Haven’t cruised since 2016; a few questions

[CindysFriend]

Hey everyone. I used to be a regular on this board but we haven’t cruised DCL since 2016. I miss it!

Does DCL still have evening turndown service? In regular cabins, not solely the suites.

Do they still have set dining times? As opposed to “any time” dining.

Do they still offer soda, juice, etc for no additional charge? Please tell me they do.

Are there any major changes since 2016 that you think I should be aware of?


*We’re booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise for this August. I hate all of the nickel-and-dime-ing that they have. It’s seriously ridiculous. But we’re sailing with my son, DIL, and baby grandchild, so I know we’ll have a great time no matter what. But boy, I am so missing the elegance of the DCL ships. I don’t care about the cost difference! /end vent

 

[sadiecatie]

Hey everyone. I used to be a regular on this board but we haven’t cruised DCL since 2016. I miss it!

Does DCL still have evening turndown service? In regular cabins, not solely the suites.

Do they still have set dining times? As opposed to “any time” dining.

Do they still offer soda, juice, etc for no additional charge? Please tell me they do.

Are there any major changes since 2016 that you think I should be aware of?


*We’re booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise for this August. I hate all of the nickel-and-dime-ing that they have. It’s seriously ridiculous. But we’re sailing with my son, DIL, and baby grandchild, so I know we’ll have a great time no matter what. But boy, I am so missing the elegance of the DCL ships. I don’t care about the cost difference! /end vent

I can't really comment on the "any other major changes", as our first cruise was last year, but yes to all of your other questions, those things are still the norm on DCL. (the only things I can think of that I know other people comment about are that Cabanas no longer offers a dinner option - I think it used to be available as a more casual table service option vs. the MDRs? And Palo brunch is no longer a buffet).

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Palo dinner is also no longer whatever you want, however much you want for the price.

It is now Prix Fixe.

Some options are included but others that used to be free options are now $$, such as the Dover Sole.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

There's no longer paper Navigators - all that info is now on smart phones

 

[brentm77]

I can't really comment on the "any other major changes", as our first cruise was last year, but yes to all of your other questions, those things are still the norm on DCL. (the only things I can think of that I know other people comment about are that Cabanas no longer offers a dinner option - I think it used to be available as a more casual table service option vs. the MDRs? And Palo brunch is no longer a buffet).

This is exactly right.

Not much else comes to mind. A few small things:

- They may have stopped it by 2016, but you can no longer leave items, like a pillow case, with guest services to get character signatures added. You need to take them to each character meet.

- No more wave phones.

- The DCL transportation is no longer on a Disney-themed bus.

- H2O products are in pumps, locked to the wall, now. They just refill them. So no hoarding H2O products if that was your thing.

- You now check-in prior to going to the port by submitting stuff online that they used to scan at the port. When you check in depends on your status (33 days out for silver). Port arrival time is tied to when you check in, and it can be a bit frustrating because you have to upload pictures and such prior to getting the PAT, and the website may or may not work well. It becomes a frustration point for many cruisers, but it worked great last night.

These all seem like negatives. Has DCL added any benefits that I am not thinking of?

The product overall is still very much the same - even the menus will have barely changed since 2016.

 

[auntlynne]

The CM will use your phone to make photos at Character Greetings (while the photographer does their thing).

No dinner, in any form, in Cabanas.

The Terminal at Port Canaveral: check in is done in what was the downstairs foyer. Once your carryon bags are screened and you go upstairs, the large area is now just for waiting.

An additional tier was added to the top of Castaway Club: Pearl, for those over 25 cruises.

Castaway Cay - some activities dropped, like jet skis, after a hurricane destroyed neighboring Abacos.

Castaway Cay 5K is now a DIY event - no early morning access to the island. Still offers a medal for completion.

No character breakfast.

Yes to churro Mickey waffles one morning per cruise.

Shrimp every (nearly every) day on lunch buffet. This keeps surprising me.

…To me, the most impactful thing is the use of an app on the phone replacing the paper Navigator - but you can still get a one-sheet, double-sided list of hours and activities for each day.

 

[CamColt]

There's no longer paper Navigators - all that info is now on smart phones

You can however get a modified version of the paper Navigator at Guest Services. We usually stop on our way back to the room around midnight, to get the next day's offerings.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

I was checking out excursions at Castaway Cay for our upcoming cruise and jet skis showed up as an option. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/port-adventures/castaway-cay-watercraft-ski-adventure/
I’m not sure if it will actually be bookable or not.

 

[Skippyboo]

What ship are you doing? The Wish is the new ship and has a different layout versus Dream and Fantasy.

