Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Charles Mok
Email: cdmok@hotmail.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Physician
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: 1/15/99
Itinerary: 3 day Bahamas
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 50
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Jan 1999
Time: 16:23:19
Remote Name: 198.2.1.187
Remote User:

Comments

We arrived at the port, and noticed the typical Disney style. The building was huge, modern, and clean. The registration area was
swarming with people, but we moved through in about 20 minutes. While my wife waited in line, I took the kids to get their pictures
taken with Goofy, Pluto, Mickey, and Minny. They had a model of the ship, so the kids studied it and planned their attack.

On board we walked into the four story reception area, and began looking around. We went to the Oceaneers Club, which is designed
for 3-8 year olds. We signed the kids up, they received bar coded armbands, and we were given a pager. The idea is that if there is a
problem while they are with the playgroup, you can immediately be reached, as long as you are on board.

We proceeded to our family suite. It was on the top floor of the sleeping quarters and is the smallest size suite they have, yet twice as
big as a stateroom. We found it to be bigger than we expected, with far more storage area than we needed. We had a verandah with 2
chairs, overlooking the ocean.

We ate at Parrots Cay, Animator’s Palate, and Palo a small Italian restaurant. Palo’s required reservations and a five dollar surcharge.
This was small and intimate. The service was outstanding, as was the food. We left our kids in the Oceaneer club to come here. The
best dining experience for us, however, was Animator’s Palate. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but you enter a room whose walls
look like an animators pencil sketchpad, and all during dinner a show is happening. The ship had other places to dine, including a
popular buffet area on the upper deck.

For entertainment the highlight is the Walt Disney Theatre. A different musical production is performed each night in a large stadium
seating theatre. The ship also has a movie theatre, with first run movies, a smaller comedy house, and several themed entertainment
bars.

The ship has three large pools, one with a water slide. The gym was suprisingly well equipped. There is a sports deck for basketball
on the upper level.

Castaway Cay was fantastic. The boat docks and no tender is needed. A tram takes you to the main area, where most people wind up
staying. The buildings look appropriately distressed, and very authentic. My kids enjoyed the archaeological excavation area, digging
for dinosaur bones. We went snorkeling on the man made reef. It still needs about ten years to grow.

I would recommend this to families with kids of almost all ages. Mine are 5,6,and 7 years old and they loved it. We left our two younger
ones with relatives, which was a good move as this is a very busy vacation.

Name: D & L Price
Email: dwayne.price@internetmci.com
Age: 34/34
Occupation: DBA/DBA
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: 1/22/99
Itinerary: Bahamas, Castaway Cay
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Feb 1999
Time: 20:28:20
Remote Name: 166.55.241.147
Remote User:

Comments

INTRODUCTION: Here is my review of the 3 day cruise aboard the Disney Magic 1/22-1/25/99. This was our 2nd
cruise. Our first cruise was on Carnival's Celebration 6 years ago (San Juan/St. Thomas/St. Marteen). Overall,
the Disney cruise was superb. From embarkation to disembarkation, there were no problems.

ARRANGEMENTS: We booked this cruise ourselves two weeks prior. We took what Disney Cruise Line (DCL)
referred to as a “guaranteed inside cabin”. After receiving our documentation 3 days before the sail date, we
learned our guranteed inside turned into an OUTSIDE CABIN W/ VERANDA. Pure joy and elation! We handled
our own flight arrangements from BWI airport (2:05 flight time). We decided to arrive a day earlier and stay a day
later on Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort (excellent resort and very tropical). DCL provides transportation
(transfers) only from selected Disney resorts. These transfers were purchased in advance. At 12:45, the
air-conditioned motorcoach ride took about 1 1/2 hours. Since the coach was equipped with color televisions, we
were treated to a video which described our arrival and different features of the ship.

