Treasure comments & Future cruise questions

[ray3127]

Sailed the Treasure a couple weeks ago. It was our 4th Disney Cruise, previously sailing the Dream (once) and Fantasy (twice). A few thoughts:

Layout
- Overall, a little silly. Felt like a lot of changes for changes' sake, most of which fall flat.
- Dedicating so much prime space on Deck 3 to uber high end retail makes me feel like I'm on the wrong vacation.
- Maybe it's just us, but the hallways felt tighter.

Food
- Pool deck food was amazing.
- MDR food was very good. Only had one night we didn't much care for.
- MDR service was slower than I'd like it to be. Not sure how to fix this, though.

Pools
- Liked that we could always find a relatively empty pool.
- AquaMouse is okay, but AquaDuck is better.
- The 10-minute breaks every hour are pretty annoying. I suppose it keeps people moving a bit, but felt unnecessary most of the time.
- The chair hogs are maddening. IDK, but I try to always be considerate in those situations. I understand having a home base with your bags/stuff, but sprawling out across 4 chairs and never using them is beyond selfish.

Adult Area
- An absolute joke. Such a ridiculous letdown.
- We preferred the Chip 'n Dale pool area up on 14. Though kids could be up there, we never encountered many. So it was a pseudo-adult area to us, so the actual adult area didn't really bother us.

Entertainment
- Excellent; one of the main reasons we love Disney cruises.
- Kids loved the kids clubs, as usual.
- We don't usually bar hop, but enjoyed doing so a little on this cruise.

Despite the negatives listed above, overall we had an incredible time. The Disney vibe/feel just fits us, and they make it so easy and enjoyable for our family. Cruises are basically the only vacation where I can actually relax and don't have to plan everything out.

**********

We are considering what to do for our next cruise and could use some feedback.

We'd like our next cruise to be a Bahamian one that goes to both Castaway and Lighthouse with a minimum of 5 nights. With our schedule, that basically leaves the Magic this summer/fall, or the Fantasy next Feb/Mar. We'd really like to try the Magic/Wonder, but are concerned about the weather.

We've only ever cruised in February/March, and we have liked the weather at that time. The water is a bit chilly, but we can live with it. We are considering cruising in the summer, or even fall, but are concerned about the heat and storms. We asked one of the kids club CMs on Castaway about cruising in, say, June, and she quickly said "oh no, everybody is drenched in sweat and miserable." So: what do you think about cruising the Caribbean/Bahamas during the warmer months?

A couple other cruise-related questions:
- Our next cruise will be our 5th, so we'll finally hit Gold afterwards I know what the Gold perks are, but can anybody share their thoughts on what changed (if anything) upon attaining Gold status?
- Long term (like probably 4-5 years from now), we'd like to go to Alaska. That would be much more port-intensive for us, and I know from reading here that many Disney cruisers opt for a cheaper cruise up there. Still, we are hesitant to consider that. Any experience on this from those that love DCL?

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Thanks so much for the review! I’m glad you had a great time!

We like to cruise in the fall for lower prices. The only storm impacts we’ve had are changing ports, which is not a big deal to us. We’ve not cruised in summer.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Your experience on the Treasure is pretty much exactly what I felt about the Wish. I am hoping that I'll like Plaza de Coco better than the Frozen restaurant, and the Moana show better than Aladdin, which I thought was poorly done and really cheesy. I'm also really looking forward to the Haunted Mansion parlor. I was hoping the Star Wars bar would fill the Galactic Starcruiser-shaped hole in my heart but it was a let down and it had a strange musty smell for some reason.

