Disney *Should* Be Ashamed

[3DisneyFanz]

Right?
Had a similar experience on our latest cruise. We had a later PAT, 1.30 I think, we boarded at 2-2.30 pm and instead of rushing to cabanas we went to our SR, it was ready and we just dropped all our bags there. We still made it to the buffet and in fact because it was nearing closing time, it was the quietest we've ever seen cabanas on any prior sailing day, and this was an almost full ship.
Also, we were still able to book Palo and a couple of tastings after the sail away party and we even changed our rotation to late dining as we forgot we had early and my DD wanted late.
A full ship, a late PAT, a late boarding and still managed to get most of what we wanted. All stress free.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Vacations are part of the small stuff in life. A cruise is the ultimate "small stuff".

Did you just go through the thread and find everything people have indicated they haven’t been able to do and yet you achieved it all on a single cruise?

 

[Snowwhyt]

The poster I was responding to was still referring to taking pictures at the port.

LOL. The pictures I was talking about could not be sent from home. I was taking about the ones with the professional photographer before you enter the ship.
Yup, don’t think they will photoshop me in from my forward facing mug shot(I did that in advance for an earlier cruise).. Oh thank you, this is a funny miscommunication. I now have a vision in my head of our mug shot faces over the bodies of the Fab 5!!!

 

[Kwami]

Especially since on the Wish, most of the Palo dinner menu has gone to ala carte. There is a "limited" pre-fixe $45 menu, but it is just that. Limited.

That's true on all of the ships, though. If you're using your Platinum benefit and choose to dine a la carte, then you get $45/person credit on the final bill.

 

[Karin1984]

Then why not make a new CC level to separate them out? Platinum Plus? Titanium? Or give a $45 OBC to Platinums instead of the Palo benefit? Increase the discount in the shops to 15%? There are other things Disney could do but they have just basically said “we don’t really care about platinum guests anymore” by taking away all the perks.

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney is thinking about redesigning CC.
To have such a low threshold to become Platinum for life is going to bite them. Especially as a family cruiseline, and all the discounts for FL residents etc. Cruising has become more popular over the last decades as a vacation destination.

It's the same with airlines, usually at the hub airport of an airline there are so many frequent flyers that priority boarding is no longer a perk, because if half of your plane has priority boarding, it's no longer priority.
What is it worth to be Platinum on the Platinum-heavy cruises?

 

[SirDuff]

It's the same with airlines, usually at the hub airport of an airline there are so many frequent flyers that priority boarding is no longer a perk, because if half of your plane has priority boarding, it's no longer priority.
What is it worth to be Platinum on the Platinum-heavy cruises?

Funny enough, I flew KLM out of AMS yesterday and they have changed boarding procedure so that zone 1 (business class) now boards before zone 2 (high level frequent flyer not flying business class) whereas they used to have zones 1 and 2 board together as the first group.

I feel like both zones still boarded together in Geneva, but maybe not (it was also a 789 in AMS versus an E90 in GVA (so business on the flight from GVA was like 2 people).

 

[brentm77]

Funny enough, I flew KLM out of AMS yesterday and they have changed boarding procedure so that zone 1 (business class) now boards before zone 2 (high level frequent flyer not flying business class) whereas they used to have zones 1 and 2 board together as the first group.

I feel like both zones still boarded together in Geneva, but maybe not (it was also a 789 in AMS versus an E90 in GVA (so business on the flight from GVA was like 2 people).

Delta did the exact same thing last month (unless you are 360,which is a very small invite only group). It's a huge improvement if you are flying first.

 

[DCLMP]

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney is thinking about redesigning CC.
To have such a low threshold to become Platinum for life is going to bite them. Especially as a family cruiseline, and all the discounts for FL residents etc. Cruising has become more popular over the last decades as a vacation destination.

It's the same with airlines, usually at the hub airport of an airline there are so many frequent flyers that priority boarding is no longer a perk, because if half of your plane has priority boarding, it's no longer priority.
What is it worth to be Platinum on the Platinum-heavy cruises?

View attachment 695644

It's not because there are a lot of platinum status flyers it's all the co-branded credit cards that offer priority boarding.

 

[Karin1984]

It's not because there are a lot of platinum status flyers it's all the co-branded credit cards that offer priority boarding.

Probably true for the US. The result is the same, if certain advantages are easily obtainable and a group has these advantages, then they are not advantages anymore.

 

[DCLMP]

Probably true for the US. The result is the same, if certain advantages are easily obtainable and a group has these advantages, then they are not advantages anymore.

The only real advantage is securing a spot for your carryon. Everyone is getting there at the same time.

 

[Karin1984]

The only real advantage is securing a spot for your carryon. Everyone is getting there at the same time.

