The good, the bad and the not so impressed...

[maminnie]

Madisonsmom:

Thanks for your great report and honest feelings.

I too took a four night in April a number of years ago as my first cruise and have to say at first I did not like it all. By the fourth day I had actually gone from "I definitely am not the cruise type" to, when can we go again." (I too am a big beach person.) We then took a seven night eastern a few years later in April and absolutely loved it. The seas were rough the first few days but thank goodness we were mid-ship and no one got seasick to any great degree. It was a wonderful second experience in every way.

I now have another seven night eastern planned for February with a large group of friends and have to tell you I am really nervous about the different negative things I have read on the boards; rough seas in February, the possibility of missing CC due to bad seas, bad weather in general, average to below average food and service by dining room staff and room stewarts, etc. I have to say when I read the boards in preparation for my last seven night trip, I did not read quite as many negative comments regarding food and service that I have been reading as I prepare for this trip. I have to say I am very intimidated that this trip may not meet up to my expectations but I am going to try to be very positive. We obviously knew the weather was going to be much more risky in February than April.

This trip is costing us so much more than our last seven night so hopefully it will be a good one and worth the money. If not it will definitely be our last DCL cruise. We'll keep our fingers crossed especially since I recommended that a number of my friends and their families go with us this time!!! Hopefully in the end they will all be glad they listened to me and spent all that money!!!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. Enjoy future trips at the beach. I know how your feel; there is nothing like a relaxing day on a beautiful beach in a beautiful place followed by good food and drink!

maminnie

 

[KKB]

Our friends did RUI in Cancun...should have stuck w/ Sandals or Couples. I don't think their trip was any cheaper than those, but they weren't impressed.

My thoughts on cruise food...considering the number of meals served, I have felt that the food is pretty good. I had roughy/crab one night that tasted old. I traded for a terrific seafood pasta dish. MIL felt her roughy was excellent--maybe I just had a bad piece. I felt desserts were never that great. Now, I am more of an appetizer person & I always enjoyed those. Palo was always excellent, but it is all made to order, so I would expect it to be better.(and I am salvating thinking of that chocolate souffle--yes, me the non-dessert person!) Actually I felt that Topsiders was quite good for breakfast. I would run up and pile 2 plates w/ Mickey waffles, bacon, hash brown patties, fresh fruit, and chocolate croissants, take it back to the room & everyone was thrilled. I did try the seafood lunch, and was not overly impressed. Desserts again seemed institutional (what I might find in a cafeteria). I would have liked smaller portions in the dining room. One nice thing on Princess was nice small portions so you could eat 5 courses and be comfortably full. I was fairly full after appetizer & soup or salad! Maybe one reason dessert never impressed me much.

Happy cruising or AIRing, everyone!
Kris

 

[madisonsmom]

Our friends did RUI in Cancun...should have stuck w/ Sandals or Couples. I don't think their trip was any cheaper than those, but they weren't impressed.

My thoughts on cruise food...considering the number of meals served, I have felt that the food is pretty good. I had roughy/crab one night that tasted old. I traded for a terrific seafood pasta dish. MIL felt her roughy was excellent--maybe I just had a bad piece. I felt desserts were never that great. Now, I am more of an appetizer person & I always enjoyed those. Palo was always excellent, but it is all made to order, so I would expect it to be better.(and I am salvating thinking of that chocolate souffle--yes, me the non-dessert person!) Actually I felt that Topsiders was quite good for breakfast. I would run up and pile 2 plates w/ Mickey waffles, bacon, hash brown patties, fresh fruit, and chocolate croissants, take it back to the room & everyone was thrilled. I did try the seafood lunch, and was not overly impressed. Desserts again seemed institutional (what I might find in a cafeteria). I would have liked smaller portions in the dining room. One nice thing on Princess was nice small portions so you could eat 5 courses and be comfortably full. I was fairly full after appetizer & soup or salad! Maybe one reason dessert never impressed me much.

Happy cruising or AIRing, everyone!
Kris

KKB....I have heard mixed things about Mexico as well, but mainly had to do with service/hospitality rather than food, hotel and excursions. Friends of ours that have also been to Couples in Jamaica decided to goto one of the "Palace" resorts in Mexico and said that they wouldn't ever go back, they would rather goto where they know they would be catered to more(because that is their ideal vacation..mine is great food along with some friendly service)

I guess my problem with the food on the boat is that I ASSumed that since I have been to resorts where they are cooking meals and have buffets to also serve hundreds of people at one time that it would be more similar to that. But you know what they say about assumming things Guess I should have just set me expectations a little lower, but it is hard to do when you don't know anything about the cruise except what you read here on the DIS and then you see all these people on the DIS talking about how wonderful the food is... oh well...live and learn...and if we would ever go back atleast we now know

 

[Muushka]

Funny thing about the food on the cruise. I remember when I returned after our first cruise almost 2 years ago that I was not impressed with the food. And I posted as such. In fact, we enjoyed Pluto's more than most nights in the dinning rooms (except Palo, of course!).

