Carnival Cruiser Experiences Disney for the First Time!

[JaniceB]

Found this post looking for Carnival/Disney comparision. Taking first DCL cruise after 10 Carnival mainly because of the age of my 3 granddaughters 7,6 and 3. I googled the price of the Breeze and found it to be about $200 less for 8 days not 7 vs the Disney Fantasy for approximately the same week. I loved the Breeze. I did find out the gratituties are much higher on Disney so need to add that to the total. I figure I will break about even considering no casino and no steakhouse and bringing my own alcohol. I am sure I will still buy a few drinks.. I always eat at the steakhouse 1 night. The girls have all been to WDW and loved it. They always want to see the characters and it can be quite an adventure just finding them and standing in the line. I figured the cruise on DCL would give them all the characters. I was worried about the kids club on Carnival keeping them entertained. I think the older ones would enjoy it, mine did, but the 3 year old would not be happy without them. On Disney they don't break up the age group 3-12. She will be happy hanging with the older ones. I hope I enjoy DCL as much as everyone else, will let you know when I return.

[Rogueperson]

One of these days I will try a Disney Cruise. The price factor is a huge sticker shock. It's hard to imagine a mass market cruise line offering luxury style cruise prices on large cruise ships. At these prices, you could get a deal on a small luxury line with similar service.

 

At those prices, I'm more likely to do a full WDW vacation which offers the same service and food quality in addition to the wonderful parks. If asked to choose, I would leave cruising to the other lines and do a WDW vacation instead.

 

 

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[JulieMcCoy]

JaniceB, I'll bet you'll have an awesome cruise on Disney with your grandchildren! I only read the first page of this thread and then jumped to today's post (yours). As you can see from my signature, I've done more Disney cruises than any other line. I loved my previous Carnival cruise, and I'm really, really looking forward to my February cruise to the Southern Caribbean on Carnival Valor. I know this post is on the Carnival message board...yay, Carnival!!

But shhh, I love Disney best, when I can justify the price. That over-the-top customer service. The elegant ships (amazing that they can be elegant AND have Disney characters). Great shows. Movie theater. Private island with no tendering. Split bathrooms with a bathtub. Divider curtain in the rooms. Very easy to view all at once the photos of your grandkids with and without Disney characters.

 

On our last Disney cruise, in March, the youngest of our nine family members on the cruise was college age. We spent most of our time in the adult areas, and Disney does a fantastic job of keeping the adult-only areas adult-only. Disney also lets you carry on board all the alcohol you want - no smuggling! Free soda for everyone all the time! (Of course, you paid a premium fare to get access to that "free" soda.)

 

Enjoy your magical cruise!

[sjcruiser]

Thanks for the review, I really enjoyed reading it. I have a Carnival cruise planned next year already, and was looking into doing a B@B, but may look into doing Disney instead if my pockets can afford it. Thanks again.

[dettlja]

We have our first disney cruise booked for fall of 2015 when they return to California. I just happened to book the weekend rates opened. Apparently that is the trick to getting an affordable cruise on disney. We paid 2900 for 4 ppl in a balcony room. Same cruise is now over 6k for 4 ppl in an ocean view. And this cruise is still over a year away.

 

So for those that want to try disney keep a close eye out for 2016 fares and book as soon as they open. You might be surprised how affordable they can be.

 

Jaimee

[asalligo]

What type of entertainment does a Disney cruise have for adults? Are the shows on the ship similar to Disney shows in the parks, because sitting through those are like getting my teeth pulled. I would like to see Carnival step up their shows and put a little more of an adult show on at the later hour.

 

I just feel that I would be stuck on a ship full of cartoon characters and would not enjoy myself. Does Disney have a casino?

[JaniceB]

JaniceB, I'll bet you'll have an awesome cruise on Disney with your grandchildren! I only read the first page of this thread and then jumped to today's post (yours). As you can see from my signature, I've done more Disney cruises than any other line. I loved my previous Carnival cruise, and I'm really, really looking forward to my February cruise to the Southern Caribbean on Carnival Valor. I know this post is on the Carnival message board...yay, Carnival!!

But shhh, I love Disney best, when I can justify the price. That over-the-top customer service. The elegant ships (amazing that they can be elegant AND have Disney characters). Great shows. Movie theater. Private island with no tendering. Split bathrooms with a bathtub. Divider curtain in the rooms. Very easy to view all at once the photos of your grandkids with and without Disney characters.

