DCL website,Update: 12/15/09 Barcelona/August 2011Med trips changed to 7 nights

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We are also VERY disappointed in how DCL handled all of this. We cancelled our two cabins on back to back 2011 Med cruises. We do not like the new itineraries nearly as much and feel so annoyed by the appalling lack of consideration given to those who were booked we have no desire to try to work around it.
Andrew--we did not hear from any kind of retention team either (I never thought we would though--never occurred to me until I read the post) and have now been on 8 DCL cruises (usually sailing with multiple cabins--often groups of 10 or more).
We have asked our TA to let us know when Princess and HAL release their 2011 schedules for Europe. Disney has slipped anyway--DD12 did not enjoy a single activity in the Quest last week (she still had a nice time just hanging reading and swimming and going to family activities when something was actually scheduled--lots of big holes there too).

I am very surprised, most organisations with a big customer base, do have a retentions department, and you would expect Disney with its customer service reputation to have one; their handling of this has been appalling, if it was intentional I would say arrogant, but I guess left hand doesnt know the existence of a right hand.

Princess and RCCL are top of my list. Looking for Malta;Tunis and if possible Egypt.

 

[kaseyC]

Do you know what I find very surprising, but I have been on six Disney cruises, over 60 days as some of these were long, a few Suites, Cancelled my suite yesterday, the day of the seven day release and..........

NOTHING.

Maybe its a UK thing, maybe I expect too much, but my expectations was a retentions unit to call or contact and say why you cancelling, what can we do to assist you, maybe I expect something like a concierge contacting you and assisting you find another cruise etc.

Just silence, and my reservation dropped from the online reservations on 'My bookings'.

I expected some customer service. Maybe after knowing about this for over a month, and them denying it, my expectations were too high.

I'm sorry, Andrew. IMO, I don't think your expectations were too high. DCL dropped the ball with those who were booked on the original 11 & 10 day cruises. It wouldn't have taken much time to have someone contact you all offering some type of assistance.

 

[VACruiser]

Well, I see yesterday was not a "magical day" for me and others. Did not get a sense of them even being sorry about it either...
Where was the "Disney Difference"?

 

[NancyIL]

I just returned home from my 2nd Disney cruise on the Wonder. While it was a nice cruise and better than my first, I still wasn't wowed by DCL. There is nothing on DCL that I can't get on other cruise lines, other than Disney characters and shows - and I can get that at the theme parks.

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, and HAL will have plenty of offerings in Europe in 2011, and I would be happy to cruise with any of them. I haven't cruised with NCL, so I can't recommend it one way or the other.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I'm sorry, Andrew. IMO, I don't think your expectations were too high. DCL dropped the ball with those who were booked on the original 11 & 10 day cruises. It wouldn't have taken much time to have someone contact you all offering some type of assistance.

Well, I see yesterday was not a "magical day" for me and others. Did not get a sense of them even being sorry about it either...
Where was the "Disney Difference"?

Yes agree, they do need to look at their pre cruise, ''customer experience'' they will have four large ships to fill.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I just returned home from my 2nd Disney cruise on the Wonder. While it was a nice cruise and better than my first, I still wasn't wowed by DCL. There is nothing on DCL that I can't get on other cruise lines, other than Disney characters and shows - and I can get that at the theme parks.

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, and HAL will have plenty of offerings in Europe in 2011, and I would be happy to cruise with any of them. I haven't cruised with NCL, so I can't recommend it one way or the other.

Sorry your cruise wasn't great, I will also look at Princess and RCCL, I have been with Princess cruises before, but in thoose days didn't have kids, so swapped to DCL. They are getting older now, so no ties. Plus other cruise lines have caught up DCL.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am very surprised, most organisations with a big customer base, do have a retentions department, and you would expect Disney with its customer service reputation to have one; their handling of this has been appalling, if it was intentional I would say arrogant, but I guess left hand doesnt know the existence of a right hand.

Princess and RCCL are top of my list. Looking for Malta;Tunis and if possible Egypt.

I agree completly with this.

Well, I see yesterday was not a "magical day" for me and others. Did not get a sense of them even being sorry about it either...
Where was the "Disney Difference"?

Neither did I The whole thing felt *****neylike.

Sorry your cruise wasn't great, I will also look at Princess and RCCL, I have been with Princess cruises before, but in thoose days didn't have kids, so swapped to DCL. They are getting older now, so no ties. Plus other cruise lines have caught up DCL.

