Which Ships DO NOT have Dreamworks

[DarthGrady]

I almost never saw the Dreamworks garbage while I was on Allure last year. I hope they don't have it everywhere on FOS. I loathe all the kiddie stuff on board. I agree with OP. There are already kid's areas on board, leave the cartoons there!

 

So I guess the answer to the OP's question of "which Ships DO NOT have Dreamworks?" is: Not enough. :D

[mrs. z]

Does anyone know if there is a delay in getting off the ship in St. Thomas due to having to go thru customs? I have heard from someone that they had excursions early off the ship and there was a delay leaving the ship because of customs. We will be stopping in St. Croix before St. Thomas and we don't want to miss our early excursions. Any info. would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

[Ocean Boy]

Does anyone know if there is a delay in getting off the ship in St. Thomas due to having to go thru customs? I have heard from someone that they had excursions early off the ship and there was a delay leaving the ship because of customs. We will be stopping in St. Croix before St. Thomas and we don't want to miss our early excursions. Any info. would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

 

From cartoons to customs. I don't quite get the connection. Anyway, to answer your question, if you are stopping in St. Croix prior to St. Thomas you should not have any issue. St. Croix is a US territory just like St. Thomas. So when you get to St. Thomas it will NOT be your first stop after a foreign port.

[peteukmcr]

Independence does have it. It is the cruise where I knew I needed a change.

According to RCI, Independence does not have the Dreamworks experience as yet.

 

http://bookings.royalcaribbean.co.uk/matrixGatewayPage.do?pageName=dreamworks_experience_ships&pnav=2&snav=4&wuc=GBR

[Ocean Boy]

According to RCI, Independence does not have the Dreamworks experience as yet.

 

http://bookings.royalcaribbean.co.uk/matrixGatewayPage.do?pageName=dreamworks_experience_ships&pnav=2&snav=4&wuc=GBR

 

I was not aware that Independence had it yet but I would, at times, tend to take the word of someone who has been on the ship over RCI's website. The info on the website is not always up to date and at times, is just plain wrong. Of course, sometimes I read what passengers write who were on the same sailing as me and I just have to wonder if we were REALLY on the same ship!

[Aquahound]

I guess I don't understand the beef with Dreamworks. Did you experience it and actually had a problem with it? If so, did you have a problem with the parades before Dreamworks? There's really no difference other than different characters in the parades. All the other appearances are on the Cruise Compass and if the site of a character upsets you, it can be easily avoided. Sorry, but like the large pool screens, this is another thing people complained about and after seeing them, I found it to be no big deal.

 

Seriously, before Dreamworks, I never saw people complaining about these hideous characters:

 



 

Personally, I think this is a huge improvement:

 

[DarthGrady]

I guess I don't understand the beef with Dreamworks. Did you experience it and actually had a problem with it? If so, did you have a problem with the parades before Dreamworks? There's really no difference other than different characters in the parades. All the other appearances are on the Cruise Compass and if the site of a character upsets you, it can be easily avoided. Sorry, but like the large pool screens, this is another thing people complained about and after seeing them, I found it to be no big deal.

 

Seriously, before Dreamworks, I never saw people complaining about these hideous characters:

 

 

Personally, I think this is a huge improvement:

 

My beef is not with Dreamworks per se, I just don't like anything that entices people to bring yet more kids on board. One of the reasons I cruise with RCI more than CCL now is the lower numbers of kids. My wife and I are childfree by choice, so tolerating other people's kids is not my cup of tea. Unfortunately it seems that RCI is starting down the same road as CCL in trying to attract more families with kids. If it gets too bad, we can simply switch to Princess or Celebrity I suppose. It would be a shame though, since we really like RCI.

[smoosh21]

I also will not go on a cruise that have those creatures on it. As some else posted some of the NCL cruises have Dora etc. and I will not sail on them either. They need to keep them confined in the childrens area.

 

I was very skeptical of this, but it really wasn't that intrusive on the Oasis. yes, there was a special sailaway party in the Aqua theater, but the rest of the ship was normal. They also made limited appearances in small areas for 20 minute stretches.

There was also a Dreamworks parade on the Promenade one day, but you could avoid that easily.

 

The characters didn't come into the restaurants, they didn't come up to you. You really did have to seek them out, or happen to catch them as you were walking somewhere.

