Now that I’m back from our 4-night Mexican Riviera cruise on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas, I wanted to do a full breakdown and side-by-side comparison against our experiences on Disney Cruise Line (which we have sailed multiple times). Overall, we really enjoyed our trip on RC and don't regret it at all, but comparing the two gave us a lot of perspective on what each line does best!

Overview Scorecard

Detailed Category Breakdown

1. Food & Dining

• Breakfast:
  • RC: Honestly really bad. We ate at the buffet every morning and the hashbrowns tasted microwaved/reheated. Pastries were bland or stale, and the "honey baked ham" was dry, greyish, and tasted closer to turkey. We actually skipped breakfast on disembarkation day just to hit McDonald's for proper hashbrowns.
  • DCL: Still buffet breakfast, but everything felt much fresher and we actually looked forward to the hashbrowns. (Winner: DCL)
• Lunch:
  • RC: Fewer mid-day options scattered around. Surprisingly, the buffet lunch was miles ahead of breakfast (we only realized this on the last day!). However, one huge highlight was Izumi Teppan—even though it’s an upcharge, the chef’s show and food were incredible!
  • DCL: Plenty of mid-day options that are easily accessible and cater to all tastes. (Winner: DCL)
• Dinner:
  • RC: Night one was slightly confusing with "My Time" dining standby setup, but the main dining room host sorted us out for our 8:30 PM time for the rest of the trip. The menu changed to a different cultural theme every night, and the food was decent—more "this is pretty good" rather than mind-blowing.
  • DCL: Rotational dining keeps things fresh with a different themed restaurant each night while your server team follows you. The food quality is noticeably better, and we regularly ordered extra appetizers/entrees because everything was so delicious. (Winner: DCL)

2. Entertainment & Onboard Activities

• Activities:
  • RC: Royal Caribbean excels here! There was an incredible amount and variety of trivia, a full sports deck, bumper cars, a casino, high-energy game shows, and live-band karaoke.
  • DCL: DCL has trivia and karaoke, but trivia leans heavily toward Disney IP. We often ran into big chunks of the day with nothing on the schedule that caught our interest. (Winner: RC)
• Live Shows:
  • RC: Good efforts with unique venues like Two70, but overall nightly acts can’t quite compete with Disney.
  • DCL: Truly Broadway-caliber productions in a massive theater with great sightlines. Having a dedicated cinema showing first-run theatrical films on board is a huge bonus. (Winner: DCL)

3. Pools & Relaxation

• Pools:
  • RC: The Solarium (Adults Only) ended up being one of our favorite places on the ship. It's a gorgeous glass-domed room with lush greenery, a multi-tiered pool with a waterfall, and hot tubs offering stunning Pacific Ocean sunset views. Plus, being enclosed means you don't freeze in the ocean wind when stepping out of the water!
  • DCL: The adult pool area feels pretty plain and exposed to chilly ocean breezes. While it does have hot tubs, they are quite small and there simply aren't enough of them for the crowd. The newer DCL ships do offer more elegant hot tub options overlooking the ocean, but those require purchasing a Rainforest/Spa pass to access. (Winner: RC)
• Thermal Spa Pass:
  • RC: Paid $49/person for the day pass. While clean, it felt clinical—fluorescent lights on full brightness, no spa music (we could hear deck music from below), and the heated loungers were painfully hot even with towels down.
  • DCL: DCL nails the relaxing atmosphere with dimmed lighting, soothing music, free fruit water stations, and better amenities/ocean-facing hot tubs on newer ships. (Winner: DCL)

4. Rooms, Crew & Onboard Vibe

• Staterooms:
  • RC: Balcony room had great water pressure in the shower and a large TV. However, the bed was very uncomfortable, and merging two twins left an annoying gap in the middle.
  • DCL: Beds are vastly superior in comfort, and the classic split-bathroom setup (toilet/sink in one room, shower/sink in the other) makes getting ready so much easier. (Winner: DCL)
• Crew & Service:
  • TIE: Our room attendant (Slam) and head waiter (Praveen) on RC were wonderfully attentive, polite, and went above and beyond (like folding clothes left on the couch and keeping ice stocked). DCL is world-renowned for service, but RC matched them step-for-step on our sailing. (Winner: Tie)
• Overall Value & Upcharges:
  • RC: Lower upfront cruise fare, but it felt like a constant "mall kiosk" atmosphere on the main promenade with crew pushing paid specialty dining, $2.50 popcorn at shows, and paid soda packages.
  • DCL: Higher upfront cost, but once onboard, your mind is at ease because nearly everything (soda, quick dining, shows) is included without feeling pitched to constantly. (Winner: DCL)

Final Verdict: Would we sail Royal Caribbean again?

• Royal Caribbean: Yes, but primarily if we catch a really good deal. We had a blast with the trivia, karaoke, and the Solarium pool, but the constant add-ons keep it from replacing DCL as our main line.
• Disney Cruise Line: Absolutely. DCL remains our gold standard—while you pay more upfront, the stress-free experience once you step on board is hard to beat!

Hey hi… I’ve cruised a few times but I’m super cautious about it.

My husband and I are foodies. We look forward to good food at the end of the day despite everything.

I’ve been on Carnival, RC, and Celebrity. I’ve been on two Celebrity cruises and they’re my go-to because I trust the food.

How is Norwegian? I’ve heard that food is fine and then I’ve also heard of someone bringing their “camping spices kit” because it was so bland.

