Unpopular Opinions

[phinz]

The Dream probably has the most kids. The offseason longer cruises have less. There were a lot less kids on our SC cruise last September, and I'm expecting a lot less on our upcoming Hawaii cruise.

I concur. I saw more kids on our 4-day Dream than we ever have on a 7-day Fantasy. A lot of families do Land/Sea trips, where they hit the parks before or after their cruise, so the 3 and 4-day cruises are the ones they take.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

All of that info is on the front page of the Navigator you get when checking in.View attachment 95612

I was just about to say that.

 

[SeattleSuz]

I do have to say that my first DCL dining experience was not at all like I expected it to be. Everyone else was hugging their servers on the last night and ours couldnt have cared any less if we were leaving, because they didn't seem to make much of an effort to be friendly with us at all. I mean, they tried to accomodate my hubby's gluten issue by giving him cornbread every night, but other than that, I hardly even remember their names. Our room attendant on the other hand was fantastic and went above and beyond expectations.
The character meets were hit and miss for us. DD just happened to see Belle in passing and then had 7 littles jump right in front of her, so she got pushed to the back (annoying), she was stoked to meet Donald Duck and OVERJOYED to finally meet Stitch (her fave). But she saw the princesses out once and when we tried to ask about it, someone was pretty snippy about telling me that we should have pre-arranged it...
Other than that, I am hoping that the servers on our next cruise are a little more personable.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Staying at a value resort has nothing to do with it. The DCL transport busses typically call at up to 3 resorts before heading to the port. Sometimes, if a resort has enough people going, and fills the bus it may only stop at the one resort, but that's not typical.

Our experiences with DCL transfers is that we stopped at 2 other resorts everytime (we were the first on) and we arrived at the port by 1:00 at the latest. Arriving as late as 3 is rather unusual. Not saying it doesn't happen, but it's not normal.

 

[SeattleSuz]

My other unpopular opinion is that I really really detest the freakin handiwipes passed out before you go into every eating establishment on the ship. I felt like they were being forced on me and as a fanatical handwasher, I didn't feel like they were absolutely necessary all the time... My DD7 said "no thanks" a couple of times and they chased her down "no, we INSIST" ugh.

 

[Crush518]

By the time we left, got on boat, through customs and checked kids into club, it was after 3 which was too late....I have no idea how they "usually do it", just stating what my experience was getting on boat...Online we registered for 1115 and was scheduled in 2nd boarding group...It turned out differently as we had no say when bus picked us up from Pop Century, just figured value resorts are always the last to get picked up which seems like would be about right....

Our servers were great I must say!

 

[Dave2425]

Staying at a value resort has nothing to do with it. The DCL transport busses typically call at up to 3 resorts before heading to the port. Sometimes, if a resort has enough people going, and fills the bus it may only stop at the one resort, but that's not typical.

That's why we take private transportation.

 

[Crush518]

Yea its not great when you are told a time and have no control over it...

 

[Crush518]

That's why we take private transportation.

We will be doing that next time more than likely, because apparently you need to be on the boat first thing for the new "ticketed character events"....When you have no say, you are left with zero tickets...

 

[perditax]

My other unpopular opinion is that I really really detest the freakin handiwipes passed out before you go into every eating establishment on the ship. I felt like they were being forced on me and as a fanatical handwasher, I didn't feel like they were absolutely necessary all the time... My DD7 said "no thanks" a couple of times and they chased her down "no, we INSIST" ugh.

On the other hand, DCL has the lowest number of norovirus outbreaks of any massmarket line on the CDC website, IIRC, so I hope they keep handing them out.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I second this. I was pushing my mom's wheelchair and came to the ramp down to Animator's on the Fantasy. The person with the wipes was standing just a few steps down on the ramp. My choices were take the wipe and let me mom roll down the ramp and crash land or not take the wipe. They were trying to stuff it into my hand that was gripping the bars of the wheelchair. I told them if it was so important, hand it to me when we got to the bottom of the ramp. Funny enough, it couldn't have been that important because no one did.

 

[Eeyorebabies]

I don't care if someone is an OCD hand washer. Just take the wipe and either wipe or toss it. Those CMs have one job. To hand out wipes. How do you think they will look if a norovirus outbreak occurs under their watch because someone didn't like the wipes. I bet if you go on a cruise where noro breaks out, you will be begging for those wipes before every dining rotation. THEY don't know you are an avid hand washer. Because let's face it, the majority of the population do not wash their hands every time they touch a stair well, elevator buttons etc. wouldn't you rather those people get the wipes?? Or should the CMs follow everyone around to make sure everyone washes their hands every time they touch their face or scratch their butts. A few seconds of wiping your hands isn't going to kill you.
The wheelchair ramp thing, yeah, that wasn't necessary, and someone should have been at the bottom of the ramp, not the top.

 

[SeattleSuz]

lol. See, it WAS an unpopular opinion that I just stated. I also don't use hand sanitizer, which I know is unpopular as well.

 

[Ofinn]

lol. See, it WAS an unpopular opinion that I just stated. I also don't use hand sanitizer, which I know is unpopular as well.

I agree with you. I think the wipes are a waste of time, but it looks good to a lot of people. If it makes people feel safer using one then I guess they serve some purpose.

 

[Flossbolna]

By the time we left, got on boat, through customs and checked kids into club, it was after 3 which was too late....I have no idea how they "usually do it", just stating what my experience was getting on boat...Online we registered for 1115 and was scheduled in 2nd boarding group...It turned out differently as we had no say when bus picked us up from Pop Century, just figured value resorts are always the last to get picked up which seems like would be about right....

Our servers were great I must say!

I think you should send DCL an email explaining what happened to you. They should become aware that if they make more things by reservation only, that they need to make sure that the people whom they transport themselves are not totally locked out of being able to take part. They sell you a night at one of their resorts and a transfer and advertise this as a seamless experience. And then you arrive at the ship to be told that you should have arrived earlier to sign up for the character meets. To me this is a fail in service and you are rightly disappointed.

 

[Ofinn]

On the other hand, DCL has the lowest number of norovirus outbreaks of any massmarket line on the CDC website, IIRC, so I hope they keep handing them out.

Don't they have the fewest number of ships?

 

[kaseyC]

On the other hand, DCL has the lowest number of norovirus outbreaks of any massmarket line on the CDC website, IIRC, so I hope they keep handing them out.

Don't they have the fewest number of ships?

Exactly, DCL has 4 ships. The other cruise lines have way more ships and have been sailing longer so it only makes sense that they would have a higher number of outbreaks.

 

[perditax]

In that case hygiene is definitely superfluous. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[mevelandry]

My other unpopular opinion is that I really really detest the freakin handiwipes passed out before you go into every eating establishment on the ship. I felt like they were being forced on me and as a fanatical handwasher, I didn't feel like they were absolutely necessary all the time... My DD7 said "no thanks" a couple of times and they chased her down "no, we INSIST" ugh.

They said we touch our face at least 1000 times a day (or something like that) without noticing... so ... yes, unfortunately, it is necessary.

 

[wcw57]

just chiming in, here:

Our servers, as I've stated on many different threads, we perfectly OK. The assistant server was brand-spankin' new and was terrible but eager, so she got points for that. Head server asked how to give exceptional service, I told him, and he got worse.

Only met room attendant as they were picking up our luggage and he introduced himself, all smiles...he did perfectly fine job all week (as in any motel) ...

anyhow, if I hadn't read about the amazing servers in advance, I wouldn't have been disappointed.