OrangeCountyCommuter
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2010
This was posted on another thread:Tiny and they allow serious overcrowding. Terrifying.
It has been my experience that the pools on RCCL and Carnival have overcrowding issues also.
It has been my experience that the pools on RCCL and Carnival have overcrowding issues also.
I've never gotten in a pool on a cruise ship so my experience is through my kids and visual. We've been on all three lines and the only one they've mentioned as being over crowded was DCL. Personally, they all look too crowded to me. DCL's look crowded to the point of being unsafe at times.
Additionally, when we were on the Wonder a few years back, two of my kids came down with a NASTY GI problem. The other kid and us two adults didn't. The only thing those two did that the rest of us didn't....swim in the pools.
My thoughts on ship pools (not just DCL, although they were probably the culprit in getting my kids sick):
Number of people + Amount of water - Lack of trips to restroom = GROSS!!
Rccl does have a good cruise over all, but the thing you miss form DCL is simply the Disney experience and Magic. It's something no other line has or can match.
This in a nutshell is the biggest difference between Disney Cruise Line and all others, because only Disney can "do Disney." For cruises with a lot of sea days, I enjoyed them the most on my Disney Magic Transatlantic cruise last May. I am looking forward to 15 nights on the re-imagined Magic's Transatlantic in May 2015.
This pretty much sums up what I have been thinking. I have been on 4 Disney Cruises, have 5th and 6th booked, and am also booked on the Freedom next year. I am looking forward to the RCCL cruise just as much as the DCL one, but for different reasons. I just consider them to be different vacations, like Universal vs. Disney. Both excellent, but for different reasons.DCL:
rotational dining and the animators palate show
Palo ... none of the specialty restaurants compare on RCCL
Disney themes
Split bath staterooms
Vast array of Disney owned movie titles for the theater
Bring your own booze policy
Pirate night with fireworks
RCCL:
flow rider
rock wall
More options for dining and snacking, even if there is an up charge. (Johnny Rockets, two specialty restaurants on Freedom and more on Oasis, Ben and Jerry's , cupcakes)
More show options. We like late dining and 9pm shows
Ice rink
parade down the promenade
Live music at Broadway style shows
More cruise options with more ships and destination
Lower prices
RCCL doesn't do that. The loyalty programs offer different perks, but booking show times, cabanas, etc. is all first come first serve.
You don't have to wait until you've paid in full to book shore excursions, specialty dining, etc. on Royal Caribbean - or Princess, HAL, or Celebrity. As soon as you have paid the deposit and have a reservation number - you can book those things when they become available.Booking windows differ for loyalty cruisers with an earlier window for more frequent cruisers. By the time you get to those of us who don't have status, the really good stuff is already gone. Cabanas on CC, good times for Palo brunch, DCL unique excursions, etc. RCCL doesn't do that. The loyalty programs offer different perks, but booking show times, cabanas, etc. is all first come first serve. You can start booking them as soon as you pay your full fee.
I have never liked the way DCL does it. There are a few slots reserved for onboard booking on day of embarkation, but you have to go stand in the line and hope for the best.
Except that cabanas, at least on Labadee, are ONLY for those traveling with concierge access, which means high loyalty levels or staying in a suite above the Junior level.