Famof5
Registered: April 2013
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Fri April 12, 2013
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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We sailed April 4-8 on the 4 night Bahamas cruise. Best vacation we have ever taken! Loved all the dinners, shows, and port adventures. Kids didn't want to leave. We already booked our next cruise!!
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buddynyc
Registered: October 2012
Location: New York City
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Tue October 9, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Entertainment, cast members
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Cons:
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food
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We were on the last Canada cruise of 2012, before the Magic repositioned to Galveston, TX for the winter. The cruise was, hands down, one of the best vacation experiences I've ever had! The ship is beautiful and elegant. The spa is expertly run and our massages were the perfect balance of relaxing and invigorating, (even the sales pitch for spa products, although inevitable, was more informative and soft-sell). The entertainment was absolutely outstanding! Between the theater productions, the 3D films, and the in-room movie channels, there was always something worth watching. We never even had a chance to attend any of the various tastings or classes they offered. But the best part of the trip by far was the staff. Hiring the right people and treating them well is really how Disney works their magic. Everyone who works on the ship is helpful, cheerful, outgoing, and eager to do whatever they can to improve your trip. There's a real sense that they belong to a big, happy family and want to welcome you into it. It's what transforms the cruise from an enjoyable vacation into an unforgettable experience.
If there were one thing that I would like to improve, it would be the food; it just wasn't consistent. Food at the buffets was not a problem since there's always something worth eating. It's at the restaurants where the food is less satisfying. Some of the dishes were excellent, while some were completely unappetizing. There was nothing that was inedible, but the food rarely wowed us. Even Palo was disappointing, but perhaps there the expectation was just too high. Oddly, the most reliable food was the sandwiches from Goofy's Galley, (the lamb and couscous wrap is awesome!).
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mickeyminnie
Registered: June 2012
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Fri July 13, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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just about everything
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Cons:
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room service, beverage service
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I just got back from a 5-night cruise on the Disney Magic to Canada this morning and I must say it was one of the best vacations I have ever been on. Everything was perfect except a tiny trouble with room service. The food was outstanding with so many choices that made my mouth water. The desserts were super delicious and it was hard to pick which one I wanted. Although I did end up getting multiple some nights! The pools were relaxing especially the hot tubs. Our rooms were always kept clean and a new animal was waiting for us each day. The plays at the Walt Disney Theater were incredible and my favorite had to be the last one titled "Dreams." The crew members were beyond friendly and I felt very welcomed when coming on the ship. The teen club, Vibe, I heard was extremely fun and they had a list of things teens could do.
The only tiny problems we had was with room service and the beverage service at dinner. We called in for 3 spoons and a pitcher of water. Thinking that it was an easy request we waited for a little while. We had plans for a tea party, so after about a 40 minute wait we decided it was a bit ridiculous and left anyway. I have no idea when it actually arrived but it was waiting outside our room when we came back. At dinner, we were hardly asked what we wanted for drinks and when we were asked it took a long time to get them.
Canada was a great sight to see as well. Halifax was a great shopping destination and Saint John was an all around great time. In Halifax we stopped by the grave site of the titanic victims which was very interesting. At Saint John I highly recommend going on the jet boat ride or going zip lining. The weather both days was beautiful and not cold at all (which I thought it was going to be).
Everybody from all ages needs to give Disney cruise a try. It was a great vacation and I am definitely going on another one!
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goose1998
Registered: September 2008
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Sun July 8, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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My husband and I cruised on the Magic for the inaugural Canada - New England Coast tour in early June. We had a fantastic time. Please note that June is a bit chilly in the North Atlantic - while we love the cold (and made nightly trips to the hot tub)- practically everyone else was bundled up!
Disney did a great job of pairing us for dinner with another couple who was also celebrating their anniversary. We all got along just great and there were no awkward moments - thank Goodness! Our servers, Okim and Jose were wonderful. We couldn't have asked for better service. If we could request them on our next cruise, we would!