EMBARKATION: At 2:15 or so, we could view Port Canaveral and the Disney Magic. It is the 3rd largest cruise
ship afloat. The Port Canaveral terminal was really nice. We had completed our forms in advance, so processing
was very smooth. It would have been nice if those who hadn’t completed their paperwork had been in separate
lines. If you bought the 7-day package, you don't have to wait in line, you go right to the ship. We didn't buy the
7-day package so we had to wait in line about 15 minutes and that was it. Also, Disney characters and a 12 ft.
model of the ship was available for picture taking. Temperatures in the mid 70 with gusty winds at times.

CABIN: Stateroom 7528 was the place. Here are the features that stand out the most: separate baths (both
equipped with sinks and towel racks; one had a toilet, the other had the tub/shower), secure safe which could
only be operated using the magnetic strip on the room key, volumes of storage, private veranda w/ two
chairs/table, TV, curtains that keep the sunlight out, and very clean.

DEMOGRAPHICS Talk about running the spectrum. 50/50 US citizens to international crowd. We were the only
ones at our table who were not bilingual. We saw this as a great opportunity to learn about other cultures. 50%
families with children (30-44yrs old) 25% 45-60yr olds no kids, and - believe it or not - 25% 30-44yrs old no kids.
We are both 34 years old and have children ages 4 and 6. They were mistakenly left behind. Just kidding (thank
you grandparents).

DINING: We had the late dinner seating (8:15) at table 32 (8 seats). Your dining location changes every night.
This was the rotation for us: Lumiere, Animators Palate, and Parrot Cay. Most of the meals have an international
feel. The fanciest was Lumiere. You can eat breakfast at any location. Lumiere has the best selection for
breakfast. Yes, the service was slow at times. But what is the hurry?

THE SHIP: Yes, the ship is very beautiful! The atrium/lobby area reminded me of a 4-star hotel. There were
about 2100 passengers aboard (short of the 2400-2600 capacity), but it didn’t feel crowded even at that. It
appeared most families with children kids had them involved in the Disney Kids program. We very rarely saw
children unsupervised. Believe it or not, kids were not running around like crazy.

THE STOPS Nassau. We had never been before. We just went walking and shopping. If you learn to say “No”,
the vendors will leave you alone. Castaway Cay (pronounced key): After all the talk and wait, we arrived at
8:00am. I’d recommend a camcorder Still pictures don't do justice. This private island was UNREAL. Even though
the weather wasn't great (partially cloudy and pretty windy early on), it was enjoyable. Of course the sun popped
out fully about 2 hours before the ship left at about 4:30! There are two tram destinations. One from the ship to
the main beach area and one from the main area to Serenity Bay (an Adult only area). After taking a few pictures
and using the camcorder, we headed for Serenity Bay. We hung out there ALL DAY. Talk about peaceful and
picturesque. This stop was worth every penny of the cruise. I was the only one who returned to the main area for
lunch. The lunch was from 11:30 - 2:00pm. The food was very good. Barbecued ribs, hot dogs/hamburgers, fish,
chicken, and the usual assortment of desserts/drinks and beans/corn on the cob. Although the tram ride from
Serenity Bay to the main beach area is only about five or ten minutes (the tram runs every 10 minutes or so), the
only improvement I would make would be to offer lunch at Serenity Bay as well as at the main beach area.
Though there is an open kiosk for purchasing beers and beverages, and a kiosk offering free sliced fruits
(pineapples, oranges, bananas, you name it); if you get lulled by the tranquility of the area (as did my better
half), you may not want to leave to partake of the Bar-B-Q.

THE SHOWS: We saw the Disney Dreams show the first night. It was very entertaining. We skipped the next two
nights to see a couple of movies in the movie theatre, very nice. They showed current Disney movies for children
during the day, e.g. A Bug’s Life, Mighty Joe Young. At night they offered: Enemy of the State, Civil Action, Water
Boy, scheduled over the three days/nights. Also, I caught a couple of midnight comedy shows. Very entertaining.

DISEMBARKATION This went very smoothly. The night before, everyone was asked to have their luggage
packed and labeled (with Disney-provided colored luggage tags) and placed outside their stateroom by midnight.
Disney handled the transport of the luggage to Port Canaveral and the Customs security check. They assign you
to eat breakfast at the place you had dinner the previous night. Also, if you have the early seating your breakfast
was at 7:00. Thank goodness we had the late seating we ate at 8:15. I believe everyone was instructed to be off
the ship by 9-9:30. We had no problem finding our luggage at the terminal, since it was color-coded and grouped
by room number. From there, the DCL motorcoach was ready to take us back to the resort.

