Friend just got back and now I'm concerned...

[Hannosmom]

Wonderful sentiments, as usual, BD. We miss you guys!!!!

 

[Verandah Man]

NEVER reference yourself or your family relative to a caste system. Money doesn't make people better. It allows those that have it to buy more souveniers. Better my son have more time with Dad than tangible momentos forsaken around the house...

And from what I saw at the Radisson, it is obvious, that you and B have a very close and loving relationship, I congratulate you both!!!

I had a father and a step-father growing up, and neither one of them had time for me. Keep up the good work BD!!!

 

[hughiedeweylouie]

It's not the quanity of parents but the quality.

 

[lisa6191]

Originally posted by Gina
I think that there are people in this world who are happy with nothing, and find a reason to complain about pretty much everything. That's not to discount your friend's opinions, but it just doesn't sound like she was on the Magic to me!

-gina-

Thanks everyone - I think the quote above pretty much sums up my thoughts as well (and it seems like most of you expressed similar sentiments). This woman in particular is definitely opinionated and a complainer, but it was just so upsetting to listen to her ranting and raving when we are so excited to go! I really appreciate everyone's responses, they really do help. I will make sure to direct the friends we are sailing with to this board so they can read about it for themselves.

-Lisa

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Wonderful sentiments, as usual, BD. We miss you guys!!!!

((((((((((((((((((Linda)))))))))))))))))))))) Talk about missing people! Today is a holiday - I hope Ed is home enjoying family time rather than working on all those projects at "the office." Just tell the dear man you need - desperately - a one-hour uninterrupted foot massage while munching on red seedless grapes and sipping the wine of your choice.

Please give Sarah a most sincere hug from me - and then a splash in the face! hahaha.

When are you guys going to sign up for the August 21st, 2004, 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise? C'mon 'mon (and woo-mon). Let's not be tardy.

Debbie called last night. Talk about welcome surprises! Started me nightdreaming about the cruise for the umteenth time. Wish we were doing it again beginning right now...

 

[dclwdwlover]

Vacationing - & cruising in particular - just isn't for everyone.

I won't break down your friend's comments & tell you my experiences because most have covered that there is good & bad to all things & to all people & in all trips. Whether or not your friend is a negative person or not - she just didn't like her experience & it's probably as was said before - she just didn't get the cruising experience.

My husb. always tells everyone that I am an 'awesome tour guide' - I'm not - but as he never travelled far as a kid or young adult - I am to HIM & it always makes his vacationing that much easier and more fun. I do the research & planning -after discussion w/him & the kids - & we get to experience everything we want to with as less stress as possible.

My sister & brother in-law went on DCL last year (with their kids) & didn't like it at all - said they'd never do it again. Thought it was boring & 'too many kids'. My husb. & I did our honeymoon @ WDW & on DCL & we had a fantastic time.

It's all in what you make of it.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

I can tell you I'm a real resort snob and if it wasn't for the horrendous cost I'd be doing Category 3 if I could but when I hear all the faults your friend made I'm wondering if she was on the Magic ??

My fiance has cruised lots of times with Princess and RCCL and Disney and he prefers the Disney staterooms says they are bigger, thought the food was fantastic and liked the choice. Thought the breakkie buffet was out of this world.

I'd never cruised until this past May and I loved our Verandah stateroom and we spent a lot of time in there as well just enjoying the room. I so cannot wait to get on the Magic next year.

As far as the sunbeds by the pools are concerned - yup there just aren't enough but you know what considering the amount of people on board I was glad for the space I had.

Just take a look at how busy this particular forum is and ask yourself can this many people be wrong - I don't think so. But just to agree with dclwdwlover people either love cruises or hate them but you gotta try them to find out for yourself.

 

[mmouse37]

Fantasia Sam is right on...you must experience it for yourself to judge if DCL is right for you and your family. As she said...can this many people really be living in a fantasy world? We are not making these experiences up. 99% of us on this board have expirenced unsurpassed quality and service onboard the Disney ships. We have sailed on DCL 8 times already and I am going on a 3-day with my 83 year old aunt this month.

There is not another cruise line out there that I would even dream of bringing her on. I know the quality of DCL and I know she will enjoy it.

I love sailing on DCL and I have sailed on Carnival, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. I truly enjoy the service and shows on DCL the best. The food on DCL is fine. It always amazes me when people say the food was just OK, or it was a cut above Sizzler steak-house or something. What do these people eat everynight??? If I have a delicious meal that I did not have shop for, prepare or have to clean up...it is AOK in my book!!! The dining staff has always gone out of their way to make sure we are enjoying our food. They are more than willing to bring you something else if what you ordered is not to your liking.

