Just back from 2/28 Wonder

[BrinsonBunch]

We just got home from a 3 night cruise on the Wonder, and I have to say it wasn't the trip we hoped it would be. Not that we blame DCL - we just had absolutely terrible weather!

The temperature was cool (low 50's) when we left, and the winds were up to 40 knots while we were at sea. Because of this, we were unable to visit Castaway Cay (the most anticipated part of the cruise for me). The rough seas made everyone in our family seasick, except my husband, and none of us are are feeling completely right, even after two days back on land!

It's hard not to feel disappointed after reading all of the posts on this board about how enjoyable everything was for others (especially Castaway Cay). We tried to make the best of it (so as not to completely ruin the trip for our two DD's 6 & 9), but it's hard to enjoy yourself when the weather is bad, and you're too seasick to enjoy the food!

Was anyone else on the 2/28 cruise? Does anyone know whether DCL would be willing to offer us a discount voucher for a future cruise since we missed Castaway Cay (and had such miserable weather)? It would have to be a major discount for me to convince my husband to go again.

Here's hoping others don't have the same experience!!:(

[daltonsdodisney]

That is so depressing. For us, this cruise will be a special once-in-a-lifetime vacation. We don't usually spend this much on trips. To think after all the planning, saving, excitement, it's a bust due to the weather. That's just so unfortunate. I think Disney should offer some type of future discount to you. After all, they do offer specials occassionally anyway, so it's not like they're out anything and customer satisfaction is supposed to be high priority.

[ducklite]

Sorry, I don't think Disney should offer anything because of bad weather. They can't control it. If they offer discounts due to bad weather on the cruise, next you'll have people wanting them due to bad weather at the parks.

Sorry your trip wasn't as good as you had hoped for, but it certainly wasn't DCL's fault that the weather was bad.

Why not look at cruising during an off month when discounts are very steep to begin with if you want to try again?

Anne

[rocket99]

Me and my wife have the same fears we read the boards and we prepare ourselves for all the magic on the ship and to go to castaway cay which played a major part in deciding to go with disney.We have 6000.00 invested in a four day cruise that is a once in a lifetime vacation and not to be able to enjoy what you paid for scares us.When you invest this kind of money to take a vacation of lifetime I think disney should step up and at least give you a substantal discount on another cruise if weather or high seas plays a part like in your cruise.It very sad to read this report .

[BrinsonBunch]

I have to admit, I was reluctant to post a negative comment about our DCL experience because you see so few of them here, and when you do see one, the person posting the negative comment is often attacked. Still, I felt that our experience should be shared so that people reading these boards don't just see the positive comments, but have a realistic expectation that it may not be the trip of your dreams!

That being said, we understood that the weather was beyond DCL's control, and we agreed with their decision not to attempt to dock in dangerous winds. But, that doesn't change the fact that we invested a substantial amount of money in this trip, and we didn't even have the opportunity to step foot on Castaway Cay! From what I understand, this doesn't happen very often. Hopefully that will calm some of the fears of daltonsdodisney and rocket99 (and any others reading this thread). But to me, it also opens the door for Disney to offer us a discount on a future cruise. Not because of the poor weather, but because we missed a major part of our voyage (the day at Castaway Cay). We have no intention of investing any more money with DCL by "cruising during an off month when discounts are very steep" because, as far as we're concerned, we didn't get our money's worth the first time. Why should we spend even more of our money during an off month and risk even worse weather (such as hurricanes or tropical storms)??

[BrinsonBunch]

I have to admit, I was reluctant to post a negative comment about our DCL experience because you see so few of them here, and when you do see one, the person posting the negative comment is often attacked. Still, I felt that our experience should be shared so that people reading these boards don't just see the positive comments, but have a realistic expectation that it may not be the trip of your dreams!

That being said, we understood that the weather was beyond DCL's control, and we agreed with their decision not to attempt to dock in dangerous winds. But, that doesn't change the fact that we invested a substantial amount of money in this trip, and we didn't even have the opportunity to step foot on Castaway Cay! From what I understand, this doesn't happen very often. Hopefully that will calm some of the fears of daltonsdodisney and rocket99 (and any others reading this thread). But to me, it also opens the door for Disney to offer us a discount on a future cruise. Not because of the poor weather, but because we missed a major part of our voyage (the day at Castaway Cay). We have no intention of investing any more money with DCL by "cruising during an off month when discounts are very steep" because, as far as we're concerned, we didn't get our money's worth the first time. Why should we spend even more of our money during an off month and risk even worse weather (such as hurricanes or tropical storms)??

