I'm back and heres some tips for all of you!!

[Matthewsmom]

Had a wonderful time, perfect weather, calm seas, great stateroom!!!

Helpful hints:
Unpack some dressy clothes, you really only need 2, one for formal night, one for semi-formal. We were really casual most of the time.

Things I didn't use: extension cord, hair dryer, every known medicine for any known sickness. They have it all SHOULD you need it!! Thankfully, we didn't need a thing other than some Advil.
Shoes, took too many!! Books, only read 1, took 4!! Was too busy talking with other travelers...

Things I'm glad I took.
Red duct tape-made spotting my bags incredibly easy!! Wrapped it right around the entire bag over the locks. Everything was still there both ways!!
Clothes pins-bring at least 10!! You will use them for the curtains and to hang your bathing suits. I don't know how I missed knowing there was a clothes line in the bathroom....We used it alot.
Bring more film than you think you will need. I had to buy more and boy it was a lot of money!!
Tons of suntan lotion, hats, swimming shirts!! The sun is brutal!!
Sandals, the deck gets incredibly hot during the day making for walking in bare feet hard!!
Drink cups to keep those frozen drinks from melting. I used mine from Starbucks and it was a god-send!!
Goggles for the kids!!
Band aids for the kids...need I say more!!

Anyone wanting to PM with questions please do!!!

One bad experience we had and I strongly urge you to read this message!!!
Our server Zotan was HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!! SWITCH YOU SERVER if he is yours!!!! We ended up eating elsewhere much of the time because he was so horrible. Our entire table disliked him!!! Made for a really bad memory!!! Strong enough so that I probably would not go again!!!!! Make sure you do not get him!!!!! We watched other servers who seemed wonderful with their guests!!! Sadly, we could not say the same!!

 

[Alicia Gist]

I'm not sure if it's the same Zotan. We had a Zotan on a June 2002 7 day eastern. He was assistant. Our main server was great (Timmy). Zotan was very quite. Timmy made the trip awesome.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Matthewsmom
Our server Zotan was HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!! SWITCH YOU SERVER if he is yours!!!! We ended up eating elsewhere much of the time because he was so horrible. Our entire table disliked him!!! Made for a really bad memory!!! Strong enough so that I probably would not go again!!!!! Make sure you do not get him!!!!! We watched other servers who seemed wonderful with their guests!!! Sadly, we could not say the same!!

Did you communicate this with the head waiter or other management?

 

[KEH]

So sorry that you had such a bad experience. Our servers on our first cruise in 2000 were pretty poor - not rude or awful, just not as helpful or caring as they could have been - and it does spoil things for you.

What was so bad about him? Did you complain about him at the time and if so, what was done about him? Not much I suppose if you felt your only recourse was to eat elsewhere.

Don't let it put you off. We have cruised twice since the first time and have had EXCELLENT servers both times, especially in 2002 when we had Zoran from Hungary with Leeroy from Jamaica as assistant.

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Thanks for the tips. I'm making notes as we speak (type?).

Sounds like you had a pretty good time. Sorry to hear about your dining experience!! Can you please expand on why Zotan was so HORRIBLE? We don't want the same experience!

Glad your home safe and sound!! Thanks for taking the time to send along these tips!!

 

[Cruise04]

One thing I'd like to add in regard to the extension cord - we had to bring one because my husband has a CPAP machine and needed it to reach from the outlet to the machine plug - but if you don't need an extension cord - think about a powerstrip. We had one and was glad we did - we needed to charge things (our radios and phones (yes we charged them daily just in case we needed them when we got off ship)) and they came in handy. Oh and charging the batteries for the digital camera. One time we did have everything plugged in at once and we needed the powerstrip.

 

[dis4me]

Originally posted by Cruise04
- think about a powerstrip. We had one and was glad we did - we needed to charge things (our radios and phones (yes we charged them daily just in case we needed them when we got off ship)) and they came in handy. .

This is a good Idea. When we got off the ship our ccar battery was dead. We have 2 cell phones but they were both useless because the batteries were dead. We had a tough time trying to find smeone who could help or a phone. Just for reference the only payphone is upstairs in the dcl terminal.

 

[Cruise04]

We got a very inexpensive one at Menard's and we are going to end up needing it at home too - so we killed two birds with one stone. I don't think I'll ever travel a distance and for a long period of time again without a powerstrip.

 

[Matthewsmom]

Hi-
Our server basically did the barest of service possible. The first 3 nights I had to ask our assistant waitor(PEMA, she was great!!) to take Matthew's order, he completely forgot him. Was it because I was single with one child sitting at a bigger table I wondered?? Then, all the other kids food would come and Matthew would sit and wait for his. He barley talked with us at all, except to give us the "excellent service/give me a big tip" speech!!! During the character breakfast all the other servers where really living it up, making hats out of napkins, goofing around with the kids, our waitor was not to be found!!
I did speak with the manager but nothing changed until the last night. Guess he wanted his tip!!!! I felt the best thing was to eat elsewhere and not get upset by this treatment. The dinner service in topsiders was fantastic and they treated Matthew like a King. That was the service I was expecting the entire cruise. So, we made the best of it. I'm NOT one to complain and I'm sure if I did harder a change would have been made, but that is not me!!! He also told somebody at our table that he only had 2 more weeks to work and he wasn't re-signing to come back. So in reality he probably didn't care one bit!!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Matthewsmom, that's terrible!

