chemistrynerd

Two words - Do it!

As a money watching hubby, my wife had to push me pretty hard to get my family (3 kids in the 3, 5, 7-yo range) on a DCL 3-nighter. I almost had to be dragged onto the ship, and I was bitterly quoting the Raven (nevermore). Now I think I look forward to cruising more than anyone else in the family. I know there are a lot of variables - kids' ages, finances, other options (RCCL) - but I think you can probably sell it as, "Let's try it just once." It worked on me.

But if you follow the information posted by DCL in the cabin' date=' you are asked to not leave the balcony door open. If you are concerned about completely closing it without an adult in the cabin, you can "almost" follow the request by leaving it open only a crack.

 

Supposedly, leaving the door open interferes with the AC system for that entire block of cabins.[/quote']

 

My family was on the Dream in early January in connecting deck 5 outside cabins. When a balcony door was opened, lots of air went out. Much of the return air was coming from the connecting door frame (both connecting doors open). It was plenty loud. I have no idea how HVAC works on a ship, but the DCL cabins seem to be under pretty high positive pressure. When the balcony door opens, cabin loses air and really pulls hard on the rest of the system.

 

As a side note, the OP might pick a starboard cabin so that you can watch the fireworks from your balcony. The view may depends on where you are on the ship. We were pretty far forward and it was fine.

Here is a somewhat off-topic question that was inspired by the idea of a TA offering a discounted DCL fare (not just OBC and/or a cabin gift).

What if a TA is holding a reservation that a customer wants to cancel? If that particular cruise is filling up, then the booked fare would likely be lower than the current DCL price.

Could a TA refund the original customer's deposit and then sell the same reservation to second customer for a higher cost than the original customer (but lower than the prevailing DCL rate)? There would need to be a means of changing the passenger names on the booking without having to create a completely new reservation.

If so, this would create a secondary market for DCL cruises. Of course, this might violate DCL's policies.

I haven't done the 5K, but my wife has run it a couple times. You can sign up just about anytime before the ship gets to Castaway. I can't remember the exact starting times, but it is early (for a cruise). The buffet restaurant (Cabanas) is open early for light food pre-race. Racers then meet in a lounge, and I think they are the first passengers off the ship. They walk to the course, run it, and can return to the ship.

It does take a bit of time for racers to get back to the ship. If your whole cabin isn't running, you can use the portable cabin phones both on the ship and on the island. Some folks can go on the beach while you are still out running (or cooling down or cleaning up), and you can coordinate getting back together with the phones.

The race itself is non-competitive. My wife normally does not consider herself fast at all, and she came back full of swagger about her place (but not so much about her pace).

The idea of going on a cruise and doing laundry sounds terrible, but I suspect everyone enjoys a little downtime in the cabin at some point. Furthermore, the Disney cabins are so darn nice, and you'll have great on demand video options on the cabin TV. Enjoy a little break from the pool deck. Order some cut fruit or cookies from room service.

My advice would be to bring a few detergent pods in your luggage. You'll likely encounter times for laundry that will fit naturally into your onboard schedule. Like moki'smommy and shmoo say, if you are courteous and get your clothes when the machines finish their cycles, you'll be much less likely to encounter someone moving your clothes for you.

Thanks for your post chemistrynerd!

 

I am surprised that the documentation varied from ship to ship for the same port. DCL should standardize that!

If you feel so inclined, it might be worth emailing DCL and letting them know that you felt the letter sent out on the Magic was clearer than on the Dream?

If they don't know they cannot fix it!

 

I'm glad you weren't too bothered about missing CC the second time, but sorry for those who did.

An unfortunate learning curve for some that not every cruise will make every port if the weather is against you. I hope the crew were not abused.

 

Hoping you have a fantastic cruise on the Fantasy!

 

ex techie

All in all, the process was the same for both ships - disembark, clear customs, go straight back into the terminal, wait for check-in to open, wait in the concierge lounge, and get early boarding once DCL gives the all clear.

In one detail, the Magic cabin instructions (Mar 2016) were more full service. All B2B folks were told to gather in a lounge for an escorted group disembarkation at 9:30. On the Dream, we were simply told be off at 9:00. The result in both cases is the same, but the Magic did feel nicer.

