August 16, 2011, Disney Dream - Part 4

[TiggerAllie]

Kristin-- I'm sorry to hear that your mom did not get the news she was hoping for. Our thoughts are with you, her, and your family.

While our dining service was only so-so (and required a trip to Guest Services to even get it up to acceptable), our room steward was EXCELLENT! She was always around to say hi or wave, and one night she made a whole towel art extravaganza for my parents' anniversary: kissing swans, flowers, and sprinkled the whole hall/bed area with rose petals!

I guess based on the large increase in staff for DCL (due to the Dream), it will take some time to get all those new people trained and experienced. It's a lot of new people to bring on at once, even if they are spread out among 3 ships. Unfortunately, it will probably get worse once the Fantasy comes on line.

I also couldn't figure out the phone at all. I could barely collect messages, but I couldn't figure out how to call out. I just used the Wave Phone instead--at least there was directory there. I couldn't find a list of phone numbers in the room, let alone instructions on how to use the phone!

 

[elgerber]

We couldn't figure out the darn phone either!!!!!!!!!!!! Never had that problem on the Magic, we used the phone all the time.
I am sad that Alexa and I never once saw anything in their porthole!!

 

[Mjasp]

Cruise was wonderful! So glad I got to meet up with a few on Serenity beach. Sorry I didn't get to meet everyone else.

Booked next summer already. I am sure I will see some of you again in the future.

Dawn...You will surely see me again It was great meeting you, I'm glad you joined us at Palo's. I'm glad our girls got to meet and hang out together, Hmmm, just printed the Gem and Explorer itineraries for February 2013, which one are you thinking about? LOL I love Vacations to go because you can see all there is going out of NY at once.
And thanks for all you did yesterday Glad you had a safe flight home.

 

[Shelebeen]

My understanding is that the stateroom host will take/keep what is left behind. We view this as an additional gratuity.

Oh great! thanks so much.

 

[Mjasp]

We couldn't figure out the darn phone either!!!!!!!!!!!! Never had that problem on the Magic, we used the phone all the time.
I am sad that Alexa and I never once saw anything in their porthole!!

The characters passed the porthole every half hour, so I would wait with our camera for them to pass and snap away, didn't think about using the video oh well next time

 

[kritter]

Beth,
I know your dad was smiling down on your girls each minute of the cruise. I believe in my heart that he was brought joy and happiness knowing you ere all having fib together as a family. This is one reason that the the dining was importnt to us. We knew that this would be the last cruise with my parents. DCL will be getting a letter but it honestly is too Kate. Concierges did nothing to fix the problem either. We ate still are in Disney our flight goes out tomorrow morning if we can make it out. My mo
Is getting anxious to get home now!!

Kristin, your mom and dad are super special people. -- my family thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and hearing their stories! Your dad reminds me so much of my dad ... I kept thinking how much I wished he could have been there enjoying watching the sparkle in his grand-daughters' eyes. I'm sure he was looking down from heaven watching all of the fun.

Disney really goofed on your dining situation. They should have seated all of you together for meals -- how hard can it be to seat you at a 6 or an 8 top table? Why couldn't they have scooted one of the tables next to you over and readjusted the aisleway a bit? Seems like the dining service people still have a ways to go in figuring things out -- and given that you were in concierge, those people should have gotten involved too as that is what paying extra for concierge should get you (otherwise what's the point of paying extra for concierge?). It wasn't like they didn't know your needs ahead of time either as the reservations were linked. I'm so sorry that Hanna and Hope were so upset about not getting to have meals with their parents and their grandparents all together. You should definitely write Disney corporate a letter about this!

I'll be thinking and praying for your mom. She is such a special person! Call me when you get home and are settled. I'm hoping you are in the air, or about to board, about now!

Beth

 

[Woobie]

Thank you thank you for the update on your DD, Deborah. I'm so glad she is doing better and recovering. I also had the same thought about Make a Wish. Your family needs another Disney Cruise.

My girls were soo upset and my mom did not get good news about her biopsy the day we boarded so this cruise was supposed to be quality time with their grand-daughters!! So upsetting..

I'm so sorry, Kristin. I was wondering about this the whole cruise. Hugs to your mom, you and your family.

I'm telling you all...Get the Pack it flat toiletry kit from e bags, you won't be sorry! I went from a checked carry on for toiletries to the pack it flat.

What she said.

