2 new ships - what must features should they plan into the design?

[Fathawkeye]

I would love a restaurant that would make authentic food that represent many different countries. Not americanized foods of other countries - real food. I know at least 20 other people from my last sailing that would agree with this.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

Or just a dining room for those who want the MTD concept. Why upset the whole rotational thing that's already going strong and well on DCL by splitting them? Just add a fourth dining room that is exclusively MTD. No you don't see the different MDRs, but that is your choice by going MTD.

Isn't Cabanas already available for just that thing? And with so many food options already available, that wouldn't be my first priority. As others have stated the pools could be bigger. (Heck, the Quiet Cove Pool on the classic ships is already way bigger than on the Dream Class ships.) One thing I DO NOT want to see is DCL just picking up ideas from other cruise lines and copying them. Disney, as a whole, is founded on the concept of innovation. So, instead of copying other cruise lines, I hope they wow us with something totally outside the box and new. Also, I hope they don't just throw in lots of extra things designed to suck more money from their guests. That will turn me off quicker than anything.

 

[Fathawkeye]

Disney seems to always push the envelope with their designs - I would lobby for a lazy river around the ship, maybe going up, down, tunnels, etc. Or perhaps a grotto or some cool hiding spot (convert those weird Quiet Cove pools).
Selfishly I would love an adult interactive area - I think the kids have some really cool stuff in their clubs - perhaps the adults would love some type of hang place for them vs all bars and lounges. Maybe an adult xbox tourney (madden, nba live, etc).
How about some cool classes on making at home movies with their pictures from their cruise, set to music, etc Maybe classes on how to use their iPhone (so tired of being tech support for my family). Learn to make movies, use tech, etc (Guy that owns TechTalk America would be awesome!!)
I think it would be awesome if they would convert the dining areas on the swim deck to something fun and cool. i.e.) you have flo's diner and luigis pizza right there - can you make the sitting areas just as cool or decor? make it feel like you're in a super fun spot?
How about some ice/water areas located around the ship? I find that drinking water on board is the one thing i forget to do much of - then when i get home my body hates me for this - those neat re-usable bottle filling places would be super cool.
Sofa and individual chairs on deck 4 vs just lawn chairs. Thats cool and all - but I think some less mobile people might make their way down from the swim desk to deck 4 if they had more comfortable places to sit.
In the staterooms - can the arms to the sofa fold down? Maybe on just one side? As a tall guy - laying on one of those isn't too comfortable if i have to curl up into the fetal position to sleep (could get another stateroom; I'm to cheap for that.
i would like to see a paperless receipt system on board - every time i buy a beer - 3 receipts don't need to be printed. Magic Band me - or send it to my phone or something - lets not waste anymore paper. And, if I'm in the pool - i don't wanna have to get out to get my card to order a drink. figure that out too. If I buy a case of beer on the ship that is being sent to my stateroom - should i be charged a 15% gratuity on this?
Can there be a way to communicate to my stateroom host my needs or wants? i.e.) more ice when you come up next. Awesome job, its a special evening - we're gonna be staying in, lil johnny got sick- we're sorry, etc.

Besides that - I look forward to what Disney dreams up - no matter whats included or not included -im sure it will be awesome.
So - maybe a dumb question here - but is it possible to have an under water experience on a disney ship, i.e. port hole windows to see water going by? kind of like a glass bottom boat? or know if there are any sharks or whales or anything fun like that around us?

 

[DCLDVC1]

I wouldn't mind seeing something like the Havana Cabana staterooms and Family Suites on the Carnival Vista and a NCL Haven environment for concierge.

 

[FairyGrandmother]

I for one do not drink and would love an interactive adult area. I hope never to see a casino on a DCL ship. As for transgender bathrooms how about family bathrooms that any one can use. I think a non water play area for little kids would be a very good idea, they really have no place to play except their cabins for most of the time. I would also like to see some late night early morning dinning options.

 

[FairyGrandmother]

Another thought, I would like to see a few single rooms, I know they would bee small but there are many of us that are single and want to sail on DCL and have a real problem with paying the extra fares. If not single cabins I would like to see the beds returned to twin beds, I am getting tired of sleeping on the couch when I am paying the bulk of the fare.

