Magic to The Med Report VERY LONG

[AuntyBrat]

AuntyBrat, thank you for your review. Hopefully, DCL will work out the kinks.

I would like to say that I am amazed at the number of posters flaming you for your INDIVIDUAL experiences and PERSONAL perceptions of your trip. I appreciate your candor.

Thanks to all of you for your support on my review. I know that some people on the first WB Panama cruise got flamed for bad experiences they had by those who thought the cruise was perfect. I believe that the whole idea of reviews is to point out what went well and what didn't. That way you have an idea of what to expect and can plan accordingly. I know when I read reviews by people who claim everything was awful and/or everything was perfect are not as helpful as the ones who give you THEIR perceptions of what they enjoyed and what they didn't. The reason I pointed out the items I did is because they were such a variance from the standard we had experienced on our previous Disney cruises. Hence the term YMMV....if you had a great stateroom host/hostess I don't think you would complain about dirty towels being rehung. If you hadn't had much better food on previous cruises, you probably wouldn't have thought it was not up to standards. There were somethings that were just great and some things that were not. Look at how much the criticism of the West Bound Panama Repo resolved issues and made the East Bound Repo darn near perfect (at least in MY opinion). Would I take this cruise again? You bet, in fact I was pricing out doing the WB Repo to bring it back, but I want to bring my daughter and it totally conflicts with the first two weeks of school. So I will go back, hopefully with DCL, and enjoy the ports again.

Oh, and I am NOT canceling my WB PC repo....I am already counting down to that!!!

 

[disneymom7851]

You have got to be kidding. Would you have Disboarders also performing all the shows, leading all the games, cooking, serving, cleaning, etc.

Maybe your expectations were a little too high. The only positive comment you made was about Shutters. surely there was something else that was worth it.

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

I just want to say that I spoke up and said the cruise was wonderful FOR ME because I was starting to see posts where people were grateful they were not on it. I did not want our cruise to get the reputation for being the cruise from he--. Of course everyone has a different opinion and this is the forum to post these opinions. No cruiser is the same, and no cruise experience is ever the same, not even for people in the same cabin--I had more fun than my husband, but he chose to work.

I really am defending the cruise, because I loved it, loved the crews staff and our server and host--all worked SO hard on those long sea days and I cried to leave them. They magnigfied their jobs. I don't want anyone to feel relieved about not going on the cruise or worry about their next cruise. DCL does a good job. They exceeded our expectations.

As for Laura, she is a very nice person, and I enjoyed the few times I spoke with her. I am so sorry she was disappointed and did not have the magical experience most of us had.

 

[DMMarla07860]

after reading all the reviews both negative and great, I still wish I was on that cruise, but work got in the way

 

[hopemax]

They were only adding it on to the med cruises not the transatlantic. They were changing the menus in the bars to reflect this when we got off our cruise. I think DCL were covering the extra tax in the ports for our cruise as they didn't want to upset people by changing the rules in the middle of the cruise. I can't remember how much they said the extra tax was going to be but it was being added from last Saturday so I'm sure someone will post shortly to let people know the exact amount.

I am assuming this is due to the cruise being entirely within the European Union. I noticed in the stateroom book that for the Med cruises the onboard stores also have to include the VAT, and there were instructions on how US citizens can get it back. Something we didn't have to worry about either.

 

[Empress Room]

At breakfast of our last morning, we were all discussing our surveys and even Alan with 9 Disney cruises under his belt, said this was the first time he did not give excellent marks across the board and actually give many poor marks or wrote in that they needed a level lower than poor. We are currently already booked for the WB Panama Canal cruise for 2008 and rebooked on board, before things got worse and worse. However, we are seriously reconsidering this in the face of this cruise and how bad it was. I am waiting to hear from our friend to see what happened with the contract renewals for herself and other cast members. If they were not renewed, we will probably cancel everything, because the writing is on the wall that DCL is going into the toilet.

