Fantasy having mechanical issues

[TestingH2O]

Well, there are other sites besides the Dis and CC. There have been number of posts from folks onboard throughout this sailing about issues on FB.

I think the point is that this is far from public, widespread knowledge or opinion. My DCL FB groups have been posting positive comments from those currently sailing. Well, until today.

I am wondering if pp may be right and the other issues are not necessarily more severe but people are blaming them on the dry dock. I'd suggest that most people did not expect the vibration issue to be corrected so it shouldn't be a surprise that it's still there.

Once everyone is home, I hope we see some full reports.

I'm still curious if this is a resurgence of the issue from last year though.

 

[Dug720]

Amazing how there can be such a divergence of opinion from different passengers on the same cruise. I wonder how many of the problems that some people had were just the normal kinds of things that happen on every sailing (e.g. there are bound to be some A/Cs and some toilets that don't work properly on a ship with 4000 passengers) and for those to whom they happened, it's easy to blame the dry dock.

Yes! And from the (admittedly few as I don't do random searches on FB for information) things I have read, some of the "air conditioning" issues may well have been the standard people leaving their balcony doors open though told not to and affecting entire blocks of rooms and not dry-dock related at all.

 

[truck1]

Exactly! Usually here is the first place we hear about things, but apparently people were posting all over somewhere else - not Cruise Critic because I looked on there when people were making it sound like everyone knew there were issues.

It was either a social media group I'm in or on the DCL blog. It was a first hand account from someone onboard. Im at work right now in and out which is why I haven't gotten back sooner.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

This is absolutely not typical for DCL. Is this your first DCL cruise? If so, I would give it another try. I have found that they have the best embarkation and debarkation of any cruise lines we have done, and we are pretty much steerage class and don't have much special status or anything. The waiting around and confusion are only because of the delay. You don't usually sit around waiting to get off or on a DCL ship. Normally at Port Canaveral, you would eat breakfast, or skip it, and immediately leave the ship. No standing, no waiting.

This was my 15th Disney cruise. Have sailed them out of 3 different ports. Sorry, Royal does embarkation & debarkation soooooooo much better. Like lightyears better. So much more orderly. Soooooooo much better.

This is NOT my first chaos/cluster debark from DCL either. Unfortunately.

 

[Steve Dexter]

I just disembarked and there were absolutely no lines whatsoever and it was the quickest disembarkation ever, and weirdest. I fully expected an utter mess/chaos and was pleasantly surprised. I know it helped that we let everybody else slug it out for awhile before heading down.

 

[lindaso]

I just got off the Fantasy and while it was a pain to miss our 2:00 flight and we have to wait around for a rescheduled 8 pm flight, I thought DCL handed it great.

I had gone down to guest services early and they gave me a card with a code to make a free phone call. When I couldn't get that to work, a CM dialed for me on their phone without having to wait in line again. Of course my college-aged child didn't answer so I left her a message to rebook our flight and that I only had one phone call like being in jail lol.

It was very cool to be on the veranda watching as we came into the canal. We had until 11:00 in the room and then we went up to deck 12 to get cell signal to catch up on emails, etc. Soon after they announced lunch in cabanas and it was a full service lunch (with shrimp!). We hung out there until they cleared the ship. We walked off with no lines and jumped on a bus.

People were complaining that we weren't being compensated but it didn't bother me that much. We got extra time on the ship, a free lunch and a smooth disembarkation. Now we wait an extra 6 hours for our flight which hopefully won't have any issues.

Oh and we did have some AC issues in our room. We told the stateroom host and it was a little better after that. Not great but better. 7078.

I feel for the people sailing today. For us it wasn't that big of a deal.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

NOT IMPRESSED. Trying to get off the fantasy right now. We were 7th aft. Vibration issue not fixed. At all. We shook at night. Could not sleep. Cabin had not been vacumned when we first walked in.

We were also on 7 aft. Vibration was terrible. No sleep and air conditioning was spotty at best.

Ugh! So sorry. Terrible ending to boot!

 

[KermitRocks]

Very sorry to hear that. Can I ask what cabin? We are 7 aft next week. And I don't sleep well to begin with. Ugh...

