Cruised the Dream and was dissappoointed

[AA25]

I counted 8 positive things and 5.5 (.5 being the hover waiter/dinner arrangement at Palo). The DCL app does have dead spots on the Island. I have spoke to that issue in the past, but you would think it could be fixed by now, so I hope you mentioned in on your comment card.

But yes, cruising with a little can be daunting, we have done 14 months, 2.5 years, and will again at 3.5. It is really a different dynamic, and as you know (since you have older kids) when the kids are small, your time is never really your own.

It still sounds like the family on a whole had a nice time. Thanks for sharing, and I hope your next cruise adventure is a grand one!

Such a good point- thanks for pointing out the number of positives

 

[AA25]

Aren't the ships air conditioned? Who in the world thinks traveling in the tropics during summer isn't going to be hot? And as good as they are, Disney certainly can't control the weather.

Obviously I knew it would be hot. I'm from NJ- not like I don't understand heat and humidity. Andplusalso I've been to Disney in the summer, Aruba in August, Caribbean cruises in July--- there's always been a breeze, or "something" to help with the heat/ humidity. This was a shock for me to have completely still air WHILE the ship was moving.

 

[AA25]

So sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise! We won't cruise south in the summer; I won't even do WDW in the summer, it's too hot for me.

As for check-in -- the "sweet spot" is arriving at the port around 12:30pm; the initial crowds have boarded, or mostly boarded and the buses from WDW haven't arrived yet. Also about that time is when "open boarding" is called. If you cruise again, forget the early PAT and aim for an arrival somewhere in the noon-hour.

Cruise ship pools in general are not particularly large considering the population onboard. We stick to early mornings or during port stops for swimming. Others find that during the dinner seatings the pools aren't crowded. Late-morning through the afternoon is going to be crowded.

It sounds like your little one is not a fan of heat -- I can't blame her! She may or may not outgrow that, in which case you'll need to adjust plans accordingly for her. We like cruising in February; coming from the northeast, February in the Bahamas or Caribbean is summer-like for us, even for ocean swimming. Depending on where you are from, that may work for your family as well; others have suggested fall, which is also nice but can have weather events.

I hope you decide to try another cruise some day!

Im a teacher, so my options are limited- but maybe spring break sometime down the road when the baby is of age for the kids club. She did a lot better in the heat at WDW than the cruise- a lot of that may have been my attitude/ expectations too.

 

[AA25]

We were on the same cruise. Embarkation day was crazy hot and humid- we hung out inside until our staterooms were ready. CC was hot but we did the 5k and didn't die like I thought we would. It was sooo much better out in the water. I also thought these were the calmest seas we have ever had in 11 cruises. I kind of missed being rocked to sleep...

I thought our staterooms were too cold- our stateroom host would crank the AC and we would have to turn it way down when we returned to our room.

Did you see Mario Lopez? I nearly walked into him the first day. My stateroom temp was fine- CC was just not working out for the baby- the rest is the family has a blast.

 

[disneyfab]

I was so looking forward to this cruise, but it was honestly a huge let down (for a variety of reasons). We did the July 4 sailing of the Dream. Maybe it was just me?

This was my 6th cruise, so I am not a novice cruiser. First Disney cruise, and first time cruising with my children- so that much was new to me.

I will start with the good:

• The staterooms were really big, and we were able to comfortably fit our family of 5, along with the stroller, and all of the luggage (under the bed).
• The 2 separate bathroom areas was nice.
• They were very accommodating with my gluten allergy.
• My boys (ages 4 and 6), had an absolute ball in the kids club and doing the various activities.
• Palo was great; they sat our party of 8 at a table for 20, so that was odd, and the waiter kept hovering and trying to become part of our conversation, but the food was really good.
• The adult pools were nice.
• The splash pad was really big and shaded which was great.
• The staff was wonderful.

Now the not so good:

• The check in process felt like a cattle herding; is that solved by getting a concierge level room? Or checking in later in the process?
• It was oppressively hot on the boat, with zero breeze. I realize it is summer in the Caribbean/ Florida, but how was there no breeze in the middle of the ocean? I have never been on a cruise before that was so incredibly hot and humid that it was not really possible to sit by the pool.
• Speaking of pools, they were tiny, always full, and the water was warm. Not refreshing at all.
• Castaway Cay with my toddler- not fun. It was incredibly hot, with no breeze, and nowhere to really cool down, or take a nap without melting (and the App doesn't work, which I didn't know ahead of time, so I couldn't contact my family still on the boat)- we only stayed about 20 minutes on the island before she freaked out from being overheated and I took her back. (My other kids, and the rest of our family stayed and had a great time).
• The food was mediocre at best... I don't expect much from cruise food, but I did expect a little more from Disney.

