Review of the Disney Ships





*A Review of the Disney Ships....* .
Disney Cruise Line - Exceeding Expectations! ================================================= By Steve Pickering Walt Disney was a man of vision, and one of his fondest desires involved exposing people to different cultures and the wonders of nature. He would have been pleased with the way in which Walt Disney Cruise Line continues to fulfill his mission. A Disney Cruise packs a remarkable experience into seven days.... Walt Disney would have approved! If the thought of taking a Disney Cruise intrigues you, then you probably have at least two questions in your mind: - What are the Disney ships REALLY like? - And, more importantly, will YOU enjoy them? Based on several experiences with the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, we've developed the following review of the Disney ships. We hope you find it useful!
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The Ships What are the Magic and Wonder all about? Well, to start off, they're big. Very big. In cruise industry terms, they came out to be 83,000 gross registered tons. That means they would have been the largest passenger ships in the world in 1995. In fact, they're as long and wide as they can be while still maintaining the ability to transit the Panama Canal (964 ft. long and 106 ft. wide). And, because they're big, they are also very spacious with a capacity of only 1,760 guests, double occupancy. These ships have everything, from a special Disney Store to an ESPN Skybox Sports Bar, and everything in between. You can even receive live television broadcasts from ABC news, CNN news, ESPN, and other networks owned by Disney. Even during high periods, the ships limit themselves to carrying 2,400 guests. So you can expect plenty of room to move around on this ship. On Walt Disney Cruise Line, the spacious feel is overwhelming, from your stateroom to the public rooms scattered throughout the ship. Rating: Spaciousness, Beauty, and Quality - A+
Question: What are the are the dates to take a Disney Cruise when I can receive the best rates? Answer: We always recommend making your reservation EARLY (12-24 months ahead). The least expensive months tend to be late April, early May, September, October, and the time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Staterooms One of the crowning features of the Disney ships is the quality of their staterooms. By cruise standards, they are roomy and laid out nicely. The furniture and soft goods are excellent quality. Most rooms have two half bathrooms, (categories 1 through 10), so waiting time is kept to a minimum.	© Disney
The fixtures in the bathrooms are beautiful, and the toiletries are on a par with what you would expect in a deluxe hotel. The 378 rooms with spacious balconies are a delight. All rooms have a comfortable couch that converts into an equally comfy single bed. Rooms that sleep four have a bed that retracts from the ceiling. The decorating scheme is warm and sophisticated, with inlaid wood and other fine materials presented tastefully. Each room has its own television which is capable of receiving all of the Disney network feeds, including ABC programming, ABC news, CNN, ESPN sports, and several others. Live network tv is a first for cruise entertainment, and Disney, with its extensive media holdings, is predictably at the forefront in this aspect of cruising. Disney Cruise Line excels in its ability to provide high quality live television coverage in your stateroom. Rating: Room Quality - A+, TV coverage - A Click HERE for a price check on a Disney Cruise Vacation ******************************************************* Note - Both Disney Cruise Ships limit smoking quite strictly. You can smoke in the following locations: open-air decks, private verandahs, and adult lounges. You cannot smoke in your stateroom, unless you smoke on your verandah. Restaurants, hallways, stairwells, and conference rooms, are also off-limits for smoking. ***************************************************** Shopping Venues You'll find five stores on each Disney ship. The two largest are Mickey's Mates, a Disney Store with specialized Cruise Line merchandise, and Treasure Ketch, a duty-free store. Both stores are located on Deck 4 just outside the main entrance of the Walt Disney Theatre (the main theatre). Watch for special bargains and sales at each of these stores. Disney collectible merchandise is best found in Mickey's Mates. An adult-only shopping boutique in the nightclub area on Deck 3 specializes in merchandise more appealing to adults (non-logo clothing, etc). Shutters Photo Studio on Deck 4 carries film, cameras, batteries, frames, and other photo necessities along with pictures taken of guests by the professional photographers on ship. The Vista Spa and Salon carries high-end cosmetics, skin care products, specialized health products, and provides salon and spa services. This area is located on Deck 9, just forward of the adult pool area. Finally, although not technically a retail store, you can purchase shore excursions (optional trips when the ship is docked) at the Shore Excursion Desk in the main lobby. Restaurants (Main) Dining on the Disney ships is quite different from other ships. Three main restaurants serve themed dinners in two