Name three things that did NOT live up the hype?

[mattmommy]

I thought the food was excellent on my last cruise 7/1/06. The beef tenderloin-yum. I just wish the food was hotter. The sit down breakfast was bordering on cold and the pancakes tasted like the frozen ones I use when in a pinch. Nothing like a great diner pancake.

I think you should go in with expectations of relaxing and hey, if it's good, that's a bonus.

I would like to have a room ninja (although phenominal and never missing a beat) speak some English.

 

[tvguy]

1) The lack of a system for disembarkation.

2) Late seating shows before dinner.

3) No hours for those under 18 in the fitness center.

 

[FINCANTIERI]

IYHO, what three things on your cruise{s} did NOT live up to the pre-cruise hype?

These are from my DD 13 years old.

1. Pinochio's pizzeria closed too early.
2. Disney Quest hours were limited.
3. Teen club is for 13 yo 17 year olds. Splitting them up would have made it easier to meet kids the same age.

Overall sge gives it a 10!

 

[MouseFaninQueue]

Well I kinda liked the food on the cruise.

1) Early closing of the kids club. IT seemed like some of the "adult" entertainment was just getting started when my pager would ring for me to go and pick up my daughters. By the time you did the shows and dinner and got to the event you were heading to, there wasn't much time left.

2) Better information for pictures. We saw lots of "situations" in Shutters we would have liked to get a picture of us, but we didn't know they existed. Mind you we spent a good deal of $$ as is, perhaps less pics of us was actually better

3) Disney Magical Express actually picking you up sooner and getting you to the port a little sooner. We ended up standing around at our hotel (CBR) because we had to leave our room and wait for the "get together time" at Port Royale. This was tough with young kids in tow. Then we get to teh ship, rushed through the security, up into the line and onto the ship. Rush over to lunch and then we are basically rushed out of the lunch area to get ready for Sail Away. Felt like we sat around waiting forever at the hotel and then went into a constant state of rush. would have been nice if the bus could have picked us up at least by the time we had to vacate our room so the kids wouldn't have to sit and watch others playing in the pool while we waited for the bus.

 

[NZMUM]

3) Disney Magical Express actually picking you up sooner and getting you to the port a little sooner. We ended up standing around at our hotel (CBR) because we had to leave our room and wait for the "get together time" at Port Royale. This was tough with young kids in tow. Then we get to teh ship, rushed through the security, up into the line and onto the ship. Rush over to lunch and then we are basically rushed out of the lunch area to get ready for Sail Away. Felt like we sat around waiting forever at the hotel and then went into a constant state of rush. would have been nice if the bus could have picked us up at least by the time we had to vacate our room so the kids wouldn't have to sit and watch others playing in the pool while we waited for the bus.

ITA with that!

We were at CBR. Awake early, hanging around until the meet time. Then we finally board the bus & have to go & pick up some others at another resort. Got there and ended up waiting for about 20 minutes because one of their party wasn't ready. We should've left them behind, everyone else managed to make it on time. We arrived around 2pm, checked in, rushed to lunch & then to the drill. Not what I was expecting on our first cruise.

2. Getting paged every 5 minutes (seemed like it), on the last night to remind us to return the pager. My kids were still in the clubs. What would they have done if we'd returned it when they first paged and left them there .

3. The kids 'graduation' was a little disappointing. Couldn't see dd or ds on stage and there weren't shown on the screens.

But really these are small annoyances over the whole cruise. Didn't spoil our time at all. Can't wait to go again.

 

[woody73]

1. Reception for Castaway Club members.
2. Cheese plate from room service.
3. Smoking allowed on jogging deck.

Woody

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I really hate to list things like this because it sounds like complaining and these things were really very "minor" to us and everything else was wonderful! But, since you asked...

I'd have to agree with
---Getting paged every 5 minutes (seemed like it), on the last night to remind us to return the pager. My kids were still in the clubs. What would they have done if we'd returned it when they first paged and left them there .

DITTO THAT!