Any thought?

We were on this cruise too and the Head Server mentioned on the CC day that it was the hottest day so far this year. He also said that it had been quite a few dry days, so no cooling showers.

The humidity on CC was pretty rough & I live in an area with high humidity/summer temps. If it were not for the younger kids, as the teen & friends went back to the ship, I wouldn't have stayed as long. Dh felt the same way & grandma returned back to the ship early too. The younger kids were enjoying the water, kayaking & snorkeling. Interestingly, they had the most fun at Scuttle's Cove vs Oceaneers. The liked Oceaneers, but LOVED Scuttle's.

What was your PAT? We were surprised at how quickly, relative to the sheer volume of people, that we were on the ship. We left our hotel in PC right after 11 and were in the Enchanted Garden for lunch by 12:35. We were finished at customs by 11:50 & had a PAT of 12:15. After checking in, we stood in line for a pic with Goofy with our boarding number being called right as they were taking our pic. I felt like that line/wait was longer than any other line at the terminal, lol.

I did wish that there were not so many non-boarding families hanging around the ears. I asked four families if they were boarding, as they were right by the entrance and all were like "Not yet" but barely moved to let us by.

We found the best time for pools were early evening. We had second seating so my kids had a blast in the pool & multiple rides on the Aquaduck. I even have tons of pics with only them in the Mickey Pool as they had the pool to themselves one evening. Sea day was another story. It was crazy how crowded the pool was. I usually sit poolside, but mom & I had to grab chairs in the shade that day.

The food was hit or miss for us. We either liked items or were indifferent. But we did appreciate the number of places to grab something & utilized room service regularly. The Palo brunch was every bit as good as I had read! The teen would have preferred to eat in Cabanas nightly & dh felt that the MDR dinners dragged for mostly so-so food.

We were on the same cruise. Embarkation day was crazy hot and humid- we hung out inside until our staterooms were ready. CC was hot but we did the 5k and didn't die like I thought we would. It was sooo much better out in the water. I also thought these were the calmest seas we have ever had in 11 cruises. I kind of missed being rocked to sleep...

Dh is an avid runner & the 5K left him drained. I seriously thought that he wasn't going to make it for his excursion that afternoon.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We're not fans of the heat/humidity in the Caribbean either. As much as we love Hawaii at Christmas time, I wouldn't recommend it in the summer. Which is why our favorite destination for a summer cruise is Alaska. Maybe your kids would enjoy the mountain scenery and wildlife.

 

[Sytrace]

I was so looking forward to this cruise, but it was honestly a huge let down (for a variety of reasons). We did the July 4 sailing of the Dream. Maybe it was just me?

This was my 6th cruise, so I am not a novice cruiser. First Disney cruise, and first time cruising with my children- so that much was new to me.

I will start with the good:

• The staterooms were really big, and we were able to comfortably fit our family of 5, along with the stroller, and all of the luggage (under the bed).
• The 2 separate bathroom areas was nice.
• They were very accommodating with my gluten allergy.
• My boys (ages 4 and 6), had an absolute ball in the kids club and doing the various activities.
• Palo was great; they sat our party of 8 at a table for 20, so that was odd, and the waiter kept hovering and trying to become part of our conversation, but the food was really good.
• The adult pools were nice.
• The splash pad was really big and shaded which was great.
• The staff was wonderful.

Now the not so good:

• The check in process felt like a cattle herding; is that solved by getting a concierge level room? Or checking in later in the process?
• It was oppressively hot on the boat, with zero breeze. I realize it is summer in the Caribbean/ Florida, but how was there no breeze in the middle of the ocean? I have never been on a cruise before that was so incredibly hot and humid that it was not really possible to sit by the pool.
• Speaking of pools, they were tiny, always full, and the water was warm. Not refreshing at all.
• Castaway Cay with my toddler- not fun. It was incredibly hot, with no breeze, and nowhere to really cool down, or take a nap without melting (and the App doesn't work, which I didn't know ahead of time, so I couldn't contact my family still on the boat)- we only stayed about 20 minutes on the island before she freaked out from being overheated and I took her back. (My other kids, and the rest of our family stayed and had a great time).
• The food was mediocre at best... I don't expect much from cruise food, but I did expect a little more from Disney.

