 per person

 

Disney: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Castaway Cay)

 

Inside room: 2,569 per person

 

You could go on the Carnival cruise three times ($2,532) for slightly less than one time on Disney. Or, you could eat at the steakhouse every night, buy pictures and alcohol galore, and expensive shore excursions, and still not be as expensive as Disney.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Disney cruise. But, don't think it doesn't come with a price.

 

Absolutely it comes with a premium price. The 3 of us could have done an 8-day cruise on Carnival Breeze for just about the same price as the 3-day Disney cruise. (And honestly I got a really good last minute deal!) Disney never offers the kinds of Discounts Carnival does, becuase they don't have to, but if you are flexible with travel dates and such, you can find some discounts. I would NEVER pay the Disney prices in July or August! Its CRAZY! (Though I also never pay the Carnival prices in July or August either, becuase they are also way too high.)

[Vitamin_Sea]

Thanks for the review, and I agree with basically every point. However, even after my Disney cruise, I went back to Carnival --- you are paying for all those great extras on the Disney ship. For a current comparison for thread readers:

 

Carnival: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral on the Sunshine in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan)

 

Inside room: $844 per person

 

Disney: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Castaway Cay)

 

Inside room: 2,569 per person

 

You could go on the Carnival cruise three times ($2,532) for slightly less than one time on Disney. Or, you could eat at the steakhouse every night, buy pictures and alcohol galore, and expensive shore excursions, and still not be as expensive as Disney.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Disney cruise. But, don't think it doesn't come with a price.

 

 

100% agreed!!

 

The heck with DCL and there high prices!

[Tapi]

The Disney cruise is definitely in our bucket list. The question is not IF we'll do it, but WHEN we'll do it.

 

Because of pricing, we will wait until the kids are in the 6-9 age range to make it justifiable. I've been doing mock bookings for a 7 night summer cruise in a balcony stateroom and it comes up to about $8,500 for a family of 4. :eek: Considering that we sailed to Alaska last summer on Holland America in a balcony stateroom for $2,800, Disney will definitely have some high expectations to meet at those prices.

 

But we WILL bite the bullet and do it. Some of the most amazing memories from my childhood were those trips to Disney and I want my kids to have the same.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[crunchy05]

Jwalk03 is spot on. We loved our DCL cruise, as a couple we have sailed Carnival, but when we decided to take our kids on thier first cruise, 3 and 8 at the time we went with DCL. They LOVED it!. To this day they keep asking when can we go back. Yes, the prices are high, we were able to snag a balcony on Deck 10 for about $1700 when they released the FL resident rates. So when we go again, I will watch for those to be released.

 

The only issue I have is nightlife is very quiet, plus there is no casino. But when you have small kids, you are not out that late anyway. We have been to HMC and to me Castaway Cay is comparable, the one up they have is the adult beach- which you can escape to for peace and quiet.

 

Happy Sailing!

[mum2bradley]

And I will add this....

 

 

DCL does a great job, no question about it and they make sure you PAY for it.

In fact, DCL is sometimes 3 times the price of a CCL cruise.

 

So...If my family can take 3 CCL cruises or 1 DCL cruise, just take a guess what were doing.

 

:)

 

I will take the 3 CCL cruises. I am just not a Disney person. All those characters and extreme happiness at every corner would make me miserable!!

[jwalk03]

The Disney cruise is definitely in our bucket list. The question is not IF we'll do it, but WHEN we'll do it.

 

Because of pricing, we will wait until the kids are in the 6-9 age range to make it justifiable. I've been doing mock bookings for a 7 night summer cruise in a balcony stateroom and it comes up to about $8,500 for a family of 4. :eek: Considering that we sailed to Alaska last summer on Holland America in a balcony stateroom for $2,800, Disney will definitely have some high expectations to meet at those prices.

 

But we WILL bite the bullet and do it. Some of the most amazing memories from my childhood were those trips to Disney and I want my kids to have the same.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

IF there is any way to go at a time other than Summer, then the prices are considerably less. I understand that not everyone can do this, but for the savings it is definitely worth exploring, even if that means taking kids out of school for a week.

[erocrobro]

I agree with you when you say that DCL is higher than CCL, but with planning the difference does not have to be that much. My family cruised on the DCL Fantasy last summer and will be on the CCL Liberty this summer with comparable weeks and itineraries. I booked our DCL on opening day and then had to wait for what seemed like a lifetime but compared to what we are paying for our CCL this summer there was only about $1000 difference for a balcony room.

