New to RCI from Disney

[Capt. Johnny]

When I started this thread I was looking for advice on coming from the Disney Magic over to RCL and sailing on the Mariner of the Seas. We weren't asking about different locations as we did the Eastern Caribbean both times. We looked for advice and the great people on these boards responded.

 

We have just come home from a truly awesome cruise upon the Mariner and can now tell others based on sailing on both. We will cruise RCL from now on. I will give the Disney Cruise Line all the credit they deserve as a great line and how they take care of the much smaller children, but if your kids were like ours, age nine and up, step up to the cruise of a lifetime in RCL.

 

Yes, we had to buy a pop card or sticker for our son, but we also booked a junior suite for almost half of what Disney wanted for a similar size stateroom. We saved a lot of money which is very important to us and enjoyed so many more amenities aboard ship that made every hour different.

 

The promenade aboard the Voyager class ships is simply beyond description. I ate way to many of those little elegant sandwiches and enjoyed many cups of FREE Seattle's Best coffee.

 

On to the food, I never thought this was possible but both my DW and I think the food was a notch better on the Mariner than the Magic. Our Jamaican waiter Greg directed us to the best items on the menu and we were totaly impressed each night. So like maybe I put away three lobster dinners on the last formal night, but hey that was what the stairs were for.

 

The winner was RCL, our next cruise is booked and we are going back on the Mariner in 2009 when she ports out of the Pacific Ocean.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!:cool:

[Ashley24]

We went on the Mariner for the first time (first time on RCL too) this past Christmas after only sailing on Disney and I disagree. We loved Disney way more. The RCL doesn't have the special magic that Disney has in various areas. I agree that you can get a larger room for much cheaper. That was the only plus for us on the Mariner. The rest was just ok. After 5 days, we were ready to get off and continue our trip at Walt Disney World. Our whole family agreed that we preferred WDW to the Mariner.

[crusinmama06]

Welcome back Capt Johnny!!!! :D :D :D

 

You know I agree 100%. Disney has it's good points. But we prefer to cruise with RCCL.

 

When I want the Magic of Disney, I go to Walt Disney World. ;) :D

[disneyfreak]

I have been on 3 Disney cruises and WDW 50+ times. I am truly a Disney freak. I am sailing on FOS this Sunday and it will be my first cruise on RC. My son is almost 13 now and I thought FOS would be better for him. I could have sailed Disney again, but my husband wanted something different as well. Plus, when I checked prices, Disney was almost double for the same week, same room!!!! I'll let you guys know what I think when I return.

[billylen]

Thanks for your post. I happen to agree 100%. Disney was a wonderful experience an I would sail with them again, but by far the best overall value is RCCL.

 

It is not just the money or the cabin size, I happen to think that features available on RCCL are better.

 

I do happen to think the quality of shows are better on Disney (in some cases waaay better), but that is only one aspect...both are great in their own ways (aren't all cruises great?) , but for me RCCL all the way

[crusinmama06]

I do happen to think the quality of shows are better on Disney (in some cases waaay better), but that is only one aspect...both are great in their own ways (aren't all cruises great?) , but for me RCCL all the way

 

Yes, no doubt. I loved the Disney shows. I don't go to any shows on any other ships because they just don't hold my interest. I find other things to do. :)

[disneyfreak]

No doubt, the Disney shows are going to be hard to beat. However, I do want to see some shows on this cruise. I just won't go into it expecting Disney shows! :)

[SandraLee]

What about the other entertainment? Are there family friendly comedy shows? What did you do in the evenings with your children? My kids didn't really go to the Disney clubs after dinner -- I really like that time to be family time.

 

I'll be on the Radiance w/ my family DD9 and DS12 in July.

[Dave Wojo]

We have cruised twice, once with Disney on the Magic and once with RCI on the Explorer of the Seas. Here's a short list of what we found comparable and different.

• Customer service and food we found to be comparable, though food such as burgers and pizza were much more accessible on the Magic.
  
