Any info on the DVC cruise that left on 9/13?

[bunnymkc]

Have been looking all over the boards for info on the DVC cruise. Has anybody heard anything? Thought for sure we would have heard something from Mark or Mary..thanks marianne

 

[CarolAnnC]

They did post on the Cruise Meet thread for the DVC Member Cruise that they would not be posting any live update threads here on the DIS. Perhaps someone else may check in though.. Thanks..

P.S. Actually here is a LINK to an on going report that includes the current DVC Member Cruise. Enjoy!

 

[MarkRG]

Welp, I'd more say there hasn't exactly been a lot to post about. And, with Mary just completing her battle with colon cancer, didn't know how much energy we'd even have for the trip, so we had planned on not doing live updates.


To misquote the line on the DVC website, can I fire them now?

Here's the big secret, it's the recycled cruise. The theme is again 'Inspirations' and cms were wearing polos from a number of the past cruises, there's not exactly a lot of any new ground here.

Our main guest is Judy Kuhn who is known to Disney fans as the singing voice of Pocahontas.

Secondary guests:

Kathryn Beaumont, voice of Alice in Alice in Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan
Bill Farmer, current voice of Goofy and some others.

And Don 'Ducky' Williams, not to discount him as he is a great representative of the artists of Disney, but is a regular event guest onboard DCL outside of the Member Cruises.

Kathryn and Bill had a panel together in the Buena Vista Theater, it was more fun with Bill covering his more extensive work outside of Disney, he only contracts to Disney, he also does voice acting for other companies.

We also get an advance screening of the Bluray Snow White out next month up on the Dumbotron, which, honestly if you havn't watched something up on it, it's like watching thru a window screen. Yippee.

And the gifts follow the recycled theme with the same mini satchel with nearly the same gifts as last year the first day, a nice book called Disney Lost and Found the second day, and today a sericel of the Princess from Princess in the Frog.

Translation: the gifts are seriously lacking, sofar.

So, we're out here enjoying a 4-day cruise, that really DVC hasn't done all that much to enhance our enjoyment of as of yet.

 

[tiggerguy2000]

WOW!!!!!!
The disappointment in marks words tells the story how much effort DVC put into this cruise.It's bad enough that the respect level of being a member and a part owner is at the bottom of the barrel.Mr Lewis has enlightend us that we are no better then a person who has only visited Disney just once and I can see why many want him out as President.
If we could only get together and NOT BOOK next years DVC cruise would be a loud message.

Billy

 

[WDWLVR]

Hi marianne,

No live update this time and as Mark said there really isn't much to update.

We are having a great cruise but from a DVC standpoint it is very disappointing. There was zero communication on the Member Cruise website except an update a few months ago that it was all so secretive they would get fired if they told. Right then and there I lowered my expectations especially since D23 was doing 3-4 times a day blasts of who they were having.

We come for the guests and this year they just aren't that special to us. I know others have enjoyed them but we don't have anyone the likes of Roy Disney, Richard Sherman, Art Linkletter or others we've had in the past.

We don't cruise for the gifts but they too were lacking. As Mark stated 3 years in a row of getting a childs size suitcase is a bit much. Yes there are new cruisers every year but there are also repeat cruises who would like to see something different.

On the plus side I thought the "sales pitch" show was much better than in 2006 or 2007. More entertainment and only about a 10-16 minute pitch on point add ons. The add on incentives were great but i didn't take detailed notes. If you added on the most you got a 7 night cruise to either the Mexican Riviera or Alaska. For the second highest level you got a one week stay at Ko Olina in Hawaii when it opens.

Ducky did his usual presentation as well as one where you could hand-paint a cell. There was also a pretty good presentation yesterday with some advance looks at upcoming animation features including a 30 minute tv special set to air this holiday season.

For brand new cruisers they are enjoying it a lot. For those of us who have sailed before I guess we are just spoiled and it doesn't seem the same as past ones.

To me the big diffference is the details. As i said there were no updates on the website and up until about 3 weeks ago it still had the 2008 theme up. At that time they just took it down and didn't announce the theme. Once on board we got a special Disney Files magazine and on the opening page it talks about the discussions last year on how Inspirations is a great theme and could go so many different directions that they were using it again (and will be next year as well). That's great to know so why couldn't you share that on the web site 11 months ago instead of leaving us in the dark?


Next years cruise was announced and it is another 4 day (so much for the rumors last year that 2010 would be a special 7 day). It is September 12-16th.

Bottom line if you've never done a Member Cruise give it a try you might enjoy it.

As for us we're doing a 5 day next year to help friends celebrate the wedding of their daughter.

 

[Cheryl726]

WDWLVR, do you know if it is the same itinerary, 2 visits to Castaway Cay?

Thanks

 

[bunnymkc]

dear mary, thanks for taking the time to post about the cruise..I know I have been looking for any info on the disney website and never could find it. our friends went for the 1st time and I'm sure they are thrilled but for us old timers we want something new and different each time we go, We were planning to go next year as we go every other year but it sounds like it will just be another repeat so maybe we'll skip and see what develops for 2011. again thanks to you & mark for taking the time to post..marianne