One note, if you’ll be motorcoaching back to the resort, don’t dawdle in your exit process. Disney tries to be
pretty precise as to estimating the number of passengers who will need a ride back to the resorts, but if the
estimate is off you may have to wait a few hours for the next van to come to the Port to get you. The van drivers
have no roll call for which people (or how many) are expected on each van. Though we left the terminal at 9a.m.
sharp, we (more accurately, our luggage) had to squeeze into the last van headed back.

If you have any specific questions, drop me a line.

Name: Ronald Cohen
Email: cohen@gl.ciw.edu
Age: 42
Occupation: Geophysicist
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: December 28th, 1998-January 1st, 1998
Itinerary: Orlando, Nassau, Cataway Cay
FoodDiningRoom: 0
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService: 10
CruiseStaff: 20
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 0
DiningRoomService: 40
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 0
CabinSteward: 60
ShoreExcVariety: 20
FoodVariety: 0
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 0
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 20
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 60
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 30
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 30
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 60
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 10
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 60
EmbarkDisembark: 10
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 60
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 10
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Feb 1999
Time: 09:54:03
Remote Name: 192.70.249.9
Remote User:

Comments

Our experience on the December 28th, 1998-January 1st, 1998 sailing on the Disney Magic could succinctly be
described as our ‘Disney Disaster’. The entire experience, from reservations through the trip, was a nightmare of
broken promises and lies. The most severe problems were with kosher food onboard, and with air and ground
transportation to the cruise. We had to pay almost $2000 extra costs due to errors that Disney made in our
transportation for the five of us that were due to their arranging flights for us that would not get us home in time
for Shabbat, in spite of many talks with them for over a year prior to the trip.

Back in September of 1997, our parents decided to take their children and grandchildren on the yet-to-be-built
Disney Magic to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. We are observant Jews, and we were very concerned
about the availability of kosher food on board. We contacted Disney immediately to find out what arrangements
would be made for kosher consumers. ‘Not to worry,’ Keith Crowl told us, ‘Disney has a reputation to protect.’ He
said that Disney would not use freezer packs. They would have a separate kosher kitchen with on-board
supervision, with the food either prepared from scratch on board or prepared off board and brought on fresh and
stored properly. He said to check back in a few months for more details. This was certainly reassuring, and we
enthusiastically agreed to go. The story was still the same in December and the first quarter of 1998.

In May of 1998, when we called again to check on the situation, everything had changed. The kosher kitchen
had been scratched. There would be frozen meals only, nothing fresh, with only the regular kitchen staff to
oversee. However, the meals were to be the best available, and the chefs were supposed to be fully trained in
dealing with kosher meals. We were told that Danzinger's would cater them. The meals were to come with their
own containers, own plates, own utensils, with special people in the kitchen designated to oversee the process.
Could they tell us who supervised Danzinger's, or could they give us their phone number? All the time up to the
cruise, Disney could not give us that information. (The answer is Kof-K, which was fine, but Disney could not
provide the information.)

Our other major concern for the entire year preceding this trip was the return flight on Friday. With the Sabbath
starting at 4:40 on Friday afternoon, it was imperative that we be home before that. We stated very specifically
that we wanted to arrive absolutely no later that 2:00 PM, preferably closer to noon, which would give us a
minimal amount of time to prepare for the Sabbath. We were assured over and over again that we would be
home in plenty of time, both by the Disney crew and by our travel agent. After all, the boat would dock at 6 AM,
and the port was less than an hour away from the airport. The agent checked that there were plenty of flights
between 10am and noon. We were concerned about leaving our fate in the hands of Disney, but we were
assured repeatedly that there would be no problems.

