Magic coming out of dry dock

[mmouse37]

They only took over part of the upper area. We spent a little time there most days on the last WBPC. So you can still look forward to some relaxing time there.

That is the crux of the problem...they did take over the whole upper area. The upper area was blocked off from inside Cove Café (the stairway). You could not enter from Deck 10 either unless you were concierge.

MJ

 

[o&smom]

I also am saddened that the whole of Outlook above Cove Café on the Wonder was changed to an all concierge area. I don't understand why they couldn't just leave part of it for the non concierge guests like it used to be. We cruised a few times and the space ratio seemed fair. We enjoyed heading up there to watch the world go by, especially when it was chilly. This is the only space that really separates concierge and non concierge....meaning when it is cold outside it seems that only concierge guests can have the nice warm viewing area up there...that doesn't seem fair to the majority of the ship's guests. Don't get me wrong...I have nothing against concierge at all but in this instance there really is no comparable space for non concierge guests.

Did I miss something? I was not aware that any more work was done after the recent dry dock. We were on the Wonder last April and they had only taken part of the upstairs for concierge. Did they really make more changes since then while cruising to convert the whole area?

 

[o&smom]

That is the crux of the problem...they did take over the whole upper area. The upper area was blocked off from inside Cove Café (the stairway). You could not enter from Deck 10 either unless you were concierge.

MJ

When? This was not the case after the last drydock when we cruised in April.

 

[mmouse37]

When? This was not the case after the last drydock when we cruised in April.

I was on the Wonder 2 months ago and the stairway was blocked off from the bottom of Cove Café. There was no entrance from Deck 10 that I could see. I was very disappointed.

I hope I am wrong and I just missed it?

 

[Snowwhyt]

They only took over part of the upper area. We spent a little time there most days on the last WBPC. So you can still look forward to some relaxing time there.

Sooo part of the upstairs room with the window everyone can relax there or only sometimes? I think I’m confused.

 

[mmouse37]

I am honestly very confused now......We could not enter the upper area and from other posts on this board (not just this thread) led me to believe the entire upper area was now all concierge....if that is not the case then I fully apologize.

Can someone else chime in and confirm one way or the other? Thanks. The last thing I want to do is pass on wrong info. I honestly hope I am wrong as we loved sitting up there.

MJ

 

[ivanp91]

Yes, the entirety of the upstairs portion is now the Concierge Lounge. On my Alaskan cruise in September, Outlook Cafe had only recently closed and you could see workers in there for the entire week stripping out the current interior, carpet, etc. The previous versions of the Magic/Wonder deck plans specifically mentioned the Outlook Cafe on the Wonder, the latest ones label it strictly as the Concierge Lounge on both ships.

To clarify - this is a change that did NOT occur during drydock, which I think is why some people are confused. This was work that was carried out during the Wonder's normal sailing schedule.

 

[AquaDame]

Yep - we cruised concierge on the Wonder for the first time in late January this year. The entire upstairs is now concierge and in the southern caribbean at least, severely underutilized. We were frequently the only people in there for hours at a time... even on sea days. Most just came in, grabbed a drink or what have you and left (except during happy hour - then at least the side with the bartender was hoppin'!)

There were no famous people on our sailing that we could tell.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Yes, the entirety of the upstairs portion is now the Concierge Lounge. On my Alaskan cruise in September, Outlook Cafe had only recently closed and you could see workers in there for the entire week stripping out the current interior, carpet, etc. The previous versions of the Magic/Wonder deck plans specifically mentioned the Outlook Cafe on the Wonder, the latest ones label it strictly as the Concierge Lounge on both ships.

To clarify - this is a change that did NOT occur during drydock, which I think is why some people are confused. This was work that was carried out during the Wonder's normal sailing schedule.

Since that area was just created and new. I’m a little upset money from one of my recent trips paid for a second remodel before the dust had settled on the first remodeling.
Alaska isn’t cheap but I’d like to think the money I put into our trip was spent wisely and not on a whim.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

They only took over part of the upper area. We spent a little time there most days on the last WBPC. So you can still look forward to some relaxing time there.

But that changed after the 2017 Alaska season. As I noted, they took over the rest of the upper area deck 10 space and had already blocked off access via the spiral staircase in Cove Cafe by the time of the EBPC.

 

[mmouse37]

Thanks all...I was beginning to think I was losing my mind! Thanks for clarifying that yes, indeed, the entire top area is now concierge.

MJ

 

[o&smom]

I am honestly very confused now......We could not enter the upper area and from other posts on this board (not just this thread) led me to believe the entire upper area was now all concierge....if that is not the case then I fully apologize.

