Just off the disney magic

[Cruisee Q]

First of all, I want to start by saying that if you are looking for a vacation that is all things Disney, then you will probably be satisfied w/ a Disney cruise. In my case, my husband and I fell in love w/ cruising after our first Carnival cruise to the western Caribbean a couple of years ago and we wanted to share the experience w/ our children. We chose Disney because it was the most kid friendly, we heard what a great kids program they have and lots of activities. We are always impressed when we go to Disneyland or Disneyworld. It amazes me how clean and well run they keep the parks. Of course, we expect the same from thier cruise ship. When we vacation, we stay in extremely nice, clean, top notch resorts and that is what we were expecting from the Disney Cruise. We were extremely impressed w/ our Carnival cruise 2 years ago. I am a total clean freak and don't mind paying extra money for my vacation to be perfect. I assumed that all the extra money that I paid for Disney would assure me that everything would be top notch.

 

Then we entered our stateroom. I was extremely pleased w/ the size and layout of the stateroom and I love the split bathroom. However, I was shocked to see that the bathrooms had chipped tiles on the floor, dirty grout, and the toilet and tub were so old and scratched and damaged that I cringed every time I took a shower. The tub, toilet and grout need desperately to be replaced. This was completely unacceptable. If I were in a hotel, I would have insisted that we either switch rooms or leave to a different hotel. Thank goodness that my children are older and take showers. I would NEVER bathe a baby or toddler in that tub! Also, for the money that I paid I would expect to at least have ONE outlet in one of the bathrooms. Very disappointed in the condition of the bathrooms! The Magic should have been dry docked for bathroom overhauls and updates at least 8 years ago.

 

As far as the kids club and family activities... I have 2 boys ages 8 and 10. They are extremely easy to entertain, they go with the flow and always find something to do. They were also w/ other kids that we were traveling with. Honestly, they would have been just as happy at the Kids Camp on Carnival or any other cruise ship. They begged to back to the Kids Camp at the resort we stayed in on Maui last year. Disney, they could take it or leave it.

 

Really, the only thing special about the Disney Cruise is the characters.

 

My husband and I splurged on a couples massage at the spa. Complete waste of time and money. The spa is decorated in outdated colors and severely worn furniture. Not comforting and relaxing at all. But the absolute WORST experience was putting on the dingy, gray, tattered robes. Those robes needed to be donated to a homeless shelter about 8 years ago w/ the tubs and toilets. I was truly appalled at the condition of the robes. I've seen nicer spa services in cheap hotel chains. This was a HUGE disappointment. I would have cancelled our massage but they still charge you 50% of the cost.

 

Overall, I would have to say that the best experiences we had were when we were off the ship. We had a great time on all of the islands. So we could have had a great time exploring islands on ANY cruise ship and saved the money. The food, shows and movies on the ship were comparable to any other cruise line.

 

REALLY, THE ONLY THING SPECIAL ABOUT THE DISNEY CRUISE IS THE CHARACTERS.

 

So, I also saved the best part for last. Just like the Disney theme parks, it's not enough to charge you outrageous prices just to get into the park, or on the ship. Where the parks scam you with a $20 hamburger and bag of chips, the cruise ship scams you on their excursions and activities. Too bad that we pay $300 just to get into Disneyland, they charge you for a bottle of water what you could buy a case for. We booked a dolphin swim excursion (NOT THROUGH DISNEY). When I called the dolphin company directly they started booking me by name and how many people in my party and which package I wanted. The cost was to be $99 per person and they were offering a 25% discount, which came to $75 per person. They also told me there was no charge for additional people to come in and watch (the dads were taking pictures instead of swimming w/ dolphins). Then they asked if I was coming in on a cruise ship and which one. When I told them Disney, they informed me that I can only book through Disney (according to policy). Hmmm, I did a little research and found out that Disney prebooks the majority of the company's time slots and forces them to have Disney guests book only through Disney. They are the only cruise line to force this upon a guest. And guess what??? Disney's prices are $159 per adult, $139 per child under 10 and... they charge $89 per person just to come and watch!!! So I called the company back, booked my excursion telling them I was on a Carnival ship, and I SAVED ALMOST $700!!!!!