. Would I take this cruise again? You bet, in
fact I was pricing out doing the WB Repo to bring it back, but I want to bring my daughter and it totally conflicts with the first two weeks of school. So I will go back, hopefully with DCL, and enjoy the ports again.

Oh, and I am NOT canceling my WB PC repo....I am already counting down to that!!!

AuntyBrat,

I must say, I am pretty curious concerning your change of heart with respect to your original trip report. Your original trip report was quite critical, and, as noted above, you and your traveling party felt that many categories warranted a "poor" on the survey, that things got "worse and worse," and that you were likely to cancel your next DCL cruise because "DCL is going into the toilet."

Suddenly, however, your most recent post appears as close to a complete 180 as possible: you indicate that you will cruise DCL again and are "already counting down to that!!!" What is the reason behind your most recent thinking? Did you believe that, upon reflection, you were too harsh with your original criticisms? Was the cruise actually better than your original review (or at least attributable to circumstances beyond DCL's control - e.g. the weather and rough seas) - or was it simply to deflect a portion of the criticism you received from other posters? The sudden change of opinion between and among these posts takes away a substantial portion of their impact, IMHO.

I am curious since I have often considered 14-day DCL cruises in general and the repositioning ones in particular and my own experience on nine previous DCL cruises (with some of the same CMs you mention) has been nothing short of memorable and spectacular. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

I risk speaking for Laura, but perhaps the negatives and difficulties did not outweigh the positives. There were just so many positives. Laura?

 

[cruisinluver]

I am wondering why people feel the need to dismiss a negative review and make the OP feel that she has done something wrong by posting about it. If people have their own reviews perhaps they ought to post their own review threads about their trip. And I really don't understand how anyone who wasn't even on the cruise can say how the trip was for another person.

It is a shame that the DCL cheerleaders feel the need to devalue someone's personal feelings and perceptions about the OP's trip.

 

[kaseyC]

I am wondering why people feel the need to dismiss a negative review and make the OP feel that she has done something wrong by posting about it. If people have their own reviews perhaps they ought to post their own review threads about their trip. And I really don't understand how anyone who wasn't even on the cruise can say how the trip was for another person.

It is a shame that the DCL cheerleaders feel the need to devalue someone's personal feelings and perceptions about the OP's trip.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the way of the Dis lately. If you don't drink the kool-aid, you better watch out because you are going to flamed.

I cannot understand how anyone can attack anothers personal trip report!!

 

[lillygator]

sometimes it seems many cannot handle negative views of Disney in general....but everyone has a DIFFERENT cruise experience. Our last cruise was 12/06 and after reading several of my DIS mates trip reports, they seemed to be on a different cruise all together. Some were DCL issues, some could not be helped.

I think those who search out and review their vacations have a bit of a higher expectation, especially when it comes to DCL - as many of you repeat cruisers know, it is normally a terrific experience. I think AuntyBrat simply wanted everyone to know that not every time you go to guest services, or anyone or department for that matter, will they know the answer or bend over backwards to be helpful.

I know myself we have three fantastic cruises under our belt....were there negatives? Sure, but just like AB, we are continuing to cruise DCL for now because the good outweighs the bad.

 

[Disney Lover Linda]

I can explain this one. In the Med they are adding tax on to alcohol so the bar tenders were expecting tips to fall because people wont be giving extra on top of the 15% grat because they know that there is also this extra tax making the prices higher anyway. Hope this makes sense?

Another reason my be that the CM's thought more Europeans would be cruising and from everything I've read about Spain, France & Italy they tip at a much lower % there. The quide books they Europeans feel American overtip.

 

[LiserAnn]

Suddenly, however, your most recent post appears as close to a complete 180 as possible: you indicate that you will cruise DCL again and are "already counting down to that!!!" What is the reason behind your most recent thinking?

It's not always about the cruise...sometimes it's about the people and she knows that her friends on the WB would be so disappointed that she didn't come....and there's such a great group of us sailing on the WB how could she not go?! (just adding some humor to what's becoming a hot thread)...........

