More cutbacks on DCL

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Hi everyone,

Maybe you have noticed or maybe not but DCL has done some major cutbacks lately.

Now they have done 2 more which I disagree with. I just wanted so pass along the information for you.

 

1. They no longer have the Steel Drum band on either of the ships. They are the band who played caribbean music by the pool and in Parrot Cay and on CC by the Gazebo. They havnt replaced them, so NO more caribbean style music on a Caribbean cruise.

It doesnt make sense to me???? After all it is a Caribbean cruise!!

 

2. Ok for all the repeat cruisers they have a Castaway Club reception with the Captain and some of his officers. At this reception they have always had mixed drinks, punch, coffee, tea, shrimp, cookies, tiny cakes, pastries, kabobs, and assorted snacks for all ages.

Now they they are serving can a pops and Mickey crunchies.

Plus on two recent cruises the pops were warm!!

 

What is the problem??

 

we are paying more each year and they continue to take away things.

It just doesnt add up!!!

 

I do love DCL and I want them to bring back the Magic we use to experience when we cruised with them!!

 

No live house band on the Wonder.

 

Band on the Magic covers all venues of music. 2 of the members make up the duo in the Promenade lounge, which I have read many different trip reports on, all saying they were terrible, the singer was reading all the songs from sheet music and it sounded like he had never sang the song before. Most walked out.

 

Food quality isnt as good especially in the buffet

No steel drum band

Bad duo on the magic, there was nothing wrong with the old duos.

No live music at the sail away part on the wonder

No live music in the clubs at night on the Wonder, just a DJ.

Cutbacks on how many things to do during the day

 

Only a year ago every trip report I read was all fun and told of awesome cruises with the only disappointing things wre maybe some bad weather, or rough seas.

Now from repeat cruiser who know the difference they Magic just isnt there. Way to many cutbacks on both ships. many are trying other cruise lines for their next cruise.

 

This is so sad, but I do agree if they dont do something soon, they will loose many repeat guests, myself included.

The reason I am writing about this is to ask all of you to please write to DCL, if you agree with wanting back some of the things they have taken away.

 

I LOVE dcl and I want to continue to cruise with them, but I wont unless they make some changes soon. I am going next month and will check out things for myself, although I did notice a lot of things in August when I cruised too.

 

If enough people write, dcl will listen and make changes. On other sites hundreds have written already. Please, if you want to help keep the Magic alive at DCL, take 5 minutes and write to them.

 

dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

Thankyou,

mom x4,grandma x4

kathy

[Tracy123]

I sent my letter mom.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Thankyou, I know every letter will count!!

I will update if I find out anything from other crusers or DCL.

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[Gbs1]

I sent mine as well a couple of weeks ago but did not receieve a response.

 

One of the most enjoyable things to do is sit poolside, have a cocktail and listen to the island music while the kids play and swim!!!!!. This is just wrong!!!!!!!!!!!! If I wasn't going to be travelling with 3 other familes I would probably cancel as the reports on these boards are really worrying me. The issues with the ship, limited live music, reduced quality of the food, service, etc. For the money compared to other lines, we should be getting more not less.

 

I will send another note to them.

 

Geoff

[lvsatman]

Please continue to post these cut backs. We had been planning on taking a Disney Cruise in June 2008. With these recent concerns that I have been reading, we are now looking at taking Royal Caribean. They have a private island as well, and we can get a Ocean View Balcony for less than an inside on Disney. We really want to do Disney, but unless they are planning on making a cut back on the prices they charge, we are going to take a very serious look at another cruise line.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Hi everyone,

I know how you feel, we have 2 --07 cruises booked, one is 100% paid for, but if things dont improve by the first of the year we will be cancelling too.

 

but for now I am cruising with an open mind this month. I hope to see some improvements. I will be looking for any other cutbacks that nobody may of posted about. If your a new cruiser you wouldnt know the difference. But after 12 cruises I know what to expect!!!

 

I will go with an open mind and will post a detailed cruise report after we return. Geoff is an experienced DCL cruiser too, hopefully you will be able to look for things too. Maybe we can put our heads together sometime on the ship and compare notes, so to speak??

 

Two days ago when I found out about the reception cutbacks and the Steel Band I actually wrote a NASTY letter this time. I am always possitive and direct in my letters, I try to be professional about it, but not this time!! I really laid it on the line!!! No swearing, but I did say who ever was making these decisions must be named Mr. Stupid. And at the end of my letter I told them NOT to bother writing me back because I didnt want another generic letter like everyone else. I already know what it will say, it says all about the great changes for my enjoyment and how Disney strive for a standard of excellance for all their guests. I told them it was all LIES!!!! and I didnt want to hear it again!!!