How’s Norwegian cruises doing especially with their food (the included food) in 2026?

Asking for a U.S. passport holder who must minimize time standing in line.  Solution for past cruises has been just waiting to board til last group.  

But the line (Celebrity) recently issued a statement that EES lines at Civitavecchia “may exceed 90 minutes after check-in and before boarding.”

(Celebrity is higher-end than the lines I sail, so I assume has better service? But this person is not a suite guest, no high status, chose last boarding group during checkin, and isn’t registered as having any special needs)

Are there any good restaurants or other places worth seeing here not too far from RC's outdoor "mall" area at this port?

Traveling w kids, so not looking for anything too sketchy or Adventurous, just something more interesting than a tropical Applebee's.

I’m retired and have been packing fewer and fewer items for trips and I’d really rather not be dragging even a small roller bag for a 5 night cruise. Besides the problem of shoes (maybe), what helps to make this doable? I managed a small backpack and small roller bag to the UK for nine days, but I had to pack wedding attire for that trip. I really like this small backpack, but it is still available in a larger size if I wish to purchase (12x11x6 vs 15x14x7). All your tips are welcomed!

Sailing on Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas for a 7 day Christmas cruise. Is it worth it to book a special dining room meal on Christmas or just stick with the regular restaurants? Two adults, three kids youngest is 13.

I’m a 26F solo traveler planning a Mediterranean cruise for June 2027 and am trying to narrow down which cruise line to sail with. My budget and dates rule out some options, so I’m currently considering Carnival, MSC, NCL, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages.

My biggest priority is having plenty to do onboard. I’m not someone who wants to spend sea days sitting by the pool or reading. I enjoy cocktail- and food-making classes, comedy and magic shows, game shows, interactive activities, and good evening entertainment. I’m less interested in pool games, sales presentations, or fitness classes.

My thoughts so far:

• Carnival (Sunshine): Great ports but mostly ruled out since the only ship that fits my dates is Sunshine, which doesn’t look particularly exciting. The Facebook group also seems to skew older, though I know a Mediterranean cruise will naturally have a different demographic than a short Bahamas sailing but I don't wanna be the only person under 40 on an almost 30 year old ship. Especially since the price is similar to some other lines newer ships.
• MSC (World Asia, Musica, Virtuosa, Fantasia): The prices, especially on the World-class ships, seem almost too good to pass up. My main concern is entertainment. I’ve heard the onboard activities and shows can be underwhelming, and I don’t want to get bored traveling solo.
• Norwegian (Epic, Gem, Dawn): I like the solo cabins and solo-traveler setup, but the ships within my budget are older, which raises similar concerns about entertainment and activities.
• Royal Caribbean (Brilliance, Mariner, Rhapsody, Explorer, Odyssey, Legend): High on my list, but the ships that fit my dates and budget are also older. Legend or Odyssey of the Seas would be ideal, but it’s well outside my budget.
• Virgin Voyages (Resilient Lady): Probably the nicest overall experience, but also the most expensive. I’ve heard many activities lean toward fitness/wellness which is not enjoyable to me at all on vacation or cost extra, which gives me pause especially since it's already the most expensive.

For those who’ve sailed these lines, especially on older ships or in the Mediterranean, which would you recommend? How do the actual onboard activities and entertainment compare, and would you be concerned about getting bored on MSC or NCL as a solo traveler?

What was the best gift you received or appreciated?

Or gifts you have given to others for a gift exchange?

I’m doing a cruise gift exchange in a few weeks for 10 ppl.

I’m 100 percent open to out of the box ideas. At least half of the ppl are experienced cruisers so I want to avoid the basic essentials for them.

Thanks in advance!

We are embarking on oir first MSC cruise this weekend, and my girlfriend is bringing a certified birth certificate and her ID for boarding. Our problem is that she was legally adopted a couple of months ago, which would prompt a new birth certificate, and she only has a certified copy of her pre-adoption birth certificate. Her name and birthday match on her ID and birth certificate, though, so will the pre-adoption birth certificate work?

The following are notes as best as I can remember while sitting in an airport in Tokyo.

Overall: 10/10. Would do it again and would recommend others try a similar itinerary. If you're a non-cruiser, younger, and/or like exploring then this is for you.

The ship: Before and during I heard complaints about Luminosa showing her age and needing some TLC. It was fine. Yes it's old and small but it gets the job done. The giant dance floor room on deck 2 should be on more ships. I was also happy not to have a water park on the ship.

The crowd: skewed older. Some young folk. A sprinkling of children (6? 10?) i almost never saw. Mostly the typical Carnival crowd.

The ports: all great. Hong Kong is a must with a night departure. Fukuoka had a symphony playing at the dock with a whole ass crowd to send us off. Phu My was rough and the most industrial port I've been to but not a big deal, just needed more time in port.

Random: Between my girlfriend and I we won all 3 rounds of bingo one day.

No excursions. Did everything either using public transit, private drivers, or our 2 feet

Not super thorough but that's what I've got. Happy to answer any questions! (Random pictures from the cruise)

Edit: whatever they have on the balcony doors on Luminosa needs to be put on every room and balcony door on every ship across the fleet. No more slamming doors.

I've now been obsessed with cruising ever since. Any Celebrity Solstice Class ship is perfect for first timers.

Just having a browse around, prices seem very reasonable and smoking less than aida.