08 DEC 2007 - 7 Day Eastern Magic Part 4

[TheTXTaylors5]

DH is guilty too.. he always grabbed a slice or two of pepperoni pizza for a "snack" around 5:30 ish, since our dinner was at 8:30 and we were starved by then.. I like plain..

Same here. The kids even ate one dinner in the kids clubs at 5 PM and then ate again with us in the dining room at 8:30 PM. For the most part, our children behaved in the dining room. Just towards the end on our second to last day onboard did Cole start to throw things in the dining room. He had enough of sit down meals. He's two, so it is expected. I was proud of him for his manners the rest of the cruise. Cole LOVED his Mickey bars for dessert. I have some cute photos of him with a chocolate-covered face and a big grin.

Okay, I really do need to feed the kiddos. Later all!

- Jennifer

 

[plutojudy]

We are having serious post cruise depression here. Having been so disappointed in our assistant server and not being told about the character breakfast among other issues, we are just all in a funk.

The Island Jam (Character Breakfast) time and date was printed on our ticket that showed our dining time and rotation. It should have been on yours too. Our server reminded us daily that ours would be Thursday. You didn't miss much.....kids running around getting lost. They need to go back to the original breakfast with characters going to each table for pictures.

Sorry you were disappointed. I always say if you don't have a good time on a cruise, it is your own fault. You can do as much or as little as you want. I hope you can enjoy your Royal cruise.

 

[plutojudy]

Jennifer, you are welcome. Fred and I both love to take pictures. I use a film camera and took 18 rolls....Fred uses digital and took 500+. We bought three cruise photo albums to hold them all. I love the pictures my camera takes and I will not go digital until it breaks. My friend can't believe how many pictures we take. But when I see things, I see pictures.

 

[JsMom2]

We still have enough 2008 points to book a few days around the DVC Member cruise. I guess we need to get working on that before everything is booked up.

When does NATO reopen?

- Jennifer

I just called and changed our 1BR concierge to a 1BR Savannah View for 14-21 Sep. For our first stay, I really want a Savannah View. And I've heard there's a chance you may be able to do the safari if there are openings. And to be honest, I really don't want daily housekeeping when I'm "at home" in my villa.

I'm off from this Friday until Jan 3rd. Jasmine doesn't start her vacation until Saturday, but doesn't go back until the 8th.

"Dopey" made it safely home in his mailing tube. We carried him with us on the plane. Shannan was thrilled when she saw it! She ran right to the computer and did some research about Ducky. She now wants to be a Disney artist.
Beth

The last night the concierge team came by with a Ducky Williams limited lithograph for us. I asked if they'd mind seeing if he'd sign it seeing as he was already on the ship. I went to dinner, and by the time I got back, it was signed!

Same here. The kids even ate one dinner in the kids clubs at 5 PM and then ate again with us in the dining room at 8:30 PM. For the most part, our children behaved in the dining room. Just towards the end on our second to last day onboard did Cole start to throw things in the dining room. He had enough of sit down meals. He's two, so it is expected. I was proud of him for his manners the rest of the cruise. Cole LOVED his Mickey bars for dessert. I have some cute photos of him with a chocolate-covered face and a big grin.

- Jennifer

When you are in the Walt Suite you can order dinner in your cabin every night!!

 

[JsMom2]

We are having serious post cruise depression here. Having been so disappointed in our assistant server and not being told about the character breakfast among other issues, we are just all in a funk.

If your assistant server was bad enough to cause you to be "depressed" then you should've said something to the assistant server, the server, or the head server the first night. If you kept quiet during the cruise, you have no one to blame but yourself. Also, since you'd asked numerous questions about the character breakfast on this board prior to the cruise, I don't understand why you didn't check your ticket for the date/time/place.

Sorry you were disappointed. I always say if you don't have a good time on a cruise, it is your own fault. You can do as much or as little as you want. I hope you can enjoy your Royal cruise.

Amen to that! Although anyone who is disappointed by DCL, will probably not enjoy RCCL. Years ago RCCL provided that personal touch that you now find on DCL. But over the years that has gone away. I can understand why - the larger fleet, bigger ships, lower costs - but it is something to be aware of before sailing to avoid "depression" afterward.

