iadizfans
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2011
- Messages
- 388
This was our first cruise and my first review posting so please keep that in mind as you read the below. We decided to share our experiences since we have visited these pages in the past looking for useful information and felt others might benefit from our thoughts.
I have broken the review out into eight different segments, boarding and de-embarking, accommodations, food, service, entertainment, ports, general tips, and overall experience/value.
Boarding/De-embarking: Since this was our first cruise we have nothing to compare our experience to but from conversations we had with more experienced cruisers on the boat and return bus trip to the airport Disney does this very well. We arrived at the terminal at approx. 1pm and were in our stateroom less than 30 minutes later. The longest line was for the pre-board picture the photo professionals from "Shutters." My wife and I decided to skip this in favor of getting on board quicker. Our de-embarkation experience was also very smooth. Customs only took about 15 minutes for U.S. citizens. NOTE - You will need passports or birth certificates.
Accommodations: We stayed in 8088 (8th deck port side aft). This stateroom is a Deluxe Family Oceanview w/ Balcony. 304 sq. ft. We absolutely loved the room. There was plenty of space for the two of us and I especially loved sitting out on the balcony and absorbing the beautiful air and views. The balcony is the last with a full plexi-glass wall. The room has two side by side closets (one with a safe inside) as well as a chest that looks like a stand up steamer trunk with four shelves. Add those to the eight drawers for other personal effects and you can see why they call this a "Family" stateroom. I will not get into more specifics since you can obtain those off the DCL websites (deck plan, etc..)
Food: While my wife really thought the food was great, I was somewhat disappointed. Perhaps expectations were set too high by all the great reviews we read and the above average food we have become used to getting from Disney at their theme parks and resort hotels. There are three primary dining rooms aboard the Magic as well as "Palo" (reservations needed for Palo). They schedule your dining time and location and you will be sharing a table with others if your party is small. There are two dinner seatings, 6:15 and 8:15. You are encouraged to attend the evening show in the Walt Disney Theater opposite your scheduled dining slot. Early diners attend the late show and vice versa. The menu each night offers a choice of appetizer, soup/salad, entree, and dessert. In my opinion the food quality was just ok with the soup/salad offerings being the weakest. In some cases, it seemed like it was dumped out straight from a bag (salad) or can (soup). The appetizers and entrees had their moments but nothing really stood out and the desserts were average. If you plan to take a Disney cruise for the food alone, you are likely to be disappointed.
Service: You can expect the standard excellent Disney service on the Magic. Our stateroom attendant was very friendly, helpful, and attentive. We especially enjoyed the towel animals she left in our room each night. The lounges, stores, and guest services locations were also well staffed. At dinner we had the pleasure of being taken care of by the same two servers each night. They were kept very busy by the four tables they were assigned to but still found time to meet our needs. Our assistant server engaged us with impromptu magic shows and various trickery.
Entertainment: As you would expect from Disney, there's plenty of activities for adults, families, and the young. We attended all the evening shows at The Walt Disney Theater. Our favorites were the live performances which were re-written adaptations of the Disney classics. You can also take in a movie at the Buena Vista theater which usually runs current films.
Ports: The primary reason we chose the Western Caribbean itinerary was the great ports. They did not disappoint. Our first stop was Key West. We took the "Presidents and Pirates" tour. This was basically a guided walk through the town that offered a nice feel for what life is like in the nicer sections of the island as well as some interesting historical facts. The tour ends with a stop at the "Shipwrecking Museum" (may not be the actual name of the museum). At the museum we were given an overview of the business of shipwrecking and learned that the rescue and salvage of ships supported the island's economy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Grand Cayman was next. I really loved Grand Cayman. Unless you have no interest in (or have a fear of) water I strongly recommend planning an excursion that centers on the island's most beautiful attraction. We took the "Nautilis Undersea and Snorkel" excursion. This tour spent about an hour taking us around reefs and shipwrecks which we viewed through the windows on the lower deck of the Nautilis. We were then given about 30 minutes - I wanted more - to snorkel right off the boat. We snorkeled at "Cheeseburger Reef" which was in about 15-20 feet of water. It was absolutely gorgeous. Grand Cayman is also a great shopping destination. Particularly for those interested in jewelry. Next stop was Cozumel. We never actually set foot on the island as we chose to take the mainland tour of the Tulum ruins. We really enjoyed the ruins but this day was negatively impacted by the very rough ferry ride to the mainland. I did not take it as a good sign when they handed us sick bags as we sat down. However, the natural beauty of the area and the very friendly local tour guides offset that somewhat. Beware... the local merchants assertively market their offerings. Our last stop was in the Bahamas at Disney's private island "Castaway Cay." This is the perfect spot to wind down after a very active cruise. There's plenty to do at the family beaches and shops but since it was just my wife and I we chose to relax at "Serenity Bay" the adults only beach. The water here rivaled Grand Cayman although was significantly cooler.
