Our "Dream" experience (not!)

[ali3pt14]

I always utilize Trip Advisor prior to traveling. This was my first cruise and so I discovered Cruise Critic, and scoured the site for information and tips. I always take the negative comments with a grain of salt. Most of the time, I find that the negativity is unwarranted or that the experience could have been avoided had the writer done any research.

 

Having said that, I have to say that our experience on board the Dream was the worst vacation experience I have ever had.

 

We sailed February 17 (this was a 3-day cruise). Our stateroom was 6160. The first night, we continued to turn up the thermostat in the room until it was all the way up to it's warmest setting (there was no actual temperature to set to). By the time we woke up in the morning, our muscles were actually stiff from being so cold. We alerted maintainance and spent the day in Nassau. We returned to a now very HOT room, and proceeded to turn the dial down to the lowest setting. In spite of our efforts, the room continued to get oppressive. We actually slept with the verandah door open all night in an effort to get relief. Again we notified the technicians, and left for Castaway Cay. We had rented bicycles, snorkle gear and floats, but found that we could do little but sleep on the beach since we had slept so poorly the previous two evenings.

 

We returned to our room at 4:30 in the afternoon (just before we were to leave port) and found that our room was still hot. Again we notified maintenance, and began to shower to prepare for our 6PM dinner reservation. In the middle of my shower, the lights went out and I quickly finished my shower in darkness. The technician had to turn off all electricity to the room to again attempt to fix the problem. This time the fix actually worked, and we were able to sleep our very last night in comfort. Too bad that we had to leave first thing in the morning!

 

When we debarked the ship, we began looking for our luggage (we had put tags on our bags and placed them in the hallway the night before). One of our pieces was missing. We tried to find someone to help us locate the missing piece, and the lady actually tried to place the blame on me! First I was accused of not placing the tags on the luggage, and then was informed that we should have used Disney Transport to the airport! I informed that that would have been fine except for the fact that we did NOT fly, and that our car was parked at the port!

 

I began to fill out the paperwork for the missing bag, while the rest of my party went looking in other sections for the luggage. (We had seen other luggage with tags that did not match the section they were placed in.) We did finally find it in another section (it did still have it's Daisy Duck tag attached).

 

Will my experiences happen to another cruiser? Probably not. I realize that they are isolated incidents. I wouldn't even voice these complaints on cruise critic, had I gotten any type of response from Disney Cruise Lines. We called direct and requested a name and phone number for someone in management. They absolutely refused to give out this information (apparently they can only swipe your credit card but are ill-equipt to deal with complaints). We were given an email address, and told that was the only way to complain. We did that, received a very generic "Sorry for your inconvenience" from a "Rebekkah", who said that she would forward our concerns to management. We have yet to hear back from these elusive beings.

 

I didn't expect a full refund. That would have been unreasonable. However, our entire cruise was impacted by these events, and Disney has offered absolutely nothing - not even a live person to voice our complaints to.

 

In all likelihood readers, you will have a great cruise. The ship is beautiful, the food is fine, and when the thermostat works, the room is comfortable. So what purpose does this very long thread serve? I simply wish to alert all cruisers that if your cruise is anything but "Magical" or "Dreamy", you will get very little satisfaction from the cruise line.

[parrothead brian]

Having worked for Disney along with many many Disney vacations(including 2 cruises) I can assure you that expecting a response from management in less than a month is jumping the gun a bit. They are an extremely anal in their policies and protocol. I am sorry that your vacation was not up to par.

At some point in time you will receive a letter from Disney, just don't expect a lot for compensation. Don't be surprised if it just a "we are sorry for your troubles" letter. At most you may be offered a credit on another cruise.

I didn't see anywhere in your post if you complained to some one in charge on the ship. That is more than likely the person who could have help correct the situation. Sometimes things get corrected better when you are still there spending money than when you're back home and have spent the money.

