Disney Wish' saving grace - How important is a beautiful ship?

[Karin1984]

One thing everyone seems to agree on: The Disney Wish is an absolutely beautiful ship. Many reviews mention it as a pro, some even put it at the top of their list.
Of course, we all like to look at beautiful things, that's nature. But is it important or is it a saving grace?

If the Wish was less well-decorated, would you love it less?

 

[gismo1554]

I think especially because its a short cruise, the aesthetics play a bigger part to the experience than they do on a longer cruise.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I'm only sailing on the Wish in order to see the ship, so it makes sense.

 

[MomOTwins]

I think it is important to remember that the majority of guests on the 3/4 night cruises are first timers adding on to a stay at the parks. They aren’t discerning platinums like those on the maiden who complain about the lack of nautical theme (the first-timers are there for disney, not for cruising), less intuitive layout/elevators (newbies won’t know where they are going anyway) or smaller adult areas (again this is appealing to the family crowd as an extension of a park trip). The targetaudience is going to have a great first impression with the beautiful atrium built to display characters, themed staterooms, and stunning rotational dining rooms

 

[asgur5]

One thing everyone seems to agree on: The Disney Wish is an absolutely beautiful ship. Many reviews mention it as a pro, some even put it at the top of their list.
Of course, we all like to look at beautiful things, that's nature. But is it important or is it a saving grace?

If the Wish was less well-decorated, would you love it less?

Yes. Aesthetics is a big factor.

people travel across the world to see beautiful landscapes, to see art, to hear great music. They pay big upgrades to have themed rooms and to have rooms with a view.

beauty is a big part of travel. It inspires. It creates feelings of both contentment and wonder.

 

[Karin1984]

I think especially because its a short cruise, the aesthetics play a bigger part to the experience than they do on a longer cruise.

I would argue it the other way around. Because on a short cruise you are too busy running around in port or between activities, you have no time to look at the ship. If you have a cruise with a lot of sea days, you have more time to enjoy the ship.

I think it is important to remember that the majority of guests on the 3/4 night cruises are first timers adding on to a stay at the parks. They aren’t discerning platinums like those on the maiden who complain about the lack of nautical theme (the first-timers are there for disney, not for cruising), less intuitive layout/elevators (newbies won’t know where they are going anyway) or smaller adult areas (again this is appealing to the family crowd as an extension of a park trip). The targetaudience is going to have a great first impression with the beautiful atrium built to display characters, themed staterooms, and stunning rotational dining rooms

Good point, the Wish is built as an extension of the parks. Do we know anything about if the people who do a land/sea trip are more likely to stay in Deluxe resorts?

Yes. Aesthetics is a big factor.

people travel across the world to see beautiful landscapes, to see art, to hear great music. They pay big upgrades to have themed rooms and to have rooms with a view.

beauty is a big part of travel. It inspires. It creates feelings of both contentment and wonder.

Definitely true, only for myself I don't really feel that with hotels. I love great landscapes and historic sights. I have it less with copies or modern buildings. Could be because I am from Europe, it's so easy for me to see great authentic chandeliers or hallways in castles or palaces in my own or neighbouring countries. It doesn't really impress me on a ship.
For me, most deluxe resorts would be wasted on me as I would appreciate the decor for 2 minutes and then move on.

 

[squirk]

One thing everyone seems to agree on: The Disney Wish is an absolutely beautiful ship. Many reviews mention it as a pro, some even put it at the top of their list.
Of course, we all like to look at beautiful things, that's nature. But is it important or is it a saving grace?

If the Wish was less well-decorated, would you love it less?

Not sure how many of us here have had the opportunity to experience the ship in order to love or hate it quite yet. But I think the aesthetics are important because of 1.) the Disney brand (and the accompanying expectations that Disney sells and consumers want met) and 2.) the Disney price point.

If DCL was charging what they charge, and the aesthetics were ho-hum, I think there would be a problem on more than one front. "This isn't the Disney theming we've come to expect" and "You're charging us so much more than Royal, and this is the best you can do with the decor???"