For all of my friends who have asked, I have said that I would not recommend this cruise in the summer, or with toddlers this age (unless they're comfortable going to a daycare, which mine was not). I am willing to try again, but not for several years (when my 16 month old is old enough for the kids club with her brothers), and never again in the summer.

We went to WDW for 3 days after this, and it was also incredibly hot, but the baby did MUCH better there (and so did we- probably because we KNEW it would be hot and were prepared). I also think that my mindset from previous cruises (of this being a lay outside kind of vacation), probably set me on the wrong path... once I realized I couldn't be outside with the baby, we looked for things to do inside, and had more fun.

Any thought?

The heat has been oppressive this year early on and it continues to feel like an oven most days until there is a bit or rain. But then of course, it just gets humid and sticky again. ( I live in Orlando)
I grew up in New Jersey though and it was hot during the summer but not to the extent of Florida or the Caribbean for sure. When I first moved here in the summer of 1983, I remember thinking that unless there was a body of water (pool, ocean or garden hose) there was no way I was going to go outside in the middle of the day. Thankfully, the Gulf of Mexico was just a few miles away and I went there a lot.
As for Palo...I am probably in the minority here, but I was not impressed with their food the one and only time we have gone. And I LOVE Italian cuisine. The service that one time, however, was amazing and that sort of helped make up for the disappointment in the food.

We don't typically go to the pool until later in the day when the first seating for dinner is happening. It has generally cleared out by then and the kids still have time to swim and go on Aquaduck a few times before we get ready for late seating dinner. When we sail on the shorter Dream cruises, we don't tend to do excursions BUT if we do, we go for the early and quick ones that get us back on the ship before the masses. We get Verandah cabins so that gives us fresh air but in the shade as well. (Deck 10 forward under the Rainforest has a GREAT overhang that is perfect for shielding the heat)

Castaway Cay is very fun but I can see where the little one would be uncomfortable with the heat . If we get off the ship, we try and get an umbrella and stay in the water as much as possible.
Typically, we leave the ship (if at all) at 9:30 to 10:00 and float out to the lifeguard stations where the water is a bit cooler and the grasses grow pretty high. Of course, with a little one, you want to stay close to shoreline which is where most of the warm water and people are...so that doesn't help you. Then we have brunch at Cookies Too and then float a bit more before heading back to the ship for the family Aquaduck challenge.

I hope you try DCL again at some point, perhaps in early June if you can swing it with school being let out by then. Or late August before it starts up again? Or even during Christmas break? Cruising at Christmas is really fun and you will definitely have better weather than the snow in NJ.
Thank you for sharing.

 

[Jillywilly143]

Did you see Mario Lopez? I nearly walked into him the first day

This should have been on your pros list. It's probably the reason it was so hot on that cruise!

 

[Ofinn]

I would suggest January. There will be plenty of wind.

 

[Drusilla99]

I don't care for the Dream...I believe it's because of the ship's shorter itineraries, but everyone seems very rushed while onboard. Like they are trying to fit in 7 days worth of activities in a 3 or 4 day cruise. I had the 5 day double dip reserved for next June, but cancelled because I just didn't want to do another cruise where we felt rushed. Try another ship, and I believe you'll have different results

 

[phinz]

I don't care for the Dream...I believe it's because of the ship's shorter itineraries, but everyone seems very rushed while onboard. Like they are trying to fit in 7 days worth of activities in a 3 or 4 day cruise. I had the 5 day double dip reserved for next June, but cancelled because I just didn't want to do another cruise where we felt rushed. Try another ship, and I believe you'll have different results

I felt the same way last time I was on the Dream. I also had the 5-day DD booked for next year and canceled it. Great minds and all that stuff, apparently.

 

[anricat]

I did wish that there were not so many non-boarding families hanging around the ears. I asked four families if they were boarding, as they were right by the entrance and all were like "Not yet" but barely moved to let us by.

This makes me INSANE in any kind of boarding situation, be it cruise (this didn't happen to us in PC on the Dream, but it did happen in Miami for the Magic) and it happens on airlines all the time. Unless you're on Southwest, you have a seat! Why are you standing there! Just wait until they call you! UGH!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Any thought?