I think people tend to go overboard ( sorry about the pun) when they like something. Like lobster burgers for example. I thought they were going to be wonderful after reading these boards. Come to find out that there are a larger % of people that don't like them than you would be led to believe when reading these boards.

So, we still wanted to do another DCL cruise even though we knew the food would not be all that great. And it met my (under) expectations this past Dec. And I was prepared for that because I did not go on the cruise to just eat! But we also knew that we would be able to secure 2 awesome meals at Palo, and a few great chicken fingers at Plutos. And to my surprise, I snagged some great baby back ribs and crab-dip appetizer at AP for dinner on our first night. I was a happy girl.

 

[num1tigerfan]

Ok, i feel dumb for asking but what is Air"s ?

Lisa

All inclusive resorts, which is going to a resort with all meals, drinks, alcohol, and activities included.

 

[fauna57]

Thanks, everyone for sharing your experiences, I've been lurking nervously. DH and I have only been on 1 cruise before...Celebrity..and OMG, everything was amazing!!! 5 star food and service, fabulous excursions, etc. We have no little kids, only a 17yo DD, but we are doing a family reunion cruise and because my sis has little ones, it's Disney or nothing. I'm a little worried, Celebrity spoiled us, just like the ads we were treated famously. Can anyone share tips for almost-DINK's to best enjoy this cruise?

 

[Cass]

Thanks for your honest review of the Disney Cruise. Cruising is an acquired taste, dinners must have felt so long for the little ones at the table, they must have been exhausted.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Can some of you that posted about wonderful experiences at AIR tell me where they were? I would love to do one because I hate worrying about wear to eat 3x a day on vacation (and I DO NOT want to cook on vacation!) so I love the thought of an AIR. That is why I did a Disney cruise in November and we LOVED it but DH wanted something a bit more relaxing next time. I looked up different places before booking DCL last year but I never really could find a place I was sure about that would suit us and two children, 2 & 4. Anyway, I would love to know where it was y'all enjoyed so much, if you don't mind, so I can check them out!

We've only been to Cancun and Jamaica AIR's and both were great- but our last was Jamaica and our next will be Jamaica.. if that tells you anything. LOL I vote Jamaica... I'd go there once a month if I could. LOL

 

[Miss Eeyore]

Sandals, huh.......I have often thought about an all-inclusive, but they used to have such a reputation for being for "swingers" which we definitely are not. I was afraid of paying a lot of money to find ourselves uncomfortable with oour surroundings.

I think I know the solution! Disney should start an all=inclusive somewhere warm, away from the Florida hustle and bustle........offering all the touches of Disney magic without the rolling seas.

......if only I had any influence with the Big Cheese.

 

[madisonsmom]

Sandals, huh.......I have often thought about an all-inclusive, but they used to have such a reputation for being for "swingers" which we definitely are not. I was afraid of paying a lot of money to find ourselves uncomfortable with oour surroundings.

I think I know the solution! Disney should start an all=inclusive somewhere warm, away from the Florida hustle and bustle........offering all the touches of Disney magic without the rolling seas.

......if only I had any influence with the Big Cheese.

I would definitely do a Disney AI! We love doing excursions, eating good food and having a glass of wine(or 2, okay 3 ) with dinner. I know they have the resorts in HH and VB, we might try those in the meantime, even though they are not AI. It was nice having the Disney themed things/characters on the boat for DD5 without doing a park.

 

[clovely]

Sandals, huh.......I have often thought about an all-inclusive, but they used to have such a reputation for being for "swingers" which we definitely are not. I was afraid of paying a lot of money to find ourselves uncomfortable with oour surroundings.

I think I know the solution! Disney should start an all=inclusive somewhere warm, away from the Florida hustle and bustle........offering all the touches of Disney magic without the rolling seas.

......if only I had any influence with the Big Cheese.

There are AIRs that cater big-time to the "anything goes" crowd - NOT Sandals (we've been to two). Honestly, the second time we went with some friends kinda looking to party more than we did the first time and we realized there really wasn't much of a nightlife or party scene. Everyone's on their honeymoon and in their room by 9:00!!!!