Underwhelming Wish 4-Night

[Rex1993]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

After watching all sorts of video reviews and doing research we weren’t quite prepared for how small and crowded everything was. The Hyperspace lounge seemed to really highlight the issue. It almost seemed like an afterthought. The theming seemed great in pictures but in reality it was so small and cramped and the service so bad that despite going twice we never were able to order a drink.

The shows were quite good but everything felt so crowded except for the concierge lounge. The other high/low was 1923. The restaurant is gorgeous but the tables were packed so tight it felt like one of those old school furniture stores where you have to contort your body just to walk through. The food was good but not anything awe inspiring. The food highlight was definitely Daisy’s Pizza, which the kids absolutely loved.

The debarkation was so stressful and felt like it killed the vibe of the last night. Instead of enjoying the show and then some after-show activities, you have to rush back to your room and pack up your bags so that they can be outside your room by 10:30pm on the dot.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

 

[Nabas]

With thousands on board, we feel that even the best cruise ships are cramped compared to almost any experience on land. Having only sailed on DCL, I can’t even imagine what some of the other “lesser” cruise lines are like.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

My family felt ALL of these things on our 3-night Wish cruise. The only time we didn't feel packed like sardines was on CC. I was kind of relieved I didn't fall in love with DCL because of the price tag. LOL. I'm glad we tried it and did it once, but I can't imagine shelling out the $$ again. I've cruised on a few Royal ships (one mega ship, one medium sized, and one smaller ship), and everything (except the staterooms...those are much bigger on DCL) on those ships felt less crowded and less tightly packed than on the Wish.

 

[Cheburashka]

The Wish has gotten a lot of critical reviews from DCL regulars (poor layout, some poorly executed spaces, crowding, etc.), so I wouldn't prejudge DCL's entire fleet based on sailing her. The other four ships currently in service are quite different from the Wish. If you ever give DCL another chance, sail one of the original four.

Other than that, yeah, cruising might not be for you if this was your first cruise and you hated it. Cruise food is generally not as good as food on equivalent land restaurants, because it's mass produced and complimentary. That is a mass market cruising industry standard. I've found that it helps to listen to server suggestions on what to order from the MDR dinner menus. The upcharge adult restaurants have the best food by far.

But keep in mind that some planning does make the experience smoother, just like at WDW. For example, it's better to pack your suitcases & put them out during a lull midday, rather than rushing back to the stateroom to do it during a busy evening. (You can put your final evening's clothes in a carry-on bag.) Things like that can make the experience better.

So can cruising for 7 nights rather than 4 nights, so the pace is more relaxed. 7 nights is a pretty standard cruise length. 4 nights is a short, quick cruise, and is more prone to making new cruisers in particular feel rushed.

 

[squirk]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

After watching all sorts of video reviews and doing research we weren’t quite prepared for how small and crowded everything was. The Hyperspace lounge seemed to really highlight the issue. It almost seemed like an afterthought. The theming seemed great in pictures but in reality it was so small and cramped and the service so bad that despite going twice we never were able to order a drink.

The shows were quite good but everything felt so crowded except for the concierge lounge. The other high/low was 1923. The restaurant is gorgeous but the tables were packed so tight it felt like one of those old school furniture stores where you have to contort your body just to walk through. The food was good but not anything awe inspiring. The food highlight was definitely Daisy’s Pizza, which the kids absolutely loved.

The debarkation was so stressful and felt like it killed the vibe of the last night. Instead of enjoying the show and then some after-show activities, you have to rush back to your room and pack up your bags so that they can be outside your room by 10:30pm on the dot.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

With the exception of Hyperspace Lounge, I don’t think what you experienced was unique to the Wish. Especially when sailing at the peak of DCL’s “high” season, and on a shorter cruise where people don’t get off at Nassau in order to maximize their ship time.

It’s a lot of people trying to cram a whole lot of living in a short amount of time in a finite space.

 

[sponica]

Honestly, the reason I always recommend a 3 to 4 day cruise to start is because if you don't like it, it's a short vacation.

We didn't even do the shows on our first cruise, it wasn't a priority and I wasn't going to cram it in to a relaxing day on the pool deck. I don't know what we did on our 4 night cruise. I remember the spa, the pool deck, the adult pool and the movie theater. And dinner. And a lot of drinks of the day....maybe that's why I don't remember anything

 

[Marthasor]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

After watching all sorts of video reviews and doing research we weren’t quite prepared for how small and crowded everything was. The Hyperspace lounge seemed to really highlight the issue. It almost seemed like an afterthought. The theming seemed great in pictures but in reality it was so small and cramped and the service so bad that despite going twice we never were able to order a drink.

