Is Disney that much more luxurious than NCL?

[Regguy]

The best thing you can do before sailing on the Epic is to read as much as you can about the bathrooms. It's all about the expectations game. Go in with very low expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I had Mrs. Regguy so down about them, that she said something like, "this isn't nearly as bad as you made it out to be." That's a win in my book.

[Talex831]

7 of my 13 cruises have been with Disney. However, I can no longer justify the excessive cost. Yes, entertainment is far superior, but that's what Disney does. Ships are pretty, but so are others. Food is the same. Restaurants are nice and you rotate restaurants, so it's different venue each night. I would rather cruise longer, more often and in nicer staterooms than cruise Disney.

 

 

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[amscene1]

I have seen all types on Disney cruises. This last DCL cruise there was even someone chewing tobacco and spitting it in a bottle in the adult pool :eek:. You really never know what you are going to get.

 

 

Yea I'm sure there are "stragglers" on any ship. But we're not talking about the 0.02 percent.

[Demonyte]

Yea I'm sure there are "stragglers" on any ship. But we're not talking about the 0.02 percent.

 

 

Actually on our 5-nighter I saw more jogging/training gear and ball caps in dining rooms for dinner than on any other cruise before.

 

Based on how people claim that Disney is "upscale" I really didn't expect to see that - we dress up "smart casual"-y but on most nights felt that we were overdressed.

[PlutoRocks]

We have done 3 Disney cruises and 1 Norwegian cruise. We loved them both. We feel that the service on Disney is second to none, we didn't get great service on NCL. But we preferred the freestyle dining on NCL. We found that Disney went above and beyond for our son who has special needs and this was sadly lacking on Norwegian. They wouldn't allow him in the kids clubs because he wouldn't take part in the activities. He's just happy to sit and play with cars etc(he's 4) he isn't naughty but he struggles to play with others. But if he wasn't joining in then he wasn't welcome. This was disappointing for us.

But personally we can't justify the cost of Disney anymore, especially when we enjoyed our Norwegian cruise so much. We have a further 3 cruises booked on NCL and we have now adjusted our expectations of the kids club so it won't be a problem to us next time.

[gwsster]

Just booked a Navigator veranda for a 7 day British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic for 2018. This room has the enclosed balcony with a porthole opening for a view for under $5,000 for DH. Disney's charges are for the room, not per person and includes the port fees and taxes where the other lines are per person and do not include taxes and port fees. You have to add all the costs to get a fair value for a specific cruise.

We do not cruise with any specific cruise line but choose the best value for the itinerary we want to sail. We (DH and myself) compare prices with other major cruise lines, Princess, NCL, Hal, and Celebrity. Disney was on par and a little less expensive for this cruise, the cruise just opened 2/24 and is already almost sold out. You have to remember that you have to add the the fees to the other lines to get a comparable rate.

 

 

I thought that the $7,000 for our family of 4 over Thanksgiving was outrageous, but I just looked at Summer of 2018. I couldn't find a balcony on a 7 night cruise for less than $8,000!

 

There's obviously a demand when Disney can get away with this kind of pricing.

 

 

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[JessLCH]

We regularly sail NCL and sailed Disney Dream once in a 1 bedroom suite. We used to sail in The Haven on NCL regularly and found the suite experience to be comparable on both lines. We prefer the freestyle dining concept and specialty restaurants on NCL as well as their type of entertainment. We are HUGE Disney fans and go to WDW multiple times per year, but I just did not feel that DCL was better than NCL and certainly was not worth the huge cost difference. My kids are teens now and NCL is just a better fit for us.

[gwsster]

EXACTLY! Finding an itinerary and cruise line that meets your needs and wants is the key. I think most main cruise lines are more alike than different and I would never choose Disney over another line unless it had the same itinerary or better and the cost was in line with the other ships. I love the freestyle atmosphere of NCL. We are doing a NCL in May, a Celebrity in September of 2017 (first Celebrity cruise) and the Disney British Isles in September of 2018. The ship is a huge part of the vacation for me.