• There is no comparing the two ships. The Magic is a "classic" cruise ship, where the Explorer is a "mega" ship. We definitely preferred the Magic over the Explorer, though there are classicly styled ships available with RCI...we just weren't on one. :)
  
• First run movies on the Magic...no other line can compete.
  
• Shows on the Magic were polished and first class. The shows on the Explorer were good for the most part, but one we found to be downright cheesey. The ice show on the Explorer was spectacular.
  
• The cabins were comparable. We had ocean view cabins on both. There was significantly more storage space on the Explorer. The split bathroom was nice on the Magic.
  
• The post cruise price difference between the two cruises significantly favored RCI, even given the fact that our cruise on the Explorer was 9 days and our cruise on the Magic was 7.
  
• Our 15 year old son (14 when on the Magic) enjoyed the teen activities on the Explorer far more than those on the Magic. He said that on the Magic he was bored by the end of the week.
  
• Castaway Cay vs. Labadee...no comparison. Castaway Cay wins by a landslide.

With all of the above considered, we have opted to take our third cruise with RCI. We have opted for one of their more "classicly" styled ships...the Vision of the Seas. The main deciding factors were the activities for our teen DS, and the significant price difference. This cruise is likely to be the main decider for us on whether we will stay with RCI or switch back to Disney. If the cruise is as enjoyable as what we experienced on the Explorer, and if we find the Vision to compare favorably with the classic lines of the Magic, we will likely stay with RCI.

 

Hope that helps. :)

[benebire]

Wow, I think you've gotten alot of responses but I will add mine. Have sailed Disney 3 times and RCCL 3 times with my 4th coming in 4 days. Been on 9 cruises total none was ever BAD. Think I just love cruising and could have a good time on any ship.

DISNEY PRO- Sailaway party can't be beat, split bathrooms, room size slightly larger,rotating to different restaurants, character breakfast, free pop, great kids/teens club, family friendly shows, including ones on deck, Castaway Cay

is gorgeous

DISNEY CON- Price is really expensive, shows are great but no live orchestra, no casino, not as much night life, If you dont love disney you will get disney'd out by the characters music etc. pool too small and full to use.

RCCL PRO- Love the promenade, like spending time in the casino, ice show unique, Lots of nightlife, love the quiet time in the solarium, live orchestra at main shows,Quest is hilarious

RCCL CON- No characters, tendering is s-l-o-w, paying for pop (we love our pop)cost for premium restaurant is higher than disney but are worth the $

[Uncle Fester]

DISNEY CON- no casino, little night life ....$

 

I have to agree that lack of casino and night life are what have kept us from a Disney cruise. Plus the fact that after our kids went on the Mariner of the Seas, they got hooked on skating, rock climbing, mini-golf, etc.

[pmfan]

I have never cruised with Disney, but I must say I absolutely love cruising with Royal Caribbean.:D

[FloridaGram]

This thread is full of wonderful information so I would like to keep it going because of new cruisers who may be asking themselves many of the questions that are addressed here.

 

Something to consider when booking RCCL is to get a cruise that goes to Cococay, not Labadee. Our next cruise is booked for this May 31 and we did not choose RCCL only because I dislike Labadee so much. We are actually going to try Carnival because this particular cruise stops at Half Moon Cay, which is second only to Castaway Cay. The rest of the cruise will be an interesting comparison! We've not sailed Carnival in 10 years and know some of the potential issues but it was worth a try to go to some new ports and HMC and it cost less. We know we love HMC!

 

I do not think that anyone would be disappointed on RCCL or DCL, the bottom line for both is $$$. DCL costs more but in true Disney style, they deliver. RCCL delivers a quality vacation also, just a different one. I will let you know if Carnival delivers also in June!

[crusinmama06]

What about the other entertainment? Are there family friendly comedy shows? What did you do in the evenings with your children? My kids didn't really go to the Disney clubs after dinner -- I really like that time to be family time.

 

I'll be on the Radiance w/ my family DD9 and DS12 in July.