[roe2ship]

My beef is not with Dreamworks per se, I just don't like anything that entices people to bring yet more kids on board. One of the reasons I cruise with RCI more than CCL now is the lower numbers of kids. My wife and I are childfree by choice, so tolerating other people's kids is not my cup of tea. Unfortunately it seems that RCI is starting down the same road as CCL in trying to attract more families with kids. If it gets too bad, we can simply switch to Princess or Celebrity I suppose. It would be a shame though, since we really like RCI.

With or without Dreamworks, Royal entices families with kids...it is a family cruiseline. So you may soon come to the conclusion that Royal is not your cup of tea.

[Bakincakes]

RCI is attracting families for one reason $$$$. They figure they can get families to part with more of their money. In doing so they may be alienating people who don't care to sail with a slew of kids or cartoon characters.

 

If the economy doesn't improve it will come down to who has the disposable cash to cruise. A family of four may have to cut back sooner than people who either don't have kids or whose kids have left the nest. It will be interesting to see who continues to cruise and who doesn't.

[hondarr9]

Well the Oasis and the Allure are "family " style ships, and both command a premium price, and both always sail full, so I guess us "families" aren't doing so bad after all in "this economy" :rolleyes:

 

Sent from my Galaxy Tab via tap-a-talk

[disneyfan68]

My beef is not with Dreamworks per se, I just don't like anything that entices people to bring yet more kids on board. One of the reasons I cruise with RCI more than CCL now is the lower numbers of kids. My wife and I are childfree by choice, so tolerating other people's kids is not my cup of tea. Unfortunately it seems that RCI is starting down the same road as CCL in trying to attract more families with kids. If it gets too bad, we can simply switch to Princess or Celebrity I suppose. It would be a shame though, since we really like RCI.

 

Ouch!

[Raptor2010]

Well when I get one long vacation a year that we can all get together for with our crazy schedules and I fly to get there and cant wait for sailaway only to have it completely ruined with ridiculous characters and childrens music. It is an issue for me. It doesnt feel like Im in the Caribbean but feels like Im at Chuck E Cheeses. Im not rich by any means and I look forward to my adult vacations all year.

 

Im not a Celebrity person. Its too hoity toity for me. Im only 35 and Im not looking for the high brow stuff. I dont do formal nights or the dining room at all for that matter. RCCL has always been the best fit for our crew of 10-15 who usually sail together. I dont know why theyre changing things and not for the better. Things were great the way they were.

 

It also seemed to me that Freedom had way less stuff going on at night. People who looked at our cruise pics kept commenting on FB.....where is everyone? I dont know...in theyre rooms cuz they were bored? It was a ghost town. Ive been on the Indy and the Liberty and absolutely loved them both. The night of the deck party we kept waiting for people to come and noone ever did so 10 mins before we just went back to the room. I dont know...maybe cuz it was out of Port Canaveral there were older people. Not sure what was up. Oh and the reggae band ( one of my fave things bout cruising) Never even played till day 6 of the 7 day cruise. I kept telling the new people we went with like the reggae band played everyday and they never did

 

Just hope that Explorer and a couple VOS class ships dont switch over and Ill be happy. If they do we may have to try something else. Maybe an all inclusive.

 

Hondarr - take them on the freedom then cuz they had meet and greets with these characters atleast 4 times a day on the compass

 

I have to agree with your comments about sailaway not being fun with kid's music playing and Dreamworks characters. The thing I remembered about our first cruise on the Freedom in 2007 was being able to dance at sailaway, the reggae band playing every day (as you mentioned) and not so many kidcentric activities. You don't have to be a kid or have kids to want to sail on the Freedom/Oasis class ships. We enjoy the Freedom and Oasis class because we like the Flowriders and rock climbing walls, the Solarium area, hot tubs, etc. and we are still young and not in the market for a "sit on our b*tt and read a book" type of cruise. :D

[Onessa]

Have to disagree here. Not all of "the major cruise lines" are turning to creatures cruising. We were on HAL in January and Princess this month; not an animal character to be found. They are also lacking on X an Azamara. NO value added for many cruisers.

 

Have to disagree with your disagreement - NCL "lured" the Nick contract over to them, RCCL has the Dreamworks contract. Celebrity hosted the American Girls' 25th anniversary cruise and had some folks dressed in period garb for some of their events.

 

Similar to what many have said about the characters on RCCL, the Am Girl cruise was pretty unobtrusive to the non-Am Girl cruisers on board (although we were definately in the minority).