 

 

 

We regularly sail NCL and sailed Disney Dream once in a 1 bedroom suite. We used to sail in The Haven on NCL regularly and found the suite experience to be comparable on both lines. We prefer the freestyle dining concept and specialty restaurants on NCL as well as their type of entertainment. We are HUGE Disney fans and go to WDW multiple times per year, but I just did not feel that DCL was better than NCL and certainly was not worth the huge cost difference. My kids are teens now and NCL is just a better fit for us.

[hkbragg]

We are booked on our first Disney cruise over Thanksgiving of this year. The Epic sails on the same exact day on the same exact itinerary (except for the private island, Great Stirrup Cay vs Castaway Cay). NCL prices for similar accommodations (a standard balcony) are less than half, but with kids aged 5 and 8 at the time of sailing, we are going to bite the bullet and give Disney a shot.

 

We've read all the superlatives and listened to all the rave reviews from friends who have done Disney cruises. I'm hoping that Disney doesn't live up to the expectations because at these prices, I'd rather consider this Disney sailing a one time cruise rather than our new cruising normal.

 

 

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I just got off the Epic yesterday and paid less than half for my Haven 2-bedroom room as my friends paid for their balcony suite on Disney's ship that was sailing right next to us. We went to the same ports and they were so annoyed when they found out what we paid for 2 bedrooms, a private pool and restaurant, priority everything and a butler. I have not been on DCL, but the Haven was amazing and my husband and our kids (8 and 11) loved it just as much. I would hands-down choose the Epic Haven 2-bedroom again over DCL. More privacy, amazing food and and the Haven staff are so attentive. Perhaps you really want they DCL experience - and I get that - but check out the Haven 2-bedrooms and the private pool and restaurant if you haven't already.

[Talex831]

Just booked a Navigator veranda for a 7 day British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic for 2018. This room has the enclosed balcony with a porthole opening for a view for under $5,000 for DH. Disney's charges are for the room, not per person and includes the port fees and taxes where the other lines are per person and do not include taxes and port fees. You have to add all the costs to get a fair value for a specific cruise.

We do not cruise with any specific cruise line but choose the best value for the itinerary we want to sail. We (DH and myself) compare prices with other major cruise lines, Princess, NCL, Hal, and Celebrity. Disney was on par and a little less expensive for this cruise, the cruise just opened 2/24 and is already almost sold out. You have to remember that you have to add the the fees to the other lines to get a comparable rate.

 

 

 

You're saying that whether you put 2 or 4 people in the room, the price is the same? That was not the case on any of our 7 DCL cruises or any I've priced out since. Disney prices are no way comparable to other lines! I can book a concierge balcony or sometimes a suite on Celebrity for the price of a DCL inside stateroom on a comparable itinerary.

 

 

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[disneygirl10]

We are booked on our first Disney cruise over Thanksgiving of this year. The Epic sails on the same exact day on the same exact itinerary (except for the private island, Great Stirrup Cay vs Castaway Cay). NCL prices for similar accommodations (a standard balcony) are less than half, but with kids aged 5 and 8 at the time of sailing, we are going to bite the bullet and give Disney a shot.

 

We've read all the superlatives and listened to all the rave reviews from friends who have done Disney cruises. I'm hoping that Disney doesn't live up to the expectations because at these prices, I'd rather consider this Disney sailing a one time cruise rather than our new cruising normal.

 

 

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Are you on the Fantasy? If so, we're booked for the same cruise. I'm leaning towards switching to a Star Wars Day at Sea sailing though.. only problem is the only one that fits my schedule is in February. Not sure if I want to be at Castaway Cay that time of year. November is already cold enough.