[timh111]

I'm glad that the unfortunate happenings didn't put a complete damper on your future cruise plans. Keep in mind, Maintenance is on call 24/7. It seems like there was only one time (when you were showering) that you called maintenance to address the issue while you were still in the cabin. To sleep in the cabin all night with the balcony door open in oppressive heat should have been addressed earlier and I would have been calling every 30 minutes. We had an occasion where when we first boarded the Carnival Ecstasy, The room was like an oven and the thermostat was turned 3/4 of the way down (to cool). We called Maintenance immediately and before we even were done getting settled (like 10 minutes later), they were knocking on the door. It took 2 different calls to get them to come fix the problem but it was resolved before we even left port. The incident with the luggage is just oversight on the crews fault after they picked up your luggage the night before. The woman you dealt with had no customer service abilities and she should be removed from her position!! That was totally out of your hands. I hope you got her name and mentioned her in your letter. But I agree with parrothead brain, I have written letters to cruise corporate in the past and it could take a good 6 months for them to reply. Best of luck on your next cruise :)

[ali3pt14]

Yes, hindsight is 20/20, we should have complained to management while still onboard, and we should have called in the middle of the night, but we didn't. Understand that the cruise was only 3 days (really more like 2 1/2) and each time it was "fixed", we thought that it had been really fixed. I understand that things take time to go through all of the proper channels, but to not even allow us the opportunity to speak to a live person really makes me question Disney's dedication to customer satisfaction. Further are they so bogged down with situations such as ours that they cannot respond in a timely manner? Why do the people that CAN help, hide behind this bureaucratic heirarchy?

 

I'm sorry, but I have never encountered a company that treated it's customers in such a manner.

[parrothead brian]

Yes, hindsight is 20/20, we should have complained to management while still onboard, and we should have called in the middle of the night, but we didn't. Understand that the cruise was only 3 days (really more like 2 1/2) and each time it was "fixed", we thought that it had been really fixed. I understand that things take time to go through all of the proper channels, but to not even allow us the opportunity to speak to a live person really makes me question Disney's dedication to customer satisfaction. Further are they so bogged down with situations such as ours that they cannot respond in a timely manner? Why do the people that CAN help, hide behind this bureaucratic heirarchy?

 

I'm sorry, but I have never encountered a company that treated it's customers in such a manner.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying, unfortunately Disney reacts this way for a few different reasons. One is that many people complain when nothing is wrong just to try and get something for free(not sating you are one of them). Another reason is that they feel as if you don't vacation with them there are thousands and thousands who will. Not right but reality!

[kittykitty576]

I agree with a lot of what you are saying, unfortunately Disney reacts this way for a few different reasons. One is that many people complain when nothing is wrong just to try and get something for free(not sating you are one of them). Another reason is that they feel as if you don't vacation with them there are thousands and thousands who will. Not right but reality!

 

True enough. There *are* people who will continue to vacation and cruise with Disney -- no matter what! However, for people "on the fence," :confused: threads such as this cause harm that Disney cannot overcome, once they become more of a "norm" :mad: rather than an exception. :(

 

Thank you for sharing your story, and I really hope that our May 2011 cruise goes without a hitch!;)

[Host Mick]

I'll say it again. NEVER SAIL ON A NEW SHIP unless you have a spirit of adventure because things will go wrong and you have to be able to roll with them. And yes, a two month old ship is a new ship.

 

Other than the thermostat problem and the misplaced luggage. How was the cruise?

[PopFla]

I'll say it again. NEVER SAIL ON A NEW SHIP unless you have a spirit of adventure because things will go wrong and you have to be able to roll with them. And yes, a two month old ship is a new ship.

 

I couldn't agree more. In another thread, I posted the following:

 

When you book a cruise on a brand new ship that's not a replacement for a 'retiring' ship but rather an expansion of the cruise line, realistically you've got to expect that not every single detail is going to be 100% perfect. A few folks have commented about the large number of new crew members, easily identified by the red "Earning My Ears" ribbons on their name tags. Chances are a considerable number of them have little or no prior cruise ship experience, and not only have to learn a new trade but also a new ship, new 'home' environment, new co-workers, and a new corporate culture.