Can someone else chime in and confirm one way or the other? Thanks. The last thing I want to do is pass on wrong info. I honestly hope I am wrong as we loved sitting up there.

MJ

Absolutely no need to apologize for anything. I am confused now, too. All I know is that we were on the Wonder last April/May for the WBPC cruise after the drydock and only part of the upstairs area was made into concierge. There were times during our cruise when they had the upstairs closed for private events and you could not go uo the stairs, but we hung out there most days of our cruise.

 

[o&smom]

Yes, the entirety of the upstairs portion is now the Concierge Lounge. On my Alaskan cruise in September, Outlook Cafe had only recently closed and you could see workers in there for the entire week stripping out the current interior, carpet, etc. The previous versions of the Magic/Wonder deck plans specifically mentioned the Outlook Cafe on the Wonder, the latest ones label it strictly as the Concierge Lounge on both ships.

To clarify - this is a change that did NOT occur during drydock, which I think is why some people are confused. This was work that was carried out during the Wonder's normal sailing schedule.

So sad! We loved our time there. Somehow I had not seen anything on these boards that said they did any more work after dry dock to the area.

 

[mmmears]

So sad! We loved our time there. Somehow I had not seen anything on these boards that said they did any more work after dry dock to the area.

It is sad. I saw posts about it here when it happened. It's making me seriously consider sailing with another cruise line if we return to Alaska. There was very little indoor viewing space as it was, and to take it away and give it to a tiny fraction of their guests was a poor decision in my opinion. I tend to stay CL in the WDW hotels but I'm not interested in paying $$$ for concierge on the ships. CL in the hotels doesn't take away from other guests experiences like concierge does on the ships.

 

[cadien]

It is sad. I saw posts about it here when it happened. It's making me seriously consider sailing with another cruise line if we return to Alaska.

For the record, Norwegian is even more in your face about it. Not only did they change the observation lounge on some ships into the concierge equivalent (you feel really bad staying in one when you read all the complaints online about losing the observation lounge) but many of their exclusive areas are very visible to everyone else. My husband said no way we're doing Haven again for that reason.

 

[Dug720]

For the record, Norwegian is even more in your face about it. Not only did they change the observation lounge on some ships into the concierge equivalent (you feel really bad staying in one when you read all the complaints online about losing the observation lounge) but many of their exclusive areas are very visible to everyone else. My husband said no way we're doing Haven again for that reason.

And where there is a paid adult deck area (weirdly named Vibe - at least weird to this DCL girl), that is right next to the Haven area, people on NCL boards on Cruise Critic have bragged about buying up the wrist bands to Vibe so that it remains quiet for them on the Haven deck. So even their secluded area is not enough.

 

[mmmears]

For the record, Norwegian is even more in your face about it. Not only did they change the observation lounge on some ships into the concierge equivalent (you feel really bad staying in one when you read all the complaints online about losing the observation lounge) but many of their exclusive areas are very visible to everyone else. My husband said no way we're doing Haven again for that reason.

Yep. I promise you that NCL is not one we would ever consider and this is part of the reason. I would feel terrible feeling that kind of "special." At the hotels all we get is a lounge with food and a dedicated concierge (which I don't really need). We aren't taking prime spots from people in the hotel or in the parks, getting to choose our FP before them, ADRs, etc. So I don't feel "icky" about it at all. I just can't get myself to book concierge on the ships. (well, the $10K or so "upcharge" on our upcoming cruise doesn't make it likely in any event).

 

[disneyholic family]

Yes, the entirety of the upstairs portion is now the Concierge Lounge. On my Alaskan cruise in September, Outlook Cafe had only recently closed and you could see workers in there for the entire week stripping out the current interior, carpet, etc. The previous versions of the Magic/Wonder deck plans specifically mentioned the Outlook Cafe on the Wonder, the latest ones label it strictly as the Concierge Lounge on both ships.

To clarify - this is a change that did NOT occur during drydock, which I think is why some people are confused. This was work that was carried out during the Wonder's normal sailing schedule.

so they've done this also on the magic?
i'm not going to be a happy camper on our cruise if this area is now concierge only...

 

[jessicag13]

someone (finally!) posted video of Rapunzel's Royal Table-

i can't wait to see it in october! (the lanterns are my FAVORITE)

 

[Ralph&Pam]

so they've done this also on the magic?
i'm not going to be a happy camper on our cruise if this area is now concierge only...

No change on the Magic, since the area on deck 10 of the Magic was already Concierge only. There was no Outlook on the Magic, only on the Wonder. Now both ships have the same arrangement of this area.