There were plenty of problems. We were not allowed to make any changes less than 60 days in advance of the
trip, yet Disney did not make the reservations until November 30th, less than 30 days in advance of our
December 28th sailing date! (Interesting Catch-22, isn't it?) We had been calling over and over again to see
whether they had been made yet, and called again on Nov 30th. And, of course, the reservations were a
complete disaster! Disney scheduled us to fly from Washington Dulles at 5:30 in the morning, flying to Atlanta,
staying there for an hour, then arriving at Orlando at 9:58 AM. Dulles is the worst of the three Washington DC
airports, where you need to allow an hour and a half before departure. With the travel time from our house, we
would need to leave our house at 3:00 in the morning! This, for a boat we don't have to be on until 4:00 in the
afternoon? With our 3 year old, 7 year old, and 10 year old? There are plenty of flights from this area direct to
Orlando.

Of course, that wasn't the worst. The return flight was not scheduled until 12:50 in the afternoon, arriving at
Dulles at 2:55! It takes a minimum of 2 hours with no traffic to get bags at Dulles and get home, so Disney would
have had us arriving after Shabbat! We were furious. The Disney people were no help. They were very snotty,
and blamed the bad times on the airlines. They said we should have ‘filed for an exception’ if we wanted certain
flights. Why didn't they tell us that back 1-year before, or even 6 months before, instead waiting until it was too
late? They also told us that they don't schedule any flights before noon in case the boat is late or customs holds
them up. That was an outright lie- our brother and sister-in law's flight back to Boston, arranged by Disney, was
at 11:30, and on disembarkment day, we found that some people had flights arranged by Disney that left at
11:00 AM.

Thus, November 30th started a very frantic week of trying to arrange decent flights, or trying to figure out a way
to stay down there over Shabbat. We spent days trying to contact the only Orthodox synagogue in Orlando,
trying to arrange for a place to stay nearby, calling four different airlines, etc. Of course, by this point, no
accommodations were available and all reasonably priced flights were gone. Had we known that we could not rely
on Disney for decent flight arrangements, we would have made our own reservations months in advance.
Instead, the cheapest flights we could get at that point cost $547 each, or $2,735 for the five of us. Disney only
refunded $208 a person for air fare and ground transportation.

Disney was equally disdainful when it came to now arranging for ground transportation, saying that since we had
cancelled the flights they had arranged we were on our own. It took a lot of work then to arrange ground
transport, because Mears was first afraid to take us because they had a contract with Disney and the Disney
people saying that we would have to rent a car instead. We finally arranged to have Mears send a car of us, with
the total price of $200 for the round trip to and from the port. Thus, we had almost $2000 of unexpected
expenses for this trip for airline and ground transportation that we would not have incurred had Disney done its
job as they had promised.

During the year, our travel agents had a very hard time dealing with Disney. Altogether, there were 22 of our
extended family on board for the celebration. To distribute our relatives evenly, our son was to stay with his
cousin. Disney can't seem to deal with different schedules for people sharing the same stateroom, so at first they
had our son flying from New York and our daughter flying from North Carolina! Our travel agent also said that
one night she brought home our file and spent an hour on the phone with Disney trying to get everyone's
birthdate right. Disney still messed it up.

You will note we haven't even gotten to the cruise itself yet. Throughout December, we and are travel agents
called Disney repeatedly to be sure that had our family down for kosher meals. We were concerned that our
10-year-old might not be listed for kosher since he was sharing a stateroom with our sister's stepson who is not
kosher. We were assured repeatedly that all the meals for everyone were arranged. Fortunately, we brought
along a suitcase full of food. You would think bringing food along on a cruise should be like bringing coals to
Newcastle, but it saved us.

Guess what. After we arrived at the Terminal and were checking in, we asked them to verify again that everyone
had kosher meals. No, our son wasn't listed as kosher. Also, he was assigned to a different table for dinner. So,
immediately after we got on board, we had to go to guest services and get our son assigned to our table. (We
never saw or met our Stateroom Host or Hostess, who we guess is supposed to help us with such problems. We
don't even know what his or her name was.)