 

We had considered booking an early cruise on Dream, but decided to hold off until some of the wrinkles have had time to settle out or be ironed out. Frankly, we still don't expect everything to be 100% even after five months. But we're going into it with a positive attitude and determination to have a fun and relaxing time.

 

Just my two cents worth....

[ali3pt14]

I'm honestly trying to be as fair as possible and don't want to continue to bad mouth the cruise, as I always hate those posts when I read them. I really just want to alert cruisers to my own experience, and things to keep in mind and be wary of. In all likelyhood, most passenger's will probably have a lovely cruise on board the Disney Dream.

 

The cruise itself was fine enough, I guess. It was President's Day weekend, thus many children out of school, so the boat was at full capacity (4,000 passengers). In my opinion, the Dream's common area's are not designed well enough for a ship at full capacity. The pool area (as mentioned in another thread) is not even close to being able to support the ships's capacity (someone else actually used the words dangerous, and I find that description apt). Except for the very first day, we were unable to ever obtain a lounge chair (I don't know if this is worth noting, but we were picked as the "Family of the Day" and were able to board the ship first - that was cool). The public areas outside the stores, restaurants and theatres become overwhelmingly crowded at let- out times. The public restrooms always had long lines (the ship is large, so it isn't always convenient to go back to your stateroom). Having said that, the one show that we saw was fine, the food was fine, and as I said before, the boat itself is beautiful. In Nassau, we did the See & Sea excursion, and it was good. Castaway Cay is beyond great (and a nice place to catch up on sleep!). Looking back and taking our room temperature and luggage complaints out of the equation; Would I sail again? Hmmm...If I do cruise again, I think I'd pick a smaller ship...I don't think I'd sail the Dream again (We'll have to see if Disney ever does respond as to whether I'd consider "Magic" or anything Disney again).

 

In answer to the two posts stating that I shouldn't have sailed on a brand new ship, hmmm. Our one server at dinner was new, and it showed, but she tried very hard, and I couldn't and didn't fault her - that is the type of thing I expected with a new ship and could roll with. As far as our HV/AC issues, those are just as if not more likely, to occur as the ship ages. So I think those arguments are invalid. Standing alone, the issues that I experienced - even those things happen, and I could accept, but to have all of the compounding issues I experienced within a mere three days at upwards of $1,000 per day, and then not be able to speak with a live person after almost a month of trying, it just doesn't sit well with me, nor does it speak well of a company that is claims to be a cut above others (and charges as such!).

 

I'm sure that others DO try to scam the company, and try to make claims in an effort to get something for nothing. So perhaps they do set up these obstacles in an attempt to have them give up. However, our issues are well documented, and I was trying to be reasonable.

 

Again I'll state to our our illustrious Host Mick, my only reason for this post was to point out to future cruisers was that Disney Cruise Lines does not handle complaints in a personal, timely or caring manner. Period.

[alsotraveler]

Three things -

 

1. On shorter cruises - there's less magic. And it's in large part because of compression of time. As people are trying to have every experience they've heard about in so little time, things get crowded, people get impatient, and the crew feels that pressure. I mention this because it's something everyone should think about before they purchase a Disney Cruise. IF you have the means, the time, etc. the 7 night is a better "experience."

 

2. Regardless of the line, whenever you have a technical problem, you have to make it clear to the people in charge immediately, so that they can fix it. Calm, but firm. Even ask if they can place in you a different cabin. There's no excuse for a broken down air system in your cabin that isn't fixed correctly. But you do have to stay on them and make it happen.

 

3. I had one of the worst experiences of all time on a different cruise line, complete with a hurricane sailing, a broken down plan for how to handle the passengers who were hanging on for dear life, the confinement to the cabin where you couldn't even stand, and all of this being completely avoidable - but the line and the captain made a very, very poor decision in an effort to save fuel, etc. (well documented fact) I wrote a firm, clear letter and made it clear that I wanted a refund of a portion of the cruise or the chance to go again. The process took a full 7 months to complete. As was mentioned above, the lines are very thorough (there's mandatory arbitration etc) and ultimately, I was satisfied with the cruise line's offer (it took 4 offers). The point is it's best to speak up on the cruise than afterwards, and most people are generally disatisfied with cruise line responses for things reported after the fact.