---The kids 'graduation' was a little disappointing. Couldn't see dd or ds on stage and there weren't shown on the screens.

Ditto that also. The only time we saw them was for the time of a blink of an eye walking up the steps- once they were up there we couldn't see them at all. Both my children (age 8 and 5) were put behind other people that completely blocked them- couldn't see them at all... and my husband says he saw one of them on the blue screen for a split second but I missed it somehow. (he said our child was in the background and my eye must have been caught by someone in front in the picture for the split second it was up there, and didn't have time to look in the background to see my kid)
Not a huge thing, but we just know we won't be wasting time participating in this next time... I really would have thought LITTLE 5yr olds wouldn't be standing up with taller children in front of them but what do I know... (it didn't seem very organized at all- just groups of kids going up there put in the order they went up there, even if it meant the taller kids in front completely blocking tons of kids behind them)

and lastly, one that I guess really couldn't be helped but still was a "hype" that ended up a disappointment:
---double dip cruise and NEITHER visit to Castaway cay was the post office open! The first time I think it was because it was a Sunday and the 2nd visit was because it was a holiday. 2 visits there and neither one were we able to visit the post office.

 

[LindaBabe]

Split bathrooms - seems like whatever I needed was always in "the other one" and they're both too small for a pooh-sized woman.

 

[AlexandNessa]

1. Concierge service
2. The "huge" verandah (huge means long, but not at all deep)
3. Animator's Palate (I just didn't find the "show" to be that spectacular).

 

[Lindy Loo]

We enjoyed the cruise but were dissapointed with the following

The size of the pools, just far to crowded to be safe for my DD4, IMHO.

The lack of shopping opputunity onboard.

The "Show" in AP... it was hyped up on here, and was just OK when we saw it.

The pirate night party was just the same as the sail away. Noisey and crowded. The fireworks were good.

NO steel band!!! Why not we are in the carribean ?

Alot of the food ( particualry puddings,) looked great but tasted of nothing ?

As I said we did enjoy the cruise,and we cruise again in Oct. After that in 2008 we will try the Freedom or the Seas or the Liberty. Mainly for the H20 area, the rock climbing wall, ice rink, shopping, and spec resturants.

 

[plutospup]

1. Animators Pallete "show"...nice, but certainly did not live up to the hype.
2. Dining Room staff...some of them are not excellent.
3. Steel Drum band is as much a staple on a Caribbean cruise as food! Bring back the steel drums, please!

 

[surprise07]

1. The food
2. The noise in the restaurants. It sounds like a cafeteria, silverware clinky galore.
3. The last night, everything closes up.

Does the kids club close on the last night? That is the night I have my Palo Res. and was counting on the kids club.

 

[mmouse37]

Well I kinda liked the food on the cruise.

3) Disney Magical Express actually picking you up sooner and getting you to the port a little sooner. We ended up standing around at our hotel (CBR) because we had to leave our room and wait for the "get together time" at Port Royale. This was tough with young kids in tow. Then we get to teh ship, rushed through the security, up into the line and onto the ship. Rush over to lunch and then we are basically rushed out of the lunch area to get ready for Sail Away. Felt like we sat around waiting forever at the hotel and then went into a constant state of rush. would have been nice if the bus could have picked us up at least by the time we had to vacate our room so the kids wouldn't have to sit and watch others playing in the pool while we waited for the bus.

Not to nit pic but Magical Express is not the correct term.....the service you took was DCL transfers....there is a huge difference and I just don't want people to get confused and think that ME runs service to the port and back...because it does not.

ME is a complimentary service that Disney provides from the airport to the resort hotels (if you are a guest) and back to the airport. ME DOES NOT RUN TO THE PORT OR BACK FROM THE PORT It is completely different than the DCL bus transfers that you have to pay for to get to the port. Granted...sometimes if they run out of DCL buses they will borrow buses with the ME logo on it to transfer passengers to the port...but it is still considered DCL transfers and not the complimentary service.

And I do agree that they should start the DCL transfers earlier to get you to the port earlier...