The Magic did have a downside. The instructions directed us, once back on board, to go to an adult-only lounge for snacks. We went there, but we got kicked out because our kids are under 18. Irritating, but it's not like we were truly hungry (is anyone ever truly hungry on a cruise ship?).

On the Magic, we should have gone to our cabin, but we felt weird about crossing the barriers (cabins ready at 1:30). We ended up cooling our heels on deck. Candidly, we weren't ready for this downtime. There isn't much to do before main embarkation. Everything is closed as the crew is working to make the ship ready.

On this last cruise on the Dream, there were two places for snacks, one for adults only and another for families with younger kids. That was perfect. This time around, we felt bolder about crossing the barrier. A crew member (head cabin steward?) was very friendly about confirming our B2B status. I feel he was expecting to see us. We then laid low in the cabin until all staterooms were open.

The biggest difference between the two B2B experiences was the time in the terminal. The Dream wait was much longer (2+ h vs. 1 h). In fact, before we were allowed to board, some of the early, bona fide concierge passengers were checking in and wondering who all the posers were in their waiting area. There's probably a chain of events that leads to the B2B boarding. Sometimes it's shorter and other times longer.

The Castaway cancellation was a disappointment for many. There was a collective groan in Cabanas when the captain made the announcement. Even if the ship had been able to dock, the Castaway experience would have been rotten. Everyone was better off staying on the ship. Unfortunately, if Castaway is a no-go because of weather, the pool area is also going to be less than ideal. It's just a "make lemonade" situation. I didn't hear many complaints, and the crew was extra apologetic (and extra helpful) all day. I was impressed that a new Navigator was delivered to every cabin in no time (30 min?).

A B2B on the Dream will give you the full 7 nights, but a repeat of the shows, menu's in the MDR's and activities, along with the M&G's and any other activities they offer on a 4 day cruise.

 

Just out of interest, why did you chose a Dream B2B rather than a Fantasy cruise?

I can only presume because of dates?

 

ex techie

My family just returned from a B2B on the Dream. The points on the repeat shows and menus are well taken. Those weren't a big deal, but it is a factor. For us, for this particular year, the B2B let us get seven nights, get the 10% on-board booking discount, and minimize missed school days for the kids. If I recall correctly, booking the Dream instead of the Fantasy was less expensive even before the booking discount came into play.

Of course, we did need to work around a disembarkation, which does blow a big hole in the day. We were told to be off the ship by 9:00. We didn't get back on the ship until just before 11:30. The kids were pretty tired from the previous 4-nighter, so we went straight to the cabin (ready by 11:30 for B2B) and took full advantage of the on demand video. (We did a B2B on the Magic last March in Port Canaveral, and we both left the ship later and re-boarded sooner. The whole process on the Magic was much smoother, and the documentation provided in the cabin was clearer.)

MokisMommy pointed out two shots at Castaway with a B2B. On the 4-night we had a great day at Castaway (and I admit I don't care for Castaway). On the 3-night leg, the weather was terrible (this was Sun 1/8). With around 40-knot winds, the Dream couldn't dock. I wasn't bothered by it, but many passengers were none too pleased.

Next year, in order to hit a birthday of one of our kids, we're biting the bullet and doing the Fantasy over New Year's. It will be our first time on the Fantasy.

Glad you brought that up. In my opinion, castaway club status needs to be revised to number of nights sailed, not number of sailings. Why should somebody who sailed 10 3 or 4-day itineraries be rated the status as somebody like moki'smommy who generally sails longer itineraries? They sure haven't spent as much to earn their status. And this probably contributes to the exponentially increasing platinum members.

Hey! We have done at least two (2) 5-night cruises! High rollers all the way.

Maybe on paper, my family will someday have the same official status as moki'smommy, but my guess is that Disney is fully aware of difference between someone like mm (or you) and my family. I'm sure the travel agents treat us differently too. The cruise line status only means so much.

DCL need to hear your opinion on the perks, so make sure you tell every officer you see your opinion, how it could be improved, what you would find valuable or an incentive (within reason! :) ) and also write it on the comment card.