[ducklite]

I'm sorry if you saw my response as an attack. It wasn't meant to be. You state that you understand taht Disney can't control the weather. Yous tate that you wouldn't have wanted them to try to dock in bad weather. Yet you seem to blame them for your not making it to castaway Cay. That just isn't logical in the way I'm looking at it.

I still don't understand why you think they should give you something. If they couldn't dock because the engine was broken, then I'd agree. If it was because the lifeguards were all sick, I'd agree. But it was weather, 100%. Disney has no control over this. Therefore I don't see why Disney owes you anything.

Anne

[Kteacher]

Although I've never cruised on the Disney ships, I've been on 6 cruises, with a 7th scheduled for this summer. Most cruiselines have it written somewhere in their brochure that they are not responsible for changes in itinerary (such as missing a port). We have missed ports due to weather on several occasions. It is unfortunate when it happens, especially when you've looked forward to a vacation for a year or longer (and spent a large sum of money). I hope this doesn't turn you off cruising forever. Sorry your trip wasn't what you expected it to be:(

[IrishCowboy]

Sorry you had such bad weather...but at least now you have an excuse to go back!

[Stewblue]

Sorry to hear how your cruise worked out. We aren't leaving for our family reunion trip until June 2003. I've been "lurking" for a bit while I read each trip report in detail to learn what worked for people and what didn't. While the majority are positive, every so often someone has a real problem such as you experienced. I understand your point that since CC is such an integral part of the trip, that it is frustrating to have missed it. I hope that the overall trip was enjoyable and that you got to experience a little bit of Disney magic.

[WorknFires]

Sorry that you missed Castaway Cay. I know that you're disappointed. We went in Sept 2000 and we couldn't have asked for a better day. Beautiful, warm calm winds. It was the absolute best day we could have hoped for. We took my mom in Oct 2001 and it was a tad chilly and the winds were blowing well enough that snorkling was a waste of time (water wasn't clear enough with the winds kicking up) but even then we had a nice time. This year we'll go again in Sept. and while we risk going in hurricane season, it's the chance we'll have to take because getting there on a perfect day makes it all worth while.

PS. I'm not prone to seasickness (and NOTHING ever interferes with my appetite) but I'm always shocked when people say they experience it aboard the Wonder or the Magic. We couldn't tell it was moving on our 1st trip and it moved very little on our 2nd. And then we could only tell when we were in the forward theater. Hmmm.

Oh well, wish me luck for Sept's weather,
Cheryl :bounce:

[wdwobsessed]

Any time you book a vacation anywhere ... you run the risk of bad weather making you miserable.

It would never even cross my mind to even hope that DCL would to give me a refund or discount booking due to weather / rough seas / etc.

When I was in WDW .. I did not get to see Fantasmic due to bad weather.... I didn't get a partial refund of that days admission.

When I went for a beach vacation last year..... It rained and was windy / cold the entire trip ... I didn't get any special discounts or anything to come back on a sunny day.

Having bad weather on a cruise would... well ... suck. But that's life .. you take the good with the bad.

Disney may be magical ... but even they cannot control the weather and just because they are Disney ... they should not have to pay for it either.

Dismayed,
wdwo

[Goofyrules]

After reading some of the replies to BrinsonBunch's thead I'm beginning to wonder if Disney doesn't pump some sort of chemical into these people's rooms at night to brain wash them.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

While I understand that Disney can not be held responsible for the weather, I also think that because it is such a rare occurance for a ship not to be able to dock at CC that in the grand scheme of things Disney would be better served to offer compensation to these people than risk losing them as customers altogether. I have been on the odd vacation (not cruise) where weather definitely put a damper on our enjoyment but I don't think that compares to not being able to enjoy 25% of your expected vacation (1 day of a four day cruise). If I wake-up in the morning at WDW at it is storming I can chose not to go to the park that day and save my ticket for another day or vacation. If I'm in the park and ir starts to rain I can either choose to leave or find activities that are less dependent on the weather. On the ship you don't have that choice!!

