DCL V RC to Alaska

[ScooterScott44]

We have been following the thread for some time and here is our take. We are heading on the Ovation for the 2019 11 night. We are solidly a DCL family and have tried RC once but for this one we went with RC. We are getting a nicer room and more nights for what we could get with DCL.

The thread has been very helpful with points to help us with some planning even with not being on DCL on this trip. In researching our basics so far the scenery will pretty much be the same on ships. Most of the excursions are probably going to be similar also. The activities on the Ovation seem to be greater than the Wonder (but I expect from what you mentioned that you might pass on the sky dive simulator, bumper cars). Another bonus is the indoor pool area and the indoor pools and hot tubs of the solarium as options.

Good luck making the decision, if you can wait i’ll post something after our cruise next May.

 

[darnheather]

We are late 20s/early 30 with no kids

I'v looked up prices for ovation of the seas to Disney for the 7 nights and there is only about 400 of a difference for middle of May

I just don't no what we should go for

We aren't long of the symphony of the seas and there was loads to do, but we also love the Disney magic. We loved the night life on royal but that won't matter as much if she's pregnant

Aghhhh don't no what to help. What u think

For that little of a price difference I'd do DCL hands down. No casino is worth $400 to me.

 

[Garyjames220]

For that little of a price difference I'd do DCL hands down. No casino is worth $400 to me.

Right enough it's all inclusive on royal so could be 500 plus for drinks on Disney

 

[darnheather]

Right enough it's all inclusive on royal so could be 500 plus for drinks on Disney

Oh, I don't drink very much so it isn't a factor for me.

 

[Shanti]

I really want to get a balcony for Alaska and since I don't mind taking DD out of school we might be able to afford it for our 2020 trip.

Just a heads-up that if Navigators' Verandahs are available for your cruise, they are great in Alaska and a good savings over a full verandah.

 

[Pens Fan]

I'm looking at NCL which is bringing two very new ships to Alaska soon. The Joy and Bliss look very nice. I do worry about the food though as dining is a big part of cruising for me.

Food is so subjective that it’s really hard to get a feel for what will work for you on an online forum. What I love, you may hate and what you love I may hate. Neither of us would be wrong.

But for what it’s worth, we prefer NCL’s food to Disney’s by a pretty wide margin. The one thing you kind of have to just go in being prepared for is their Freestyle dining program. No set dining times or tables. You will need to make reservations for specialty restaurants, but that’s no different than DCL. Usually you can walk into the MDR’s without a reservation, though you can make them if you wish.

We love the flexibility and find the food on NCL very good over all.

 

[darnheather]

Food is so subjective that it’s really hard to get a feel for what will work for you on an online forum. What I love, you may hate and what you love I may hate. Neither of us would be wrong.

But for what it’s worth, we prefer NCL’s food to Disney’s by a pretty wide margin. The one thing you kind of have to just go in being prepared for is their Freestyle dining program. No set dining times or tables. You will need to make reservations for specialty restaurants, but that’s no different than DCL. Usually you can walk into the MDR’s without a reservation, though you can make them if you wish.

We love the flexibility and find the food on NCL very good over all.

Thank you for that overview. We love having the same waitstaff that get to know us and having the same companions for dinner as it helps us really enjoy our time. We also love the food on DCL. I especially love lunch in Cabanas as they focus on a different cuisine each day. My kids love the fancy dining at dinner. They also love Shirley Temples. It's just one thing to think of. If the cost is within $1000 then we will stay with DCL for certain. After that I have to weigh each pro and con.

 

[NancyIL]

For that little of a price difference I'd do DCL hands down. No casino is worth $400 to me.

The OP is comparing a 7-night Disney cruise to an 11-night Royal Caribbean cruise. If the difference in price was only $400 for both 7-night cruises, I'd probably go with Disney, too.

FYI - only the Ovation's first Alaska cruise in May 2019 is 11 nights. The remainder of the season it's a 7-night cruise with a mediocre itinerary from Seattle: https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/c...vbr_pagehe_fnd_hm_awaren_938&shipCode_OV=true

 

[ScooterScott44]

Like I said earlier, we are following thread this since we are doing the 11 night Alaska cruise on RCCL but are normally a DCL family. Can’t believe that the cost are only $400 apart. The OP will not get an argument from me on choosing the Wonder over RCCL but the costs are not even close from what I see. We elected to do a suite when we compared what we would have paid for with DCL and that would have been with 4 less days. Granted we booked about 10 months ago so prices might have been a little lower then.

 

[ScooterScott44]

If you are locked into only 7 days then the prices are still not close. While this is Round trip out of Seattle it does get a stop in Victoria, which would be awesome I think.

