Poll: On the heels of the casino thread, a question about DCL nighttime activities...

[3monkeys4me]

Perhaps naively, I thought DCL was the only line with lifeguards at the pools? Am I wrong or has that changed?

Royal has lifeguards, and have for the last few years at least.

 

[ludari]

When I cruise I typically don't spend much time sleeping although I do take the occasion nap depending on the length of the cruise. I'm up around 6AM and in bed by midnight or 1AM. I would be nice if there where some additional entertainment provided for those who want to stay up late but if they don't I always find something to do anyway. I may do laundry, take pictures of ship areas without having to worry about other passengers being in my photos, sit in a comfy chair and read, do a few miles walking around the ship and I've even stayed up late once to watch the crew clean some of the common areas/decks.

 

[otten]

A problem created by our overly-litigious society. They shouldn't have to keep lifeguards at the pools. Parents should be the lifeguards for their children. Personal responsibility seems to be a thing of the past.

It's not just parents of kids. A surprising number of adults drown in pools too.

 

[mcd2745]

It's not just parents of kids. A surprising number of adults drown in pools too.

Still goes back to personal responsibility. We're talking about some pretty small pools on cruise ships. If anyone drowns, it's almost definitely not the cruise line's fault. It's most likely their own fault, or simply a tragic accident of some sort. But that can't be anymore..for sure, someone will find a lawyer to blame and sue the cruise line anyway.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Still goes back to personal responsibility. We're talking about some pretty small pools on cruise ships. If anyone drowns, it's almost definitely not the cruise line's fault. It's most likely their own fault, or simply a tragic accident of some sort. But that can't be anymore..for sure, someone will find a lawyer to blame and sue the cruise line anyway.

The question you have to ask when stating whether it's the cruise line's fault or not isn't whether the person did something that was their own fault, but rather, whether having a life guard on duty would have changed the outcome. If the answer is yes, then the cruise line would be at fault if not providing one.

 

[mcd2745]

The question you have to ask when stating whether it's the cruise line's fault or not isn't whether the person did something that was their own fault, but rather, whether having a life guard on duty would have changed the outcome. If the answer is yes, then the cruise line would be at fault if not providing one.

So by that logic, if someone leaped off their balcony, the cruise line would be liable because they didn't have someone such as security guard - who could have possibly changed the outcome - stationed on every balcony. Where does it end?

 

[FigmentSpark]

So by that logic, if someone leaped off their balcony, the cruise line would be liable because they didn't have someone such as security guard - who could have possibly changed the outcome - stationed on every balcony. Where does it end?

They have cameras. They know they'd have liability for not having a watchful eye or making it impossible for someone to leap to their deaths.

 

[Amunet]

Okay, back to the activities discussion.

I agree a bit more activities at night would be nice but not just things that are the 'typical' adult activities. Someone earlier brought up movies at night with PJs, that would be AWESOME! I think the kids get it but it would be awesome for adults as well (free cup of popcorn, hot chocolate).
I think they used to have a chocolate buffet at night, or on other cruise lines, but that would be really fun too. Mario Kart Adult Only tournaments ...

Edited to add: Also, tea time for adults would be awesome. My first cruise had afternoon tea in Palo and it was awesome. Since Palo is crazy popular now, maybe have it in the Enchanted Garden?

 

[DisneyConvert]

. . . and I've even stayed up late once to watch the crew clean some of the common areas/decks.

And I thought I was the only one . . . plus they will even talk to me and listen to my jokes and rambling observations (my wife won't do that)!

But getting back to the topic, we usually like the late mini-show that gets done in Fathoms/Azure or D-Lounge or Evolution/The Tube after the 2nd Dining, which is typically a reprise or a preview of a show that an entertainer might do in the WDT, but for adults.

What I would really like, and would get me to check something in my Navigator App, is a comedy show that's a bit more "edgy". Not sure that's possible on Disney, although we loved a guy named Heath Hyche on the EBTA many years ago.

