Repeat Recent Cruisers.......

[mariamard]

HI ALL! QUICK QUESTION.....I JUST RAN INTO AN OLD FRIEND LAST NIGHT WHO TOOK THE 7NT WESTERN IN JULY(I THINK). SHE HAS CRUISED DISNEY 3 TIMES NOW AND WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED ON THE CONDITION OF THE MAGIC. SHE SAID THE WALLS WERE DIRTY, RUGS STAINED, DOORS BANGED UP....SHE WENT ON AND ON...... ANYWAY, SHE REALLY IS NOT A WHINER AND SHE WHINED. I KNOW THAT THE SHIP WENT INTO DRYDOCK. DID IT HELP? ARE THE ROOMS FRESH AND CLEAN? IVE STAYED IN WDW NUMEROUS TIMES AND YOU COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON DISNEY FOR MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE THE ROOM YOU WERE STAYING IN , YOU WERE THE ONLY ONES TO EVER STAY THERE.

 

[markey]

I cruised in August, 1 month before dry dock and I don't have a clue what she is referring to. Also cruised on the Magic in 2001, and 2002. I saw no difference in the ship. In fact I thought to myself that after all the traffic the ship sees she is really in great shape. I also cruised on the Wonder when the ship was 1 year old and can see no wear and tear on the Magic. There was always someone cleaning or working when we were on board. I'm sure anyone can find a dirt spot on the wall or spill on the carpet until someone cleans it up.

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

We also cruised in August and did not see any of the conditions you described. They are almost fanatical about cleanliness on the ship. You will see people cleaning spots on the carpet with a toothbrush. I saw someone drop ice cream on the carpetted stairs and less than 1/2 hour later you could not tell where the spill was. I dropped a piece of paper in my hand from deck 10 and it fell down to deck 9. In the time it took me to go down the steps to retrieve it, a CM had already picked it up and disposed of it. There is maintenance going on all the time. When we were in port, they were painting the hull.

 

[mariamard]

ITS GOOD TO HEAR........LIKE I SAID, DISNEY TAKES CLEANLINESS TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. MY FRIEND HAD ME WORRIED CUZ SHE USUALLY DOESNT COMPLAIN........IS IT JANUARY YET?

 

[natdencro]

Unless your pal went around with a magnifying glass, Im not sure she would have spotted anything stained on board! Even the crew have cabin inspections once a week, and woe betide them if THEY have anything out of place or dirty in their cabins!

The ship was scrubbed from top to bottom in dry dock (daughter participated) and it's as shiny as a new pin!

Anyway, does your pal not have the odd "blemish" in her home? - I know I do, and I only have 3 people living in it - not 3,700 ! Nat x

 

[rae519]

I have sailed three times this year on the Magic - May, August and October (after dry dock). I thought things were fine. I never saw anything obviously dirty or even fingerprints on the glass!!! They never stop cleaning!!!

The only problem after dry dock was my own personal preferences since I didn't like the change from Off Beats to Diversions because it eliminated our favorite evening entertainment (Dueling Pianos) and I didn't like not having our stateroom (5622) in October since they were still working on Deck 5.

Still looking for the positive and good everywhere but taking the rose colored glasses off for a while!

Rae

 

[dclwdwlover]

I found the Wonder to be in this type of condition this trip. Just my opinion after sailing DCL twice before.

I wouldn't say that I never complain, but I always try to see the best of things on my vacations so that it is thoroughly enjoyable to me & to my family. I didn't discuss what I thought with my family even at this point, because I don't want to 'put a downer' on our trip, but I felt that the things that you described could be describing the Wonder at the present time. Hopefully it's dry dock spruces it back up.

 

[mariamard]

DCLWDWLOVER--IS THE MAGIC THE ONLY SHIP THAT DOES 7 NTS? I KNOW SHE DID THE 7 NT, SO IM NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE WONDER? RAE519-3 CRUISES THIS YEAR? YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO LUCKY!I WISH THAT THEY WOULD BRING THAT DUELING PIANOS BACK.... IT SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE USED TO HAVE A BLAST. WHAT WAS IT REPLACED WITH?

