Cattle-Call Cruise Line?
Written: Dec 05 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Spacious staterooms, bathtubs, Castaway Cay
Cons: Expensive, too many timewasters
The Bottom Line: Good for patient, rich people; not so great if time or money is an issue.
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| thebritswife's Full Review: Disney Wonder |
Cruising on the Disney Wonder reminded me of the one and only time I flew on Southwest Airlines (aka Cattle-Call Airlines). There was an awful lot of standing in line, being bumped into by other passengers. Unfortunately, unlike Southwest Airlines, the Disney Cruise Line isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. I should preface my remarks by saying that this was my first cruise, so I really don't know how Disney compares to other cruise lines. Nevertheless, I think most people would enjoy this cruise, as long as they know what to expect.
Transportation to the Cruise Terminal:
The Disney transfer bus from Orlando International Airport to Port Canaveral is very convenient. It probably accommodates 50-60 people. It has air conditioning and a restroom, and there are ceiling-mounted TVs playing Disney cartoons. The buses are operated by Mears Transportation, and some drivers are better than others. Our first driver was a grumpy 74-year-old man with a serious case of road rage. Our second driver was an excellent tour guide who imparted interesting factoids throughout the journey. In any case, it was much more convenient than taking a taxi or renting a car. My only complaint is that the transfer buses only depart from terminal A; if you fly into terminal B, you're in for quite a walk, so you might want to rent a luggage cart.
Embarkation:
The boarding process will go much faster if you complete all the required paperwork in advance. In the event that you have a green card, for God's sake bring it with you, because you will NOT be allowed to board the ship without it. Be advised that you are not supposed to bring any alcohol on board the ship. I had a bottle of champagne in my carry-on, and this caused me considerable anxiety at the security checkpoint. Fortunately, they didn't make an issue of it. There are several photo opportunities at embarkation, so be sure to make yourself presentable in advance because there aren't any mirrors in the vicinity.
Photo Ops:
The Disney photographers take excellent pictures. No matter how un-photogenic you think you are, you'll probably find a picture you like. Posing is free, except that you may have to wait in ridiculously long lines, especially if there are characters involved. If you want to purchase the photos, the cost is $9.95 for a 6x8 and $19.95 for a character photo (I believe these are 8x10). We also purchased the Christmas card option, which cost $39.95 for 50 cards and envelopes. The envelopes were just plain white business envelopes, which kind of irked me, but the cards came out beautiful.
Stateroom Quality:
The staterooms were much bigger than I expected but not as clean as I hoped. The toilet seat was stained, and there was something resembling cigarette ash floating in the toilet bowl. The sofa appeared dirty; I don't know if it was lint or actual dirt. The built-in vanity was dirty and chipped in places. The balcony was absolutely filthy; I had to wipe off the plastic deck chairs before we could sit in them. Fortunately, the towels and bed linens were fresh and clean, so I didn't worry too much.
Stateroom Category:
We had a family stateroom on deck 8. In retrospect, I don't think it was worth the extra money. There were only three of us, so we didn't really need the additional space, and we only used the balcony once. If money is an issue (and isn't it always?), I'd recommend skipping the balcony and getting an oceanview stateroom instead. The portholes are huge, so you'll still have a good view, and you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the salt air when you're strolling on deck.
Surprising Stateroom Features:
There was much less noise than I anticipated; in fact, the staterooms are virtually soundproof. My parents had a connecting room, and we never heard a peep out of them, even when they were getting our son all riled up. We did hear people (mostly teenagers) in the hallway occasionally, but it didn't happen often enough to become annoying. The fact that the bathroom has a bathtub instead of just a shower is extremely convenient for families, since many little kids don't like showers. The fact that the toilet is completely separate from the shower is also very convenient. The cold box is wonderful for keeping water and contraband liquor; I'm not sure it would be cold enough for milk or other food products, since it's not actually a refrigerator. There's ample storage space for clothing and toiletries; our family of three didn't use half of it. The TV programming is wonderful; there were five or six first-run movies playing continuously, and there were several kid-faves like Winnie the Pooh on other channels.
Individual Service (i.e., People You Tip):
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of service in this area. Our steward was extremely efficient and usually had our stateroom cleaned by the time we finished breakfast. The one time he didn't, he apologized. He cleaned the room several times a day and provided turn-down service, including chocolates and towel animals, which my son especially loved. The dining room staff was truly fantastic. They remembered our preferences and rarely kept us waiting for anything. They also went to great lengths to accommodate my notoriously picky son. We never utilized the 24-hour room service, because there is only so much food we can eat. My only complaint with the dining service is that it was very difficult to obtain the early dinner seating, and the late dinner seating would have literally ruined our vacation. You just can't expect a four-year-old to behave properly past 8pm. I really think Disney should give preference for the early dinner seating to families with young children.
Shipwide Service (i.e., People You Don't Tip):
I was generally disappointed with these people. Pretty much any time you have a problem or a question, you have to trot down to Guest Services on deck 3, and that gets to be annoying after awhile. We had a few problems with our shore excursions and room keys, and it was annoying that we couldn't resolve those issues over the phone.
