WRAP UP
If you read through all the posts you see that we had things that did not go as we would have liked them to go – lots of rainy days, cancelled excursions, some hits of poor food quality, some slow and inept service, being sick, being cold, not much pool time, boys did not like the clubs, Sail Away party held in the small(er) atrium, things we wanted but didn’t have time/energy for (a movie in the Buena Vista Theater, after hours in the adult bars and listening to musical talent). And let’s not forget that this is an expensive vacation when compared to other options.
I’ll also add quickly that I feel like our experiences are a reason why 3-day cruises may be too short for people on their first cruise, or traveling like us as part of a larger group. There are more moving parts with a larger group and less down time. There were many times I wished we were on a 7-day cruise and was really glad we were not on a 3-day.
On the other hand we had some great experiences – character interactions, some great meals, great shows, playing on the beach, time with four generations and a MIL who loved everything about the cruise.
Just a quick note about the Wonder. All week, we experienced how the size of a classic ship impacts the experience. MIL could not take the stairs at all. We used the forward elevators and never had a moment’s problem getting a car, even after one of the shows. I never even felt like we were inconveniencing anyone by taking the elevator up one floor. Most of the time we were the only ones on the elevator. The lines for the characters were always manageable. Same for the slides. Embarkation and debarkation were easy. It did seem the cabin size was smaller but DH and I have not sailed with 4 people in room in a very long time! You could also tell the difference in the smaller Atrium. But the only major impact was at the Sail Away Party. The ship is in great shape. I love the décor and didn’t notice anything that would indicate she is 20 years old. Also, we just kept finding each other without problem. One thing I noticed was that everyone always chose the port side of the boat when we went somewhere - theater, atrium, pool deck, Cabanas. It wasn't conscious or planned out. I suppose it was because our cabins were on the port side? Anyway, we always seemed to be able to find each other without texts, etc. And finally, as always, everything was kept spotless.
Overall, this cruise was a win! I decided to share our experiences because I see people posting about being disappointed if they experience some of the things we did. And I really can’t say we were ever disappointed. The Pixie Dust moments of simply seeing joy in our family’s eyes made every inconvenience worth it.
As for DH and I, we probably won’t be back to
DCL until DD has a grandchild to spoil. We’ll go back to cruises that don’t hit the pocketbook so hard and provide different entertainment options. Our next cruise is back to the MSC Yacht Club, then we’ll probably try out RCL. I have to admit though, I’ve started toying with a summer 2020 trip to WDW for the boys. I’m just wondering if DH and I can keep up with them or if we’ll need to bring a millennial along!
Happy sailing!