[Cruzaholic41]

I have to agree with your comments about sailaway not being fun with kid's music playing and Dreamworks characters. The thing I remembered about our first cruise on the Freedom in 2007 was being able to dance at sailaway, the reggae band playing every day (as you mentioned) and not so many kidcentric activities. You don't have to be a kid or have kids to want to sail on the Freedom/Oasis class ships. We enjoy the Freedom and Oasis class because we like the Flowriders and rock climbing walls, the Solarium area, hot tubs, etc. and we are still young and not in the market for a "sit on our b*tt and read a book" type of cruise. :D

 

7 cruises now on ships with Dreamworks and I have yet to hear kids music during sail away. Even with the characters, they still play upbeat dance music.

[Cruising89143]

My beef is not with Dreamworks per se, I just don't like anything that entices people to bring yet more kids on board. One of the reasons I cruise with RCI more than CCL now is the lower numbers of kids. My wife and I are childfree by choice, so tolerating other people's kids is not my cup of tea. Unfortunately it seems that RCI is starting down the same road as CCL in trying to attract more families with kids. If it gets too bad, we can simply switch to Princess or Celebrity I suppose. It would be a shame though, since we really like RCI.

 

Fact is that RCI is going after families now more than ever. Especially on the Freedom and Oasis class. I am not a fan of being around a lot of kids either but I have found that one can still enjoy their cruise and not have to deal with kids. We were on the Allure last June with 2000+ kids. They were a non issue as is the Dreamworks experience.

[bplazo]

7 cruises now on ships with Dreamworks and I have yet to hear kids music during sail away. Even with the characters, they still play upbeat dance music.

 

Well, I remember someone saying that it was a little creepy with all those dolls roaming around the ship and that some of them had their own seat at the table. That would have been another cruise that I would not have want to have been on.

[Ocean Boy]

It is becoming pretty obvious that those folks who never have, and don't want to, experience the Dreamworks characters have little interest in the opinions of those of us you have. So it would seem that the obvious solution is for those who don't want to be on the same ship with the characters to just not book those sailings. However, I see this to be on par with those who have preconceived notions of what it would be like, with respect to crowds, to sail on Oasis and Allure and could not care less what those of us who have actual expereince sailing on these ships have to say.

[peteukmcr]

It is becoming pretty obvious that those folks who never have, and don't want to, experience the Dreamworks characters have little interest in the opinions of those of us you have. So it would seem that the obvious solution is for those who don't want to be on the same ship with the characters to just not book those sailings. However, I see this to be on par with those who have preconceived notions of what it would be like, with respect to crowds, to sail on Oasis and Allure and could not care less what those of us who have actual expereince sailing on these ships have to say.

Well said, I agree wholeheartedly. When those of us who have experienced something and try and provide information, we are sometimes a) disputed b) ridiculed or c) ignored

 

So be it.

[Big_G]

Well said, I agree wholeheartedly. When those of us who have experienced something and try and provide information, we are sometimes a) disputed b) ridiculed or c) ignored

 

So be it.

 

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him...:rolleyes:

[Aquahound]

It is becoming pretty obvious that those folks who never have, and don't want to, experience the Dreamworks characters have little interest in the opinions of those of us you have. So it would seem that the obvious solution is for those who don't want to be on the same ship with the characters to just not book those sailings. However, I see this to be on par with those who have preconceived notions of what it would be like, with respect to crowds, to sail on Oasis and Allure and could not care less what those of us who have actual expereince sailing on these ships have to say.

 

Well said, I agree wholeheartedly. When those of us who have experienced something and try and provide information, we are sometimes a) disputed b) ridiculed or c) ignored

 

So be it.

 

I gotta agree. The photographers dressed up as pirates, dolphins, sailors, whatever, are far more intrusive on the pier than the characters on board. But if people have it made up in their mind, then there's not much that can be said.

[disneyfan68]

I don't see the issue with characters on cruise ships. Furry and non furry ones. I am personally looking forward to the character breakfast more than my 10 year old is.

 

If kids were an issue on a cruise or characters at that point, I would sail an adult only cruise which I have zero urge to ever do.

 

I could not agree more!

[Onessa]

Well, I remember someone saying that it was a little creepy with all those dolls roaming around the ship and that some of them had their own seat at the table. That would have been another cruise that I would not have want to have been on.

 

Dolls sitting with little girls at tables was less "creepy" than many other things I have observed on cruises. There was the HOG group whose idea of "formal" included a whole lot of leather, for example. There was the class of 76 reunion group who had daily dress suggestions (including several '70s retro events).

 

The Dreamworks stuff (or American Girl, or Nick, or whomever) is really no different than lots of stuff you run into on cruises.