That first night for dinner, the servers knew we were supposed to have kosher food, but they had not been
trained at all to deal with it. First, we found that there were no kosher appetizers or bread. We were offered crab
legs. (Crabs are not kosher!). There was no separate cutlery, as we had been promised, and instead the staff
had to go find plastic silverware. (The silverware never appeared, so we had to use the plastic silverware for all
our meals. To put it mildly, it detracted slightly from the elegance of Lumiere's). We were offered only two entrée
choices, and no dessert.

We met with the executive chef, and guess what? Kosher meals had not been put on the cruise for us, despite 1
1/4 years of advance notification! We were given a ‘Kosher Meal Selection Menu’ that showed us what we should
have had- including a choice of 8 dinner entrees, 4 appetizers, and 4 desserts.

One kind waiter was very upset on our behalf. He said that when Muslims were on board, everything was
prepared for them. He urged us to go talk to the Food Services Manager. So, instead of getting off the boat in
Nassau, we went to go talk to Guest Services, to get the meals straightened out. We waited around all morning to
talk to the Food Services Manager, and finally, when reached, he said that yes he had known that we were to
have kosher meals, but ‘logistics’ had prevented them from being on board. He was frankly rude and dismissive
of our problem and curtly informed us that they would try to do their best. ‘Their best’ wasn't very acceptable, to
say the least!

From reservations through the trip, the Disney experience was miserable. We had been promised originally a
separate kosher kitchen, and the trip culminated in not even having the frozen meals on board for us. We are
out $2,000 because we believed Disney when they promised us adequate flights and they lied.

There were other problems with the cruise as well, including lots of broken equipment in the weight room, broken
jacuzis, and the missing net at Castaway Cay that eliminated the snorkeling we were looking forward to.

We wrote the president of the Disney Cruise Line, and his response was insulting. There was no mention of
trying to do things better in the future. Disney will refund nothing. He only offered a $1500 coupon towards
another cruise during certain dates in the next year. You would have to pay us to go on another Disney Cruise!

Name: Kari Magedoff
Email: kmagedoff@us.pwcglobal.com
Age: 38
Occupation: Human Resources Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: 2/15/99
Itinerary: 4 day cruise
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities:
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 79
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 69
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 69
BeautySalonStaff: 70
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess: 85
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 79
BeautySalon: 69
EntertainmentPoolside: 79
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Feb 1999
Time: 16:03:19
Remote Name: 205.183.232.66
Remote User:

Comments

I was not very impressed with the cruise. As a frequent cruiser, I had a basis of comparison. My expectation of a
Disney product was that it would blow the other cruises away. This was not the case. I was with a group of six
families (27 people). They royally messed up our reservations for dining and had all of the families split up with
different times at different tables. The brochure highlighted babysitting services were available. As the first
people that boarded, we thought that it would be no problem. We later found out that babysitter were not
available but subject to availability. As there were babies with us, we basically had to take them to the late
seating dinners and park the carriages under the table. The paint in one of the pools was not dry and we and
our children were coming out with blue feet. My friend's room was vibrating as she was over one of the clubs.
The guest services manager offered to put her in a different cabin for three. In other words although she was
with her husband and two kids, they would give them another cabin if she would be willing to let one of her
children sleep in the cabin with another member of our group. Lastly, we saw the guest services manager laugh
at us when we walked away from her when we were tryig to resolve some of our issues. This is one group that
hope's we never remember the Magic!!!!!!

Name: Cheryl Barcomb
Email: cheryl_barcomb@ccmail.monroe.edu
Age: 40
Occupation: clerical
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: 2/19/99
Itinerary: 3 day
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets: 82
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 79
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 79
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 79
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Mar 1999
Time: 11:22:11
Remote Name: 199.190.222.117
Remote User:

Comments

This was my husbands and my first cruise, we were very happy with Disney Magic. The ship is beautiful! So
large, clean, and just an awsome sight! The rooms are very big, we booked late and were told we would be in an
inside cabin, my friend said that would be ok that we won't be in the room any way. We were very surprised when
we opened our door with our Disney key card (that literally does every thing from purchasing things on board to
opening the door!) to discover our verandah suite. The room was absolutely huge, with two seperate bath areas,
one with a sink and tub, and the other with a toilet and sink with a built in hair dryer. The small 13 inch television
is all you need to lull yourself to sleep in the evenings. The room was kept very clean on a daily basis and our
hostess asked us once if we would like ice, and every day and evening after that she brought a fresh supply with
out having to be asked.

