Social distancing on a cruise: what changes would you actually enjoy?

[mevelandry]

Hi!

We all know that cruising in 2021 will be... Different.

Earlier today, I was day dreaming about my next cruise and trying to think of what changes I would like to see on our next cruise that would make it "safe" without reducing our experience.

One thing that came to my mind is that I wish they would make in room dining more appealing.

1) I wish they had small dining tables available so we could eat comfortably in our cabins... Or on our verandah!

2) I wish it was possible to order from the dining room ou from signature dining and dine inside our cabins.

Imagine being able to order a "pique-nique" from Palo and eat it confortably on your verandah...

... Or booking a romantic in-room dining package with a tablecloth, a lampion (the safe kind) and a rose (similar to romantic packages but really centered around dining)...

*********

And you... What kind of safety measure/changes do you think you could actually enjoy?

 

[Cheburashka]

Hi!

We all know that cruising in 2021 will be... Different.

Earlier today, I was day dreaming about my next cruise and trying to think of what changes I would like to see on our next cruise that would make it "safe" without reducing our experience.

One thing that came to my mind is that I wish they would make in room dining more appealing.

1) I wish they had small dining tables available so we could eat comfortably in our cabins... Or on our verandah!

2) I wish it was possible to order from the dining room ou from signature dining and dine inside our cabins.

Imagine being able to order a "pique-nique" from Palo and eat it confortably on your verandah...

... Or booking a romantic in-room dining package with a tablecloth, a lampion (the safe kind) and a rose (similar to romantic packages but really centered around dining)...

*********

And you... What kind of safety measure/changes do you think you could actually enjoy?

I would like private tables in the MDR to become the norm.

 

[tvguy]

Dining in the dining room is one of the reasons we cruise. We actually enjoy sitting with new people and getting to know them over the week. That likely will have to change just due to distancing issues. I wonder if they have to add a third seating to the dining rooms. Seems that a lot of East Coasters wish there was an earlier option for dining. And as west coasters on the Caribbean routes, we always have late seating, which for our body clocks is actually eating EARLY. Maybe they could do 4 pm, 6:15 pm and 830 Seatings?
My hat has always been off to working parents who manage to get dinner on the table at 5 pm at home. We never could pull that off. By the time we got everyone home and dinner cooked it was usually 7 pm. And in soccer and baseball season, we frequently didn't get home to START preparing dinner until 8 or 830 pm. They get homework done and showers taken.

I also wonder if they will have to add performances of shows to reduce capacity in the theaters. Now, they did do a third late night showing of the Golden Mickey's on our cruise, and on a sea day did a matinee showing at 2 pm of one show, so clearly the performers are up to more than two shows a day.

 

[mevelandry]

I would like private tables in the MDR to become the norm.

This. We always request private tables and so far have always been lucky but it would be nicer not having to ask.

 

[leannak]

I know people don't like the idea of pool chairs needing reservations... but I would maybe LIKE being able to reserve them. I don't enjoy the (minor) anxiety that comes with trying to find chairs and wondering if the towel is just there or somebody is in the pool and saving their space, etc. Knowing the spot is mine and it's reserved for me, even if I can only get it for an hour, seems like something of a relief to me.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I wish they’d do a dinner seating at lunch (same menu/rotation etc) I much prefer the bigger meal earlier

 

[mevelandry]

I wish they’d do a dinner seating at lunch (same menu/rotation etc) I much prefer the bigger meal earlier

The dining rooms are so nice and quiet during lunch time. We loved our experience. But indeed, the menu was different. Would you want the entertainment as well?

 

[jane01jp]

I would like private tables in the MDR to become the norm.

Hear, hear! I have cruised solo on DCL many times and much prefer my own table. It is a little awkward sitting with others, but I can get through it.

 

[jane01jp]

I know people don't like the idea of pool chairs needing reservations... but I would maybe LIKE being able to reserve them. I don't enjoy the (minor) anxiety that comes with trying to find chairs and wondering if the towel is just there or somebody is in the pool and saving their space, etc. Knowing the spot is mine and it's reserved for me, even if I can only get it for an hour, seems like something of a relief to me.

That might be a good idea. The commenters on this board seem very courteous and considerate. I wish that some of the chair hogs would come on here so they could see how the rest of us feel.

 

[jane01jp]

I wish they’d do a dinner seating at lunch (same menu/rotation etc) I much prefer the bigger meal earlier

That is such a great idea! I had seriously never even thought of this, and it seems so obvious.

 

[jane01jp]

My hat has always been off to working parents who manage to get dinner on the table at 5 pm at home. We never could pull that off. By the time we got everyone home and dinner cooked it was usually 7 pm. And in soccer and baseball season, we frequently didn't get home to START preparing dinner until 8 or 830 pm. They get homework done and showers taken.

Same. During my working years, I would leave home before 7:00 a.m and usually get home around 7:00 p.m. Then, it was off to the gym. So, we usually didn't eat until around 9:00.