 

[dcassetta]

So - maybe a dumb question here - but is it possible to have an under water experience on a disney ship, i.e. port hole windows to see water going by? kind of like a glass bottom boat? or know if there are any sharks or whales or anything fun like that around us?

I would guess this is not doable, but it sounds AWESOME!!!

I wouldn't mind seeing something like the Havana Cabana staterooms and Family Suites on the Carnival Vista and a NCL Haven environment for concierge.

Haven't sailed Carnival or NCL. What benefits do these areas have?

 

[TigerTown]

My biggest wish is in line with what many others have said. I'd like to have something fun for adults to do that doesn't involve drinking or sitting in a movie theater for two hours. During our last cruise our group had a pajama party in O'gills followed by a "Kids Club Takeover" after midnight. They brought in professor Make-O-Mess to help us make Flubber in the kids club but this version of the show was not intended for kids. The "professor" was awesome and made the night fun with adult innuendo, but she wasn't too vulgar. They need more "silly" fun like that for adults!

 

[Pens Fan]

I wish they would add more drink stations throughout the ship. We usually avoid the pool deck like the plague, so it would be nice to have somewhere else to go for our "free" soda. Even better - Coke Freestyle machines. Doesn't Royal have those? I'm pretty sure some cruise line does.

And one really simple request for those of us with long legs and bad knees - more leg room in the movie theater.

To parrot earlier threads, I love the Dave and Buster type area idea for adults after a certain time with kids allowed during the day. We would definitely use that and it would certainly be a hit for the newly minted adults that have aged out of the youth programs.

I agree with those asking for new theming in the MDR. With the exception of AP, I'm ready for something new. Additional specialty restaurants would be plus as well.

But first and foremost - new itineraries!!! If they just add two new ships to putter around the Bahamas and Caribbean in addition to the Dream and Fantasy, we are going to be very disappointed.

 

[Dug720]

Isn't Cabanas already available for just that thing? And with so many food options already available, that wouldn't be my first priority. As others have stated the pools could be bigger. (Heck, the Quiet Cove Pool on the classic ships is already way bigger than on the Dream Class ships.) One thing I DO NOT want to see is DCL just picking up ideas from other cruise lines and copying them. Disney, as a whole, is founded on the concept of innovation. So, instead of copying other cruise lines, I hope they wow us with something totally outside the box and new. Also, I hope they don't just throw in lots of extra things designed to suck more money from their guests. That will turn me off quicker than anything.

For the 4th or 5th time, to me, Cabanas at night is more of a restaurant-feel than a dining room feel. It would be nice to have the MTD option AND a buffet at night for those who want it. Every other cruiseline I've looked at DOES have a buffet option in the evening, which is nice if you don't want to deal with a dining room my time or fixed.

 

[Fathawkeye]

So I have had this idea for awhile - is it possible to do a 5 day castaway cay adventure sometime - sail there on day 1 - have 5 days to do whatever we want - let us stay out til 10 pm there or later - then sail back on the last day? stay in port all night or go cruise around - idk... I could see this as being a huge hit and a mega port adventure money maker for Disney.
Just think - adult dining on the beach, wine, champagne. Night luau, tiki torches, ship right there to get back on and do whatever. Activities galore, etc...

 

[squirk]

I wish they would add more drink stations throughout the ship. We usually avoid the pool deck like the plague, so it would be nice to have somewhere else to go for our "free" soda. Even better - Coke Freestyle machines. Doesn't Royal have those? I'm pretty sure some cruise line does.

I suspect one reason that they do not have drink stations outside of the pool deck is to minimize the number of people (kids) walking down those interior hallways and soaking the carpet with spilled soda.

That having been said, a few more drink stations on the pool deck would be welcome. The Freestyle machines would be nice, too, but I worry that that added expense would be the perfect excuse for them to start adding a soft drink upcharge package.

 

[sabrecmc]

I would personally love to see a ropes course and a kids' water play area that isn't a pool. More like the Nemo's reef idea, but for older kids, kind of like the Great Wolf Lodge area with the bucket and slides, that kind of thing. Would be safer, I would think, since no real way to drown, and could even be indoors, so a year-round, any-weather thing.

