The WISH - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Review)

[dcassetta]

Well, I've learned something new. I didn't know they had "for sale" food on the other ships. We were in O'Gill's quite a bit and I never saw anyone with it... now that could be because they had the food out on the buffet...

It was not something DCL always did, and pre-covid there were small standing menus for the paid pub food on the tables. Now, like everything else, the menu is in the app. This is a picture from Scott's blog of the previous printed menu

 

[imbelle]

Shelves in the stateroom, shelves in the closet,

Shelves in the closet, happy thought indeed!

 

[DisneyMomCT13]

Thanks for your honest review.

I am SO glad we didn't drop $8000 on a Wish cruise this summer.

This ship sounds like my family's worst nightmare. Tight spaces, crowded public areas, claustrophobic restaurant, lack of shade. Yeah, not gonna work for us. Plus, we get on a ship to feel like we are on a SHIP. I don't like anything I've seen in photos of this ship. It looks like a hotel. The whole thing.

The first thing my family said was that everything inside looked like a Disney deluxe resort hotel and you could forget you’re on a ship. Feels like it was designed for first time cruisers and those doing a land and sea with WDW. I had a very nice time in the MV but the next sailing I have booked is on the Dream.

 

[MamaMermaid]

We love the Dream and Fantasy -- just got off the Fantasy in early July and came home to watch videos of the Wish. We were sorely disappointed at what we saw. Booked 2 more cruises for the year - neither on the Wish.

Hope things improve but physically don't see how they could?

 

[Kwami]

The first thing my family said was that everything inside looked like a Disney deluxe resort hotel and you could forget you’re on a ship.

Why do you say that? What about the Wish is less "ship" than the other ships?

 

[asgur5]

The first thing my family said was that everything inside looked like a Disney deluxe resort hotel and you could forget you’re on a ship. Feels like it was designed for first time cruisers and those doing a land and sea with WDW. I had a very nice time in the MV but the next sailing I have booked is on the Dream.

Why do first time cruisers not want to feel like they are at sea? I see this as a common assumption in reviews.

most non cruisers are put off by the lack of pool space, the crowds and lack of freedom of a cruise. Its not because they dont want a nautical feeling. Thats one of the things that would appeal to non cruisers of a cruise. Something unique that they can only get from a cruise.

 

[Mickey'sTown]

I guess with the large numbers of b2b cruisers testing positive, I just saw a post that dcl changed their b2b policy. Now ALL b2b cruisers have to pack regardless of if they are changing rooms or not. Plus they can’t go back to their rooms until 1:00pm. I have the dcl letter posted in another thread here on dis. wondering If this is a new policy for all ships now.

We just got off the DVC Wish cruise. Did not know about the new policy for B2B. We are booked for Feb and will be reconsidering.

 

[n2mm]

We just got off the DVC Wish cruise. Did not know about the new policy for B2B. We are booked for Feb and will be reconsidering.

I'm on a b2b Oct/Nov but don’t have the same room. Still nervous. Glad we are driving.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I wonder how a first time Disney cruiser will now see the older ships? Such a big change could make “Wish class only” desirable and reduce the desire for Magic and Dream class.

 

[Cheburashka]

I wonder how a first time Disney cruiser will now see the older ships? Such a big change could make “Wish class only” desirable and reduce the desire for Magic and Dream class.

I don't see why. The Dream class in particular has a lot of features that the Wish doesn't. And the Fab Four are more customer-friendly in some ways.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

I wonder how a first time Disney cruiser will now see the older ships? Such a big change could make “Wish class only” desirable and reduce the desire for Magic and Dream class.

Fine by me if it means reduced fares on those ships.

 

[Sakura1017]

Thanks for the review @Empress Room - and you've confirmed many of my suspicions after reading and watching multiple reviews from the invited press cruise. (You gotta hand it to DCL saturating the media with all those 'great' reviews from the blogosphere and youtubers from their sailing...) In any event, the more we've watched the less and less interested we are in sailing on the Wish.

Not only are the classic ship design features appear to be missing (promenade deck, the adults only areas and lounges, a properly sized adults-only outdoor area and pool), but I've seen comments on other issues as well, like much less storage space in the cabins, the TV mounted in a fixed position, etc. And from everything I've seen and read - most of the public spaces seem very very tight. The tables in each dining room appear crammed together like desks in an overcrowded classroom, and whatever Cabana's is on the Wish seems incredibly tight and claustrophobic, even from the videos when the ship isn't at full capacity. Hadn't even considered the lack of shade on the top decks...

If all this is true, she appears - and again, we've not sailed on her so this my impression only - that she's more a floating extension of the parks, rather than a purpose-built ship for actual cruising. But maybe the intended purpose of the Wish is to be the DCL 'gateway' vessel for mostly new cruisers - then perhaps it works.

But these design choices also feel very shortsighted and limiting. If they offer 7 night sailings on the Wish, do I really want to see the Arendelle show twice or even 3 times? (I know, I know, they can add a 2nd performance, but do I want that much dinner theater on a cruise? Not really...)

The kicker here is that with most cruise lines, the newest ship in the fleet is almost always the marquis vessel; the shiniest, most desirable ship in that line - until the next one. And that's what I was expecting from the Wish, and suspect that's why it feels so perplexing those who love cruising DCL. Because instead of the Wish incorporating upgrades and improvements from the other ships, my impression is that the Wish feels like it's more a purpose-built utility ship - intended specifically for short hops and first timers. One-and-done cruising. And not that there's anything wrong with attracting first-timers and doing short hops - but I'm struggling to understand how they could have spent over a billion dollars on a ship that wouldn't appear to be comfortable - even for a b2b sailing - and certainly not for repeat guests who expect to see what makes the other ships so great (and yes, even the Dream and Fantasy).

