Growing up, I cruised with both Royal Caribbean and Disney. However, as a child, I was unaware of the difference in pricing. Now as an adult funding my own cruise obsession, I've become more conscious about seeking out the best value for my money.
This year, I sailed on two of Royal Caribbean's and Disney's oldest ships to compare their offerings. Though the price point was similar, Royal Caribbean offered the best overall value.
While Disney is renowned for its family-friendly experiences and top-tier entertainment, Royal Caribbean’s older ship surprised me with its ability to deliver a surprisingly similar experience for a more affordable cost.
Though I preferred some aspects of my Disney sailing, the dining and internet connectivity aboard Royal Caribbean were better overall, especially for the price.
I cruised on Vision of the Seas, a 26-year-old ship that sailed from Baltimore to Bermuda
While Royal Caribbean is known for its mega-ships like Icon of the Seas, its fleet of 28 ships also includes smaller, older vessels like Vision of the Seas. Reminiscent of a different era of cruising, guests won't find flashy attractions like FlowRider surf simulators, water slides, and ice skating rinks onboard. Instead, the focus is on connecting with fellow passengers, the sea, and the ports of call.
Vision of the Seas sails from Baltimore, Maryland, year-round to Canada and New England, the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Bermuda. Having primarily sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships, I wanted to see what made these older ships appealing. My 5-night cruise in September 2024 cost $1,396.76 for two people in a standard interior cabin, breaking down to $139.67 per person, per night, including gratuities, taxes, and port fees.
The cost included the accommodation, food, select beverages, entertainment, and transportation from Maryland to Bermuda. Though we still paid for things like pre-cruise transportation, airport parking, rideshares, shore excursions, souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, and a specialty meal, I ended up paying around $1,780 for my 5-night voyage.
Read more: I sailed on my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I liked the activities but didn't enjoy all the food
My Disney cruise was aboard Disney Magic, the oldest ship in DCL's fleet
I hadn't been on a Disney cruise since my family last sailed on Disney Fantasy in 2016. Needless to say, when I saw a relatively affordable sailing on Disney Magic, I jumped at the opportunity to revisit the magic of Disney cruising.
The 3-night cruise in November 2024 was more expensive than my sailing on Vision of the Seas, coming in at $1,585.78 or $264.29 per person, per night. However, like the base fare on Royal Caribbean, it included our meals, select non-alcoholic beverages (plus soda!), accommodation, entertainment, and transportation from Florida to San Juan.
Still, it's hard to justify spending over $500 per night on a cruise, especially on an older ship in an interior cabin. Unfortunately, Disney's prices are expected. For example, a 7-night cruise aboard the line's newest ship, Disney Treasure, starts at $4,645 for two guests in an interior cabin in Sept. 2025, or nearly $700 per night. In short, Disney isn't the ideal choice for those seeking to stretch their budgets as far as possible
In fact, I've cruised on newer Royal Caribbean ships for less than my 3-night cruise with Disney.
Last year, I sailed on a 4-night voyage aboard Freedom of the Seas—which debuted in 2008—from Miami to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay for $1,307.82 for two people in a balcony cabin. The cost per day was $163.47 per person, and we had a spacious stateroom with a private verandah!
Freedom of the Seas is larger and newer than Disney Magic. As such, it boasts more amenities including an ice skating rink, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, multiple specialty restaurants, and water slides.
I was happy with the food's quality on Vision of the Seas
Food is undeniably one of the most important parts of a cruise. After a few mediocre experiences on other Royal Caribbean cruises, I was worried I'd have a similar experience on Vision of the Seas.
Thankfully, I was proved wrong, with the Main Dining Room serving delicious meals throughout the trip. My favorite dishes were the classic French Onion Soup, Crispy Coconut Jumbo Shrimp, Chicken Korma, and Tirasmu.
We also ate at the specialty Japanese restaurant, Izumi. Everything from the fresh sushi to the drool-worthy appetizers was out-of-this-world.
For the price, I was happy with the quality of the food we received. Of course, you can't expect Michelin-star meals on a mainstream cruise line; however, I found the food on Vision to be above average compared to other Royal Caribbean ships.
For the high price tag, I was disappointed with Disney's dining
Again, while you can't expect 5-star meals on a cruise ship, I had high expectations for Disney Magic's dining considering we were paying over $260 per person, per night. Though nothing was truly inedible, the dining experience was inconsistent.
