The Disney Cruise Line (DCL) Discussion Thread

[freekeee]

I can think of 2 holidays that the 'average' teen would go on:

 

1. alcohol or adrenaline filled trips with friends (i was going to use Ibiza clubbing as an example but that got me wondering if americans actually do that, or at least in the volume that makes it a brit teen stereotype), or a TPR trip i guess.

2. something forced onto them by there familys that they don't want to do, for example when i had to go to Crete in October (closed water park = bad) so although it may not be a teen holiday, you can bet that teens in familys with younger children WILL go (against there will or not)

 

so, although a teen would definitely not choose a disney cruse as a holiday, its nice that disney are trying, even if it does seem slightly rubbish, i mean i could do all those things at home almost, and with friends and not strange people unknown who have been shoved together because they are of one age group, areas like that appeal more to younger kids, i think

 

i personally would take one tour around the place and go back to what i normally do on holiday in the warm: sleeping, swimming, sunbathing while reading and eating.

 

on the plus side, that watercoaster looks amazing!

[Rollercoaster5000]

I agree it's great that they're trying to get some teens in. I think that the things that they're putting in to the ship will help to get more teens on their cruise but they need to try a bit harder. They should at least try to follow Royal caribbean's example and add some sporty activities e.g. rock climbing, surf machines, asketall courts, an on board zip wire. By doing that they will increase the amount of teens going on their cruise (well oys at least ). Their teen lounge looks great though and it looks nicer than the one on Voyager of the Seas . The water coaster will also help increase the amount of teens going on their cruise. I wouldn't necessarily be in a hurry to get my ass on this one as it does seem to lack the things that some of the other cruises have. And another thing that they don't have is a massive street in the centre of the ship like the on Royal Caribbean (though the only nice ones seem to be on The Oasis and Allure of the Seas). However one thing tht WILL convince me to get on this one will be a roller coaster . Would be great to see one of those on any cruise ship but will never happen though .

[robbalvey]

^ Dude. Disney Cruise Line doesn't cater to "teens." They cater to families with smaller kids.

 

I don't think DCL is for you, and personally, I'd rather NOT have a bunch of obnoxious teenagers running around their ships while I'm trying to have a good time with my 3 year old.

 

Sounds like Disney's Cruise ships just aren't for you.

 

--Robb

[monsterfan99]

^ Robb, how is the DCL for couples without kids? Just looking for general info on your thoughts.

[SharkTums]

^I'm not Robb, but I can probably help you out here.

 

I REALLY like Disney, and I can tolerate Children. That being said if I didn't have a child I would not cruise Disney Cruise Lines again. Not nearly as much for adults to do on the ship, the ship is geared towards children, and it's a bit 'dumbed down' for most decent cruisers.

 

That being said, it's a beautiful ship and great crew. But unless you're a super Disney Geek or have children I believe there are better choices out there for you.

[Owain11]

^ Dude. Disney Cruise Line doesn't cater to "teens." They cater to families with smaller kids.

 

Sounds like Disney's Cruise ships just aren't for you.

 

--Robb

 

I totaly agree with you here. From what i have read and scene, DCL is not catered towards teenagers or not the average teenager. But me as a teenager, it appeals to me as im a huge disney geek. Plus Castaway Cay looks amazing, especialy when its exspansion is completed.

[Swiminn6]

I agree it's great that they're trying to get some teens in. I think that the things that they're putting in to the ship will help to get more teens on their cruise but they need to try a bit harder. They should at least try to follow Royal caribbean's example and add some sporty activities e.g. rock climbing, surf machines, asketall courts, an on board zip wire. By doing that they will increase the amount of teens going on their cruise (well oys at least ). Their teen lounge looks great though and it looks nicer than the one on Voyager of the Seas . The water coaster will also help increase the amount of teens going on their cruise. I wouldn't necessarily be in a hurry to get my A$$ on this one as it does seem to lack the things that some of the other cruises have. And another thing that they don't have is a massive street in the centre of the ship like the on Royal Caribbean (though the only nice ones seem to be on The Oasis and Allure of the Seas). However one thing tht WILL convince me to get on this one will be a roller coaster . Would be great to see one of those on any cruise ship but will never happen though .

 

Ok first of all, Disney want's to be unique in there own way.. Second, Disney isn't trying to have all that stuff, it's a DISNEY cruise where they want their ships to have some relation with DISNEY! Yeah Royal Caribbean rocks and you say something about the only nice "streets" which are Royal Promenade's, and that Oasis is the only nice ones, well uh..Navigator and Freedom have some really nice ones. Anyways it really doesnt matter because it's not Disney's goal to have teens on the ship..They want families and children like everyone else has said.