 

On our last Disney cruise, in March, the youngest of our nine family members on the cruise was college age. We spent most of our time in the adult areas, and Disney does a fantastic job of keeping the adult-only areas adult-only. Disney also lets you carry on board all the alcohol you want - no smuggling! Free soda for everyone all the time! (Of course, you paid a premium fare to get access to that "free" soda.)

 

Enjoy your magical cruise!

 

Thank you. The split bathroom will come in handy and I will love docking at the private island vs tendering. I loved half moon cay so can't wait to step foot on castaway cay. Hope I come back happy to have cruised on disney.

 

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[Don't tell my wife]

We have been on 2 Disney cruises with a third booked for early 2015. Also been on 1 Royal Caribbean cruise. I felt a bit nickeled and dimed on the Royal cruise. They brought out all kinds of stuff out to sell to all of the guest on the promenade deck. I think it just cheapen the whole cruise experience. Ever had that feeling on a Disney cruise. I have a Carnival cruise booked for my wife's birthday (shhh don't tell). Not really sure what to expect. Doubt it will live up to Disney. At least it is time away from reality and work. That's plus so it can't be all bad!!

[travler27]

I'm sure Disney does a bang up job with their cruises but I just can't imagine what they could do to make a Disney cruise worth 300% of the price of a Carnival cruise. I guess I 'll have to take everybody's word for it because faced with a choice of one Disney cruise or three Carnival cruises I'll be looking at whale tails and not mouse ears.

[CookieShip]

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.

 

Figured as much, I rather do my cruise on Carnival and still have bucks left over to do Disney on land as a separate vacation :)

[tigercat]

Out of all my cruises I have taken only 1 Disney cruise. It was 4 nights. I love Disney and go to Disneyworld almost once a year. However, our Disney cruise was horrible. The food was not good, I was hungry all the time. Housekeeping didn't happen. We had a dirty dish on the desk for the room steward to take after the first night. It stayed in our room. We would move it in different places to see if they would take it. The last time we put it on one of the beds. They made the bed up with the dirty dish under the covers. Yes I know that never happens, but it did. My daughter and I did do Palos and the meal was good however the steakhouse on the Carnival is just as good. I realize that every cruise is different and one experience does not a line make, however for the price we paid it wasn't worth going back.

tigercat

[HLGW60]

I am a Disney Vacation Club Member and have vacationed with Disney too many times to count. I love their resorts....especially Aulani in Oahu but their cruises are just overpriced IMO. I can use my DVC points for a cruise too and I don't even want to use them for that again even though my only cruise with them was a DVC cruise with reduced points and free gifts. Still not worth it. However, I can see the appeal of Disney for young families.

 

 

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[lbow2006]

You have me second guessing my choice to book Carnival for next November. Unfortunately I already booked ES yesterday. I checked and Disney has a 1 night shorter cruise for $200-$500 more and we'd all have to stay in the same room instead of two separate ones, but I think my son would enjoy it so much more. Hmm... :(

[gnocchi_mommy]

I would looooove to do Disney except for one small problem- no casino!!!

[goduckies05]

We have our first disney cruise booked for fall of 2015 when they return to California. I just happened to book the weekend rates opened. Apparently that is the trick to getting an affordable cruise on disney. We paid 2900 for 4 ppl in a balcony room. Same cruise is now over 6k for 4 ppl in an ocean view. And this cruise is still over a year away.

 

So for those that want to try disney keep a close eye out for 2016 fares and book as soon as they open. You might be surprised how affordable they can be.

 

Jaimee

 

I have my first Disbey Cruise booked as well. The 5 day to Cabo next fall. Booked opening day with my Disney loving cousin for 600 bucks pp for an inside. Cheap for Disney. I wish there was a casino, but at least I can take boos on. Hopefully night life will be good.

 

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[princess di44]

My first cruise was on disney. It was fun, great for families, and ok if you want to eat, breath, disney. There was some good disney entertainment, the staff was great, but food was just ok. The buffet was better than carnival, but I really liked the mdr at carnival better. Also, I feel like carnival cruises have more friendly people, and more fun factor. Would I take a disney cruise? Only if I got a super fabulous rate.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

I have my first Disbey Cruise booked as well. The 5 day to Cabo next fall... I wish there was a casino, but at least I can take boos on.

That's only if you're booked over Halloween. ;)

[us2swingu]

We did the Disney Magic early this year, BUT I will stick with Carnival thank you. Disney was awesome especially when it comes to the kids, but the extra $1000 we spent could have been used for a whole lotta fun elsewhere and still have a great experience on a Carniival ship. My though is that it is not worth all the extras that you pay for just because the name Disney is in front of it. Disney is not as awesome as it once was..

[mum2bradley]

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.