 

[kamgen]

1. AP show- they could have done much more with this. The "colors' are not all that impressive or detailed.

2. Cookies BBQ- it is okay, but nothing to get worked up IMO. And the seating area always seemed crowded and messy

That is all I can think of that gets hyped up. There are some things I dont care for on DCL, but overall I love the cruise and the good things far outweigh the bad. Cannot wait to go back!!!

 

[smarttm]

1. The food
2. The Pirate Party. Kind of cool but not great. Fireworks are great though.
3. Serivce not great in dinning room
4. Split Bathroom-Would be better if one big one
5. Room (Cat6) was smaller than expected.
6. Show in Animators was cool, but not awesome as described.
7. Noise in dinning room.
8. Length of time dinner took (2 hours)

Really great things
1. Heated and fresh water pools
2. Free soda and bring your own liquor.
3. Capt. Jack Sparrow
4.Disembarkation-No one does it better or faster.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Having been on the DIS boards a long time before I ever cruised on DCL, I knew that it would be wise not to let my expectations get too out of control.

Therefore, some of the things that MIGHT have been a letdown weren't: The AP Show, the Cheese Platter, etc. I also found I LOVED things as much as people talked about ...I'm one who thought the split bathroom was one of the best things design-wise about the cabins.

I'd still have liked to get a server like one hears about on here... Now conversely, our Head Server was very hard-working and always nearby. I don't want to say we got really bad service...just not like people talk about on here.

The Navigators. Very hard to read. (I think this has been discussed and many prefer the old way...which I never saw but bet I WOULD have preferred).

 

[vpalmer]

The "show" in Animator's Palate. I was expecting more and was a bit disappointed. That is the only thing I can think of that was not in line with my expectations.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

In my five cruises, the thing that I have always found so hyped that is a let down to me is (alright, prepare to flog me here......) Disney Dreams on the last night.

Yeah, so we get to see all the characters, but the story is kind of silly and quite frankly dull. Even my Daughter got bored last time (of course, she was only three then, and everything that wasn't playing was boring!). The most exciting moment is when Tinkerbell flys over the Magic. Cool because it is a neat effect, and also because it is at the end. The dance parties also didn't do it for me. We always watch the ship sail with a nice fru fru drink from Deck 9 Aft.

Oh oh oh! We thought that Rasul Mud bath (or whatever it is called) thing at the spa was a waste. We spent most of the time laughing at all hints at 'whoopie' that I'd seen on this board and wondering how it was remotely comfortable with all the hard surfaces. Seems like if that is what you are after, you could save your money and use the room (or balcony if you have one!). We also joked about whether or not that place was scrubbed down between people just in case, as well as it being advertised for up to THREE people in there at once.

Things that *DID* live up to the hype for me? Palo Chocolate Soufle and pretty much Palo in general, The Vista Spa other than the Mud Bath, and the Service. In five cruises we've never had a bad dining server or Room steward.

 

[MA DVCer]

1. The Oceaneer's Club. Neither our 10 yr old DS or 8 year old DD spent much time in them. We expected they would never want to leave the clubs but that wasn't the case. Our somewhat shy 8 yr old DD thought the kids club's were too crowded/noisy. She might have enjoyed it more if she was able to make friends easier or went with family. Our 10 yr old DS thought the clubs were too restrictive. He enjoyed Ocean Quest more, where you had more free time to do whatever you choose. We expected more adult free time.

2. Not enough Caribbean music. We enjoyed the native music on Royal Caribbean years back. Agree with earlier posts - too much line dancing music. If I heard YMCA one more time I think I would have jumped overboard.

3. Our DS complained pools were too small and crowded. He was kicked too many times. We fortunately spent too port days on the ship and enjoyed some quiet pool time and multiple trips down the Mickey slide.

 

[ScouterJT]

2. The noise in the restaurants. It sounds like a cafeteria, silverware clinky galore.

I'm so glad to hear others mention this -- I thought we just had a bad table location, but in each of the restaurants, I really felt like it was noisy.