 

[Cruise]

Same here. The kids even ate one dinner in the kids clubs at 5 PM and then ate again with us in the dining room at 8:30 PM. For the most part, our children behaved in the dining room. Just towards the end on our second to last day onboard did Cole start to throw things in the dining room. He had enough of sit down meals. He's two, so it is expected. I was proud of him for his manners the rest of the cruise. Cole LOVED his Mickey bars for dessert. I have some cute photos of him with a chocolate-covered face and a big grin.

Okay, I really do need to feed the kiddos. Later all!

- Jennifer

I have to tell you, one of the funniest things I saw was something Cole did. I'm sure it wasn't funny for you at the time, but as soon as I saw it, I told my husband "She said he had meltdowns!!"

It was semi-formal night and you were all in front of the Christmas tree having what I'm sure was supposed to be a wonderful Christmas photo made but Cole was having none of it. He went face down, splat, flat on the carpet and just laid there playing possum till you picked him up. It reminded me so much of that scene in Lilo and Stitch when the sisters are fighting and Lilo did the exact same thing. Of course, I'd just seen Lilo and Stitch on the tv in the room and it popped right to mind.

Anyway, like I said, I'm sure it wasn't funny for you at the time, but it really was a "I really do love kids, faults and all" moment for me.

 

[plutojudy]

Since Nancy and I left the shower early because of seasickness (the green apple helped until after dinner), how was the shower? Tell me about the fun we missed. Monday was a very rough day for us but we still enjoyed the cruise very much.

 

[AmberDaClown]

.

 

[plutojudy]

Life is short. I choose to look for the good in everything. I don't have time to focus on the bad.
I am sorry Amber, but I am sick of your whinning.
Good bye and good luck.

 

[AmberDaClown]

Life is short. I choose to look for the good in everything. I don't have time to focus on the bad.
I am sorry Amber, but I am sick of your whinning.
Good bye and good luck.

No whining, just sharing our feelings about our trip. We choose to vote with our wallet. It was not just us who didn't feel pampered on this cruise like we have felt on other cruises.

And you are not exactly jumping on someone else in this thread who even said that they KNOW it can be better and that if this had been their first DCL cruise it probably would be their last. They are certainly not being accused of whining. But that is ok as life is too short.

 

[Pooh_Girl]

Well, this was mine and Robby's very first cruise ever and I am extremely glad that we went with DCL and I will never sail with another company. Yes, we did have problems with our drink server, but we didn't let it bother us. You just have to roll with the punches and think about the positive things such as being ON VACATION and a whole week surrounded by DISNEY!!!!
It's okay to give your opinion, but when you whine about EVERYTHING from as soon as you book until after the cruise is over, it's a bit much. I hope you have fun on your next cruise, but I'll bet the Disney experience is much better.

 

[pfishgirl]

It was our fault that not once were our drink orders waiting for us when we sat down.

Umm.. neither are anyone else's We never nor did I see any tables with drinks waiting for people to arrive.. Kinda defeats the purpose of Ice.. I'd much rather a fresh cold glass of Ice Tea then a warming, watered down one.. To each his own I suppose...

The Table that did have drinks waiting their arrival.. must of be lucky I guess.. It isn't a common thing nor is it a Rule of DCL to have this..

 

[JoiseyMom]

Hi, everybody!

Just letting you know that I'm finally home! We got home late last night. Actually, I'm back in my office. I rushed in early this morning for an 8:30 meeting that my boss never called to tell me was cancelled, so I guess it's back to the real world!

The remainder of our vacation was great, even though it got REALLY chilly in FL Monday night and Tuesday morning!

I'll have to go back and catch up on all the posts once I clear the 622 emails waiting for my attention!

It was great meeting everyone. I'll be posting some pictures within the next day or so, depending on how long it takes me to get caught up on all the other stuff I have to do!

Beth

Hey!! Welcome back! Isn't work grand! So, did Dopey make it back with you guys ok?? Your stalkers really want to know!!

 

[JoiseyMom]

DH is guilty too.. he always grabbed a slice or two of pepperoni pizza for a "snack" around 5:30 ish, since our dinner was at 8:30 and we were starved by then.. I like plain..

I think DCL should offer Popcorn for a snack by the pools Although, I'd eat it all day long..

I think for the next 4 DCLs we have booked.. I am going to "request" 8pm and see if we get it


JoiseyMom... I wasn't able to find any of the e ticket pins We didn't have a ton of time but I looked all around MK and didnt see any.. but it was also after 8pm when we got there.. and at Epcot, I hardly saw any CM wearing landyards at all..

