Just booked RCI for $3k less than DCL

[Laz]

cruise critic is an excellent source for RCL info http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83
Online check-in opens 90 days out from the cruise date.
RCL's website has all the information on shore excursions at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithGallery.do?pagename=shore_excursions_main
Word of caution on booking excursions: Unlike Disney, RCL charges you when you book instead of once you board, so you might want to wait until you're onboard to book.
If you want to switch your booking back to yourself, you need to call DU and ask them. However, you will probably get some additional OBC from them, so I'd probably just stay with them for the cruise. Other than making payments, you can do everything else pre-cruise yourself on RCL's website.
Our two grandsons loved the kids clubs on Freedom - they actually preferred them to the kids clubs on Disney.
The ice show is outstanding, free, and you can book once onboard. There are also several "open skate" sessions throughout the week (they supply the skates - you just need to wear long pants and socks to skate.)
The stage shows are ho-hum, but the character (Madagascar) parade in the promenade is something to experience.

If you wait until you are on board before you book tours, you risk very long lines and a good possibility of not getting what you want. Just food for thought.

 

[disneybass]

If you wait until you are on board before you book tours, you risk very long lines and a good possibility of not getting what you want. Just food for thought.

I waited until we boarded to book so we could use our OBC to pay for the excursions and had no problems with long lines

 

[Frozen2014]

I have been addicted to RCL lately. I have been on 4 in the last 15 months and have 3 more booked in the next 12. I love that I can book & pay in CAD and still get a great price for a great vacation.

Ditto. Huge advantage of RCL. The drop in the dollar alone would have increased our Disney cost by $1000 if we had gone with them when we booked back in Dec 2014 for a cruise in April 2016. (Final payment was Jan 2016, when dollar had already taken a dive).
Really looking forward to our Allure cruise!

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

I'm thinking about RC for an Alaskin cruise. DCL is just too high for their AK sailing

 

[eskimoinparadise]

If you wait until you are on board before you book tours, you risk very long lines and a good possibility of not getting what you want. Just food for thought.

Have never experienced this in 30+ RCL cruises. They always hold back a % of their excursions for guests who want to book on board, and we've rarely not gotten the ones we want or had to spend a lot of time in line.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

I'm thinking about RC for an Alaskin cruise. DCL is just too high for their AK sailing

If you are going to try RCL for Alaska, I'd recommend their Radiance class ship over their Vision class ship. Radiance class were built specifically for that climate and cruise type.

 

[disneybass]

Have never experienced this in 30+ RCL cruises. They always hold back a % of their excursions for guests who want to book on board, and we've rarely not gotten the ones we want or had to spend a lot of time in line.

Wow!, you have been on a lot of RCL cruises. What is your favorite ship and Caribbean ports?

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Wow!, you have been on a lot of RCL cruises. What is your favorite ship and Caribbean ports?

We like the Radiance class ships the best - Soverign class the least. Favorite ports are a bit more difficult. St. Thomas, St. Maartan (French side), San Juan, Labadee and Coco Cay in the Caribbean; Bermuda (liked it better in the old days when the ships docked right in Hamilton though); Ketchikan and Juneau in Alaska; Vancouver and Victoria in Canada. We rarely get off the ship anymore on western Caribbean routes

 

[disneybass]

We like the Radiance class ships the best - Soverign class the least. Favorite ports are a bit more difficult. St. Thomas, St. Maartan (French side), San Juan, Labadee and Coco Cay in the Caribbean; Bermuda (liked it better in the old days when the ships docked right in Hamilton though); Ketchikan and Juneau in Alaska; Vancouver and Victoria in Canada. We rarely get off the ship anymore on western Caribbean routes

I agree on the Radiance class ships. We have taken six cruises on DCL and only one on RCL on Brilliance of the Seas. I love that size ship and like all the glass. However, my wife wants to try something newer and bigger so we booked Freedom of the Seas for Oct. out of Port Canaveral. Looking forward to Coco Cay and seeing how it compares to Castaway Cay. We will be going back to the Western route on this one but looking forward to doing the Eastern on the next one. I've been to St Thomas for a few days during a college basketball tournament a few years ago and like it and St Johns and look forward to seeing the other eastern ports. How does the Freedom class compare to the Radiance class?

