Disney Magic 2/28-3/7

[donmil723]

DH and I did the West End Highlights Tour on St. Croix and enjoyed it very much. We went to the Whim Plantation, Botanical Gardens and Cruzan Rum distillery. We loved the free Pina Coladas at the distillery. Young kids might find it somewhat boring.

 

[shark]

We did the St Croix port on the 02/28 cruise. We went to Cane Bay Beach. Very rocky. However if you snorkle or suba dive it appearred to be a good spot. Overall the it wasn't all that great.
I did speak with some of those who went to a resot beach that was close by and they said it was excellent.
Both the resort and Cane Beach are excursions that Disney offers. We took a taxi over and it was much much less than what disney was charging. However we didn't get lounge chairs but it was still cheaper. Same goes for the resort if you do it on your own its a whole lot cheaper.

 

[Precious25]

This is my 3rd cruise, but first with disney & with our children just got off Western March 7-14/09 on the refurbish magic. My family, me, dh and Children: Ds 15, ds 12, ds 8, and dd 7. and then we took our single mom friend, with her ds 15, and ds 12. Best thing we could of done, was to have our two boys entertained with their two best friends! The 12 year olds were delighted to have a safe club to escape from being taunted by older brothers. We were a Category 12, on deck 2. Quiet and close to the 11-13 year club, and easy access up to the Walt Disney Theatre.
Late Dinner worked well.

What I love about disney, that other cruises don't have, is the detail!! The detail and the themes that they can pull from and incorporate into the everything, ie. the mickey hand that moves on the elevators (where you might actually see this in a cartoon) the rotating dinner restaurants, with the roses on the lampshades, and then the actual rose with the petals in glass that hang down, from the Beauty and Beast. How a menu cover can change (with a holograph picture) in animator's palate.

5 years ago, I decided not to go on a Disney cruise, because of what I had read on. I thought it would be awful, it didn't seem that there is as many children on board.

We had opportunities of going around a corner and meeting Wendy, or Snow White, without having to stand in line.

My older boy and his friend only when to the teen club, once. The younger kids, they took to the stack, and to sports deck. I always avoided the transition times to pick up the children, as they said, it hard to do head counts.
But, when I saw my own children making cookies in club, or learning how to be a pirate, rather than picking them up, I let them soak in their memory.
My kids also got very accustom to not walking into a restaurant without cleaning their hands, now only if this could work at home!!

The corridors playing the disney songs, was light, and even though I found them singing in my head, until I switch hallways, and another song was playing, it was a way for me to reflect on my happy memories, of why I like that song, "A candle in the water, from Pete's Dragon, and remember how I sung it in choir in grade 6, and the message of what that movie was about. There was a time, when I really did believe that I could get some pixie dust, and fly.

But somehow, I did grow up and I sometimes forget that we each have our own neverlands.

The golden mickey show, what a tribute to Walt! It's because of his dreams and determinations, that has infolded into so many aspects of what Disney entails. Any business has marketing, and I do get Disney out, but this trip, we took a family that never experience the parks of Disney ever in their lives, and seeing it through their eyes, made it even more magically and excited!

We saw the stage and had a backtour of it. They said that there are 76 tracks, where a broadway show, would maybe have between 7-12 tracks. The actors/actresses also do NOT lip sync. We also saw the galley (and how they have one specifically for just children, as children do eat differently then adults, and thank goodness, they offer a real meal other then chicken fingers/hamburgers on the kids menus!).

I enjoyed such great memories of an innocence childhood. I felt that the disney cruise line, offered a safe environment, it was a family ship, where I didn't hear, any negative racial comments, or rude shows. Other cruise lines, I would myself actually avoiding casinos and reading a lot because even the day shows, weren't appropriate. Perhaps, it isn't as grand as other cruiselines in comparisions, but it has a "magic" that can take an adult or even a child to neverland, where you can appreciate the make belief, and not grow up and become too critical.

 

[mousetravel]

"Ttrooolll, there's a troll in the dungeon. Just thought you'd ought to know."

Yeah, that's I think, considering the OP only has 2 posts!

 

[BethA]

We have cruised many times on DCL and quite a few on RC-ships larger than the Magic and Wonder--and return to DCL because of the service and whole experience.

We found the entertainment better on DCL and the personalities of the crew-way better. On DCL the CMs seem genuine-on RC, we found them very impressed with themselves and sort of fake-if that makes sense.

Food was about the same, but may certainly be better on Celebrity.

As far as the kids clubs-we do not dump our child in the "dark, dungeon" He went when he wanted to and our older son loved the teen area when he was that age. The character lines are never an hour-they do not stay out that long, probably 15 minutes for the most popular.

Disney is NOT for everyone, but we never felt overwhelmed with the brand. My parents travel with us and find things to do.

Not sure why the OP had such a bad cruise, but I guess everyone has a different opinion. Luckily for me on 10+ cruises with DCL we have only had excellent experiences.

 

[pit303]

We have cruised many times on DCL and quite a few on RC-ships larger than the Magic and Wonder--and return to DCL because of the service and whole experience.

We found the entertainment better on DCL and the personalities of the crew-way better. On DCL the CMs seem genuine-on RC, we found them very impressed with themselves and sort of fake-if that makes sense.

Food was about the same, but may certainly be better on Celebrity.

As far as the kids clubs-we do not dump our child in the "dark, dungeon" He went when he wanted to and our older son loved the teen area when he was that age. The character lines are never an hour-they do not stay out that long, probably 15 minutes for the most popular.

Disney is NOT for everyone, but we never felt overwhelmed with the brand. My parents travel with us and find things to do.

Not sure why the OP had such a bad cruise, but I guess everyone has a different opinion. Luckily for me on 10+ cruises with DCL we have only had excellent experiences.

I especially agree with the statement about the crew having been both on the Wonder and the Magic I love the crew and it always feels like we are " at home when we are on board either ship" I always feel like they are old friends that I am coming back to visit