Our first cruise was on the Wonder to Alaska back in 2019. We sailed in May so it was cheaper than July but still very expensive. We chose DCL because our kids were 7 and 2 and we wanted the kids clubs, characters, and child-friendly entertainment and dining. It was a really wonderful experience and my kids still talk about it to this day. Would I pay DCL prices again for an adults-only Alaska cruise, or if I was cruising with teens? Probably not. But if you've got young kids it's worth it in my opinion. Even with it being a port-intensive cruise, we had 3 full sea days and they always had plenty to do. Even when us parents traded off doing Glacier Explorer on the glacier day, the kids got to visit characters on deck while enjoying the scenery. I also just love the classic nautical style of the older ships, and because DCL sails a smaller ship to Alaska, the ports didn't feel so mobbed. Maybe we just got lucky, and it was shoulder season too.

We've sailed in October, February, and May, and I agree with you that storm season is always a concern. The cruise right before ours last October was canceled due to the hurricane and we were debating up until the last day if we would even go because we weren't sure if the airport and port itself would even be opened in time. Always get the cruise insurance is all I can say! I found the food in the MDRs on the Dream to be extremely mediocre, and the Fantasy has the exact same restaurants and menus. I would choose the Magic over the Fantasy for this reason alone.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Pools
- Liked that we could always find a relatively empty pool.
- AquaMouse is okay, but AquaDuck is better.
- The 10-minute breaks every hour are pretty annoying. I suppose it keeps people moving a bit, but felt unnecessary most of the time.
- The chair hogs are maddening. IDK, but I try to always be considerate in those situations. I understand having a home base with your bags/stuff, but sprawling out across 4 chairs and never using them is beyond selfish.

I always wonder if "kindergarten style" cubbies and hooks below could come in handy for MOST of the people who like to swim to have a place to keep their stuff....I would totally do it!

I haven't been on a Disney cruise yet (YAY September) and have only been on two cruises ever, but they were both one way southbound out of Seward with Royal on the Radiance with the AMAZING Captain Marek! I will ALWAYS suggest a one way where you can enjoy way more of what Alaska is about. The second time I went, we spent time in Denali (GORGEOUS) and a few days on the coast as well. We were able to do a glacier tour (6 hours for less than a 2 hour glacier tour through the cruise line and we got to see WAY more), meet some sled dogs and do a ride, as well as visit the Alaska Sea Life Center. So many people miss out on the best parts of Alaska by doing a round trip. Also with the one ways, you only have one REAL sea day (as the glacier day has glacier-y things to do haha), whereas the RT ones have one day on the way up and one on the way back, you get more for your time investment that way. The smaller ships are able to do the last bit of the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland, so it's more scenic too. Sad thing is that there are less kids on those because the ships have less bells and whistles, but as with all cruise ships, they still have a lot of activities!

 

[ray3127]

Your experience on the Treasure is pretty much exactly what I felt about the Wish. I am hoping that I'll like Plaza de Coco better than the Frozen restaurant, and the Moana show better than Aladdin, which I thought was poorly done and really cheesy. I'm also really looking forward to the Haunted Mansion parlor. I was hoping the Star Wars bar would fill the Galactic Starcruiser-shaped hole in my heart but it was a let down and it had a strange musty smell for some reason.

We really enjoyed the Plaza de Coco food, so hopefully you like it! The dinner show was cool, but honestly it's a bit 'one and done'. Like, if we cruise on the Treasure next year, we're going to see the same show? I don't know, I just don't see the enduring appeal of integrating the IP THAT MUCH into things. But it was certainly fun once.

We really did enjoy Moana, but also felt they took some liberties that we didn't quite understand (same with Beauty & The Beast). Like, please don't change the iconic songs, even a little, thanks. Although I forgot to mention, our daughter was recruited to be the human version of Chip at the very end of the show, so that was obviously super memorable!

I hope you enjoy Haunted Mansion Parlor! It is certainly a cool space. Sometimes it was hard to find something we enjoyed at the themed bars, as back home we are 'split a pitcher of Blue Moon' type of people. That said, we had a good time at them all.