 

 

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[wdwtiger1]

Hello , to ans your question,s me and my wife were exclusive Disney Cruiser,s and we went on NCL on a whim. Well we wanted to try other cruise lines, to find out was Disney really worth the Money!! We would take maybe 1-2 Cruises a year.What we found out was, Disney is way high priced for the product they deliver...Not doubt about it. Hey if you have small children and you want the Disney effect in everything you do. You want music piped in the hallway's and everything G rated. That is the cruise line for you. Oh i forgot if you want to pay for all that as well then that's the cruise line you want too book!! If you want to enjoy your vacation, and want to take 3-4 cruises a year instead of one every 2-3 years.then pick another cruise line. We picked NCL as a first choice just by dumb luck, hey it was a great choice for us. we had taken no less then 10 cruises with Disney even over seas, and I am finished with Disney not because of the service. It's because of the price $$$ i don't feel you get the Bang for the Buck you do with other cruise lines. Unless you want that Disney effect for a once in a lifetime family Vacation. Book on another line and keep your money in your wallet.

[Cwusinbunny1]

We did many cruises pre children - then in 2013 did the Fantasy - it was truly an amazing experience - that said, it is expensive, and we did the Dawn Boston to Bermuda run - truly a lousy ship - not for kids at all. Kids program was shut down from 11-2 every day - they did not offer any dinner for kids so Mom and Dad can have a dinner for two - the pool area was absolutely not the place I wanted my kids to see but the kids pool area was horrible - ceramic tile flooring???? A head injury waiting to happen. Food wise - NCL had nothing to offer my kids. Kids menu was the same every night - DCL has the standards but also has different specials every night and serves veggies with all. Any request I had on the Dawn to get the kids a smaller version of an adult meal was met with the oddest stares. The entertainment? My kids did not like the shows at all - they are really not geared for the under 16 crowd.

 

Now we just got off the Dream - did a B2B - it was, again, amazing. What I realized is that I want my kids to have as much as great time as I did - lifeguards at the pools who take the rules seriously - is fantastic. The shows are G rated - the magic shows are G rated - the food was good - not great but good, but our server was just outstanding with my kids - especially my son.

 

Castaway Cay? Heaven - Great Stirrup just can't compare. What Disney does is realize that yes we want family time - that is why we are there - but sometimes, it is nice for mom and dad to have some time too. The kids program on castaway - the kids wanted to try it, and my son didn't want to leave.

 

And then there are the Fish Extenders - just adds more pixie dust!

 

Do these things justify the added cost? For some no - for this mom, definitely. So I save, and I save and I do online surveys and product testing for the kind of vacation that for us, is truly magical.

 

So unless someone can convince me that the Dawn was an anomaly and not typical

[Mom2B&Z]

 

So unless someone can convince me that the Dawn was an anomaly and not typical

 

 

Your comparison of the Dawn to the Fantasy is like saying a 5* restaurant is better than a 3+* restaurant.

You also don't say what level of cabin you sailed on the Dawn. Most people comparing the two, myself included, are comparing Haven suite cabins to DCL. Comparable pricing comes with a DCL inside/balcony cabin vs NCL H6 or above. Plus the Fantasy is a ship aimed at families, the Dawn is older and smaller. The Dawn and Star both have many fewer amenities for children than the Jewel class or -away/-away+ class ships.

My children have had the exact opposite experience on DCL. They love NCL kids club because the staff interact with them, their description of DCL kids club staff was "crowd control". They went once and wouldn't go back.

NCL closes the kids club at meal times to make sure some kids are picked up from the program during the day. My boys have told me of kids who literally live at the kids club. I have no problem with the closing times,if you want an adult meal then book it in the evening.

The shows on DCL were lovely, but we are not huge Disney fans so none of us could follow the storylines. NCL, the boys love the dancing, magician, and comedian (early shows are PG, I don't need everything to be G rated).

Pixie dust means nothing to us, nor does the "magic" feeling that many Disney fans describe.

My boys love sailing in suites on NCL because the butler will bring them all the treats they want, knows us all by name and goes out of their way to make our trip unique and special to us. The concierge will get us all into whatever restaurant, show or event we want. No fighting with pre-cruise reservations.