I should ask BrinsonBunch: Were they able to dock elsewhere that day?

As well to wdwobsessed: Perhaps if DCL spent more money protecting there dock from unfriendly weather they would still be able to dock there is high seas. While I agree "Disney may be magical ... but even they cannot control the weather and just because they are Disney ... they should not have to pay for it either" I still think it is in there best interest to.

Going on Disney Magic April 13-20, hoping for good weather, thinking about wearing a gas mask to bed at night (see above).

Cheers

[wdwobsessed]

Originally posted by Goofyrules


As well to wdwobsessed: Perhaps if DCL spent more money protecting there dock from unfriendly weather they would still be able to dock there is high seas. While I agree "Disney may be magical ... but even they cannot control the weather and just because they are Disney ... they should not have to pay for it either" I still think it is in there best interest to.

Cheers

Maybe if you were a cruise ship captain you could answer this question. I am not one .. so I cannot.

I DO KNOW however that many cruise ships have to alter thier itenerary from time to time. Will I be dissapointed if we cannot go to CC .. yes .. but if not .. I will stay on the ship and have fun elsewhere.

If you feel you should be compensated for bad weather on a cruise .. then you should not cruise.

For example .. I went on a Carnival Cruise ... it was SOOOO rough they had barf bags stuck all over the ship. We were loosing our footing it was so rough .. everyone would kind of lean to the left and take a few steps .. stumbling kind of ... then lean to the right ... lol.

Some people ... could not hack it and got sick. That made it IMPOSSIBLE for them to enjoy ANY of thier vacation.

Should these people have gotten a refund?

You also stated that if you are at the parks and it rains you have a choice of staying in and not using your ticket that day .. ... well, the ultimate park hopper .. would not allow this. Should Disney refund a day of UMP's if there are bad thunderstorms one day?

We have a word for this at another site I frequent .. and host at.

It's called

"entitlement mentality"

wdwo

[BrinsonBunch]

I have watched reply after reply drift further away from the point I was originally trying to make by starting this thread, so let me state it again.

I DO NOT HOLD DISNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WEATHER. I DO NOT THINK I AM "ENTITLED" TO ANY KIND OF REFUND.

I was simply trying to do two things - first, to give something back to these boards since they were useful to me and my family in planning our vacation. Whether others like it or not, I think people should be fully informed of what to expect on a WDW cruise (bad weather and missed ports of call included) so that they have a realistic idea of what to expect.

Secondly, I think it would have been smart for Disney to offer some kind of incentive to the participants of our less-than-"Wonder"ful cruise to give DCL another try. I have been in the marketing/ advertising field for over 20 years, and know that it is simply good business to offer people who had a disappointing experience with a product or service some kind of incentive to try again. People share their experiences (on these boards and with their friends and neighbors) and if someone comes away with a bad impression, their bad word of mouth can be very damaging.

I'm not talking about a free cruise or a refund, simply a discount or upgrade on a future cruise (with dates to be determined by Disney based on availability). When you buy tickets to an outdoor baseball game or concert, you fully expect a "raincheck" if weather disrupts the event. Likewise, our cruise itinerary was seriously disrupted by the weather. And, as I stated in my original post, I was told that this has only happened four times since the launch of the Wonder (?). Surely it would not be unreasonable for Disney to offer some kind of special offer to affected cruise participants in these few instances?

If I were working in the marketing department at Disney, I would encourage them to establish some kind of incentive policy for this kind of seldom-occuring disruption (such as missing a major port of call). This only makes good business sense, and doesn't have to cost Disney money. I know for a fact that Disney offers all kinds of discounts on future cruises because I've seen them on these boards (the $99 deal), and have heard about them from friends in the travel industry. I also overheard the people in the cabin next to us tell our host that they were "comp guests" on this trip, and he didn't need to collect their evaluation form.

That being said, this whole discussion is moot. My husband has made it clear that he has no intention of taking another Disney Cruise (incentive or not). I just hope this discussion is helpful to others.

[wdwobsessed]

BrinsonBrunch,

Please do not feel that I feel that YOU have "entitlement mentality' ...

You were just asking a question.

My last post was to someone who decided to quote me .. .. and address me .. therefore, I responded to that person.

My original post was for you, but not the second one.