One of the many reasons we sail Concierge is because of the easy early boarding. We also sail in Feb. and it was still very warm on CC. I found the food on the Dream to be just ok. You must have had the same waiter we did at Palo...he hovered and tried to start up conversations while I was trying to eat. I liked the food and service at Palo much better on the Magic. Looking forward to another cruise on Magic and hopes she returns to PC.

 

[Hundredacre]

Sometimes the cruise doesn't live up to the marketing. Nobody markets like disney!!

 

[DCLDVC1]

Sometimes the cruise doesn't live up to the marketing. Nobody markets like disney!!

Or the expectations set by many of the posts on DCL related fan pages, blogs, etc.

 

[Bella29]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Not sure why some are acting so snarky though it is not a huge surprise.

I think DCL has such a huge opportunity for improvement with their pool decks, I was really surprised they didn't get this right when they built the Dream and the Fantasy. Their tiny pools are basically enclosed by plexiglass walls with tables where people eat. There should be a larger, more open area, with a breeze and more water activities for kids than simply standing in a human soup. (A larger pool wouldn't heat up in the sun as quickly either). We only cruise in the winter due to busy summer sports schedules, yet we have on several occasions experienced stifling heat in the pool area because there is no airflow and way too many people for that small space.

ETA - the cattle feeling, ugh it is so prevalent. This is another area where DCL could improve vastly if they wanted to. They don't have a reason to if people keep paying to be treated like this. The worst was when we did a BTB - literally a 90 minute follow the leader, simon says stop here, wait here, walk now stop. Never again!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Not sure why some are acting so snarky though it is not a huge surprise.

I think DCL has such a huge opportunity for improvement with their pool decks, I was really surprised they didn't get this right when they built the Dream and the Fantasy. Their tiny pools are basically enclosed by plexiglass walls with tables where people eat. There should be a larger, more open area, with a breeze and more water activities for kids than simply standing in a human soup. (A larger pool wouldn't heat up in the sun as quickly either). We only cruise in the winter due to busy summer sports schedules, yet we have on several occasions experienced stifling heat in the pool area because there is no airflow and way too many people for that small space.

ETA - the cattle feeling, ugh it is so prevalent. This is another area where DCL could improve vastly if they wanted to. They don't have a reason to if people keep paying to be treated like this. The worst was when we did a BTB - literally a 90 minute follow the leader, simon says stop here, wait here, walk now stop. Never again!

We did a B2B on the Dream its inaugural year and did not have this experience at all. We did not have to follow anyone. I think we didn't end up leaving the ship til after 9:30, went out to the check in area for around an hour, then checked in with a handful of others doing the same, then walked back on.
We were chillin by the empty pool when new guests started boarding. It was kind of funny to see the looks on their faces as they try to find their way around, carrying all their carry on bags, looking a bit bewildered, while we were enjoying the start of our 5th day onboard.
Still, I'd prefer a 7-night.

 

[Weedy]

I think the boarding issue would help if Disney enforced the PAT's. People post all the time about getting there early and being let into the terminal and many boarding early.

 

[phinz]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Not sure why some are acting so snarky though it is not a huge surprise.

I think DCL has such a huge opportunity for improvement with their pool decks, I was really surprised they didn't get this right when they built the Dream and the Fantasy. Their tiny pools are basically enclosed by plexiglass walls with tables where people eat.

This isn't DCL-specific. The Crown Princess has two pools in the main areas. They are on a deck surrounded by plexiglass with a pizza counter and a hamburger counter (in the case of Princess the walls are often tinted blue for some reason. Very blue.) and wind doesn't really blow through there. I think this isn't an uncommon design feature, and it's meant to keep the wind from being too strong where people are eating and using things like paper cups and napkins. If you want a stronger breeze you go one deck up.

Bigger pools means bigger motion too, even in lighter seas, which means more closures. There's more water to gain momentum in a rolling sea. By keeping them smaller they keep them open more. It also means when a kid has an "accident" in the pool it takes less time to empty, clean and refill.

I get less of a cattle feel on any Disney cruise, concierge or not, than I did on a Princess cruise, and we were in the Vista Suite class, which is superficially equivalent to the Concierge class on DCL.

 

[MSPeeler]

Check-in at 2:30pm, was SUPER fast & not crowded at all.