Disney Cruise Line Archives

River Cruises

River cruises are a great way to experience multiples countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The ships are smaller than the large ocean cruise ships, so you get a more intimate vibe while onboard. The river cruises travel the inland waterways and stop in cities and towns. You also get to skip the hectic train schedules with multiple stops and connections. You have the luxury of several meals onboard that are included with your cruise pricing. The cruise line will offer some amazing excursions with your port visits, some may even be included in the price! Most of your time sailing will be at night, so you are sound asleep floating down the river. When your cruise is sailing during the day, you will typically enjoy amazing scenery. Who doesn’t love floating by castles and adorable Bavarian towns! Imagine drinking your morning coffee from your stateroom and floating by castles and vineyards. A river cruise brings the option for foodies and wine connoisseurs to have an experience of a lifetime!

Ocean Cruises

Sailing the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and world-wide destinations are back and in demand! Everyone is so excited about sailing again, the demand is high, and cruises are selling out quicker. The ocean cruises also stop in the most popular ports for you to experience the country. They offer amazing excursions that are fun for the whole family. We also suggest if you are not excited about a certain port, stay on the ship and let everyone else visit the port. You can have the ship to yourself with less guests. It is important to note that the ship may not have all the stores or casinos open in port because they cannot sell tax-free items when at port. They also may perform maintenance or crew safety drills during this time. Ocean cruises excel with experiences to keep you entertained during your cruise. Sea days are great time to experience many of these. From the pools, surf simulators, concerts, rock climbing, dance classes, youth programs, and their private islands, you can see why everyone loves

What is the “Disney difference” when it comes to cruising?

My family and I took an 8-day Southern Caribbean cruise visiting Aruba, Curacao & Grand Turk back in 2018. We did not cruise with Disney but joined our neighbors on a cruise they had already planned and had the GREATEST time!

We sailed with another cruise line, “OTHER”, as it will be known going forward and it was an amazing time had by all! This was our very first cruise and I have to say – I’m hooked!

However, being a Travel Designer with most of my work associating with Disney, I had to compare based on what I know, to the experience I had with “OTHER” cruise line.

The most common statement I hear when talking about a Disney cruise is – “it’s SO expensive!” While cruising, I planned to research and try and find out “why is Disney priced higher than other cruise lines, what makes them different?”

During my research, I spoke with another couple on the ship who were avid cruisers with many different cruise lines. I asked “what is your favorite cruise line that you have sailed on and why?” They did not know what I did for a living, so it was just a few people talking. Their response “Hands down, Disney, no other line beats them, you pay a higher price, but you get what you pay for, their service is absolutely amazing.”

So, what makes Disney different from the cruise lines that offer better pricing? Here are my observations sailing with “OTHER” cruise line and how they compare to Disney.

STATEROOMS
• OTHER – We stayed in a room with a verandah – 1 bathroom – 185 sq ft
• DISNEY– Room w/ verandah – split bathrooms (2 toilets) – 268 sq ft (BIGGER)

DINING – Do you like options when dining?
• OTHER – You have other options but they were an additional cost and you have different servers
• DISNEY – Rotational Dining w/ the same servers – 3 different restaurants

ATMOSPHERE
• OTHER – Towel creatures appeared out of nowhere overnight – pretty cool!
• DISNEY – Characters appear during special moments on the ship – even cooler!

BEVERAGES – Thirsty for soda?
• OTHER – Soda was an additional cost
• DISNEY – Soda is FREE

ENTERTAINMENT
• OTHER – Comedy shows, musical groups, dance parties

DISNEY– Broadway-style Disney musicals found only on board

CINEMA
• OTHER – we had theme nights with movies that had already been released
• DISNEY – 1st run movies at sea – some even in 3D

FIREWORKS
• OTHER – None
• DISNEY – Yes!!

SERVICE
• OTHER – Everyone was so friendly, always a “hello” no matter where we were, and always willing to help
• DISNEY – Stated by my friend on the ship “They really go above and beyond, it is great for the kids as well as the adults. Whatever you need, they’re on it and catering to your every need, we absolutely love it!”

In conclusion, you are going to pay more to cruise with Disney. But Disney is different, it is their job to make things magical for you. Did I feel magic with “OTHER” cruise lines? No, but I guess I’m going to need to experience a cruise with Disney to feel that “difference”. Who’s coming with me????

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Category: Disney Cruise Line

Why River Cruises and Ocean Cruises Are So Popular

The Disney Cruise Line Difference