Disappointing Adult Cruise On The Dream

[ruadisneyfan2]

For us, the chat with the servers, and, truly, my wife and I are amiable, outgoing types, felt forced and obligatory. Maybe it’s harder for them with no kids at the table.

Maybe you just got servers that were new or had some other demanding passengers that took more time from them than usual. Our kids are grown and haven't sailed with us since 2019 and that one was only because we were sailing to Norway and they didn't want to miss it. We still have fun with our servers.

If you ever decide to try DCL again:
1. Choose either the Magic or the Wonder. Their capacities are 2400 passengers vs. 4000 on the Dream/Fantasy/Wish. This is such a huge difference, almost double, and is most noticeable while at Castaway Cay.

2. Choose a longer cruise. We were utterly shocked at how few children there were on our 14 nt Panama Canal cruise. Most passengers were 55+ and both times our ship was not at capacity. Most children can't miss that much school and likewise their parents aren't sailing on those long cruises either. The adult pool area was crowded but the Mickey pool was usually empty, so many times we'd sit there.

Now that you had some time to reflect on your cruise, the good and the bad, I would highly suggest you write a letter to DCL and let them know. Unless their management is sailing on other cruise lines, which I doubt, they can't know exactly how they compare to other lines and where they're failing. You will probably get a form letter thanking you but at least you'd be getting it off your chest to the correct people. We're always here to lend an ear, so to speak, but we aren't the ones who can make changes/improvements within DCL.

 

[Dug720]

Am surprised the Summit was in such bad shape. Every time we’ve sailed on the older Celebrity ships, they’ve been in great shape.

I was on the Summit in July 2023 in Aqua and LOVED the ship. I found her generally in great shape. I didn't mind the art - but that's not a huge part of my cruise experience. (I'm not looking forward to the elephant on a guy's back on the Beyond this summer though...I feel like all the other E-Class ships got a beautiful pool deck sculpture (Edge has butterfly wings, Apex has heart hands, Ascent has a beautiful metallic octopus. Not sure what Xcel will have. Beyond has an elephant on a guy's back. But it's not going to break my cruise.)

I sometimes wonder if people go on older ships knowing they are older and looking for things. A few years ago there was a poster here who had loved Dream class ships, then went on whatever Carnival's newest ship at the time was, and then to the Magic and all she could do when she was on (and after she got off) the Magic was complain about "upkeep" and a good number of her pictures she had to literally be crawling around on the floor looking for things.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I was on the Summit in July 2023 in Aqua and LOVED the ship. I found her generally in great shape. I didn't mind the art - but that's not a huge part of my cruise experience. (I'm not looking forward to the elephant on a guy's back on the Beyond this summer though...I feel like all the other E-Class ships got a beautiful pool deck sculpture (Edge has butterfly wings, Apex has heart hands, Ascent has a beautiful metallic octopus. Not sure what Xcel will have. Beyond has an elephant on a guy's back. But it's not going to break my cruise.)

I sometimes wonder if people go on older ships knowing they are older and looking for things. A few years ago there was a poster here who had loved Dream class ships, then went on whatever Carnival's newest ship at the time was, and then to the Magic and all she could do when she was on (and after she got off) the Magic was complain about "upkeep" and a good number of her pictures she had to literally be crawling around on the floor looking for things.

I don't intentionally look for faults on other ships. It was glaringly obvious. Also I finally looked up the year it was built and it was 2001, so newer than the Magic and Wonder by several years. So IIRC, I had that in mind when we booked that it would look at least as good as the Magic.

 

[Dug720]

I don't intentionally look for faults on other ships. It was glaringly obvious. Also I finally looked up the year it was built and it was 2001, so newer than the Magic and Wonder by several years. So IIRC, I had that in mind when we booked that it would look at least as good as the Magic.

IDK. I didn't see anything glaring in July 2023.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Maybe you just got servers that were new or had some other demanding passengers that took more time from them than usual. Our kids are grown and haven't sailed with us since 2019 and that one was only because we were sailing to Norway and they didn't want to miss it. We still have fun with our servers.

