NYTimes Travel Writer on DCL

[TestingH2O]

I don't see this posted elsewhere.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/travel/disney-cruise-magic-bahamas.html

I have to admit that I don't understand why you would do DCL with the expectation that Disney isn't really your thing. But, it sounds like a pretty good trip overall and much more realistic than some of the other reviews I read. Perhaps people who read it won't go in expecting so much perfection but still excellent service and a great time for kids who ARE Disney fans.

 

[MUN]

Thanks for posting. I have a hard time believing his small family didn't have enough storage room for a 4-day cruise. They over packed.

 

[mkh531]

I’m surprised that someone who travels so much did such poor advance planning. Bibbidi Bobbidi on Castaway day? Sitting in the room to watch movies? I wonder If the trip was paid for and if they normally have a live in sitter, because the awesomeness of the kids clubs and the value for the premium price are something Disney does very very well, but there wasn’t much about it.

 

[arlopop]

I’m surprised that someone who travels so much did such poor advance planning. Bibbidi Bobbidi on Castaway day? Sitting in the room to watch movies? I wonder If the trip was paid for and if they normally have a live in sitter, because the awesomeness of the kids clubs and the value for the premium price are something Disney does very very well, but there wasn’t much about it.

Well the writer did say they had never cruised before so the opportunity to compare the relative merits of Disney‘s kids’ clubs and premium value wasn’t available to him

 

[lucky1]

Kind of giving him the benefit of the doubt. Not knowing about DCL and not having cruised before, they didn't know something, such as
being able to put their luggage under the bed. Honestly our first DCL in 1999, I put our 2 large suitcases in the closet, not until I read the boards here on the DIS, that you could lift up the edge of your bed and slide your suitcases under. Next Given that his daughter was coming off the flu or cold, they probably needed more down time and why they spent their sailaway in the room. Scheduling BBB on Castaway day, rookie mistake, I have seen others doing this, but if they want to have this opportunity for their daughter, it might have been the only time left to book.
He sounds like someone who likes to complain from what I reading if one of the first statements was the ice cream was not working. Hopefully he doesn't go on another cruise line, because I hear their Upsells are much worse

 

[YawningDodo]

Given that he wasn't interested in cruising or in Disney...tbh it doesn't sound like he had that bad of a time of it. Some of the problems seem self-inflicted, and I'm not sure what bar he's been in that doesn't keep trying to sell him more booze (wouldn't even consider that an upsell, myself), but it's all quite understandable if one remembers that not everyone obsessively preplans their Disney vacations for months or years in advance.

What's funny is that my tablemate at dinner in January wasn't at all a Disney fan, but he seemed to have a wonderful time on the ship (he was there to visit a crew member). His approach seemed to boil down to "chill out and do next to nothing" on sea days and "go ashore and have a really good lunch" on port days, and it seemed to really work for him. Maybe not feeling obligated to partake in everything on offer regardless of whether one is personally interested is a happier approach.

 

[starvenger]

My general feeling is that travel writers don’t really like cruises or tours in general, preferring to go to a destination and search out the “authentic” things about that place.

So I kind of enjoyed the fact that he five-holed the cruise like a travel rookie.

 

[YawningDodo]

My general feeling is that travel writers don’t really like cruises or tours in general, preferring to go to a destination and search out the “authentic” things about that place.

So I kind of enjoyed the fact that he five-holed the cruise like a travel rookie.

Hahh, yeah, actually -- I bet he thought that a cruise was such a pre-made vacation that it didn't require forethought at all. And heck, cruises and tours are certainly simpler than designing your whole trip yourself, but there are still choices to be made...pirate costumes to prepare in advance so you don't shell out $90 to dress up your kid onboard....

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Or telling your kid NO.

 

[GPaLarry]

For some reason I can't get the link above to open. However, I did read the article elsewhere on the internet.
Some of the errors were mentioned above. I heard him say, when the article started, that there were five restaurants on the ship...later he whittled it down to four. If he was talking about the rotational eating spots, there are only three. But then, again, he was surprised to see Mickey heads on a few items, including the smoke stacks. Too bad he didn't find sport in finding hidden Mickeys. His tone at the beginning seemed very pessimistic, almost like I want this cruise to fail. However, by the end he might have turned around a couple of degrees. I would love to know if his daughter, every once in a while, asks to go back to the "Mickey boat." Perhaps DCL, for this guy, is an acquired taste. First DCL cruise for us was in 2008, an EBPC. I didn't know what to expect, so, in my head, I thought it might be an extension of a Disney park...it looks like fun. Seven DCL cruises later I can't wait for the next adventure with the sea mouse.

 

[TestingH2O]

I heard him say, when the article started, that there were five restaurants on the ship...