As for dining staff, the Haven restaurant staff know Z likes to drink half orange juice, half cranberry. DCL couldn't figure that out (!). Don't want a kids meal? Order an adult meal and tell the child to eat what they can, that's what staff will tell you to do and exactly what we do. The standard kids menu is common to most lines, not just NCL (we ran into the same issue on Royal Caribbean in January).

So yes, your experience on the Dawn could very well be an anomaly. Cruising on mainstream lines with children means some home work on the ship and its amenities, and determining whether it meets your needs or not.

 

 

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[mcd2745]

Yours is one of multiple posts that mention huge increases in DSL cruises . I was under the impression that they were always sky high and more then the rest . No ?

 

 

 

They were always higher than the rest. However, the last 5 years or so, the year over year increases have been crazy. Anyone would understand a small, token increase annually, however, they have raised prices dramatically for several years running now.

 

We just got off the Getaway yesterday. We had done 4 DCL and 3 RCCL cruises previously. I feel like I could come up with the perfect ship & experience (for our family, at least) by combining elements from all 3 lines (however, I think the most elements would likely come from DCL). Probably the only thing I would take from NCL is the "Freestyle" approach to dining where you can go to any restaurant at any time and not herd like cattle to a main dining room at two specific times. From DCL, I would take the larger staterooms & split baths, the kids clubs - and most importantly their continuous operating hours, though I would add a late night service (even for a fee) that the others have - the different shows, the characters, the pleasant staff and the higher level of service they provide (service on the Getaway was generally AWFUL all the way around), the look and decor of the ships, and of course Castaway Cay - the gold standard of private islands. From RCCL, I would take the layout and design of their ships. They seem to do a great job with crowd flow and not having areas seem too crowded - particularly even up on the pool deck. I'll take their casino, too. Also, the Royal Promenade as a sort of central hub of the ship with shops, pizzeria, cafe, etc. is a great feature that we love. There is usually an English-style pub there also that I would replace with O'Sheehans from NCL (okay, so 2 things from NCL), a 24-hour venue with a bar, some food, and some games (darts, pool/billiard, air hockey, arcade style basketball games, skeeball, and mini-bowling). Neat place to hang out late-night instead of some loud club-type place.

 

DCL is, on the whole, the superior product IMO. They way we look at it, if we (a family of 4) could do a 7-nt on NCL, RCCL, or even Carnival (the Vista really interests us) for approx $3500 or so (all 3 usually are in the same ball park in pricing), we would have no problem going to around $5000 for DCL. However, DCL is more likely to be in the $7000 range. That's tough to justify.

[newmexicoNita]

Just booked a Navigator veranda for a 7 day British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic for 2018. This room has the enclosed balcony with a porthole opening for a view for under $5,000 for DH. Disney's charges are for the room, not per person and includes the port fees and taxes where the other lines are per person and do not include taxes and port fees. You have to add all the costs to get a fair value for a specific cruise.

We do not cruise with any specific cruise line but choose the best value for the itinerary we want to sail. We (DH and myself) compare prices with other major cruise lines, Princess, NCL, Hal, and Celebrity. Disney was on par and a little less expensive for this cruise, the cruise just opened 2/24 and is already almost sold out. You have to remember that you have to add the the fees to the other lines to get a comparable rate.

 

 

I don't know when they stopped charging per person so I will just have to trust you on that one: now, as for adding tax and port charges, there you are wrong: Yes, taxes nd port charges are extra but but you are given the total at the time of booking. I don't really understand the difference. One way isn't superior to the other. I will also add, though DCL have great ships and it is truely upscale, it is still more than other mass marketed ships. Here is an example; we are cruising on NCL in a few weeks: the Breakaway; balcony cabin for two including insurance, taxes, and the total is just over $2,500. If we had decided on an aft balcony it would have $300 more.