 

[Princesca]

We are going to be first-time cruisers next year, and we're sailing on the Wish, and I DO have to admit that all these iffy reviews of the Wish are making me wonder if we wouldn't have been better off just to invest that money into staying at a deluxe resort (which is kind of bucket list for me) instead and just focusing on the parks. :/

I never thought I'd be a 'cruise person' and I suspect that when the sailing is over, I'll still pick the parks over a cruise, but I'm open to having my mind blown. I'm just not expecting it.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Beauty is only skin deep.

 

[tinkattitude!]

We are going to be first-time cruisers next year, and we're sailing on the Wish, and I DO have to admit that all these iffy reviews of the Wish are making me wonder if we wouldn't have been better off just to invest that money into staying at a deluxe resort (which is kind of bucket list for me) instead and just focusing on the parks. :/

I never thought I'd be a 'cruise person' and I suspect that when the sailing is over, I'll still pick the parks over a cruise, but I'm open to having my mind blown. I'm just not expecting it.

We were die hard theme parkers prior to our first cruise 18 years ago. After that first cruise on the Magic, cruising is now our preferred vacation We've got our 7th one booked for October and we've done an RC as well with another one of those booked for November this year too.

 

[DLgal]

I think especially because its a short cruise, the aesthetics play a bigger part to the experience than they do on a longer cruise.

Nah. I took a 3 day RCCL cruise a long time ago and I don't even remember what the ship looked like. It was so short, I didn't even really pay attention to aesthetics.

I feel like a beautiful ship matters WAY more on a 5+ night cruise. Certainly it gives passengers time to actually appreciate it.

 

[Intr3pid]

I DO have to admit that all these iffy reviews of the Wish are making me wonder if we wouldn't have been better off just to invest that money into staying at a deluxe resort (which is kind of bucket list for me) instead and just focusing on the parks. :/

Most of the iffy reviews are a very small contingent of people on these boards who want a 5th copy of the existing ships. I am glad Disney didn't go down that path and instead built something different. Now we have options.

 

[DLgal]

Most of the iffy reviews are a very small contingent of people on these boards who want a 5th copy of the existing ships. I am glad Disney didn't go down that path and instead built something different. Now we have options.

I've seen iffy reviews all over Twitter from people not associated with these boards.

 

[MomOTwins]

I've seen iffy reviews all over Twitter from people not associated with these boards.

Yes, maiden voyage guests who were virtually all Platinum disney cruisers. The pp’s point still stands.

 

[DLgal]

Yes, maiden voyage guests who were virtually all Platinum disney cruisers. The pp’s point still stands.

Try again. The reviews I saw were not from platinum cruisers. They were pretty much all media/social media that aren't prominent enough to have been #hosted. They were paying guests, but also have large numbers of followers.

 

[Intr3pid]

I've seen iffy reviews all over Twitter from people not associated with these boards.

On social media, you will see what you want to see.

 

[insureman]

Nope. I have seen the videos and read the reviews from paid passengers. This is a DCL fail in my opinion.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The DISer friends that I know that live down there have taken more short 3 to 4 day cruises since they've moved down there and generally they want Castaway Cay, they use it as their mini vacations because to them Disney isn't a vacation but a frequent thing.


I feel like the discerning people are the ones who have cruised well enough to know what they like and don't like and they are loyal to DCL. So they may appreciate the fresh take on the style but dislike the fresh take on other things.

I do agree that short cruises the ship may take a backseat since there's not as much time to really get a handle on the ship but for DCL their brand loyalty may push that idea to the side.

 

[DLgal]

On social media, you will see what you want to see.

Okay. Here is just ONE account. And it's not all negative, but there is a LOT of whiskey-tango-foxtrot in regards to this ship.

https://twitter.com/FiBelleFi?t=7K360apywwyJjRW_eX2xUQ&s=09

 

[Intr3pid]

Okay. Here is just ONE account. And it's not all negative, but there is a LOT of whiskey-tango-foxtrot in regards to this ship.

https://twitter.com/FiBelleFi?t=7K360apywwyJjRW_eX2xUQ&s=09

OK, I'll bite. This one doesn't seem to have the ability to put down their phone. Good example of why not to take cruising advice from a parks person.