 

Well they do have Family activities at night. They have a family Disco. Family scavenger hunt. Family sports tournaments. Family karaoke. But here's the reality, my oldest didn't like to stay in the Disney club but I can't get her (or her sister) out of the RCCL Adventure Ocean. It doesn't matter how much I beg, at night my kids do NOT want to be with me. I get them for dinner. And then they want AO from 7pm-10pm. :rolleyes:

 

So you may have a different experience on an RCCL ship.

 

 

Something to consider when booking RCCL is to get a cruise that goes to Cococay, not Labadee.

 

I agree 100%! I LOVE Cococay. And it is very similiar to Castaway Cay. And that's because of their location. I don't really like Labadee as much. Unfortunatly RCCL is going to Labadee more and more. And now that they are building a dock there, it will increase. :(

[Leesbrug Land]

When I took my two oldest to WDW many years ago (they are now 20 and 17) they wanted to go home after the first hour. We stayed the whole day anyway because we paid so much money to get there.

 

We took our youngest DD 7 (the Disney Princess fanatic) to WDW this last summer and she was asking to go back to the hotel as soon as we walked into the front gate:rolleyes: . She didn't even want to stick around to see her all time favorite princess Cinderella!!! (We left her older sister and brother at the hotel since they absolutly did not want to go to WDW and we didn't want to listen to them complain the entire time.)

 

And in case you are wondering both times my DH and I were really excited about going to WDW and highly anticipating the trips. It was a huge let down to see my kids wanting to go home so soon after visiting the Magic Kingdom. My guess is that I have three weirdo kids that don't like theme parks:confused: .

 

We have thought about a Disney cruise so that my youngest DD can get her princess fix. I know that the DCL cruises are family friendly and everyone that I have talked to just absolutly loved it! But they are very expensive and I don't know how much fun DH and I will have. DH and I have been on four RCCL cruises and loved each and every one. Since we are not Disney fanatics I wonder if a DCL cruise would be right for our family.

 

We are taking all of the kids on Explorer of the Seas in Sept and the two oldest have already been told that if they complain they are swimming home!:D

[crusinmama06]

When I took my two oldest to WDW many years ago (they are now 20 and 17) they wanted to go home after the first hour. We stayed the whole day anyway because we paid so much money to get there.

 

We took our youngest DD 7 (the Disney Princess fanatic) to WDW this last summer and she was asking to go back to the hotel as soon as we walked into the front gate . She didn't even want to stick around to see her all time favorite princess Cinderella!!! (We left her older sister and brother at the hotel since they absolutly did not want to go to WDW and we didn't want to listen to them complain the entire time.)

 

And in case you are wondering both times my DH and I were really excited about going to WDW and highly anticipating the trips. It was a huge let down to see my kids wanting to go home so soon after visiting the Magic Kingdom. My guess is that I have three weirdo kids that don't like theme parks:confused: .

 

We have thought about a Disney cruise so that my youngest DD can get her princess fix. I know that the DCL cruises are family friendly and everyone that I have talked to just absolutly loved it! But they are very expensive and I don't know how much fun DH and I will have. DH and I have been on four RCCL cruises and loved each and every one. Since we are not Disney fanatics I wonder if a DCL cruise would be right for our family.

 

We are taking all of the kids on Explorer of the Seas in Sept and the two oldest have already been told that if they complain they are swimming home!:D

 

HAHAHAHAHA! I totally see your point. I have a friend with two kids EXACTLY like that. I spent a year planning a precruise trip to WDW with her family. Her kids are the same age as mine. We all walked into Magic Kingdom, within 10 minutes the 7 year old was complaining that his feet hurt and he wanted to leave :rolleyes: And within the hour his 6 year old sister was gone too.

 

MY kids closed the park down at midnight. :D

 

We travel to different amusement parks every weekend (as soon as they all open here after memorial day) and it doesn't matter how late we leave and how long we stay, my kids STILL beg to stay longer. :rolleyes:

 

Some kids love them, some kids not so much. ;)

[pixie08]

We have only been on one cruise, Disney Magic 12/03(Honeymoon/family vactation), our girls were 9 and 11. It was the best vacation we've ever been on. We are booked for Liberty of the Seas 12/08, our five year annivarsary, can't wait the girls will be 14 and 16, what a difference 5 years makes. I too am concerned I will miss all the disney "magic" but a cruise is a cruise, won't wait so long in between next time. I'm getting concerned about Labadee though, is it really that bad?:rolleyes: Thanks for keeping this thread going, I'm addicted.

