Disney Magic vs Liberty/Freedom of the Seas

[OurFamily]

I have a Disney Cruise scheduled for the week of November 29th 2008. I just returned from staying at POFQ for a week and was very upset with the accomodations for what I paid. My concern is I am paying almost $5000 for a family of 4 (4 and 3 year old kids) in a balcony room but have never cruised Disney before. I have cruised RCCL, NCL, and Celebrity before and always enjoyed it. For the price I am spending on the DIS cruise I can book a suite on one of the newest RCCL ships with similar islands. (Excluding Castaway Cay) I am just hoping some people can compare the newest Freedom series ships with the DIS Magic.

[Marie51]

I have been on the Disney Wonder and the Mariner of the Seas both with small children. For the difference in cost, I would stick with RC.

[andnickali]

I have always thought trying a Disney cruise would be exciting, but the thought of all those kids would be a little overwhelming. And, like you, I have been hesitant because of price. Now that my kids are older, 13-11-7, I think we have passed by the character phase of their childhood.

 

We were on Liberty last summer and the H2O zone is a great feature that all my kids enjoyed. But, comparing Disney to RC is like apples to oranges. One can simply not offer what the other has and that is the Mickey experience. So, if your kids are young you may just want to book with Disney and give it a try. I have never heard anybody say they have been disappointed with a Disney cruise. Just, at this point probably not for us- we'll stick with Royal.

[Disneycrazymom]

I have sailed on the Magic and this summer is our 3rd year in a row on RC. IF you are going to sail with Disney now would be the year as your kids are the perfect age. My DD was 4 on our Magic cruise and she loved the characters. They are everywhere. We enjoyed Castaway Cay. It is by far the best private island experience anywhere. And the shows are well Disney and just wonderful. We shared a balcony cabin (cat 4) and were fine with the space the split bath is really helpful.

 

The next year we tried RCCL. For the same price we could have 2 adjoining cabins. We never looked back. Even DD then 5 said she liked Royal better. We liked that Royal has more to do as a family. (My kids don't spend much time in the clubs) Disney seemed to focus more on separate activities for adults and kids. On Royal we ice skate, play mini golf, on some ships roller blade. All things to do together. For our family it is just a better product.

 

NO worries about seeing the characters as we just stop off at the parks while we are in Florida. I am Disney Crazy Really. Just not crazy enough to pay that much for the same ocean!

[flagger]

FOS all the way. When we were in St. Maarten docked next to Freedom all we wanted to do was get on the Freedom after sailing both in the same year. My daughter loved the characters on Mickey, but the food, service, kid's club experience for her was far better on Freedom than on Magic.

 

Our Magic cruise last December has been the first cruise we have taken where we did not feel the need or desire to book another cruise on board.

[pmfan]

Liberty for sure.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

The price differential is what stops me cold from going on a Disney Cruise. And don't get me wrong, I WANT to go on a Disney cruise, but the price is just prohibitive for the length of the cruise and the type of cabin.

 

I get that Disney does not have a casino so the gamblers are not subsidizing my cruise. But, come on! That price difference is just unmanageable, even to see Disney's private island and the dining room that changes color ever course of the meal.

 

For my Disney fix, I'll go to Disney World. For my cruise fix, I'll take a Freedom Class ship every time over a Disney ship.

[masonpips]

The first Disney cruise we went on was about $2,800 for 4 of us in a Cat 6. I think we got in just before it got super expensive! The kids were 3 & 4 then. It was awesome. We returned 2 more times before thinking "btdt" and looking around. Once we made the switch to RCCL we never looked back! We were able to secure a JS Aft on our first Mariner cruise for LESS than we had paid for a Cat 9 (NO balcony) on the last DCL trip (ok, it was a NYE cruise, but to go from that tiny room to a large JS w/a HUGE balcony....).

 

I think if you're going to do it, do it now, but consider a Cat 9 - with younger kids you will be only in that room to sleep (if they still nap you can split up w/the spouse and take turns roaming the ship). The kids *will* love DCL, the character situation was vast improved from the parks (ability to meet them, etc.) and although the room isn't huge, the amount of things to do onboard will make up for it.