Yes, but it is an advantage. If the majority of your flight, or your cruise, has the same advantages and there is limited space available, whether it is space for carry on, places at Palo or boarding times, then the chances are high that there will be people who are entitled to use the advantages cannot use them.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes, but it is an advantage. If the majority of your flight, or your cruise, has the same advantages and there is limited space available, whether it is space for carry on, places at Palo or boarding times, then the chances are high that there will be people who are entitled to use the advantages cannot use them.

I don't think the percentage of platinum cruisers on any given cruise is very high. I'm not sure why so many people are reporting issues maybe they are just limiting capacity at certain events. I've haven't had an issue on any of my four booking this year. You can almost always get a Palo reservation onboard.

 

[nikem3]

I get the reason why they don't do it, but I miss the old days where everyone would show up whenever they wanted, and then they would board by status. I remember on RCL having different seating areas for each status and then getting called one by one to board.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

LOL. The pictures I was talking about could not be sent from home. I was taking about the ones with the professional photographer before you enter the ship.
Yup, don’t think they will photoshop me in from my forward facing mug shot(I did that in advance for an earlier cruise).. Oh thank you, this is a funny miscommunication. I now have a vision in my head of our mug shot faces over the bodies of the Fab 5!!!

Totally missed that. On our Wish sailing tons of people were skipping the picture and just getting straight on.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Got a reply to my email. Whole lotta nothing.

Thank you for choosing a Disney Cruise Line vacation!

At this time, we are still opening Online Check-in 30 days before arrival and requiring all guests, except for the concierge to have port arrival times.

We are unable to tell you if or when this would change. If there is a change to this policy and you are booked on an affected sail date, you would receive email communication.

I hope this information has been helpful. If you require further assistance with any other inquiries, please feel free to contact us.

We look forward to sailing with you!

Have a Magical Day!

 

[AZMermaid]

For now, the Dream is probably the best bet if booking activities like the brunch/mixology are really important to you.

I’d agree with this. I’m Silver sailing the Dream in October, will be Gold afterwards. I got Remy brunch and Goofys Sport Simulator. Palo brunch was also available as well as all the tastings. The only thing unavailable was cabanas at CC of course.

Cruise check in might be the only Disney timeline that works better for us West Coasters. I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night soooo many times for ADRs and DVC rooms.

 

[Cheburashka]

As a platinum I hate having to do checkin. I just checked in for my FIFTH Disney cruise since the start up. I cringe when I see the blue circle of death. I’ve spent way too much time checking in 2 and 3 cabins each time. Why can’t the different level get an hour advantage. I was hoping it would end, but just did it again last week. And don’t look forward to doing it two more times in September. Ugh. No perks for platinum.

7 Disney cruises in about a year must be tough lol.

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

 

[Sherrilatte]

I have been unable to get any reservation for Palo brunch in 3 cruises (Fantasy and Wish), despite being online right at the window opening. We were also denied a reservation aboard the ship, which made the survey question referencing whether or not we knew we could be worked in all the more frustrating.

In general, I am unsure what Disney is thinking here. It costs them 0 dollars and 0 cents to not annoy people who have spent tens of thousands of dollars with them over the years. I live 25 minutes from Port Canaveral, and I would have gladly continued to hop on their ships every few months, even at their exorbitant rates. There are just too many downsides with the continued testing and ridiculous hoops they create. (I was flabbergasted to receive a notice that my son's age group no longer needs a vaccine, but testing is still a go. That's backwards to my mind, but that's just my opinion. Not trying to set the thread alight.) It has soured me permanently, I'm afraid.

I totally agree about the nonsensical new rules regarding vaccines.

 

[auntlynne]

I don't think the percentage of platinum cruisers on any given cruise is very high. I'm not sure why so many people are reporting issues maybe they are just limiting capacity at certain events. I've haven't had an issue on any of my four booking this year. You can almost always get a Palo reservation

It sounds as though The Wish has a higher percentage of Platinums - especially as compared to when the Dream was doing the 3- and 4-night runs.

Compound that with a lack of staff. On the Magic in April, our Palo dinner had 3-4 couples dining. Yep! basically an empty restaurant. We had changed our night at boarding - so it might have been one less, originally.

I don’t recall what cruisers are experiencing on the Wish in Palo - full or not.

 

[n2mm]

7 Disney cruises in about a year must be tough lol.

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

i know, it’s crazy. After covid and cancer in 2020, we have a bad case of “life is too short”. We’re living our best life right now!

its actually 7 cruises in 15 months…lol…

 

[auntlynne]

Did you just go through the thread and find everything people have indicated they haven’t been able to do and yet you achieved it all on a single cruise?

People have held $1.5 B Powerball tickets, too. Good things do happen to people. And there are those with positive attitudes who like to give hope to others. Sometimes everything just lines up.

I do not agree with the poster that cruises are “the small stuff“ - for everyone. They can represent a significant portion of wealth / income for many families. For those who are truly on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, its importance becomes magnified.