Just Back...and I really wanted to drink the DCL Kool-Aid

[kimberwee]

Seriously. We planned for months.
I wanted this to be the first of many Disney Cruises, and now I just don't know if we will ever go again. I love cruises. I ADORE DISNEY. Wasn't this supposed to be a great culmination of the two??

First, I understand that for those with kids under the age of 7, the kids clubs alone would make it worth the expense over other lines. BUT, for those of you with kids 8 and over, like us, what makes it good for you versus another cruise line? I am really genuinely asking because with all of the hype, I think we may have missed something.

Castmembers... how I love thee...
The Cast Members, with the exception of a couple, saved our trip. In true Disney fashion, they went above and beyond to make our trip great. After being in tears at guest services the very first morning around 3:30am, they sent a ship officer to our room later to make sure we were ok. Seriously, do not book stateroom 8668 if you want to sleep in more than 4 hour spurts. Then, later that day, they also left a bottle of wine and some arcade cards for us to enjoy. Like I said...they tried really hard to make sure we were having a magical time. But would the service have been just as good elsewhere?

The food...
We ate in the rotational dining rooms almost every night. We enjoyed each of them, especially Animators Palate. Enchanted Garden was our least favorite. We adored our servers, Jimi and Rudwin, but though the food was underwhelming. Everyone raves about Palo's Brunch...we found hair in the lasagna. The Palo staff were very apologetic. It happens and we didn't make a big deal about it, but I started to think that maybe our trip was cursed.

The shows - They were good...love the masked adult humor

Adult Entertainment - We really liked hanging out at O'Gills for NBA Playoffs and the games in the Tube

The ports - we LOVED Tortola. We went on our own to Cane Garden Bay and had the absolute best time! St. Thomas was just ok. I think that I would opt for an excursion next time we are there and I wouldn't travel there directly to stay for a vacation. We went on our own to Magen's and it was beautiful. BUT, I am more of a cocktail server with a lounge chair kind of girl, so we went to Coki. Little bit sketch...but still fun. Castaway Cay...I did the 5k and am not a runner. It was a fun experience, but I would suggest that you only partake if this isn't your first visit or if you can finish in a reasonable time. It really cut into beach time. We did the Castaway Cay Sandbar excursion and it was the highlight of our trip. Seriously, if you ever have the chance, do it. I have never seen so many conch shells or sand dollars in my life.

My bottom line...is it worth the extra $2k we spent to be on a boat with Mickey? (Comparing to RCL OASIS OF THE SEAS prices) I don't know. I was expecting to have tears as I left the Fantasy last Saturday, but it was the opposite. I left thinking that I could have had a nice room at the Poly with Parkhoppers for a long parks visit instead. IF I can ever convince DH that we should ever cruise DCL again, I think it would be on a European or Alaskan itinerary. I don't think I could get him on the Dream to Nassau, as our Sandbar Excursion guides said to skip Nassau every time.

Thoughts? What makes Disney Cruise Line "worth it" for you?

 

[BigredNole]

What made you so upset about your room? Just curious.

 

[asunutgirl]

We have been on 6 cruises and have had a fabulous time on all of them. (Actually had Jimi and Rudwin as our servers in April - they were great!) We love the service. We are a Disney family so we love the shows, the movies, the themes. Never had a complaint about the food although we don't pay the upcharge for Palo or Remy. 2 of the four of us have severe food allergies and DCL has always been very good about accommodating us.

My kids are older - 18 and 14 - so the kids clubs are less important to us that they used to be. We love the AquaDuck but stay out of the pools. (WAY too many kids in them for my taste.) We've done summer, spring break, New Years and Thanksgiving. Favorite by far was New Years. Although we love Castaway Cay and prefer the summer cruises for the warmer water.

We have also cruised with Carnival and Royal. I won't do Carnival again. It was underwhelming and with all the issues they've had in the past couple of years, we will stay away from them.

We have another 4 day cruise booked for Jan but will likely cancel. As much as we love DCL, it is a haul for us to get from the west coast to PC for a 4 day cruise. My kids are wanting to go to Alaska but I refuse to pay the DCL prices for those itineraries. You can get RCCL for 1/2 what Disney charges. I'd also like to do a Med cruise and can't seem to get over the Disney pricing for those either.

We will likely cruise DCL again because we've had 6 fabulous cruises but as our kids are getting older I see us venturing to other lines. The pricing is just getting out of hand.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Don't give up in DCL yet. You definitely need to try to classic ships. They are smaller and more intimate. I agree that you should definitely try Europe on the Magic of Alaska on the Wonder before you totally give up on DCL

Personally, I love the classic ships and the choice of ports to visit. We also just love the Disney service and know we can't go wrong.

 

[kimberwee]

What made you so upset about your room? Just curious.