In summary, if you are looking for a wonderful, relaxing cruise that won't break the bank, then go somewhere else because you can take 2 cruises for the price of one Disney cruise. If you have little girls who love the princesses or kids who LOVE the Disney characters and you want to give them the experience of a lifetime... by all means you should pay double the cost. Because...

 

REALLY, THE ONLY THING SPECIAL ABOUT THE DISNEY CRUISE IS THE CHARACTERS.

[grand isle joe]

So who was your favorite character?

[Host Mick]

What did guest services and your cabin attendant do about the tub?

[Cruisee Q]

I did not pursue anything w/ guest services because I wanted my family and the other family we were with to get the most out of our vacation. After spending thousands of dollars, the last thing I wanted to do was spend 3 hours trying to get our room switched. There was nothing that could have been done about the tub short of replacing it and I don't really think Disney would have been that accomodating. Everyone was ready to have fun so I overlooked it.

 

Please don't call me grumpy. All I am saying is that for the amount of money that we spent on this cruise, I could have stayed at a Four Seasons Resort somewhere. I really expected first class for that kind of money. You really should be thanking me for bringing it out in the open. If someone had posted it before my trip I would have never booked it. So, knock yourself out and get ripped off. If I've saved at least one person some money by booking w/ another cruise line, then I've done my good deed for the day.

[ma23peas]

I sooo appreciate your report! We may not stay at the highest end of hotels, but I work hard to get the newest hotels...stay at monorail resorts...mostly because the newer/refurbed ones have less chance of causing an asthma flareup from previously smoked in rooms....I have heard reports of worn bed spreads and carpets...I don't know when Magic is in dry dock but I'd hope they go before our cruise in May, but then, we managed an outstanding rate....7 passengers, 10 nights Mediterranean for 4k with over $1400 OBC!! We're going for the port stops...but cracking grout and stained tub surrounds would not be appealing...if I had paid full price rates, I would expect a clean and polished room.

 

Great report!!

 

Tara

[jd10367]

There are various facets to your report which need to be addressed independently, as they are not related.

 

#1: the bathroom. Having just come off the Disney Wonder for the first time, I can vouch that the ships are showing their age a bit (and, IIRC, the Wonder was recently drydocked). Our bathroom had the odd mildew spot here and there, but otherwise was in good shape. But the clothes storage trunk in the cabin was in bad shape (the doors barely opened or closed). Perhaps the Magic is indeed overdue for drydock.

 

#2: the kids' activities. While your kids might "take it or leave it", supposedly Disney has some of the best kids programs. Maybe they're geared to kids a little bit younger. In touring the Wonder's kid areas, it seemed more themed for 6 and under, although they did have some video game areas that 8- to 10-year-olds would like. On the one hand, we have Disney, who has built it's reputation on how it is with children (theme parks, movies, toys). On the other hand, we have your bunch of kids, who didn't like the cruise's activities. Sorry, but in this area I'll assume the issue is with your kids, not with the cruise line's activities.

 

#3: the spa. Again, sounds like the Magic needs an update in that area. And there's no excuse for dingy tattered robes... if they were indeed as bad as you say... but, again, given the vitriol in your post, it's hard to take what you say at face value because it's hard to believe that Disney would hand out a "dingy tattered" robe in their spa. If you had a picture of said robe, it would help verify your account.

 

#4: "The food, shows and movies on the ship were comparable to any other cruise line." I find this statement interesting. The food, I did find comparable, considering every cruise I've been on has had excellent food. The shows on the ship are Disney-themed, and involve intricate sets with moving pieces that rise and lower from the stage. IMO they are NOTHING like what's on other cruise lines. The movies are comparable? Half the cruise ships don't have a movie theater, and I'd bet they don't show Disney films that are currently in the theaters and/or have premieres at sea. On our cruise last week they were running "Old Dogs" and "A Christmas Carol" (in 3D), and premiered "The Princess and The Frog". And the stateroom selections were excellent, with a handful of Christmas-themed films rotating (Jim Carrey's "Grinch", "It's A Wonderful Life", "A Christmas Story") along with three channels of Disney animated films.