seatings. Lumiere's (Triton's on the Disney Wonder) portrays a sophisticated French theme (Seafood on the Disney Wonder), and I was quite pleased with the experience. The menu is upscale, and entrees were nicely prepared. Parrot's Cay sports a Caribbean theme with a more casual menu (including surf and turf, by the way). The menu has been enhanced several times, according to Disney sources, and the continuous improvement is evident. I was very pleased with this dining room. Animator's Palate, the third dining venue, is quite unique in that its color scheme gradually changes from black and white at the beginning of the meal, to full color by the time dessert arrives. A wonderful place for children. By the way, your waiter stays with you for every meal, so you can expect the same smiling face at your table each night. Service was excellent, overall. Rating: Lumiere's - A, Parrot's Cay - A, Animator's Palate - B+ Palo (Alternative Restaurant) For adults, there is an additional dining option at the trendy Palo. Located on the highest deck at the stern of the ship, this restaurant accepts reservations on the first day of your cruise (at which time they are usually solidly booked for the entire cruise), and is limited to adults (18+) only. The northern Italian cuisine is superb, and the service is excellent. Dishes are prepared a la minute, while the dining pace is leisurely. Adults traveling with children will find Palo a welcome respite, and, perhaps, so will their children! (Note: there is a $5 per person charge associated with this restaurant, payable on your account when you make the reservation.) Palo recommends jackets for men and a casual elegant look for women. Rating: Palo - A+ The casual Topsider Cafe The Topsider Cafe serves casual breakfast and lunch in a buffet setting. Food quality here is excellent for a buffet, even though it became crowded at times. There is not enough indoor capacity in this restaurant during poor weather conditions. When the weather is nice, most people eat outdoors, but during tropical rain squalls, seating is very tight. Rating:** Food Presentation - B+, Space - C. The flexibility of the three main dining rooms allows several seatings to be limited to adults only. For those of you who are traveling without children, this means that you can enjoy a quiet dinner in the company of other adults. Room Service from a limited menu is available 24 hours a day.
Suitability for Adults Speaking of children, we've spoken to many adults who are declining to sail on Disney's ships because they feel as though they will be surrounded by the younger set. Adult Pool on Disney Wonder	© DoctorCruise.com
It's true that families will rule these ships during the Christmas/New Year holiday, late February, April, and the summer vacation months. Those would be unwise times for adults traveling without children to expect a quiet vacation. Other times of the year, however, adults are in the vast majority, and they can enjoy the spaciousness and quality of these ships in relative tranquility. Rating: Adults, off season - A-, vacation season - B to F, depending on your tolerance for children. The nicest thing about the Magic is that adults and children have their own appropriate areas. While children have the Oceaneer's Club (3-8 years), and Oceaneer's Lab (9-12 years), teens have a special lounge at the top of the ship, where no adults are allowed. When dropping children off at the youth areas, parents are provided with a free pager, just in case the staff needs their presence. The quality of these facilities are unequaled on any other ship. Rating: Children's areas - A+ Click HERE for a price check on a Disney Cruise Vacation Entertainment Venues Adults have sole reign over the spa, exercise room, the adult pool, Palo, and Beat Street/Route 66 (the nightclub zone). The three nightclubs in Beat Street include Sessions/Cadillacs, a mellow piano lounge and jazz club, Off Beat/Barrel of Laughs, a dueling pianos/comedy club (great!), and Rockin' Bar D/Wave Band, a dance club with live band. Rating: Spa - A+, Sessions/Cadillacs - B+, Off Beat/Barrel of Laughs - A+, Rockin' Bar D/WaveBands - A. Other entertainment options are available at Studio Sea, a multi-purpose family night club with karaoke, game shows, recording sessions, and a night-time disco. The Buena Vista Theatre shows first-run and classic movies in a beautifully decorated two-story movie house. The Walt Disney Theatre shows impressive live shows (three of them), and is suitable for family viewing. The lighting, special effects, and sound systems are awesome. But, of course, this is Disney with world-class entertainment resources on call. While the show themes may be a bit juvenile for some adults, the productions are impressive. An internet cafe is available with satellite links to the internet as well as an internal information network. Use of the internet is $.75 per minute (about standard when compared with other cruise ships). A special internet unlimited plan is available for $39.99 on the three or four night cruises and $89.99 for the seven-night cruise. The unlimited plans seem expensive until you consider that only one or two hours at the minute rate would surpass the same charge by the minute. For someone who needs to keep in touch with their business, world news, sports