There were calm seas, but MAJOR vibration all night and MAJOR noise from the cabinetry in the room. There were points when I thought the ceiling was going to fall in.

 

[wilkeliza]

We haven't been on Royal but their commercials annoy the heck out of me.

I have done DCL and Norwegian where as my fiancé has done DCL, Norwegian, and Seaborn. We stick with DCL even though it is more expensive than NCL (and either same or less than Seaborn) because of the service. We find the boats to be well kept, staff super friendly, and the adults only spaces kept just that. On NCL there was no real "adults only" and even the casino had kids in it even though they weren't suppose to. Also the whole atrium on our NCL smelled of smoke since they let people smoke in the casino. I also found their kiosk set ups on the NCL cruise we took to be pushy. You couldn't go anywhere on the ship with out someone trying to sell you something. On DCL I feel like I can have a nice relaxing vacation with out being pushed to buy trinkets or jewelry.

Every once in awhile we think oh lets give Royal a try but then we get to the website and see everything they have to do on the boats and just get very overwhelmed. I think Disney has just the right mix of stuff so you aren't bored but also aren't trying to cram everything in. I don't need to be able to do bumper cars, climb a rock wall, and learn how to surf all while floating in the ocean.

 

[SeaWatcher]

Don't give up in DCL yet. You definitely need to try to classic ships.

This!

We have sailed the Dream, Fantasy and Wonder and the Wonder is our favorite while the Fantasy is our least favorite. There was also hair in my food at Palo on the Fantasy. As you said it happens but it sounds like it happens more than it should. I also understand your issues with the kids clubs. My DS was 11 on our last trip and he loved Edge. We had to drag him out to see the glaciers in Alaska. My 9 year old on the other hand was not impressed with the club or the lab. She has outgrown the club/lab but she enjoyed going to Edge during open house. Disney really needs to do something for the 7-10 year olds.

If you are able - give one of the smaller ships, or even the Dream, a try. I do not plan to sail the Fantasy again. Our next cruise is booked on the Magic.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I have always said, if anyone doesn't think DCL or any line is worth the money, then the best thing to do is move on to another line, (except Carnival)

Like you we love Disney, we stay mostly with DCL because of the over all package.....service, food entertainment, it adds up to the magic and pixie dust.

I especially like the vessels, they are better designed, better and safer built then I see out there. I love the classic liner lines and the theming.

We also love watching the kids, the joy on there faces and the interaction with the characters.

Guess those are the reasons it is well worth the extra money for us.

AKK

PS. We were in 8678 a month ago, no vibrations back then

 

[PrincessShmoo]

There were calm seas, but MAJOR vibration all night and MAJOR noise from the cabinetry in the room. There were points when I thought the ceiling was going to fall in.

Sadly, the Fantasy has had a major vibration issue in the aft for a long time. I was kinda hoping the repairs they did when she had to cut short her cruise recently would have fixed that. Apparently not. We had those same issues in Sept 2014 when we cruised on her.

Because of the vibration, you could hear all the squeaks and creaks that happen when the ship flexes. It's normal. Some people can't adjust to it. We just got off the transAtlantic cruise (on the Magic) where we had 4 days of extremely rough seas. Our first 2 days out on that cruise were very calm (Port Canaveral to Boston) and I was amazed at how quiet our room was compared to other times we've cruised. BUT, once we hit those rough seas, believe me, it was an entirely different story. Lots of creaks, squeaks, vibration, and loud booming noises at all times of day and night.

Hopefully, you'll give DCL another try.

 

[21stamps]

This post concerns me a little. I've had doubts ever since I booked our 2017 Wonder cruise. Will be on the Fantasy in November and I am positive that we will love it..especially bc of the Christmas stuff. But in 2017 on the Wonder-when my child is 7, I'm not positive. The enhancements coming look great, but I don't know if it will be enough compared to something like the Oasis.

Maybe you should try a newer Royal Caribbean ship next, and then once DCL's new ships come out give Disney a try again

 

[KashasMom]

I am sorry your cruise did not live up to your expectations. Like you we love Disney and for the most part, love cruises. We’ve been on the Fantasy twice and Magic once. Please do NOT go on the Magic if you did not like the Fantasy. If you’re comparing Oasis then the Magic will surely disappoint. Quite honestly we were so bored on the Magic. If we didn’t spend so much time on line waiting for character photos, I don’t know what we would have done. (We are ONLY going on the Magic again because we love the itinerary, love sailing out of NYC and we got a super good deal.)

I agree with the age break. My daughter is turning 7 and our upcoming Disney cruise will likely be our last. She’s pretty much outgrown the princess thing. She had a bad experience in the kids’ club last cruise so the extra premium for that is not worth it for us. (She absolutely loved the pool and splash area on the Oasis – much better than what is on Disney.) The newer NCL and the bigger RCI ships are much better for older kids.