Our stateroom (#6134) was kept in top shape by our stateroom host, Tabah. He knew us by name from the first time we saw him - and we didn't even have to introduce ourselves. My husband and I apparently have bad timing, as we seemed to always stop by our room when Tabah tidying up for us, but Tabah always graciously excused himself and told us to take our time. We had towel animals every night upon returning for bed. This room is advertised as a Navigator's Verandah room, but it has a pleasant surprise. Book it if you get the chance - you won't be disappointed. (I understand the Magic and the Wonder both have this little surprise in room 6134.)
Everything on board was done to the perfection of Disney standards. We are often asked why we are such big Disney fans even though we don't have children... In short - I know that when Disney is involved, I will not be disappointed. Sometimes I think their standards are higher than my own, and that's never a bad thing.
Be sure to plan ahead to take advantage of the 10% off discount for booking while you're on your cruise. Really makes that next trip affordable - and makes it a little easier to leave knowing that you'll be back!
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lauridg
Registered: June 2012
Location: Missouri
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Thu June 7, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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cast members and overall service, kids lab, shows, excursions
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Cons:
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breakfast buffets and treatment of our luggage
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My family and I just got back to our very first cruise on the Disney Wonder to Alaska! We had a fantastic time. Our servers, Heru and Beatriz were absolutely the best, and really made it special for us. Every dinner we had was wonderful, and the shows we went to we really enjoyed. My daughter had a fabulous time at the Oceaneer Lab, and enjoyed Studio Sea too. My husband and I loved Diversions. Our room was Deck 2 midship and even on the rougher seas, didn't seem too bad. We were near an elevator and one of the other teen clubs and rarely heard noise. My only complaints are the breakfast buffets were not very good. We were so relieved when we got the chance to eat at Tritons for breakfast, just so we didn't have to do the buffet...and we had 5 suitcases, between delivery of our suitcases, and when they were picked up and taken off the boat(we brought them to our plane) 4 were broken in some way. Kind of a bummer. I understand that happens, so I still am thrilled with Disney itself, but still bummed.
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dvcnut
Registered: July 2010
Posts: 46
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Review Date: Sat April 28, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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great way to see Mexico
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Cons:
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choppy seas going to and from Mexico
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I just returned from the Mexican Riviera cruise April 1st on the Wonder. The cruise was great, but the weather was pretty cool the days we were at sea. The seas were also pretty rocky going to Mexico and coming from Mexico. People who are prone to sea sickness should go prepared. The crew said this was normal for this itinerary. Once we got to Mexico, the weather and seas were fine. We had one day in Puerto Vallarta and two days in Cabo San Lucas. You tender at both ports and leave mid-day on the second Cabo day. It was great to have three days at sea to unwind and adjust to the time change. We stay on ships time the entire cruise, and only have one time change during the cruise. This was a very restful cruise with lots of activities to do during the sea days. We were fortunate that Richard Sherman was on the ship and did several presentations. He sang a lot of the songs he and his brother wrote for Disney and told us the stories behind each song. He also signed autographs. What a treat!
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SCOTTMOP
Registered: January 2006
Location: WESTMISNTER,MARYLAND
Posts: 71
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Review Date: Sat March 31, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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everything
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Cons:
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ship shows a little wear
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Just got back from our west Caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic. Awesome weather and sooooo much fun. Disney is the only way to cruise for sure.
The food was awesome. Each night, we got at least 2 entrees off the menu at each restaurant. My favorite was Parrot Cay. Animators Palate is ok but really doesn't live up to the hype plus have done this on last trip so the awe factor is gone.
The standard inside cabin we had was nice for the 3 of us. I wouldn't try to sneak in 4. Daughter was disappointed with The Edge. Seemed more geared toward boys but she did like it.
Overall, a great trip.