 

Then, book your RCCL cruise after that! My kids LOVED the Liberty (fresh water pools and the H20 Zone and they were 8 and 9 on our last trip) and feel good that you gave them the Disney magic (the shows are fabulous and make sure you eat brunch and dinner at Palo) but then you never have to look back! And go for the probably-comparable-priced JS!

[srico17]

We have been on the Magic twice, and on FOS twice. I just asked my 9 year old daughter who was 5 on her first Disney cruise, and 6 on the second.... and 8 on her Freedom cruise which she liked better and she couldn't decide. What makes it difficult is that they are sooooooo different. Here's my 2 cents!

 

1. Production shows.... no contest Disney is better. Their shows are amazing. RCCL shows are still very good, but.... Disney wins hands down.

 

2. Kids programs... My kids loved Disney. My son never wanted to leave. What's good is that the program runs all day, and you don't have to pay extra for the late evening hours. On RCCL you had to pay extra for after 10, and there were certain hours during the day where you had to pick them up. Now, I'm not one to just drop off my kids and forget about them, but... they are older and wanted to be there, and it was sort of a pain to have to get them at a certain time. We ended up having my 12 year old check out the younger one and planning to meet them somewhere.

 

3. Pools.... NO COMPARISON! RCCL wins hands down. The 2 ships are totally different in size, so it makes sense. The Magic has a small "cruise" family pool.... and a cute Mickey pool. The only advantage is the Mickey pool has a pretty cool slide. The H2O zone on the Freedom is amazing. We watched the kids run around there for hours! It's good for kids of all ages... but, there is a real pool in there so you do have to keep a close eye on little ones!

 

4. Sports deck.... once again... no camparison... RCCL is all about the sports deck.... Disney has a small enclosed court. And RCCL has the flowrider... your kids are too small... but, YOU aren't!!!

 

5. The food. I'm sort of a picky eater.... so, I could take either. I did like getting to go to a different restaurant each evening... it was more intimate... The Freedom dining room is HUGE! The one caution.... check your table upon embarking... there are some GREAT tables... toward the center, and there are some HORRIBLE tables way out in corners or in "hallways" to wherever..... just check and ask to switch if you don't like your table.

 

6. Crew.... both are good... but, the Magic has that "magical" touch. We were in social shock as soon as we got off the ship both times. One of our cruises on the Magic was 2 weeks.... we got off the ship and everyone seemed so rude in real life! RCCL staff was relaxed and fun, but... Disney still wins this one...

 

7. Overall ship appearance. The ships are TOTALLY different..... But, if I had to spend a week on one, I would choose RCCL. The Disney ship is beautiful, but, it seems pretty small.... and, it's getting older. We are looking forward to the new ships and will probably cruise once on them before the kids are grown and gone.

 

8. If you like to watch movies (this is a great debater... some think WHO WANTS TO WATCH A MOVIE WHILE ON A CRUISE?) then you will love Disney. They have a large theatre that plays great movies throughout the day, and sometimes even in the main theatre. We watched a handful of movies while there. Remember to bring in food from Pluto's and a soda (which is included in your cruise)

 

9. I loved Pluto's and Mickey bars! It was nice to have a snack shack right by the pools... some hate the food... but, me and the kids really liked it! And, scoops (the pool deck ice cream) wins over RCCL's sad little portable ice cream machine!

 

So.... I could go on... but, you get a sense of the difference in the 2 ships. OH! Almost forgot... if your kids love the characters, the experience you will have with the characters is priceless! They are everywhere! You will run in them just walking down the halls, and there are assigned times when they are available for pictures... you will get some GREAT photos on this trip!

 

You can't go wrong with either ship, but, they are VERY different!!! We were recently looking into doing a Disney cruise while she's out here on the West Coast, but decided to wait a year and do a JS on the Mariner for quite a bit less the next summer. I don't know if I helped much.... sorry!

[mp466]

We have sailed on both the Disney Magic and the Liberty of the Seas. If you can't live without the Disney characters, go with Disney, otherwise you can't go wrong with a freedom class ship.

[Barbiegator]

We took our grandchildren 6 and 8 on a Disney Cruise and they loved it. Since then we have cruised with them on RC. They think the kids club is much better and now love RC. I think when they are young Disney is fine.But when older go with RC.