 

Hope they dont black list me off the ship or booby trap my room, Ha! Ha!

 

Well thanks for the letters. I got a PM today from a lady who got the address of the president of disney cruise line and she wrote him a long detailed letter and she included some of the letters people have posted on a different site with her letter and gave him lots of contact information for her.

She will let me know when and if she hears back from him. I may ask her for his address and write him myself. Maybe we need to start at the top on this subject.

 

I will continue to update as I learn new things, hopefully they will be good possitive things next time. I do love DCL and I really want to continue to cruise with them, but that will only happe if they bring back the MAGIC they have taken away!!!

 

 

For anyone cruising, please fill out the comment cards on the ship about this and they dont give you much room, take a piece of stationary out of the drawer in your room and write a letter, address it to the captain and drop it in the comment box!!!! he will read it.

 

Thanks again for your support,

Kathy

[luv2travel29]

this makes me really upset.... we are going on our first disney cruise the end of feb with 3 other families.... i could have cruised with RCI for half the price.... i have a feeling this will be my one and only disney cruise.... :( :mad:

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Jill,

here is the address where you can write if you want to tell them how you feel. Your cruise is still a ways away, so maybe with enough letters we can get some of these amenities brought back before your cruise!!

Every letter counts!!!

 

dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

Thanks,

mom x4,grandma x4

[Majesty Fan]

Mom,

I too wrote my letter. I thought the food was not very good in the main dinning room. It was hit or miss. I think it was good 3/7. Pirate night it was bad! I miss not having the Steel Band. We did book a 3 day on the wonder for late Feb and back to the Magic for Oct.

Lexi

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Lexi,

Thankyou for taking the time to write!! I know if enough people write they will make changes. DCL is good about listening ot their guests, if enough want the same thing.

 

Hopefully by the time you cruise again we will have both the live band and the steel drum band back on both ships!!!

 

Please let me know when you get a response. I know they are a generic respose which really doesnt tell us anything, but I appreciate knowing when they respond.

 

I also know that any changes in a big corporation do take time, but I will keep posting about this and writing until they do something.

 

Thanks,

mom x4,grandma x4

[KKB]

this makes me really upset.... we are going on our first disney cruise the end of feb with 3 other families.... i could have cruised with RCI for half the price.... i have a feeling this will be my one and only disney cruise.... :( :mad:

 

DO NOT FRET!

You will have a terrific time---and your children DEFINITELY will!

DH & I did Princess for first cruise & we feel that from an adult perspective, Disney & Princess are nearly identical (except Princess dining room food is better....BUT PALO IS FABULOUS! I am dreaming of it right now....)

But for kids, we will take Disney again in another 5 years or so. Disney just 'gets' kids. Now I haven't experienced any other lines w/ kids, but Disney nailed it. If this had been my first cruise, I might not be quite so hooked...but I would say that had more to do w/ 26 family members cruising together....DDs earache all wee...kids all week (luv em, but they are exhausting...)...DS flu on last day (yes, Castaway Cay:( )...my reaction to patch midcruise...

You will all have a BLAST!

ENJOY!

(and DO NOT miss Palo....$10 pp is a BARGAIN!)

Happy cruising!

Kris

[mom x4,grandma x4]

howdy everyone,

well I had convinced myself that there are no other areas where DCL could make any cutback. I was wrong!!!

 

If you have spa reservations, please check the times alloted for them.

Many people have posted on another site that the times of many of the treatments have been cutback from 25 to 40 minutes. Prices are the same or more than before.

 

I have never used the spa, so this doesnt affect me, but it will affect many other people who use the spa.

 

Disney hires an independent company to do the spa treatments, but they do have control and set the rules for the ship. Anything that happens on either ship has to have DC's approval or it wont happen.

 

well I wont ask you again to write, but if you want to,

here is the address again.

 

dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

I am sorry to bother everyone so much the past 3 weeks but I do believe that if you love to crusie DCL like I do, that you should know about all the cutbacks so you will have the chance to express your opinions to DCL, instead of getting on the ship and being shocked!!!

I hope you understand I do this because I love DCL, and want them to put back the Magic they have taken away, not because I have nothing better to do than stir up trouble.

This is the first time I have ever complained about anything, but I believe we can make a difference or I wouldnt even bother to write.