 

[ssnyder]

I am wondering why people feel the need to dismiss a negative review and make the OP feel that she has done something wrong by posting about it. If people have their own reviews perhaps they ought to post their own review threads about their trip. And I really don't understand how anyone who wasn't even on the cruise can say how the trip was for another person.

It is a shame that the DCL cheerleaders feel the need to devalue someone's personal feelings and perceptions about the OP's trip.

I don't think any of Laura's fellow cruisers were "dismissing" her negative points. We were certainly concerned that she had some negative experiences. And BTW, she is not "the OP" to us. She is our friend. I dined with her, played games with her, laughed with her, and cruised with her for 14 days. But that is only a small part of our relationship. We spent several months chatting before the cruise, worried along with her over her friend's passport, felt her frustration during the school play that she was doing costumes for, enjoyed her funny stories. When we said that we were so sorry that she didn't have as good an experience as we did, we really meant that we were sorry.

Laura - you are a wonderful, funny, and resourceful person. I look forward to sailing with you again on the WB PC. And I'm especially glad to hear that you are looking forward to it.

 

[katypop]

Unfortunately, this seems to be the way of the Dis lately. If you don't drink the kool-aid, you better watch out because you are going to flamed.

I cannot understand how anyone can attack anothers personal trip report!!

It's not always about the cruise...sometimes it's about the people and she knows that her friends on the WB would be so disappointed that she didn't come....and there's such a great group of us sailing on the WB how could she not go?! (just adding some humor to what's becoming a hot thread)...........

Yes, I'm glad you're still joining us on the WB Auntybrat, I'm looking forward to meeting you I have never taken a cruise, DCL or other, and really appreciated your honesty.Reports like yours help me to put everything into perspective, I think that sometimes if you wish for perfection, you can be dissappointed in even the little things that can and do go wrong on any vacation. I'm sorry that everything wasn't perfect, but thank you for reporting the good and the bad. I can hardly wait until next May
Kathe

 

[Tink rules]

The OP's TR simply tells what she experience. Others may have had a different experience.

Disney isn't perfect - although most of us think they are darn close.

Everyonce in a while, they blink and don't plan things out very well - I'm sure this happens at events and vacations at WDW as well... But the only way they will learn and fix it is if someone speaks up. I let them know if something has happened on any of my trips - both good and bad.

The problem is... Disney set the standards high. They do this with the quality of their products - from entertainment to hospitality.

& sometimes when there is a bump in the system - it shows.

I'm sure that they have taken notes and if they do this again - and they will... they will learn.

 

[AuntyBrat]

AuntyBrat,

I must say, I am pretty curious concerning your change of heart with respect to your original trip report. Your original trip report was quite critical, and, as noted above, you and your traveling party felt that many categories warranted a "poor" on the survey, that things got "worse and worse," and that you were likely to cancel your next DCL cruise because "DCL is going into the toilet."

Suddenly, however, your most recent post appears as close to a complete 180 as possible: you indicate that you will cruise DCL again and are "already counting down to that!!!" What is the reason behind your most recent thinking? Did you believe that, upon reflection, you were too harsh with your original criticisms? Was the cruise actually better than your original review (or at least attributable to circumstances beyond DCL's control - e.g. the weather and rough seas) - or was it simply to deflect a portion of the criticism you received from other posters? The sudden change of opinion between and among these posts takes away a substantial portion of their impact, IMHO.

I am curious since I have often considered 14-day DCL cruises in general and the repositioning ones in particular and my own experience on nine previous DCL cruises (with some of the same CMs you mention) has been nothing short of memorable and spectacular. Thanks for your thoughts.

I risk speaking for Laura, but perhaps the negatives and difficulties did not outweigh the positives. There were just so many positives. Laura?