If you were not happy with your cruise ... than DH has the right idea .. don't do it agian.

But, I would maybe stay away from cruising peroid .. because this can and does happen with other cruise lines as well. Especially ones that are only 3/4 days ... since the options of sailing to other ports is limited.

wdwo

[Goofyrules]

I could not agree more with BrinsonBrunch it only makes good sense to offer some sort of discount or upgrade to passenger in this situation. If some people wish to call that "entitlement mentality" go ahead, I call it good business sense!!!

Question for BrinsonBrunch: If Disney had stepped up and offered a discount voucher or upgrade certificate before or as your family was leaving the ship would DH's opinion about taking another cruise be different?

[BrinsonBunch]

I just attempted to post a reply to Goofyrules, but for some reason it is not appearing, so I'll try again. I apologize if this turns out to be a repeat (as happened to me earlier).

I'm not sure if DH would have wanted to take advantage of a discount offer at the time, but I would have definitely been motivated to try again (and think that between us, my 2 DDs and I could have convinced him)!

Also, to answer your earlier question, DCL attempted to dock at Freeport that day, but the winds prevented it. Instead, we spent the day at sea, and tried to make the best of it at the Mickey & Goofy pools. They were unbelievably packed, and the rocky seas made the pool waters sway so much that it really made me nervous! I finally pulled my two DD's out of the pool with an offer to go see a movie. Unfortunately, Ebert & Roeper (and their entourage) were on board, and monopolized the BV theater most of the trip. However, DCL did open up the theater and attempted to show "Return to Neverland", but had technical difficulties.

[Tluvs2talk]

Hi Brinsonbunch,
I am so sorry to hear that your cruise was less than great. My husband and I have cruised with disney 3 times and have a 4th one planned for October, So far we have made it to Castaway Cay all 3 times. All in all we have always had a great time on our cruises. (Some bad weather, rough seas, Cancelled excursion due to tropical depression, bad drink service on one cruise.) We still think the good things have out numbered the bad ones. I hope you have a better vacation next time, and maybe one day will want to cruise again.

[redpants]

Are you sure that there wasn't some sort of "guest recovery" offered during that cruise--right as the "bad" things were happening? Once, when my DH was cruising on the Wonder, they too were unable use CC due to bad weather. Instead--Disney offered everyone free drinks for a period of time (that afternoon).

Often, when there is a missed parade or show at WDW due to rain, you will see the very same characters from that parade/show making a special appearance elsewhere (under cover) in order to salvage the situation.

It just sounds like from what you're saying that the cruise was horrible, and no one on the staff cared. I'm sure that wasn't the case.

[susanf31]

No, Disney cannot control the weather. But Disney plugs Cataway Cay as the absolute HIGHLIGHT of the 3 and 4 day cruise. If they can't deliver on the one thing they advertise the most, then I believe a discount on a future cruise is in order.

I was on the 4/28/01 7-day Magic cruise. We did not get to dock at Castaway Cay due to winds. When you look a the small, narrow channel that the captain tries to BACK the ship into, it's a wonder they get there at all.

A former poster was correct...Disney shouldn't offer refunds for bad weather. They can't control it. But they can control their access to Castaway Cay. And right now, that access isn't up to snuff! If they can't deliver Castaway Cay because they can't dock the boat in high winds, because they built such a tiny channel in the first place, then, yes, they do owe something and they SHOULD give something to keep their disappointed customers coming back.

If I hadn't been on the 7-day and gotten my fill of beachs in St. Martin and St. John, I would have been DEVESTATED to miss Castaway Cay. Even though I did get 2 beach days prior to Castaway Cay, I was still very disappointed in missing it because of all of the advertising they do...telling us that it's basically the best part of the cruise.

On our day, it was sunny but windy. If they had tenders or a bigger channel or better docking facilities, we would have made it to CC...and I consider that the fault of Disney, not the weather.

[redpants]

Posted by susanf31: "A former poster was correct...Disney shouldn't offer refunds for bad weather. They can't control it. But they can control their access to Castaway Cay. And right now, that access isn't up to snuff!"

When Disney was building the dock to Castaway Cay, they went to GREAT lengths to make it enviironmentally friendly. I can't remember the specific details, but there was something about it not being made any bigger, longer, wider, etc, so as to not disturb the surrounding water. As soon as I find the specific link (as I'm sure there's a news article about it somewhere on-line), I'll post it.

