I am hopelessly lost... please help!!

[sftnslky]

you may be setting yourself up for just an OK time, instead of a family cruise adventure to remember.

 

I had just gotten off the phone with RCI asking questions about different things... I.E. when can you book the character breakfast, what deck and how big the kids clubs etc... and getting some concerning answers.. I.E the breakfast is $10 fee per person/child?? The kids clubs are approx 60-70% smaller then those on Disney [exact wording from the Customer Service Agent), and the amount of places that they do allow smoking on the ship :eek: is vast... And then I read your post and a light bulb off in my head.. And I said "your right". So after talking to my Daughter and her Hubby we are going to delay our cruise for 6 more months and switch over to Disney which with the additional 6 months out will be almost the same amount as what we were going to pay for Liberty.

 

I HONESTLYappreciate everyone's thoughts/comments...but your exactly right we don't want to just have "an OK time", we want to have a magical experience. There is obviously ships/company's that suits everyone..and after talking to my hubby and asking him if we took a cruise just the two of us..which line would he want..and hands down he said Disney...

 

And just to clarify it IS NOT just the kids clubs strict activity based schedule that is guiding us in making this decision. It is the much higher percentage of "pay for" restaurants then it is "free", it is the character breakfast cost, it is the HUGE casino, the more relaxed smoking rules, and after 11pm room service fee, the horror stories I read about disembarking, and the MUCH smaller staterooms. I think what it boils down to after seeing several videos on youtube.. The ship looks like it caters to the more adult with dollars then families...which would stand to reason why all the nickel and dimming and all the extra fee restaurants. I guess I should have done much more research before I booked....lesson learned :)

[Lerin]

Well that was 4 pages of wasted reading.

Enjoy cruising with the mouse

[Wheresthesalt]

and all the extra fee restaurants. I guess I should have done much more research before I booked....lesson learned :)[/color][/size][/b][/font]

 

Disney is not void of pay extra restaurants. Remy and Palo on Disney is pay extra. Some of your rationale I don't get, I get the impression you were not happy with family picking RCI so you found every and any possible reason to convince them to switch. RCI never stood a chance and would have never met your expectations. Enjoy your Disney cruise they are wonderful for kids and kids at heart no doubt. I just cant justify the extra $$$ they command.

[dcgrumpy]

I'm glad you canceled. I was going to suggest it when I read your original post. But thought it would sound rude. I could tell from your first post that you wouldn't enjoy anything but DCL.

[hawks026]

Thank you so much for your extremely helpful insight. When you are used to one type of cruise line...the transition is not always smooth.:( And just for the record.. [not you] but I NEVER said we wanted to NOT feed the kids or get rid of them or sit them in front of video games all day. However the more relaxed free style kids options on Disney are very inviting.. and you can plan your whole day around YOUR family's needs and wants VRS what the cruise line says you or your child MUST do in order to be allowed to participate. :confused: So we have pretty much determined that the 3 grand-kids will not be utilizing the kids club at all except maybe on one port day...which is fine, they enjoy more outdoor activities anyway... :). By the way which port days are they open?? Or is it everyday your in a port?

 

As for the nickel and dimming, I have read many reviews regarding this and I am preparing my self for this.. but thankfully I know before hand so I am ready...or else the shock factor would have be in full LOL

 

Am sad about no rotational dining but sounds like the WJ will be a godsend for the 3 year old and myself..because honestly 3 floors of BUSY/LOUD dinning isn't really my style either. :)

 

I wouldn't worry about the dining room being too loud, I think noise level in dining rooms on Disney wonder was comparable to noise in royal's main dining room. Enjoy your cruise! Nvm saw canceled

Edited April 13, 2016 by hawks026

[fairywren]

Well that was 4 pages of wasted reading.

Enjoy cruising with the mouse

 

Like :D

[Spurschick]

I had just gotten off the phone with RCI asking questions about different things... I.E. when can you book the character breakfast, what deck and how big the kids clubs etc... and getting some concerning answers.. I.E the breakfast is $10 fee per person/child?? The kids clubs are approx 60-70% smaller then those on Disney [exact wording from the Customer Service Agent), and the amount of places that they do allow smoking on the ship :eek: is vast... And then I read your post and a light bulb off in my head.. And I said "your right". So after talking to my Daughter and her Hubby we are going to delay our cruise for 6 more months and switch over to Disney which with the additional 6 months out will be almost the same amount as what we were going to pay for Liberty.

 

I HONESTLYappreciate everyone's thoughts/comments...but your exactly right we don't want to just have "an OK time", we want to have a magical experience. There is obviously ships/company's that suits everyone..and after talking to my hubby and asking him if we took a cruise just the two of us..which line would he want..and hands down he said Disney...

 

And just to clarify it IS NOT just the kids clubs strict activity based schedule that is guiding us in making this decision. It is the much higher percentage of "pay for" restaurants then it is "free", it is the character breakfast cost, it is the HUGE casino, the more relaxed smoking rules, and after 11pm room service fee, the horror stories I read about disembarking, and the MUCH smaller staterooms. I think what it boils down to after seeing several videos on youtube.. The ship looks like it caters to the more adult with dollars then families...which would stand to reason why all the nickel and dimming and all the extra fee restaurants. I guess I should have done much more research before I booked....lesson learned :)

 

 

Sorry you felt like you had to cancel. It's a shame because the ship is definitely not adult orientated.

 

Just because the kids clubs are smaller than Disney does not mean it is small and they don't offer anything. Also stating that it is a strict activity based schedule is misleading. As with all other cruise lines we have sailed, there is a schedule which reflects planned activities, but no one is telling you what you have to do.

 

Your comment regarding you not liking the ship because it has a huge casino? There are lots of people that sail that are not interested in a casino. There are plenty of things to do other than go in the casino. If casino is not your thing just find other entertainment. How other people enjoying themselves in a casino that you do not wish to visit has to do with picking a cruise line I am not sure. That's like saying someone won't pick a ship because it has a Jazz Club and they don't like Jazz?

 

Smoking areas are not vast like you claim. They have reduced a lot over recent years to the point I hardly notice them. They are the casino, that you have already stated you don't want so wouldn't be in anyway, and a couple of outdoor areas, and my understanding is Disney has designated smoking areas as well.

 

Like others have said, it looks like you went looking for an excuse not to book it and go back to Disney. I wish you the best but sometimes variety really can be the spice of life. Shame you were not open to trying it.