I'm so sorry to hear about all the mix ups and bad service. I guess we were lucky. We had GREAT staff all around. I still feel like we missed out on so much!! I never once saw a sunset. There were a few movies I wanted to see. I wanted a chocolate souffle from Palo. Missed many of the deck parties. Only had one drink at Pink with hubby (only alone time), etc. Overall, an AWESOME trip!!!

We booked a 3 day dummy date. We're thinking sometime in 2013 (hubby & son want to go to Greece in 2012). I'm thinking I can't do anything less than 7 days again.

Safe travels to those returning the next few days!

 

[elgerber]

Thank you thank you for the update on your DD, Deborah. I'm so glad she is doing better and recovering. I also had the same thought about Make a Wish. Your family needs another Disney Cruise.




I'm so sorry, Kristin. I was wondering about this the whole cruise. Hugs to your mom, you and your family.



What she said.

I'm so sorry to hear about all the mix ups and bad service. I guess we were lucky. We had GREAT staff all around. I still feel like we missed out on so much!! I never once saw a sunset. There were a few movies I wanted to see. I wanted a chocolate souffle from Palo. Missed many of the deck parties. Only had one drink at Pink with hubby (only alone time), etc. Overall, an AWESOME trip!!!

We booked a 3 day dummy date. We're thinking sometime in 2013 (hubby & son want to go to Greece in 2012). I'm thinking I can't do anything less than 7 days again.

Safe travels to those returning the next few days!

We never saw a sunset either!!! Never even saw the entry way to the spa or the fitness center. Never enough time for everything! I wish I could get enough time to do a transatlantic sometime, that would give me some more time!!

 

[hmansure]

Hey everyone.

We are bugging out of Florida a day early.

Originally were scheduled on the Auto Train for Saturday but Friday, Saturday, & Sunday's trains were all cancelled.

Since it looks like Philly is going to get either a direct hit or near miss we need to get home and close the windows! and batten down the hatches.

I just got back from the main desk at WL to cancel the kids' pirate cruise this morning. Bethany is bummed but is freaked enough about all the news reports that she is more concerned about getting home.

The plan is to take the inland route up through 81 to Harrisburg, PA and then shoot across the PA Turnpike to get home. The planner in me is FREAKING OUT since I didn't research this. I'm still trying to figure out how far we are going to be able to get tonight so we can find a hotel room.

Wish us luck! I have my smartphone so if anyone has ideas as to our route, etc I would appreciate any input!

Safe travels. The forecast for our area (and we are east of you) has improved slightly - the winds shouldn't hit 100mph+ where we are and the Philly suburbs should be better off than that. Still - nor'easter type of winds and lots of rain. What you've missed here while on vacation in the wettest August in Philly history - the ground is saturated and that is what concerns me the most with Irene.

 

[hmansure]

We had that same problem!!

Do you think it's an intentional thing by DCL - "cost savings" - as we experienced the same thing? On prior cruises they'd replace that stuff with no problem.

 

[Pudo]

Was there an extra charge for Palo orders in Concierge or was it just tip like regular room service?

This was a "girl thing", the guys were not allowed (actually in all honesty not interested in the souffles) . Missy ordered the souffles through concierge, I don't think there was a charge, but I am sure the server was tipped. Beth might know, I am working from home today, Missy had to work so I can't ask her right now.

 

[Pudo]

Couldn't figure out the phone AT ALL until I grabbed a room steward (not mine) going down the hall. Turns out there was supposed to be some card by the phone explaining how it worked. Guess the room steward forgot to place one there. For those of you who left us messages -- sorry if we didn't get them! And I kept goofing up on how to leave messages on other phones -- especially Kristin's!

We couldn't figure out the phones either, somehow I got to guest services by just pushing 0 alot. Heaven forbid if there were a real emergency and I had to call someone!

Being a DBA and a technical person I had a little better time with the phones. Figured out that to call another stateroom you enter the stateroom number and the number of the phone. We had 4 phones numbered 1 - 4. To call each other I would enter 125021, the last digit is the which phone I am calling in this case the phone numbered 1. The display on the phone shows you what number phone you have.

When using the regular stateroom phones you dial 7 + extension. The Wave phones work the same way except you dial 41 + extension.

Too lazy to type text messages since the keypad is the old school version where you have to keep pressing the number until you get the letter you want.

I hope this helps.

 

[Minniemouse07]

We are approaching the FL border.
WDW was great about canceling the pirate cruises this morning and I spent some time yesterday processing our Amtrak refund as well as filing a claim with our trip insurance. They are covering all our meals and lodging on the way home!