It's bad enough to receive lousy service, but as a parent, you hurt even more for your child. Children can tell when they're being treated 'less than'.

It's good for DCL and future cruisers that he's not returning, but a shame that you missed out on what should have been a very pleasant dining week experience.

 

[tiggergranny]

Just a quick question? What do you do about tipping a bad server? If you all eat your meal elsewhere, would you still be required to tip him?

If you "nicely" complained and service was still bad what would you do?

 

[Cruise04]

If it were me, I probably would not tip him. It sounds like he didn't care and if he didn't care to make the service the best it should be, regardless if he only had a few weeks left or if he/her was having a bad day, then I don't care if he gets a tip or not (I probably would give him something because he was my waiter but definitely NOT the recommended amount - and I'm talking like $5 or $10).

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Matthewsmom
He also told somebody at our table that he only had 2 more weeks to work and he wasn't re-signing to come back. So in reality he probably didn't care one bit!!

That's really too bad that you had an experience like that. Personally, I would write a detailed letter to DCl about your experience....even about how you had a nice experience at Topsiders. Even if the waiter isn't returning to the ship, DCL should know about your experience.

I hope you have better luck next time.

 

[UMTerp]

Hi Matthewsmom!!

I tried to send you a PM but it didn't work!

It was really nice to meet you! I'm so sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience with your server! I wish I had known maybe we could have requested that you be put with us! My Matthew was sad that we didn't get seated with another family. We had a table for the 4 of us - didn't request it just happened that way. Glad that Topsiders took care of you the way they should have!

P.S., My Matthew had a great time with yours!

 

[makaylee]

Originally posted by Matthewsmom
Hi-
Our server basically did the barest of service possible. The first 3 nights I had to ask our assistant waitor(PEMA, she was great!!) to take Matthew's order, he completely forgot him. Was it because I was single with one child sitting at a bigger table I wondered?? Then, all the other kids food would come and Matthew would sit and wait for his. He barley talked with us at all, except to give us the "excellent service/give me a big tip" speech!!! During the character breakfast all the other servers where really living it up, making hats out of napkins, goofing around with the kids, our waitor was not to be found!!
I did speak with the manager but nothing changed until the last night. Guess he wanted his tip!!!! I felt the best thing was to eat elsewhere and not get upset by this treatment. The dinner service in topsiders was fantastic and they treated Matthew like a King. That was the service I was expecting the entire cruise. So, we made the best of it. I'm NOT one to complain and I'm sure if I did harder a change would have been made, but that is not me!!! He also told somebody at our table that he only had 2 more weeks to work and he wasn't re-signing to come back. So in reality he probably didn't care one bit!!

That is horrible! I would have complained to guest services and the head waiter untill something was done! Dining is a big part of cruising and if you have a horrible server, whats the point? Our assistant server was pretty bad, but our main server made up for it, so we didn't complain much we just gave our head server the amount we deducted from our assitant servers tip.

 

[Matthewsmom]

I did NOT tip him at all!! I gave it all to the assistant. Hers and His!! I felt that he did nothing for us and therefore did not deserve a tip. I tipped the waiters in Topsider's on Thursday as it was closed on Friday. They were all great!!! I worked as a bartender many years before I became a teacher and I know exactly what service is and how it affects your tips. Because of this I really struggled with not tipping him, but giving it all to the assistant made it feel better.

It's 45 degrees and raining her and I just worked the baseball stand!!! I WANT TO GO BACK!!!!!

I'm going to book another cruise, just not with Disney. Anyone have ideas with whom I should cruise with next???

Oh yeah, one more thing you should pack- Sea Safe suntan lotion. There were tons of jellyfish at Castaway!!!

 

[makaylee]

Originally posted by Matthewsmom
I did NOT tip him at all!! I gave it all to the assistant. Hers and His!! I felt that he did nothing for us and therefore did not deserve a tip.

Good for you! When I think back, I wish I hadn't tipped our assistant! Our poor main server had to do extra work to make up for him.

 

[MarkRG]

We've done that too. One one cruise the main server(he) was a real nothing, but the asst(she) really took up the slack, to the point she was doing his job most the trip. We wound up reversing the tips between the two because of it. No excuse for sloppy service.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Matthewsmom
I'm going to book another cruise, just not with Disney. Anyone have ideas with whom I should cruise with next???

Ooooh...I just got a brochure for Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and IT IS TEMPTING! LOL

 

[mandymouse]

Hi Matthewsmom

Sorry to hear about the appauling service of your head waiter, but pleased that the rest of your trip was good.

My question is, have you emailed DCL and told them about this problem? After our 3 night cruise last April, I emailed DCL to tell them how thrilled we were with our servers and stateroom host, and they emailed me back to thank me for letting them know and that my comments would go on their records. I'm sure DCL are interested in any comments good or bad, so that they can deal with them.

mandymouse