Believe me...out of 8 DCL cruises there have been some problems along the way...DCL is not perfect...any and every cruiseline is going to drop the ball in one area or another on a particular sailing. What I find great about DCL is they have always tried to correct a mistake when it was brought to their attention. I just find it hard to believe that so many things upset your friend. I do believe she may be hard to please. End of story.

Please feel free to check out our photos from our various DCL cruises and show them to your friends sailing with you. The links are below. As you will see my family is smiling all the time on DCL. I think that is a tall order for a hubby and 3 teens but DCL succeeds!!!

I know there are alot of pics but we truly have a great time on DCL and I wanted to capture as many memories as I could.

http://community.webshots.com/album/47984596ZcaNXp

http://community.webshots.com/album/48196942XWkiMx

http://community.webshots.com/album/61021700mgkcmV

http://community.webshots.com/album/61027011UZJmCn

http://community.webshots.com/album/74573094mVGtnZ

http://community.webshots.com/album/76180824QGGyRx

MJ

 

[moinab]

It always amazes me when people say the food was just OK, or it was a cut above Sizzler steak-house or something. What do these people eat everynight???

I'm one of those people who said some of the food wasn't very good and that, overall, I'd equate it with very good banquet food. Just to clarify, I didn't mean this to be a complaint. We ate more food than I would have thought possible on our cruise, and really enjoyed most of it. I do feel, however, that it is important to be honest about the quality so that people who are planning a cruise don't have unreasonable expectations. It's not 5-star quality, and if you're expecting that, you're going to be disappointed.

Having said that, we ate a ton, and I was absolutely thrilled to have someone else cooking, serving, and cleaning!

 

[glindamood]

I don't have much experience with the Kid's club as my youngest is 14 but I have cruised on the Island Princess (on it's fifth sailing so a brand new ship) and on the Magic three times. I would do the Magic again HANDS DOWN over Princess (with or without our children). Other than the scenery change (we did Alaska) I felt that everything was better with DCL. I missed DCL's split bathrooms, the food was better on Disney and the service - well, just let me say that Disney could give Princess some lessons.

As it has been said, we all take different things from the same experineces and don't all "see" the same things.

 

[max123]

I feel very sorry for your friend.

We enjoyed our 8/16 Western that we hope to go again 8/21/04.

I wouldn't say we are world travelers, but we are well traveled and accustomed to fine food, service and accommodations and this experience was the first that was worth every penny we paid for it.

I hope your experience turns out better, if you still go.

 

[mmouse37]

moinab.....please don't think I was referring to your post...I was not. I was referring to past posts when people would complain about the food. I always wondered what they ate every night. maybe I am just a very plain cook each night!!! I thought your description was very accurate. DCL is like banquet food...it would have to be with service to so many people at one time.

Like I said...it's even better that I do not have to cook or clean up!!!

MJ

 

[crisi]

Sometimes, too, one thing can go wrong and then it seems like everything does. If you weren't expecting to have a bar bill or a significant pop bill, that alone could set you off. Then your expectations for the kids club are high, but your kids don't enjoy it (not all kids do) and when they try and beep you, your beeper is broken (I have a IT support job and am dependant on my beeper - which is why when systems go down two different systems beep at least two people at fifteen minute intervals until someone responds - beepers are not the be all end all of reliability). By this time your predisposed to be unhappy - you've spent all this money and have already been disappointed twice - now nothing short of discovering Brad Pitt is your cabin steward is going to make you content.

Then you get the tablemates from hell - the type that show up in the "Best Dressed" thread - a fifty year old woman in a leapord print minidress - her husband in a "wifebeater" complete with back hair. And their ill behaved children - a teenage girl competing for "slut of the month" and a nine year old boy who needs a diet of soap to wash out his mouth. To top it off, your medium rare steak is well done, and the dessert you'd been craving since you saw it on the menu just isn't as good as you wanted it to be. By this time not only does Brad Pitt need to be your cabin steward to keep you happy, he needs to be the bath attendant at the Suriel Bath as well.

I'm sure cruises like this happen - and some people are gifted in being able to laugh it off (and request a switch in tables). Some people can just let it snowball, however, and before you know it, even Brad can't keep them happy.

 

[moinab]

MJ, I didn't think you were referring to me, but I did want to clarify what I was saying, about expectations, just to be sure.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

a teenage girl competing for "slut of the month"

crisi - what's wrong with sluts???...






