Our experience on Fantasy Dec 26-Jan 2

[freshmanjs]

Overall, we had a great cruise. We were in Concierge. A few things that might be useful for others:

Arrival / Boarding
- We drove to terminal. Covid testing was done in the parking deck. It was stressful to wait. Took about 40 minutes to get the all clear. After a mini-celebration, we went straight in and had a very quick trip through security and to the concierge lounge to wait
- We were refreshing the embarkation page in the safe passage app to get our status. Cell reception for AT&T is not good in the garage, so that wasn't ideal, but it worked well enough

On board
-We were told by senior crew member that there were about 2100 people on board, which is about 45% capacity. They said there were a lot of late cancellations and also 400 people turned away at the port due to positive covid tests
- Cabanas had limited selections, but was well run and quick
- Having the staff serve everything at buffets is a little awkward, but much much cleaner and less chaotic
- Flo's area had 1 line for all stations. You can order any item from any window. You have to ask for all condiments, no self service
- Cold drink station was self serve. Hot drinks were served by crew
- Palo and Remy were operating normally. At Palo, we got printed menus (this was the only place where we did)
- Masks were required indoors but not outdoors
- Movies and shows filled up early because they are using about 1/3 of capacity. Every other row is kept empty and 3 seats are left open between groups
- They will not seat a partial group at the WD theater. You can easily wait for everyone to arrive or you can sit separately. Other venues (movies and bingo for example) would allow part of the group to arrive early and save seats for the rest
- For movies, arriving 15 min before start time seemed to be sufficient for the movies we saw. Eternals and West Side Story were the most crowded
- Crew was awesome all around. They have very tough conditions. We talked to several who have not been allowed to leave the ship (other than to work at Castaway Cay) for 7 months!
- As you probably know, we were not allowed to leave the ship at St. Thomas. We stayed in port for an hour or 2 and then left for a surprise sea day. The crew did a great job of adding new activities and making the best of it. We got a $200 credit per room and a 20% discount on a future cruise

Concierge
- Crazy expensive, but wow, what a great experience
- Concierge lounge and sundeck are a great refuge from the craziness on board
- Staff is absolutely outstanding

Departure
-Express walk-off is awesome. We were among the first people off the ship once the all clear announcement was made at 7:10am. We were in our car by 7:25, at the airport at 8:10. Easily made our 10:25am flight
- We found that renting a car and parking at the terminal was a lot easier than dealing with the busses. Highly recommend this option. The cost ends up being pretty close to a wash.

Happy to answer any questions!

P.S. - Ask for the curry at dinner!

 

[RysMomma]

Thanks for sharing this! Looks like you had a great time!

 

[mzspaz]

Thank you for sharing your recent experience and helping to clear up a lot of rumors that are floating around. We are due to sail on the 1/22/22 sailing of the Fantasy in Concierge. Can you elaborate on what made it a great experience for you? We have already faced several disappointments due to excursions being canceled and I am hoping we are disappointed in a scaled back concierge experience.

 

[freshmanjs]

Thank you for sharing your recent experience and helping to clear up a lot of rumors that are floating around. We are due to sail on the 1/22/22 sailing of the Fantasy in Concierge. Can you elaborate on what made it a great experience for you? We have already faced several disappointments due to excursions being canceled and I am hoping we are disappointed in a scaled back concierge experience.

Concierge staff was amazing. The 3 concierges were Andy, Kenan, and Jose. The personalized service was really top notch.

We really enjoyed the concierge lounge and sun deck. Great oasis from the madness. Nice snacks and cocktails in a relaxed setting. The staff working the bar / snacks was great too.

Getting a cabana at Castaway Cay is a total game changer. Just absolutely awesome. Relaxing and quiet. This was our first time doing it. I think we will always do that if we are able to get one.

Our days were mostly: breakfast at cabanas, gym, some combo of movies, bingo, reading on sundeck. We had late dining, so we would go to the 6pm show, then cocktails in the concierge lounge, then dinner. We are not late night people, so by that point, we were ready to crash.