[susanf31]

Environmental issues concerning the dock has nothing to do with the fact that they don't have tenders. There are other options than a big dock.

But having worked at Disney during college, I can tell you they only concerned about their environment as far as their wallet goes. If they don't want to spend a lot of money on a bigger dock, they'll produce environmental studies showing that there should be a small dock. However, if they wanted a bigger dock, you have bet they would have numerous environmental studies showing that a bigger dock wouldn't impact the environment.

Let's face it...WDW sits on 27,000 of sensitive Florida wetlands. They have no problem brining in the bulldozers when it comes time to build something new.

Many environmentally sensitive cruise ship ports use tenders. DCL should have a couple at WDW for use on days when docking is unlikely...given that the dock is so small for whatever reasons.

[redpants]

I believe the reason that DCL did not choose to go with tenders is that there are MORE problems with them than a standard dock. If it is too windy, seas too rough, weather too rainy, then the tenders can't be used at all.

I too was going to suggest that they use tenders on the days they can't dock, but then there's that whole logistical nightmare of how to get the truckloads of supplies (food, drinks, towels, etc) from the ship to the island.

So--there is no good solution...Although, according to the Captains of the ships, they are able to dock 95% of the time at CC. Unfortunately, you experienced one of the unlucky 5%!

[Goofyrules]

Finally someone else who really enjoys the Disney evvironment but hasn't been brain washed into thinking that Disney can do no wrong.

susanf31, I think that we are on the same page.

I just checked this tread to get an update and I agree with all of your comments. When Disney promotes CC so much in the advertising of DCL they owe compensation to their guests when they are unable to deliver on the expected and over advertised CC.

As for the logistics of getting supplies to CC in the event tenders are used. surely they could keep enough supplies on hand to allow say 2 or 3 visits using tenders before they can restock the next time the cruise ship is able to dock at CC.

Cheers,

[redpants]

I think it's a matter of opinion--subjective at that--that CC is over advertised. I would not agree with that statement.

Also--if you read the fine print in the contract (as we all do!) DCL is allowed to "deviate from or change the advertised or intended route at any stage of the voyage and may proceed to and stay in any place whatsoever..."

[scottf]

I, too, was on the Feb 28 Disney Wonder cruise with my family of four and four other adults in the party. So I thought I would try to add something to this thread. Bear with me--this is my first post and I'm afraid it might be a bit long.

I am right there with susanf31 and goofyrules . . . watch the TV commercials . . . order the vacation planning video . . . talk to anybody who has ever gone on a Disney cruise and they will tell you that Castaway Cay is the highlight of the trip. In fact, on a 3- or 4-night cruise, I'd say it's more than 25% of the vacation . . . it's more like 75% with everything else just leading up to it. Missing out on CC was beyond disappointing, beyond just bad luck. How can you not be knocked out by it? Like I said, watch the vacation planning video and see how much emphasis Disney puts on that CC experience. How can a cruiser, especially first timers like us, not come away with a bad feeling?

The Cruise Director made a few attempts to keep us busy that day. There was a juggling workshop, an additional bingo session, perhaps an additional dueling pianos show, and of course the aforementioned aborted screening of "Return to Neverland." Can anyone honestly, deep down inside of their Disney-loving hearts, convince themselves that these relatively feeble attempts to lift our spirits could in any way substitute for a day at CC? Let's face it--this was a bunt instead of a home run.

If that's not enough, let me painfully describe for you the scene at breakfast as I watched CC get alternately near and then farther away as we tried our approaches. Little did I really know what was going on at the time. I went out on the aft deck to get a nice panoramic camera shot of the island in between Mickey waffles, and a crew member out there said, "Hope you've got a great zoom." At the time I took that as his advice to wait until we got closer . . in retrospect maybe he was just being a smartypants. Eventually I jokingly said to our party, "Gee, the video sure made it seem like we would stay longer at Castaway Cay." I promise you less than 30 seconds later the Captain made his fateful announcement. You should have heard the gasps from the people in that room. I never got even a single picture of the island.