The space in the room was incredible with a double closet, a dresser, a chest with extra
blankets and pillows, and make up area with a nice chair to sit at while looking out to sea. We were very
impressed with the activities that Disney had with the children, No we didn't travel with children, ours are in their
20's but there were 600 children on board and there were never children under foot! We were concerned that we
would be one of a few couples with out children, but there were quite a lot of Disney atics! The restaurants and
food were simply outstanding, We did not opt to go to Palo, and that was fine, I don't know what restaurant I
would have wanted to not go to. The anamators palate was just like Disney with the imagination running wild, the
food was fantastic and choices were great. The deserts at all restaurants were simply elegant! The luncheon at
Top siders was super! The large jumbo shrimp was succulent, as was the steam ship round, the fruits were so
tastefully done with the little carvings that they do to make them pretty. We did the spa experience, we went to
the tour of the spa and with my disbelief my husband and I decided to do the couples mud bath!! It was very
tasteful, we had a "nurse" explain the different types of mud, and where to put each and she explained what
would take place.

She knocked on the door when we were to do the steaming and massage oil, I was a little
nervous in the beginning because my husband and I were nude, and I was a little uncomfortable thinking she
would pop in and turn on the showers etc. but it was tastefully done and I did not feel at all uncomfortable after a
the first time she knocked on the door. I think the drainage system should have been better, and the nurse said
they were working on that. Castaway Cay was just beautiful. We spent most of our time in the secluded beach for
adults and was very peaceful we got two loungers with a nice tent thing if the sun was too hot. Next time we will
rent the floats and just lounge in the beach area too. We found that being new to the cruise experience that we
were over whelmed by all that was offered, which meant we didn't really go by the itinerary that was provided with
the shows etc. We did see one show which was very good, beautiful singers and actors. Next time we will take
advantage of the private itinerary that they put in our suite every night and try to get more out of it. But that is
our fault we were just overwhelmed with the beauty of the ship and excursions that we will take special note from
now on. We are already planning to go back next year, we enjoyed it that much!

Name: Audrey Bolanowski
Email: audrey.bolanowski@mciworld.com
Age: 29
Occupation: medical student
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: 3/15/99
Itinerary: Bahamas 4 day
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 60
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Mar 1999
Time: 19:55:21
Remote Name: 1cust228.tnt23.nyc3.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

I'm sorry to say that this cruise was not at all as great as I expected. I am a huge Disney fan (six times in the last six
years) but the cruise doesn't live up to the parks/resorts.

The keyword for the vacation seemed to be inconsistancy. Our stateroom was always kept clean and we always
had fresh ice but better than half the time, we had no towels or no washclothes or no bathmat. When we used the
dry cleaning service, they failed to take my husbands suit until two hours before he needed it (even though we
called 8 hours earlier) and then seemed to lose it for a day. Whenever we called guest services to inquire about
these little inconveniences, we were on hold forever and then treated like we were interupting something more
important.

I was most dissapointed with the food. We eat out alot and have the opportunity to dine at some of the best (I think)
restaurants in the country. The food on the Magic did not fall into this category. The first night was at Lumiere,
which I really did enjoy (the escargot are fabulous) but it went downhill from there. The salads everywhere were
obviously pre-made and were sort of dry and wilty. The buffets had a lot of selection, but most of the hot foods
were cold and dried out. Also the portions at all waited meals were miniscule, make sure to order one of each
course or you will be hungry later and there's no midnight buffet.

I also was not really happy eith the ports of call schedule. Nassau port is under a lot of construction and was kind
of depressing. We went over to Atlantis but they don't let anyone onto their beach unless you're staying at the
resort and they now charge $25 per person to go to their aquarium - in short, I could have skipped Nassau. I also
could have done without the day at sea, although, I'm fairly hyperactive.