[rklemay]

We have cruised both and loved both of them. Since we spend very little time in the staterooms, it is the rest of the ship that is most important to us and the part that really makes the cruise special. The Disney Magic is a beautiful ship and the service was outstanding - the best we have had on any ship. Freedom of the Seas is also fantastic. As my daughter has gotten older, we now prefer Royal Caribbean but I have no regrets whatsoever about sailing Disney. You'll have a wonderful time.

[EscapeCruises]

My vote is for Liberty/Freedom of the Seas.

 

Heck, we only paid 899pp for our balcony on our upcoming cruise! Just think of all the extra spending money and fun you can have. Plus the water park for the kids and flowrider! Way cool for you and the little ones even just to watch!

[VCR]

How about doing RCCL in a balcony for the week cruise and then do a 3 day Disney cruise? It would probably be about the same price.

[jdmaillet]

This is a really, really tough one. I think everyone should experience a Disney cruise at least once as there is nothing like it. We did the 4 day on the Wonder and a couple years later did the 7 day on the Magic. We absolutely loved it. First time was with DD and DN ages 9 & 11 and the second time with DD and DGD ages 11 & 6. We stayed in a Cat 6 both times.

 

If you love Disney then you'll understand what I mean when I say-- pixie dust abounds on a Disney cruise! I'm a little surprised no one has yet mentioned the going away party which is my favorite part of the cruise. The singing, dancing and characters is a great experience for the little ones. The on-deck parties, fireworks (pirate deck show)are fantastic. I never felt over-run with children. The ships are very classy and the adult areas are fabulous. Beautiful pool area and Palo's, their adult restaurant was wonderful. No one does it like Disney. There are those "Disney" touches everywhere that you just can't duplicate with another cruise line. Your kids are the PERFECT ages for a Disney cruise.

 

Now, having said all that. Last year we decided to try the Navigator. The kids are older (teens) and extended family was going and Disney prices are through the roof. DH was ready to try something different and after two cruises with Disney so was I. We sailed on the Navigator which while isn't Freedom series, has a lot of similiar qualities. We got a JS and were blown away by the large and light atmosphere. We absolutely loved the suite. It felt way bigger than a Cat 6. I was ready to be disappointed but we really loved RC. Of course, there were some things I missed, but others that I loved... like being on a larger ship, and having a casino. The ship was gorgeous and the staff was excellent. Our kids were older so we didn't miss the characters etc. We loved Royal and will be cruising with them again.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

Jenn

[NancyIL]

I had been on 3 RCI cruises before my first Disney cruise this past January without kids. I love going to WDW, and I was looking forward to trying a Disney cruise. There's no doubt that Disney does things very well. The only thing I didn't care for on DCL was the number of young kids in strollers. I expected to see a lot of kids cruising on Disney, but all the strollers reminded me of why I steer clear of Fantasyland on a busy day! I have 2 future Disney cruises booked, and they are during a less expensive time of year.

 

I was on my first Voyager-class ship 3 weeks ago (AOS out of San Juan), and I liked the ship very much in spite of its size. I'll be on Explorer in October, but I honestly have no interest in trying a Freedom-class ship.

[feonad]

The kids loved it. The kids clubs was lovely.

 

We traveled with 3 year old. 8 year old and 9 year old.

 

We brought my husband's sister and her son on our second time. They loved it. Enjoy!

 

I know it is too expensive but we enjoyed it. I think if they added a casino it would be cheaper but then it wouldn't be disney.

 

The shows were fun for everyone. We went to disney for a week after too.

[disneyfreak]

I'm not looking to get flamed here. Just giving my opinion and experience. OK, as you can see by my name, I love everything Disney. We just got back yesterday off the Freedom. We have done 3 Disney, 2 carnival, 1 Norwegian and this was our first RC. With that being said, I tried really hard not to compare the two ships. It was hard not to.

 

My husband really wanted to try a different cruise line and my son is now 12, so I thought FOS would be best for him.

