Adult hot tubs now close at 10 pm?! Anyone else upset?!

[eskimoinparadise]

Do you really think another cruise line would give you a different answer? Another cruise line isn't going to respond to one customer that complains and says oh we will change that for you right away. What has happened to some extent in the past is they have backtracked on some of their decisions if they got enough complaints. Whenever I write a big corporation I expect a canned response, the fact that DCL does write some specific responses to some questions actually surprises me. Are they perfect no, but geez cut them some slack.

Actually, yes I do, and whenever I've communicated with any of the other four cruise lines we've sailed with a similar question about why something on one of their ships that had been available was no longer available, I received a response that both acknowledged the change, and proffered an explanation as to why the change was implemented. Disney is the only line we've ever sailed where no one has ever even attempted to explain a policy change (and let's be clear on this, the radical change in pool hours is not random - it is policy sent down from the head office).

 

[eskimoinparadise]

This is just another change that DCL is making.

There are other changes that have been made through the years. We just have to accept the changes and cruise on.

There are a lot of other cruise choices out there

 

[cgolf]

Actually, yes I do, and whenever I've communicated with any of the other four cruise lines we've sailed with a similar question about why something on one of their ships that had been available was no longer available, I received a response that both acknowledged the change, and proffered an explanation as to why the change was implemented. Disney is the only line we've ever sailed where no one has ever even attempted to explain a policy change (and let's be clear on this, the radical change in pool hours is not random - it is policy sent down from the head office).

I will say that we have never had an issue with the response that we have received from DCL, again some may do it better, but I have seen much worse. Sometimes how the question is asked drives the type of answer too.

If people want to switch lines over this, go ahead. When you go on a vacation you need to be happy with the experience, otherwise you will hate it. We like the DCL experience, so will be sticking with them a bit longer.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

I will say that we have never had an issue with the response that we have received from DCL, again some may do it better, but I have seen much worse. Sometimes how the question is asked drives the type of answer too.

If people want to switch lines over this, go ahead. When you go on a vacation you need to be happy with the experience, otherwise you will hate it. We like the DCL experience, so will be sticking with them a bit longer.

Will Disney's cavalier attitude towards its guests cause me to abandon the line - no. Has it caused us to change our cruising patterns over time - absolutely. Where we used to sail Disney 3 times a year, we now sail them once every 3 years. One side benefit of expanding our horizons for cruise lines is that now we can cruise 5-6 times a year in larger cabins, on newer and larger ships, with more amenities and a much wider variety of itineraries.

As you said, it's all about the experience

 

[cgolf]

Not having seen any of the navigators, I am curious if the pool closes early every night or if the first night or two the are leaving it open a bit later and judging the schedule for the rest of the week based on the number of people that use it late?

 

[luvthemouse71]

Quick rant here -

I've been cruising with DCL for 15 years. I've always enjoyed a dip in the hot tub after dinner and the show at night. Now that DCL is closing the hot tubs at 10 pm, that is no longer possible. This is very upsetting to me, as I don't enjoy bars at night. One of my, and my family's activities has always been hot tub time at night.

I'm curious if anyone else has been upset by this? If so, maybe it's time we rally and start writing DCL with our opinions as a group. When I talked to guest services about it on the Magic, they gave me nothing but ridiculous excuses as to why the hot tub hours have changed.

I'm literally a yearly customer to DCL. I have never shopped around for other cruise lines. This, is so frustrating though, as I hate to see more adult activities disappear on DCL ships.

Change the Quiet Cove hot tub hours back to closing at midnight DCL!!! Please!!!

Hmm, I was considering a Disney cruise next year, but maybe I'll just stick with Royal Caribbean. Theirs close at midnight and they were good about keeping kids out of the adult areas.

 

[DVC-Don]

Hmm, I was considering a Disney cruise next year, but maybe I'll just stick with Royal Caribbean. Theirs close at midnight and they were good about keeping kids out of the adult areas.

Last year on the Serenade of the Seas in the Med, everything on deck closed at 9 PM. I was not happy.