General Tips: Upon boarding you will be approached by people (don't think they're connected to Disney) asking if you want to purchase a beer or water package (Beer=$110 case/ Water=$40 case). My wife talked me into the water package and as I suspected we barely got through half of it. Unless you drink a lot of water and do not plan on taking advantage of the complimentary coffee, tea, and soda you probably do not need a "water package." We decided not to purchase the photo package offered by "Shutters" and from the negative comments I heard from a couple who did, I'm glad we passed. The CD offered by Shutters costs nearly $400 and they close it out on Thursday evening (cruise ended Saturday morning) so everything taken by them after that needs to be purchased separately. We took our own shots with our little "point and shoot" and that turned out to fine for us. AND BE CAREFUL OF SHORE EXCURSIONS THAT INCLUDE A FERRY RIDE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SEAS ARE ROUGH. When arranging shore excursions you may also want to be careful to book through Disney. If something goes wrong and the tour does not get you back to the ship on time, the boat will wait for you. If you're out on your own, they will not.
Overall Experience/Value: We love Disney and have spent a lot of time vacationing at Disney World. Over the years we have come to expect a lot from a Disney vacation and their cruise line did not disappoint. You will spend more for a Disney Cruise than many of their sea going competitors but you will not have a hard time seeing where those extra dollars go.
I have broken the review out into eight different segments, boarding and de-embarking, accommodations, food, service, entertainment, ports, general tips, and overall experience/value.
Boarding/De-embarking: Since this was our first cruise we have nothing to compare our experience to but from conversations we had with more experienced cruisers on the boat and return bus trip to the airport Disney does this very well. We arrived at the terminal at approx. 1pm and were in our stateroom less than 30 minutes later. The longest line was for the pre-board picture the photo professionals from "Shutters." My wife and I decided to skip this in favor of getting on board quicker. Our de-embarkation experience was also very smooth. Customs only took about 15 minutes for U.S. citizens. NOTE - You will need passports or birth certificates.
Accommodations: We stayed in 8088 (8th deck port side aft). This stateroom is a Deluxe Family Oceanview w/ Balcony. 304 sq. ft. We absolutely loved the room. There was plenty of space for the two of us and I especially loved sitting out on the balcony and absorbing the beautiful air and views. The balcony is the last with a full plexi-glass wall. The room has two side by side closets (one with a safe inside) as well as a chest that looks like a stand up steamer trunk with four shelves. Add those to the eight drawers for other personal effects and you can see why they call this a "Family" stateroom. I will not get into more specifics since you can obtain those off the DCL websites (deck plan, etc..)
Food: While my wife really thought the food was great, I was somewhat disappointed. Perhaps expectations were set too high by all the great reviews we read and the above average food we have become used to getting from Disney at their theme parks and resort hotels. There are three primary dining rooms aboard the Magic as well as "Palo" (reservations needed for Palo). They schedule your dining time and location and you will be sharing a table with others if your party is small. There are two dinner seatings, 6:15 and 8:15. You are encouraged to attend the evening show in the Walt Disney Theater opposite your scheduled dining slot. Early diners attend the late show and vice versa. The menu each night offers a choice of appetizer, soup/salad, entree, and dessert. In my opinion the food quality was just ok with the soup/salad offerings being the weakest. In some cases, it seemed like it was dumped out straight from a bag (salad) or can (soup). The appetizers and entrees had their moments but nothing really stood out and the desserts were average. If you plan to take a Disney cruise for the food alone, you are likely to be disappointed.
