Cruised the Dream and was dissappoointed

[AA25]

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?

 

[princessmommyx3]

If you decide to cruise Disney again, I would suggest trying out the Magic or Wonder. I have sailed both, as well as the Dream, and on the Magic and Wonder there are WAY fewer people which makes embarking & disembarking much less chaotic. Is also eases the crowds on Castaway Cay and the pools onboard. I never cruise in the summer with my kids because of the heat & humidity that you experienced. My husband and I have cruised twice in August to the Bahamas and I know the heat would have bothered my kids. When we cruise the caribbean/Bahamas with the kids, it has always been October or November and while still plenty warm, it is not uncomfortable either on the ship or at Castaway Cay. But, that is prime hurricane season so you would have to be willing to run that risk. We have gotten lucky so far and are 3 for 3 on avoiding tropical storms. BTW, my kids are a tad older than yours but not much.

 

[MaineChapmans]

I'm so sorry you had such a hard time with the heat!

I think that you must've just had an unusually hot trip--we cruised the Bahamas/Castaway Cay in August, 2012, and it was hot of course, but it was doable. I recall that the weather was so nice that we sat out on the fantail for lunch most days. In fact we even got rained on once on the boat, and we were rained on in WDW!

On Castaway Cay we were either in the shade or the water the entire time. I remember it was hot, but there was a slight breeze, because the palm trees were moving a bit, but not much. Nassau was incredibly hot but we expected that. Whew!

How was the a/c inside the ship? It was a bit on the warm side for us in our stateroom, but we were able to ask someone to lower the temperature a bit (we're from Maine, so we don't do heat well at all).

Anyway, I agree with PrincessMommy above. Perhaps try a smaller cruise ship next time? We have sailed only once before, on the Magic, and it was definitely MAGIC-al! The crowds we expected weren't there at embarkation, and the Cay wasn't overly crowded. We felt like we had lots of elbow room. Plus we just like the smaller size of the ship. I dread someday going on Fantasy or Dream...to me, they look way too big. I saw some of the Carnival cruise ships and they looked like apartment buildings on a boat base! We definitely like the tiny ships, and perhaps that might be the way to go next time, if you decide to give Disney another chance.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The wind in the summer, can indeed be minimal, sadly it is what it is. When underway on the ship, if the wind is blowing in the same general direction as the vessel is going and at the same speed............yes.............there will not be any breeze. This doesn't happen often, but it can happen.

Sorry you had a hot cruise.


AKK

 

[DCLDVC1]

Any thought?

Don't cruise the Bahamas in July.

 

[bumbershoot]

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?

Putting a few thousand people onto a ship is never going to feel much different. Concierge you have your own desks but it's all the way in the terminal so you have to go past everyone to get there and then again when boarding.

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.

Sounds icky.

Speaking of pools, they were tiny, always full, and the water was warm. Not refreshing at all.

Very well known. Many actually like the warmer pools. Royal's pools tend to be ice cold which isn't refreshing to me. If my lips turn blue it feels like a problem not some sort of fun.

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).

That's too bad you hadn't read mention that the app doesn't really work there.

The water would have been a place to cool off a bit.

Being on a beach with a toddler always sounds like the least dum time ever, personally.

The wind in the summer, can indeed be minimal, sadly it is what it is. When underway on the ship, if the wind is blowing in the same general direction as the vessel is going and at the same speed............yes.............there will not be any breeze. This doesn't happen often, but it can happen.

Sorry you had a hot cruise.


AKK

Makes sense!

 

[Quellman]

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!

 

[firsttimemom]

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.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

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.

 

[Shanti]

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?

Sorry your cruise was a let-down. I'm with you on DCL's food being mediocre. I've only been on one cruise in my life- the Disney Magic over this past New Year's, and although I'd heard that cruise ship food in general isn't much to speak of, I expected Disney's cruise food to be good, because I'd read many good reviews of DCL's food, and the food at WDW's table service restaurants is good, so I thought DCL's food would likely be similar. But I was wrong. Maybe DCL's food has declined in recent years due to cost-cutting? Or maybe those reviewers were comparing the food to other cruise lines whose food is even worse? I wouldn't know as I've only cruised DCL, and my only experience with the line was a very recent one.

I disliked most of the cruise food (& I'm not even the "foodie" or food fuss type). Was traveling as a single mom with my son who likes to eat meals with me, so Palo was never an option. Our cruise was three nights and while I enjoyed the cruise experience as a whole, I was relieved at the end because I was eager to escape being limited to DCL's food.

 

[tcufrog]

We've only sailed once and that was concierge on the Dream. Checking in was a breeze and our line was much shorter than it was for everyone else. We originally chose it because they had the room we wanted. We ended up spending a lot of time in the lounge though since I am mildly claustrophobic and my older son finds loud and chaotic environments to be sensory overload.

 

[MUN]

I am sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise. Now you know that the Bahamas can be hot in the summer.

 

[Naterfan]

The two weather related negatives are in no way the fault of DCL. Kinda silly to include them...

 

[Shanti]

The two weather related negatives are in no way the fault of DCL. Kinda silly to include them...

I disagree. The post was about the totality of her cruise experience, not a single-subject description of things DCL did wrong. The weather was part of what she was disappointed in, so it wouldn't make sense to leave it out.

If someone wrote a trip report about how great their DCL Dream cruise was, and included commentary on fabulous weather, I doubt you'd call their weather comments "silly".

 

[Neptune's Fork]

The two weather related negatives are in no way the fault of DCL. Kinda silly to include them...

Exactly. Unless someone had the expectation that Disney would say - Our planned itinerary is too hot so we are changing course and doing a Newfoundland cruise instead.

 

[BigredNole]

Weather can never be a negative on any vacation. No one can control it. You have to look at historical data, check El Ninos and other ocean current readings. This is like saying I took a trip to Antarctica and it was cold. As for the crowds on the ship, that is a known as well. It is the Summer and the number of available rooms should have told you there would be 4,000+ on it.

So, taking away things you cannot control, the only "bad" thing was the level of food.

 

[tweis]

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?

Aren't the size of the staterooms great?! That alone is one of the many reasons we have trouble even considering another line. We LOVE having the split bathrooms. Works great for our family of 4.
I'm glad you enjoyed Palo even with the hovering waiter. Unfortunately, our love for Palo dinner has diminished since they changed up the menu though we do still love brunch.

I would have to agree with you with the check in process or at least the check in process for our most recent cruise. It was the worst we've experienced yet BUT it was due to customs being late clearing the ship and they weren't allowing anyone inside yet by the time the folks with the earliest PAT started arriving and it just kind of snowballed after that with folks with the next times arriving before we were even allowed in. Boarding did not start until after 12 which was a first for us.
Heat, well, that's just kind of expected on a Bahamian cruise in the summer. Same for CC.
I totally agree with you about the pools being tiny. We mostly avoid them except for certain times of the day.
Food is so subjective. While you may have found it mediocre at best, a lot of people really enjoy it.

If you do decide to cruise again with DCL, maybe look at a fall cruise when the weather is a bit cooler.

 

[lanejudy]

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!

 

[AA25]

The two weather related negatives are in no way the fault of DCL. Kinda silly to include them...

The weather totally colored the entire experience- and while I knew it would be hot- I had no idea there'd be no breeze at all- all of the staff knew, so this obviously wasn't a freak thing- so in the future, I would opt not to do a summer cruise again.

And no, the weather is not their fault at all- just sharing my experience.

 

[AA25]

Don't cruise the Bahamas in July.

I'm a teacher- my options are limited to the most expensive/ crowded/ hottest times of the year. But yes, thank you for restating the obvious