[gilboman]

just remember to account for the extra charge for the kids club on disney and charge to setup an account on your sign/sail card for adults as well.

 

coworker just got back from a disney cruise and was not expecting the fees of

 

$48 per kid regardless of how much/little is used at kids club and $48 to setup each charge card/key for the adults.

 

i never knew there were such fees associated on disney..but then i don't care since I"m a DINK kind of person :D

[tawaik]

I will take the 3 CCL cruises. I am just not a Disney person. All those characters and extreme happiness at every corner would make me miserable!!

 

LOL!!!

 

My husband has never been to Disney and wants us to do a DCL. I showed him the prices and he almost passed out!! No Casino on board this ship(?) and I must admit that I do like the playing the slots and I'm a low roller :rolleyes:

[jwalk03]

just remember to account for the extra charge for the kids club on disney and charge to setup an account on your sign/sail card for adults as well.

 

coworker just got back from a disney cruise and was not expecting the fees of

 

$48 per kid regardless of how much/little is used at kids club and $48 to setup each charge card/key for the adults.

 

i never knew there were such fees associated on disney..but then i don't care since I"m a DINK kind of person :D

 

There was no fee to setup a charge card.

 

Also the only fee for the kids club is if you dont return the braclet (and its like $12, not $48), as long as you return it there is no fee. (Except for the nursery for children under 3, thats $9 per hour.)

Edited March 4, 2014 by jwalk03

[erocrobro]

There is no charge for the kids clubs, even at night. There is only a charge if you lose the bracelet. There is not a charge for setting up an account, either. I'm not sure what they are talking about.

[ILUVCRUIZN]

Thanks for the great comparison. Disney is definitely a cruise line we would love to try sometime!!! :)

[gilboman]

There was no fee to setup a charge card.

 

Also the only fee for the kids club is if you dont return the braclet (and its like $12, not $48), as long as you return it there is no fee. (Except for the nursery for children under 3, thats $9 per hour.)

 

coworker got back yesterrday...that's what she told me... and she only used about 4 hrs total of kids club since her kids wanted to hang around her more :o

 

that's why I thought it was strange about the setup fee for her charge account...she started off with one just her husbands..then she wanted one for herself one time cause he wasnt around and she wanted a popcorn or something.

Edited March 4, 2014 by gilboman

[Rudyard]

We had talked about doing DCL this year, but they pulled out of Galveston ahead of schedule. We could have handled the higher cruise fare, but throw in air fare to Florida and a night in a hotel before and after the cruise (plus food for those two days) and I can't justify it (and I'm not going to risk missing the cruise or the flight home by flying in or out of Florida the "day of").

 

If they ever come back to Galveston/Houston, I'll give them a try.

[jwalk03]

coworker got back yesterrday...that's what she told me... and she only used about 4 hrs total of kids club since her kids wanted to hang around her more :o

 

that's why I thought it was strange about the setup fee for her charge account...she started off with one just her husbands..then she wanted one for herself one time cause he wasnt around and she wanted a popcorn or something.

 

I'm not sure what she is talking about but she is mistaken. There is no setup charge for a charge card. We even had 2 seperate ones setup, one for me and one for my fiance. No extra charges to do this.

 

The kids club is totally free for kids age 3+, at all hours. You do have to register them but there is no fee to do this. The only potential fee is if you chose not to return the bracelet, and the fee for this is like $12, nowhere near $48. If you return it they give you a reciept showing that is is returned and then there is no charge.

 

There is a charge for the It's a Small World Nursery, which is for children under age 3. It is $9 per hour.

 

Your co-worker may want to re-check her bill, lol.

[Davey Wavey]

Disney: 7 Days out of Port Canaveral in June 2014 (St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Castaway Cay)

 

Inside room: 2,569 per person

 

I love Mickey, but not THAT much...

 

For the price of a 7-day family of 5 on Disney ship balcony, I could stay at the Grand Floridian, go to the parks everyday, and book every character encounter at every meal then still go on a 7-day Carnival cruise. I do keep watching the prices in hopes they have a ridunculous sale, though. Hear that, fairy godmother??? Prolly not, because she's on the Disney cruise...

Edited March 4, 2014 by Davey Wavey

[GeorgiaMomof4]

Anxious to read this review. We too have only taken Carnival cruises but I've always wanted to take my kids on a Disney cruise - just haven't been able to let go of the fact that we could do 2 Carnival cruises for about what 1 Disney cruise costs.