lorddunlow

Definitely atypical service. We've sailed 10 cruises with Disney. 2 times, we had a bad assistant/drink server. Our main server has always been excellent. Only once did we have a less than stellar dining experience though as on one of the cruises with a bad assistant server, the main server ran around after the drink server and even apologized for them (and we saw them having words about it about half way through the cruise).

Cabanas is always great, I think because it is where they train new servers, so they try extra hard to get into the main dining rooms.

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How can the cruiseline prove if someone is more than 24 weeks in the first place? Had she not given the letter, there would have been no proof and she could have boarded.

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It used to only be stone crab (on our first 7 or 8 cruises), but the last few we've been on (Dream and Magic at least) both had a few days where they had snow crab. It's much better meat to work required ratio than stone crab. (I actually had to watch a YouTube video after our first cruise to learn how to eat the stone crab - it's complicated.)

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I've found that I'd they have it on the ship, they'll try their best to get it for you. We were seated next to a family who got a bowl of curry and naan bread at literally every dinner before their food came out.

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We prefer late. We did early our first 2 cruises, couldn't get it for the third, but preferred it in almost every way. Servers are not rushing as much to get everyone through dinner so they can turn around and do it again for the late cruisers (there are also less guests at the late seating to keep them running around). The only problem is you aren't hungry for the pirate buffet.

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Throughout the last almost 20 years' date=' DCL has become increasingly casual with increasing numbers of people openly flaunting the "suggested attire" in both the MDRs and specialty restaurants and appearing on various social media sites talking about how they have no intention of dressing up. On the one hand, I do understand as another major change during this time has been the advent of luggage fees charged by most airlines. On the other hand, I think it is sad that people are choosing to not participate in the ambiance which DCL has created in the various venues...but it also reflects changes in society as a whole. Look at what people wear to a wedding or other special event today as opposed to 20 years ago...and I can remember when my grandmother would dress to go shopping! And there is an increasing trend toward the attitude that "no one is going to tell me what I (or my child) can do. Any rule or standard is victim to the "I paid my money and I'll do as I please" attitude.

 

For whatever reason, DCL has chosen to go with the flow and alter their dress code in Palo. It will make a lot less work for the manager who tries to enforce the requirements as there are very few requirements remaining. These changes are also seen on many other lines, although not to the extent as on DCL. "Formal night" on most mainstream lines has evolved to "dress up a little" night. Only the truly upscale lines maintain anything like the elegance of cruising that is reflected in the movies. By declining to participate in the "story" that Disney tries to create, a bit more of the sparkle dims. Oh well.......[/quote']

 

But you can still dress up as much as you want. I really don't understand why anyone would be upset with someone not dressing up. Why do you want to force me to do something I don't enjoy. I like the way Disney does it now. The formal night ends up being a really interesting night. Many many people dressed to the nines and clearly having the time of their lives essentially playing dress up. I enjoy looking at the outfits the same as I do when we see people dressed up for Halloween (we usually cruise in October). But it's also fun to look over and see the people who have clearly embraced cruise casual and also seem to be having the time of their lives. Just worry about yourself. Rules that are made for safety and consideration of others (pool rules, muster drills, being quiet in the quiet areas, respecting the smoking areas, etc.) should be followed. Dress codes are an archaic form of class warfare. It is expensive to buy, keep, maintain, pack, and clean formal wear. The "commoners" could not keep this formal appearance up. It was a way to make sure you could identify on sight who had money and who did not. That is not the case on a cruise nowadays. Once prices came down and cruises were accessible to the "commoners", dressing up was just that - playing dress up. We have had a societal shift. What I wear does not affect someone else in any way. I can't understand how it possibly could.

Palo is intended to be an upscale unique dining experience. As I stated, I have no problem with the change of dress code in the MDRs. If you don't want to at least do the resort casual thing, then stay with the MDRs.

I will reword my observation: I do not understand how what I am wearing (while sitting at a different table from you) can in any way affect your "upscale dining experience". Just don't look at my table and enjoy your food and service. That's what you're going for isn't it? If you want to pretend that you only hobnob with the rich and famous maybe join an elite country club in the Hamptons.

Disney has decided they like my money more than they like creating some false sense of elitism in their upscale dining rooms. I definitely like this move as the dressing up part has kept me away from this dining experience that I otherwise was very interested in. If you don't like looking at my attire while you eat, maybe you should cruise on another line.

I'll probably wear a golf shirt and some jeans. Mainly because I don't want people like you saying something to me because I decided to wear a t-shirt.

WHAT? I'm not part of the dress code police in the MDRs, but we enjoyed dressing up for Palo and the ambience. NIce jeans is one thing, but a tshirt? Seriously. Next they'll be dumbing down Remy.