We are really big on filling out the cards and advocating for staff members who have made a difference - from the guy on the Magic who had to clean the pool after every kid had an accident to a server from a past cruise who recognized my wife on deck and then visited our table that evening to a very helpful staffer in the Oceaneer's Lab. We keep a running list of names/nationalities during the cruise and put them on the comment card.

We're probably not as good about other items - room issues, perks, programming suggestions, etc. I guess we figure that listing a person's name carries some power (and hopefully benefit), but programming suggestions likely end up being noise-level chatter. Apparently we should think again.

We're "triple platinum" with primarily cruises longer than 10 nights each...

We are on the opposite end of the spectrum. We will be platinum at the end of the year, but it's mostly through 3- and 4-night cruises. Four of the cruises are/will be from B2B stints on the Dream. (We're on the Dream for a B2B just after the new year.) We are definitely low-end Disney customers. Admittedly, costs tend to keep us on the shorter cruises. The realities of the school year also play a role. Although we're both teachers (and presumably value education), we aren't above pulling the kids from school for a few days here and there. Our kids are currently right in the Disney sweet spot, and we figure our run of Disney cruises will soon be snapped for other adventures.

Because we are soon going to backdoor our way to platinum status, I sort of see the CC status levels as a joke. I also hypocritically keep track of our running total.

It depends on your definition of cold, how hot it is that particular day, and the recent weather. A hot stretch can warm the local waters quite a bit, especially in the shallow lagoon.

My family has been on a few cruises in Feb and Mar and one cruise in Jan. The weather will make it or break it.

Most people hit the beach hard right after breakfast. To beat the crowds, you can stay on the ship. You'll have the pool deck almost to yourself. By the afternoon, people will return to the ship. You can slip to the beach and enjoy an hour or two with the full heat of the afternoon to make the cool water seem a bit nicer.

Very interesting (both the post here and on the Celebrity boards). Thank you.

What are the likely outcomes for the company and captain from this incident? It seems that winds were very high (not unusual?) and contributed to the accident. Does this seem like pilot error in difficult but manageable conditions, poor judgement to try to dock, or indicative of company pressure to keep a schedule (or all three)? Who handles docking - captain or the local pilot?

What is likely going on behind the scenes at Celebrity, and is anyone losing sleep over this?

Unfortunately I've seen kids running around the dining room at second seating. These kids just need parenting.

At second seating I've noticed more kids sleeping than running around. The MDR staff is very adept at turning a couple chairs into a makeshift bed for a little one.

Mickey Bars are served in the MDR each night, and I think they are on the room service menu (the free part).

If you're thinking about a Disney cruise, here is what I think is a great take by another poster (meatloafsfan) from another thread.

"I recommend for someone who is a cruiser, who wants to try Disney to do a Caribbean or Bahamas cruise with port stops they don't care about. Focus your trip on the stuff on the ship that is unique to Disney or special about taking a Disney cruise (the shows, the deck parties, the characters, the clubs, the water features, mickey ice cream bars, etc.) Don't focus on port stops / excursions, or lying out in the sun for 8 hours, or bingo or even trivia.

Order hot room service late at night and enjoy an on demand Disney movie in your stateroom;

Enjoy the Aqua Duck, Aqua Dunk, Aqua Lab or whatever the "special" water feature is on your ship;

Go to the evening shows that are Disney themed;

Try out each of the rotational restaurants and rotational menus;

Enjoy Pirate Night;

Do the sailaway party (be sure to get right in the middle of the chaos);

Pay attention to the character meet and greet times (and this includes tickets to see Anna and Elsa or the Princesses);

Go to the Disney Junior Dance party;

Go to the Disney crafts - especially the scrapbooking one - you get a nice piece of scrap booking paper;

Catch a Premiere at Sea if it's possible or enjoy a late night or early morning movie in the theatre on board (I also recommend saving the latest Disney movie for viewing onboard the ship instead of rushing to the theatre in the weeks before your cruise);

Walk around the ship and actually notice all of the special things that have been placed for your enjoyment - like the seagulls in Cabanas, the hidden mickeys or the art work;

Do the Mid Ship Detective Agency."