I think you will be surprised with how well Princess handles kids. When the kids were younger (up to about age 10 for DD) we alternated DCL and Princess cruises because DD greatly prefered the kids' program on Princess (DS prefered DCL but liked Princess also). For the tween group we thought DCL would be better (and we love the shows and crew) so we have been steadily on DCL the past few years. After, now 2 in a row, sailings with a tween who did not care for programming (and this time a vote of "marginal" from the younger one) BOTH kids asked if we could try another Princess cruise so they can see what it offers their age group. Actually they asked while still on board the Magic last week. If my kids are on the ship and asking to try another line I think Disney is falling down on the job big time. That said--we all still had a lovely time; we just weren't as wowed as usual--or as sad to leave--which is very odd for DCL for us.

 

[VACruiser]

So where is the big press release for the 7 night Med Cruises?


Found the one on ABD/DCL for 2010.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...ranean-vacation-for-summer-2010-79405547.html

 

[NancyIL]

Sorry your cruise wasn't great, I will also look at Princess and RCCL, I have been with Princess cruises before, but in thoose days didn't have kids, so swapped to DCL. They are getting older now, so no ties. Plus other cruise lines have caught up DCL.

I don't want to give the impression that I didn't enjoy my Disney cruise, because I had a very nice time. It just wasn't the exceptional cruise experience that some have enjoyed. I have a 4-night cruise booked on the Dream for 2011, and that one is all about the ship. After that - I probably won't cruise on DCL again unless it has a great itinerary at a really good price - like the May 2010 Med cruise that I can't go on because I already have cruises booked in April (Royal Caribbean) and June (Princess) 2010!

Of the 5 cruise lines I have been on, I think Royal Caribbean and Princess have the prettiest ships. I would also look at those two first if I were cruising with kids.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I don't want to give the impression that I didn't enjoy my Disney cruise, because I had a very nice time. It just wasn't the exceptional cruise experience that some have enjoyed. I have a 4-night cruise booked on the Dream for 2011, and that one is all about the ship. After that - I probably won't cruise on DCL again unless it has a great itinerary at a really good price - like the May 2010 Med cruise that I can't go on because I already have cruises booked in April (Royal Caribbean) and June (Princess) 2010!

Of the 5 cruise lines I have been on, I think Royal Caribbean and Princess have the prettiest ships. I would also look at those two first if I were cruising with kids.

 

[smeecanada]

I expected some customer service. Maybe after knowing about this for over a month, and them denying it, my expectations were too high.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one, Andrew. Sorry, to read that you decided to cancel.

Seems like DCL needs to really work on their customer relations. We keep expecting things to get better - but it seems they are just digging a deeper hole for themselves.

 

[indigodisney]

Thanks for all the great information here, have been following - we were on the July 20th cruise which remains at 10 days but have decided to switch to the 7 day and save over 3800....not bad at all, can use that for flights, etc. now. I will miss Tunisia but my Dh has promised to take me one day.

Good luck with everyone planning their cruises....

BTW, we cruised Carnival to the Caribbean last week and thought it was fine....there was a huge elderly population on this particular cruise, we had a suite for 2000 less than what we paid for our 7 night western earlier this year.

 

[lmhall2000]

Just silence, and my reservation dropped from the online reservations on 'My bookings'.

I expected some customer service. Maybe after knowing about this for over a month, and them denying it, my expectations were too high.

Andrew, this is pure speculation, but everything/everyone in the US has suffered a good deal from our economic woes (our family has had 2 house payments for 30 months because the housing market TANKED) friends of ours have lost jobs, investments..huh? what investments..most have lost on their retirement funds the past 2 years, everything is going up....milk, gas, eggs, bread, you name it..but not many if any have received pay raises (even just cost of living raises) in the past 2 years and many have taken a pay cut just to keep a job. So I'm guessing Disney has been hit hard as well...we haven't seen the end to this recession yet and many companies are shooting for a break even to stay alive. So those people in customer service that may have made those calls may be home searching the want ads...you have fewer employees doing more jobs...things get dropped. Unfortunately, even for the most well-intentioned companies..we're at a point of "show me the money" or I need to go find someone who will or I lose my job...it kind of scares me when they're offering such low prices on these cruises (we're goin Med in May)...I fear the customer service that others have long praised, will be out the window...fewer employees doing double jobs....I just hope our economy turns up.

At least some cruise line will be getting your money, they all are in great need right now!

Tara

 

[woody73]

At least some cruise line will be getting your money, they all are in great need right now!

In the last 12 months, I have sailed on HAL, RCI, NCL and Celebrity in addition to DCL.

