Cruise Spotlight
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Disney Treasure vs Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas
The Disney Treasure is still being built and will debut in 2024. The Disney Treasure is inspired by stories of adventure. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after an Arabian castle from Aladdin. Outside the ship, you'll see Peter Pan painting the name on the stern. The Treasure is still under construction and Disney hasn't released all the details yet. It's 16 years newer than the Independence of the Seas, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2018.
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 Treasure is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,119 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas, the Treasure is 7% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Treasure holds about the same number of passengers as the Independence of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Treasure has less space per person compared to the Independence of the Seas.
| Disney Treasure | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Wish | Freedom |
| Gross Tonnage | 144,000 | 154,407 |
| Length | 1,119 | 1,112 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 185 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,000 | 3,858 |
| Crew | 1,555 | 1,440 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 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 Treasure has 10 different dining options like Marceline Market, Worlds of Marvel, and Plaza de Coco. Of those options, 5 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.
The Independence of the Seas has 8 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Giovanni's Table, Windjammer, and Playmakers. 9 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Independence of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 80% more dining options than the Treasure.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Disney Treasure | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 18 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 5 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 50% |
| 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 Independence 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Disney Treasure has a total of 8 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has fewer pools than the Treasure and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Independence of the Seas. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Disney Treasure | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 8 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 7 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 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 Treasure, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Independence of the Seas, only 72% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Treasure | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Escape Room | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ice Skating | ✗ | ✓ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 Treasure | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $14.50 | $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 | $70 - $125 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day | $17 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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