Dream sailing 10/18

[pogmog]

If you are sailing on the Dream today 11/18, upon returning please give an update as to number of passengers on board and how safe did you feel on board? Are all safety protocols still being observed?

 

[jktmom]

Definitely following this tread!

 

[mmouse37]

Have you heard that they are relaxing protocols? We sailed Dream on Sept 27th and felt very safe.

 

[pogmog]

Have you heard that they are relaxing protocols? We sailed Dream on Sept 27th and felt very safe.

No, haven't heard that at all. Just checking because have a cruise coming up and a bit nervous so just hoping that protocols have not been relaxed.

 

[SnappySerape]

I just got off the boat today but I didn't ask about the capacity. It was certainly much higher than on the Dream back in August. Decently sized lines for the pool, sit down breakfast and for debark. No relaxation of the rules that I could tell when I compare August to this last cruise. Masks all the time indoors and in shows. No food in the theaters, limited pool capacity with time limits, designated spots for fireworks and the Mouse-querade. If anything, maybe they were a little less voracious about enforcing masks above the nose because I saw a few people getting away with masks down at karaoke and during BatB. On the flip side, I still heard people being told to keep it up over the nose. I think they're picking their battles a bit more.

The interesting thing is that despite the enforcement of all those things, debark was pretty much like it used to be. Crowded foyer of everyone standing in a long line to get off the ship. I also had families in tables around me in the dining rooms.

Made a point to stop by GS and ask for the paper navigator. NO paper navigators. The guest services staff said that they were phased out a few years ago but I got off the Fantasy in February of 2020 and still had paper navigators.

Definitely no dining rotation or table number on the KttWC.

Edited to add: The cruise director is Ashley for those wondering!

 

[DCL Repeaters]

Have you heard that they are relaxing protocols? We sailed Dream on Sept 27th and felt very safe.

Can you tell me what the relaxed protocols are?

 

[easy1234]

We sailed October 15-18th and were told there were 2200 people onboard (including 700 kids). Others in our FB group were told between 2000 - 2400 people. Highlights included arriving 10 minutes before our scheduled kids club booking and waiting 30 minutes in line to drop the kids off, waiting 20 minutes in line for a bowl of fruit, and waiting 30 minutes to spend 15 minutes in the pool. We know there were 700 kids on board because when everyone in line at the kids club was complaining about waiting so long to drop their kids off, cast members kept repeating there were 700 kids onboard. We were also unable to book additional kids club times on the app, just kept getting generic error messages. When we called the kids club, they were able to switch times but not book additional times, so guess that perk is going away. We are cancelling our future cruises and trying RCL and Carnival.

 

[jktmom]

I am very hopeful that this experience won’t be the same on the weekday cruises since a lot of people won’t be taking their kids out of school for the full week to make a Monday-Friday cruise work.

 

[kathi]

I'm seriously worried about December holiday cruises being packed, expensive and not a lot of fun - especially for the 7-night cruises where they are adding more sea days due to port closures. Sea days are not all that fun during covid.

 

[pogmog]

We sailed October 15-18th and were told there were 2200 people onboard (including 700 kids). Others in our FB group were told between 2000 - 2400 people. Highlights included arriving 10 minutes before our scheduled kids club booking and waiting 30 minutes in line to drop the kids off, waiting 20 minutes in line for a bowl of fruit, and waiting 30 minutes to spend 15 minutes in the pool. We know there were 700 kids on board because when everyone in line at the kids club was complaining about waiting so long to drop their kids off, cast members kept repeating there were 700 kids onboard. We were also unable to book additional kids club times on the app, just kept getting generic error messages. When we called the kids club, they were able to switch times but not book additional times, so guess that perk is going away. We are cancelling our future cruises and trying RCL and Carnival.

Did you feel safe? Not liking what I'm reading. Maybe it's time to cancel! How are safety protocols staying in place when waiting on lines! So many things have been removed and still paying the crazy high Disney prices! Very concerning all around.

 

[jktmom]

Did you feel safe? Not liking what I'm reading. Maybe it's time to cancel! How are safety protocols staying in place when waiting on lines! So many things have been removed and still paying the crazy high Disney prices! Very concerning all around.

totally agree. I could only justify paying the price for a cruise with less being offered bc I knew the capacity was so low. Now they are going to have a higher capacity combined with the reduced experience and it will be less safe overall.

 

[easy1234]

Did you feel safe? Not liking what I'm reading. Maybe it's time to cancel! How are safety protocols staying in place when waiting on lines! So many things have been removed and still paying the crazy high Disney prices! Very concerning all around.

We were never really concerned with covid, so we felt safe on board. The fact that everyone 12+ is vaccinated and everyone takes a PCR test before being allowed to board is sufficient to us, but I understand others feel different. For most of the lines there was minimal social distancing, and cast members rarely enforced it. We had a front-row seat (dot) to the Mickeys Masquerade party on deck 11, and after it started lots of kids ran up to the front to watch, which didn't bother us because they are kids, but for others who care about social distancing wouldn't have been comfortable. Cast members were present, but only intervened when kids got too close to the stage during the performance. They were a little stricter with mask wearing, except on the tram for castaway cay, because it is an open air tram after all. Most lines formed due to measures to ensure social distancing (such as waiting in line at Toematers grill) had people who did not follow social distancing, and cast members did not care or say anything.