The one on the Magic (gone now) was similar, but different colors:

I was on the Magic in March, and the lobby/atrium is very bland compared to the Dream and Wonder. All the ships are wonderfully decorated (disclaimer - never been on the Fantasy), but the statement chandeliers make a big difference.

My TAs web site lists them. On the OLD DCL web site' date=' they were sometimes posted under the "specials" tab. I haven't tried to find them on the new web site as I already have an easy source.[/quote']

 

Thanks. I should have looked first. It's not hidden at all.

 

Special offers at the bottom of the home page

MANY other people must have canceled as well since all three of these cruises had *GT bookings available shortly after the penalty date. I keep looking' date=' thinking that if they fill the ship, the *GTs will drop from booking. Currently they are about 6 weeks out and still advertising *GTs at a rate THOUSANDS lower than opening day. That's got to irritate people who booked that day and didn't cancel. Not my idea of a way to build a client base.[/quote']

 

How do you search the *GT rates? Is this a TA thing, or are they open to the public?

A 4/3 B2B is generally the same price (approximately) as a 7 night cruise.

The Fantasy always seems to carry a premium. For example, for 2 adults, combining 2/2 and 2/5 sailings on the Dream in 2017 is $2,509 ($1,114 for 3-nt + $1,395 for 4-nt). The 2/4 sailing on the Fantasy is $3,617.

We did 3/4-nt B2B on the Magic a couple months ago. The same number of nights moved a day or two later on either the Dream (2B2) or Fantasy was higher. The Dream was a bit more, and the Fantasy was $1,500 or $2,000 higher (can't remember exactly). We wanted to do the Dream, but the dates for the Magic worked better. It was our first time on the Magic, and we liked it at least as much as the Dream.

Thanks for the information.

I've looked a little at other boards. Yes, the numbers are definitely getting a reaction.

My family operates at the bottom of the food chain on DCL. We got a quote from our TA for a 7-nt on the Fantasy (never been on her) but can't justify it. Even the 5-nt on the Dream (quote on another board) feels high. We'll slip down to a 4-nt and maybe explore doing a B2B.

Today is Gold/Platinum, tomorrow will be Silver, and then booking releases to everyone. Are prices likely to move at all in these first few days, or is getting first dibs more about cabin selection?

While I can book today, I'd rather see the lay of the land in terms of prices and options before playing phone tag with my TA. My family has never booked on or near the release date, so I'm a bit clueless over how valuable these first days might be.

The counselors are excellent. They deal with a lot of kids every day, and each cruise means they need to adapt to a completely new group. Are they perfect? No. Does every single child have a great time? No. One the whole, however, the kids programs are a strength for Disney.

As far as energy level goes, from what I've seen, the staff brings a lot more energy than the kids do. I feel like the staff elevates its energy so that the kids fall into line and let the staff lead. Personally, the volume level drives me a bit nuts, but kids seem to respond to it. A large fraction of the kids are drawn into the group activities managed by one or two staff members, and that leaves fewer kids doing individual activities (computer games, coloring, art, watching a movie) for the other staff members.

Be glad that you were given the opportunity.

My Celebrity cruise to the Eastern Med had the overnight in Instanbul cancelled. Istanbul was to be the highlight of the cruise. I would have taken my chances given the choice but I wasn't given it. The alternative overnight in Athens was nice but it wasn't the same.

Is that a situation in which you were offered compensation for the itinerary change or not? Istanbul is amazing.

We have done the 3 and 4 day Dream cruises and both times we did not get off the boat. To us is is like a day at sea will a few less people. I wish DCL would stop going there and offer double dip Castaway Cay cruises.

In the winter, Castaway is just about maxed out. The Dream goes there twice a week year round. The Fantasy is once per week. Right now, the Magic is twice a week, and the Wonder is once a week. That place is hopping with ships six of the seven days of each week. It lets up over the summer with the Magic and Wonder out of the picture.

Listening to music from the Disney songbook in the hallways before the ship fully wakes up in the morning is pretty nice. Too bad quiet moments are few and far between.