I really LOVED Castaway Cay. I wished we had been able to spend all three days there. If they ever change their
itinerary to just the Cay, I'm back in! The beaches were beautiful and relaxing and the bartenders were great and
generous with the rum.

We also had the chance to use the Spa, which was a mixed experience. the Surreal mudbath for two was pretty
cool. You go in this steam room and put exfoliating mud on each other and then steam, shower and oil (and
whatever else:) but they keep coming back to bring you oil, or remind you to shower now, or tell you what time it is.
I could have done with a timer and an uninteruppted hour to do whatever I wanted in whatever order/timeframe I felt
fit. I also had a combo massage. I am a regular user of sports massage and so this was not aggressive enough for
my taste.

Finally - a note on my dismall cabin quietness rating. We were in 5624 which had a lovely balconey. Unfortunately,
every time the ship was standing still (about 75% of the entire cruise) there was some sort of pump beneath our
balcony that would run every thirty seconds or so. So for the bargain price of $4500.00 my husband and I got to
sleep, read, shower and relax to 'werrrrreeeeee-woosh' twice per minute.

Name: Ron Eastwood
Email: rdra@gte.net
Age: 45
Occupation: Systems Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Disney-Magic
SailingDate: April 23, 1999
Itinerary: 3 day port calls Bahamas, Castaway Cay
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 0
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 50
CabinAmenities: 50
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 79
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 0
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 50
GoodForSeniors: 50
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess: 50
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Apr 1999
Time: 15:33:15
Remote Name: 1cust184.tnt6.tacoma.wa.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

We took the 4-day Disney World and 3-day Disney Cruise vacation package. Our family vacation included myself, my wife
and my two daughters (ages 16 and 18). This was our first cruise and our second time to Disney World. We had saved and
plan this trip for over a year and it represented to us our last family vacation, as my older daughter would be leaving home
for college in the fall of 1999. We chose Disney because of its reputation for their attention to detail and their corporate
culture to provide the best family entertainment in the world. That standard was met at Disney World but does not exist on
the cruise ship Disney Magic. I have detailed our trip below but here is an abstract:

Abstract We found the stay at Disney World to be excellent. The cruise was lacking the customer service found at the
Disney World Resorts. We found our stateroom to be minus one life preserver (which took until the second day to replace)
and one bed to not only smell of urine but was actually still damp with urine. Overall, we found the destinations, the food and
the shows to be excellent but the customer service to be lacking or absent altogether. I would recommend the Walt Disney
World Resorts but not the Disney Cruise.

The 4-day stay at Disney World was excellent and exceeded our expectations. The resort service was truly first class and
the staff was sincere in their efforts to make our vacation enjoyable. The check-in was terrific and being able to validate US
citizenship and acquire the Disney key card at check-in was a tremendous time saver. I would highly recommend that you
take advantage of their offer to establish this card with a credit line to your VISA or MasterCard. They also allow you to add
members of your party to that credit line and, with two teenagers, it was truly a plus in convenience not to have to play the
role of the banker during the vacation. We stayed at the Beach Resort and the only inconvenience was the 40-minute wait
for the return boat trip back from the MGM theme park to the resort. However, the boat crew were apologetic and were
entertaining on the trip back and that helped ease a lot of the irritation. This excellent standard of service was what we
expected of Disney and was what we expected on the Disney Cruise.

We prepared for embarkation as directed. We completed all the forms, packed and tagged all the luggage and established
our timetable of where we needed to be and when. The next morning, we met down in the lobby of the resort to connect with
the bus to the cruise ship. The hostess was wonderful and they had a wonderfully friendly host to wish us well as we
boarded our bus.

We arrived at the cruise ship and everything began as expected. People were everywhere making sure you were at the right
place at the right time. We boarded the ship in good time but when we arrived at our stateroom the luggage was not there.
They were announcing over the public address system that they were having trouble with delivering luggage to the
staterooms and that they were suspending the dress code for dinner that night. At 4 PM we had our safety drill and, during
the drill, we discovered we were 1 adult life preserver short. I reported that to the safety captain but instead of an apology
and a response that he would solve this problem, he gave me a lecture of how important it was for me to get this problem
solved and that I needed to go directly to Guest Services and demand a life preserver. This is not customer service and was
the beginning of a trend that would continue throughout the cruise.