 

#5: scamming you on shore excursions. I can't speak on your claim that Disney blocks out the excursions so you have to go through them. But, I hate to tell you, ALL cruise lines scam you on the excursions. They use the same vendors who are sitting out there on the dock holding cue cards, except--for the mental piece of mind of having the cruise line "vouch" for the vendor, and get the tickets for you--the cruise line will charge you more money. Some people abhor cruise line excursions and go their own way. Others, like myself and my wife, prefer to spend a few extra bucks to go through the cruise line, so it's more "official" and they know where we are. (If you go your own way, not only are you more likely to get a bad vendor, but the ship won't know or care where you are or when you get back. If you're on a bus with 45 other cruisers who all bought the excursion through the ship, they're more inclined to wait for you if you're running late.)

[calmpets]

I was just on the Magic in October, and on my several visits to the spa the robes and facilities were all fine. In fact, a friend and I were both having spa tasters done, and they offered us use of one of their private villas for two so we could chat throughout our treatments - no charge! I'd have more sympathy for you on the bathroom if you'd spoken to guest services and they did nothing for you. Since you didn't make them aware of the problem, how can you expect them to fix it? My entire room was fine two months ago with the exception that the balcony door handle was chipped and jiggly. I mentioned it to the room steward, and within a day it was fixed.

 

As far as children's programming, there is a mixed review on that. Kids who love it, really love it. It's true, though, that some kids don't enjoy it. My stepkids didn't, but that had more to do with their respective personalities than anything DCL did or didn't do.

 

Disney may be the only ship who forces direct booking through that particular facility, but I assure you they aren't the only line that does this. Carnival has the same deal with Playa Mia in Cozumel, in fact - they were just finalizing it a few months ago before I sailed. It's become common practice in the cruise industry. The shore excursion prices aren't always inflated either, although it does happen more often than not. I priced the Grand Cayman sub tour directly and through DCL, and it came out the same.

[redwinger]

It really is too bad that, when a cruiser who has paid a kings ransom and then some to sail Disney, has some disappointments, and constructively criticizes on a forum such as this, the loyalists come marching out in droves to defend their kingdom. The purpose of these forums is to express opinions, and certainly all will not be positive. To sail with the mouse, we pay a substantial premium for the opportunity [privilege?] and perhaps our expectations are higher. Please keep the swords put away from those who choose to expess their negatives, and accept the fact that Disney Cruise Line does have flaws. By sharing our experiences with this forum we will all have a reasonable chance of making the most of our cruising experiences. cheers to all.

[ma23peas]

By sharing our experiences with this forum we will all have a reasonable chance of making the most of our cruising experiences.

 

I completely agree! I do get aggravated when cruisers come back to and try to 'diminish' or even 'discount' someone's complaints. It is extremely aggravating to think that making comments like "Grumpy" and others somehow discredits the original posters experience. I come here to read honest reviews, and hers was very honest...what more can you ask? I, too, would be upset about the excursion thing, it's a good point to make because many would not think to circumvent the 'system' and save $700! At least she found a way to do it and shared that. We're a family of 5 and just getting off paying 2 mortgages for 2.5 years, we don't have extra money for peace of mind but we do want to enjoy our ports. I am doing a private tour for our party of 7 for an all day excursion, if I did a similar excursion with Disney it would have cost 3x what I'm paying.

 

There are plenty of posts that point out how great the kids programs are and suit many...you don't see many posters pointing out how horrible they are on that thread...so just practice some tough skin, she's not discrediting your decision to sail Disney, just pointing our why it may not suit her family the next sailing..these comments help Disney improve.

 

Tara

[ducklite]

I just want to point out that Disney doesn't run the spa, they lease it--including the facility and linens--to Steiner, who also services Carnival, X, RCCL, NCL, etc.

[AlexandNessa]

I am sorry you didn't find Disney to be "all that" and worth the premium. Sounds like you didn't get the "Disney Difference."

All I hope is that you expressed your opinions on the end-of-cruise comment cards.

We had a mid-ship suite on the Wonder. Paid more than $1K per night, and our shower was much as you described ... the tiles were chipped and badly stained. Unacceptable for that much $$ per night.