If you want to dress up, dress up. I dress up every day for work. I don't want to dress up on vacation. I'm not comfortable that way. Just don't look at the people in t-shirts and jeans. It's all stupid societal made up crap anyway. Come naked. It won't make my food taste any different.

I just really don't understand.

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The 10% effective number is from Australia who is now having summer and their flu season is well over. The US is see much better effectiveness. Efficacy rate for US has yet to be published. I hope everyone wasting money on Emergen-C (which is just snake oil that does nothing) have vaccinated themselves and their families. Virtually all deaths this year (and every year) occurred in the unvaccinated.

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I came back from a cruise last week on the Fantasy with a mild cold and cough. Lots of folks don't practice the basic hygiene of covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze. It was particularly bad on this cruise. I will survive but did visit the doctor as I had a sinus to ear infection. We are going on anther cruise at the end of the month. The doctor suggested taking Emergen-C prior to the cruise. My wife did that before this last cruise and her immune system seems to have held up better than mine. The other suggestions noted above make lots of sense as well.

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Is it true that they also have POG on board? (Passion Fruit, Orange & Guava juice) Disney fans know it from the Polynesian Resort as well as Tusker House (where it's called Jungle Juice), but I know it from Hawai'i.

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Yes. All the ships have it. It is also in the parks as mentioned on this website. http://ridgelysradar.com/2014/01/minute-maid-light-pomegranate-lemonade.html

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Every time we've sailed (9 times now), the buckets have been identical to the ones in the parks and refills cost just as much as whether you have a refillable bucket or but a box o popcorn. The refillable one just holds more popcorn (sometimes).

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Great information. So, it appears you get fp's to ANY ride? At what time? Just show up at the ride and get on the fp line?

That is what I've read when looking around about this.

There are also excursions (with a $300pp price tag last year) that essentially give you a tour guide that fastpasses you to everything detailed in the excursion.

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To the OP: here is a link to how it worked on last year's cruises. If it works the same way this year (we're on the the October 6 cruise!) then you get 3 anytime any ride any park fastpasses from what this website says.

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2016/06/walt-disney-world-port-adventures-2016-disney-magic-sailings-new-york/

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No, in the past, you could just modify sail dates right on the website. I can change stateroom numbers, but not the cruise itself. I can call, of course. I just didn't want the hassle.

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Anyone else not able to change a cruise to a different sail date on the Disney website?

We're one of these! We're excited!

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We went to Castaway Cay today on the Dream. Pretty sure we were the first back there. We actually had our sea day switched with our Castaway day "so we could get a sunny day instead of rain" but several crew said it was so they could clean up after the hurricane.

Today, one of the Castaway Cay workers said the island did very well with only the landscaping being a big deal. He said every worker on the island had been tasked with putting the place back to new with "many sleepless nights". He said they didn't get finished until this morning.

Island looked pretty good. Only saw some blank areas in the tree lines and some broken trees. Nothing big. Biggest thing I noticed was it seems the beach may have partially washed out and had to be refilled as there was a much steeper rise up to the area with chairs and the sand in the rise was much softer (as if it had just been dumped in and hastily graded.

It was actually our best trip to Castaway Cay so far (8th time). Weather and water temperature were perfect.

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We're in our hotel at Port Canaveral! It was really weird seeing the Dream docked at 11pm and all lit up. Maybe I can go beg to be let on now!

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Causeways were just reopened in Cape Canveral/Merritt Island.

https://twitter.com/jodiewsb/status/784467404965367809

Also reports that Coast Guard might not be able assess the port until tomorrow:

Apparently the port was flooded. I can't confirm any of this other than the causeways being opened as that is being reported by news sources.

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I'm hoping the Port Everglades is a contingency plan, but at least it seems the cruise will still happen. How does the port arrival work in these instances? Do you just show up to Port Canaveral whenever you were going to normally and they put you on a bus to Ft. Lauderdale?

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It could always be worse. You could be at work in a call center with thousands of angry callers calling while a hurricane trashes your city and your home.

Definitely. My wife actually spoke to the lady when they finally came on the line. She said she seemed very relieved to have someone who wasn't angry and yelling at her.

She told my wife that they had just upgraded to a new computer system that was already causing delays/issues before the cancellations caused even more headaches.

I really do feel sorry for them.

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Yay! After 4.5 hours we got someone on the phone. They said the refunds are all messed up because of a system error that should be corrected soon. We did get booked on the Oct 10 and they gave us a 20% discount. 4 days for $30 than the 3 day. Not too bad.

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3.5 hours on hold in total at this point. Still waiting...

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