 

[Laz]

Have never experienced this in 30+ RCL cruises. They always hold back a % of their excursions for guests who want to book on board, and we've rarely not gotten the ones we want or had to spend a lot of time in line.

I have been on about 25+ RCI cruises since 1982 and have seen this and heard complaints about the lines and sold out tour selections each time. I guess we must have never been on the same cruises.

 

[Ofinn]

I get it. Our 10 day med cruise on carnivals new ship was 8500 less then dcls 12 night med cruise on Disneys old ship.. We also have a balcony vs an inside on Dcl. The price differences are hard to justify. We just got off a 5 day dcl cruise on the Wonder, and honestly I couldnt wait for the cruise to end. I think the wow factor is gone for me. Not to mention you have to ask for soap and conditioner to be replaced. Food was so so. Pirate night was also changed to 730 at night which I thought was lame. The only thing we got for being platinum was a small box of chocolates. Im sure we will cruise dcl again, but at the moment Im not feeling the magic. I cancelled our Alaska cruise on dcl this Summer I started questoning my sanity on why I was spending that much money on a cruise.

 

[kaseyC]

I just booked our first RCI cruise for Spring Break of 2017 on the new Harmony of the Seas. We are suite cruisers so I booked one of the Crown Loft suites which I would consider comparable to DCL's 1 bedroom suite which we have sailed in many times. The price difference is mind-blowing. For a party of 4 in a Crown Loft suite for our Spring Break week in March of 2017 it was about $8700. The 1 bedroom suite on the Disney Fantasy for the same week is about $25,800! That $17K difference is insane especially for basically the same caribbean cruise and the suite perks on RCI blows DCL out of the water.

 

[DnA2010]

I just booked our first RCI cruise for Spring Break of 2017 on the new Harmony of the Seas. We are suite cruisers so I booked one of the Crown Loft suites which I would consider comparable to DCL's 1 bedroom suite which we have sailed in many times. The price difference is mind-blowing. For a party of 4 in a Crown Loft suite for our Spring Break week in March of 2017 it was about $8700. The 1 bedroom suite on the Disney Fantasy for the same week is about $25,800! That $17K difference is insane especially for basically the same caribbean cruise and the suite perks on RCI blows DCL out of the water.

Whhaaattt??? that is insane!

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Whhaaattt??? that is insane!

I just booked our first RCI cruise for Spring Break of 2017 on the new Harmony of the Seas. We are suite cruisers so I booked one of the Crown Loft suites which I would consider comparable to DCL's 1 bedroom suite which we have sailed in many times. The price difference is mind-blowing. For a party of 4 in a Crown Loft suite for our Spring Break week in March of 2017 it was about $8700. The 1 bedroom suite on the Disney Fantasy for the same week is about $25,800! That $17K difference is insane especially for basically the same caribbean cruise and the suite perks on RCI blows DCL out of the water.

I don't think Disney has any suites on their ships that come even remotely close to a Crown Loft Suite on Harmony.
Stateroom Details on the Harmony Of The Seas
Two deck high stateroom with panoramic views. Master bedroom with Royal King size bed, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, and bath on second level. Bath with shower on main level. Private balcony with chairs, dining area with dry bar, table/desk. Living room sofa converts to double bed.
(545 sq. ft., balcony 114 sq. ft.)

 

[kaseyC]

I don't think Disney has any suites on their ships that come even remotely close to a Crown Loft Suite on Harmony.
Stateroom Details on the Harmony Of The Seas
Two deck high stateroom with panoramic views. Master bedroom with Royal King size bed, measuring 72.5 inches wide by 82 inches long, and bath on second level. Bath with shower on main level. Private balcony with chairs, dining area with dry bar, table/desk. Living room sofa converts to double bed.
(545 sq. ft., balcony 114 sq. ft.)

View attachment 154084

So true. Since DCL doesn't have a wide variety of suites, I went with the 1 bedroom. Even a Cat V on DCL which is basically a Cat. 4 with nicer decor and concierge service is $16k for our Spring Break week.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

So true. Since DCL doesn't have a wide variety of suites, I went with the 1 bedroom. Even a Cat V on DCL which is basically a Cat. 4 with nicer decor and concierge service is $16k for our Spring Break week.

And that doesn't even factor in RCL's new Suite perks that go with a Crown Loft Suite (Sky Class)