We also found the food underwhelming and were disappointed that Disney does not have a buffet dinner. Sometimes you just don’t feel like spending hours at dinner. The shows were good – one may have been very good - but how many times can you see the same shows?

Regarding a European/Alaskan itinerary – I think those are the worst value Disney cruises. They’re so port intensive that it just doesn’t make sense to pay a premium for what is basically a floating hotel. And honestly, the Disney itineraries are so boring. There's all the hoopla and build up waiting for the new itineraries to come out and then it's the same old, same old.

I still love Disney but would much rather get my fill at the parks and cruise other lines.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Sadly, the Fantasy has had a major vibration issue in the aft for a long time. I was kinda hoping the repairs they did when she had to cut short her cruise recently would have fixed that. Apparently not. We had those same issues in Sept 2014 when we cruised on her.

Because of the vibration, you could hear all the squeaks and creaks that happen when the ship flexes. It's normal. Some people can't adjust to it. We just got off the transAtlantic cruise (on the Magic) where we had 4 days of extremely rough seas. Our first 2 days out on that cruise were very calm (Port Canaveral to Boston) and I was amazed at how quiet our room was compared to other times we've cruised. BUT, once we hit those rough seas, believe me, it was an entirely different story. Lots of creaks, squeaks, vibration, and loud booming noises at all times of day and night.

Hopefully, you'll give DCL another try.

Believe me you want to hear all those flexing noises. If the vessel does not flex, she will possibly break!

Truck 1 and I have been talking on this vibration thing with the Fantasy...........The best guess is something is out of balance or line with one prop, maybe the port side. She is going into dry dock relatively soon and that is when they could handle that.

AKK

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Believe me you want to hear all those flexing noises. If the vessel does not flex, she will possibly break!

Truck 1 and I have been talking on this vibration thing with the Fantasy...........The best guess is something is out of balance or line with one prop, maybe the port side. She is going into dry dock relatively soon and that is when they could handle that.

AKK

Oh, I get it about the flexing thing. As soon as I figured out that's what all those sounds were, my mind really doesn't fixate on them any more. As I said, I was very pleasantly surprised how quiet our room on the Magic was under calm seas (we've been on ships where the rooms creaked even on calm seas). And when we hit the rough seas, wasn't put out by the noises that ensued.

I was not happy, much like the OP here, with the vibration issue on the Fantasy when we were on her.

I hope they can fix it ---- soon.

 

[Shanti]

My bottom line...is it worth the extra $2k we spent to be on a boat with Mickey? (Comparing to RCL OASIS OF THE SEAS prices) I don't know. I was expecting to have tears as I left the Fantasy last Saturday, but it was the opposite. I left thinking that I could have had a nice room at the Poly with Parkhoppers for a long parks visit instead. IF I can ever convince DH that we should ever cruise DCL again, I think it would be on a European or Alaskan itinerary. I don't think I could get him on the Dream to Nassau, as our Sandbar Excursion guides said to skip Nassau every time.

Thoughts? What makes Disney Cruise Line "worth it" for you?

Had you ever cruised before this? If not, it sounds like cruising is just not your thing. I, like you, much prefer the parks, because I like to have fun on vacation. A cruise vacation, even via DCL, is more about relaxation than fun or excitement. Some people prefer that. They also love the kids clubs, because they can not have to chaperone their kids for a while. I prefer fun, but I still enjoyed our DCL cruise, because relaxation is nice, too. I disliked most of the food, though. Was quite done after three nights for that reason alone.

Would still like to cruise DCL again in a few years because we liked being on the water, my son loved the water slide, characters & Castaway Cay, and I liked the old fashioned ocean liner style of the ship. I like that it looks & feels like a ship, rather than a floating mall or casino.

 

[21stamps]

I am sorry your cruise did not live up to your expectations. Like you we love Disney and for the most part, love cruises. We’ve been on the Fantasy twice and Magic once. Please do NOT go on the Magic if you did not like the Fantasy. If you’re comparing Oasis then the Magic will surely disappoint. Quite honestly we were so bored on the Magic. If we didn’t spend so much time on line waiting for character photos, I don’t know what we would have done. (We are ONLY going on the Magic again because we love the itinerary, love sailing out of NYC and we got a super good deal.)

I agree with the age break. My daughter is turning 7 and our upcoming Disney cruise will likely be our last. She’s pretty much outgrown the princess thing. She had a bad experience in the kids’ club last cruise so the extra premium for that is not worth it for us. (She absolutely loved the pool and splash area on the Oasis – much better than what is on Disney.) The newer NCL and the bigger RCI ships are much better for older kids.