Service: You can expect the standard excellent Disney service on the Magic. Our stateroom attendant was very friendly, helpful, and attentive. We especially enjoyed the towel animals she left in our room each night. The lounges, stores, and guest services locations were also well staffed. At dinner we had the pleasure of being taken care of by the same two servers each night. They were kept very busy by the four tables they were assigned to but still found time to meet our needs. Our assistant server engaged us with impromptu magic shows and various trickery.
Entertainment: As you would expect from Disney, there's plenty of activities for adults, families, and the young. We attended all the evening shows at The Walt Disney Theater. Our favorites were the live performances which were re-written adaptations of the Disney classics. You can also take in a movie at the Buena Vista theater which usually runs current films.
Ports: The primary reason we chose the Western Caribbean itinerary was the great ports. They did not disappoint. Our first stop was Key West. We took the "Presidents and Pirates" tour. This was basically a guided walk through the town that offered a nice feel for what life is like in the nicer sections of the island as well as some interesting historical facts. The tour ends with a stop at the "Shipwrecking Museum" (may not be the actual name of the museum). At the museum we were given an overview of the business of shipwrecking and learned that the rescue and salvage of ships supported the island's economy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Grand Cayman was next. I really loved Grand Cayman. Unless you have no interest in (or have a fear of) water I strongly recommend planning an excursion that centers on the island's most beautiful attraction. We took the "Nautilis Undersea and Snorkel" excursion. This tour spent about an hour taking us around reefs and shipwrecks which we viewed through the windows on the lower deck of the Nautilis. We were then given about 30 minutes - I wanted more - to snorkel right off the boat. We snorkeled at "Cheeseburger Reef" which was in about 15-20 feet of water. It was absolutely gorgeous. Grand Cayman is also a great shopping destination. Particularly for those interested in jewelry. Next stop was Cozumel. We never actually set foot on the island as we chose to take the mainland tour of the Tulum ruins. We really enjoyed the ruins but this day was negatively impacted by the very rough ferry ride to the mainland. I did not take it as a good sign when they handed us sick bags as we sat down. However, the natural beauty of the area and the very friendly local tour guides offset that somewhat. Beware... the local merchants assertively market their offerings. Our last stop was in the Bahamas at Disney's private island "Castaway Cay." This is the perfect spot to wind down after a very active cruise. There's plenty to do at the family beaches and shops but since it was just my wife and I we chose to relax at "Serenity Bay" the adults only beach. The water here rivaled Grand Cayman although was significantly cooler.
General Tips: Upon boarding you will be approached by people (don't think they're connected to Disney) asking if you want to purchase a beer or water package (Beer=$110 case/ Water=$40 case). My wife talked me into the water package and as I suspected we barely got through half of it. Unless you drink a lot of water and do not plan on taking advantage of the complimentary coffee, tea, and soda you probably do not need a "water package." We decided not to purchase the photo package offered by "Shutters" and from the negative comments I heard from a couple who did, I'm glad we passed. The CD offered by Shutters costs nearly $400 and they close it out on Thursday evening (cruise ended Saturday morning) so everything taken by them after that needs to be purchased separately. We took our own shots with our little "point and shoot" and that turned out to fine for us. AND BE CAREFUL OF SHORE EXCURSIONS THAT INCLUDE A FERRY RIDE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SEAS ARE ROUGH. When arranging shore excursions you may also want to be careful to book through Disney. If something goes wrong and the tour does not get you back to the ship on time, the boat will wait for you. If you're out on your own, they will not.
Overall Experience/Value: We love Disney and have spent a lot of time vacationing at Disney World. Over the years we have come to expect a lot from a Disney vacation and their cruise line did not disappoint. You will spend more for a Disney Cruise than many of their sea going competitors but you will not have a hard time seeing where those extra dollars go.
