Live From The Magic 9/18!!!!

[wdw47]

Jan and dave good to hear you and everyone else on the Magic had a nice cruise and are safe we have wondered if the cruise lines did anything for cruises interupted by hurricanes hope you enjoyed the swan and Dolphin we will email you latter Eileen and Mike

 

[glindamood]

We got home late last night, safe and sound. I have no issues with the Dolphin or how it was handled. I can not imagine 2000+ people being processed at once - part of the wait was done on the bus as we sat about half an hour until we got to the front of the bus line and they had our luggage off. Once inside the Dolphin we had our luggage stored and our room keys in less than 10 minutes. From what I could tell they could only unload 2 buses at a time - which made the wait long. I figure we would have waited somewhere - either in the hotel waiting for a checkin or on the bus and at least on the bus we could sit down. Since just my DH and I travelled this is the opinion of 2 50 somethings - still can't imagine checking in all those people.

Our original flights (booked with frequent flier miles) were on NorthWest scheduled to leave Saturday evening at 7:20PM. They called my cell phone (never rang and I didn't check messages) but when I called Saturday morning they got us on a flight out of Panama City through Memphis (this leg ended up being 1st class). We rented a vehicle and drove to Panama City - not what my plans had been for the day but I am home and even have 2 suitcases unpacked with both the washer and dryer going.

It was great meeting everyone - and I missed meeting some of you. Hope you all make it home and have a smooth transaition back to reality. I am still rocking but it is a little reminder of where I have been.

Please be safe everyone - those still trying to get home and those in the path of Jeanne.

Gail

 

[JanDave]

Hello Everyone -- Live from St. Petersburg!!!

We left WDW Dolphin Sat. AM and headed to Tampa Airport hoping to get on a flight today. Airport is closed and we are on a 12:30 pm Monday flight to Detroit.

I can't say enough about DCL's arrangements to transport us to the Dolphin, complementary beautiful room, breakfast, then transportation to the airport. We shared a ride with 2 couples to Tampa airport yesterday. We are staynig at a Radisson in St. Pete. The weather has not affected us other than staying inside this beautiful hotel.

We had a wonderful week on the Magic. Met lots of DISers. Hope all arrived home safely.

Will report further after our arrival in Detroit.

Jan

 

[Hygiene99]

Thanks Again Jan And Dave and We will Let Annmarie

Know that All is Well With You...

 

[mommasita]

Hi, just got in at 6pm tonight.

We left the Swan on Saturday, and went to our already reserved Best Western Movieland, called airline, after airline, and nothing was working with the airports closing.

We did not know what to do, so we rented a mini-van, since we were 7 people, with a baby as well. We drove from 3pm Saturday until this morning (sun), to newark airport, and the airline I work for got us on a 1:15 flight out of there, to Toronto, and then a 4pm flight from Toronto home.

So, it certainly an eventful week. I have honestly never been so tired in my life. I have not slept since 5Am saturday, and that after arriving at the Swan at 1:30 am.

I just have to say that meeting Jan at the Cove Cave was a thrill. Great family.

In my honest opinion, we were treated better than expected. To deal with the thousands of people in the middle of the night to get us all to our hotel, and then breakfast, and transportation the next morning, was very very classy. We were a party of 11 people in all. And we were all impressed. Even being as exhausted as we were, we appreciated everything being done for us.

To also add my comments about the 50% percent off, I think it is fantastic!!! I thought all we would get would be possibly some type of stateroom credit. We did have the worst waves, and rockiness of any of the three cruises, that we have been on. And 8 out of our 11 were quite ill, this is what we take into account going in hurricane season.

I just feel we are lucky to be home safe and sound, and praying for anyone in harms way.

By the way, we had three cat 5's side by side, and on Friday night as we were waiting, and waiting, and waiting, for the all clear to start disembarking, we all were singing, with our letters in our hands. We'll be back Baby, we'll be back.

Once again, this is simply my opinion, and if my wording, is off, it is not due to drinking (last week maybe), it is simple exhaustion.


Take care all,

Sherrie

 

[Scotsman]

Does anyone know what, if any, restrictions are on our 50% discount?
Can we book any cat. or just the same cat. we were in?

I'm thinking SUITE baby

 

[westjones]

We just got back late last night or early this morning (depending on how you look at it).

We were also impressed with how well DCL handled getting us all in the Dolphin. I was wondering how in the world the Dolphin even had enough rooms open for all of us at the last minute. Does anyone know?

DH said he thought he saw something about a convention that weekend, and maybe they had to cancel the convention (and that was how the rooms were open).

Does anyone know?

I was sick on the ship from the evening after leaving St. Thomas until Friday morning, and so were others in our party. At least our last day we got to enjoy the ship without feeling sick.

We survived the hurricane at the Poly at WDW (we were already booked there because we had wanted to visit WDW after the cruise).

My family has cruise this exact week for the past 5 years (it is our twin DD's birthday week) and we never experienced anything like this, and we had never missed CC until now. If my DDs were not going to Middle School next year, I would book this week again (at 50% off it is quite a deal!), but starting in 2005 we have to go on vacation during school breaks (too hard to miss middle school classes).

