Carioca's will be closed on our cruise : (

[Pens Fan]

While I imagine that DCL will do everything possible to make the temporary switch to Cabanas a great experience, I can understand the disappointment. I would probably be more worried about the construction noise, myself. A cruise ship isn't like a hotel that is undergoing renovations. You're stuck there unless the ship is in port. I feel for the families staying on Deck 2 underneath Carioca's. If was booked in one of those rooms, I'd be on the phone with DCL trying to move locations if possible.

 

[closetmickey]

As I've said before, why aren't people allowed to be disappointed on these boards??!! These cruises cost a small fortune and and are a one time affair for so many. Rant over.

 

[BartmanLA]

I do believe you will still get the same Menu's that you would in Carioca's the only difference is the venue, you'll still have your same Serving Team also, it's just a different location. As some have said they're looking forward to eating in Cabanas, especially the seatings that will get to experience a Sunset at Sea. The views are pretty amazing, I know I booked a dinner at Palo to coincide with a sunset, and it was spectacular! This time the kids can enjoy such Magic too!

 

[ahain]

As I've said before, why aren't people allowed to be disappointed on these boards??!! These cruises cost a small fortune and and are a one time affair for so many. Rant over.

My impression is that people ARE allowed to be disappointed. IMHO many posters are trying to offer differing perspectives to help minimize the disappointment or even turn it into a positive! However, when peoples' "disappointment" = "Disney owes me something, because my cruise isn't going to be exactly as I originally expected" I don't think it is wrong for others to voice their opinions as to whether or not they feel compensation is required/justified/likely.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not to mention I'm sure it will be so crowded in there for dinner with everyone eating at the same assigned time...

What do you mean? The seatings will probably be the same as if you were dining in Carioca's. Not any more crowded, IMO.

 

[anricat]

Certainly not getting the full value of the cruise in my opinion.

How exactly is that? It's not like Disney is telling them they can't eat. It's not full value of the cruise if you can't eat in a specific place on one of the nights? It's just a room. The same service is being provided in another room. The two rooms do, indeed, look slightly different, but...it's just a room. I'm not sure how one room has more value than the other when they're both serving the exact same thing.

 

[darnheather]

As I've said before, why aren't people allowed to be disappointed on these boards??!! These cruises cost a small fortune and and are a one time affair for so many. Rant over.

I think it's fine to be disappointed and to voice that. However, when you do so publicly people will feel free to respond. Also, being disappointed is one thing expecting compensation is quite different IMHO.

 

[SirDuff]

I find it interesting that so many people have decided that they know what is happening better than the email that was sent out. According the OP (or possibly a different affected person), the email says that it will be open seating - not your normal MDR experience, yet everyone is set on convincing the affected people that it will be the normal MDR experience. Are we just so used to DCL messing up its messaging that we just assume their emails are wrong?

 

[Shanti]

I actually think it would be pretty cool to be able to eat at Cabana's, with my "normal" rotational menu, with my "normal" waitstaff, at my assigned table, but with (potentially) amazing views of the sea!

I would be disappointed at first but then as others said, it might be a unique experience because of all of the windows. Might be really cool to be surrounded by water, who knows you may get a window seat or near to one.

That would only work for passengers with early dining. Passengers with late dining (about half of all passengers) would get no view.

 

[Shanti]

How exactly is that? It's not like Disney is telling them they can't eat. It's not full value of the cruise if you can't eat in a specific place on one of the nights? It's just a room. The same service is being provided in another room. The two rooms do, indeed, look slightly different, but...it's just a room. I'm not sure how one room has more value than the other when they're both serving the exact same thing.

Are you serious? So, eating a meal in the Pop Century food court would have the same value as eating the same food in Cinderella's Castle? Not in my opinion. Ambiance while dining is important to a lot of people. The MDR experience is a big part of DCL's appeal. Missing out on the opportunity to experience that is a loss for the guests.

Any passengers on affected sailings should be allowed to rebook to a different cruise date without penalty, imo.