I initially thought this was a mistake, but I think he meant 3 MDR, Cabana's, and Palo. Though if he's counting that way, you'd think he would also count the quick serve spots.

 

[MomOTwins]

His crummy attitude all around really left a sour taste in my mouth: it seems as though he was either making obviously poor choices (even for a cruise novice) and griping about them, or displaying a grossly inflated sense of privilege and entitlement.

Example No. 1: He says he bought the vacation protection plan, but then proceeded to travel to miami and board the boat even though his daughter had a fever and cough (and as a parent, he shouldn't have been surprised when his wife came down with it the next day). I thought the ability to reschedule a trip due to illness is what that plan is for!

Example No. 2: On the first day, instead of taking advantage of the many onboard entertainment offerings and free lunch on the ship, or, at least, spending time with his family, he wanders off solo into Key West for a "mediocre Cuban lunch." Why on earth would anyone think that leaving your family for an unplanned, aimless excursion and random meal alone is a good idea on A FAMILY VACATION.

Example No. 3: His eye-rolling at a fellow guest who didn't know much about whiskey at a whiskey tasting (is he really that surprised that a class to LEARN about whiskey might include some novices?). So mean.

Example No. 4: His complaint that his daughter had a small sofa bed when the verandah on his neighboring stateroom was much longer. To begin with, I am guessing that his neighbor had one of the oversize veranda rooms that is actually smaller inside, so his sense of injustice at the thought that his stateroom might be unfairly small is misplaced. But more to the point, does he seriously think that Disney has a bunch of randomly sized staterooms for the same price and he got screwed over with a bad room? If he participated AT ALL in booking the room it would immediately be obvious there are different layouts, with different average price points.

It seemed like his takeaway was that the cruise was stressful and awful, but seeing his wife and daughter happy made it not horrible. But since the stress and awfulness was all of his own making, it was hard to sympathize.

 

[starvenger]

Hahh, yeah, actually -- I bet he thought that a cruise was such a pre-made vacation that it didn't require forethought at all. And heck, cruises and tours are certainly simpler than designing your whole trip yourself, but there are still choices to be made...

It's probably that. But not having read this writer before, I can't be certain that his gimmick is to take the trips with as little preparation/research as possible. Which is probably contrary to the majority of people on this board.

 

[MaleficentRN]

He started off with a complaint and tried to find more things to complain about the entire time. How does a travel writer not know where to get a decent, if not great, lunch in Key West and how is that the cruise lines fault? And what does his neighbors having a hard time falling asleep have to do with anything? He goes on and on with a sanctimonious tone that makes him sound like a real joy to travel with.

 

[justafigment27]

I actually thought it was a pretty good review and honest account of his experience. I expected something scathing, but it sounds like a pretty spot on description of what a Disney cruise would be like for an adult who really isn’t a Disney fan but went on a Disney cruise because he thought it would be fun for his kids. It sounds like he is a definitely a one and done guy, but that he had a decent time and that his daughter really enjoyed herself.

As far as the luggage, I believe his observation was that, unlike a hotel, there was no space where you could set up your suitcase and live out of it for the duration. He is writing from the perspective of someone who has never cruised before ... a cruiseline stateroom is much smaller than a hotel room and takes some adjusting.

 

[cadien]

For New York, he's actually pretty positive and balanced.

We're taking our first DCL cruise next month (finally!) and none of us our particularly Disney people, so I recognize some of his trepidation about all the Mouse, all the time, coming from either myself or my husband.

 

[Jess_S]

My takeaway was that he had fun in spite of himself. The first line of the review (and title) make it sound like he had a bad time, but then the rest of the review is surprisingly positive. The princess makeover before the beach is definitely a head-scratch-er though.

I think if we remember that we are in the minority of travelers who do research before showing up somewhere, then his just show up approach results in a review that is a more honest account of what a first time DCL cruiser would experience.

 

[TestingH2O]

For New York, he's actually pretty positive and balanced.

So true. I remember traveling with my friend from NY and she said something along the lines of "if you don't say good morning to the coffee people they get offended that you are being rude." Having grown up in the South I wanted to say "well, yeah, that is sort of the polite thing to do..." I love New York, but there is definitely a different pace to life.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Even without research, surely most people can maybe guess that "makeover" before "beach" with a child is a bad plan? Maybe?

I mean, when we did BBB at WDW, we did it pre-Halloween Party, so she'd get 6 hours out of it. The hair made it into the next day and even through the pool, but I took it out the next night.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

that article smells a bit of some NYT editors saying "hey, let's send Dan on a Disney cruise, he'll probably write something snarky." Looks like the wife and kid had fun at least, and he was won over a bit.