Does this happen on any Disney ship, ever?

[Dug720]

but people still pay the fare. Why should Disney "relieve" the fare? You don't have to cruise so there is no reason a company should relieve the burden.

Exactly. It's the same as I said to my paraprofessional a couple of years ago who was bellyaching about the increase for Disney tickets (she had no intention of going, was just whining) and "but think of all the people (children) who won't be able to go"... The Declaration of Independence does NOT list "A trip to Disney World" as one of the unalienable rights humans have. Ditto a cruise.

(Though there are some who would probably like to "include [that] in the sequel". /small-Hamilton-reference)

 

[phoeman]

We are going on a cruise in January and if my son doesn't get to walk alone with Darth Vader and the storm troopers on a deserted deck I am going to sue for false advertising. I mean really sometimes you have to use your common sense and know that this is a setup scene and never going to really happen.

 

[Saimaeve]

Exactly. It's the same as I said to my paraprofessional a couple of years ago who was bellyaching about the increase for Disney tickets (she had no intention of going, was just whining) and "but think of all the people (children) who won't be able to go"... The Declaration of Independence does NOT list "A trip to Disney World" as one of the unalienable rights humans have. Ditto a cruise.

(Though there are some who would probably like to "include [that] in the sequel". /small-Hamilton-reference)

How lucky we are to be alive right now!

 

[perditax]

How lucky we are to be alive right now!

(Here, have a Like for the Hamilton reference.)

 

[perditax]

Real response though: I grew up in FL in and out of the parks so I KNOW to mentally photoshop a giant crowd of people into any travel-related marketing photos.

BUT, purely coincidentally, listened to a fascinating podcast this week about advertising to children, and how much power kids actually have over their parents' spending. It's from the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast, and they are great guys with well researched and entertaining shows:

http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/banned-kids-advertising.htm

Apparently there were some attempts to regulate advertising to kids during Saturday cartoons back in the 70s, but the sugar cereal and toy industries shut it down fast.

 

[wombat_5606]

but people still pay the fare. Why should Disney "relieve" the fare? You don't have to cruise so there is no reason a company should relieve the burden.

See, that's where I disagree with you. Few people pay the full fare. My last cruise, I didn't meet but one couple that was paying full fare. Everyone else was either military or CMs.

Disney just wants you to think people are paying the full cruise fare. Then people use that argument to perpetuate the illusion.

Next cruise you're on, do a survey. You might be surprised.

 

[squirk]

Let's not get carried away. We're just *****ing about arguably deceptive advertising on a message board; we're not claiming a violation of our rights or our entitlement to compensation. Yes, an adult should probably be leery of these "too good to be true" photographs. And yes, we can extrapolate this whole discussion into "mass advertising in general". But, no, I am not claiming this is some kind of fraud that merits a class-action lawsuit or one should demand your money back because you didn't get to eat lunch at Cabanas with Mickey.

However, if it's supposed to be tacitly understood that no adult with half a brain should believe these photographs, then why is Disney even producing them in the first place? They know what they are doing, and they are using these unrealistic photographs for a reason. They are playing to parents' emotions, and the desire to give your kids a picture-perfect storybook vacation - especially those parents who have never cruised before, much less a Disney cruise, and who don't know what the reality is.

And, as @perditax said, they are playing to the kids - who aren't seasoned consumers, who don't know better, who haven't yet learned not to believe everything you see in advertising.

So when you take your little girl to see "Zootopia" or she turns on Disney Jr. and, like @ElenaRN 's daughter, sees an ad suggesting you'll get to make sand castles with Captain Hook, and she gets super-jazzed about that vacation based on these unrealistic expectations, and you have to talk her back down to earth and tell her that, essentially, "Disney is kind of lying to you"? Well, that's just crappy.

And again, it's doubly crappy because it's wholly unnecessary. You could show realistic photos of guest interactions with characters and kids would still eat that up. Show Captain Mickey tickling a little boy's nose, with fawning parents in the background, while the family is about to take a photo on the Deck 4 balcony thing. Show Cinderella gasping in delight at a little girl's fancy dress right before they take a photo in the Atrium. That would still be pretty awesome, a hell of a lot more honest, and still beats the crap out of anything RCCL can possibly do to compete, right?

 

[dcassetta]

...and to burst yet another bubble, you won't see Mickey waterskiing at CC.

Maybe not. But, I have seen both him and Goofy waterskiing on the seven seas lagoon.

 

[perditax]

See, that's where I disagree with you. Few people pay the full fare. My last cruise, I didn't meet but one couple that was paying full fare. Everyone else was either military or CMs.

Disney just wants you to think people are paying the full cruise fare. Then people use that argument to perpetuate the illusion.

Next cruise you're on, do a survey. You might be surprised.

What, sorry? Are you saying Disney's ships are full of vets and Disney employees, and just a few "normal" travelers? Why are there so many threads about the unreasonable prices? Are those unlucky few of us who pay "rack rate" just subsidizing everyone else's good time?

 

[wombat_5606]

What, sorry? Are you saying Disney's ships are full of vets and Disney employees, and just a few "normal" travelers? Why are there so many threads about the unreasonable prices? Are those unlucky few of us who pay "rack rate" just subsidizing everyone else's good time?