 

[GirlfromTN]

Sailed the Treasure a couple weeks ago. It was our 4th Disney Cruise, previously sailing the Dream (once) and Fantasy (twice). A few thoughts:

Layout
- Overall, a little silly. Felt like a lot of changes for changes' sake, most of which fall flat.
- Dedicating so much prime space on Deck 3 to uber high end retail makes me feel like I'm on the wrong vacation.
- Maybe it's just us, but the hallways felt tighter.

Food
- Pool deck food was amazing.
- MDR food was very good. Only had one night we didn't much care for.
- MDR service was slower than I'd like it to be. Not sure how to fix this, though.

Pools
- Liked that we could always find a relatively empty pool.
- AquaMouse is okay, but AquaDuck is better.
- The 10-minute breaks every hour are pretty annoying. I suppose it keeps people moving a bit, but felt unnecessary most of the time.
- The chair hogs are maddening. IDK, but I try to always be considerate in those situations. I understand having a home base with your bags/stuff, but sprawling out across 4 chairs and never using them is beyond selfish.

Adult Area
- An absolute joke. Such a ridiculous letdown.
- We preferred the Chip 'n Dale pool area up on 14. Though kids could be up there, we never encountered many. So it was a pseudo-adult area to us, so the actual adult area didn't really bother us.

Entertainment
- Excellent; one of the main reasons we love Disney cruises.
- Kids loved the kids clubs, as usual.
- We don't usually bar hop, but enjoyed doing so a little on this cruise.

Despite the negatives listed above, overall we had an incredible time. The Disney vibe/feel just fits us, and they make it so easy and enjoyable for our family. Cruises are basically the only vacation where I can actually relax and don't have to plan everything out.

**********

We are considering what to do for our next cruise and could use some feedback.

We'd like our next cruise to be a Bahamian one that goes to both Castaway and Lighthouse with a minimum of 5 nights. With our schedule, that basically leaves the Magic this summer/fall, or the Fantasy next Feb/Mar. We'd really like to try the Magic/Wonder, but are concerned about the weather.

We've only ever cruised in February/March, and we have liked the weather at that time. The water is a bit chilly, but we can live with it. We are considering cruising in the summer, or even fall, but are concerned about the heat and storms. We asked one of the kids club CMs on Castaway about cruising in, say, June, and she quickly said "oh no, everybody is drenched in sweat and miserable." So: what do you think about cruising the Caribbean/Bahamas during the warmer months?

A couple other cruise-related questions:
- Our next cruise will be our 5th, so we'll finally hit Gold afterwards I know what the Gold perks are, but can anybody share their thoughts on what changed (if anything) upon attaining Gold status?
- Long term (like probably 4-5 years from now), we'd like to go to Alaska. That would be much more port-intensive for us, and I know from reading here that many Disney cruisers opt for a cheaper cruise up there. Still, we are hesitant to consider that. Any experience on this from those that love DCL?

Just clarifying that you will have gold status AFTER your fifth cruise, not on your fifth cruise. I think people get confused about that quite often. For gold, you get a discount automatically in the gift shop (I think 10%), you get an additional stateroom gift (currently a wet bag), you can book activities a bit before silver status, and also check in a bit before silver status, so I have found quite a bit more availability in activities if I book right at midnight on my booking day (before the silver status and new cruisers can book activities). That’s about it; I don’t book cruises far enough ahead to know if the booking date for gold status is a benefit but assume it is for people who book on opening day.
But again, all of this happens after your 5th cruise is completed. So you won’t have gold status benefits until you are booking and sailing on your 6th cruise.

 

[Girl of the South]

The OP said “afterwards”.

“- Our next cruise will be our 5th, so we'll finally hit Gold afterwards”

 

[CamColt]

Great info! Thanks for sharing!

I agree, Deck 14 forward and Currents Bar (although all ages on the Wish and Treasure) became our afternoon area, taking the places of Satellite Falls and the Cove Bar on the Dream and Fantasy. If DCL would make that area Adult Only, I wouldn't hesitate to book the Treasure again.