My favorite to be honest is sitting on deck 11 by the window with coffee from 7-8am. Almost no one around.

I can definitely see that for someone who really values the excursions, this might not be the time to do it.

 

[CastawayJoan]

Did you have a formal & semi formal night? And if so, which nights were those on?

 

[freshmanjs]

Did you have a formal & semi formal night? And if so, which nights were those on?

Yes. Formal was night 2, Monday Dec 27. Semi-Formal was NYE. Our cruise was unusual for the Fantasy in that it was a Sunday-Sunday 7 night sailing. Not sure if that changes anything.

 

[mzspaz]

Concierge staff was amazing. The 3 concierges were Andy, Kenan, and Jose. The personalized service was really top notch.

We really enjoyed the concierge lounge and sun deck. Great oasis from the madness. Nice snacks and cocktails in a relaxed setting. The staff working the bar / snacks was great too.

Getting a cabana at Castaway Cay is a total game changer. Just absolutely awesome. Relaxing and quiet. This was our first time doing it. I think we will always do that if we are able to get one.

Our days were mostly: breakfast at cabanas, gym, some combo of movies, bingo, reading on sundeck. We had late dining, so we would go to the 6pm show, then cocktails in the concierge lounge, then dinner. We are not late night people, so by that point, we were ready to crash.

My favorite to be honest is sitting on deck 11 by the window with coffee from 7-8am. Almost no one around.

I can definitely see that for someone who really values the excursions, this might not be the time to do it.

Thank you for the additional details. Sounds like a wonderful time. The oasis from the madness is what we enjoyed the most about concierge the last time we sailed. That and the room location (we like the higher deck) is the main reason we like concierge. Trying to keep an open mind about this adventure and hoping that the unexpected experiences make up for the disappointments of a canceled fishing trip that my husband was looking forward to and the scaled back Rainforest Room that I was looking forward to.

 

[Cheburashka]

We found that renting a car and parking at the terminal was a lot easier than dealing with the busses. Highly recommend this option. The cost ends up being pretty close to a wash.

Seriously? When I priced out the weekly rental car cost, it was always well over $600 minimum, even using a Costco discount. Which rental car company did you use?

 

[lilsonicfan]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

400 people turned away at the port!??! That's ... 20% of the sailing population? Seems insane!

 

[freshmanjs]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

400 people turned away at the port!??! That's ... 20% of the sailing population? Seems insane!

I think it's about 16% (400 out of planned 2500). Still a lot. Of course, entire parties were turned away for 1 positive test, so it doesn't mean that 16% of people tested positive. Only that 16% of parties had at least 1 positive test.

 

[lorimay]

I think it's about 16% (400 out of planned 2500). Still a lot. Of course, entire parties were turned away for 1 positive test, so it doesn't mean that 16% of people tested positive. Only that 16% of parties had at least 1 positive test.

So we sail January 22 on The Magic, we are 9 total with 3 rooms we are linked together but have different reservation numbers, would we all be denied boarding if one of us tests positive?

 

[Max02215]

Overall, we had a great cruise. We were in Concierge. A few things that might be useful for others:

Arrival / Boarding
- We drove to terminal. Covid testing was done in the parking deck. It was stressful to wait. Took about 40 minutes to get the all clear. After a mini-celebration, we went straight in and had a very quick trip through security and to the concierge lounge to wait
- We were refreshing the embarkation page in the safe passage app to get our status. Cell reception for AT&T is not good in the garage, so that wasn't ideal, but it worked well enough