[Muushka]

Believe me, I am no DCL loyalist. I think their cruises are way overpriced and for the most part over rated. And considering their ships are now 10 years old, they really do need to get their prices more in line with the other ships out there. I agree with you about the characters, they are why we occasionally sail with them (provided that we get a good rate, of course).

 

I just wanted to point out that one of your statements is way off base.

 

Where in the parks do they charge $20 for a hamburger and chips? And they usually serve fries with the burger, not chips.

 

I am glad that you posted this review.

People really do need to understand that when you cruise with DCL you are not necessarily going to get your monies worth.

[gometros]

I completely agree! I do get aggravated when cruisers come back to and try to 'diminish' or even 'discount' someone's complaints. It is extremely aggravating to think that making comments like "Grumpy" and others somehow discredits the original posters experience. I come here to read honest reviews, and hers was very honest...what more can you ask? I, too, would be upset about the excursion thing, it's a good point to make because many would not think to circumvent the 'system' and save $700! At least she found a way to do it and shared that. We're a family of 5 and just getting off paying 2 mortgages for 2.5 years, we don't have extra money for peace of mind but we do want to enjoy our ports. I am doing a private tour for our party of 7 for an all day excursion, if I did a similar excursion with Disney it would have cost 3x what I'm paying.

 

There are plenty of posts that point out how great the kids programs are and suit many...you don't see many posters pointing out how horrible they are on that thread...so just practice some tough skin, she's not discrediting your decision to sail Disney, just pointing our why it may not suit her family the next sailing..these comments help Disney improve.

 

Tara

 

Nobody is diminishing the account. Legitimate questions were asked. Did the OP bring their concerns to Guest Services? Did they have photo evidence of the alleged tattered robes? I don't wear rose colored glasses, I have no doubt that some of the complaints about the Magic and the Wonder could be true. Wear and tear is expected in the travel industry. But the tone of the OP's post requires one to take the review with a grain of salt, just as an over the top positive review would require the same careful thought.

[Cruisee Q]

Thank you everyone for your comments. :) I do want to clarify a couple of things. Yes, I did express my dissatisfaction on the comment card. No, I did not take pictures of the tattered robes, although I wish I would have. (Do most people bring their camera to a massage???) Honestly, I was just looking to have a positive, relaxing, stress free vacation before the holidays, not a stressful "guest services" filled nightmare. I didn't want to dwell on the negative so I chose to focus on the positive... great memories w/ my family and friends.

 

I will say that there was a great selection of movies playing throughout the week on the TV and in the theaters. Our last day on Castaway Cay was cloudy and rainy and we weren't in any rush to get to the beach so we actually got to see the new Princess and Frog movie. However, I would have much preferred to only spend $40 instead of $4000 to take my family to see it at home. We enjoy cruising for the experience of being at sea and discovering new places. I can sit at home and watch movies on my couch for free.

 

I would also like to clarify that I never said the Kids Club was "horrible". I said that my boys could take it or leave it. They are both very smart, straight A students and one is in the gifted program. They know how to socialize and have a good time. They are creative at finding things to do on their own as well. They did do the activities and had a great time. They just weren't begging to go back like they were when we were at a resort in Maui, where they made a lot of cool, cultural art projects and had Hawaiian themed treasure hunts, etc. They were disappointed in the Magic Show that they were really looking forward to. They came back and said it was "lame" because there were 3,4&5 yr. olds running around and making noise during the show (which was listed as a 8-10 yr old activity). After that, they were hesitant to go back because they didn't feel like hanging out w/ little kids running around everywhere. Needless to say, we will not be cruising Disney again now that they have eliminated the age groups and made it a free-for-all. But as long as you know that ahead of time, it's okay. We were under the impression that it would just be their age group. (No, I didn't save the Navigator paper that listed it as a 8-10yr old activity).