As for your questions, we sail the Bahama/Caribbean every August (or July a few times). Yes, it's hot but its manageable. You get a sea breeze out on the ocean. IMO, it's more comfortable than doing the parks that time of year (which I also don't mind). We are actually booked this August on the Magic and next Feb on the Fantasy, so, both your options sound good to me.

As for Gold, back when we became Gold, it was barely a thing. I don't think we got anything or if we did, I didn't realize it. Our first cruise as Platinum (2012) we were shocked to see we got Boarding Group 1 (the good old days), and free Palo. CC Level wasn't really a big deal back then. I didn't even realize we were Platinum until they gave us BG and 1 and told us why.

 

[Joanna71985]

Sailed the Treasure a couple weeks ago. It was our 4th Disney Cruise, previously sailing the Dream (once) and Fantasy (twice). A few thoughts:

Food
- Pool deck food was amazing.
- MDR food was very good. Only had one night we didn't much care for.
- MDR service was slower than I'd like it to be. Not sure how to fix this, though.

Adult Area
- An absolute joke. Such a ridiculous letdown.
- We preferred the Chip 'n Dale pool area up on 14. Though kids could be up there, we never encountered many. So it was a pseudo-adult area to us, so the actual adult area didn't really bother us.

Sailing on the Treasure in Sept, and I can't wait to try the restaurants (especially Coco). My question is- what was wrong with the adult area? Do you mean the pool area? Or the lounge/night area

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Thanks for posting your review, we're on the Treasure in about a month, so reading your experience is great!

I'm glad your food experience was good. Reviews across the line are kind of hit or miss lately. We've been on 3 cruises and always enjoyed the food, and I'm very excited about the new restaurants and menus. The last time we were on Magic, and we were often one of the last tables remaining at the end of late dining - once the very last - (not by our choice), so I'm hoping the dinners won't be quite that lengthy!

I know I'm going to miss the deck 4 loop for my daily jogging, and have heard the adult pool area won't be as nice as the other ships, but I'm looking forward to trying the Rainforest Room, Haunted Mansion Parlor, and just exploring on a new ship! Our kids have never taken to the clubs much, but I'm hoping they'll at least spend a little time in Vibe over the week!

 

[Erica1016]

Dedicating so much prime space on Deck 3 to uber high end retail makes me feel like I'm on the wrong vacation.

Agree! On the Wish, I was so frustrated by this. Especially when the lounges seem small.

AquaMouse is okay, but AquaDuck is better.

100%!

We preferred the Chip 'n Dale pool area up on 14. Though kids could be up there, we never encountered many. So it was a pseudo-adult area to us, so the actual adult area didn't really bother us.

Us, too. I don't understand why they don't just make this another adult area, it's very pleasant!

I know what the Gold perks are, but can anybody share their thoughts on what changed (if anything) upon attaining Gold status?

Not much, but it's fun. Booking and checking in a bit earlier is nice. I don't know about the 10% off in the gift shops that someone mentioned. I got a t-shirt and didn't notice a discount. I'll be asking, though. If this is a thing, I don't think it's very advertised. Our next cruise is our first as platinum, so we're looking forward to our Palo meal!

We've mostly cruised in December, January and May, once in August. My preference is May. We can hit a sweet spot where we're available and before schools start getting out, so prices are decent. I like the weather better then, because it's warmer and more consistent than December/January. The one time we cruised in August was hot, but fine. The hottest I've ever been on Castaway Cay was in May!

 

[ray3127]

As for your questions, we sail the Bahama/Caribbean every August (or July a few times). Yes, it's hot but its manageable. You get a sea breeze out on the ocean. IMO, it's more comfortable than doing the parks that time of year (which I also don't mind). We are actually booked this August on the Magic and next Feb on the Fantasy, so, both your options sound good to me.

I kind of wondered about the sea breeze. We find Florida beaches quite comfortable in summer, so figured it might be similar on the water.