On board
-We were told by senior crew member that there were about 2100 people on board, which is about 45% capacity. They said there were a lot of late cancellations and also 400 people turned away at the port due to positive covid tests
- Cabanas had limited selections, but was well run and quick
- Having the staff serve everything at buffets is a little awkward, but much much cleaner and less chaotic
- Flo's area had 1 line for all stations. You can order any item from any window. You have to ask for all condiments, no self service
- Cold drink station was self serve. Hot drinks were served by crew
- Palo and Remy were operating normally. At Palo, we got printed menus (this was the only place where we did)
- Masks were required indoors but not outdoors
- Movies and shows filled up early because they are using about 1/3 of capacity. Every other row is kept empty and 3 seats are left open between groups
- They will not seat a partial group at the WD theater. You can easily wait for everyone to arrive or you can sit separately. Other venues (movies and bingo for example) would allow part of the group to arrive early and save seats for the rest
- For movies, arriving 15 min before start time seemed to be sufficient for the movies we saw. Eternals and West Side Story were the most crowded
- Crew was awesome all around. They have very tough conditions. We talked to several who have not been allowed to leave the ship (other than to work at Castaway Cay) for 7 months!
- As you probably know, we were not allowed to leave the ship at St. Thomas. We stayed in port for an hour or 2 and then left for a surprise sea day. The crew did a great job of adding new activities and making the best of it. We got a $200 credit per room and a 20% discount on a future cruise

Concierge
- Crazy expensive, but wow, what a great experience
- Concierge lounge and sundeck are a great refuge from the craziness on board
- Staff is absolutely outstanding

Departure
-Express walk-off is awesome. We were among the first people off the ship once the all clear announcement was made at 7:10am. We were in our car by 7:25, at the airport at 8:10. Easily made our 10:25am flight
- We found that renting a car and parking at the terminal was a lot easier than dealing with the busses. Highly recommend this option. The cost ends up being pretty close to a wash.

Happy to answer any questions!

P.S. - Ask for the curry at dinner!

Hi there- I'm glad you enjoyed your trip! Can you tell me a bit more about covid testing? for 1/22, we are traveling with 4 other families - should we all travel separately to the cruise terminal in case someone comes up positive? is there a holding area where you wait? we would be getting dropped off from a car service. thank

 

[freshmanjs]

Hi there- I'm glad you enjoyed your trip! Can you tell me a bit more about covid testing? for 1/22, we are traveling with 4 other families - should we all travel separately to the cruise terminal in case someone comes up positive? is there a holding area where you wait? we would be getting dropped off from a car service. thank

Hi - I only know the procedure for driving in a car that will be parked at the terminal. For that scenario, you get tested in your car in the garage. Then you move to a parking spot and wait for results. I'm really not sure what happens if the result is positive, but they definitely had a postive test area where they were sending cars.

I do not know how it works if you get dropped off or take the bus. Sorry about that.

My understanding is that any guests in the same stateroom or in linked staterooms to a positive test will not be allowed to board, regardless of arrival configuration. I believe if the rooms are not linked, then some families could board even if some were denied.

 

[Lynes88]

Sounds like it did not apply to you all, but was Vibe and Edge open this past week while you were there? Any discussion about the kids clubs etc.? Thanks

 

[kathi]

Sounds like it did not apply to you all, but was Vibe and Edge open this past week while you were there? Any discussion about the kids clubs etc.? Thanks

Vibe and Edge were closed for the last 2 days of the 12/ 19 cruise and the first 3 days of the 12/26 cruise. Opened back up but with reduced programming. The kids at least had a place to hang out.

 

[dwg]

Thank you for the trip report. I am glad that you had a good time. I am curious about the theater seating for the shows. You mentioned that every other row was empty and there were empty seats between groups. Does that mean that cast members escorted and seated each party to ensure that there were separation between parties? My BIL and SIL were on another cruise line and were supposed to be seated with space between parties but they seated themself and someone sat in the seat next to them. The cruise staff did not enforce the rules so they ended up leaving and not staying for the show. We are not concierge so not sure if your experience would be any different than ours in the theater but it sounds like Disney has the procedure down and was enforcing the rules.