 

Thanks again,

mom x4,grandma x4

[Majesty Fan]

Mom,

I did get a response basically I told them that we did not reallyl like the food in the dinning rooms on 1/2 the nights. Hubby is a big steak eater and they steaks were not done right. The Mahi mahi was horrible on pirate night. And how can you have a cruise to the caribbean without a steel drum band. I emailed it yesterday afternoon and got a response this am. Overall I thought our cruise was fantastic! It was so nice to drive just 7 hours home instead of 12 from Miami. So leaving from PC is a big plus for us. Thanks again for the pillowcase idea they turned out great! Can you do them on the 3 day? We booked a 3 day for Feb and the 7 day for next Oct.

Lexi

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Hi Lexi,

yes you can do the pillowcases in a 3 day.

If they still odnt hve the steel band back and a live band ont he Wonder by the time you cruise, please remember to fill out the comment card at the end of your cruise. If that isnt enough room, use a piece of stationary from the drawer to write on and drop in the box.

 

Hopefully enough people will speak up and you will have the music by

then.

 

Thanks again,

mom x4,grandma x4

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Good news the ladies who reported the changes int he spa had technical diffaculties and it is all straightened out now. NO changes there!!

 

I am so relieved about that.

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[cruisecastle]

this makes me really upset.... we are going on our first disney cruise the end of feb with 3 other families.... i could have cruised with RCI for half the price.... i have a feeling this will be my one and only disney cruise.... :( :mad:

 

Don't sweat it one bit. Most of what she is complaining about is other peoples opinion and for the most part they are dead wrong. I did 14 days on the Magic this summer and it was awesome even better than the 7 days I did on the Magic two years ago. The food is better than ever in the main dining room. I have never eaten the buffet (and never will) so I can't comment there. The band on the magic a few have complained about is awesome and lots of fun. Some people just don't have lives.

 

Earlier this lady complained about spa length which turned out to be totally wrong. Relax you'll have a great time.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Your right about the spa, I did write a retreaction about it,but now if you check it out there are 2 threads where people are still claiming that their reservations are not as long as they book for in the spa. They too are very confused and do not understand why it is showing up this way on line when they check their reservations. I hope that they call and ask DCL about this so we know for sure what is happening.

 

As for having a great time on DCL I have always said they have an awesome cruise and I have always recommended them to everyone, just check out my threads.

 

I love DCL and have done many cruises with them and hope to do many more!!

That is why I do believe it is important to let them know all the great improvements as well as what I disapprove of.

 

 

I guess what I am trying to say is I write to get things changed back to the way they were because DCL was a PERFECT cruise, I want to keep it as magical as it once was!! If I didnt love DCL I wouldnt of said a word.

 

for some, live music isnt important, thats ok, to me the spa isnt important, I have never used it and never will, but I do understand it is important to others and I respect their feelings on the subject.

 

DCL has always been such an awesome cruise for all ages.

Jusr because there is room for improvement, that is no reason not to cruise with them.

I am going again myself this month and it will be a great cruise, but I know in my heart it would be that much better with the music as it once was.

 

You will have a Magical time, guaranteed!!

 

Just my opinion,

mom x4,grandma x4

[lvsatman]

Well, all the negative info about cutbacks has cost Disney our $7000. My wife has told me to start looking for either another cruiseline or a trip to Hawaii, instead of DCL in June of 2008. When we can do a week on any other cruiseline, plus a week at the parks, for the same price as one week on DCL, they can't be making cutbacks. This is really too bad, we really had been looking forward to this trip. They have about three months before we will be booking our 2008 trip. If we start reading a lot of comments on how they switched things back to the way they should be, we will take another look, otherwise I am thinking either Cabo or Maui is more likely. :( :( :( :(

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Ivsatman,

 

Yes, unless we see improvement we will be cancelling our 2 07 cruises. We even have one of them paid off, but with that refund we could book 2 7 day cruises with RCL.

I am looking forward to cruising with DCL again later this month, but it may be the last cruise with them for us.

To new cruisers who havnt experienced how it once was, it will still be a great cruise, but for those of us who have cruised with them for a few years, the cutbacks are very apparent!!

 

I will post a trip report when we return from our 11/25 cruise, it will be very detailed about all the changes. Good and bad!! I need to see for myself.

 

I hope you will write to DCL and tell them exactly what you have told us in your post. We all need to voice our views to get any changes.

 

dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

Thanks,

mom x4,grandma x4

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Howdy,

for anyone who was interested in the spa cutbacks that i posted about earlier.