[disneyland255]

^ Robb, how is the DCL for couples without kids? Just looking for general info on your thoughts.

 

I know this was asked of Rob, but I would like to answer if you don't mind.

 

My wife and I took our first Disney Cruise 2 years ago. We did not have our daughter at the time. We were thoroughly impressed and are going again (with our daughter who is 1 1/2) for Christmas in 43 days. Let me tell you what we loved:

 

• We loved the cafe that was adults only
  We loved the adults only pool
  We loved the games at the Pub
  We loved the Club that was adults only
  We loved Palo (adults only)
  We loved that even though the ship was packed with kids, it sure as hell didn't seem like it
  We loved that even though we are huge DISNEY FREAKS, the ship is decked out with Disney in a very inconspicuous way. It isn't over the top Disney
  We loved the Comedian who did an adult only show

 

Now mind you, we absolutely love kids and going on Disney didn't bother us at all. We do have an aunt and uncle who are very leary of Disney Cruise due to all the children...well, we were happy to say that even though there were a ton of kids, we hardly noticed them. Personally, Disney has done an awesome job creating areas for families, areas for just adults, and areas for just kids/teens.

 

To anyone (who can afford it, we use our Disney Vacation Club), I would say Disney is the BEST cruise line I have been on. On the expensive side, but it isn't your white plastic like most other cruise ships. This is real wood decks with real wood chairs and real class with a TOUCH of Disney. Simply amazing!

[Pufferfish]

Okay, I have something to add to this "not enough for teens to do" conversation.

 

I went on my first ever Disney cruise earlier this year. I was 17 at the time and I was very nervous thinking that I would be miserable due to lack of things to do. As soon as we started doing things, my attitude automatically changed. The cruise turned out to be one of the best vacations I've ever had. It was so good that I am thinking of booking a cruise as soon as the Dream is available.

 

So take my word for it. There is more to do than you really think there is. Also, complaining about not enough "sporting" activities to do on the ship, well guess what, that's what the excursions are for. I ended up spending more time off the ship than I did on it. Castaway Cay and Nassau have a crap load of awesome things that you can do while docked there.

 

My opinion, try it out. You might just end up really liking it.

[HerBlackWings]

I can think of 2 holidays that the 'average' teen would go on:

 

1. alcohol or adrenaline filled trips with friends (i was going to use Ibiza clubbing as an example but that got me wondering if americans actually do that, or at least in the volume that makes it a brit teen stereotype), or a TPR trip i guess.

2. something forced onto them by there familys that they don't want to do, for example when i had to go to Crete in October (closed water park = bad) so although it may not be a teen holiday, you can bet that teens in familys with younger children WILL go (against there will or not)

 

Option #2 is utterly dismal. It must be god-awful to be forced to go on vacation.

[montezooma]

Here are some photos of the clear slide that is going on the new ship. I was lucky enough to see these on my last visit to the WhiteWater factory.

 

It is going to be so cool to be out over the ocean and see below you. I am going to book a cruise just so I can ride this slide.

[disneyland255]

Great pictures! Thank you for sharing!

[CorkscrewFoley]

I had done my first cruise on any ship (it was DCL) and I had a great time. It was a family trip, but being single, I found there wasn't much to do--they had a singles night, and a bunch of couples showed up. However, I did a few of the shows, and loved the adult humour they managed to subtlely throw in there.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

 

Hey Disney Parks Blog Readers! Today I have really exciting news; there is a brand new stage spectacular heading to the Disney Magic in 2010.

The show is called “Villains Tonight!” and it is the first full-scale musical production dedicated to the Disney villains. The show is a family-friendly comedy that places our famous evil-doers in some irreverent funny moments.

“Villains Tonight!” will premiere during the March 27 voyage aboard the Disney Magic and debut on the Disney Dream in early 2011.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8233sYUDn8

[disneylanddork50]

That actually sounds pretty good! At least it's better than Toy Story: The Musical. I'd rather see a comedic villans show, than a half-assed musical thrown together.

[triggernel]

Another great addition. This looks better than any Theme Park Musical. Can't wait to see more.

[RCFreak]

I freaking LOVE [Title of Show] so to see Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen both working on this, it'll definitely have a lot of humor and good music (for a musical). I'd MUCH rather have this at DCA then Toy Story!

