Cast members on DCL cruises

[Flcruising]

There are a number of problems with the assumptions made
1. Cabins dedicated to cast member rates are very limited. I don't know there would be 100. Let alone 100 who knew each other and want to hang out together. After all there are disney employees from their many divisions all over the world, including retirees vying for those cabins.
2. The cast members I've known were taking family on a cruise not going on a cruise to party with other cast members
3. Cast members and their guests are under scrutiny even if not working.
4. I've heard some cast members prefer to book as regular passengers because as a cast member they don't get treated quite as well as other passengers. So getting all the good tables and reservations doesnt fit what ive heard. Not a common complaint but some.. On the other hand there is immediate connection when they discover a cast member. Plus you never know that person could end up as your boss someday. So there is friendliness but out of line partying I'm not sure about.
5. Assuming a group of young people are cast members is a mistake. Our 4 kids 8 to 15 years old are all platinum and know the ships well.
6. I agree a sign of a cast member is constantly winning at trivia.
7. I have never encountered a cast member who was disrespectful to other guests while on Disney property even if they weren't working. But I have encountered a lot of guests....well...

The Op may be right. IDK, but it hasn't been my experience.

 

[dreamer17555]

I love meeting cast members who are on the cruise as guests! They generally are really kind and outgoing. The only downside is they kick my butt at Disney trivia, but they’ve earned it by learning all that knowledge and some of them have been kind enough to team up with me which I very much appreciate. All in all CMs are great.

 

[FastPasser.]

Cast members and their guests are under scrutiny even if not working.

because as a cast member they don't get treated quite as well as other passengers.

In order to scrutinize CMs or not give them the same treatment as other passengers, ship Crewmembers would have to know who’s a CM? I don’t understand how or why they would bother doing that.

 

[dreamer17555]

Anyone else notice the trend of an increasing number of cast members on DCL cruises? I don’t remember many in the past but lately when we have been doing back to back cruises it seems like there are around 100 or so cast members doing the same. I understand they need to fill the ships and the price is right for the CMs.
I wouldn’t be bothered too much but it does take a little magic out of the sailing for us. Maybe we have just encountered entitled CMs on vacation - they have been very loud and take over the bars and get all the good restaurant tables and reservations. Ok, old man rant done for the morning

If they are on vacation and they have the Castaway level to secure adult dining how is it any different than someone booking with a different type of discount? Like FL rate, TA, or military? Do you also want them not to be allowed to make dining reservations when their booking window opens based on their Castaway status?

Also the best tables at the rotational restaurants? Those are assigned to concierge guests not those traveling on deep discounts.

As for taking over bars- I really don't understand this. I have never seen a bar get that crowded unless there was an activity (80's music trivia, Match your Mate) or a big game being shown in whatever sports bar is currently on that ships (O'gills, Pub 687). Are you talking about when bars are closed for alcohol tastings? Because anyone can book those but those with higher castaway levels get first dibs, however there are almost always spots available when you first board on the app.

And if a large group of CMs, who are on vacation and paid to be there (even at a discounted rate), they have just as much right to hang out with family and friends in the space of their choosing on the ship. Like I pointed out above how is that any different from a family reunion with family from all over FL booking under a FL resident rate also hanging out as a group?

Finally I don't understand how you know they are CMs. I have met many CMs on my sailings but often find out they make magic after I have been talking to them for a bit. It is rarely the first information they offer about themselves...

 

[Flcruising]

In order to scrutinize CMs or not give them the same treatment as other passengers, ship Crewmembers would have to know who’s a CM? I don’t understand how or why they would bother doing that.

Maybe not every crew knows who is a cast member but it is known. Everytime they buy something they may be getting a special discount. So the retail people know.The service desk certainly know. They share it themselves. So they aren't anonymous.
As far as scrutiny many companies keep an eye on employees. For example their Facebook pages or social postings. People have been fired for behavior outside of work hours. So why would it surprise you to find out cast members are expected to act appropriately when aboard a cruise even if on personal vacation? Right here on thjs board cast members have cautioned one another to be aware of providing information that can identify them. Enough said.

 

[xiphoid76]

OP here - back from my last two cruises on the Dream. This was sailing 22 and 23 for us. Almost Pearl. We notice the CMs when they board back to back with us. On recent back to backs there was one time around 30 CMs doing back to back and last July there was a time there was over 200 - they were Disney promotional people doing videos on board.
I find most CMs to be very nice on the cruise, but some are obnoxious (as are some regular guests).
The worst was the promotional video people who did snag all early reservations at Palo and took over bars and areas on the ship, but on our last cruise as well in Skyline a group of CMs would come in every night and take over the air with loud singing and annoying behavior. They were enjoying being there at the expense of the full-price paying guests.
We complained to guest services and did receive a pixie dust of champagne and 100 dollar OBC for their behavior which they agreed was rude. Guest services was amazing on this last cruise and was very apologetic for CMs.
Nothing to stop us from being on future cruises of course - gotta get that Pearl, but we just have noticed more entitled CMs on board recently - may just be our experience though. Now worries either way, DCL is still awesome.