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll say there are some terrific ships and itineraries out there that leave DCL's current offerings far behind. Oh, but there's no free soda.

Woody

 

[RJAYL]

In the last 12 months, I have sailed on HAL, RCI, NCL and Celebrity in addition to DCL.

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll say there are some terrific ships and itineraries out there that leave DCL's current offerings far behind. Oh, but there's no free soda.

Woody

You have been busy weve done RCI & Carnival (Both were fine) as well as Disney.

How was HAL & Especially NCL (we are booked on the Epic for a year from April)? Did you travel with kids if so how are there programs?

 

[woody73]

How was HAL & Especially NCL (we are booked on the Epic for a year from April)? Did you travel with kids if so how are there programs?

I really like HAL and have sailed with them six times. We did not travel with kids.

I was pleasantly surprised with our NCL cruise.

YMMV.

Woody

 

[Anal Annie]

Thanks for all the great information here, have been following - we were on the July 20th cruise which remains at 10 days but have decided to switch to the 7 day and save over 3800....not bad at all, can use that for flights, etc. now. I will miss Tunisia but my Dh has promised to take me one day.

Good luck with everyone planning their cruises....

BTW, we cruised Carnival to the Caribbean last week and thought it was fine....there was a huge elderly population on this particular cruise, we had a suite for 2000 less than what we paid for our 7 night western earlier this year.

We are still considering what to do as we orig. booked August... Currently also on the July 20.... My DU TA is on the Magic this week and hasn't responded to me about what would happen with the deposits. Can I ask if you had the 1/2 deposit or did you pay the full deposit in the beginning? If you had the 1/2 dep. deal were you able to transfer it to the 7 night? I would only switch to a 7 n. if we could keep the 1/2 deposit. I am tempted to call DCL today & ask myself 'cuz it's a big part of our decision making process....TA won't be back until Sat & likely not working until Sun or Mon & now we're supposed to get a snowstorm in the mid-Atlanic Fri-Sat so she could be delayed getting home..... I just don't know what to do!!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one, Andrew. Sorry, to read that you decided to cancel.

Seems like DCL needs to really work on their customer relations. We keep expecting things to get better - but it seems they are just digging a deeper hole for themselves.

Thanks for all the great information here, have been following - we were on the July 20th cruise which remains at 10 days but have decided to switch to the 7 day and save over 3800....not bad at all, can use that for flights, etc. now. I will miss Tunisia but my Dh has promised to take me one day.

Good luck with everyone planning their cruises....

BTW, we cruised Carnival to the Caribbean last week and thought it was fine....there was a huge elderly population on this particular cruise, we had a suite for 2000 less than what we paid for our 7 night western earlier this year.

Andrew, this is pure speculation, but everything/everyone in the US has suffered a good deal from our economic woes (our family has had 2 house payments for 30 months because the housing market TANKED) friends of ours have lost jobs, investments..huh? what investments..most have lost on their retirement funds the past 2 years, everything is going up....milk, gas, eggs, bread, you name it..but not many if any have received pay raises (even just cost of living raises) in the past 2 years and many have taken a pay cut just to keep a job. So I'm guessing Disney has been hit hard as well...we haven't seen the end to this recession yet and many companies are shooting for a break even to stay alive. So those people in customer service that may have made those calls may be home searching the want ads...you have fewer employees doing more jobs...things get dropped. Unfortunately, even for the most well-intentioned companies..we're at a point of "show me the money" or I need to go find someone who will or I lose my job...it kind of scares me when they're offering such low prices on these cruises (we're goin Med in May)...I fear the customer service that others have long praised, will be out the window...fewer employees doing double jobs....I just hope our economy turns up.

At least some cruise line will be getting your money, they all are in great need right now!

Tara

Thanks for all responses and had one from DCL as well today, I understand why they changed and the economic environment etc, and the right to change things, the issue was the lack of information.

But overall the restructure to seven nights and the tie in, means if you want to take advantage of everything it will cost more, and its a higher price per day, than 10/11 nights so overall on a like by like basis its a different direction to the economy, and targeted at the premium end of the cruising market.

It was nice of them to reply so quickly.

 

[woody73]

. . . and targeted at the premium end of the cruising market.

Its a shame they lost some of their most loyal customers in the process.

Woody

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Its a shame they lost some of their most loyal customers in the process.

Woody

Yes, not sure if they are going for a Niche market, but looks like the start of more tie ins with ABD, and them trying for a larger part of your wallet.