 

 

"An Original Musical" from [title of show] Definitely NOT for children, plenty of foul language ahead! The video is stupid, but it's the original song with both Hunter and Jeff singing.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2gVdfNP71A

[DirkFunk]

^ Robb, how is the DCL for couples without kids? Just looking for general info on your thoughts.

 

I am also not Robb and getting to this very, very late. If you're new to cruising or not, probably going to somewhere like Cruisecritic is going to be the best resource for you. It may be dense to start with; people there are as fanatical about cruising as we all are about amusement parks. But then, who better to get advice from than the serious hobbyist and traveller?

 

I'd say this to you though; Like, a water coaster or a zip line on a ship is cool, but how much time are you going to spend on the boat? And when you're on it, do you really plan to be spending the majority of your time playing in the arcade or climbing rockwalls versus eating, going to the spa, relaxing with a book on your balcony/on deck, sitting in the room, etc? Just because you may not be familiar with some of the brands in cruising doesn't make them substandard, and some of the more well known ports to travellers are actually less desirable. Educate yourself, as with anything.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

 

Many of you have been wondering…what do we have in store for Animator’s Palate on the Disney Dream? Wonder no more! We are getting ready to present a completely re-imagined version of our signature restaurant. The minute you walk into Animator’s Palate, you know you’re in for a treat –- it will feel like you’ve entered a classic animation studio, filled with character maquettes, paint brushes, colored pencils and other tools of the trade. Throughout the restaurant are sketches from the Disney•Pixar film “Finding Nemo.”

This is how the restaurant will look when you first arrive.

 

As your meal progresses, the restaurant begins an enchanting transformation and the artwork around room magically fills with bubbles, revealing scenes of a vivid undersea environment. It’s as if the dining room has been transported under the sea and the artwork has turned into windows providing incredible views of a colorful coral reef and creatures that reside on the reef.

 

This is where the really cool part kicks in. Crush, the surfer-dude sea turtle from “Finding Nemo,” will make a special appearance, swimming around the restaurant and interacting with guests. Crush will visit each section of the restaurant and ask guests about their experience onboard the ship and answer questions about his life under the sea. Other characters from “Finding Nemo,” such as Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Bruce the shark, will also swim by and visit with guests.

Check this out…the guys from Walt Disney Imagineering are hard at work putting final touches on the experience. They even mocked-up a portion of the restaurant with plywood!

 

As with all Disney stories, this dining experience at Animator’s Palate has a tremendous finale moment…but I don’t want to spoil that surprise. You’ll have to sail on the Disney Dream and experience it for yourself!

Edited March 30, 2010 by jedimaster1227

[SharkTums]

This is seriously amazing.

 

I can't wait till this ship starts doing a seven night itinerary...I'll be on it!!!!

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/destinations/cruises/os-travel-disney-dream-imagineering-20100330,0,157204.story

 

Disney Cruise Line has released details on several of their interactive features expected aboard the new Disney Dream cruise ship that debuts next year.

 

Partnering with Walt Disney Imagineering, the team that designs Disney theme parks and resorts, the cruise line looks to add a level of interactivity for passengers not seen on any other ship.

 

At the top of the innovation list is the virtual porthole. Previously announced, the porthole is an attempt to give interior cabin guests a real-time view of the outside. High-definition cameras placed on the exterior of the ship feed live video to each room's porthole, corresponding to the room's location – port, starboard, forward and aft. As guests observe the outside views, animated characters may pop by including Peach the starfish "Finding Nemo," the flying balloon house from "UP" or even Mickey Mouse.

 

Interactive animated characters will play a major role at the Animator's Palate restaurant as well as the interactive play floors of the Disney Oceaneer Club and Disney's Oceaneer Lab. The surfer-dude sea turtle Crush from "Finding Nemo" will make special appearances, swimming around the restaurant walls and engaging in live impromptu guest interactions.

 

While Crush is moving throughout the restaurant, other characters from the film including Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Bruce the shark, swim by and visit with guests. The dining experience culminates with a surfing lesson led by Crush as the EAC (East Australian Current) swirls around the room. As Crush swims away, the other characters make a final appearance before turning into pencil sketches.

 

Crush and mischievous Disney character Stitch will have similar interactions on a 103-inch screen in the two interactive play floors of the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, for scheduled chats and unrehearsed live conversations.

