Home from our 1st DCL experience

[magickate]

Overall it was great.

High points:
Castaway Cay was beautiful

Kids clubs were a big hit. Oceaneers for our 9yr old & our 13yr old had no issue being allowed to vibe. I just signed at waiver at the open house when we boarded. She rolled in at 2am two nights in a row!

Our stateroom 5650 was perfect. Large balcony, near quiet lifts, easy to get everywhere.

Overall service was excellent

Ship is very well maintained & clean

We arrived at port at 11.15. Were in the terminal after dropping off luggage & parking by 11.30 then checked in and on ship by 12. All very smooth

We had a really lovely family with us at dinner & I was pleased we didn't request to dine alone.

The evening shows are excellent

We took part in a fish extender group & it was fantastic. It's really cool to see people on the ship using things you gifted.

The few not quite so good but not really lows.

Day 1 on the ship just felt all abit chaotic & I started to fear it wouldn't be the relaxing time we'd hoped. The main dining room that evening was so noisy & dinner felt slow.

DS liked oceaneers a bit too much! Obviously not their fault, but I missed him at castaway when he wanted to go while we snorkelled. I felt he missed out, but it was his holiday too so I let him go.

The pool is small & overcrowded, we knew in advance & had warned the kids so it was no surprise. But still a bit of a shame.

Vegetarian choice at cabanas was limited. No real mains choice at lunch, we didn't eat there in the evening at all.

A small amount of other guests lose their manners once they're onboard. Like they have a sense of entitlement? There was a school break in one state so alot of guests were from one particular area & we noticed everytime it was those particular groups. Such a shame, though didn't really matter to us!

Character queues are long but again we expected that.

Only one evening restaurant had a photographer coming round and he was awful. So rushed our photos were hilariously bad.

We'd love to go again finances permitted, 2022 is our next planned trip & I'm sure we'll get a cruise in there somewhere.

[magickate]

I appreciate I said the pool was overcrowded then added a photo of just my 2 in it!
I listened to the advice on hear & our FB group so put the kids swim stuff in our carry on. They were the 1st ones in when we boarded which was lovely.

[magickate]

Oooh one more important thing to add, Nassau was exactly as expected based on everything I'd read.
We got off, had a bit of a mooch, bought some rum & headed back to the ship. That was enough for us, it's a bit of a shock after being on a super clean family friendly ship for a few days. Sellers are very forwards & a firm polite no thank you is needed. One lady was very pushy that put daughter should have her hair braided & another was rather insistent our son should have a bracelet which was 'free' but made by her children that she needs money for.

I appreciate they rely on the cruises for their trade & I knew what we were likely to come across. But I'm mentioning it incase other people don't know.

[Bats]

How funny that a low point was your children enjoying the clubs too much - it's a nice low to have and I'm glad you can see the positive side to it!

First day is always a little manic, but especially if you're only on a 3 or 4 night cruise as everyone is trying to cram so much in. Same reason that service can sometimes be slower on the first evening as the dining teams have to contend with a whole bunch of people who want 'this, that and everything else'.

Pools aboard most cruise ships are small, it's just that other lines have other outdoor activities to combat the size of the pool, like Waveriders, climbing walls etc. DCL focuses more on the clubs and I think you have now realised that - it's a good and a bad I guess.

I find lunch in Cabanas ok (also a veggie), but I'm happy with carbs, carbs and more carbs - normally pasta plus a salad absolutely smothered in dressing! Cabanas in the evening just has a selection from the main menus so you wouldn't have had anything different if you'd gone up there.

So what itinerary is on the list next?

Joa

[magickate]

Not entirely sure! We did book a placeholder but don't plan to return to Florida for 3 years so perhaps one of the Europe itineraries. The Norweigan Fjords is one we keep on coming back to so maybe that, I need to look into excursions at the ports & see if there's enough our children would enjoy.
I'd love caribbean but I think the added expense of flights pushes it out of our budget.
I also think we've spoilt ourselves slightly have the balcony & not sure I could do without now! Sat on there reading my book was truly one of my favourite moments.

[MrFish]

It's funny how people can have different experiences. My kids didn't like the clubs and cried hysterically not to go again so I couldn't have any peace!

Also I found the character meets very chilled out with hardly any wait, especially compared to the parks.

You are right about the pools though they are verging on being unusable.

[magickate]

Our tablemates had a little girl 12months younger than our son who didn't like it either! I think a year or 2 ago he would've been the same but he's excited to try the Edge club next time.

I think we're settling for a 7night Caribbean next & bringing our 2022 trip forwards to 2021. It'll be a different ship but pretty much the same so we'll hopefully get the same room type too.

Only spanner in the works is DH has been offered a new job. A great opportunity but will make anything longer than 2 weeks off unlikely.

[Bats]

Originally Posted by magickate

Our tablemates had a little girl 12months younger than our son who didn't like it either! I think a year or 2 ago he would've been the same but he's excited to try the Edge club next time.

I think we're settling for a 7night Caribbean next & bringing our 2022 trip forwards to 2021. It'll be a different ship but pretty much the same so we'll hopefully get the same room type too.

Only spanner in the works is DH has been offered a new job. A great opportunity but will make anything longer than 2 weeks off unlikely.

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Crikey you changed your minds quick ... not going to Caribbean due to extra costs of flights to 'a 7 night Caribbean and bringing it forward a year too'! Brilliant.

The Fantasy is lovely and because it's a longer cruise, it feels more relaxed than the Dream for sure. Grab that same room if you can definitely!

Joa

[magickate]

Considering sneaking in a trip on the Magic too! The med we could do as an extra in May

DH has accepted the job offer so shorter holidays from now on but we can live with that.

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by magickate

Considering sneaking in a trip on the Magic too! The med we could do as an extra in May

DH has accepted the job offer so shorter holidays from now on but we can live with that.

See more...

if you are looking for a short sneaky trip on the Magic, have a look at the September 13 2020 5 Night Western Europe from Dover. It stops at Amsterdam, Brugges / Zebbrugge and has an overnight in Le Have. Im o that cruise, its my first Disney cruise and Im so excited