 

[anricat]

Are you serious? So, eating a meal in the Pop Century food court would have the same value as eating the same food in Cinderella's Castle? Not in my opinion. Ambiance while dining is important to a lot of people. The MDR experience is a big part of DCL's appeal. Missing out on the opportunity to experience that is a loss for the guests.

Any passengers on affected sailings should be allowed to rebook to a different cruise date without penalty, imo.

In no way would I equate Carioca's with CRT. Nor would I say that Cabana's is even near Pop Century Food Court. At all. I get that ambiance is important, but honestly, dressed up for dinner, I would call the two practically on the same level. Carioca's is maybe a TEEENY step nicer in ambiance. Maybe. But definitely, Carioca's is not even in the same ballpark as CRT. Not even close. And definitely, I think Cabana's, when gussied up for dinner isn't even in the same universe with Pop Century Food Court.

 

[Shanti]

In no way would I equate Carioca's with CRT. Nor would I say that Cabana's is even near Pop Century Food Court. At all. I get that ambiance is important, but honestly, dressed up for dinner, I would call the two practically on the same level. Carioca's is maybe a TEEENY step nicer in ambiance. Maybe. But definitely, Carioca's is not even in the same ballpark as CRT. Not even close. And definitely, I think Cabana's, when gussied up for dinner isn't even in the same universe with Pop Century Food Court.

Different perspectives, then. Cabanas has always had a cafeteria feel to me, whereas Carioca's feels like an elegant dining room. The fact that the dinner at Cabanas will be open-seating, as indicated in DCL's written communication to passengers, also indicates that it will not be the typical MDR experience at all.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I find it interesting that so many people have decided that they know what is happening better than the email that was sent out. According the OP (or possibly a different affected person), the email says that it will be open seating - not your normal MDR experience, yet everyone is set on convincing the affected people that it will be the normal MDR experience. Are we just so used to DCL messing up its messaging that we just assume their emails are wrong?

Where do you see that they've been told it's open seating? OP only reported that they were informed that Carioca's would be closed and Cabanas was going to be used for those night(s) instead.

Since Cabanas is typically a sit down service for dinner anyway, many of us (well, "I", anyway) took that to mean that instead of Cabanas doing their walk-in dinner service, they would be utilizing the space for the regular dining rotation (including the same menu/servers).

So, the only people effected would be those people who were going to skip their regular rotation dining room to eat at Cabanas (if they don't do that during those few cruises). Unless they still keep a small area for that. Since Cabanas is larger than the other dining rooms, and has sort of divisions in the room, there is room for them to set it up that way. (image borrowed from Club Disney Chandler)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The Email said open seating

Could you post it, please?

 

[SirDuff]

Where do you see that they've been told it's open seating? OP only reported that they were informed that Carioca's would be closed and Cabanas was going to be used for those night(s) instead.

Here...

The Email said open seating

I assume that the PP is reporting the email correctly.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Here...



I assume that the PP is reporting the email correctly.

Hopefully.

I just wonder what they're going to do with the serving teams that night, if it's open seating. It would just muddle up the "who should I tip" situation even more than it already is to just let people sit wherever they want on that one night.

There's no reason that Cabanas couldn't be set up just like the other MDRs.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I open it to anyone who received the email about Carioca's being closed and the necessity of dining in Cabanas. Could you please post the email? I'm really curious as to how it's worded.

 

[wombat_5606]

Could you post it, please?

As usual, Scott has the letter.....

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...or-dry-dock-cabanas-will-serve-temporary-mdr/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As usual, Scott has the letter.....

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...or-dry-dock-cabanas-will-serve-temporary-mdr/

Thanks.

Hmmmm...seems like what they're doing is, basically, dumping the Carioca's seatings into the pool of people who do the walk in dining in Cabanas.

I wouldn't care for that, either. I like the traditional, set dining time/table.

 

[BillO]

Carioca’s didn’t last very long compared to the other MDRs. What prompted the change?