 

[jerry557]

I would like private tables in the MDR to become the norm.

Putting families together during dining has always been a traditional staple of cruising. It forces the social interaction that has been part of cruising that some people actually do look forward to. But even before the pandemic, this has faded on a number of other cruise lines with large ships as they move more towards the concept of choice dining. Now people can choose outside their main dining rotation which dining they want and at different times which takes away the traditional MDR social interaction. Disney is much slower in moving away from that. Part of that likely is do to limited space on Disney ships. The dining rooms are full as it is. But the pandemic may force some changes here. And those changes may be permanent.

 

[Cheburashka]

Putting families together during dining has always been a traditional staple of cruising. It forces the social interaction that has been part of cruising that some people actually do look forward to. But even before the pandemic, this has faded on a number of other cruise lines with large ships as they move more towards the concept of choice dining. Now people can choose outside their main dining rotation which dining they want and at different times which takes away the traditional MDR social interaction. Disney is much slower in moving away from that. Part of that likely is do to limited space on Disney ships. The dining rooms are full as it is. But the pandemic may force some changes here. And those changes may be permanent.

Yeah, like I said, I really hope private tables become the norm on DCL.

 

[deliela999]

That might be a good idea. The commenters on this board seem very courteous and considerate. I wish that some of the chair hogs would come on here so they could see how the rest of us feel.

I'm baffled by all the comments on here about chair hogs. I had the opposite experience on the one cruise we've been on. I'd leave my towel on a chair for a minute to go check on my daughter and it would disappear. No one in the chair, but the towel would be gone every time. Even a still folded new towel for my daughter, go tell her time to get out of the pool and come back to the towel gone.

 

[Cheburashka]

I'm baffled by all the comments on here about chair hogs. I had the opposite experience on the one cruise we've been on. I'd leave my towel on a chair for a minute to go check on my daughter and it would disappear. No one in the chair, but the towel would be gone every time. Even a still folded new towel for my daughter, go tell her time to get out of the pool and come back to the towel gone.

Lol. I wish I had been on that cruise. Usually you can't find an empty chair because they're all "marked" with towels from people who won't sit in the chair for hours, yet will become enraged if you dare remove the towel and sit there.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yeah, like I said, I really hope private tables become the norm on DCL.

While other people feel differently. I'm in the camp of "I enjoy sharing a table". If I want a vacation that I interact only with my family, I wouldn't choose cruising.

I also have to wonder where they're going to put all those "private" tables. Even with large, shared table in the MDRs, there's often no more than 6 inches between the tables. "Private" may be a state of mind and not an actual fact.

 

[DisneYE]

Make the family pools (goody, Donald pools) totally off limits to toddlers.
Toddlers have their own kiddy pool and aqua lab so they shouldn't let them in the family pool.. I've seen tons of toddlers in the family pool bc mommy wants to get in the pool too....and even a few cases of toddlers getting the in main pool with swim diapers with brown stuff seeping from the sides.
Toddlers also tend to be efficient carriers of the flu, and lack awareness about coughing and covering their mouths.

So, strictly enforce no toddlers in the family pool.
I'd even make it 12 and up only as pre-teens are more aware and disciplined.

 

[jane01jp]

I'm baffled by all the comments on here about chair hogs. I had the opposite experience on the one cruise we've been on. I'd leave my towel on a chair for a minute to go check on my daughter and it would disappear. No one in the chair, but the towel would be gone every time. Even a still folded new towel for my daughter, go tell her time to get out of the pool and come back to the towel gone.

People generally leave some of their own effects on the chairs (books, hats, sandals, etc.). It is usually the crew who remove the towels,

 

[Cheburashka]

While other people feel differently. I'm in the camp of "I enjoy sharing a table". If I want a vacation that I interact only with my family, I wouldn't choose cruising.

I also have to wonder where they're going to put all those "private" tables. Even with large, shared table in the MDRs, there's often no more than 6 inches between the tables. "Private" may be a state of mind and not an actual fact.

To each his own. Just like you used to be able to request a private table, perhaps in the future you'll be able to request a shared table, and be placed with another family who requested a shared table.

We've sailed on 6 Disney cruises, including every ship, always with a private table, and we never had a table 6 inches (or anything close to that) from another party. It always genuinely was a private table. Waiters always could easily walk between.

 

[jane01jp]

While other people feel differently. I'm in the camp of "I enjoy sharing a table". If I want a vacation that I interact only with my family, I wouldn't choose cruising.

I also have to wonder where they're going to put all those "private" tables. Even with large, shared table in the MDRs, there's often no more than 6 inches between the tables. "Private" may be a state of mind and not an actual fact.

I'm with you when I am traveling with my spouse and/or other family members. I like the table mates. In 2019, I travelled with my spouse on back-to-back double dippers. We had great table mates, including lots of Disney cast members, a flight attendant from California and several lovely couples.