If you ever decide to try DCL again:
1. Choose either the Magic or the Wonder. Their capacities are 2400 passengers vs. 4000 on the Dream/Fantasy/Wish. This is such a huge difference, almost double, and is most noticeable while at Castaway Cay.

2. Choose a longer cruise. We were utterly shocked at how few children there were on our 14 nt Panama Canal cruise. Most passengers were 55+ and both times our ship was not at capacity. Most children can't miss that much school and likewise their parents aren't sailing on those long cruises either. The adult pool area was crowded but the Mickey pool was usually empty, so many times we'd sit there.

Now that you had some time to reflect on your cruise, the good and the bad, I would highly suggest you write a letter to DCL and let them know. Unless their management is sailing on other cruise lines, which I doubt, they can't know exactly how they compare to other lines and where they're failing. You will probably get a form letter thanking you but at least you'd be getting it off your chest to the correct people. We're always here to lend an ear, so to speak, but we aren't the ones who can make changes/improvements within DCL.

Good advice all around. I’m not sure I’m even ready to start thinking about ever booking DCL again, for fear of “throwing good money after bad,” especially with the other lines offering a cruising experience we generally enjoy. Frankly, I don’t think whatever letter I would write would ever get to the people who need to read it, but it might be worth giving it a try.

 

[tidefan]

I was on the Summit in July 2023 in Aqua and LOVED the ship. I found her generally in great shape. I didn't mind the art - but that's not a huge part of my cruise experience. (I'm not looking forward to the elephant on a guy's back on the Beyond this summer though...I feel like all the other E-Class ships got a beautiful pool deck sculpture (Edge has butterfly wings, Apex has heart hands, Ascent has a beautiful metallic octopus. Not sure what Xcel will have. Beyond has an elephant on a guy's back. But it's not going to break my cruise.)

I sometimes wonder if people go on older ships knowing they are older and looking for things. A few years ago there was a poster here who had loved Dream class ships, then went on whatever Carnival's newest ship at the time was, and then to the Magic and all she could do when she was on (and after she got off) the Magic was complain about "upkeep" and a good number of her pictures she had to literally be crawling around on the floor looking for things.

Celebrity's Edge class, Princess' new Sphere class, and especially the new "Lady" ships of Virgin Voyages will be the shiny new things that people will be comparing these to if they want a more adult focused cruises, though, to be fair, at least on our Princess cruises, we have found a good mix of all ages, especially when schools are out and I suppose Celebrity is similar. Virgin, well, it's 18+, so you will never have kids on there.

 

[Dug720]

Celebrity's Edge class, Princess' new Sphere class, and especially the new "Lady" ships of Virgin Voyages will be the shiny new things that people will be comparing these to if they want a more adult focused cruises, though, to be fair, at least on our Princess cruises, we have found a good mix of all ages, especially when schools are out and I suppose Celebrity is similar. Virgin, well, it's 18+, so you will never have kids on there.

Yes... But I was discussing the art on the ships. And what some saw on the Summit as disrepair. I wasn't discussing anything about children in my post, so...? I'm confused why you'd reply to me all about children or lack thereof.

(But since you brought it up, I'm well aware Virgin is over 18 - I'm also well aware that it is not my vibe as I have no desire to ever set a toe in Vegas and that is what those ships feel like.)

 

[tidefan]

Yes... But I was discussing the art on the ships. And what some saw on the Summit as disrepair. I wasn't discussing anything about children in my post, so...? I'm confused why you'd reply to me all about children or lack thereof.

(But since you brought it up, I'm well aware Virgin is over 18 - I'm also well aware that it is not my vibe as I have no desire to ever set a toe in Vegas and that is what those ships feel like.)

Sorry, it was just more of a general comment about that people are going to prefer the newer ships always over the older ones.

 

[plutolovr]

Yes... But I was discussing the art on the ships. And what some saw on the Summit as disrepair. I wasn't discussing anything about children in my post, so...? I'm confused why you'd reply to me all about children or lack thereof.

(But since you brought it up, I'm well aware Virgin is over 18 - I'm also well aware that it is not my vibe as I have no desire to ever set a toe in Vegas and that is what those ships feel like.)

There is certainly no "Vegas" vibe on the Lady Ships on Virgin. The ships are absolutely beautiful with very intimate and well-done spaces.