Magic in August and Fantasy in February ... sounds like you have great taste!

Sailing on the Treasure in Sept, and I can't wait to try the restaurants (especially Coco). My question is- what was wrong with the adult area? Do you mean the pool area? Or the lounge/night area

The adult pool area was my problem. The lounges were nice.

We've mostly cruised in December, January and May, once in August. My preference is May. We can hit a sweet spot where we're available and before schools start getting out, so prices are decent. I like the weather better then, because it's warmer and more consistent than December/January. The one time we cruised in August was hot, but fine. The hottest I've ever been on Castaway Cay was in May!

Thanks for the feedback! Part of the challenge is my wife teaches, so finding those value dates are tough. But this is good to know!

 

[Erica1016]

Part of the challenge is my wife teaches, so finding those value dates are tough

I get that! I used to teach high school chemistry, but now I teach college labs. That has been very helpful! I still can't travel during the semester, but the longer winter and summer breaks have helped, since that's why we can do the December, early January and early May times now.

 

[Moonspinner]

We cruised Princess to Alaska and did not enjoy it at all. We will not do Princess again. We did not like how it was all older people on the cruise. The Disney crowd is so upbeat, and this group was somber. Food was very so-so. We love the DCL food for reference. The crew seemed over it. They did have a good naturalist. He was a bit drugged out but very entertaining.

 

[RedHead0186]

Sailing on the Treasure in Sept, and I can't wait to try the restaurants (especially Coco). My question is- what was wrong with the adult area? Do you mean the pool area? Or the lounge/night area

The pool is way too small. The infinity pool is a great concept, it just fills up way too fast. Also, most of the comfy loungers in the adult area are in the sun. A lot of people like that, but not this Irish readhead, lol.

 

[Mango7100]

Due to school we have done 4 Caribbean/Mexico cruises in July ( 2 DCL and 2 other lines) and have a 5th one booked. Yes it is hot but I find it much more bearable than Disney World in July (we have sworn off that). On sea days we are not “sit by the pool for 8 hours” people so we are inside a lot on the ship anyway. I think alot depends on what you do in ports. If you are doing a lot of snorkeling/catamaran stuff it is much easier to deal with the heat than if you were doing a walking tour of a port or riding in a non-air conditioned bus to see some Mayan ruins or a rum factory. Do be mindful of constant sunscreen application—that sun is not messing around.

Looking forward to Treasure in 3 weeks!

 

[Kerr84]

Do you mean they make everyone get out of the pool for 10 minutes after 50 minutes? That's probably a lifeguard break thing. When I lifeguarded at a state park, we were required to have a 10 minute break every hour for safety concerns to make sure the lifeguard stays focused. You don't notice this at bigger pools because they probably have enough lifeguards to just sub in. I assume they don't have a lot of extra lifeguards on the ship so they take a break rather than rotating someone in.

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

This is off topic, and I apologize for that. I am wondering if DCL gives out the Pirate Night bandanas on the Treasure. Since they don’t on the Wish and they are same class ship, i am curious.

 

[Chirple]

This is off topic, and I apologize for that. I am wondering if DCL gives out the Pirate Night bandanas on the Treasure. Since they don’t on the Wish and they are same class ship, i am curious.

Yes, we got the newer pirate bandanas on the 2/8 Treasure cruise.

 

[ray3127]

Do you mean they make everyone get out of the pool for 10 minutes after 50 minutes? That's probably a lifeguard break thing. When I lifeguarded at a state park, we were required to have a 10 minute break every hour for safety concerns to make sure the lifeguard stays focused. You don't notice this at bigger pools because they probably have enough lifeguards to just sub in. I assume they don't have a lot of extra lifeguards on the ship so they take a break rather than rotating someone in.

Yes, they made everyone get out for 10 minutes after 50 minutes. All of the pools at once. The lifeguards stood watch by each pool.

The lifeguards specifically referred to this as a "water and sunscreen" break.