 

[acomasdiaz]

My girls were soo upset and my mom did not get good news about her biopsy the day we boarded so this cruise was supposed to be quality time with their grand-daughters!! So upsetting..

The shampoo, etc. did you notice the bottles are even smaller sized now??!!

Oh Kristin! I am so sorry to hear that your mom didn't get the news you were hoping for. Many prayers for her!

 

[sdchickie]

Just got confirmation that I have my 2 dummy date rooms reserved! Yeah we're going on another cruise (or 2)! Still not sure if I want to use them for two rooms on one cruise or two seperate cruises. Thanks to Jen I now know that the kids are charged almost the same as adults since they are older and it is only a couple hundred more for a 2nd room.

 

[kritter]

Kristin, your mom and dad are super special people. -- my family thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and hearing their stories! Your dad reminds me so much of my dad ... I kept thinking how much I wished he could have been there enjoying watching the sparkle in his grand-daughters' eyes. I'm sure he was looking down from heaven watching all of the fun.

Disney really goofed on your dining situation. They should have seated all of you together for meals -- how hard can it be to seat you at a 6 or an 8 top table? Why couldn't they have scooted one of the tables next to you over and readjusted the aisleway a bit? Seems like the dining service people still have a ways to go in figuring things out -- and given that you were in concierge, those people should have gotten involved too as that is what paying extra for concierge should get you (otherwise what's the point of paying extra for concierge?). It wasn't like they didn't know your needs ahead of time either as the reservations were linked. I'm so sorry that Hanna and Hope were so upset about not getting to have meals with their parents and their grandparents all together. You should definitely write Disney corporate a letter about this!

I'll be thinking and praying for your mom. She is such a special person! Call me when you get home and are settled. I'm hoping you are in the air, or about to board, about now!

Beth

Beth,

I am postive that your dad was looking down and smiling watching how much FUN Skye & Hopi were having. He sounds like he was a very special person!!

We don't leave until early tomorrow morning. Hoping, we can still get out our flight leaves @ 9:45 am.

I will be writing DCL a letter for sure!!

 

[kritter]

Do you think it's an intentional thing by DCL - "cost savings" - as we experienced the same thing? On prior cruises they'd replace that stuff with no problem.

I was wondering the same thing!!

 

[kritter]

Oh Kristin! I am so sorry to hear that your mom didn't get the news you were hoping for. Many prayers for her!

Thank you!!

 

[renda460]

That is terrible, I could understand your girls being so upset

The only problem we had was with our room steward, I think he was a ghost since we never saw him and he never introduced himself, I saw him once and asked him if he was our steward and he said yes, never saw him again and had to chase down someone else for a bar of soap, when the soap bar gets soft and slimy it skeeves (sp?) me out so I throw it out but he never replaced it, so I had to find someone to give me another bar of soap. Weird, I've never had trouble finding our room steward on any cruise I've taken.

Our room steward was pretty bad too. We had 2 connecting rooms, one of which had a pack and play in it. The first night she didn't turn down the couch in the room with the pack and play. We asked her is she could, but she said no because it would be too tight fit. We said we didn't mind if it was crowded and asked her to do it the following night because we needed the bed for my son, but she never opened it up for any of the remaining nights.

We also never had shampoo, etc replenished. One night she forgot to turn down the large bed. But worst of all, I hated how every single night if we had left anything on the bed or couch, she would just throw it all in a pile on the desk. Nothing was ever left neatly.

As for the phones, we thought they were terrible. On a prior cruise, someone had programmed ours phones with names. According to guest services there is no way to remove these names. So my husband was "Gabby" and I was "Rachel" for the week. I also cant tell you how many times it told me I had a voicemail but when I tried to retrieve it I got nothing.

I had some issues with a staff member in the nursery as well. And our server at dinner was just ok, especially when comparing him to servers on prior disney cruises.

Aside from all this, we still had a fantastic time, but it made me realize how spoiled we were with the service on past disney cruises. Hopefully the Dream gets better in time.

 

[sdchickie]

But worst of all, I hated how every single night if we had left anything on the bed or couch, she would just throw it all in a pile on the desk. Nothing was ever left neatly.

Could be worse, when we were leaving for CC I just threw on my suit and put my shorts, shirt, and undergarmets in a pile on the desk because I was planning on putting them back on when we got back. Well when we got back I found the steward had folded them and put them in the drawer for me. I usually don't have the maid come in my room when I am in hotels because I don't like them in my stuff, imagine my horror to find the guy that does our room had been folding my undies!