Onboard Activities:
We didn't attend any of the shows or parties, because they mostly happened after our son's bedtime. One evening at dinner, he fell asleep in his chair at 7pm. We could have asked my parents to babysit for us (and the ship also offers in-room babysitting services), but we were too tired ourselves. Most nights, we collapsed in bed by 9:30. The daytime onboard activities consisted of swimming, the arcade, ping pong, foosball, and shuffleboard.
Shore Excursions in Nassau:
Nassau was a bit disappointing. We were supposed to "Discover Atlantis" at 11am, but we didn't actually get to Atlantis until 12:45. There was a great deal of standing around waiting for stragglers and buses, which really annoyed me; in the end, I wished that we hadn't booked the excursion because it would have been a lot faster to take a taxi. Atlantis itself was pretty much a hotel with an aquarium. My parents had fun gambling, but I could have happily skipped it. Shopping was disappointing. We bought a rum cake and a t-shirt, but we didn't find any fantastic bargains of the duty-free variety. The jewelry, clothing, purses, etc. seemed overpriced to me.
Castaway Cay:
This was the ideal beach vacation. The white sand beaches were remarkably litter-free, and it was easy to find a lounge chair. The weather was perfect: warm but not too hot. The ocean was rather chilly, but we only squealed a little. Snorkeling was fantastic. Experienced snorkelers might find it a bit dull, since the "reef" is entirely man-made. Still, we saw lots of fish (including a barracuda!), and we enjoyed the "shipwreck". We were too lazy to try any of the water craft, although they did look like fun; instead, we lazed on the beach drinking pina coladas. Pure bliss. It's too bad they don't skip Nassau and give you two days at Castaway Cay.
Dining:
After dinner the first night, we began to feel like the titular characters in Hansel and Gretl. There is no shortage of food. While the food was well-executed, it wasn't gourmet or particularly adventurous. I was disappointed that there wasn't more seafood. Despite the fact that we were in the Bahamas, conch was never on the menu. And most of the fish was from the North Atlantic. I was surprised they didn't use more local ingredients. While dinner usually met or exceeded our expectations, breakfast was pure IHOP and lunch was a mediocre buffet. You'll probably be satisfied, but don't expect to be wowed.
Beverages:
Upon boarding, you'll be given the opportunity to purchase a half or full case of Evian. It's a good idea to do this, since you'll want to bring water on your shore excursions. They'll also offer a wine package, which is a decent value if you intend to drink wine with dinner. Each day there's a drink special; one day, it was Bahama Mamas for $3.50. I think they offer a soda package and free sodas on one of the decks, but we don't drink soda.
Nickels and Dimes:
I was annoyed at the amount of add-ons, after we had already spent $2500 on the cruise fare. The staff often seemed a bit mercenary in trying to shake every last coin out of your pocket. Arcade games were 50 and 75 cents apiece. Water was $1.50 a bottle. The cheapest wine package was $23/day. Pictures were $9.95 and $19.95 apiece. There was a pirate costume party on the second night of the cruise, which seemed like an excuse to sell all manner of pirate gear. You may want to wait until the last night of the cruise to buy your souvenirs, because some of the items do go on sale.
Timewasters:
The trouble with the 3-night cruise is that you spend a large percentage of your time in mandatory meetings and interminable lines. First there's the lifeboat drill. Then there's the shopping presentation. Then the line at Guest Services. Then the line for the shore excursion, where you wait (and wait and wait) for the bus. Then the line for character greetings. Then the line to pick up portraits. Then the debarkation presentation. And, finally, the where-the-heck-is-my-luggage game at the cruise terminal. After awhile, it seems like Disney doesn't respect your time. The debarkation presentation was especially annoying, since they scheduled it for 4:15pm on the Castaway Cay day. So you come back early to attend this presentation, only to learn that you could have watched it on Channel 14 in your stateroom later that evening. Very annoying.
Non-U.S. Citizens Beware:
As I mentioned before, if you have a green card, you must bring it with you. All non-U.S. citizens will be required to meet with immigration on the final day of the cruise. On our cruise, the meeting was scheduled for 6am. If that seems early, it is.
Debarkation:
The last morning of the cruise feels like The Morning After. They want you off the boat as soon as possible, if not sooner. Our breakfast seating was 6:45. Everyone was tired and bleary-eyed, and the party was definitely over.
Mandatory Handwashing:
If you have OCD, you'll feel right at home. Disney apparently lives in fear of the stomach flu. They constantly remind you to wash your hands. There are Purell dispensers everywhere you turn. And the crew hands out wet wipes before every meal. It's a little much.
Seasickness:
I've heard people say that you can't even feel the boat move, and that's just not true. You will definitely feel the boat move, and it might make you a little woozy at first. Try to ignore it, because your body does adjust after the first night. What's really strange is that even after you get off the ship, you will still feel it rocking. Bizarre.
In Summary:
It was a unique, fun vacation. The 4- and 7-night cruises are a better value than the 3-night. The more expensive staterooms are probably not worth the extra money. The food is good, not great. If you hate waiting in line, you might have a nervous breakdown.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
thebritswife
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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