Yes, I believe that is happening more and more. There are also Florida residents, a few Canadians and travel agents. Seriously, on your next cruise ask if the people you meet are cruising with some kind of discount. You may be surprised.

The people who are lamenting in the threads you mention are some of the "oldest" customers. Most of the people that complain about pricing have been cruising with Disney for a long time. We've seen some crazy increases.

 

[wombat_5606]

Oh, and @perditax, those increases have come with loss of benefits and service. We don't have to rehash that here.

 

[Saimaeve]

See, that's where I disagree with you. Few people pay the full fare. My last cruise, I didn't meet but one couple that was paying full fare. Everyone else was either military or CMs.

Disney just wants you to think people are paying the full cruise fare. Then people use that argument to perpetuate the illusion.

Next cruise you're on, do a survey. You might be surprised.

...You quiz people on what they paid? That's so incredibly strange and rather rude. Why would anyone do that? I feel badly that people are so focused on what others pay that they focus so much on it.

I highly question your facts that most of the cruises are military, Florida residents and cast members.

 

[wombat_5606]

...You quiz people on what they paid? That's so incredibly strange and rather rude. Why would anyone do that? I feel badly that people are so focused on what others pay that they focus so much on it.

I highly question your facts that most of the cruises are military, Florida residents and cast members.

Your mileage may vary. It may have something to do with the cruises I do versus yours. But where you think it's rude, I think it's a survey. When they tell me they are a Disney employee, I ask if they get a discount. It's just conversation.

I would hazard a guess that you are pretty much a newbie as far as Disney cruising goes. One day you may be more realistic about cruising with Disney, too.

As far as being rude. That's just your opinion and I think you're a little opinionated whenever someone states something you don't agree with.

I don't say my opinion is fact. It's my experience. Go ahead and keep swallowing the Disney line. If your happy with that, good on you.

I happen to read post after post that uses the argument that Disney sails full and that Disney charges whatever the market will bear. Well, my experience has shown me that a lot of those cruisers aren't paying full price and they offer special pricing to CMs and fill the ship with the discounts offered to Military, Canadians, Travel Industry, GTY and *GT rates.

I don't give a blip what others pay except to satisfy my idea that DCL is really more like the Wizard of Oz.

 

[mevelandry]

'Cause if it doesn't, this photo really irritates the crap out of me. I have never done a Very Merrytime sailing, but I strongly suspect that this photo is 100% b.s.

I can't say about santa but I witnessed Goofy playing shuffleboard with a family once.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I see your Santa in paradise photo and In the UK we have commericals on TV featuring CMs at DisneyLand Paris actually smiling...

Now that is rarer than an empty car park on Dec 25th at TTC at 11am...

 

[RedSox68]

I do see what you're saying, but DCL is hardly alone in this...

Universal is just as guilty with their Harry Potter lands advertising. Can pretty much guarantee you're never going to see this...

or this...

or even this...

which is nowhere NEAR as crowded as I've ever seen it.

Not to argue false advertising -- but we have been at Universal several times, on HP early morning openings, and gotten pictures in the shops and areas with no people at all in them. It just required that we run like the dickens to beat the crowd LOL

 

[Dug720]

Not to argue false advertising -- but we have been at Universal several times, on HP early morning openings, and gotten pictures in the shops and areas with no people at all in them. It just required that we run like the dickens to beat the crowd LOL

But the ads do not depict people who have run (no red faces, not sweaty, etc.). Since we are going to be nit picky.

 

[over50visits]

View attachment 207850 We are going on a cruise in January and if my son doesn't get to walk alone with Darth Vader and the storm troopers on a deserted deck I am going to sue for false advertising. I mean really sometimes you have to use your common sense and know that this is a setup scene and never going to really happen.

Don't show that picture to your son, or be prepared to tell him it isn't a truthful depiction and thats how adults are.

 

[smiths02]

I'm really not trying to be an apologist, but they do this because it gets across the message that your kids will see characters on their ships (to differentiate from other cruises). Your kid won't sit on a deck with Santa, but s/he will get a 1:1 interaction with Santa if you wait in the line.

A gathering in the regular meeting spot with many families pictured doesn't get the message "Santa on a cruise ship" across quite like the picture OP posted.

You wonder how far they can go and not be "false" advertising...well how far do they have to go to show the reality? I agree with others, that most adults (and even most children, my youngest are 4) realize that a cruise isn't just lounging for hours on a deck with Santa.

 

[Bishoparc]

On Deck 4 midship starboard side (by the Connect at Sea desk but outside by theloungers) they have a cast member only entrance and exit where the characters step in and out of. I have seen, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Maxx, Pluto, Donald, Jake (Disney JR) Sophia, Peter Pan, Capt Hook and Smee come out to walk around to their meet and greet destinations. They stop along the way to high five, shake hands and give hugs...but must be moved along quickly.

So funny story, we used to go out there after "See ya real soon" and would politely sit to the side and just wave bye to the characters...yeah they won't let you anymore. It was roped off and you weren't allowed outside at all before, during, or after "See ya real soon". We just got off this morning. We were really disappointed but I assume it's because people started abusing that opportunity. We didn't even do it for us, it was more of just an opportunity to show our appreciation of the characters. Goofy would always give us a high five.