 

[MissMet]

We are cruising in Oct. I wrote an email complaining about both the hot tub closing at 10pm in addition to the new alcohol policy. We're not really drinkers but with these two new policies I feel they're really becoming a cruise line not adult friendly. Well, I got a phone call. The CM assured me that the hot tub closing times are only 10pm on certain nights and that overall the closing time is still 11pm. Basically, they were pacifying me but at least now I have more leverage to complain further if on my cruise it closes at 10pm each night.

 

[perditax]

Based on all the Navigators I've seen recently, it is 10pm. I think the CSR was misinformed at best, disingenuous at worst.

 

[mevelandry]

Is it the same hours for the Quiet Cove pool?

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There are indeed other good lines, Some like NCL are making lots of cut backs/ price increases. However none of them are Disney , with the Disney Magic and Pixie Dust. It cannot be found anywhere else.

AKK

 

[lillygator]

this is ridiculous....closing at 10pm? we have late seating and will probably just be getting out at 10 pm.

they should be open 24/7. you can go in the resort pools all night.

 

[mcd2745]

Hmm, I was considering a Disney cruise next year, but maybe I'll just stick with Royal Caribbean. Theirs close at midnight and they were good about keeping kids out of the adult areas.

Last year on the Serenade of the Seas in the Med, everything on deck closed at 9 PM. I was not happy.

I just got off the Freedom of the Seas two days ago. One night I left the casino at 2am. I wasn't really tired so I put my bathing suit on and went and sat in a hot tub. Should be able to do similar (sans the casino part) on DCL.

 

[Weedy]

I think the reason they now close the pools is because ot the Lifeguards?? If the pools do not have Lifeguards and are open it would be a lawsuite waiting to happen. For the pools to be open 24/7 Lifeguards would have to be there 24/7.

On all the cruises we have been on I don't think I have ever seen any adults in the pool late in the evening and maybe just once or twice in the hot tubs. Just like the adult nightclubs after 11pm ther is no one there.

There are usually a few people in the family pools but never very many.

Just my opinion...

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Something to keep in mind Disney is always monitoring how much things get used. For example when the Magic and Wonder first sailed they used to have the buffet open all the time lat at night however they found poel weren't using it often mainly do to the number of families on board vs what other cruise lines demographics are. So maybe in this case they don't see enough people using the pools and hot tubs later in the evening to justify having a lifeguard stay around them just in case and also what ever other employees they may need to have there.

 

[Berger]

My kids have always asked for late-night swims and time in the hot tub. They are just now 11 and 8, but we are serious night owls. It was not unusual for us to be in the pool at 11. And since I am so extremely fair-skinned and cancer-prone, night time is the only time it's really comfortable for me to be in the pool for more than 10 minutes without worrying about reapplying sunscreen. It may seem small to some who never used the pools at night, but frankly, for our family it's equivalent to closing the pools at noon for other families. My kids will be disappointed.

We weren't able to take advantage of the late swim time on our last cruise but we were hoping to on our next cruise. Another example of the services or perks slipping away. Disney is well on the way to be just another cruise line. I'm sure Walt would not be happy being just industry standard. I will send an email complaining about this policy change as well. What will Disney change next?
I don't think it's a small perk going away, with regards to your and other's situation.

 

[cgolf]

I will say that we have never had an issue with the response that we have received from DCL, again some may do it better, but I have seen much worse. Sometimes how the question is asked drives the type of answer too.

If people want to switch lines over this, go ahead. When you go on a vacation you need to be happy with the experience, otherwise you will hate it. We like the DCL experience, so will be sticking with them a bit longer.

What a difference a few weeks makes, now that DCL has gotten on our bad side with their recent poor customer service, we will go to the future cruise desk comparing DCL to 2 other lines, and if their price isn't in line with the others we are out of DCL for a while if not for good.

 

[moremouse]

I can only speak to this afternoon, but the sign in front of the Cove hot tub says that it is open tonight until 11 (Fantasy).

 

[MissMet]

The latest Navigator for the Fantasy Western Caribbean cruise in Aug (saw it on disney cruise line blog) states 11pm closing, so that goes with what I was told by a CM that closing time is dependent on the day and sailings.

 

[WDWChloe]

Not sure if this was already mentioned and it's getting lost in posts but... We were on the WC fantasy 9/5/15, the hot tubs and adult pool closed at 11pm