 

[Garyjames220]

So that's the price it's giving me in pounds. Even more in dollars

However u do get a so called free premium drinks package with that

 

[NancyIL]

Like I said earlier, we are following thread this since we are doing the 11 night Alaska cruise on RCCL but are normally a DCL family. Can’t believe that the cost are only $400 apart. The OP will not get an argument from me on choosing the Wonder over RCCL but the costs are not even close from what I see. We elected to do a suite when we compared what we would have paid for with DCL and that would have been with 4 less days. Granted we booked about 10 months ago so prices might have been a little lower then.

View attachment 359540
View attachment 359542

Remember that the price on RCI’s web site is per person before taxes. The price on DCL’s web site is for 2 people (the default setting) or however many people you are searching for - including taxes.

 

[ScooterScott44]

Yes, you are correct and thanks. We have a number of cruises under our belts and more scheduled for the future. Seeing as we were able to save a particularly large sum with the last cruise, I understand the pricing but others may not.

Still just doubling the the inside stateroom Royal price of $1299 only gets to $2598 which is still well below the inside stateroom. If you add the other charges (taxes and fees) are probably in the neighborhood of ~$400 or so for that price. That still comes in less than DCL. Again not knocking DCL, we have completed 12 and 2 future scheduled, just trying to paint an honest picture for the OP, who might be able to take advantage of the sale this weekend.

 

[Garyjames220]

Thanks for the advice everyone

But we are from Scotland and the pick in my last post is the prices we are getting. But that does come with a free premium drinks package

 

[NancyIL]

Yes, you are correct and thanks. We have a number of cruises under our belts and more scheduled for the future. Seeing as we were able to save a particularly large sum with the last cruise, I understand the pricing but others may not.

Still just doubling the the inside stateroom Royal price of $1299 only gets to $2598 which is still well below the inside stateroom. If you add the other charges (taxes and fees) are probably in the neighborhood of ~$400 or so for that price. That still comes in less than DCL. Again not knocking DCL, we have completed 12 and 2 future scheduled, just trying to paint an honest picture for the OP, who might be able to take advantage of the sale this weekend.

If I understand correctly, the OP wants to go in May 2020, and those itineraries aren't available to book.

Ovation might not have an 11-night cruise in 2020. The longer cruises are usually a one-time thing to fill in the calendar so that the first Alaska cruise ends on the same day of the week as the remaining cruises depart. In the case of Ovation in May 2019 - it is repositioning from Australia via Honolulu, before it ends in Vancouver.

 

[Garyjames220]

So is the bottom line royal is going to be a lot cheaper

This is actually going to be our last cruise before my we have a child

I'm starting to think save the money and do royal, as my partner did like the solioum, great night life and extra things to do on board.

Then once we have a child do more Disney cruise

 

[NancyIL]

If you are locked into only 7 days then the prices are still not close. While this is Round trip out of Seattle it does get a stop in Victoria, which would be awesome I think.
View attachment 359544

The usual 7-night Ovation cruise does spend the day in Victoria - which is great. However, it doesnt go to Ketchikan on any of its 2019 cruises.

 

[darnheather]

So is the bottom line royal is going to be a lot cheaper

This is actually going to be our last cruise before my we have a child

I'm starting to think save the money and do royal, as my partner did like the solioum, great night life and extra things to do on board.

Then once we have a child do more Disney cruise

I have to admit after looking at pictures the solarium is a draw for me. My oldest child will be 19 at that point so she could use it too. But with Alaska of course it's more excursion heavy so the solarium might not be as important. For me I'll just have to wait and see what the prices are when 2020 come out. But I'm far more open to RCL than I was before at least for this itinerary.

 

[Garyjames220]

One thing with royal we would get is a balcony as where if we done Disney the most we can afford would be a ocean view

 

[NancyIL]

Royal Caribbean released their 2020 Alaska cruises today: https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/?dates_maxDate=09/30/2020&dates_minDate=05/01/2020&destinationRegionCode_ALCAN=true&icid=hpnvbr_pagehe_fnd_hm_awaren_938 Ovation will sail a 3-night Vancouver to Seattle repo cruise on May 22, followed by an 8-night round-trip cruise from Seattle on May 25. There won't be an 11-night cruise in 2020, and there's nothing special about Ovation's 8-night itinerary.

**Ovation's schedule is confusing. It looks like it sails 16 8-night cruises, yet they all start on a Friday and end on a Saturday! There's no way they can overlap the last night of one cruise with the first night of the subsequent cruise!