Disney Dream vs Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas

The Disney Dream was built in 2011. It was renovated in 2024. Disney Dream's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Sorcerer Mickey painting the name on the stern. It's 8 years older than the Spectrum of the Seas, which was built in 2019.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs

Ship Size

The Dream is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,115 feet long and 121 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas, the Dream is 23% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Disney Dream holds 41% fewer passengers than the Spectrum of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Dream has more space per person compared to the Spectrum of the Seas. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

	Disney Dream	Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
Class	Dream	Quantum-Ultra
Gross Tonnage	130,000	169,379
Length	1,115	1,139
Beam/Width	121	135
Passenger Decks	14	14
Passengers (double occupancy)	2,500	4,246
Crew	1,458	1,551
Passenger to Crew Ratio	1.7	2.7
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)	52	40

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Dream has ten different dining options like Enchanted Garden, Palo, and Remy. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.

The Spectrum of the Seas has six more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Sorrento's Pizza, Wonderland, and Izumi. eleven of these restaurants are complementary and the other eleven have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Spectrum of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 60% more dining options than the Dream.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Dream might be a better choice then the Spectrum of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

	Disney Dream	Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
Total Dining Options	10	16
Complimentary Dining Options:	6	11
Additional Fee Dining Options:	4	11
% of Included Options	60%	31%
	See the options	See the options

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Spectrum of the Seas below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Disney Dream has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs.

Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas has more pools than the Dream and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Spectrum of the Seas. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Dream.

	Disney Dream	Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
Total Pools	3	4
Pools - General Access	2	2
Pools - Adults Only	1	1
Pools - Exclusive		1
Total Hot Tubs	3	4
Hot Tubs - General Access	2	4
Hot Tubs - Adults Only	1	0
Hot Tubs - Exclusive		0

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Dream, 77% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Spectrum of the Seas, only 75% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

	Disney Dream	Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✓	✓
Arcade	✗	✓
Basketball	✓	✓
Bionic Bar	✗	✓
Bumper Cars	✗	✓
Casino	✗	✓
Character experiences	✓	✗
Climbing Wall	✗	✓
Fitness Center	✓	✓
FlowRider	✗	✓
Indoor Sky Diving	✗	✓
Laser Tag	✗	✓
Mini golf	✓	✗
Movie Theater	✓	✗
North Star	✗	✓
Pool-side Movies	✗	✓
Salon	✓	✗
Shows - Broadway play	✓	✗
Shows - musical review	✓	✓
Spa	✓	✓
Splash park	✓	✓
Virtual Sports Simulator	✓	✗
Water Coaster	✓	✗
	Learn more	Learn more

Cruise Costs

Disney is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.

Royal Caribbean, on the other hand, is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

	Disney Dream	Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day)	$16.00	$18.50
Tip added to drinks & services	18%	18%
Soda Price	Included	$3.50
Domestic Beer Price	$6.50	$8.25 See drink menus
Drink Package Price	No drink package available	$77 - $118 Learn more
Internet Plan	$12 - $36 per device per day	$19 to $30 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

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