The shows were quite good but everything felt so crowded except for the concierge lounge. The other high/low was 1923. The restaurant is gorgeous but the tables were packed so tight it felt like one of those old school furniture stores where you have to contort your body just to walk through. The food was good but not anything awe inspiring. The food highlight was definitely Daisy’s Pizza, which the kids absolutely loved.

The debarkation was so stressful and felt like it killed the vibe of the last night. Instead of enjoying the show and then some after-show activities, you have to rush back to your room and pack up your bags so that they can be outside your room by 10:30pm on the dot.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

You pretty much summed up our Wish experience as well - the only parts that were genuinely enjoyable involved sitting in the concierge lounge to get away from the crowds and Castaway Cay. From here on out, if we ever sail the Bahamas on DCL again, I think it's going to have to be one of the CC/Lighthouse Point itineraries just to enjoy the Disney islands. That being said, I'm gold on DCL and really enjoy the classic ships (the Magic, in particular). I hesitate to suggest trying again because the food issues certainly aren't going away (food on DCL is mediocre), but longer cruises to more interesting ports are far, far better on DCL, IMHO. We did a B2B on the Magic in Europe years ago and it was fantastic - enough time to really enjoy the ship and also see things of more interest to us.

I will agree though - hanging out in a DVC villa is more relaxing than being on a super-crowded Wish.

One tip - when we cruise, we only bring carry-on bags so we can walk off the ship in the morning (with concierge, you are escorted off) - it means our evenings prior to disembarkation are more relaxing and I am not rushing to get everything packed when I would rather enjoy the ship for one last night.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

After watching all sorts of video reviews and doing research we weren’t quite prepared for how small and crowded everything was. The Hyperspace lounge seemed to really highlight the issue. It almost seemed like an afterthought. The theming seemed great in pictures but in reality it was so small and cramped and the service so bad that despite going twice we never were able to order a drink.

The shows were quite good but everything felt so crowded except for the concierge lounge. The other high/low was 1923. The restaurant is gorgeous but the tables were packed so tight it felt like one of those old school furniture stores where you have to contort your body just to walk through. The food was good but not anything awe inspiring. The food highlight was definitely Daisy’s Pizza, which the kids absolutely loved.

The debarkation was so stressful and felt like it killed the vibe of the last night. Instead of enjoying the show and then some after-show activities, you have to rush back to your room and pack up your bags so that they can be outside your room by 10:30pm on the dot.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

I think what you may have face here is a case of bad First timer itinerary. I think the Wish currently only stops at Nassau, and that's famously a "don't get off thr ship" port. I myself in its current state would be to treat the Wish as the destination. Itinerary is probably most important then length of time (my first was a 5 night because I didn't think three to four was enough to get the feel of a cruise).

I will also add that I've heard the adult pool sectoon on the Wish is an after thought which is a downside for me. But the earlier ships have fantastic adult pool areas.

Any excursions at Nassau (i know what I just said about not getting off)? Did you do any tastings or other extra cost shipboard activities? Are you a spa person? If so, rainforest room on all of the bigger ships are worthwhile to checkout (again extra cost). These add a lot to the experience

And it's entirely possible you're not a Disney cruise person. Other cruise lines off more adult focused activities earlier in the day and nothing in the adults only entertainment on DCL goes above PG-13. So it could just be a different cruise line would be perfect for you.

 

[Marthasor]

I think what you may have face here is a case of bad First timer itinerary. I think the Wish currently only stops at Nassau, and that's famously a "don't get off thr ship" port. I myself in its current state would be to treat the Wish as the destination. Itinerary is probably most important then length of time (my first was a 5 night because I didn't think three to four was enough to get the feel of a cruise).

I will also add that I've heard the adult pool sectoon on the Wish is an after thought which is a downside for me. But the earlier ships have fantastic adult pool areas.