Now if next September is like this one, THEN I would say I would never cruise in September again.

DJ

 

[Mjasp]

Hey am I crazy or did the thread "Setting the message straight on the Magic" thread disappear? If so , Why? No one was getting nasty, they were only different opinions.

 

[qofhearts]

Dolphin had so many rooms because they are one of the biggest hotels in the US. One of the Disney Cruise employees told me that it was last minute call, they were stuffing room envelopes up to when we got there.

Hey I heard a rumor that some people didn't make it to the Dolphin until 3am due to limited buses. Anyone know if that was true?

I have to disagree with their handling of the Dolphin, we had no problems and I thought it went pretty smoothly for how many people were there. We had our room by 11:30, no standing in line.

My only complaint was I wish bfast the next morning would have been until 11 am not 10 am since everyone got in so late.

 

[jrp]

I think it is so cool that DCL put everyone up at the Dolphin /Swan after the shortened cruise.. As everyone has stated before they did not have to do this at all. The DCL is learning as it is all about the customer and that is exactly what you are to them and they are in the business to make money, if they were not there would be no Disney.. Don't fault them for what they are having to face through the Hurricaines. The Disney Corporation is doing what they feel is fair to you the customer who have spent good money for services rendered. They want your repeat buissiness and hopefully you will continue to support them in the future, They are good people and the CM's have shown thier fortitude over and over again in stressful situations.. God Bless America.:thewave:
James-DVC since 2001

 

[TexasGirl]

Originally posted by Scotsman
Does anyone know what, if any, restrictions are on our 50% discount?
Can we book any cat. or just the same cat. we were in?

I'm thinking SUITE baby

I'm very curious what the terms are too. As soon as someone gets the scoop, please post.

 

[Scotsman]

Well I got the scoop today. We booked a cat 3 one bedroom suite, with concierge of course, for HALF PRICE


By the way we were cat 9 when we recieved the discount.:thewave:

 

[westjones]

Originally posted by Scotsman
Well I got the scoop today. We booked a cat 3 one bedroom suite, with concierge of course, for HALF PRICE


By the way we were cat 9 when we recieved the discount.:thewave:

Are we able to 'book' without the letter? I thought we had to wait 3 weeks to get the information. It would be nice to be able to go ahead and do it sooner before prices start to rise.
DJ

 

[Scotsman]

Yes. Disney told me to book and pay the deposit and I should get the letter before the balance is due and if not they will make some Disney Magic to straighten it out!

 

[sharlon]

We were on the 9/18 sailing as well. (DH and my 4th cruise, 1st Disney, and DDs' 1st cruise). All I can say is WOW! I am a Disney nut, and I did expect more since it is Disney, but I was really impressed. Of course Disney does everything a little bit better than everyone else. I do have to admit that I was not as impressed with the food as I was on both Princess and the now defunct Dolphin. The buffet was terribly disappointing.

3/4 of my family was sick on Thursday, but we just looked at it as a rest day. My DH, who was not sick, did enjoy standing at the very front of deck 10 on Thursday. He said it was very cool, like being in the eye of the storm. We were really disappointed at not going to CC, but we'll get to do that next time.

As far as Disney being so accomodating, I can't say enough. We drove down and should have gone back via I-95. We ended up driving out of our way to stay at the Dolphin Friday night and then stopped to see my DH's grandmother in S. Georgia. I thought check-in was amazingly easy once you got inside the building. And to top it off, we were on a Club level. We are still scratching our heads with regards to the 50% discount. I thought at most we would receive a small shipboard credit. Afterall we missed one port and 12 hours on the ship. Big deal. I chose to sail this time of year, so to be honest I wasn't expecting smooth sailings. That show of concern by DCL guaranteed that we will sail again.

Sorry we didn't get to meet many of you on Saturday. Our two girls were glued to the pool and couldn't be torn away. Glad to hear everyone had a great time.

 

[tracyl921]

Originally posted by sharlon

My DH, who was not sick, did enjoy standing at the very front of deck 10 on Thursday. He said it was very cool, like being in the eye of the storm.

So that was your DH. My mom and sister tried to make it out where he was but they couldn't make it with all that wind!

 

[westjones]

Scotsman,
Thank you SOOOOO much for letting us know that you can use the discount after you have a reservation. We have had a reservation for a December Christmas cruise (I made it back in 2002) and the price is more than double now. I thought that I would have to take the discount off of the CURRENT price of a cruise (so 50% of this cruise wouldn't help at all). I called DCL and they looked at my Christmas reservation and said that YES I could use the discount for that cruise! COOL!

This is really good because after this past cruise DH decided he was ready to take a break from DCL. I am looking at 2006 cruises (skipping 2005).

I really appreciate you letting us know! I never imagined I could use it for my current reservations, and didn't think to call and check myself. I can't wait to tell DH when get gets home tonight!!!

DJ