 

[otten]

Hey everyone. I used to be a regular on this board but we haven’t cruised DCL since 2016. I miss it!

Does DCL still have evening turndown service? In regular cabins, not solely the suites.

Do they still have set dining times? As opposed to “any time” dining.

Do they still offer soda, juice, etc for no additional charge? Please tell me they do.

Are there any major changes since 2016 that you think I should be aware of?


*We’re booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise for this August. I hate all of the nickel-and-dime-ing that they have. It’s seriously ridiculous. But we’re sailing with my son, DIL, and baby grandchild, so I know we’ll have a great time no matter what. But boy, I am so missing the elegance of the DCL ships. I don’t care about the cost difference! /end vent

We just got off the Wonder so our experience is very recent. Yes there is still evening turndown. We still got towel animals. There are still set dining times. Soda/juice etc is included (same exceptions as before apply).

As for changes, they don't give you paper navigators anymore. I like the app for being able to see into the future for what's happening later on in the cruise but I miss the easy visual of which activities overlap.

 

[ThinkTink91]

Not sure if this will affect you but the nursery no longer is open till midnight, they close at 11 pm and they don't serve meals anymore (snacks can be brought as long as they are still factory sealed)

 

[Lorana]

You can however get a modified version of the paper Navigator at Guest Services. We usually stop on our way back to the room around midnight, to get the next day's offerings.

Oh! That's good to know! While I like the app, I really do also like the paper navigator. We just sailed on the Wish in February and were sad not to get the paper navigators in our room each night. THey are great for our memory boxes, too!

 

[anjuan]

Palo brunch no longer includes a buffet. Everything is included on the menu and you can order as much as you like.

 

[Lillebelle]

A few additions:

1) They've integrated with MagicBand+ (they call it DisneyBand+) to open your room and pay for stuff. You only need your Key to the World card to get on/off the ship should you choose to use the band. MagicBand+ from the parks will work on the ships.

2) They updated the internet packages so now you can get day or length of voyage unlimited packages at different speeds rather than paying per MB.

 

[Clarkson U]

Hey everyone. I used to be a regular on this board but we haven’t cruised DCL since 2016. I miss it!

Does DCL still have evening turndown service? In regular cabins, not solely the suites.

Do they still have set dining times? As opposed to “any time” dining.

Do they still offer soda, juice, etc for no additional charge? Please tell me they do.

Are there any major changes since 2016 that you think I should be aware of?


*We’re booked on a Royal Caribbean cruise for this August. I hate all of the nickel-and-dime-ing that they have. It’s seriously ridiculous. But we’re sailing with my son, DIL, and baby grandchild, so I know we’ll have a great time no matter what. But boy, I am so missing the elegance of the DCL ships. I don’t care about the cost difference! /end vent

We have been cruising since 2011 including many pre and post pandemic.

Biggest changes:
No pirate night buffet

No more paper navigators in your room each evening

No stateroom wave phones any more

More digital photo packages than print ones but print packages are available on the ship

Your phone may work to iMessage folks back home or can use WhatsApp often times without purchasing WiFi on the ship

Check in times to book activities and port arrival times are now done by castaway club status - the newest one is the check in to select a PAT.

No more picture taking at the port you upload your own photo at home during check in time

All arcades are gone - replaced with candy and pay ice cream dessert shops

No dinner at cabanas anymore

This is all we can think of at the moment.

It’s still a great cruise and you will love it!
Enjoy!

 

[NAB]

I don’t remember when they changed bring your own alcohol on board , only allowed beer and wine now. Not sure how much since we don’t bring any.

Can’t drop anything off at guest services to be signed.

 

[dreamer17555]

I don’t remember when they changed bring your own alcohol on board , only allowed beer and wine now. Not sure how much since we don’t bring any.

Can’t drop anything off at guest services to be signed.

2 bottles of wine or 1 six pack of beer per adult over 21 (must be carried on). You can also bring this amount on at each port stop. So if you stop in Cozumel and pick up two more bottles of wine they will allow you to keep them and not check them.

 

[Dug720]

Do they still have set dining times? As opposed to “any time” dining.

Given the rotational dining is a hallmark of cruising Disney, I seriously doubt that they will ever have any time dining in the MDRs. It just doesn't work with the rotational model.

 

[tvguy]

Shrimp every (nearly every) day on lunch buffet. This keeps surprising me.

…

I have to ask why that surprises you? 20 years ago on this forum the shrimp on board was something Disney was known for

 

[auntlynne]

I have to ask why that surprises you? 20 years ago on this forum the shrimp on board was something Disney was known for

Memory. I remember shrimp and crab claws on Boarding Day, but not after that. Maybe it’s the crab claws.

Or poor memory.