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annastasia5
Registered: August 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Wed February 22, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great Food, Plenty of Activities, Fun for entire family
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Cons:
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None
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Just returned form a 7 night Eastern Carribean cruise on the Magic, 2/11 - 2/18/12. It was FANTASTIC! The ship showed a little wear and tear, but you had to be looking for it. My DH and I loved being able to do things on our own while the kids were at the Oceaneer's Club/Lab. The food was great, we always had something to do and everyone agreed it was one of our best vacations.
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linlawr
Registered: February 2010
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Wed September 14, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Crew, crew, crew!!!
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Cons:
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Formal, semi-formal dressing
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Just returned from the 8/23 Alaska cruise - fantastic! I love the Wonder and this was my 2nd time on her. Prefer the Wonder to the newer Dream (too big). The crew this trip was exceptional - every single one of them. The Disney shows were great but the others were so-so. Food was great. Pirates night just didn't seem to work but the
weather played a part. The dress up dinners also didn't seem to work since we were in Alaska. Maybe an Alaskan dress night?
Great cruise - highly recommend it. I took the White Pass RR tour (gorgeous scenary) in Skagway (loved this town); the Whale Watch (saw lots) & Glacier tour (wow) in Juneau; and the Native Village tour in Ketchikan - all very good.
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nn24321
Registered: September 2011
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Thu September 1, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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It's Disney in Alaska
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Cons:
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the hair dryer, no reserved seating for indoor lobby shows.
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Just returned from the Aug 16th Alaska cruise. We had rainy weather, which you can't control. Some of the shows, like the pirate show had to be moved to the 3rd deck lobby. There was no seating area for people that could not stand, no reserved handicap area. When excursions were cancelled the Cruise Director, Clayton and his staff were on top of it and had onboard activities. I LOVED bingo with Jen. We will think of her every time they call B-11 at Bingo here. I can't wait for our next cruise.
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coopkeeper
Registered: August 2011
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Tue August 23, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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The crew (especially the head and assistant waiters). The destination--Alaska. Information about the area provided by the captain and his crew.
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Cons:
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The hair dryer. It was awful. But if that's the worst thing, I can live with it.
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We just got back from the Alaska cruise on the Wonder. What an amazing experience! The crew were so wonderful and professional. Santana and Julia, our head and assistant waiters, were terrific. It took Julia 1 day to figure out what we all wanted to drink every night. The cabin stewards were the nicest people--we didn't realize they would not only turn down the beds, but they would straighten up the room. So the 1st night, we rushed out to make our dinner seating, leaving clothes and stuff everywhere. Edgar cleaned up the room and folded all the clothes that were left around--even my bra. Embarrassing! But such a nice man. Paul, another cabin steward, found my son when we he got turned around trying to find his aunt's room. Zack couldn't remember his room #, so Paul looked up a room in that hall that had a kid named Zack in it and got him back to us before we even realized he was lost.
My only real complaint about the boat (besides the hair dryer) is the dress code thing. The website states no shorts or jeans in the dining rooms. We brought nice clothes for each night and made our son wear long pants to dinner. The first night we noticed many, many families wearing shorts or jeans. And this one guy who wore the same pair of camo sleeping pants to dinner (he was at the table next to us) the entire trip--except for the very last night. We surmised they had gotten up and walked home on their own. But it was a little frustrating that either these people knew something about the dress code that a lot of us did not know or just chose to blatantly disregard the whole thing. Not really sure how Disney can handle that.
The weather in Alaska was absolutely amazing. And I would highly recommend the Rainforest Excursion in Ketchikan. Iris and Peter were our guides, and seemed to know everything about everything that related to the area.Very nice folks.
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ptpdrn
Registered: July 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Thu August 11, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Service, shows, meals
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Cons:
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None
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Great time on the Wonder. Entertainment, service were up to Disney standards. Looking forward to the next time.
