Videos and Updates From Disney Magic At Sea UK Cruises - Post Five New Vlogs From London Tilbury Cruises

[katmigordon]

What are they going to do about people who don't own cellphones?

Well DCL seem to have embraced the digital upgrade so I'm sure they will keep the QR code scanning and use of the App when they return the rest of the fleet, so anyone planning to cruise with DCL in the next year or so needs to be prepared.

Locking your phone in the safe during your cruise will be a thing of the past.

 

[randumb0]

What are lifts?

 

[BadPinkTink]

What are they going to do about people who don't own cellphones?

They probably do have ways of doing things without the QR codes, but it will slow down the process and make life more difficult for the cm's and for you. People just have to get their heads around this new procedure, this is the new cruises experience.

What are lifts?

Lifts in UK = elevators in USA

 

[katmigordon]

For some folks this has nothing to do with "getting your head around" anything. I'm not talking about not wanting to carry your smartphone around - I'm talking about actually not having one. I didn't own one until about a year ago because I never needed one. My mom got me one for Christmas last year, I still barely use it.

That's a big monetary investment to ask folks to make just so they can read some menus on an app.

They probably do have ways of doing things without the QR codes, but it will slow down the process and make life more difficult for the cm's and for you. People just have to get their heads around this new procedure, this is the new cruises experience.

Lifts in UK = elevators in USA

 

[randumb0]

For some folks this has nothing to do with "getting your head around" anything. I'm not talking about not wanting to carry your smartphone around - I'm talking about actually not having one. I didn't own one until about a year ago because I never needed one. My mom got me one for Christmas last year, I still barely use it.

That's a big monetary investment to ask folks to make just so they can read some menus on an app.

Just like at the parks and other cruise lines you don't NEED a phone but life would be very difficult without one

 

[Toulou]

I am concerned about the cards being placed outside yoour stateroom. Does this card already have your credit card attached to it? I know your photo id is attached but doesn't that alert anyone? I always told my kids to hang on to theirs when buying items in the store...just being cautious I guess.

 

[Weedy]

What are they going to do about people who don't own cellphones?

Maybe you will be able to print it at home and bring it with you

 

[n2mm]

I am concerned about the cards being placed outside yoour stateroom. Does this card already have your credit card attached to it? I know your photo id is attached but doesn't that alert anyone? I always told my kids to hang on to theirs when buying items in the store...just being cautious I guess.

you can check your account anytime on the dcl app or at guest relations. If you see a charge that isn’t yours, take care of it before you leave the ship. Once you get off the ship, the card is dead. Plus your photo is attached to the usage. Anytime someone uses it at a store the photo attached shows up on the screen.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Someone who can afford DCL not having a phone is absolutely a choice not an economic issue.

It may very well be that those people will need to buy a prepaid phone to cruise.

 

[MomOTwins]

On a more serious note: That system has been in place for years on Carnival. Cards are linked to pictures. People would get caught pretty fast.

Yeah, I was just half joking on the Walt suite comment. I think the main problem is going to be accidental. Both at hotels at WDW and on the cruise we’ve had people try to get into our stateroom and assumed their key didn’t work when really they were just at the wrong room number. I just don’t love the idea of another family coming into our room, using the bathroom, laying on the bed etc. and then us having to wait for it all to get recleaned when we arrive and tell them they have the wrong room.

 

[steveyjc81]

Hopefully it has your surname of the person on the envelope that keeps the cards, or surely when they look at the cards to open the door they will see its not their surname.

 

[Joshua Kelso]

For some folks this has nothing to do with "getting your head around" anything. I'm not talking about not wanting to carry your smartphone around - I'm talking about actually not having one. I didn't own one until about a year ago because I never needed one. My mom got me one for Christmas last year, I still barely use it.

That's a big monetary investment to ask folks to make just so they can read some menus on an app.

"Getting your head around" the fact that the system is no longer built to cater efficiently to non-smartphone owners, because they are a fast-shrinking minority. Similar to finding out many stores won't accept cheques anymore, even though banks still issue them. Disney has - wether you or I agree or disagree - decided to move in this direction and just like my Grandmother had to stop shopping at some places because she wouldn't use a debit or credit card, the ever-shrinking number of people without a smart phone will increasingly find that using Disney products has become less straight forward.

I do realise the culture-shock is real for some people. I'm planning a trip to WDW for my sister's family and they are shocked an indignant about having to book park days and fast-passes in advance and link them to their phones because that wasn't how their trip was 20 years ago.