JUST JOKING, FOLKS

 

[Mjasp]

Its funny how people feel about the food. We go to Disney World at least once a year, maybe more. Before we cruised DH was not looking forward to eating "Disney" food all week. All he thought of was the smoked BBQ taste that most of the park food has or smells of, you know the "Turkey" legs, Hoop Dee Doo revue, etc. He was quite surprised how good the food on the cruise was and the coffee was great so he was happy. The only problem we had was the sewage odor in our room and with no verandah door to open it was horrendous. But after 3 days of pleading, they finally changed our room, we are willing to give DCL another try, because after the 3rd day we really did start to have a good time.
So we are giving it another whirl next August 28th.

Joanna

 

[jfis1020]

Not everyone is going to pleased all the time. Sometimes too there are people that you can't please no matter what.

DS9 took the DCL western with us in June and the CCL to basically very similar ports in July with his father. He was very open to say that although he enjoyed the CCL, he thought Disney was by far the best. He thought the the CCL clubs for kids were "Lame". We couldn't keep him out of the Oceaneer's Lab.

My other two children loved the club as well. My son is ADHD and if someone would do the punching, it would be him! The CM had excellent skills of dealing with his "crash periods". THey knew exactly how to handle him. He had a great time and all the other kids loved him. That says a lot for the CM in the clubs. We never had any trouble with paging?

My advice is to think about how many people you have talked with. Weigh their opinions to you friends. 100 to 1? Again, there is always going to be someone that doesn't like the cruise. That's o.k.........everyone is entitled to their opinion. Remember: An open mind is like a parachute..........it works best when it is OPEN!

 

[dianthus]

Lisa~

You know your friend & her family better than anyone... Are they the types of people that expect too much, whine, or are negative? Are their kids impatient, clingy, or whiney too? You need to put her comments in perspective before you become concerned about your DCL cruise, with another family.

We are booked on our third DCL cruise in Nov. On our first cruise, our family cruised alone, our second - with friends & had equally, if not a better time. Each one was different, but wonderful. Our friends made the experience even nicer for us!

The level of service was excellent everywhere in the ship. The kids clubs were outstanding Counselors were very responsive to all the kids & parents needs. The story about the pagers seems very unlikely...The food and shows were great.

You will make your own fun with your family & friends. The question to ask is - did she? Only you know her the best...

You are on these boards to get info to make your cruise better. If the family you are traveling with is fun too, I wouldn't be worried. You make the experience. The cruiseline just provides the back drop. An elegant one it is indeed.

Don't worry! You'll have a wonderful experience!

 

[christinou]

We were on the Wonder in August and loved it so much we will be on the Magic in February. It was wonderfull, and I actually felt that everything was paid for and we were not "nickeled and dimed" all you have to pay for are drinks, and tips.
The kids club were great, the food was very good, and of course if you do not like something you just order something else. Breakfast at the buffet was incredible, they had everything, from mickey waffle (the chocolate one were amazing) to cereal, fruit, made to order omelette, lox and bagels, any kind of pastries you may want.
There were lots of chairs at CC and some of them were still empty by the end of the day........

YOu will love it, we all did, even hubby who is not always easy to please, he actually is the one who asked to go back..
The cabins are also very spacious, and we had a category 10.
We just loved it.

 

[December99]

Just gonna dd my two cents:

Our first cruise ever was the July 19th Western so I have nothing to compare to but here is my thoughts:

I also thought the food was mediocre - not EXCELLENT as they want you to think - but I'm a picky eater and I thought it was just me. They did try to bend over backwards if there was something I didn't care for or if there was something I needed. The food did get better as the week went on. The food at Palo for the brunch I thought was great, but that is an extra.

On the Western there was NOT the mad dash rush to make ressies. I was very surprised in this. We got on near the beginning of the line and I even got lost getting to the ressie for the spa and I was like the 3rd person and no one was waiting in line to make the ressies. They were very pleasant and patient with me while I was thinking of schedules for the week and asking them questions. After I made my ressie there was a person that was waiting. DH said there was not a huge line for the Palo either when he went to get in line and he was first in line.

I did not utilize the lab so I can't say anything about that but my dd did attend Common Grounds and we had a few phone calls but it was reminders about her excursions basically.

We had a cat 11 room and it was small but it was just enough for us. We didn't have a verandah. I wouldn't have wanted to have 4 people in there - we had 3 and it was just big enough. And we weren't in there a whole lot.

I was surprised that there was chairs still left on Castaway Cay on the beach when I got there. And I took my time getting there. And there were always chairs open the whole time I was in mine. Maybe they didn't get a shade one but people came and went throughout the day.

Sorry their experience was not good. We had a good experience that we are going again for our 5th anniversary next year. Hope you have a great one too!