 

[rae519]

Off beats was the place that "Dueling Pianos" had since the inaugral cruise - it was THEIR domain and for only a short period of time Fidelio was one of the entertainers along with an ever changing second pianist.

Offbeats was changed to a sports bar called "Diversions" which is fine, except now there is no "Dueling Piano" venue AND no talent show (which the pianists of DP hosted).

There was a sports bar, ESPN, that wasn't used often - so that was converted to a teen club since the teen club was changed to a coffee bar for adults only.

What I liked best about Dueling Pianos was that they would play all rock and roll requests - it was AUDIENCE participation that made it so wonderful along with the incredible talent of Fidelio and most recently, an Aussie "hottie" named Anton. These guys were phenomenal on the keyboard, and on reading their audience and giving them what they wanted for entertainment.

It was the Family show that both my 74 year old Mom and 8 year old son enjoyed the most - Tom and I liked it plus the adult show which was later at night and FOR ADULTS.

There is not enough good things I can say about DP or Fidelio since it was that venue and Fidelio that inspired my son to take piano lessons and continue with them (practice can be hard when you are 8 and there is a whole world of autumn waiting outside for you!!)

Fidelio was gracious to everyone from a small child at his family show to a woman who was elderly and suffering from a sort of dementia who wanted to talk to him more and more and more!

It's a great loss to many of us who enjoyed Fidelio with the Dueling Piano venue. I don't think it would be fair to say that other DP's were as good as it was when he was there because THEY WEREN'T. It was Fidelio's personality that made DP what it was and I really liked his most recent partner, Anton, since he was as gifted musicially and quite humorous.

Again, this is MY big cause and if anyone asks me about it, you know I will talk at length -

Fidelio rocks!
Fidelio rules!

Bring back Dueling Pianos and Fidelio to the Magic!

Rae

 

[mariamard]

OH! THAT MAKES ME KIND OF SAD........IT SOUNDS LIKE DP WILL BE MISSED. I HOPE THAT DISNEY WILL SOMEHOW BRING IT BACK?IF THERE IS A DEMAND AND FOLLOWING FOR FIDELLO, DONT YOU THINK THAT THEY WOULD WANT THE REPEAT CRUISERS HAPPY? ITS THE "LITTLE" THINGS THAT KEEP MY FAM GOING BACK TO WDW. IM SURE THAT IT IS THE SAME FOR THE CRUISERS, TOO. I REMEMBER A THREAD A WHILE AGO ON THE FATE OF THE PIANISTS....WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM? DOWNTOWN DISNEY? A HOTEL? JUST CURIOUS CUZ WE ARE STAYING IN WDW FOR A FEW NIGHTS BEFORE THE CRUISE IN JAN AND WE PLAN ON HITTING DD.

 

[ragdoll]

Mariamard, DH and I were on the last Magic Western cruise before drydock. This was our fourth cruise and I would have to say that I was a bit disappointed. No problem with cleanliness...our room was spotless as were the public areas. I would say that the ship looked a bit worn but brushed it off because it was going into drydock. That really didn't bother me. It just seemed that the little things that Disney does to make the cruise so magical were missing. Also seemed like they were cutting corners. Instant coffee, yuck! The band was terrible. Midnight desert buffet wasn't up to par. I thought that the food wasn't as good but DH thought it was better. So some things are just a matter of personal preference.

Anyway, that being said, we still had a great time! We booked the 9/18/04 special sailing to Antigua. Looking forward to seeing all the changes on the ship. Just hope that Disney brings things up a notch or two by then so we can have the perfect experience that we have come to expect from Disney.

 

[SweetSpot]

We just got off the ship Saturday and I thought the ship looked beautiful. All of the rugs including staterooms have been replaced, the mattresses are all new, paint is all fresh, everything looked spotless. I didn't find one fault with upkeep or cleanliness.

We really loved Diversions and found the Cove to be a quiet place to check email. The Shack was small and very loud but very modern looking. I loved the changes to the ship.