 

[MomOTwins]

Hopefully it has your surname of the person on the envelope that keeps the cards, or surely when they look at the cards to open the door they will see its not their surname.

i wouldn’t be so sure people will pay attention. Given how many people seem incapable of figuring out their dining seating, table no. and rotation that is printed on the cards, I think most people don’t pay attention to details. I once had to leave my drivers license at a gym to get a locker key and someone else walked off with mine—and that had a name and photo! We found each other and swapped IDs back but it was definitely not intentional—just another woman with a last name beginning with the letter A and brown hair.

 

[Toulou]

you can check your account anytime on the dcl app or at guest relations. If you see a charge that isn’t yours, take care of it before you leave the ship. Once you get off the ship, the card is dead. Plus your photo is attached to the usage. Anytime someone uses it at a store the photo attached shows up on the screen.

Thank you. I forgot about the photos... that should be okay then. I'm not going anywhere until next year. Maybe I just shouldn't read this blog until then!

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I haven’t been able to find any information if they were also offering the sit down lunch on embarkation day, only the buffet. We always go to the sit down lunch and hope it’s still offered. It’s a lot less hectic that the buffet!!

 

[RedHead0186]

One of the oddest video clips I saw from these UK cruises was that the key cards were delivered to the fish door holder. The woman in the video literally got to her cabin and had to tear open a envelope with her key card in it.
Seems very Goofy.

When I sailed on Carnival in early 2020 that's how it was (I don't think it was a COVID-19, just how they do it). I was so used to Disney that I was confused how we got our room cards, we had to ask and be told that they would be outside our room. Very ood to me.

 

[BartmanLA]

I am concerned about the cards being placed outside yoour stateroom. Does this card already have your credit card attached to it? I know your photo id is attached but doesn't that alert anyone? I always told my kids to hang on to theirs when buying items in the store...just being cautious I guess.

This is becoming industry standard now to go virtually contactless, even in the shops on board, you no long will hand your KTTW to the CM handling your purchase, it's a touch pad that you put your card on, so you never give it up, I believe that the servers for drinks on deck carry a contactless pad with them now too for drink purchases. This is going to be the new norm for cruising, the KTTW cards left at your stateroom just eliminates one more contact point for CM's, it might seem impersonal, but I have seen many posts and videos where the new systems (on other lines) have proven to actually speed up boarding, and activities on board. I know some have complained about not having a cell phone or not wanting to carry one, well this again is the new norm, you'll do everything virtually in almost all circumstances, checking in, menus, activities and reservations for them, schedules, and other things. This is just how the cruise lines are going to be going forward. This probably has just speeded up the eventual digital experience that most of the lines have wanted to implement on board for a long time (yes including Disney). If you don't have a smart phone, you will be in the minority, but you still will be able to participate, it just might take longer to do some of the things. One things I have noticed, that seems not have been mentioned is the fact you're discouraged from going to Guest Services in person, while I don't know if this will be on all the ship or just particular to the UK Staycation cruises, but it's going to definitely be a big learning curve to many to change their usual behaviors on board in relation to person to person contact with CM's and guests.

 

[katmigordon]

The difference is it costs nothing to carry cash or a debit card. Getting a cellphone you will never use outside of your cruise is a large sunk cost.

"Getting your head around" the fact that the system is no longer built to cater efficiently to non-smartphone owners, because they are a fast-shrinking minority. Similar to finding out many stores won't accept cheques anymore, even though banks still issue them.

 

[katmigordon]

Some people save for years just to get to go on one cruise in an inside stateroom, I know that I used to have to save for an entire year, give up all discretionary spending (no movies, no eating out, no nothing) just to take one cruise a year.... that's not my life anymore, but I've been there.

So yeah, it is still a big expense for some folks for something they will NEVER use outside of a cruise. Even a prepaid phone is nearly 100 dollars.

Someone who can afford DCL not having a phone is absolutely a choice not an economic issue.

It may very well be that those people will need to buy a prepaid phone to cruise.

 

[Joshua Kelso]

The difference is it costs nothing to carry cash or a debit card. Getting a cellphone you will never use outside of your cruise is a large sunk cost.

You're missing the point.

Firstly, even you have admitted you do have a smart phone, you just rarely use it. So not even you fall in to this tiny hypothetical group of shoe-string budget luddite Disney Cruise vacationers you are advocating for who don't even own one in the first place.

Secondly, you can rent a smart phone. So save up for x+1 months instead of x months and problem solved. Lots of people temporarily rent items they can't afford to own - perfectly valid.

Disney products increasingly require technology. Adapt, or accept there will be a less convenient non-tech alternative, or find an alternative product. There plenty of options out there, you are perfectly within your right to find the best one for you.