[alwalaska]

We haven't been on Disney since our first cruise in 2004, but yet, there is a lot about Disney that is better than any other cruise line I have been on, BUT, for us, it isn't enough better to warrant the extra money. I feel the same way about expensive steak restaurants, etc.

 

They announce each families name and crew applaud as you walk onto the ship the first time. The service is amazing, the food was the best that I had on any cruise, they were amazing with my allergies, my kids 9 and 11 were in love with the kids program, and more. No other kids program comes close. We had no complaints in any regard. It just isn't worth the cost for us. We would rather go on multiple cruises that are a little less than perfect than one cruise.

Edited February 27, 2017 by alwalaska
fixed year

[Regguy]

Just booked a Navigator veranda for a 7 day British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic for 2018. This room has the enclosed balcony with a porthole opening for a view for under $5,000 for DH. Disney's charges are for the room, not per person and includes the port fees and taxes where the other lines are per person and do not include taxes and port fees. You have to add all the costs to get a fair value for a specific cruise.

We do not cruise with any specific cruise line but choose the best value for the itinerary we want to sail. We (DH and myself) compare prices with other major cruise lines, Princess, NCL, Hal, and Celebrity. Disney was on par and a little less expensive for this cruise, the cruise just opened 2/24 and is already almost sold out. You have to remember that you have to add the the fees to the other lines to get a comparable rate.

 

 

Disney opening day prices for the August 9 sailing on Magic for a family of 4 were $8039 (all in) for a 9C (porthole, no balcony) and over $11,000 for a 5A (balcony). That's a 7-day itinerary, with only one day in St. Petersburg, and 4 stops total with very short calls in some of the ports (only 6:15 in Helsinki and 6:30 in Tallinn). And that's opening day pricing, which means either you need status or you need to be willing to get up early and fight for the best staterooms you can. Today, prices are thousands more.

 

A balcony for 4 on the NCL St. Petersburg cruise for 2018 is less than $6,100 all in, including UBP and FSD. Overnight in St. Petersburg, 7:30 in Tallinn, 9 hours in Helsinki, and an extra stop in Warnemunde/Berlin.

 

As I posted above, I think DCL cruises are significantly more fancy and I loved cruising with Disney. But these are pretty good comps. You are paying considerably more on Disney -- to the tune of many thousands -- and getting less in terms of nights and ports. Disney commands the premium, and everyone has different reasons why they want to cruise and what they want to experience, but there is no comparison in terms of price.

[JVilleGal]

Disney opening day prices for the August 9 sailing on Magic for a family of 4 were $8039 (all in) for a 9C (porthole, no balcony) and over $11,000 for a 5A (balcony). That's a 7-day itinerary, with only one day in St. Petersburg, and 4 stops total with very short calls in some of the ports (only 6:15 in Helsinki and 6:30 in Tallinn). And that's opening day pricing, which means either you need status or you need to be willing to get up early and fight for the best staterooms you can. Today, prices are thousands more.

 

A balcony for 4 on the NCL St. Petersburg cruise for 2018 is less than $6,100 all in, including UBP and FSD. Overnight in St. Petersburg, 7:30 in Tallinn, 9 hours in Helsinki, and an extra stop in Warnemunde/Berlin.

 

As I posted above, I think DCL cruises are significantly more fancy and I loved cruising with Disney. But these are pretty good comps. You are paying considerably more on Disney -- to the tune of many thousands -- and getting less in terms of nights and ports. Disney commands the premium, and everyone has different reasons why they want to cruise and what they want to experience, but there is no comparison in terms of price.

 

 

I can only assume your kids our older .

 

 

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[megansdad1]

Having done both, to me, it boils down to personal needs. The "Disney experience" was far superior to any other cruise I have taken. The staff was always happy, professional and on point. The kids clubs were so awesome. I would gladly do it again with the family even with the increased cost.

 

The food between DCL and NCL is pretty close to even.