A dedicated toddler play space would be nice, too.

I would love a family-friendly upscale restaurant option other than the MDR. Would be nice to have a special night, but I want to be be with my daughter. Maybe for 10 and up, so you don't have the high-chair crowd, but something sort of different and a bit fancy would be nice, but let the adults keep Palo and Remy.

Maybe virtual balconies? I think there is some ship that has those, so that seems a step up from the virtual portholes.

Definitely a better design to the adult-only area that makes it less of a natural walk-thru point.

 

[mcd2745]

So I have had this idea for awhile - is it possible to do a 5 day castaway cay adventure sometime - sail there on day 1 - have 5 days to do whatever we want - let us stay out til 10 pm there or later - then sail back on the last day? stay in port all night or go cruise around - idk... I could see this as being a huge hit and a mega port adventure money maker for Disney.
Just think - adult dining on the beach, wine, champagne. Night luau, tiki torches, ship right there to get back on and do whatever. Activities galore, etc...

What about the other ships? They want to stop at Castaway also.

Additionally, I've heard there are some nasty bugs that come out at night on the island. I've wondered about the summer months, when it doesn't get dark until 9pm, why it's not possible to make the all aboard time something like 7pm. But as our astute fellow posters pointed out, all the workers need to return to the ship to work the dining rooms and other areas.

Now, what i would love to see is a 7 or 8-night double-dip with stops at Castaway the first and last day.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I have had this idea for awhile - is it possible to do a 5 day castaway cay adventure sometime - sail there on day 1 - have 5 days to do whatever we want - let us stay out til 10 pm there or later - then sail back on the last day? stay in port all night or go cruise around - idk... I could see this as being a huge hit and a mega port adventure money maker for Disney.
Just think - adult dining on the beach, wine, champagne. Night luau, tiki torches, ship right there to get back on and do whatever. Activities galore, etc...

I would think this would seriously cut into the other ships being able to port at Castaway Cay. With 4 ships max possible in the Caribbean/Bahamas circuit - that's 4 days already taken up at CC. Plus CC isn't set up for nighttime activities, that would require more upgrades for power usage. I've always read that one reason that DCL doesn't overnight there (and leaves fairly early the day they are there) are the bugs at night. That, coupled with the necessity to leave/redock every night/morning could cut into the costs.

 

[Fathawkeye]

If anyone can figure out solutions to these problems - it would be Disney. It would be fun to do a night there - develop the back side of the island to accommodate more ships, more beaches, places to go, etc.
Its about time they added a roller coaster there isn't it?!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

If anyone can figure out solutions to these problems - it would be Disney. It would be fun to do a night there - develop the back side of the island to accommodate more ships, more beaches, places to go, etc.
Its about time they added a roller coaster there isn't it?!

Disney leases the island from the Bahamian government and there are restrictions in place as to how much of the island Disney can develop. My understanding is the restrictions were put in place to prevent Disney from putting up hotels and turning the island into a vacation destination in and of itself.

 

[hnthomps]

-Toddler play area is a great idea.

-if bigger pools aren't feasible for whatever reason, then more pools

-Disney magic to make it feel like there are fewer people on board

Question though - why does everyone assume adding these ships will make it all more expensive? While I understand that, of course, booking on the new ships will be expensive, won't prices on the 4 older ships adjust to the increased supply? Obviously I wouldn't expect prices to decline publicly, but having more capacity should decrease the capacity pressure that drives prices up...

 

[DCLDVC1]

Even better - Coke Freestyle machines.

I love the Freestyle machines but hope DCL doesn't add them. I can't imagine how long the lines would be as confused people try to figure out how to run it.

 

[Jillywilly143]

Yes it is so simple. There's no need to have a gate guard checking "qualifications" at the door to each restroom.

I actually think a simple answer would be to just have a third bathroom that is a single bathroom. This would solve issues for transgender people, and people like me. I have a six year old boy, who is very tall for his age that I bring with me into the women's bathroom. I don't like the idea of him going into a bathroom by himself yet. Some women seem uncomfortable with this. Having single bathrooms placed near large public bathrooms could also help people with multiple children trying to keep track of them all and still use the toilet.