[crusinmama06]

I'm getting concerned about Labadee though, is it really that bad?:rolleyes: Thanks for keeping this thread going, I'm addicted.

 

No, not at all. These opinions are just coming from spolied cruisers. ;) I am a spoiled cruiser because we've been to many different cruiseline private islands/areas. I have a preference for CocoCay. That's not to say that anything is wrong at all with Labadee.

 

The reason I like CocoCay is that it looks more like an island paradise. Very flat. Palm Trees and white sugar sand as far as the eye can see.

 

Labadee is surrounded by mountains. It looks more like a jungle paradise because of the moutains. And since where I live (my house is surrounded by mountains) I prefer CocoCay.

[pixie08]

Thanks for the reply re: Labadee, any suggestion re: excursions vs just hanging at the beach? Was thinking about the zip line. Not sure though if it just wastes a lot of time for a short ride?.:confused:

[sandaneli]

This has been a great thread. We have been on 4 DCL cruises and loved every one of them. The kids are getting older and so we thought we'd try RCCI. Both kids would love to go back to DCL but are willing to give RCCI a chance. Besides we told them because of the cost it would take at least an extra year to pay for a Disney Cruise so RCCI looked a bit more interesting to them.

 

DH and I are huge Disney fans and had been there many times before we met. Our first trip there as a family was a shocker. THe kids didn't like the parks or rides. So we saw the Characters and the shows. The next time we were thinking of a vacation we looked into the cruise and realized that they had shows and characters and it would be less expensive than the same number of days in the parks. Our first cruise was a 7 night Eastern on the Magic. We were hooked.

 

But since we live in New England, the airfare to FL can be outrageous. We found that the Explorer goes out of NJ for 9 days at a significant savings over 7 days on the Magic and no airfare or lost travel days. So we're signed up for Explorer for next April.

 

This thread has been so informative and it's been great to see constructive comments pro and con.

 

Now it's just so hard to wait over a year for our next cruise. I will keep tuned to the boards for information and comparisons and hope this thread stays alive as more people offer their opinions and comparisons. We don't want to get on the Explorer and spend our time comparing it to Disney but we'd like to just enjoy this new experience.

 

One concern we have is that we'll feel "nickel and dimed" on RCCI as we did in the parks. Constantly having to pay for things like drinks and snacks. I realize that these costs are built in to the price of the Disney cruise and nothing is really free but it's nice not having to sign for everything whenever you want to eat or drink.

 

I'll be watching for more information and comparisons. Please keep them coming.

 

Sandra

[pixie08]

Does anyone think that RCCL or Disney or anyone else ever looks at any of these threads? There sure is some good info that they would surely learn from, if they would open to it.:rolleyes:

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the reply re: Labadee, any suggestion re: excursions vs just hanging at the beach? Was thinking about the zip line. Not sure though if it just wastes a lot of time for a short ride?.:confused:

 

Well we used Labadee as a beach day. Friends of ours went on the zip line, the wife loved it. The husband said it was too slow. ;) So there you have it, 2 people, same excursion, two totally different opinions.

 

One concern we have is that we'll feel "nickel and dimed" on RCCI as we did in the parks. Constantly having to pay for things like drinks and snacks. I realize that these costs are built in to the price of the Disney cruise and nothing is really free but it's nice not having to sign for everything whenever you want to eat or drink.

 

I see that mentioned alot from people who haven't cruised RCCL and honestly, with the exception of the soda cards (which we never buy for 3 of us because my kids drink milk, fruit punch or juice and I drink iced tea) and Johnny Rockets ($3.95 surcharge)...there is nothing else really to be nickled and dimed over.

 

Some ships have specialty coffees and Energy shakes that you can buy (don't know if Explorer is one of them). But we could eat/drink all day long and never pay extra for anything.