 

[mcd2745]

Obviously a small sample size in the grand scheme of things, however 2 out of every 3 people saying they need more nighttime activities is pretty significant, statistically speaking. While I doubt DCL will ever add much of anything in the way of activities, one could always "Wish"...

 

[SG131]

Even though I'm usually a night owl, thanks to all the Dramamine I was asleep by 10:30 every night on the cruise!

 

[MomOTwins]

My kid’s normal bedtime is 8:30. We pushed it past 9:00 for the shows on our cruise. While I’m sure my husband and I would have loved to grab a drink or hit the pool, there’s no in-room baby sitting on board. So once she hits the hay, we’re stuck in our room

You can take turns going out. That's what DH and I do.

I do think the staffing issues are real too. DCL CMs work VERY long days and need to sleep. Adding a night crew just for the guests that are night owls would be very expensive.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

Thought I would ask a separate, but somewhat related question regarding nighttime entertainment/activities. I definitely think they need more.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I enjoy early mornings on the ship much more than late nights. I get up early most mornings to run and just enjoy the quiet of the ship. They already have a late movie in the Buena Vista theater every night and if you have ever gone to the drink station after that movie, you would see that is the time they are normally cleaning the decks up there, so it wouldn't be possible to keep the pools open or show a Funnel Vision movie while doing that.

 

[longboard55]

We just finished the Bermuda cruise, they always had late night activities for adults. Mostly game type things, but they were a lot of fun. They also had a fantastic piano player in the high end bar. The issue is most people are already in bed

 

[MrsDuck]

I voted don't care because I'm in bed before 10.

It seems as if they have a lot of nighttime activities, though!

 

[Drfate102]

I kind of think of the crew. There are only so many of them and they work 7 days a week for a few months at a time. Let them sleep.

 

[longboard55]

They do have late night funnel vision movies, most people are still in bed by then

 

[mcd2745]

They do have late night funnel vision movies, most people are still in bed by then

The only time I believe they do, is on Pirate night, they may show one of the POTC movies. Otherwise, the last funnel vision movie usually starts 8-9pm.

Below is a link to a recent Navigator from the Fantasy (courtesy of Scott's DCL blog site) . I think it perfectly illustrates a typical night and the lack of activities. The show in the Tube ends around 11pm. There is no late move on Funnel Vision. The last movie in BV theater starts 10:45. Why not push it back to 11:15 or 11:30 so that people leaving the show in the Tube could catch it? Same goes for the game show in D lounge. Most nights it's an either/or proposition. Outside of staying in the Tube for dancing, there is nothing else. However, Vibe, Edge and even Oceaneer Lab still have activities scheduled!

https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp...-Fantasy-7N-Western-Day-2-At-Sea-20190901.pdf

 

[DisneyConvert]

. . . However, Vibe, Edge and even Oceaneer Lab still have activities scheduled!

Ditto that. On our last few cruises, our teenage son would be roaming the decks, ordering room service from the Promenade Lounge (where they made "couch-cushion-fortresses"), testing the soft-serve ice cream machines, and occasionally learning when the sun came up during the summer mornings in the Northern Latitudes with his Vibe friends. All good, safe fun as long as no one got hurt and he didn't wake us when he came in to bed.

Interestingly, he's now going to college with one of the young women whom he "Vibed" with 4 years ago!

 

[ej119]

My DH and I just completed our fifth cruise and we are among those who have no kids (and have no plans to have kids). We really enjoy wine and cocktails, so the later evening live music offerings in the lounges have suited our needs and have been some of our favorite experiences. But I have to echo other sentiments that there is great room for improvement. While we are typically in bed on the cruise by 11 or 11:30pm, midnight seems to be the cut off point for any activities we would want to do. I would love to be able to do a pool/hot tub dip under the stars.

It would be great if they catered extra late-night activities for those cruises where adults vastly outnumber kids (i.e. Panama Canal, Transatlantic, off-season). It was great to play in the kids clubs during the day as an adult during a WBPC, but even though there were only 300 kids on board, all the evening activities still concluded by 11:30 or 12:00am. This might be a fun time to do some type of all night movie marathon, walking tour, or other activity for adults.