We were in 7684.

 

[kevdad]

I think the point is that this is far from public, widespread knowledge or opinion. My DCL FB groups have been posting positive comments from those currently sailing. Well, until today.

I am wondering if pp may be right and the other issues are not necessarily more severe but people are blaming them on the dry dock. I'd suggest that most people did not expect the vibration issue to be corrected so it shouldn't be a surprise that it's still there.

Once everyone is home, I hope we see some full reports.

I'm still curious if this is a resurgence of the issue from last year though.

Why didn't most people expect the vibration to be fixed?

 

[MPS516]

Like previous posters, we thought DCL kept us informed and helped us even though we did not book air through them. Gave us free phone connect to airline to change our flight, airline supervisor was aware of the DCL issue and waved any change fee. Did have to call back 2wice due to satellite call droping on one of the reservations.

On board they began activities in various parts of the ship, food on deck and then opened Cabana and EG for lunch. When they announced ship cleared we walked up to deck 3 from EG and walked right off, found our bags with no crowd and walked right up to an imigration officer. From the time of the announcement to bus was under 5 minutes.

We were in the Tube where we did feel a bang but this was about an hour after the problem and about 20 minutes before announcement, probably not related. They began refueling before we left the ship and I never saw any big equipment around any of the mechanical service doors

Safe travels everyone, we will see a bunch of you at the airport waiting for our later flight.

 

[Minnie_Moo]

We were aft in 9170. We had periodic vibration issues and heard a few clanking noises, but were still able to sleep. Our AC was fine, but wasn't quite as cool at night. We smelled some smoke last night, but it was more of a wood smoke odor. I won't sail aft again in the future due to the diesel exhaust drifting down, but it was enjoyable having the wide view from the extended deck. We saw some dolphins this morning while being tugged in, so we stayed in our room until 11:00, then grabbed a quick service lunch.

Disembark went smoothly for us since we waited about 20 minutes after the announcement. The line was moving continuously by then.

 

[tink1970]

At MCO waiting for my new flight.

I appreciated DCL providing food and entertainment. I'm certain the crew would have preferred to be turning over the ship, but they were smiling and pleasant as always.

There was one glitch in communication regarding my luggage which was to have been checked with onboard check in but wasn't and I wasn't sure where to look in the terminal but my suitcase is fairly distinctive and I was able to grab it.

The Express Walk off seemed to be pretty crowded but by the time we disembarked it was an easy walk off after lunch.

Despite everything I was appreciative of the crew of the Fantasy--they were professional and it could have been so much more uncomfortable.

 

[TestingH2O]

Why didn't most people expect the vibration to be fixed?

While dry dock addresses cosmetic issues and major upkeep, the vibration issue seems to be structural. Most things I read indicated that it would have required major rebuilding rather than repairing.

 

[SuperDry]

I'm on board, I'm more understanding than most about the mechanical issue. But, they made us be out of our rooms by 11:00. So now we are just sitting around, for multiple hours, it's not a fun situation.

Is there at least a bar open?

 

[CastawayCayLover]

Is there at least a bar open?

Quiet Cove Bar was open

 

[MSPeeler]

And with the reports of 7A aft, for February I will happily be keeping my 7A forward - 9512.

I specifically told my TA I wanted Forward because of the Aft issues... too bad they were addressed/fixed.

 

[Dug720]

I specifically told my TA I wanted Forward because of the Aft issues... too bad they were addressed/fixed.

Yep! I actually just changed to 10024 - I figure the shade will be nice on the second sea day when I'm doing a combo of spa, Palo (probably dinner), and my balcony to avoid the rest of the craziness of the day.

 

[Ayeegit]

Looks like they're considering a slightly different itinerary, depending on what happens with the repairs...

https://twitter.com/paulmurray/status/866003862968295429

 

[hanscarlet]

Wow, possible switch in ports for the next cruise going out (no more Tortola, St. Thomas instead and San Juan in place of St. Thomas day)

[/IMG]

 

[iZon]

Interesting. Only a slight change with regards to distance travelled. Perhaps something about the ports themselves