Hoping I'm wrong, of course. But these early reviews aren't making me optimistic.

There was no dinner show if you had Arendelle for a second visit on the maiden voyage. I was hoping they would do something special so i originally requested to have that be a 2nd dining experience. But was disappointed. I found the food in Marvel and 1923 better than Arendelle, So if I had to go back on the wish from a food perspective Arendelle wouldn't get picked as a repeat. The show wasn't good after you kept getting a blocked view with servers due to the tables being cramped and the layout of the venue. They should put screens on tables so you can see everything.

 

[Kwami]

There was no dinner show if you had Arendelle for a second visit on the maiden voyage.

That makes sense, though. The maiden voyage will be one of the only 5-night cruises that the Wish does for the next decade or more. It'd be silly to prepare a special show that would only be performed once to 1/3 of the guests on one cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

The other ships offer included pastries/pub food/hors d'oeuvres/small desserts at various times in several locations. The pub on each ship also has a paid menu that includes things like giant pretzels and sliders. I have not seen any mention that the Wish has any of these outside of the pool deck quick service locations.

Yes, they have fish and chips and other food in the Keg and Compass for a fee

We were told on the MV at there is no longer a Pastry Case in Cove Cafe....that bothered me. I loved popping in Cove and picking up a pastry or savory treats at night.

One design flaw I have not seen mentioned is that when you are on the top floor of Luna (balcony) often you can't hear the show in Luna if there is a Karaoke event going on the Triton Lounge right across the hall. Twice we had to ask an officer to please shut the door of the Triton Lounge so we could hear the event in Luna. There is no handicapped accessibility that I saw for the balcony of Luna...just a few steps.

You know on the other ships on the pool deck there are open air areas to let the breeze in...on the Wish there are windows that open but they didn't have enough open any day we were up on Deck 11. It was very hot in that area. There definitely needs to be more ventilation in the covered area of Deck 11.

Horizonal bars on the right side of the pic....that lets air flow through Deck 9 on the Magic. The Wish needs something like that.



MJ

 

[mmouse37]

Why do you say that? What about the Wish is less "ship" than the other ships?

DCL actually told people on the ship tours that the Wish was designed as an enchanted castle at sea and not necessarily a ship so they wanted it to look less nautical inside and more hotel like.

I think people should decide for themselves. I overall liked the Wish. It is just very different than the other ones. Some will like it and some will not. It took me the full 5 days to decide I liked it. I really think 3 and 4 day cruisers will be lost the whole time. Many curvy hallways especially in the Luna, Wonderland and Neverland theatre areas.

MJ

 

[Kwami]

DCL actually told people on the ship tours that the Wish was designed as an enchanted castle at sea and not necessarily a ship so they wanted it to look less nautical inside and more hotel like.

Sure, but what makes it look and feel less nautical? To be honest, unless I was outside or looking through a porthole, the other ships never felt all that nautical, either.

 

[DLgal]

Sure, but what makes it look and feel less nautical? To be honest, unless I was outside or looking through a porthole, the other ships never felt all that nautical, either.

Really? I noticed a LOT of nautical touches all over the Dream. It is very obvious that you are on a ship.

I think one of the things is the ability to simply see out to the ocean, which seems limited on the Wish.

 

[Kwami]

Really? I noticed a LOT of nautical touches all over the Dream. It is very obvious that you are on a ship.

I think one of the things is the ability to simply see out to the ocean, which seems limited on the Wish.

I'm trying to think of where you can see outside on the Dream. The rainforest room in the spa, the fitness center, Cabanas, Enchanted Garden if you ask your server to open one of the porthole shades... There are porthole views from the atrium, especially near Vista Cafe, and from the hallway leading to Animator's Palate. I do like those. And the adults-only restaurants, of course. Are there some other good views that I've missed out on?

I mean, I don't know. I haven't been on the Wish, yet. Maybe it really does feel less nautical somehow. I'm just wondering why people feel that way. Is if the faux wood paneling? That reminds me more of the 70s than of ships!

 

[DLgal]

I'm trying to think of where you can see outside on the Dream. The rainforest room in the spa, the fitness center, Cabanas, Enchanted Garden if you ask your server to open one of the porthole shades... There are porthole views from the atrium, especially near Vista Cafe, and from the hallway leading to Animator's Palate. I do like those. And the adults-only restaurants, of course. Are there some other good views that I've missed out on?

I mean, I don't know. I haven't been on the Wish, yet. Maybe it really does feel less nautical somehow. I'm just wondering why people feel that way. Is if the faux wood paneling? That reminds me more of the 70s than of ships!

Our table at Enchanted Garden was next to a giant window and we had early seating so it was open.

In addition, there are a lot of porthole windows all over the Dream in the hallways near the public areas and leading to the dining rooms and theaters. Plus, lots of doors that lead out to the promenade deck. From the pool deck, you can see the ocean.

From most accounts so far, it is quite difficult to see the ocean from the Wish, even when outside. Apparently lots of obstructions, lack of a real promenade deck, and many public rooms have no windows or very few of them.

 

[varkgirl]

There was no dinner show if you had Arendelle for a second visit on the maiden voyage. I was hoping they would do something special so i originally requested to have that be a 2nd dining experience. But was disappointed. I found the food in Marvel and 1923 better than Arendelle, So if I had to go back on the wish from a food perspective Arendelle wouldn't get picked as a repeat. The show wasn't good after you kept getting a blocked view with servers due to the tables being cramped and the layout of the venue. They should put screens on tables so you can see everything.

The menu was the same in all three restaurants for the last two nights though - Pirate night and then the special maiden voyage menu.