 

I also stated on the comment card that we only attended dinner 3 nights. The first night was very nice. The second night the service was S.L.O.W. but you never know what the circumstances are. Maybe someone got sick and our server needed to pick up an extra table. I gave it the benefit of the doubt. I did ask for sugar when my iced tea came and I never got it throughout the whole meal. I finally asked a different staff member who brought me some. The third night when I ordered my tea, I specifically said "please don't forget the sugar". When my tea came w/ no sugar I thought for sure that my friends were playing a joke on me and I actually started looking for video cameras that they must have been hiding to get my candid moment on tape. It wasn't a joke. They did finally bring my sugar but the kids were finished w/ their entire meal before they even got their milk. The head server actually came over to our table and brought us 4 complimentary smoothies and apologized for the service. The rest of the week we ate at the buffet and pizza stand and had the best service ever! :D

 

We also had a deck server whom we met our first day at sea. I think his name was Ernan. We ordered a round of drinks from him and he served us over the next couple of hours. We tipped him extra for his great service. The next day, we didn't make it up to the pool until after lunch and who should we meet but our good friend Ernan? He actually remembered our names and cabin number! We were very impressed! And on our last day of the cruise at Castaway Cay he found us on the beach and again addressed us by name and knew our room #. Note: please be sure to tip extra for great service from the deck servers. There is a 15% already added on to the order but they have to split that up w/ bartenders and other staff. Anything extra you give them they actually get to keep themselves. We also gave a great tip to our room attendant who did a fantastic job keeping us amused w/ her towel animal creations. She even used our sunglasses, hats, stuffed animals to personalize them! See, it really doesn't take much to please me. ;)

 

I want to again thank everyone for the dialogue. I think that these boards are a great tool for people. I read these boards for months before my trip and they were very useful to me. I now realize that there is a community of people that are part of a close knit "Disney Family" and they are crazy about all things Disney. It's like a religion. I get it. I respect it. I would never criticize anyone for it. But I do think that a lot of the posts are misleading and written through rose colored Disney glasses. The Disney ships are 10 years old and they are showing it. I'm sure the new Disney Dream ship would be my perfect vacation but frankly, I wouldn't spend that kind of money again. I did have a fantastic vacation. I have pictures of my boys riding dolphins, sliding down a waterslide on a ship in the middle of the ocean, playing shuffleboard w/ nothing but open sea in the background. The memories, laughs and great times w/ my family are priceless. I just hope that this post has been helpful. Whether you choose a different cruise line or a totally different vacation... enjoy your family. Laugh w/ them, love them, hug them, smile at them. Life is too short. Have fun, make the best of it and have no regrets. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season and enjoy your vacation! :cool:

 

~Cruisee Q~

[deltaqueen]

Okay, to the cruiser that booked the 10 day med cruise for 7 passengers. Was that $4,000pp w/$1400 OBC?????? Do tell?

[boulders]

I'm not the poster you're referring to, but I got the 11 night cruise in May for $2000 total for all 4 people in a cat12 guarantee. Up until about 6 days ago, they were having a kids sail free plus $999 pp for the first 2. You can still get the kids sail free OR the $999 pp for cat12, but not both anymore. So, it's likely the $4000 was referring to the TOTAL for 7 people. Amazing, huh? :D

[mom07]

In July we took our family - all 15 of them - on the Magic. We found our servers to be the best we have ever had on any ship! OUr family included two babies just around one year old. Our server always made sure that the babies were served first & once he found out how much they both loved fruit, had it out on the table when we got there! We encountered him at breakfast once in the buffet, once at Lumieres, and once at Parrot Cay. Each time he made a point to come help us and serve us. He was outstanding! In fact, he was so good that many of us sent Disney an email praising his service after we returned home. (and tipped him extra)

 

I can say that I have had poor service on Carnival and on Costa and great service on Carnival and on Costa. It all comes down to the individual servers, but on both of our Disney cruises, the service was outstanding.

 

We had the couples Villa in the spa and our robes were quite nice. We loved the whole experience with the jacuzzi on the veranda looking at the ocean & finished up by tea and fruit on the veranda. It was lovely. I am sorry you did not have the same experience.

 

Our room steward was good but not outstanding. Our room was always done and always clean.

 

One of my daughters had trouble with her room steward. Twice her room was not made up in the AM and his excuse was "I thought the baby might be asleep." Not good.