We also found the food underwhelming and were disappointed that Disney does not have a buffet dinner. Sometimes you just don’t feel like spending hours at dinner. The shows were good – one may have been very good - but how many times can you see the same shows?

Regarding a European/Alaskan itinerary – I think those are the worst value Disney cruises. They’re so port intensive that it just doesn’t make sense to pay a premium for what is basically a floating hotel. And honestly, the Disney itineraries are so boring. There's all the hoopla and build up waiting for the new itineraries to come out and then it's the same old, same old.

I still love Disney but would much rather get my fill at the parks and cruise other lines.

We are doing a Fantasy Very Merrytime cruise this coming November. Son is 6.
At age 7 we have- Summer '17 UK/Iceland MSC cruise (DCL was almost double the price for similar itinerary). I booked the Wonder for 7night Mexican Riviera 10/17. In your opinion, even taking into consideration the refurbishments, do you recommend the Oasis for that age? I keep going back and forth.

 

[LSUfan4444]

For me, it's the service. Royal Caribbean has some ships I actually prefer more than DCL, but the service is not even comparable. No, I won't sail DCL every time but when I do it's because of the service.

In regards to dining room food, it's basically gone downhill across the board. My mind was set after my lest week cruise on DCL last year that we just won't do the MDR every night. The requirement it takes for time just isn't worth it. The food is not that much better than cabanas to give up our entire evening.

 

[kimberwee]

Had you ever cruised before this? If not, it sounds like cruising is just not your thing. I, like you, much prefer the parks, because I like to have fun on vacation. A cruise vacation, even via DCL, is more about relaxation than fun or excitement. Some people prefer that. They also love the kids clubs, because they can not have to chaperone their kids for a while. I prefer fun, but I still enjoyed our DCL cruise, because relaxation is nice, too. I hated most of the food, though. Was quite done after three nights for that reason alone.

Would still like to cruise DCL again in a few years because we likes being on the water, my son loved the pool slide, characters & Castaway Cay, and I liked the old fashioned ocean liner style of the ship. I like that it looks & feels like a ship, rather than a floating mall or casino.

Yes, we've cruised before and loved it. Hoped that DCL would be our new home away from home...It just wasn't a good experience.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Also, a note towards RC...we sailed the Liberty of the Seas and it is an amazing ship. Alot of the benefits of Allure/Oasis but a tad smaller (not much) and sailing out of Galveston you can find some really good deals. Here is a little video I made from out February trip if interested.

 

[Ofinn]

I am sorry your cruise did not live up to your expectations. Like you we love Disney and for the most part, love cruises. We’ve been on the Fantasy twice and Magic once. Please do NOT go on the Magic if you did not like the Fantasy. If you’re comparing Oasis then the Magic will surely disappoint. Quite honestly we were so bored on the Magic. If we didn’t spend so much time on line waiting for character photos, I don’t know what we would have done. (We are ONLY going on the Magic again because we love the itinerary, love sailing out of NYC and we got a super good deal.)

I agree with the age break. My daughter is turning 7 and our upcoming Disney cruise will likely be our last. She’s pretty much outgrown the princess thing. She had a bad experience in the kids’ club last cruise so the extra premium for that is not worth it for us. (She absolutely loved the pool and splash area on the Oasis – much better than what is on Disney.) The newer NCL and the bigger RCI ships are much better for older kids.

We also found the food underwhelming and were disappointed that Disney does not have a buffet dinner. Sometimes you just don’t feel like spending hours at dinner. The shows were good – one may have been very good - but how many times can you see the same shows?

Regarding a European/Alaskan itinerary – I think those are the worst value Disney cruises. They’re so port intensive that it just doesn’t make sense to pay a premium for what is basically a floating hotel. And honestly, the Disney itineraries are so boring. There's all the hoopla and build up waiting for the new itineraries to come out and then it's the same old, same old.

I still love Disney but would much rather get my fill at the parks and cruise other lines.

What super good deal out of NYC? Lol. I agree with you on the boring itinerarys. We got a good discount on the Iceland cruise. I booked the wbta for next year. There is no way Im going over a year without a cruise, but I cant find anything on dcl that interests me. Everything is the same old thing. I was bored to death on our last Caribbean cruise. Ive pretty much decided its time to give another cruise line a try. I need some new ports, and new ship. We'll continue to sail dcl, but only when the price and itinerary are right for us.

 

[Ofinn]

Also, a note towards RC...we sailed the Liberty of the Seas and it is an amazing ship. Alot of the benefits of Allure/Oasis but a tad smaller (not much) and sailing out of Galveston you can find some really good deals. Here is a little video I made from out February trip if interested.

Cute video. The ship looks fun. I cant believe your daughter actually had room to swim in the pool. So different then the kid soup pool on dcl.