score, the stock market, or just wants to do a lot of e-mailing, the unlimited plans are a bargain compared to what you would spend on other cruise ships. If you're accustomed to headline news from ABC news, CNN news, ESPN, Yahoo, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, or other web sites, an unlimited plan will keep you in touch. Hint: To avoid crowds at the internet cafe, try to plan your sessions during meal times, early in the morning, or late at night. Expect the highest use of the internet cafe in the early evenings. Rating: Shows - A+ for families, B for adults. Internet Cafe - A+ What have we forgotten to mention on the ship? The casino! What casino? That's right, Disney Cruise Line determined from the beginning that their ships would not have casinos. Of course, the extended stay in Nassau allows adults to choose from several large casinos, so you won't be totally lost, but if you like to while away your days at sea plugging quarters into slot machines, you might be disappointed. Of course, Bingo is available, so you won't be completely separated from the chance to win or lose your money! And you're always welcome to strike up a card game with your fellow passengers, with or without a friendly wager..... Rating: Gambling - C (or A+, if you don't gamble!) Click HERE for a price check on a Disney Cruise Vacation
© Disney	Disney's Private Island..... Castaway Cay And that brings us to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. In the interest of brevity, we'll be running another article on this beautifully developed oasis, so that we can do it justice. I will tell you that I've never been a beach person. My fair skin takes a beating in the sun, and I've
never enjoyed the heat to any great extent.... But I had a great time on Castaway Cay! I've never seen anything like it. Stay tuned for an in-depth article on Castaway Cay, Nassau, and Disney shore excursions and activities. Rating: Castaway Cay....A++! So is the Disney Magic for you? For most people, I would say definitely YES! There aren't many of us who couldn't find something to enjoy on one of these ships for three or four days. With the exception of gamblers, gourmands, and confirmed curmudgeon's, the quality and atmosphere of Disney Cruise Line make for a very comfortable vacation indeed! Longer Cruises In December, 1999, Disney announced that the Disney Magic will begin sailing seven-night cruises from Port Canaveral on August 12, 2000. The longer cruises will visit the Eastern Caribbean, specifically St. Maarten and St. Thomas, as well as Castaway Cay on their return trip. We heartily endorse this decision! The large, beautiful rooms on these ships will be a pleasure for a full week, and many of the ships' facilities (such as the movie theater, the spa, and the ESPN Skybox) will receive the patronage they deserve. As long as adult activities are beefed up to fill the three days at sea, we think the new itinerary will be a real winner! During the summer of 2002, Disney will begin offering 7-night cruises to the Western Caribbean on the Disney Magic. Itineraries will alternate, so the ship will sail to the Eastern Caribbean one week, and the Western Caribbean the next. If you have two weeks for your vacation, you'll be able to visit different ports each week, an excellent opportunity! Guests on the 7-night cruise should plan on two "dress-up" evenings where more dressy clothing will be encouraged. Tuxedo's are available for rent, although they are optional. We expect the majority of attendees will NOT choose formal wear, but will opt for suits (men), and a chic look for women. If you think of dressing to attend a wedding, you'll be on the right track. Click HERE for a price check on a Disney Cruise Vacation In keeping with our grading theme, We've assigned letters for different categories of vacationers...... -------------------- Families - A+ Children - A+ Grandparents with Grandchildren - A+ Teens - B (nothing is an A for a teen!) Sun Worshipers - A (A+ if you have a balcony) -------------------- Spa Junkies - A+ (this is a very nice spa) Exercise Fanatics - B (small but complete exercise room) Beach Loungers - A (Castaway Cay A+, Nassau B) Shoppers - A (Nassau has lots of places to spend your $$) Adult Couples - A to B during low season, B to F other times -------------------- Singles - C (not a single-oriented ship except with a group) Party Animals - C (unless you bring your own party contingent) Retirees - Same as Adult Couples....A to B (A+ with grandchildren) Physically Challenged - A Honeymooners - A (low season only, get a balcony room....) -------------------- Sophisticated Travelers - A with young family, C+ otherwise Veteran Cruisers - A (You need to try this at least once!) Disney Addicts - A+ (Do this before Disney Tokyo or Paris!) Smokers - C -------------------- Overall Grade: A (for all but the fussiest cruisers) To make your reservation, please call Doctor Cruise at 877-720-8234, or Click HERE for a price check on a Disney Cruise Vacation. You might also want to check out the Disney Cruise Line web site. Feel free to check it out, but PLEASE come back to *DoctorCruise.com* to receive special pricing and amenities! We specialize in finding the best price for families, groups, honeymooners, anniversary couples, and everyone else.