First of all, I stand by my original review and thoughts. I was very disappointed in some areas, and if I experience the same thing on my next Disney cruise, I will be disappointed again. I have drafted a letter to Tom McAlpin with my observations and it goes in the snail mail tomorrow. I am looking forward to the other reviews from the Med cruises and the WB TransAtlantic to see if some of the issues got resolved. It is partly why I am keeping my WB PC cruise and have not canceled it. If we had gone based only on the first WB Repo PC cruise we would have run to the hills and canceled our EB Repo cruise, but we had faith based on other Disney experiences (both good and horrifically bad) that:

1 - When Disney blows it, then tend to fix it, because they do not want to hear about it again. They want to hear how much better or awesome it was.

2 - Disney doesn't usually make the same mistakes twice.

With that being said, time will tell if the issues get fixed or if they continue.

As for your comments on the great CMs I mentioned by name, I mentioned them because they were great. The one's that were not great, I did not mention by name. I have their names and will provide them to DCL if asked.

And while everyone has noted the negatives, very few have mentioned the Wows and the good. They are at the top and the first things I mentioned.

As for the weather being out of DCL control, my only comment on the weather was what appeared to be the foolishness of holding the postponed deck party outdoors with the howling wind and cloud bursts instead of moving it inside. No where in my review did I say I disliked the cruise due to the weather.

DeeAnn - You hit it on the head. The negatives and difficulties did not outweight how fabulous the ports themselves were. It is the reason that we are looking forward to the PC Repo cruise.

However, if reviews from the Disboards and other locations show that things are not getting fixed or that DCL is trying to lower our expectations and still charge a premium price, I will simply vote with my dollar and shop somewhere else. Just like ALL of us do for lots of things we buy. Remember DCL is a business selling a product and services. There is a reason they ask for your comments at the end of the cruise.

 

[woody73]

We had numerous issues with our EB Panama Canal Cruise in August of 2005. . .

We did as well, particularly with our servers.

Woody

 

[rikimuk]

Could you explain teh "loss of tips (due to the extra tax). I was under the impression that tips would be the same as a usual cruise.


According to the bar staff we spoke to because of the number of stops, only 50% capacity on the boat and the added tax on alcohol once in the med people were not either using the bar or tipping extra on top of the standard that is already on the bill. Most of them rely on the tips to bump up their wages and thats now not happening. On the transatlantic crossing the bad weather was to blame for the pool staff loosing money. I must say the bars were empty most of the time I was there apart from the last night (Im not including Rockin Bar D just sessions and diversions).

Lindsay

 

[rikimuk]

I don't recall seeing that on my bar reciepts in any of the ports. I generally order the drink of the day or a drink off of the menu, which were usually $4.95 plus the 15% tip. I did not see any additional tax, but perhaps that is something that started after our cruise ended and they were only in the Med?

Yes they were at the start of the cruise going to add it half way through our trip but I believe they relented for fear of an unproar. The new tax was then added for the people who got on the boat in Barcellona as we got off. It will be interesting to see if its still on the prices when we return in August!

Lindsay

 

[rikimuk]

I just want to say that I spoke up and said the cruise was wonderful FOR ME because I was starting to see posts where people were grateful they were not on it. I did not want our cruise to get the reputation for being the cruise from he--. Of course everyone has a different opinion and this is the forum to post these opinions. No cruiser is the same, and no cruise experience is ever the same, not even for people in the same cabin--I had more fun than my husband, but he chose to work.

I really am defending the cruise, because I loved it, loved the crews staff and our server and host--all worked SO hard on those long sea days and I cried to leave them. They magnigfied their jobs. I don't want anyone to feel relieved about not going on the cruise or worry about their next cruise. DCL does a good job. They exceeded our expectations.

As for Laura, she is a very nice person, and I enjoyed the few times I spoke with her. I am so sorry she was disappointed and did not have the magical experience most of us had.

I totally agree. I only spoke up because this seemed to be a very negative view forming about the cruise and for alot of us it wasnt like that.

I loved the cruise (cant you guess) but my husband hated it. Not because of bad service but he was bored (dont ask me how thats possible when there is so much to do but hes a man). Everyones opinion and experience is different but I didnt want the people who were not there to read this thread and think we all hated it when not everyone felt that way.

Lindsay