Luv2Dream--I think the Eastern is always more windy than the Western. When we did the Eastern years ago I remember the wind was terrible then as well but we figured it was because we were on the crummy Norwegian Norway. I thought we'd love the sea days but we ended up like the port days better. We've done several cruises with and without the kids and this was one of the worst all the way around for us. It's funny because hubby and I actually said the food on the Carnival ships we've been on was heads and tails above the food we had on this sailing. Our movies were not really anything we wanted to see and the one that we did want to see (dd and I anyway) was played at very inconvenient times so we skipped it. I honestly thought I knew what to expect since we did the Wonder 4 day in 2002 and have several cruises under our belts but this just did NOT do it for us this time.
Mjasp--I think there is no such thing as a non-crowded sailing anymore due to year round schools. We talked to several couples who had their kids on the ship because the kids were off track. It's just something you need to go into being prepared for which we were not. That is our own fault I guess but it was very disheartening to find out just how many kids were on board.
MariettaC--This was our 2nd time on
DCL and our first experience was awesome. For as awesome of a time we had on the first one this one was the complete opposite. For the price we paid we just didn't feel like there was much for anyone to do if their kids didn't want to participate in the clubs or you didn't want to be "human soup" in the pools. In the future we will stick with a cruiseline that doesnt appeal to so many kids like Carnival. Our kids had a great experience in the clubs there and never wanted to leave.
Cheapmom-Thanks for the welcome back. We did have some GREAT times on this trip but most of them came on port days not on the ship itself. Of course watching the shows and the kids faces light up when a character came on board did help ease the pain a little bit. As for the kids club it just seemed that there were way too many kids in there and it was out of control. There didnt seem to be much activity for them unless they really liked movies or art projects. The amount of illness running rampant the first night was almost scary. The clubs just seemed like an daycare to us. The amount of kids per CM was pretty high in my opinion. But to be fair to Disney our kids have never been in Daycare as I am a SAHM so I think they were a little overwhelmed by the Daycare type feel. We did have some great times it wasn't all awful but I certainly don't feel that we got our money's worth. I'm almost done with my trip report and I'll post it within the next day or so (possibly later today if I can get more computer time).
mmouse--I know what you are saying but we did a DCL in 2002 and had a "wonderful" time on it. We thought we'd found a great line for our kids at their ages but we were mistaken. I don't think we went in with over-realistic expecations as we'd done DCL and many other cruises in the past...I feel that this sailing was just a little "off" maybe. Who knows...but I don't regret taking the trip I just regret some of the things that happened. Some of it Disney could NOT control like the wind and the 20 foot seas but other things they could control and it seemed they didn't. For the cost of the cruise we could have done almost 2 Carnival cruises and our kids probably would have had a better time being less innundated with kids.
hannah&kate (aka PhillyJen) i'm so glad you guys had a great time! We had some great times just not many provided by DCL. I agree with you about the clubs and the amount of kids per CM! I thought it was pretty high as well for the younger kids. The older kids it's easier to get away with more kids than CM's but the 3-7 I think it's harder. I guess it's good we all experience things differently otherwise what would be the point?? I don't regret doing it I just regret some of how it turned out.
Muushka--I'm glad I'm not the only one around here who didn't feel the food was that great. There were meals that were wonderful like our first one and last one at Lumieres but the one's in the middle were not very good. We may have hit an "off" time or maybe our tastes vary for what DCL provides but this is the first cruise I've actually lost weight on because I didn't eat much at meals. We thought Palo brunch was awesome though!! We didn't get to eat dinner there as we were on a waiting list about as long as you could imagine.
CRB--Thanks! It wasn't perfect (and I know no trip is) and we did make some wonderful memories and we have some GREAT pictures of the kids enjoying the shows and the characters and the ports.
JJ's--I think the clubs are almost that full all the time now. I talked with one of the cm's in the lab one afternoon for a few minutes and they indicated that with more schools in the country on year round schools it's getting more crowded with each sailing. They do cut off the amount of kids they let on each sailing but I personally think they let way too many kids on board. I would have rather sailed a different date with less kids but that's just me. The clubs were safe and they were great that way it just seemed to be way too crowded.
Lori--Thanks for the welcome back. I am almost done with my trip report and I will post it but I am a little frightened at the response I'm going to get about it all. I thought I had packed everything we needed for this trip in the medicinal area but I was sorely mistaken. We went through a whole bottle of Tylenol Cold and Cough, a whole bottle of Ibuprofen for the kids and a bucketload of Tylenol tablets. Next time I will bring a whole suitcase full of medicine.
gottaluvdis--Your experience is what we had on our 4 day Wonder in 2002 which is why we came back to do the 7 day on DCL this time. I think some of the reason we had such a great time on the 4 day was the fact that we were in a port each day and never had to deal with the clubs much or the pools. I may consider doing a DCL again in the future but ONLY a 4 day one.
outahere--That is exactly how we felt, overrun! I think that's how our kids felt in the clubs too was that they were just another number on the paper. Yep that is exactly what our weather was too. 20 ft seas, gale force wind and so much movement it was impossible to walk straight. The comedian said something like the only people walking straight are those who are drunk. LOL Maricar was our stateroom hostess and just like you said she was AMAZING!! I told her hi from you and printed out your pm to me and she was touched. She was one of the highlights of the cabin that's for sure!!!
Misty--You know I have no idea how come we were so sick this time except that our cabins were not midship, on deck 8, excessive winds like 50 mph and high seas. As long as I took Meclizine every 3 hours I was ok but then at night I was beat. I guess the one really good positive is our bar bill was non-existent as we certainly didn't feel up to drinking much. I almost have the report done.
jrydberg--I think that the illness was only partially to blame. It seemed that the only things to do were throw your kids in the clubs or sit at the pool. The movies were awful, the wind was awful, the pools were awful, the food was mediocre. I think the illness played only a minor part. I'm glad your dd enjoyed the club...mine did not. It would have been just fine if they stayed out of the clubs IF there had been something for us to do besides watch movies in the theatre that we already own or sit at the pool. We knew it was a family vacation and love spending times with them (I'm a SAHM so I enjoy them immensely) but there was nothing to do during the day with them. Nights were fine but days there didn't seem to be much to do and nothing that appealed to them (or us)for the most part.
kdj--I relate to your post down to the last keystroke! I agree with you that if your kids love the clubs I'm sure it would be a great cruise but if they didn't there wasn't much to do. I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt this way on this sailing and I do know that my children weren't the only ones who hated the clubs. I also agree with you that poor planning went into the pools. When kids see a swimming pool most of them never want to get out. It's a phenomenon especially for us with winter weather where we can't swim year round and the kids love water but when you are "human soup" it isn't much fun. It also isn't fun when one pool gets closed and so all the kids and parents are forced into the Mickey pool together.
I will be posting my trip report soon. I have a lot of it done and may post what I have done right now and then work on the rest.
Heidi