Thanks for checking Stacy, I appreciate it. I am going to have to check Ebay. I will not have the patience to wait until August!!

 

[pfishgirl]

Yes, we did have problems with our drink server, but we didn't let it bother us.

Yea, except the very last night when we were given like 3 drinks each within an hour.. I had a Full untouched glass of Ice Tea with the paper still on the straw and look.. here comes another one..

 

[JoiseyMom]

I finally cleared the emails and started working through the mountain of paperwork piled on my desk, so I have a minute to catch up here!


When you posted this, I think I was somewhere in southern Virginia. It isn't really any louder in the train than it is on the ship, unless the people behind you are as noisy and obnoxious as the people behind us were! And my poor DS and his family had the same noisy obnoxious people behind them on the trip home! What are the chances of that?

I'm not sure, but I think I may have taken one or two. I'll check when I get home! If I did, I'll post them later on tonight.

Merryl: "Dopey" made it safely home in his mailing tube. We carried him with us on the plane. Shannan was thrilled when she saw it! She ran right to the computer and did some research about Ducky. She now wants to be a Disney artist.

An interesting observation...this is the first time I got seasick on a cruise, and the first time that I didn't have any trouble with "rocking" after I got back on land. I wonder if there's any connection? I think I'll have to book another cruise to do further research on this subject.

Beth

I am glad Dopey made it home safe and sound . The kids sketches are now in their frames, they fit nicely, I just have to hang them.

Well, I don't think there is a connection. Hal got seasick, and he is still arocking!!!!

 

[pfishgirl]

Question... Where does everyone order their Digital pictures to be printed from? I have used Walgreens forever but the last few batches were pixelated and I wanted to try somewhere new.. I have over 150 pictures to have printed so I didn't want to do it myself..

 

[Cruise]

Yea, except the very last night when we were given like 3 drinks each within an hour.. I had a Full untouched glass of Ice Tea with the paper still on the straw and look.. here comes another one..

Yeah, we got the same thing at our table on the last night. I think it was obvious that Liam had said something to him and he was trying to stay on top of it. But toward the end there, with 12 glasses sitting on the table, you had to start to wonder if he was trying to be a bit sarcastic about it. Didn't bother me though... I go through drinks fast and I liked having another one waiting once I was done!

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

I thought we had the worst "drink" server.... he was great at entertaining the kids but not once did we ever get a second glass of tea. As soon as we sat down we would pretty much finish our water, he was great about bringing our drinks as soon as we sat down but he would make sure we wanted ice tea first but he would never refill our drinks there were times where my mom and I would just drink the boys water because we had nothing to drink but the 2 tables next to us ordered specialty drinks every night probably 3 or 4 rounds of drinks and I am sure that is why we never got refills.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Well we for one never received tickets showing our dining time and rotation. So we were counting on our dining team to advise us of the Character Breakfast. The only reason I knew were started in PC was because it was printed on our card and I checked the Navigator to see when the late dining was for those in PC.


Why thank you for blaming us for not having a good time. It was obviously our fault that our assistant server who not only told us he was leaving on the 15th after only four months with DCL but acted like it. It was our fault that not once were our drink orders waiting for us when we sat down. Yes we did advise our server and head server, but the lacking assistant was never replaced and never improved. It was our fault that the food in the main dining rooms were lacking, lukewarm if not downright inedible. It was us who saw Liberty berthed next to us at St. Maarten and wished we were getting on that ship instead.

We thought DCL would offer so much more but for us it just worth the extra. Sure there were highlights, but never has a vacation fallen so far from the mark as far as expectations. That must be our fault too.

We also had a poor asst server, and NEVER had our drinks waiting for us, and some at our table never got refills or the wrong refills, but it didn't ruin our cruise. Hmmm...I am trying to figure out what your ordered for dinner because the food at our table was always excellent and never inedile, it may not have been piping hot, but I have never heard of piping hot food for a cruise. The only time the food was cool, was when my husband was served an entree in the regular dining room, that was brought in from Palo's..courtesy of our excellent server and head server. Since you wanted to go on the Liberty, you should have asked if they had any openings..I don't think youwould have been missed on the Magic. Everyone else here had a grand time, and Disney faults and all was still a great cruise.