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ldeglian
Registered: August 2006
Posts: 85
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Review Date: Tue August 9, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Crew, Entertainment, Alaska itinerary
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Cons:
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Cabin location
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We just got back today fro our Alaska cruise on the Wonder. Great time was had by all...even our hard-to-impress teens. We had time to relax, amazing shore excursions with the ABD add on package and some great meals at Palo. Two things prevent this from being a 10 for me. One is that after 7 cruises, the food in the dining rooms is becoming a little dull. Luckily, we ate at Palo 2x along with brunch and tea. Don't get me wrong-we found plenty to eat! I would just like to see it mixed up a bit.
Will post under staterooms as well, but we booked a 1BR suite almost 2 years ago for this sailing. We were in 8546 which is midship under the family pool section. It was, by far, the noisiest room we have ever had. We could hear pretty much everything taking place on deck 9. Noise often started around 6 in the morning and went until well past midnight. My teens can pretty much sleep through anything and even they complained. For the price of the rooms and suites on deck 8, they need to figure out the noise issue. We had 8086 on the magic last year which is aft below topsiders and we had little noise issue. Could be we are used to being aft-not midship, but it was frustrating.
Overall, this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken. Amazing time. I hope Disney keeps innovating new itineraries from the west coast. It was sure nice having a 2 hour flight home rather than a 6 hour flight!
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mcassidy1
Registered: November 2008
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Sun July 24, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Everything
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Cons:
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the weather (though unavoidable and expected)
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We took the Alaska cruise from June 28 - July 5. We had the same issue as "DVCNUT" with the late excursion return on semi-formal night in Kethican. We inquired at boarding with Guest Services about switching seating times and were told we would be put on a waiting list. The night before Ketchican we told our head server, Faruk, about our dilema. He said "You are my people! You come to the 8:00 dinner and I will take care of you!" He certainly did. We even got our usual table. Guest Services did, by the way, leave us a message in our stateroom that we would be accomadated for our seating change request.
The weather was, for the most part, cold and rainy. But that's Alaska! We were prepared with jackets and sweatshirts and everyone survived and had a great time. I would most certainly do this cruise again.
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dvcnut
Registered: July 2010
Posts: 46
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Review Date: Fri July 22, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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The Disney Difference
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Cons:
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semi-formal night when in Ketchikan
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I just returned from my first Alaskan cruise on the Disney Wonder from July 12-19th. WOW!! I booked a balcony room using my DVC points and I was glad I did. On the days at sea, I was able to open my curtains in the room and look at the scenery. If I wanted to take a picture of something, I went on my balcony-took the picture- and returned to the room. It was too foggy for us to go to Tracy Arm, so the captain took us to Endicott Arm where we saw another glacier. It was phenomenal! And again, because I had a balcony I could minimize the time I stood outside in the cold. We were disappointed that we didn't get to go to Tracy Arm and see the Sawyer Glaciers, but the crew said that the glacier in Endicott Arm was better. Apparently you can't get really close to the glaciers in Tracy Arm. At Endicott Arm we were literally right in front of the glacier for a good hour or so.
There is no way to describe the scenery in Alaska. Take lots of pictures and just marvel at everything. You never know when you will be on deck and the captain will say that there are whales or dolphins near the ship.
Be aware that the night you are in Ketchikan is semi-formal night. Because excursions don't leave the ship until about 1pm or after, the first dinner seating is pushed back to 6pm. I went on an excusion that visited two places and was from 1:45-6:15pm. I actually got back on the boat around 6pm but was then rushing to get ready for the semi-formal night. Some people just came to dinner in regular clothes. Disney needs to fix this if they really want people to dress up for semi-formal night.
I did a one day pre and post hotel stay through Disney at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver. The hotel was great and near everything. I biked Stanley Park and went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge(they have a free bus). Both were great, but I wished I had a couple more days to do some of the other things I wanted to do.
This was a great cruise! Other than the problem with semi-formal night being in Ketchikan, everything went very smoothly.
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