Just back from 1st Disney Cruise...My Thoughts (Solo traveler)

[TheRealDrDisney]

Closest we've had to cutting meat was when the server removed my wife's lobster tail from the shell.
As for servers acting like they are your friends, they are just pumping you for that increased tip.
We are ATM's to them, nothing more. Instead of putting in a card and PIN, they put in a smile and friendly conversation.

 

[BruinEd03]

Normally, I would agree with you, but I did try one night to say no thank you, but my Asst. Server insisted. At that point, I just gave up; and, as I said, my table mates (who are my friends) did not think it was weird. I thought I was in the minority until I posted here. I honestly thought it was a weird Disney quirk.

My friend at work and I were discussing this, and she decided to google this topic; she said she found somewhere that this is a DCL policy—to cut the meat for ALL the passengers (children and adults). Maybe it is a new policy? I don’t know. It was my first and possibly last DCL Cruise, so I am not the expert. I can only speak to my experiences.

Just got off the Magic today. Our servers did not ask to cut our meat and I did not see any other servers cutting anyone else's meat. This was in the second (later) dining. I would be very surprised if it is a policy. It would make a lot of people (me included) uncomfortable. Heck I would feel awkward if they even asked to do this.

 

[Starwind]

One of the aspects we like on the DCL cruise is the adult areas have only adults in them. My sisters went on NCL and Princess and the adult areas allowed children. Has anyone else experienced children in the adult areas - either DCL or other lines?

we've only saile dDCL and every cruise (8 now) have experienced some children in the adult area who were not just passing through. And CMs did not enforce that it was an adult area.

The worst was probably during sail away near satellite falls and the front of the ship in that area. A number of parents brought their kids with them to sit on the loungers or stand at the railing to watch the ship sail away from the very front of the ship.

SW

 

[cruisehopeful]

Thanks for the review. We still do DCL as adults only, but I wanted to suggest that you may like Princess. We did a weekend Princess cruise and it was excellent for adults. If both Disney and Princess were at my home port, I'd probably take Princess. We just have Disney (which is wonderful), so we still take Disney weekend cruises.

 

[Starwind]

Merrytime Magic
There were plenty of Christmas decorations spread throughout the ship including a large Christmas tree and "gingerbread" house in the lobby. I use the term "gingerbread" because it was not a real gingerbread house nor did they even bother to pipe in gingerbread smells, but it was awfully cute...especially if you got up close enough to look at the details. But, the Christmas decorations were not as over-the-top as I had expected. They were actually rather subdued and tended to be trees, wreaths, and garlands mostly along with characters in Christmas attire.

But it is a gingerbread house in the style of the other ships and the resorts: gingerbread "bricks" adhered to a structured backing.

See https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...s-sixth-annual-gingerbread-house-competition/

It is unfortunate you couldn't smell the gingerbread.... on our recent sailing in the Dream and our previous Merrytime cruises on both the Dream and Fantasy, walking anywhere within a dozen or more feet of the gingerbread house and you could definitely smell the gingerbread. We would go hang out by it sometimes just to smell it

SW

 

[MickeyD]

The worst was probably during sail away near satellite falls and the front of the ship in that area. A number of parents brought their kids with them to sit on the loungers or stand at the railing to watch the ship sail away from the very front of the ship.

If I am remembering correctly they are allowed up on decks 12 and 13 during sailaway only.

We have sailed nine times with DCL, with four of those being adult only cruises. I agree that children are seen in the adult only areas more times than just "passing through." Part of that is with the Dream class poor design, but partly because of some people's entitled attitude. I usually see the CM's go over and politely remind them of the adult only area. I have sailed other lines and will say I see more "infractions" on them, however, I see less kids on other lines (especially Celebrity). I still appreciate Disney's special touches (minus the meat cutting, that would be awkward!), and I don't mind the little ones as long as they aren't screaming. LOL