So, here’s the question. “Why Disney, when the other cruise lines have much cheaper prices?” There’s a lot of great answers to that question. So, I’ll address it now, well in advance of our cruise.
What am I getting for the price? This is a biggie because it is a tough one for most people to wrap their brains around. Comparing a base Disney stateroom to its competitor’s base is like comparing apples to oranges. MANY cruise lines cater not to families but to doubles. As a result the lowest price quoted (as in all advertising) is for most lines a small room with two single beds that can be moved together to create one double bed. The base Disney room is a bit larger than those rooms and they make good use of the extra space. A Queen-sized bed with a sofa that converts to a single bed (and in some rooms another single that pulls down out of the ceiling.) This is truly a family oriented room. Now, to get a similar room on another cruise line, you will need to upgrade from the base. Magically, once you find this room you will also find that your $549pp cruise increases to $700-800pp which is interestingly similar to the price of the base price on a Disney room. (Now all of this gets thrown out the window when choosing a Disney cruise during a peak season. Since Disney is in great demand and there are few rooms to choose from, (compared to other lines that run many different ships) the price for the Disney cruise dramatically increases. ) Now upgrade your Disney room from the base to one of the more plentiful deluxe cabins. The price goes up, sure, but in order for you to get a similar room on let’s say Carnival or Royal Caribbean you’ll need to upgrade into Suite territory and you’ll see your savings between them and Disney evaporate. 
Introducing: The Disney Magic. Many people think the Disney cruise ships are cartoon boats with crazy cartoon themes throughout. They think of McDonald’s Play Places where kids run amok. This is truly not reality when you experience the ships first hand. First, The Magic sports a very classic Art Deco theme that infuses the entire ship. Stepping onto the Magic is much like stepping onto one of the luxury liners of the 1900-1930’s. Mickey is there but subtly and in the great attention to detail that Disney is known for. I’ve already discussed the larger-than-industry cabin sizes. Disney Dining is also a unique experience. In another article I’ll discuss rotational dining and the differences between each dining room. One thing I’d like to point out though is the Adults only dining room, Palos. Very fine dining in a beautiful setting makes this a nice respite from the more family oriented ship. The ship also seeks to make all age ranges happy. The Disney ships sport 3 different guest pools. The Mickey Pool is for young children and has a water slide that will keep the kids entertained for hours. The Goofy pool is the family area that has a Jumbotron overlooking it. Movies and sports events are playing 24/7! The Adult pool is a place where kids are off-limits. It is usually sparsely populated and has nicer lounge chairs than the other deck areas. This is no cartoon cruise.
Childcare. How much do you pay for childcare for a night out at the movies? How about dinner and a movie? Now think how much is 7 days of 20 hours/day childcare worth? Many other cruise lines are introducing childcare options for their cruisers, but none do it like Disney. Nearly an entire deck is devoted to the kid’s clubs. Children are separated by age to accommodate age appropriate activities and once your children warm up to them, you’ll be hard pressed to keep them out of the clubs for any large amount of time. On our first cruise, Stuart and Leah enjoyed the clubs and had no problem going into them when Laura and I wanted to do something together. But during this last cruise, they knew what to expect and as a result rarely wanted to miss any of the activities. Laura and I had plenty of alone time together. Very nice! 
Adult Care. Disney acknowledges that the biggest misconception about the cruise is the “Disney” name. In reality, they have crafted a great adults only experience for their cruisers as well. I’ve already briefly mentioned the Adults-only pool and restaurant. But there are also night clubs and shows that are exclusively for the adult traveler. I’ve found that every entertainer on the ship usually has two shows. One family oriented and the other that is more for the older folk. The shows in the main auditorium are very well done and on par with entertainment that you’d find on Broadway. Look at the excursions that are offered on the Disney Cruise Line. You’ll find those for families with young or older children and those for people who want to experience a higher impact and excitement value. On Disney’s private island, there’s an adults only beach to offer adults a quieter more indulgent beach experience. 
The Disney Difference. Here’s one of the things that I really believe is the reason to cruise Disney. For those of us with families, we don’t want to be in a smoke-filled, alcohol-fueled, gambling mecca. If we did there are much cheaper alternatives. While there is plenty of opportunity to party on the cruise, you’ll find that it is more subdued. I’ve heard, of course, of inappropriate behavior on the Disney ships but it is the exception not the rule. One comedian onboard referred to the term, “Disney Adult.” I thought that this was an apt term. You’ll get more adult fare on the Disney ships but it is somewhat filtered, without much of the profanity and crudeness that can be found elsewhere. Another difference is Disney’s reputation for detail. Many have observed that the Disney parks are unusually clean for the huge number of people that visit them every day. This does not stop on the ship. The ships are visually stunning and also immaculately kept. I’m sure there are those who are pickier than I, who would point out small details that got overlooked, but it has been my experience that the ship looks almost as nice as the day it first sailed. 
The Disney Fans. Disney Fans have made the Disney cruise experience one that is very much different than any other line. You’ll see people who have made up t-shirts for their family to wear introducing themselves, Cabin Door decorations which range from the simple to over-the-top, cruise meets among people who have previously met online, and DIS tag (a crazy game practiced by those who frequent the DIS boards.) You may choose to participate in these excesses or not, but you will find that it infuses an excitement into the cruise that is unmatched anywhere else. We’ve found that making the t-shirts allow others to recognize who you are and sometimes your interests. The Door decorations are great fun. We often take time out during the cruise to look at all the creativity that goes into these temporary artworks. Disney has worked hard to build a cruise line that everyone, young and old, families or single can enjoy. Planning a Disney Cruise is like no other cruise you’ve been on so let me guide you each step of the way. ‘til next time, Steve January 2009 So You've Booked Your Cruise Now What?
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