 

Yeah, I have no desire to cruise Disney. I'd rather take 3 good cruises than 1 awesome cruise. Also all that happiness would drive me insane!! LOL

[kelly11]

I agree with your review, we loved our Disney cruise :)

The service on Carnival has always been wonderful, no complaints, its just the above and beyond that Disney did that we noticed. We did the Canada/New England cruise and when we got back on the ship in St Johns it was cold and raining, they had Disney employees waiting with warm towels and had tables with warm chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate/coffee and tea in the lobby.

The shows were stunning, the costumes and special effects were amazing, we loved the rotational dining as well.

 

We will be doing another Disney cruise in a couple of years:)

[carolinaviking71208]

I grew up in the Orlando area. When Disney needed a marching band for a parade, they called my high school, when they had a "Tri-County All Star High School Marching Band" I was in it. They "paid" us with free tickets. A pair for each rehearsal, a pair for each performance, and free tickets for family members to attend the performances. None had expiration dates. I went over 10 years never paying to go to any Disney park. It was great!

 

Having said that, I don't think I'll ever take a Disney cruise. I can't see myself spending a week stuck in a Disneyfied world, let alone paying the prices they charge for their cruises. Not a knock on the Cruiselines itself. I don't think I could handle that much Disney in one vacation.

 

 

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Edited October 24, 2014 by carolinaviking71208

[jwalk03]

What type of entertainment does a Disney cruise have for adults? Are the shows on the ship similar to Disney shows in the parks, because sitting through those are like getting my teeth pulled. I would like to see Carnival step up their shows and put a little more of an adult show on at the later hour.

 

I just feel that I would be stuck on a ship full of cartoon characters and would not enjoy myself. Does Disney have a casino?

 

I found the main shows to be very enjoyable as an adult. Yes they are filled with Disney characters, but still very enjoyable. Much better than ANY Carnival main show I have seen.

 

There are plenty of adult options. The Quiet Cove area is a wonderful adult sun deck complete with hot tubs, bar, and a pool! Something that is always lacking with the Carnival Serenity Areas.

 

The entire area of bars/lounges on the ships is all adults only after a certain time. (9PM i think) Very cool unique thememing in each one, and lots of live entertainment in the evenings to enjoy w/o kids.

 

No Disney ships have casinos. So if that is a main reason you cruise, than Disney would not be a great option. But with casinos so readily available on land all over the country these days, cruising to gamble just isnt a priority for me. Most cruise ship casino games have terrible advantages for the house that you can avoid at better land casinos, since the ship's casinos are largely unregulated! (6/5 blackjack anyone?? I THINK NOT!)

 

I'm sure Disney is not for everyone, but I really really enjoyed it. And yes the price is higher, but if you book early and at off times, there are deals to be had! I would never pay the prices that Disney charges in Summer or around Christmas! They are off the charts!

[jwalk03]

I have my first Disbey Cruise booked as well. The 5 day to Cabo next fall. Booked opening day with my Disney loving cousin for 600 bucks pp for an inside. Cheap for Disney. I wish there was a casino, but at least I can take boos on. Hopefully night life will be good.

 

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We are also booked on a 5-day Cabo next fall on the Wonder. I booked the day they released the fares, and got an inside for 3 people for $1700 total. A great Deal for Disney! Which week are you booked?

[travler27]

This past January (2014) I took the family, including granddaughter, to WDW for a week. We stayed at Kadani Village in a 2 bedroom condo and did the parks everyday with the Disney dining plan. There were 5 of us and the total cost was more than $10,000. I felt like it was way over priced for what was delivered. There were no problems but I just didn't think we got our $10K's worth. I won't do it again. They do pander to the kiddies and of course the kiddies drag the adults along but I'm done with WDW.

 

I suspect DCL is very nearly the same. Overpriced for what is delivered and the premium price is charged because they have Mickey and Donald. I guess I'm just not impressed by Mickey and Donald anymore.

 

I also took the same family group on a 6 day Carnival cruise and we stayed in 2 ocean suites. The granddaughter had a blast, the adults had a blast. We didn't try to be cheap. Did all the excursions we wanted, steakhouse, no limits on anything and I still spent less than $6,000. Much better value and just as much (actually more) fun than going to WDW.

Edited October 24, 2014 by travler27

[Havingfun2010]

Super 8 Hotel - $49.00

Hilton - $149.00

 

Both have 2 beds, a bathroom and supply you with towels.

 

I'm totally amazed at the number of posters that state the obvious that Disney is more expensive than Carnival. Both offer a stateroom and food, but you pay for what you get.