When I got home, I sent an e-mail to Guest Communications at the Disney Cruise Line describing our disappointment, and just basically telling them that we felt our cruise was incomplete. I never mentioned compensation of any kind. Even remotely. Their response several days later gave the standard explanation of why they chose not to dock, etc., etc. That alone might have helped, but much to their discredit they also included what I have to believe to be a legal pre-emptive strike against me by referring me to the cruise contract and flatly saying they do not compensate for "completed sailings."

No warm fuzzy did I receive from that reply.

The more I think about it the more I think Disney really ought to provide some incentive for us to sail again. It's been a busy week but I'm going to get around to following up their reply to me, and they're going to get two mouse ears full from me. Mainly because I think their attitude of "you should have read the contract" smacks of bad, bad salesmanship. I didn't ask for compensation, so why I should I be insulted like that? Show me the Magic!

I've probably already broken the record for longest post, but here's more. I have read with amusement as several of the posters in this thread lined up behind Disney on this "they can't control the weather" tack. Bless your hearts, you do have a point there. Do any of you happen to moonlight with Disney Cruise Line Guest Communications?

I'm a long-time Disney stockholder (remember the good old days, investors?) and I've been to WDW umpteen times. Shoot, my wife and I could make a decent living if we got commissions for every WDW vacation we help plan for our friends and the people they refer to us. So don't think I'm just some spoild brat who came out of nowhere. I know what to expect from Disney. And PLEASE, before I bring down the server with an even longer post, don't get me started on the phrase "entitlement mentality."

Just thought I would add to the interesting thread here with another first hand point of view . . .

[wdwobsessed]

Well I can't speak for the other posters .. but I can assure you that I do not work for DCL.

My hubby and I in fact .. make a modest living, I own my own business and know all too well about unreasonable customers. I also know all too well about being scolded for things beyond my control ... and I know all to well about the phrase" give and inch and they will take a mile" ... as well as the phase "if you do if for one, be prepared to do it for all."

DH and I work VERY hard for our vacations. We do without a lot of things in order to go to Disney ... and soon the DCL cruise. However, when I told dear hubby about this thread .. he rolled his eyes and shook his head. I can assure you that hubby is not a Disney fanatic and I am only allowed a certain amount of time to talk about Disney each week.

So .. he does not think Disney walks on water .. and he still thinks the idea of compensation is not warranted.

I have several questions I would like you to ponder.

#1 - What if there were thunderstorms all day ... so bad that you could not go to the beach at CC?

Is that the same thing?? ... I'm sure if you were on THAT cruise and heard that ANOTHER cruise got a special incentive due to rough seas & missing CC .. you may think you were entitled as well??

#2 - What if you had a Western Carribean cruise booked .. heck let's say you have been on the Eastern Cruise twice and are by no means interested in that ... ..and due to a tropical storm ... you have to alter your route and take the Easten one??? (This happened to my Father by the way , on another cruise line .. they had a 100% changed intenerary.)

Well..... that's not missing 25% or 75% or whatever you call CC .. that is missing the whole darn shebang that you singed up for....

If you were on that cruise would you expect some type of incentive to cruise again?

Do you see how this would NEVER END for DCL??

Also .. here is a little information for you on the CC wharf
from the MCG ..

*Dredging of the ship channel and construction of the wharf on which the Disney ships berth costs six million dollars.

* The harbor is dredged to 45 feet out of solid limestone.

* The ships bring in 80.000 gallons of water at a time. There is no potable water on Castaway cay.

* The fuel for electricity is brought in by the ships. There is no electrical service to the island.

* The sand on the beaches was all dredged and deposited there at great expense for your enjoyment.

SO .. I'd say DCL .. has done quite a bit to make CC a nice place to visit.

I still stand by the fact that sometimes Mother nature does not cooperate .. and that is greatly out of anyones control. Too many things can happen where weather is concerened for DCL to start dishing out special incintives .. if they do it in one case .. they will have to do it in ALL cases where the weather interferes with the intenerary.

Sorry in everyones dissapointment .. and maybe the weather gods will punish me .. on my cruise in 3 weeks. IF they do... I will make the best of it.

wdwo

[JSG]

Here's my 2 cents.

DH and I went on our first DCL cruise two weeks ago but we have been fairly regular WDW visitors over the years. Everything else aside, I love traveling to WDW so much because in my experience the level of customer service is so far and beyond regular/typical customer care almost anywhere else in the world. I always feel safe and well cared for, regardless of how much I'm spending or how "important" I am.