For example, the Chateaubriand-roasted filet from Lumiere's was bland, and I wasn't a fan of the pea purée served with the crispy shrimp at Rapunzel's Royal Table.
It seemed that Disney wanted to provide a more elevated dining experience based on the menu options, but most dishes fell short. However, there were a few standout meals, such as the filet mignon at Animator's Palate.
Royal's Starlink Wi-Fi put Disney to shame
Wi-Fi isn't included in the base fare on either Disney or Royal Caribbean. As someone who works remotely from cruise ships, I need a reliable internet connection to complete tasks and stay connected with my boss and co-workers. Disney's Wi-Fi, however, made it difficult to be consistently available. While I appreciated that they provide free iMessage and WhatsApp to passengers, the paid packages were pretty terrible.
I paid $102, or $34 per night, for 3 nights of Wi-Fi on Disney Magic. Comparatively, Royal Caribbean's VOOM Surf + Stream package cost $89.95 for my 5-night cruise aboard Vision of the Seas. It was much easier to access my work on Royal Caribbean, as I had a consistent connection while onboard. Even when the signal would occasionally drop or slow down, it was brief and I could get back online quickly.
Unlike many mainstream cruise lines, Disney hasn't brought Starlink to all its ships yet, so the internet is much slower. Though iMessage worked fine, uploading videos and images to social media was painstaking. Considering I paid $17.99 per night for my Wi-Fi on Vision of the Seas, I was frustrated with the price and performance of Disney’s internet service.
That said, I found my cabin aboard Disney Magic well-appointed
Two aspects of my Disney cruise stood out compared to my experience on Vision of the Seas, though they aren't enough to justify the higher cost of my 3-night sailing.
The first was my interior cabin. Compared to my inside stateroom on Vision, the cabin on Disney Magic felt more updated and thoughtfully designed, with bedside outlets, a shower-tub combination, and a large sofa.
There were also plenty of nods to Disney throughout the room, such as the hidden Mickeys on the lamps. It didn't feel like a cabin on a ship built in the 90s, that's for sure. The same cannot be said for my room aboard Vision of the Seas.
While it was evident some thought had gone into updating the cabins, most features were still dated. For instance, there were just two standard American and two European outlets near the vanity, whereas my room on Disney Magic had 11 charging options.
I also wasn't a fan of the clingy shower curtain in the bathroom. Because of the design of the shower-tub combination on Disney Magic, the shower curtain wasn’t as much of an issue.
Read more: I sailed in tiny interior cabins on old Royal Caribbean and Disney ships. I'd only book one again
I also thought Disney's original production shows were superior
Starting at a young age during a trip to New York City, my mother instilled a deep love for Broadway in me. I'll never forget sitting in the first few rows of the orchestra during The Lion King with the animals running down the aisles and the larger-than-life spectacle unfolding before me!
Because of my love of Broadway, I'm skeptical about cruise ship productions. However, I loved all three shows onboard Disney Magic—Tangled: The Musical, Disney Dreams - An Enchanted Classic, and Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story—and thought they were truly Broadway-caliber.
In comparison, the performances on Vision of the Seas were alright. Boogie Wonderland was a fun show, but it was more about appreciating the music than the storytelling or production value.
That said, newer Royal Caribbean ships also have Broadway-style musicals, though cruising on ships like Symphony of the Seas or Icon of the Seas inevitably costs more than an older vessel like Vision. I appreciated how Disney didn't reserve high-quality shows for their newest ships at sea.
Overall, I got the most bang for my buck cruising with Royal Caribbean
There's no denying there's something special about a Disney cruise. From meeting beloved characters to dining in the ships' immersive dining rooms, it really heals your inner child! However, they aren't cheap.
While my experience on Disney Magic was memorable, I wouldn't say it was worth over $1,300 for a 3-night sailing. Had the food been a bit better, I might have been convinced otherwise due to the quality of the original production shows and the comfortable cabin, but that wasn't the case.
Conversely, I felt I got my money's worth while sailing on Vision of the Seas. Royal Caribbean's value extends further than its older ships, too. Though you'll have to search harder for a jaw-dropping deal on newer ships, most vessels are more affordable than the newest additions to Disney Cruise Line's fleet.
For example, using that same 7-night sailing aboard Disney Treasure in Sept. 2025 that cost around $4,600 for two in an interior cabin, a similar itinerary on Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world that launched in 2024, starts at around $3,500. There's so much more to do onboard Icon, too!
Read more: 8 things Disney Cruise Line does backward
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