Any excursions at Nassau (i know what I just said about not getting off)? Did you do any tastings or other extra cost shipboard activities? Are you a spa person? If so, rainforest room on all of the bigger ships are worthwhile to checkout (again extra cost). These add a lot to the experience

And it's entirely possible you're not a Disney cruise person. Other cruise lines off more adult focused activities earlier in the day and nothing in the adults only entertainment on DCL goes above PG-13. So it could just be a different cruise line would be perfect for you.

I completely agree with this - the Wish, in its current state, is the destination as the itinerary leaves much to be desired. So if you aren't interested in seeing the new ship (which I think was poorly laid out and is overcrowded), I don't see the point in sailing on it, IMHO. Based on my own experience on the Wish, I can see why it would turn first-timers off of cruising quite honestly.

 

[MsSimone]

Honestly, the reason I always recommend a 3 to 4 day cruise to start is because if you don't like it, it's a short vacation.

That's what we did and ended up really liking it, much much more than we thought we would. Our second cruise was a 7 day and because we had to skip a port we ended up with.... a lot of at-sea days. If that had been our first cruise we would probably have never cruised again. We are doing another short cruise this year.

I don't think longer cruises are inherently better than shorter cruises -- everyone is going to have a different experience. I would be willing to do a longer one again some time down the line, but our next couple will probably be shorter.

 

[Rex1993]

I think what you may have face here is a case of bad First timer itinerary. I think the Wish currently only stops at Nassau, and that's famously a "don't get off thr ship" port. I myself in its current state would be to treat the Wish as the destination. Itinerary is probably most important then length of time (my first was a 5 night because I didn't think three to four was enough to get the feel of a cruise).

I will also add that I've heard the adult pool sectoon on the Wish is an after thought which is a downside for me. But the earlier ships have fantastic adult pool areas.

Any excursions at Nassau (i know what I just said about not getting off)? Did you do any tastings or other extra cost shipboard activities? Are you a spa person? If so, rainforest room on all of the bigger ships are worthwhile to checkout (again extra cost). These add a lot to the experience

And it's entirely possible you're not a Disney cruise person. Other cruise lines off more adult focused activities earlier in the day and nothing in the adults only entertainment on DCL goes above PG-13. So it could just be a different cruise line would be perfect for you.

The only stops were Nassau and Castaway Cay. Overall it seems like we just got a bit too carried away with all the blogger content selling the Wish as this other worldly Disney experience. We absolutely love Disney and try to get to Disneyland at least twice a year. This was our first trip to Orlando so we started at Kidani for three nights and then on to the ship. Kidani was so so nice! The kids (8 and 10) had an absolute blast!

Once on the ship, the room was cramped but comfortable enough. It was just quite the adjustment from the 1 bedroom Villa. We were hoping that the kids would enjoy the kids club but they went for an hour one day and then didn't want to go back. They're both more reserved, quiet types and the Oceaneer Club was really uncomfortable for them.

We stayed on the ship at Nassau, as many recommended, but without any movement the pool deck must have been close to 38C and 98% humidity. Overall, this is something we should have better anticipated. We're SF Bay Area people and have the luxury of some awesome weather and thus not well suited for the blistering heat and humidity.

As for tastings, I'm not much of drinker at all (if I have a cocktail twice in a month, that's a lot). My wife will have the occasional glass of wine but her taste, like mine, is perfectly satisfied with a $12 bottle of wine.

As for Spas, my wife did get a treatment but she was really put off by the high pressure and downright demeaning sales pitches by the staff. She also thought it was pretty ridiculous that you can pay $200 for a treatment but that doesn't include access to the Rainforest Room.

I'm not a cruise newbie but it's been decades since I went on a cruise and hadn't cruised as an adult up until last week. My prior experiences in the 90s as a kid were fun but they were much smaller ships. The one thing I do think may be a good rule of thumb for us is to cruise places where we will enjoy the destinations. When I cruised Alaska on the Sky Princess (the one laid down in 1981), it was a mind blowing experience even for my teenage self. Every day you could just sit on deck or in the observation lounge and stare for hours at the scenery.

I definitely want my kids and wife to see Alaska and cruising is really the only effective way to do it within a short period of time. However looking at the cost of DCL Alaska sailings I have no idea how I could ever justify the cost. The price for a one-bedroom concierge suite is north of $30K for a 7 night itinerary. For that kind of money we could have a palatial suite on pretty much any upper-tier competitor for a 10-night itinerary.

 

[sponica]

@Rex1993 I haven't been on the Wish yet, but I feel like my biggest issue is that because it launched during the re-start with COVID era practices, a lot of the top videos on youtube have no people in them. Or very few people in them.