I think a large part of Disney's rep as a vacation destination/powerhouse comes from this "customer is always right" level of care. So ,YES, stuff happens and business is business and owners must watch out for their bottom line. And, true, Disney doesn't owe anyone anything if they don't dock at CC 5% of the time (we DID dock, btw). But if something stinky has happened to detract from the cruise (even if it's no fault of theirs) you expect Disney to put your enjoyment #1. Not all companies, not all cruise lines would bother, but the plus of Disney, the rep of Disney, is all about making sure you're happy. So give a credit, or even something as simple as free drinks for the afternoon or some cool bonus SOMETHING, but give folks a treat once they've been let down. Send them home thinking, "Gee CC would have been so great, but it was almost better when . . . " So, I don't think it's at all pushy or selfish to think that DISNEY (not just any company) would/should have tried to perk up the spirits of the disappointed crusiers. Makes good business sense anyway to have happy customers.

Along these same lines, we cruised on the Wonder 3/10. There were ups and downs, good and bad (including some chilly/rainy weather) but I took it all in stride. But what saddened me was what felt to me like a lot of lackluster customer service (at least compared with WDW at its best). Guest services was surly and full of misinformation. I constantly felt like they didn't want to be bothered. They were really quite bad much of the time.

On a related note - the insistence that all the surveys be filled out with "excellent" by the waiters and cruise director got rather tiring . . . as did the weather reports that declined to include any facts such as temp or fair/cloudy/rain in favor or "beautiful" (and beautiful was a major stretch some of the time). Not really helpful for dressing/packing appropriately.

[lydia]

BrinsonBunch: Our trip 3/10/02 was a memorable one from beginning to end ( posted trip report recently). My family would have been as disappointed as yours if we had your weather experience. Let me congradulate you for your last post where you "tell it like it is". You did try the diplomatic approach on your first post, but some people didn't appreciate it. Other people don't have to like what you post. If they are too sensitive about your views/experience (and they are not in any way extreme ) , they don't have to visit the trip reports. People come here to get a broad overview of the entire experience ( from weather to activities to attitudes of Disney etc.) Each persons experience adds to this vast info pool that we all tap into.

[lydia]

JSG: Although most of the time I felt informed by the announcements and the cruise directors efforts, you are absolutely right about the survey pushing and the weather reports.

[BrinsonBunch]

Wow...I'm amazed at how many have continued to participate in this thread! In a crazy way, it makes me feel a little better about my whole DCL experience because at least others have had the chance to learn from this discussion.

I also have to laugh because over the Easter holiday weekend, we visited my in-laws, and they asked my two DD's about the Disney Cruise. Both of my daughters raved on and on about how great it was, and, they said their favorite part was swimming in the pool during the "storm"! Just goes to show you, what causes misery for one person can be exciting for another (that, and they didn't realize how much fun they missed at CC)!

Scottf and lydia, I appreciate your supportive comments, and Scott, I hope you have some success getting Disney to hear your point of view. We're right to feel shortchanged, and they know it. They're just hoping we'll get tired of complaining, and go away. Please let me know who you've contacted (web address or phone number) and I'll contact them as well. Also, there is another person from our sailing who posted negative comments about her experience as well. Maybe if we all complain to the right people at Disney, they'll listen.

And to wdwobsessed...I can't wait to read your trip report after you get back from your trip! Here's hoping you make it to CC, because if you don't, you may feel differently about what we're saying when you get back!!

[wdwobsessed]

If I don't make it to CC .. I will be very, vewy, vewwwy sad.

But, I will not blame DCL.

I did tell my DH that the weather gods were going to punish me for my posts ... by having rough seas that day. I would like to at least see CC .. and maybe snorkel. Plus the kids are looking foward to it.

BrinsonBrunch - I hope you don't feel as if I don't sympathize with you. I do ... it sucks that you were not able to get to CC ..... and pehaps it WOULD have been nice to have Disney do something for all thier dissapointed passengers. It would have been a nice gesture on thier part. But not something I feel they have to do since rough seas are not within thier control.... sorry .. it's not.

Another person posted about a foul smell that made thier Verandah unbearable to use ... Now in that case .. I posted back that they should get at least an upgrade on thier next cruise from a reg room .. to a verandah room .. The smell WAS thier fault .. came from somewhere on the ship ...