 

 

I realize you are just wanting to alert folks.... but I believe that with DCL, your experience is not the norm for Disney travelers. But it's good to know what occurred, and I think people would be wise to remember that you are entitled to be satisfied with your cruise experience and really need to make things clear while on board.

[ali3pt14]

Just an update on how Disney handled this situation. After several emails with attached pictures, I was issued a check for 1/2 the cost of my damaged suitcase. Luckily, I still had the receipt for it, because if I didn't, they wouldn't have issued anything at all. I was told that because it was simply stained and therefore still useable, they would not completely replace it. I was told that they typically wouldn't have offered any compensation at all except for the fact that the case was brand new, and the staining significant. I suppose I should feel grateful.

 

Disney will not correspond in any way other than email, and we only found out through a third party that they would not offer any type of compensation for the HVAC issues. (They never replied to us about this at all). Our travel agent stepped in and spoke with a Disney Cruise Rep. and she was firmly told that our experience was unfortunate, but that it was their policy to not compensate the passengers in matters such as this.

 

Looking back, we probably did not handle things as we should have (we should have called in the middle of the night). However, I have to say that I was disapointed in the Disney brand after this experience. Had they offered even a small discount on a future cruise, I probably wouldn't have used it, but I would have felt satisfied that they made an attempt at customer service and my faith in the company would have been restored.

 

That was my very first cruise experience, and initially I thought that I wouldn't cruise again. However, I have decided to give it another try and am in the process of booking a 7 day cruise for this September (albeit with another cruiseline).

 

I'm certain that most cruisers on DCL will have a marvelous time. I don't want to discourage anyone from sailing with Disney (especially if you have small children!) Just keep in mind that if your experience is sub par, there will be little to no sympathy, apology and least of all compensation.

[ppiew]

so sorry to hear about your terrible experience with DCL. About 2 years ago we encountered some issues with DCL and we sent a letter to DCL Customer Services (wish I had the email address but I can't find it). I must say they responded in less than 2 weeks via email with an apology etc. (no compensation but we weren't looking for any) I also received a phone call shortly after again apologizing for the problems. It didn't fix anything for us - but it was nice that somebody cared! After all, DCL is noted for its Guest Services and to lose that personal touch would be devastating for the brand.

[cyclenut]

Looking back, we probably did not handle things as we should have (we should have called in the middle of the night). However, I have to say that I was disapointed in the Disney brand after this experience. Had they offered even a small discount on a future cruise, I probably wouldn't have used it, but I would have felt satisfied that they made an attempt at customer service and my faith in the company would have been restored.

 

That was my very first cruise experience, and initially I thought that I wouldn't cruise again. However, I have decided to give it another try and am in the process of booking a 7 day cruise for this September (albeit with another cruiseline).

 

Thanks for the update. We are taking our first cruise with Disney but have quite a bit of experience with the Disney brand. I do feel bad for you that your expectations were not met. However, I think you are expecting too much. As others have stated, the way things were handled for you is pretty typical for the cruise industry and not uncommon for Disney. There are so many thousands who enjoy the Disney experience every day. Everything from the local Disney store to their parks and cruise lines is an opportunity for "guests" to experience the Disney brand. For this reason, Disney has put in some very clear controls on how to handle guest complaints. The highest priority will always be on guests that are currently living the Disney experience. Those that complain after they are done, receive the least amount of attention. Truth is, there is very little Disney can do at that point but hope you accept an appology and give them a second chance.

 

It sounds like you've made up your mind that you won't be giving Disney a second chance. I can only hope that you're next cruise experience meets your expectations. I do think you have learned a valuable lesson. If you are unhappy, you need to say something immediately. Think of it this way. If you receive a meal at a local restaurant and it wasn't prepared to your liking, you don't eat it first and then complain ... the next day. You send it back and if they still don't get it right, you ask to speak to a manager, while you're still at your table.

 

As somone who is setting sail in less than 60 days, your post has reminded me of that fact and for that, I appreciate it.