 

[Freeman867]

Overall, we had a great cruise. We were in Concierge. A few things that might be useful for others:

Arrival / Boarding
- We drove to terminal. Covid testing was done in the parking deck. It was stressful to wait. Took about 40 minutes to get the all clear. After a mini-celebration, we went straight in and had a very quick trip through security and to the concierge lounge to wait
- We were refreshing the embarkation page in the safe passage app to get our status. Cell reception for AT&T is not good in the garage, so that wasn't ideal, but it worked well enough

On board
-We were told by senior crew member that there were about 2100 people on board, which is about 45% capacity. They said there were a lot of late cancellations and also 400 people turned away at the port due to positive covid tests
- Cabanas had limited selections, but was well run and quick
- Having the staff serve everything at buffets is a little awkward, but much much cleaner and less chaotic
- Flo's area had 1 line for all stations. You can order any item from any window. You have to ask for all condiments, no self service
- Cold drink station was self serve. Hot drinks were served by crew
- Palo and Remy were operating normally. At Palo, we got printed menus (this was the only place where we did)
- Masks were required indoors but not outdoors
- Movies and shows filled up early because they are using about 1/3 of capacity. Every other row is kept empty and 3 seats are left open between groups
- They will not seat a partial group at the WD theater. You can easily wait for everyone to arrive or you can sit separately. Other venues (movies and bingo for example) would allow part of the group to arrive early and save seats for the rest
- For movies, arriving 15 min before start time seemed to be sufficient for the movies we saw. Eternals and West Side Story were the most crowded
- Crew was awesome all around. They have very tough conditions. We talked to several who have not been allowed to leave the ship (other than to work at Castaway Cay) for 7 months!
- As you probably know, we were not allowed to leave the ship at St. Thomas. We stayed in port for an hour or 2 and then left for a surprise sea day. The crew did a great job of adding new activities and making the best of it. We got a $200 credit per room and a 20% discount on a future cruise

Concierge
- Crazy expensive, but wow, what a great experience
- Concierge lounge and sundeck are a great refuge from the craziness on board
- Staff is absolutely outstanding

Departure
-Express walk-off is awesome. We were among the first people off the ship once the all clear announcement was made at 7:10am. We were in our car by 7:25, at the airport at 8:10. Easily made our 10:25am flight
- We found that renting a car and parking at the terminal was a lot easier than dealing with the busses. Highly recommend this option. The cost ends up being pretty close to a wash.

Happy to answer any questions!

P.S. - Ask for the curry at dinner!

400 people turned away is a lot! Granted it's a relatively low percentage, but the sheer number is enough to make me worried about it being our luck we've completely avoided COVID for near 2 years and that day will be the first time we test positive. We'll be taking a PCR test for everyone in the family before we leave since our 2 kids under 5 need one anyways and they're free and quick in Colorado, and a rapid test the day before to confirm and put our minds at ease, but still, this is a lot of people to test positive.

 

[freshmanjs]

Thank you for the trip report. I am glad that you had a good time. I am curious about the theater seating for the shows. You mentioned that every other row was empty and there were empty seats between groups. Does that mean that cast members escorted and seated each party to ensure that there were separation between parties? My BIL and SIL were on another cruise line and were supposed to be seated with space between parties but they seated themself and someone sat in the seat next to them. The cruise staff did not enforce the rules so they ended up leaving and not staying for the show. We are not concierge so not sure if your experience would be any different than ours in the theater but it sounds like Disney has the procedure down and was enforcing the rules.

Yes, staff was seating all parties in the WD theater, telling everyone very explicitly where to sit. In the BV theater it was a bit less directive (you could mostly go where you wanted as long as you followed the rules), but they were still arranging folks and trying to get the max number in.

 

[DianaMB333]

Cool.. thanks for sharing!
Anything special for NYE? Would you recommend taking a Disney Cruise for that date?

 

[varkgirl]

Thank you for the trip report. I am glad that you had a good time. I am curious about the theater seating for the shows. You mentioned that every other row was empty and there were empty seats between groups. Does that mean that cast members escorted and seated each party to ensure that there were separation between parties? My BIL and SIL were on another cruise line and were supposed to be seated with space between parties but they seated themself and someone sat in the seat next to them. The cruise staff did not enforce the rules so they ended up leaving and not staying for the show. We are not concierge so not sure if your experience would be any different than ours in the theater but it sounds like Disney has the procedure down and was enforcing the rules.

On Fantasy 12/19-12/26, they seated us. Sometimes you had to wait a minute while they found a spot that your group would fit into with the needed spacing.