Need help with Wonder Castaway Cay stats

[Lloyd Dobler]

I'm falling a bit behind on my Castaway Cay stats. I'm up to date for the year on the Magic, but I'm missing several Wonder cruises. I'm hoping for some help. If you sailed on any of the following Wonder cruises, please respond and let me know if you were successful docking at Castaway Cay. (Note that the date refers to the embarkation date, not the date that the ship would call at CC)

Thanks in advance!

Lloyd


Wonder cruises I don't have info for (all in 2005):

1/13 (3 day)
1/20 (3)
2/17 (3)
2/20 (4)
3/20 (4)
4/21 (3)
5/1 (4)
5/19 (3)
5/22 (4)
5/26 (3)
5/29 (4)
6/2 (3)
6/9 (3)
6/12 (4)
6/16 (3)

 

[JanDave]

Lloyd: I was on the 6/16 Wonder and we made it to CC. Great day! Jan

 

[lunsusie]

Lloyd,

We sailed on the 3/20/2005 Wonder and docked successfully at Castaway Cay. It was a beautiful day!

 

[HeelMD]

Is it common for the ship not to be able to dock there?

 

[KAMommy]

We were on the 5/29 Wonder and made it to CC - It was WONDERFUL!!!

 

[The LK 4]

I was on the 6/12 Wonder and we had fantastic weather at CC!

 

[Rence]

Is it common for the ship not to be able to dock there?

Nope, not common, that is why the stats are gathered. Everyone talks about the few times that it was unable to dock. Because these relatively rare events get talked up a lot, it leaves the impression that it happens all the time.

 

[kevlois]

We were on the 6/9 Wonder. Cloudy everyone had a great time at CC

 

[mamalle]

wonder 2/6-2/10/05 made it to CC

 

[Brittwoman]

5/1/05 Wonder docked at CC with no problems

 

[LK03]

The 5/22/05 Wonder docked at CC!

HTH

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Thanks to all who have responded. There were a lot of empty rows in my spreadsheet and I like to have as complete numbers as I can.

HeelMD, Rence is essentially correct as to why I'm compiling these stats. From time to time, the ship will not be able to dock at Castaway Cay. Now, I'm not trying to tell anyone how to feel about having this happen to them. I'm sure it's very, very disappointing. I'm fortunate in that it's never happened on any of my cruises. What I do take issue with is when people post, ostensibly to "inform" the rest of us, comments to the effect that the ship hardly ever makes it and there's some big cover-up or scam going on. Now, I recognize that this is mostly just people blowing off steam, and that's understandable, but I'd hate to have someone see that and make a decision about cruising based on it. It also runs counter to my experience, both as a passenger and based on what I've read in trip reports. It seemed to me that the ship almost always does make it.

As a result, I decided to see if my impression was backed up by facts. So I've trolled through the trip reports board and compiled numbers for how often the ships have been able to dock and how often they miss. The reality is that the ships make it about 95% of the time. I've now been able to account for almost 50% of all DCL cruises, and about 75% of the cruises since 2002, and the numbers are pretty consistent at 95%.

In other words, if the Wonder sails 104 times a year, it's likely to successfully dock 99 times. If the Magic sails 52 times a year, it's likely to dock 49 times.

 

[Jestocost]

What I do take issue with is when people post, ostensibly to "inform" the rest of us, comments to the effect that the ship hardly ever makes it and there's some big cover-up or scam going on.

Unfortunately, there still will be people who won't let facts get in the way of a good argument, though.

You've done a great job with this database. Many thanks from those of us who are "analytically inclined!"

 

[jrabbit]

Lies, Damm Lies and Statistics!!!

But you know since I'm a fairly honest person and accept things at face value (because I'm Naïve) I don't know how you can skew the numbers to say anything other than the ships dock at CC about 148 out of 156 times per year (in other words only about 8 sailing per year miss out on CC).

Headline.....
"DCL is screws 20,0200 people EVERY year because their ships frequently can't make it to Castaway Cay"

or better yet...
"DCL Gyps passengers out of 150,000 hours of their cruise!!!

and the article that goes with it...
Today passengers of DCL brought a class action suit against Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World and the Disney Company. The passengers argued that DCL's ships frequently miss the Castaway Cay port of call, thereby defrauding them of thousands of hours of pleasure time on the beaches of the island. Since DCL heavly promotes CC as a scheduled stop(subject to change) on their 3, 4 and 7 night cruises, and that the said marketing constitutes a binding contract that DCL stop there on EVERY cruise regardless of weather or sea conditions without thought for passenger, crew and the ships safty. And that the cruise contract that states that ports of call can be changed without notice that every passenger signs BEFORE boarding the ship is hereby null and void.

They demanded that DCL reimburse all passengers of any cruise that missed CC with a full refund of their cruise fare, give them a free cruise of 7 nights if they were on a 3 or 4 night cruise and for the 7 night cruise passengers a 10 or 14 night cruise in the future, in the Walt or Roy suits. They also demanded that they receive a weeks vacation at WDW staying in: the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, or Beach and Yacht Clubs in a concierge level room. Additionally they demanded that Ty Pennington and crew come and give them an Extreme Home Makeover.

For the cruises that actually made it to CC, the irate passengers demand that DCL refund 50% of all past cruise fares that the passengers have paid for and give them 50% off any future cruises (up to the number of cruises that they've already taken on DCL), along with complementry upgrade to cat 1, 2 and 3 rooms regarless of category booked.

The spokesman for the group said that the only reason people sail with DCL is because of Castaway Cay. He said that he's seen the ad's and have heard really great things about the island from the fortunate few that have actually set foot on the island. He also stated that his groups demands are very reasonable considering how much stress everyone is under throughout the cruise wondering and worrying if they will actually make it to CC. It's even driven some folks to drink!! "It's really nerve racking waiting for the day to come to see if the ship will dock on the island. Up to that point all DCL gives you is some food, a place to take a quick nap, a "song and dance" and some goofy looking characters appear out of nowhere and create bottlenecks around the ship. They even keep stringing you along about CC. There is a show about how they are getting the island ready for us to arrive even though they know that frequently we don't get to stop there"

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Lets hope that it doesn't happen!!

 

[Jsme]

Normally when DCL decides against docking it has to do with your safety. I guess people will sue for anything. We have been lucky and have been able to dock for each of our cruises. The last cruise we were told they did not know if the island would be restored by the time we were to dock. This was due to two hurricanes hitting last year, but we were able to. Disney does it's best to dock at CC. I know if the time comes we can not dock I will be sorely disappointed. Cc is an awesome island. I am keeping my figures crossed that we can dock on our next cruise because we are going without the children and are looking forward to SB.