 

For us, it's Disney all they way even if we have to save for two years instead of going every year. Here's why:

 

On the Freedom, while lying by the pool, if you want water, tea, lemonade, etc. you have to get dressed and go into the Windjammer to get it. There is a drink station by the pool on Disney.

 

If you want food, same thing. Go into the Windjammer. On Disney, we just got chicken tenders, hamburger, etc. by the pool and ate in the lounge chair. Less chance of losing your chair, too!

 

The portable self-serve ice cream station on FOS was just gross. It was in the SMOKING SECTION of the ship by the pool. Again, Disney has an ice cream station that is not self serve, but has wonderful toppings.

 

Movies were few and far between on FOS. We could just about see a movie anytime we wanted on Disney.

 

Castaway Cay is by the far the most beautiful island I have ever been to. I could just stay there for a few days.

 

Only Disney can do a sailaway party like they do. It is a magical experience and really makes you FEEL like you're on vacation. FOS did not have the same feeling.

 

We loved the Royal Promenade on FOS, but we are not smokers and the smell of stale smoke was everywhere. The 70's dancing in the street party was alot of fun there.

 

Food was just ok on FOS, however I managed to gain 4 pounds! Probably those waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast every morning!

 

All in all, there was just too many people on FOS last week to really enjoy the amenities.

 

Even without the characters, Disney is the only way for us!

[crusinmama06]

I had a Cat 6 on Magic and a Grand Suite on Freedom of the Seas for the SAME price. There is no way I would pay for the cost of a Disney ship again. We really enjoy our WDW vacations and the ship just doesn't compare.

 

To address Disney Freak above (no flames...lol ;) )

--there are more movies on Disney. They have a movie theatre on Disney where they have first run movies. But unlike Disney Freak, I don't go on a cruise to go sit in a movie theatre. ;)

 

--the sailaway party on Disney IS better. They have the characters dancing all around. So it's one big kid party.

 

--Yes you have to get dressed to get food, but there are wayyyy more options for food on Freedom than on Disney. While I was on DIsney, if I NEVER saw another chicken tender, it would be too soon. They love to push those chicken tenders and hamburgers just like they do at WDW, YUCK!

 

--Royal Promenade, never smelled smoke. And never saw anyone smoking there either. Must have been in the pub cause I never saw/smelled it. But I stayed out of the pub.

 

I will say that you were on FOS during spring break :eek: . Which I would always warn against...lol.

 

To the OP - my kids (ages 8 and 3) prefer going on Freedom class and staying 8 days in WDW. They have no desire to go back to Magic.

[OurFamily]

Well I just wanted to thank everyone for your feedback. We decided to cancel the Disney Magic cruise today and booked a Grand Suite on Legend of the Seas ($400 on board credit was included!!) for the same week. The cost was just about the same that I paid for 4 people in a Category 6 on Disney Magic.

[NancyIL]

Well I just wanted to thank everyone for your feedback. We decided to cancel the Disney Magic cruise today and booked a Grand Suite on Legend of the Seas ($400 on board credit was included!!) for the same week. The cost was just about the same that I paid for 4 people in a Category 6 on Disney Magic.

 

Legend of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas? Legend is an older Vision-class ship.

[Tak8]

I have been on the Magic and Monarch. I think with 2 kids you need to do a Disney cruise. When they get to a certain age, many don't want Disey anymore. If you cruise often or every few years, you could wait and do Disney next time. If you cruise rarely, I would do Disney. The kids will enjoy Royal cruising at any age, but not a Disney cruise. It is more expensive, but I"m glad we went. Disney does have adult only pool and dining option, so you can get away from the kids if you want some adult only time.

[OurFamily]

Legend of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas? Legend is an older Vision-class ship.

 

Liberty of the Seas

[NancyIL]

Liberty of the Seas

 

Thanks. There's QUITE a difference between the two! You posted the same thing on the DIS boards.

[minnie00]

Thanks. There's QUITE a difference between the two! You posted the same thing on the DIS boards.

Hi fellow DIS'ers !!:D

I too have a post about this same thing...disney vs. RCCL...

I love Disney and would love to try one of their ships...but the amenities that extra money can buy on RCCL really sways me to stay with RCCL....

I will say a big deal breaker for me.....NO HOT BREAKFAST on my balcony:p