 

[Lesverts]

Anyone else notice the trend of an increasing number of cast members on DCL cruises? I don’t remember many in the past but lately when we have been doing back to back cruises it seems like there are around 100 or so cast members doing the same. I understand they need to fill the ships and the price is right for the CMs.
I wouldn’t be bothered too much but it does take a little magic out of the sailing for us. Maybe we have just encountered entitled CMs on vacation - they have been very loud and take over the bars and get all the good restaurant tables and reservations. Ok, old man rant done for the morning

Heaven forbid the help is able to enjoy the same vacation I am.

 

[xiphoid76]

Heaven forbid the help is able to enjoy the same vacation I am.

Heaven forbid I can post something without a rude response. I want them to enjoy their vacation, I was complaining of entitled CMs at the expense of full-paying guests. And I wasn't saying the "help" as you disparagingly state. Please reread my post before posting a rude comment, thanks.

 

[Flcruising]

OP here - back from my last two cruises on the Dream. This was sailing 22 and 23 for us. Almost Pearl. We notice the CMs when they board back to back with us. On recent back to backs there was one time around 30 CMs doing back to back and last July there was a time there was over 200 - they were Disney promotional people doing videos on board.
I find most CMs to be very nice on the cruise, but some are obnoxious (as are some regular guests).
The worst was the promotional video people who did snag all early reservations at Palo and took over bars and areas on the ship, but on our last cruise as well in Skyline a group of CMs would come in every night and take over the air with loud singing and annoying behavior. They were enjoying being there at the expense of the full-price paying guests.
We complained to guest services and did receive a pixie dust of champagne and 100 dollar OBC for their behavior which they agreed was rude. Guest services was amazing on this last cruise and was very apologetic for CMs.
Nothing to stop us from being on future cruises of course - gotta get that Pearl, but we just have noticed more entitled CMs on board recently - may just be our experience though. Now worries either way, DCL is still awesome.

You actually sat there spending time memorizing faces and counted 30 on one cruise and 200 on another?
That situation was very unique and can't be applied to a general cruise which the op was clearly implying. The responses were also responding to that op, not a unique situation. In addition theres a good chance being promotional people shooting video they were special talent and not regular cast members. Perhaps some regular cast to fill in background scenes. Some could have been talent hired to act up and have fun for the promotion or movie and told "you don't know when the camera will be on you so keep going" Obviously I don't know but you didn't indicate you had inside knowledge of their backgrounds, specific jobs and what they were hired to do for that cruise. But it is clear if they were promotional people with cameras,
Directors and film crew and were shooting a video or movie they were working. Not on vacation. Thus saying they were on vacation seems to be questionable. Working on a film isnt the same as vacation.It's not fair to make assumptions about cast members on vacation when they could in reality be working or even extras hired from a casting agency for a movie or video. You could have been told it was promotional but it could have been a movie for any number of entities.
Not trying to be rude just pointing out alternate possibilities to the assumptions made. I too have seen things being filmed on a cruise and at parks. The old TV show Love Boat had scenes on ship. I'm sure cruisers got upset they were inconvenienced.

 

[Mle8308]

OP here - back from my last two cruises on the Dream. This was sailing 22 and 23 for us. Almost Pearl. We notice the CMs when they board back to back with us. On recent back to backs there was one time around 30 CMs doing back to back and last July there was a time there was over 200 - they were Disney promotional people doing videos on board.
I find most CMs to be very nice on the cruise, but some are obnoxious (as are some regular guests).
The worst was the promotional video people who did snag all early reservations at Palo and took over bars and areas on the ship, but on our last cruise as well in Skyline a group of CMs would come in every night and take over the air with loud singing and annoying behavior. They were enjoying being there at the expense of the full-price paying guests.
We complained to guest services and did receive a pixie dust of champagne and 100 dollar OBC for their behavior which they agreed was rude. Guest services was amazing on this last cruise and was very apologetic for CMs.
Nothing to stop us from being on future cruises of course - gotta get that Pearl, but we just have noticed more entitled CMs on board recently - may just be our experience though. Now worries either way, DCL is still a

OP here - back from my last two cruises on the Dream. This was sailing 22 and 23 for us. Almost Pearl. We notice the CMs when they board back to back with us. On recent back to backs there was one time around 30 CMs doing back to back and last July there was a time there was over 200 - they were Disney promotional people doing videos on board.
I find most CMs to be very nice on the cruise, but some are obnoxious (as are some regular guests).
The worst was the promotional video people who did snag all early reservations at Palo and took over bars and areas on the ship, but on our last cruise as well in Skyline a group of CMs would come in every night and take over the air with loud singing and annoying behavior. They were enjoying being there at the expense of the full-price paying guests.
We complained to guest services and did receive a pixie dust of champagne and 100 dollar OBC for their behavior which they agreed was rude. Guest services was amazing on this last cruise and was very apologetic for CMs.
Nothing to stop us from being on future cruises of course - gotta get that Pearl, but we just have noticed more entitled CMs on board recently - may just be our experience though. Now worries either way, DCL is still awesome.