 

[Henlady]

We have sailed on DCL 15 times, spread over all the ships. We did a back to back on that Wish in November 2022. While the ship is beautiful and we enjoyed the food and thought our servers and room attendant were tops, we will probably never book the Wish again. We found the ship to be congested and felt “hectic” due to poorly thought out design. The adult area was also a mess. The dining venues were so crowded with tables the servers had a difficult time getting around to do their jobs. The service desk area was a joke with the waiting line snaking down the hallway. I went into the Wish with an open mind, expecting to love it and it’s differences but was very disappointed.

 

[SL6827]

And the Treasure will pretty much have the same blueprint?

 

[I Run Long]

We did a 3 night Wish cruise that left on Sept 2nd, 2022. This was our 3rd DCL cruise with the other 2 being on the Dream (the coveted double-dip to CC) and the Fantasy on an eastern Caribbean. We just thought the Wish was ok. We treated it as a destination as the itinerary wasn't of interest to us - we just wanted to experience the new ship. We had watched vlogs but we went in with an open mind. There were several things we just didn't like about the new ship (hope the Treasure isn't going to be the same but I have a feeling that it will).

1) We found the staterooms noticeably much narrower than either the Dream of the Fantasy. There was only my DH and I travelling, but it definitely felt more cramped. Things just seemed stuffed in that gave it an almost incomplete feel. Sort of like stuffing things in your closet and then hoping it holds.

2) The adult areas, specifically the Cove Cafe, and the bars were terrible. I couldn't believe how cramped the cafe felt and we really missed the pastries that the other ships offer for free. The bars were just meh, including the Bayou one that everyone raved about. It became a thoroughfare for everyone - not relaxing at all. I admit that the Skyline Lounge is my favourite on the Dream & Fantasy.

3) The MDRs were also meh. I know everyone seems to rave about Arendale but that was our least favourite. Talk about crammed in - which I understand was a necessity due to the placement of the stage. But if there was an inch between table I would be surprised. Our servers had to be contortionists to be able to navigate the space - kudos to them! The Marvel themed restaurant was also meh - it was really just movie trailers playing throughout the meal and a bit of a show where you push buttons. We loved 1923 as it really felt like a bit of art-deco luxury that we adore.

4) The lack of a promenade deck like the other DCL ships. Our favourite activity was to go out for a walks around the deck every morning and for myself, a run too. Who thought designing a promenade deck that doesn't actually go around the ship was a good idea?? I actually saw runners in the early morning running around the inside of the ship since there was no way to do it outdoors. I wouldn't have gone that far myself and I was surprised to see others doing it.

5) There are no mid-ship elevators. I know others don't like this at all but since DH and I never take elevators, we always take the stairs, it wasn't an issue for us. However, if I was having to use a scooter or had any mobility issues at all, this would have presented a huge problem. For example I could see of no way to get to the Cove Cafe without having to walk up to that level first. If there was any elevator that took you right there I never found it. Of course, we only had 3 days which isn't any amount of time to figure out the lay-out of the ship.

6) The doors to to outside decks were really confusing. The doors on the Wish are all white with no windows looking to the outside. They looked like doors leading to restricted, staff only areas. We asked a castmember one day how we get outside and he directed us to a door that looked like we shouldn't even be using it. We finally figured out to look for doors that had the Mickey hands on either side of the door. You wave your hands in front and voila, the door opens. It shouldn't be that difficult where you have to hunt for hidden Mickeys just to find your way out.

7) I can say that the thing we could both agree on that we liked was Marceline Market and the food on the pool deck. Both are superior to the Dream & Fantasy.

Sorry OP for highjacking your thread but I just wanted to chime in and say thay though the Wish may not have been your thing, you may want to try the older ships. We love them! But I agree, you can't beat a DVC stay in a 1 bedroom.

 

[Calantha]

And the Treasure will pretty much have the same blueprint?

I think there are some things that they can't change (e.g., promenade deck), but my hope is all of the negative feedback will at least fix some of the other issues (e.g., 'narrow bars').