 

Does anyone think that RCCL or Disney or anyone else ever looks at any of these threads? There sure is some good info that they would surely learn from, if they would open to it.:rolleyes:

 

Yes, we know that RCCL does. Don't know about Disney. But it would make sense for them to have someone monitor it since this seems to be the biggest cruising community board out there.

[sandaneli]

Does anyone think that RCCL or Disney or anyone else ever looks at any of these threads? There sure is some good info that they would surely learn from, if they would open to it.:rolleyes:

 

I know that Disney watches the DisBoards and changes have been made from information viewed there.

 

 

I see that mentioned alot from people who haven't cruised RCCL and honestly, with the exception of the soda cards (which we never buy for 3 of us because my kids drink milk, fruit punch or juice and I drink iced tea) and Johnny Rockets ($3.95 surcharge)...there is nothing else really to be nickled and dimed over.

 

Thanks for the information. Are milk, juice and iced tea free? Also, if you have a soda card do you still have to pay for soda at Johnny Rockets?

[BethA]

I think the charges for the RC specialty restaurants are higher than for Palo on DCL. On RC they did push the shopping onboard more-since more is available. Both are high priced for the pictures.

 

Having done both lines each has its strong points. RC has way more to do for older teens and adults. We found the evening shows not always kid friendly--comedy was adult themed in the theater many times. We found we did not like the production shows as much as those on Disney.

 

The food DCL has right near the pool was a plus, but is offset on the bigger ships by food in the promenade area. RC has a better room service menu, but was very slow when we ordered.

 

Disney disembarking was way better--with RC it took us over an hour just to get off-then longer to find our luggage.

The soda card thing was just a way to get some extra money--loved the drink station on DCL.

We found the overall service in the dining room much better on Disney--waiters interacted with you and got to know what you wanted before you sat down-always brought extra food and dessert--on RC with first seating always felt we were being rushed.

The pool area is better on RC and the deck parties aren't just for kids like on Disney--so there are many trade offs. Having done 8 cruises on DCL and 2 on RC, we are cruising RC this summer with the Magic gone and looking forward to it. I'm sure you'll have a great time. We missed the extra magic of Disney, but still had great experiences with RC.

[BTSEN5]

We went on our first cruise in 2006. We spent a lot of money for a cruise on the Disney Magic. The price did not bother us, because I knew right away that it would be , well, magical. Our sons, now 12 and 15 loved the ship and the kids clubs at the time. My favorite part was the sailaway. It actually brought me to tears......and the horn, oh the horn. :)

 

Our second cruise last summer was on the Freedom of the Seas. We really enjoyed this cruise. My boys said that the kids club and teen activities were better than Disney. They enjoyed all of the extras, such as the golfing and the Flowrider, although they may have done the Flowrider one time. They did not use the rock wall. All in all, this beat Disney for them by far. The only thing I would say about my kids and Freedom was that my oldest had a more difficult time finding people to hang out with on the Freedom. On Disney, he found a large group that stayed together much of the time, but on the Freedom, he just did not find that.

 

As adults, I believe that Freedom was much better. Disney seemed to pretty much shut down after 10 or so....things were open, but the people seemed to disappear into their cabins. I like the bars, food, entertainment, that continues late into the night. I am not a night owl, but having the option is nice.

 

I was disappointed in the "sailaway", but after Disney, I think that is understandable. Disney just does that 100% right.

 

One thing I did like about Disney was that they allowed us to bring softsided coolers onboard with beer or whatever in it. RC will not allow this. It was nice to be able to bring alcoholic drinks onboard to consume in the cabin. This is not a huge deal, but it is a convenience that is nice to have.

 

I loved both, but for older kids, I think RC is best. Pricewise, RC is a better value. I cannot believe how much we paid for Disney. It was twice as much for basically characters. The Disney ships are a work of art though.

 

OH, I can't believe I forgot about this.......the CHOCOLATE midnight buffet on Disney....boy do I miss that. That was fantastic. I have some great pictures of that.