Now there are 3 threads from different people who have had from 25 to 40 minutes taken off their treatment times

A few of them posted again last night and said they called and cancelled their reservations with the Spa. They didnt say what DCL told them, but they did say they told them WHY they were cancelling when they did it. So it must be true or these people wouldnt of cancelled their appointments and DCL would of told them if it was an error on line.

 

I dont have any spa appointments for myself, so I dont know this from my own experience, only from other threads I have read on another board. But I have NO reason to doubt this. One lady is on my upcoming cruise, but she is so upset right now I dont want to ask her about it yet.

So I guess you could say it is all hear say, but I do believe it to be true or I wouldnt of taken the time to post about it.

 

If you have a spa treatment booked, please check your time and let us know if it is the same. Not all treatments were affected according to the 37 posts I read.

 

For me, I think it is another cutback and it makes me very sad to think that way.

You have to decide for yourself.

mom x4,grandma x4

[metrowon]

Why keep going if it's that bad! You've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on something your complianing about now? Get off, Go Carnival, and quit trying to monopilize this forum, with your un-valalidated hear say assumptions. Tell us about one Horrific de-embarkation, and declaration process. Tell us about how your toilet didn't work, you can't. Tell us about how Disney listens to their customers, and why they are going to the Med. And tell me why figure skating on another line is so COOL. And Grand Mom, when was the last time you climbed a ROCK WALL? JUST STOP! METROWON

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Metrowon,

I am sorry you misunderstood my reason for telling others of these cutbacks. it is not because I dont like dcl. It is because I LOVE DCL!!!

It is still a great cruise and I do recommend it to all who ask!

 

But many of the things they have recently taken away from us were the things that set DCL above the other lines.

The live music was great, it added so much to everyones cruise, especially the Steel drum band.

 

We believe by removing these amenities they have removed some of the Magic of the cruise. We just want DCL to know how strongly we want it back again. DCL has always said for people to write and tell them how they feel about things, so that is what we are doing. I know it seems like a lot all at once, but they made several major changes all at once.

 

I have no control over how many changes they have made. i didnt make the changes, but when I asked DCL and they confirmed them I flet others should know about it so they could decide for them selves if this is something that would affect the enjoyment of their cruise. That is the right thing to do.

 

When people write back to me I answer, so the thread grows. I am sorry this bothers you, but try to understand we really want to have the cruise as it was if at all possible, it was AWESOME!!!

I never said it was a bad cruise , just not as good as it once was.

 

I feel I have done nothing wrong by informing people of these changes. Most have appreciated it.

If I offended you I am sorry.

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[SunFunCruiser]

Typical Disney. How sad. They lost us as cruisers over a year ago. I'm tired of the same old, same old.

[SunFunCruiser]

Why keep going if it's that bad! You've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on something your complianing about now? Get off, Go Carnival, and quit trying to monopilize this forum, with your un-valalidated hear say assumptions. Tell us about one Horrific de-embarkation, and declaration process. Tell us about how your toilet didn't work, you can't. Tell us about how Disney listens to their customers, and why they are going to the Med. And tell me why figure skating on another line is so COOL. And Grand Mom, when was the last time you climbed a ROCK WALL? JUST STOP! METROWON

 

Lovely.

Why should she stop. It's true.

I can tell you, I've had toilets that haven't worked, AC that hasn't worked and okay service and food. My last de-embarkation was horrific, they lost my license. It took a couple of hours to find it. Meanwhile, my family was stuck in the luggage holding area and I was stuck at the front desk, no one could get on or off until they found it. Idiots, it was right where I told them, they never bothered to look.

Why should reviews always be good?

They just keep taking stuff away. I was on the very first cruise, it went uphill from there and then a slow decline lately. It's too bad. People like the magic. I also see more and more discounts for DCL, that is saying something there. Even the much anticipated MED cruises are not filled. They came on strong and died from there. Plenty of spots open.

I'm not saying it's not a good cruise, but not worth the extra $$ IMO. They need to start giving us more for the $$, not less.

[Host Mick]

Greetings,

Compliments, complaints and discussions are all welcome here, it's Cruise Critic after all.

However, please limit the discussions to the cruise lines and keep each other out of it. Criticize the ships, personnel and company but do not discuss fellow board members.

 

Regarding the DCL cutback thread, please keep everything related to that topic on this single thread or at least one poroposed cutback per thread. Most people read all of the unread threads and to have the same topic cross-posted to multiple threads gets tedious.

 

Thanks,