 

[Rex1993]

We did a 3 night Wish cruise that left on Sept 2nd, 2022. This was our 3rd DCL cruise with the other 2 being on the Dream (the coveted double-dip to CC) and the Fantasy on an eastern Caribbean. We just thought the Wish was ok. We treated it as a destination as the itinerary wasn't of interest to us - we just wanted to experience the new ship. We had watched vlogs but we went in with an open mind. There were several things we just didn't like about the new ship (hope the Treasure isn't going to be the same but I have a feeling that it will).

1) We found the staterooms noticeably much narrower than either the Dream of the Fantasy. There was only my DH and I travelling, but it definitely felt more cramped. Things just seemed stuffed in that gave it an almost incomplete feel. Sort of like stuffing things in your closet and then hoping it holds.

2) The adult areas, specifically the Cove Cafe, and the bars were terrible. I couldn't believe how cramped the cafe felt and we really missed the pastries that the other ships offer for free. The bars were just meh, including the Bayou one that everyone raved about. It became a thoroughfare for everyone - not relaxing at all. I admit that the Skyline Lounge is my favourite on the Dream & Fantasy.

3) The MDRs were also meh. I know everyone seems to rave about Arendale but that was our least favourite. Talk about crammed in - which I understand was a necessity due to the placement of the stage. But if there was an inch between table I would be surprised. Our servers had to be contortionists to be able to navigate the space - kudos to them! The Marvel themed restaurant was also meh - it was really just movie trailers playing throughout the meal and a bit of a show where you push buttons. We loved 1923 as it really felt like a bit of art-deco luxury that we adore.

4) The lack of a promenade deck like the other DCL ships. Our favourite activity was to go out for a walks around the deck every morning and for myself, a run too. Who thought designing a promenade deck that doesn't actually go around the ship was a good idea?? I actually saw runners in the early morning running around the inside of the ship since there was no way to do it outdoors. I wouldn't have gone that far myself and I was surprised to see others doing it.

5) There are no mid-ship elevators. I know others don't like this at all but since DH and I never take elevators, we always take the stairs, it wasn't an issue for us. However, if I was having to use a scooter or had any mobility issues at all, this would have presented a huge problem. For example I could see of no way to get to the Cove Cafe without having to walk up to that level first. If there was any elevator that took you right there I never found it. Of course, we only had 3 days which isn't any amount of time to figure out the lay-out of the ship.

6) The doors to to outside decks were really confusing. The doors on the Wish are all white with no windows looking to the outside. They looked like doors leading to restricted, staff only areas. We asked a castmember one day how we get outside and he directed us to a door that looked like we shouldn't even be using it. We finally figured out to look for doors that had the Mickey hands on either side of the door. You wave your hands in front and voila, the door opens. It shouldn't be that difficult where you have to hunt for hidden Mickeys just to find your way out.

7) I can say that the thing we could both agree on that we liked was Marceline Market and the food on the pool deck. Both are superior to the Dream & Fantasy.

Sorry OP for highjacking your thread but I just wanted to chime in and say thay though the Wish may not have been your thing, you may want to try the older ships. We love them! But I agree, you can't beat a DVC stay in a 1 bedroom.

Good to know we're not the only ones. As for the dining, we must have got a bad batch or something because the food in Arendale was downright terrible for us. We love going to Chili's so we're not hoity toity eaters but my wife's "stir fry" was so bad she just passed on eating it. I tried a bite and it didn't taste cooked or have any discernable flavor. I also couldn't see any of the show because my seat was four inches away from one of the columns and there was absolutely no room to move to get any kind of view.

Our server team was overworked and not able to be attentive because it was so hard to move around and they had too many tables. Our main server was so pushy that it came off as abrasive and rude. However, our assistant server, who had been on the ship a month, was so incredibly nice. She was the absolute highlight of the staff.

We also found that the lifeguards at the Aqua Mouse were exceptionally nice people who were wonderful with the kids. The Aqua Mouse was a lot of fun but it's a shame that the loading is so slow. We skipped the Little Mermaid show and instead did the Aqua Mouse when there were almost no lines. Unfortunately that was the only day we were able to. Every other day the line was 45min+.

 

[RedHead0186]

I completely agree with this - the Wish, in its current state, is the destination as the itinerary leaves much to be desired. So if you aren't interested in seeing the new ship (which I think was poorly laid out and is overcrowded), I don't see the point in sailing on it, IMHO. Based on my own experience on the Wish, I can see why it would turn first-timers off of cruising quite honestly.