 

[Dug720]

There is certainly no "Vegas" vibe on the Lady Ships on Virgin. The ships are absolutely beautiful with very intimate and well-done spaces.

Not what I've seen on Cruise Critic. Pool Parties, loud music... Plus I saw videos of the early sailings and the "gifts" people were finding in their cabins. No thank you. I don't care if it's adult only - there are some things you just don't put in goody bags for every cabin.

 

[Dug720]

Not

Sorry, it was just more of a general comment about that people are going to prefer the newer ships always over the older ones.

Not always.

I like E-Class and the Summit equally. I LOVE the Classics and Dream Class on Disney and as I said earlier am only going on the Wish because that is where my BFF is getting married (because the 3-night fit into their budget).

 

[tidefan]

There is certainly no "Vegas" vibe on the Lady Ships on Virgin. The ships are absolutely beautiful with very intimate and well-done spaces.

Yeah, I don't get that either. The interior is about as far from "Vegas" as I could imagine...

 

[tidefan]

Not what I've seen on Cruise Critic. Pool Parties, loud music... Plus I saw videos of the early sailings and the "gifts" people were finding in their cabins. No thank you. I don't care if it's adult only - there are some things you just don't put in goody bags for every cabin.

That was something they did on the initial voyages out of the UK. That, and the show that was sort of related to that, have been long gone...

 

[Dug720]

That was something they did on the initial voyages out of the UK. That, and the show that was sort of related to that, have been long gone...

Sadly first impressions last. If they didn't want that publicized, they shouldn't have put it on sailings with people who they knew were going to be broadcasting it.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Sorry, it was just more of a general comment about that people are going to prefer the newer ships always over the older ones.

We actually prefer older ships, mostly because they’re smaller and have fewer passengers. No matter how many decks a ship has, only one can be in the sun at any given time. On beautiful sunny days, it gets crowded.

 

[MonaMN]

Yeah, I don't get that either. The interior is about as far from "Vegas" as I could imagine...

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I suspect it's more about the party atmosphere that is Vegas-adjacent... lots of drinking, lots of clubbing or similar entertainment. If that's your vibe, then by all means... enjoy. But not everyone enjoys that.

 

[tidefan]

I suspect it's more about the party atmosphere that is Vegas-adjacent... lots of drinking, lots of clubbing or similar entertainment. If that's your vibe, then by all means... enjoy. But not everyone enjoys that.

Just to ask…

Have you been on Virgin Voyages? I’ve been on 4 times now and I haven’t gotten that vibe on any of those cruises. The feeling that I get is that it is a very upscale, contemporary experience. I’ve been on more of a “party” atmosphere on Royal Caribbean.

Virgin have been some of the most relaxing cruises I’ve ever taken.

 

[MonaMN]

Just to ask…

Have you been on Virgin Voyages? I’ve been on 4 times now and I haven’t gotten that vibe on any of those cruises. The feeling that I get is that it is a very upscale, contemporary experience. I’ve been on more of a “party” atmosphere on Royal Caribbean.

I have not - have seen a few videos on YouTube of the types of entertainment offered. I don't mean this in a negative way... feels like a strong focus on food, beverage, dancing and adult themed shows - all done really well.

If I were a few years younger, I think VV would be fun... but I think I'm too old and introverted to enjoy a lot of what I saw in the videos!

 

[RedHead0186]

For us, the chat with the servers, and, truly, my wife and I are amiable, outgoing types, felt forced and obligatory. Maybe it’s harder for them with no kids at the table.

That might have been your specific servers. As an adult, I've never sailed with kids on DCL. Most of the time our conversations with servers have been delightful. There have been maybe one or two over several voyages that weren't great, but by and large conversations with servers were great (and I'm not a fan of small talk).

 

[DCLMP]

I fear you are, indeed, correct! Alas, would that DCL was inspired to create a nighttime buffet by the song!
Am surprised the Summit was in such bad shape. Every time we’ve sailed on the older Celebrity ships, they’ve been in great shape. Agreed about the artwork being of questionable taste, though. And there’s alot of it!

Have you sailed on Celebrity Millennium?