I think some of the 200 promotional people may be vloggers, not CM’s. Especially if it was last July, that was around the time it launched and Disney was inviting large numbers of vloggers on board to promote the ship. And any group of CM’s has every right to go into any of the bars and lounges on the ship, they are paying just like you. You are no more entitled to be there than they are. You don’t know if they paid full price or not ( or for that matter if they are even CM’s). When you stay at Disney on a discount, does that mean you should not have the same access to amenities as some one paying rack rate? I think you’re making a lot of unfair and unsubstantiated assumptions.

 

[dreamer17555]

That sounds like when Disney invites vloggers- Not actual CMs. Disney chooses to pay for these trips so that they can create content (on their own pages) that will hopefully translate into more ppl booking Disney cruises. They are not actual Cast Members. They want them showing off things like Palo brunch because it is going to help Disney increase bookings. And I personally don't mind any group enjoying a lounge (singing and all). There are plenty of other spaces on the cruise if it were to bother me that much. Life is too short.

Also as a guest that rarely pays full price (VGT rates are my jam) I don't love the idea that if I am not paying as much as you that I should have a lesser experience...

 

[Flcruising]

That sounds like when Disney invites vloggers- Not actual CMs. Disney chooses to pay for these trips so that they can create content (on their own pages) that will hopefully translate into more ppl booking Disney cruises. They are not actual Cast Members. They want them showing off things like Palo brunch because it is going to help Disney increase bookings. And I personally don't mind any group enjoying a lounge (singing and all). There are plenty of other spaces on the cruise if it were to bother me that much. Life is too short.

Also as a guest that rarely pays full price (VGT rates are my jam) I don't love the idea that if I am not paying as much as you that I should have a lesser experience...

In that case some cast members could be on the cruise to host the vloggers. Assigned to the vloggers they would have been working. Not on vacation as op suggests.

 

[dreamer17555]

In that case some cast members could be on the cruise to host the vloggers. Assigned to the vloggers they would have been working. Not on vacation as op suggests.

I am wondering how the OP found out that they were Disney CMs. Maybe they talked to them and they replied "we are all here filming\working for Disney" which if they are vloggers is true but does not make them CMs. Disney would not send 200 CMs to film or to babysit vloggers. The OP was likely booked on an influencer cruise and people overstated their connection to Disney for clout.

 

[Mags2002]

In that case some cast members could be on the cruise to host the vloggers. Assigned to the vloggers they would have been working. Not on vacation as op suggests.

Yes big difference between vloggers or people paid to be doing promo stuff to regular CMs on vacation. Cruises where the majority of Guests are vloggers/influencers/paid promo are insane!

 

[Kit Jackson]

The OP was likely booked on an influencer cruise and people overstated their connection to Disney for clout.

This possibility makes perfect sense and would explain so much of what the OP observed.

 

[GOOFY D]

There are a number of problems with the assumptions made
1. Cabins dedicated to cast member rates are very limited. I don't know there would be 100. Let alone 100 who knew each other and want to hang out together. After all there are disney employees from their many divisions all over the world, including retirees vying for those cabins.
2. The cast members I've known were taking family on a cruise not going on a cruise to party with other cast members
3. Cast members and their guests are under scrutiny even if not working.
4. I've heard some cast members prefer to book as regular passengers because as a cast member they don't get treated quite as well as other passengers. So getting all the good tables and reservations doesnt fit what ive heard. Not a common complaint but some.. On the other hand there is immediate connection when they discover a cast member. Plus you never know that person could end up as your boss someday. So there is friendliness but out of line partying I'm not sure about.
5. Assuming a group of young people are cast members is a mistake. Our 4 kids 8 to 15 years old are all platinum and know the ships well.
6. I agree a sign of a cast member is constantly winning at trivia.
7. I have never encountered a cast member who was disrespectful to other guests while on Disney property even if they weren't working. But I have encountered a lot of guests....well...

The Op may be right. IDK, but it hasn't been my experience.

Wow 8 year old is already Platinum. Lucky kid!

 

[DMMarla07860]

I know cast members or crew who cruised. They went on ships they weren’t working on I know a few from Wonder who cruised the Dream this summer and a few from Wish who cruised Wonder or Magic.

It’s fun to see what they posted on instagram. None I know took over bars, the once cruised with her family and two celebrated their engagement.

The one who cruised with family is now working on Wonder and her parents surprised her and are cruising now

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was complaining of entitled CMs at the expense of full-paying guests.

It seemed to me that you were calling all (vacationing) CMs entitled. But I think they're not. As noted, often "promotional" invited guests are not actually CMs.

 

[Flcruising]

Wow 8 year old is already Platinum. Lucky kid!

They have grandparents that enjoy taking them.

 

[Mags2002]

They have grandparents that enjoy taking them.

What a wonderful core memory for them to have! Vacations with grandparents are the best