What has changed?

[MABrentwood]

Hi all! We went did a 4 night Bahamas on the Dream three years ago, and really enjoyed it. I learned so much from this board. Now we are considering booking a 3 or 4 night Bahamas (3 night Wonder, 4 night Magic) in February. A few questions, if you are interested in helping.

1. Any major differences between the 3 and 4 night, other than one less night (one less show)? We want to do the four, but will struggle with taking the kids out of school to make that happen.

2. What has changed in the last three years? Alcohol policy? Prices for onboard activities? Do I see that you now need tickets to do the princess meet and greet? We don't get preferential booking, since we tend to book about thirty days before the cruise, and I am concerned that we will not get to do the meet and greet. Any other changes that you can think of?

3. When we went last time, we were not overly impressed with the dining. Don't hate me for saying that - it's just my experience and my opinion. My husband and I feel like we will probably just feed the kids off the of buffet, and send them to the Kids Club, because that is where they want to be anyway. Does anyone have any experience just booking the adults for a dining rotation and requesting a table of adults only?

Thanks for the help. Anything else you can think of that I need to know, don't hold back!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi all! We went did a 4 night Bahamas on the Dream three years ago, and really enjoyed it. I learned so much from this board. Now we are considering booking a 3 or 4 night Bahamas (3 night Wonder, 4 night Magic) in February. A few questions, if you are interested in helping.

1. Any major differences between the 3 and 4 night, other than one less night (one less show)? We want to do the four, but will struggle with taking the kids out of school to make that happen.

2. What has changed in the last three years? Alcohol policy? Prices for onboard activities? Do I see that you now need tickets to do the princess meet and greet? We don't get preferential booking, since we tend to book about thirty days before the cruise, and I am concerned that we will not get to do the meet and greet. Any other changes that you can think of?

3. When we went last time, we were not overly impressed with the dining. Don't hate me for saying that - it's just my experience and my opinion. My husband and I feel like we will probably just feed the kids off the of buffet, and send them to the Kids Club, because that is where they want to be anyway. Does anyone have any experience just booking the adults for a dining rotation and requesting a table of adults only?

Thanks for the help. Anything else you can think of that I need to know, don't hold back!

1. Well, as you noted, 4 nights is one night longer. I'm firmly in the "longer is better" camp, so that's what I'd pick, if those were my only choices. You'll get the Pirate night menu on the 4 night and not the 3 night.

2. Alcohol policy - every guest 21 and older can bring onboard 2 bottles of wine/champagne (750 ml each max) OR 6 beers (12 oz each max). This allotment is allowed on embarkation and from every port call. Princess Gathering, Frozen Meet & Greet are bookable when your excursion booking window is open. There may be tickets left for pick up onboard, but I wouldn't count on it. You can still visit the individual meet & greets throughout the cruise with no ticket.

3. Just a note - for dinner the "buffet" is sit down table service with a menu of selected items pulled from the menus in the other dining rooms that evening. And isn't open the first and last nights of the cruise. You certainly can request a table of adults only. No guarantee you'll get it, but requests are always welcome.

 

[KMovies]

Each ship has 3 Broadway style shows. Cruises longer than 3 nights have additional filler shows such as Variety Acts, a movie in the Walt Disney Theatre, Welcome Aboard and Farewell show.
The difference between most 3 and 4 day cruises is that the 4 day cruise will have 1 day at sea. On Sea days is always extra activities. The additional day doesn't seem as rushed (meaning that 3 night cruise seems rushed as you really only spend 2 full days on the ship).
The 3 night cruises will have the rotational dining menus. Longer cruises will have the extra menus such as Pirates, Captains Gala, See you real soon etc.
The major difference will be the size of the ship. The Magic and Wonder are the classics and are much smaller. The Dream is 1.5 times as large. The Magic and Wonder are wonderful. They have Disney Dreams which is a classic story of Peter Pan teaching Ann Marie to fly by the end of the night. The Magic has Tangled the Musical and the Wonder has Frozen the Musical. Frozen is the newest show on any ship and Tangled the second newest.
I'd recommend the Wonder which replaced one of the restaurants with Tiana's place and has Frozen the musical.

 

[Weedy]

Sometimes on the 3 day cruises Palo Brunch will be offered on the Nassau Day

 

[lanejudy]

I believe the Magic is sailing out of Miami this February, while the Wonder is out of Port Canaveral. The itineraries (ports) are different.

I don't believe you can sign up only the adults for the dining rotation as everyone is included. You could have your reservation noted that the kids will not do the MDR and therefore you request to be seated with another couple. But it's only a request and I'm not sure how DCL would handle it. For a 3-night cruise you would only have Cabanas as an option for dinner once (middle night) and twice on a 4-night, but the quick service locations by the pool and room service are options.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MABrentwood]

I believe the Magic is sailing out of Miami this February, while the Wonder is out of Port Canaveral. The itineraries (ports) are different.

I don't believe you can sign up only the adults for the dining rotation as everyone is included. You could have your reservation noted that the kids will not do the MDR and therefore you request to be seated with another couple. But it's only a request and I'm not sure how DCL would handle it. For a 3-night cruise you would only have Cabanas as an option for dinner once (middle night) and twice on a 4-night, but the quick service locations by the pool and room service are options.

Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks - this is the info that I am looking for on the dinner issue. I thought I remembered the main buffet (I cannot remember what it is called, but the one that is open for breakfast and lunch) was open for dinner too - maybe this is not the case. I don't really want to sit with my kids in the MDR, but I guess it is always good to have the option.

I'm not super concerned about ports or itineraries - we are going just to be on the ship, and to go to Castaway Cay.

I am very concerned about not getting a ticket for the Princess and Frozen meet and greets. We like to book the Guaranteed rate (so very last minute), and I can deal with not getting the dining options I want, but my girls would be super disappointed if they did not get to do the meet and greets.

 

[Dug720]

Cabanas is generally open as a sit-down-order-from-menu restaurant on all but the first and last nights. It is NOT a buffet at night.

I definitely agree that when they do seating they will do it for the whole family - you MIGHT get a table just for your party, but no guarantees there. But if you are seated with others, even if you don't ever bring the kids you will likely be seated at a table with demographics similar to your whole family as Disney is not really designed for "kids table" and "adult table" like a family holiday dinner.