 

The only down side I had with DCL is adult entertainment. On the Dream for example, they had such nice bars and lounges. But they were most often empty and lacked energy.

[newmexicoNita]

You're saying that whether you put 2 or 4 people in the room, the price is the same? That was not the case on any of our 7 DCL cruises or any I've priced out since. Disney prices are no way comparable to other lines! I can book a concierge balcony or sometimes a suite on Celebrity for the price of a DCL inside stateroom on a comparable itinerary.

 

 

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After reading the comment about pricing I asked my travel agent; she had no idea where that poster came up with her idea. As for priced by cabin not number of guests, she said, unless there are a kids cruise free promo, no, they do not price per cabin.

[purpletequila]

Every time this topic comes up with fellow cruisers I meet, the people who have been on Disney have, 100% of the time, said Disney was the best they've ever been on hands down. I've had this conversation on Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity and NCL.

 

So, I don't know what they're doing over there but it must be something right. It can't all be characters because some of these people went as a couple only, no kids.

Short of winning the lottery, I'll never find out because it is insane imo. I could go on 2 cruises in a balcony room with a drink package on NCL or X for what it costs for an inside room on Disney.

[JVilleGal]

Every time this topic comes up with fellow cruisers I meet, the people who have been on Disney have, 100% of the time, said Disney was the best they've ever been on hands down. I've had this conversation on Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity and NCL.

 

So, I don't know what they're doing over there but it must be something right. It can't all be characters because some of these people went as a couple only, no kids.

Short of winning the lottery, I'll never find out because it is insane imo. I could go on 2 cruises in a balcony room with a drink package on NCL or X for what it costs for an inside room on Disney.

 

 

This is exactly what my daughter told me. She has 3 kids and said she could do 3 cruises for the cost of DCL and laughed because of the prices. Then of course Grandma & Grandpa spring for a Disney Cruise and while bitching about how we wasted our $$ off they went.

 

Long story short, that family came home big time Disney converts! And now complain we ruined cruising for them. DCL is now the benchmark of excellence in all things Cruising. Disney knows how to deliver Service and a family vacation full of pixie dust and a liberal dose of Disney Magic.

 

 

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[Marla07860]

I've been on Disney Cruise Line 24 cruises all 4 ships and one NCL cruise on Pearl it was Parahoy! 2016. I will never made a trip report, from about a year ago actually and was just thinking about making one since not cruising this year. I'm hoping to get on a regular NCL cruise from NYC, I live a hour away I will say I like both lines. I'd always choose Disney, but NCL had better food from remembering. Seeing bands I liked were awesome too

[Regguy]

After reading the comment about pricing I asked my travel agent; she had no idea where that poster came up with her idea. As for priced by cabin not number of guests, she said, unless there are a kids cruise free promo, no, they do not price per cabin.

 

 

You have to pay for guests 3 and 4 on Disney. They are considerably more expensive than NCL. I haven't seen kids sail free on Disney in a while, and you will not see it at all on Magic, Summer Europe itineraries.

 

You can go to dis boards and get extensive data on the opening day pricing for virtually any Disney cruise. The numbers I posted above come from there. They break it down by category and guest.

 

I have studied this issue more than I'd like to admit. We very much want to cruise Disney. But we cannot make it work. There are tricks to bring Disney prices down a bit, especially if you have the patience for credit card bonus and travel hacking, because there are so many outlets that sell Disney gift cards and you can stack portal and credit card bonuses. But even then, we're talking at most 5 to 7 percent. Even with first day pricing and travel hacking, the equivalent DCL cruise to the one we hope to take this summer on NCL, in an equivalent stateroom, was more than double, and we have UBP and dining. It also was three days shorter and two ports fewer.

 

I am getting sick of NCL's nonsense -- all the issues that we talk about here which don't need to go over again. The point is I kind of want to give the middle finger to NCL and go back to Disney, but I just can't foot the bill. Maybe RCL next year, but not Disney.