What is still not back to "normal?" (Updated April 2023)

[bigAWL]

With the removal of all COVID testing for sailings from the U.S., it feels like Disney wants to get back to "normal" cruising as much as possible. But some things that changed with COVID-era cruising still haven't changed back. What are all the things that are still different... and do we expect this to be the new normal?

***Updates***
I'm going to try to keep a list of noted changes here for anyone who doesn't want to read through the whole thread. Perhaps some of these are not directly related to COVID, but they changed about the time of the shutdown/restart.

• Staffing still appears to be below pre-COVID levels (guest capacity doesn't seem to be capped, though)
• Supply chain issues still occasionally blamed for various shortages
• Check-in 30-days before cruise, regardless of Castaway Club status
• Stricter enforcement of Port Arrival Times (may park or luggage drop before, but then wait outside terminal)
• No preferred PAT for Platinum Castaway Club
• Key cards no longer issued at terminal check-in (they are left outside the room)
• Muster drill procedure change (Whole-ship, in-person muster drills are back)
• No more paper Navigators (Daily schedule printout now available at Guest Services or on request, but not the same as the old Navigators)
• No character breakfast (may only be available on Pixar Day at Sea cruises)
• No Frozen meet and greet (perhaps returned for Northern Europe sailings only? Not sure about Alaska?)
• No pin trading events
• No meals served in kids clubs
• Youth Activities counselors no longer pickup kids from the MDR (Dine and Play)
• Ice cream station no longer self-serve (Generally back to self-serve)
• Cabanas not open for dinner
• Platinum reception limited to 8+ night cruises (recent pre-covid change)
• Palo Brunch is menu only (no more buffet)
• Palo Dinner offers "Prezzo Fisso" menu for fixed cost, plus a la carte menu with up charges
• Pirate party buffet gone (may be on again, off again)
• Future cruise bookings only offer placeholders (cannot book a specific cruise)
• Beer token/mug availability is still subject to supply shortages
• Skyline Passport offer discontinued

Other recent changes I'm aware of:

• New special requests section on reservations page for things like dining table requests
• New daily internet packages (instead of metering by usage)

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Guess you have to define normal since even prior to covid things changed as they tried to find ways to make things work smoother and better.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

- no character breakfast
- no Frozen meets
- 5k cc run not an event but do it as you like
- no cabanas dinner
- palo brunch off the menu
Pirate dinner returned but has now been removed again so i guess that doesn't count

 

[bigAWL]

Guess you have to define normal since even prior to covid things changed as they tried to find ways to make things work smoother and better.

Which things changed prior to the 2020 shutdown? My last cruise was in 2018 on the Magic.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

- no character breakfast
- no Frozen meets
- 5k cc run not an event but do it as you like
- no cabanas dinner
- palo brunch off the menu
Pirate dinner returned but has now been removed again so i guess that doesn't count

I don't really fully think of all those things as directly covid related since stuff like that has always been ever changing. Sure to a point they are but any of those things could have changed for any number of reasons.

But you can freely cruise with no restrictions, see faces, no more worry of being quarantined due to close contact, and so on...that is what is making cruising feel more normal to me.

 

[melissa723]

- no character breakfast
- no Frozen meets
- 5k cc run not an event but do it as you like
- no cabanas dinner
- palo brunch off the menu
Pirate dinner returned but has now been removed again so i guess that doesn't count

When did they remove the pirate dinner? We were on the Magic two weeks ago and we had it. In fact, we had the original pirate night show up on the top deck minus Mickey ziplining, but that was only because the seas were rough for us leaving Bermuda.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Which things changed prior to the 2020 shutdown? My last cruise was in 2018 on the Magic.

Technically the muster drill which changed again after covid had made changes prior to covid as an example.

Character breakfast didn't start on the Fantasy right away and when it came back you had to get a spot for it and everyone wasn't guaranteed to have it and it went to disney jr. While before that all the longer cruises were given a morning for character breakfast.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

When did they remove the pirate dinner? We were on the Magic two weeks ago and we had it. In fact, we had the original pirate night show up on the top deck minus Mickey ziplining, but that was only because the seas were rough for us leaving Bermuda.

I cruised last week and was told we were the second cruise to not have it anymore. That was the fantasy and I know for a fact the same happened on the Dream. I was told Wonder and Magic as well but I haven't heard any first hand reports...

 

[happycamper47]

One thing everyone needs to remember, staffing is still not back to normal, nor is the supply chain for the ships to restock. They suffer just like all the major restaurants, department stores and grocery stores.

 

[mousefan73]

I cruised last week and was told we were the second cruise to not have it anymore. That was the fantasy and I know for a fact the same happened on the Dream. I was told Wonder and Magic as well but I haven't heard any first hand reports...

Maybe they realized what food waste it was.. I mean I only observed people piling their plates high only to leave a mess with not even half eaten food. I have only done it once and just got one taco to get a taco. I was still stuffed from dinner most people in line laugh and say " like didnt we just eat a few hours ago?" People just ate ( correction- got food and left it) because it was there. I wish they would just put a taco bar on the pool deck

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Technically the muster drill which changed again after covid had made changes prior to covid as an example.

Character breakfast didn't start on the Fantasy right away and when it came back you had to get a spot for it and everyone wasn't guaranteed to have it and it went to disney jr. While before that all the longer cruises were given a morning for character breakfast.

the Disney jr characters have been removed from the ships overall :-(

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Maybe they realized what food waste it was.. I mean I only observed people piling their plates high only to leave a mess with not even half eaten food. I have only done it once and just got one taco to get a taco. I was still stuffed from dinner most people in line laugh and say " like didnt we just eat a few hours ago?" People just ate ( correction- got food and left it) because it was there. I wish they would just put a taco bar on the pool deck

I dont like the pirate menu and I'm always on the first seating so never had issues eating a couple of tacos and crepes.. and waste is just an overall issue of ANY buffet. I agree they could do it differently but that would be requiring more human power which is probably more expensive than the food waste.

 

[melissa723]

I cruised last week and was told we were the second cruise to not have it anymore. That was the fantasy and I know for a fact the same happened on the Dream. I was told Wonder and Magic as well but I haven't heard any first hand reports...

Are you talking about the Pirate dinner or Pirate buffet? They are two different things. Yes, the pirate buffet was gone when we were on the Magic, however, the pirate dinner served at all of the dining rooms was still happening.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Are you talking about the Pirate dinner or Pirate buffet? They are two different things. Yes, the pirate buffet was gone when we were on the Magic, however, the pirate dinner served at all of the dining rooms was still happening.

Pirate Buffet returned back in May.

And I think it's just the Wish that doesn't have the pirate menu on pirate night.

 

[bigAWL]

Port arrival times are different, too. No?

Are the kids clubs picking up kids from the main dining room again? Wasn't it called Dine and Play, or something like that?

 

[melissa723]

Pirate Buffet returned back in May.

And I think it's just the Wish that doesn't have the pirate menu on pirate night.

Yup...you're correct because we had the buffet in June on the Dream. They took it away again when we were on the Magic on the October 21st sailing and were told it's not coming back, but the Pirate dinner menu never went away. Haven't been on the Wish...yet.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I indeed meant the buffet not the main dining menu (id love to see that go hahaha)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

nm, question answered.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

I indeed meant the buffet not the main dining menu (id love to see that go hahaha)

I agree I would love to see the pirate dinner in the main dining menu to go also! One good thing with 3 night wish is not having to deal with it.

 

[melissa723]

I indeed meant the buffet not the main dining menu (id love to see that go hahaha)

Oh my gosh yes!