So I don't think Disney does no wrong and when someones vacation is dissapointing due to something within Disney's or DCL's or whomevers control ... they should be compensated.

I'm not sure if it was you ... but someone who was upset about not being able to dock at CC .. left out of the original post that they could not dock at Freeport either ....???

SO .. the seas must have been REALLY rough and no one was docking much of anywhere in that area??

I also say .. if you do it for one .... you have to do it for all....

Maybe you ... were really looking foward to CC .. and that was the highlight for you ... but what if someone is looking foward to Nassau the most ..... or a specific Island the most ... that can not be gotten to because of a storm or something .....??

We will probably have to agree to disagree.

As I stated before .. it is not that I disagree with being upset, or sad, or dissapointed....

It's the expectation that DCL should provide some type of reinbursment for mother natures folly.........
that I do not agree with.

wdwo

[iluvorlando]

I, too, would have been very disappointed about not docking at CC. But, there were many highlights to our trip. One of the not so great things was the "beautiful" sand that is dredged up on CC. Doesn't any one else find that it was rocky? My feet were killing me after walking on it all day! Just wondering what anyone else thought.:)

[Sawyer]

We went on our cruise last May. Before we went, I had seen numerous trip reports where people had been so disappointed by not being able to stop at CC. Before the trip I just told my family that we may or may not stop at CC because I was afraid to get my hopes up! The weather was rainy, but we did dock and some of us got off. The sun broke through a few times, but right after lunch the flood gates opened and we all had to return to the ship. We actually kindof enjoyed spending the rest of the day lazing around the ship while the kids went to the clubs. I guess my approach was to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

As for the seasickness, I literally got seasick right after we walked on the ship!! Before we even set sail, the not-even-noticeable movement of the ship got me sick!!! I took a Bonine and within half an hour I was 100% better. I kept taking it the whole trip and never felt seasick again. Again, prepare for the worst!

Sorry you had a bad trip. It all amounts to luck, I'm afraid. Hope you'll try again!

P.S. And I think it would be a fabulous gesture if DCL sent you a coupon for SOMETHING, like a category upgrade for your next cruise or something like that. But, it's up to them.

;)

[DisneyDadFaNaTic]

We were on the Wonder in June of 2000 and the weather the day we were at CC was chilly and overcast. It didn't stop us from making the most of the situation and enjoying ourselves. We have been on many vacations and have had good and bad experiences. And even though we pay a lot of money I don't really expect to be compensated for the disappointments. When we went to MK in June of 2000 the Winnie the Pooh ride was closed and that was something we really wanted to do. We haven't complained about it. My DW fell at WDW and tore the meniscus in her knee in March of 2001, we asked if we could use a wheelchair (which they supplied for free!) and we enjoyed the final three days of our vacation as well as we could (and let me tell you it was something to behold seeing me pushing my DW in a wheelchair while she pushed our DS (3, at the time) in a stroller, geez the hills were killing me, ha).

My point is, as hard as they try to make it a "Magical" experience, it isn't going to succeed every time. If you let it ruin the whole experience then you bring nothing away with you. When you choose to enjoy it all, taking the bad with the good, then you take something away that is positive.

As a former cruiser you are now a registered Castaway Club member, that allows you certain discounts on your next cruise (if taken with a year and a half). My suggestion would be to try the experience again and after booking your next trip explain what happened on the last one and see if they won't offer you an upgrade or something for the trouble with your last cruise. Disney personel have been nothing but helpful to us everytime we have had a problem.

I, too, am truly sorry that your trip wasn't as you expected and I hope that it doesn't sour you on the whole experience. Our own experience was one of the greatest of my life (even with the disappointments). Don't give up and miss some of the best experiences ever.

[TnRobin]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This topic has gone WAY off its orignal question. Plus it no longer has anything to do with a trip report. If you wish to continue this debate, please go to the debate board.

To reply to the original question, I truely sorry that you were unable to visit Castaway Cay on your cruise. It truely is a beautiful place. I do understand your disappointment, we missed Castaway Cay on our first cruise too (due to a hurricane). In addition, we were not able to visit Nassau for the entire time posted in the itinerary. Many excursions were cancelled. No refunds or incentives were given to the cruisers.