 

The two play floors are in themselves an interactive endeavor with the movements of the children controlling the action on the floor. One activity is a virtual tilt maze where children control the tilt by running around the play floor. Also, youth counselors will use the interactive play floors during storytelling activities where children will be able to fly over the streets of London with Peter Pan or ride the ocean waves with Crush.

 

Finally, the ship will feature enchanted artwork. Guests will be able to stop and admire artwork on the cruise ship walls, but when they stop and look at the pieces, the artwork will come alive. The art will appear as photography, oil paintings, paper sculpture, travel posters and animation cells, but are actually framed LCD screens made to look like artwork through special effects and recognizes when a guest is present, which triggers the animated sequence. Guests may see new and different animations each time they come back and visit the pieces.

 

In addition, art will be used as part of a kind detective-themed adventure where guests of all ages join a shipwide quest to find clues to find either stolen artwork or missing puppies. By using a simple card that serves as a high-tech detective device, guests can peer behind virtual canvases and discover clues that will lead them to solve the mystery and capture the villain responsible. A self-paced adventure, the game offers six potential villains and features randomized events so each time a guest plays they will encounter a different and unique gaming experience.

 

The Disney Dream will sail out of Port Canaveral. Its set to depart on its maiden voyage Jan. 26, 2011, and will sail alternating three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. During summer months, the ship will alternate four- and five-night itineraries with two stops at Castaway Cay.

 

The Dream is the first of two new Disney ships joining their two current ships, the Magic and Wonder. The Disney Fantasy will debut in 2012. The new ships will be much larger than the 83,000-ton, 1,760-passenger Magic and Wonder -- two decks higher and can carry 2,500 passengers.

 

For more information, check out Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Brady MacDonald took a tour of the Disney Imagineers studio recently and blogged about the details here.

[Wes]

 

Anyone who has ever wanted to work for WDI or in the theme park industry should be insanely jealous of this man.

[jackskellington101]

^ Then consider my jealousy NOTED.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/03/behind-the-scenes-new-disney-dream-experiences/

 

What do you get when you mix technological innovation with Disney’s creative imagination and set it out to sea? Short and simple – the Disney Dream cruise ship! We recently took a trip to the secret labs of Walt Disney Imagineering and got a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some amazing new experiences in development for the Disney Dream.

 

Enchanted Art

As you walk around the Disney Dream, pay close attention the artwork hanging from the walls. You see what appears to be traditional framed art (photos, oil paintings, etc.) may actually be Enchanted Art. These special pieces of art will magically come alive when you stop to admire the artwork.

 

Detective Game

Walt Disney Imagineering is also working on a really cool concept for an interactive adventure game that uses Enchanted Art and spans the entire Disney Dream. Equipped with a special detective device, guests will travel through the ship revealing secret clues hidden within the Enchanted Art to solve a mystery.

 

Interactive Play-Floor

Just for kids, we’re adding a super-cool interactive play-floor in Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Lab. The interactive play-floor allows children to participate in games and activities as their movements control the action on the floor. Thanks to this new technology, story time will be even more fun as kids feel like they are flying over the streets of London with Peter Pan or riding the ocean waves with Crush.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/04/new-deluxe-restaurant-coming-to-the-disney-dream/

 

Bonjour Disney Parks Bloggers! Today I have great news to share with our fans, especially the foodies. We just announced Remy – a new upscale, adult-only fine dining experience coming to the Disney Dream cruise ship. Think Walt Disney World’s Victoria & Albert’s -– at sea.

Named after the petite French star from the hit film “Ratatouille,” Remy will serve French-inspired, gourmet cuisine paired with impeccable service, a stellar wine list and breathtaking views of the ocean. With a subtle nod to the film, the main dining room is designed in Art Nouveau style. If you look very closely you may even find artful interpretations of the character Remy integrated into the design.

 

Creating such an exclusive dining experience called for a truly exquisite menu that could only be delivered by two award-winning chefs: Chef Arnaud Lallement, a Michelin two-starred chef from Reims, France, and Chef Scott Hunnel from award-winning Victoria & Albert’s. They are working together to create a French-inspired menu featuring superior products and seasonal ingredients sourced from around the world.

To get a taste of the cuisine awaiting you at Remy, check out this delicious dish. It’s the Japanese Wagyu Beef with Garlic-Potato Purée.

 

We couldn’t leave you without showing you a sweet treat to tempt your taste buds. Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek of Victoria & Albert’s is hard at work creating the grand finale to this delightful dining experience. Take a look the White Chocolate and Meyer Lemon Purse with Blackberry-Violet Sherbet.

 

Bon Appétit!