Same here. I did a 3-night on the Wish in April, purely to see the new ship. I didn't get off in Nassau (been there, done that), and used the time to explore the ship, which was new to me. Of course, then our sailing never made it to CC, so I ended up on a cruise in which I didn't get off the ship once, lol. But I still enjoyed the experience, and the unexpected sea day actually gave me more time to explore the ship!

 

[RedHead0186]

I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience. As others have said, the Wish is probably the least popular of the DCL ships, so if you have an interest in trying DCL again then I would recommend a different ship (the Fantasy is my favorite, though I would recommend first choosing a itinerary, then the ship).

4 nights can seem very short, especially on a ship with so much to do (and so many crowds! A longer itinerary can alleviate some of that, as it spreads things out. But yes the Wish main dining rooms are very crowded-I noticed that on my 3-night back in April. I too was a little surprised at the size of Hyperspace Lounge, though as a Star Wars fan I'm not sure I could have ever made it big enough, lol.

Watching videos/vlogs/etc. ahead of time can help to give you an idea of what to expect, but it also can set up unrealistic expectations. Many of these people get comped cruises, or huge discounts, to sell DCL to others. So not only is their investment not as great as people who pay full price, but they are also are supposed to amp things up. And as others noted, they are going to try to find the best 'angles' to make things look less crowded.

I also hate having to put my suitcase out the night before. Trying to pack, and think about what I have to 'leave out' for the morning while I'm trying to enjoy my last night is super stressful. I do express walk off, which does mean you have to get up a little earlier and you have to deal with your own suitcases off the ship. But it's super low-key (you might have to wait in line a bit until they start disembarkation, but once it starts it goes really quickly). Now that I've done it I will never go back to 'regular' disembarkation.

Anyway, totally up to you on whether you're truly done with DCL or not, and I'm sorry you didn't have a great experience. But I would encourage you to perhaps try again on a different ship/itinerary and some of the other tips noted here (hey, you are on a DCL board after all! )

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Just got back from four nights on the Wish and it’s looking like that may have been our first and last DCL cruise. Overall felt the experience was enjoyable but everything felt rushed and a quite stressful.

After watching all sorts of video reviews and doing research we weren’t quite prepared for how small and crowded everything was. The Hyperspace lounge seemed to really highlight the issue. It almost seemed like an afterthought. The theming seemed great in pictures but in reality it was so small and cramped and the service so bad that despite going twice we never were able to order a drink.

The shows were quite good but everything felt so crowded except for the concierge lounge. The other high/low was 1923. The restaurant is gorgeous but the tables were packed so tight it felt like one of those old school furniture stores where you have to contort your body just to walk through. The food was good but not anything awe inspiring. The food highlight was definitely Daisy’s Pizza, which the kids absolutely loved.

The debarkation was so stressful and felt like it killed the vibe of the last night. Instead of enjoying the show and then some after-show activities, you have to rush back to your room and pack up your bags so that they can be outside your room by 10:30pm on the dot.

We did enjoy Castaway Cay quite a lot and that was definitely a highlight. It really is a pretty setup and there’s lots to do and doesn’t feel horribly crowded even with the whole ship there.

Perhaps we’re just not cruise people. It definitely drove home how relaxing the DVC villas are for our family. At least we tried…

We sailed the Wish a couple of weeks ago. All in all, we liked the ship. Didn't feel overly crowded to us and found out later it was 80% full. We never really thought of DCL MDR food fantastic (this was our third cruise), but we did enjoy Festival of the Foods. We ate at Marvel twice and 1923 once and ate at Palo Steakhouse the last night. Didn't go into MDR's with high expectations, especially Marvel. We did eat at Arendale on embarkation day and ironically it was the best MDR meal we had during our trip. Our first night was 1923 and it was "Meh." What was terrible was the very large family sitting behind me. There were about 12-15, children and adults and to say that they were loud is an understatement. Literally yelling at each other and their kids. Kids running around, misbehaving. People in our area kept looking back at them, waiters too. It was so horrible that we asked to move to a table away from them. Our debarkation was confusing but not stressful. There were several lines and no one seemed to know where one began and ended, not even the crew. We generally don't do 4 night cruises, just way to short and it did feel that way. Even with the "connection" to the crew/CM. Our head waiter said you don't get to know everyone as well on a shorter cruise. Don't base all DCL on one ship/one experience. I think if you did a 7 night cruise, it would be different for you and your family.