 

We had five rooms and no one else had problems (even with the same room steward since the kids rooms were close to each other) Our room was on a different deck (they were 7, we were 8)

 

I admit, I love Disney, but I do enjoy other cruise lines! Disney is way expensive which is why it is only occasionally for us!

 

I would love to sail on the Dream one day, but you are right, the costs are way high! I can take a few other cruises for the price of one Disney!

[grand isle joe]

To the O.P. Thanks for your review. But you never answered the question that everyone wants to hear. Who is your favorite chatacter?:confused:

[ma23peas]

Okay, to the cruiser that booked the 10 day med cruise for 7 passengers. Was that $4,000pp w/$1400 OBC?????? Do tell?

 

That is for ALL of us!!! AAGH!! It's the deal of the century..here are the details...initially booked a cat 4 for 7k (kids sail free)...then started feeling selfish and decided to ask my parents if we could take them with us...(halfway didn't think they'd go, but they said they'd love to!) So I booked 2 cat 12's for a little over about $6500...I booked it online and got the $25 per room OBC, used my Disney Visa and got $50 per room OBC, then transferred my ressie to a TA that offered me $250 per room OBC...

 

Follow me here, in November they offered the category 12 for $999!!! I checked online and YES it allowed me to get the $999 AND the Kids sail Free offer!! So 7 folks sailing for 4k!!! Here's where it gets even more fun! I got a letter last week that thanked us for booking the Med cruise and Disney was giving us $100 per person OBC!! Even the kids who were sailing free to begin with!! So that's $700 + $650 previous OBC...so now I'm waiting to complete the story with outrageous airfare sale that should come out next month.....can you say I'm EXCITED!!! :)

 

Tara

[deltaqueen]

OMG, you have inspired me Tara! I've been surfing the DCL website for months and can't get a price under $4,000 pp! Going to work on it today as I'm determined to do it next year!!!!!!!!! Keep me posted on your airfare deals!!!! I agree Disney is pricey but I've sailed most of them (just got of NCL in October and Disney (3rd x) in November) and all I can say is it's worth it. But you've got to love Disney to appreciate it and look beyond the grout and yes, you have to have a favorite character! LOL!

[bchrobak]

We have sailed Disney twice, once on the Wonder and once on the Magic. Both times I can honestly say were spectacular! I can not complain about a single thing. Our first sailing in January of 2007, my two boys were 8 and 2. On our second sailing in January of 2008, they were 9 and 3. Both were so excited about Oceaneer's Lab and Oceaneer's Club that they were begging to go back. The first sailing, my youngest was too young to leave him there, but I went and stayed with him and he loved it. Everyone that we encountered was fantastic. We had an issue with our room key cards at first, but the problem was fixed immediately. As it has been a year since we have sailed with Disney, I can't really comment on the condition of the ships now, but when we were onboard, our rooms were in perfect working order and we had no problems with wear and tear in the bathrooms. Our servers were phenomenal! They remembered our likes and dislikes and they were quick and efficient. Yes, we did tip extra for extraordinary service. We did not use the spa services so I have no comment on that. However, Disney is definitely pricey and that was a factor in our vacation planning this year. The price I was quoted was $4700 for 4 on an Eastern Caribbean Cruise for January. Apparently we weren't able to get the kids cruise free discount. I'm not sure why. This did not include airfare. So, we've chosen the Carnival Dream instead at $3000 for 4, Obviously, a considerable price difference. I don't know that it will be equivelant to the Disney cruises that we have been on, but I am open-minded and have faith that we will enjoy ourselves just as much. When we come back, I will have a comparison. The biggest thing is that you make your vacation what it is! You are the only person that has control over it. If you have a problem, have it fixed or at least try. You're paying your hard earned money for your vacation. I know I am. I plan to have a fabulous time!

[Red112]

First of all, I want to start by saying that if you are looking for a vacation that is all things Disney, then you will probably be satisfied w/ a Disney cruise .... Because...

 

REALLY, THE ONLY THING SPECIAL ABOUT THE DISNEY CRUISE IS THE CHARACTERS.

 

This is my first time on this site. I have never cruised before and am investigating the various lines, including Disney. I found your report to be very objective and carefully written, even though it had criticisms. It will be helpful in my decision-making process.