 

[SnappySerape]

Did you feel safe? Not liking what I'm reading. Maybe it's time to cancel! How are safety protocols staying in place when waiting on lines! So many things have been removed and still paying the crazy high Disney prices! Very concerning all around.

My experience mirrors easy's very closely (except I don't have kids). I felt fairly safe on board with the vaccine and testing requirements but I did feel a little nervous when a family got on an elevator with me and the kid without a mask started having a coughing fit (no drinks involved). Guests varied on elevator preference. I had a few elevators that were packed with 6-8 people and a few with folks saying that they weren't comfortable with anyone else being on. The worst line was very much the debark line in terms of spacing. No enforcement of spacing.

 

[SnappySerape]

I wanted to add, I did sit down breakfast at Royal Palace on Castaway morning. Not only was there a line to get a table around 8:45 (they were actively suggesting people go up to Cabana's but Cabana's still doesn't have an omelette station) but when I did sit down, I was told that my omelette would take 20 minutes. I timed it and they were pretty accurate with the eggs taking 18 minutes. I overheard the table next to me and their server said the same thing when the guy ordered fried eggs and sausage.

 

[jktmom]

I wanted to add, I did sit down breakfast at Royal Palace on Castaway morning. Not only was there a line to get a table around 8:45 (they were actively suggesting people go up to Cabana's but Cabana's still doesn't have an omelette station) but when I did sit down, I was told that my omelette would take 20 minutes. I timed it and they were pretty accurate with the eggs taking 18 minutes. I overheard the table next to me and their server said the same thing when the guy ordered fried eggs and sausage.

how was the main dinning? Did you feel like the tables were still spaced?

 

[SnappySerape]

how was the main dinning? Did you feel like the tables were still spaced?

In all three dining rooms, there were parties in all the tables adjacent to my table. Same for breakfast. No tables kept empty around me. Spacing of the tables themselves seemed the same as early 2020 cruises: wide enough to fit two servers walking past each other. No one really wore masks once they sat at the table. I saw a few folks get reminded to put them on once they got up and others got away with walking out without one on.

 

[jktmom]

In all three dining rooms, there were parties in all the tables adjacent to my table. Same for breakfast. No tables kept empty around me. Spacing of the tables themselves seemed the same as early 2020 cruises: wide enough to fit two servers walking past each other. No one really wore masks once they sat at the table. I saw a few folks get reminded to put them on once they got up and others got away with walking out without one on.

that is the exact opposite of my 10/2 cruise experience so Im upset that on one cruise this would be folllwed making me feel comfortable enough to Book a second cruise only to find out that the dining may not be safe the second time around.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

I'm seriously worried about December holiday cruises being packed, expensive and not a lot of fun - especially for the 7-night cruises where they are adding more sea days due to port closures. Sea days are not all that fun during covid.

Exactly why I cancelled my 6 night NYE cruise. Not that I was worried all that much about covid, but the protocols would really put a damper on the fun. And the price was $$$.

 

[DMickey]

We were never really concerned with covid, so we felt safe on board. The fact that everyone 12+ is vaccinated and everyone takes a PCR test before being allowed to board is sufficient to us, but I understand others feel different. For most of the lines there was minimal social distancing, and cast members rarely enforced it. We had a front-row seat (dot) to the Mickeys Masquerade party on deck 11, and after it started lots of kids ran up to the front to watch, which didn't bother us because they are kids, but for others who care about social distancing wouldn't have been comfortable. Cast members were present, but only intervened when kids got too close to the stage during the performance. They were a little stricter with mask wearing, except on the tram for castaway cay, because it is an open air tram after all. Most lines formed due to measures to ensure social distancing (such as waiting in line at Toematers grill) had people who did not follow social distancing, and cast members did not care or say anything.

Do you know approximately how many were denied boarding because of positive testing?

 

[axfather]

We were on the 10/15 Dream Cruise. No young children so can't add to the kids club discussion. Ship felt fairly crowded, but that was OK by me. Pros: I thought the protocols were reasonable given the circumstances; the food was better than normal I thought even though the menus are fairly old; Palo was fantastic and I like the new way of brunching without a buffet; staff was friendly, very helpful and very much aimed to please; pools seems fairly accessible to me; room service was quick and fantastic; CC was amazing as always but again fairly crowded; cabin was spotless---- Cons: the app was a bit hard to figure out and most everything was dependent on the app being user friendly...it would not kill them to hand out a paper navigator at night - one big issue with the app is that it would not allow me to add a gratuity for a free room service delivery so I will bring extra cash next time; They have turned cheap cheap with the Bingo...still expensive with very small cash prizes even though the room was packed with players - I kept going as one my children kept begging me to take him; BUT the biggest con of all is the horror of horrors situation where they took away the guava punch at breakfast in Cabanas.....shame shame shame....