After the safety drill, I did go down and report the missing preserver but I had to wait in line, as there was now an angry mob
of guests demanding their luggage or complaining about the cleanliness of their stateroom. Our luggage was being
delivered one piece at a time so we were forced to attend dinner at Luminere's in our boarding clothes (jeans and a T-shirt).
It was embarrassing and frustrating. To make matters worse no one apologized. It was as if they did not care. Not the waiter,
not the stateroom hostess, not even the cruise director - no one came to us to apologize. The delay in the luggage was bad
enough the lack of common civility was inexcusable.

We made the best of the situation and the dinner was excellent. However, the waiters appeared to be exhausted and burnt
out. There were introductions but not the friendly banter that was common at the resort. They did not ask us our names or
where we were from or even if we were having a good time. We felt like they did not want us there and that we were merely
pieces on an assembly line to be attended to and then pushed out the door.

After dinner we went to the first show entitled Disney Dreams. The show was excellent but they allow flash photography and
that was extremely annoying. Why this is permissible on the cruise and not in any of the theme parks is beyond my
understanding. It was just another indication that the Disney Cruise is not yet capable of meeting the Disney standard of
service.

When the show concluded, we checked out some of the nightlife on the cruise ship. The shows and bar were very good and
it was nice to attend shows without children. We headed back for our stateroom. When we arrived, we noticed that the life
preserver had yet to arrive. I was not worried, I had done my part and the chance we would need the preserver was remote
as the weather was excellent and the seas were calm.

We were exhausted. We made our bedtime preparations and started to climb into bed when my daughter discovered that
her sheets were wet with urine. That is correct; the blanket, the mattress and the sheets reeked with the smell. We called
housekeeping and they did respond promptly to change the mattress and bedding. It was a long and disappointing day but I
was sure that when guest services heard of this they would make the effort to correct the problem and try to make amends.

The next morning, I left a note for the stateroom hostess about the life preserver, the late arriving luggage (our luggage was
delivered while we were at dinner), and the bed of urine. We went to breakfast and headed out to the Bahamas. My wife and
I went on the Glass Bottom Boat while my daughters went to the Blue Lagoon. All of us had a wonderful time. I highly
recommend the Glass Bottom Boat. The guide was amusing and informative and the views were excellent. My daughters
loved the Blue Lagoon. Nassau was great and I will return. The people are aggressive but in a very polite way and I again
had the feeling that I was welcomed. Unlike the ship, the people wanted to know who I was, where I came from and was I
having fun - yeah mon! I hated to leave but we did return to the ship for dinner. Again the food was good but, although the
waiters were competent, I still felt they were just going through the motions. If I had it to do over, I would have dined in
Nassau and gone back to the ship at the last minute.

When we did arrive back to our stateroom later that night we found two children’s' life preservers. That was all - no note, no
phone message, nothing; not even an apology. I found this to be unacceptable and went to guest services where I talked to
the manager of housekeeping and guest services. I proceeded to explain to them what customer service means. They were
polite and apologetic but I felt like I was talking Greek to them. I honestly believe that neither the crew nor the management
was given training in how to handle customer complaints or even deliver the most basic customer service. Later that night
they did finally get us the missing adult life preserver.

The next morning I did meet my stateroom hostess but I had to initiate the conversation. The hostess was afraid to talk to me
and did not know how to approach me or how to properly deliver an apology. I was disheartened, as I really believe that the
hostess was a nice person but she lacked training and guidance. I did not understand why a company that could afford to
pay their CEO (Michael Eisner) 500 million dollars in 1998 could not afford the training that was so badly needed for this
crew.

I put this unpleasant incident behind me and my family went off to enjoy Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay was superb. The
weather and activities lived up to our expectations except for the lunch. They served hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken
and a couple of salads. The meat dishes were good but the salads and drinks were fair. It was here that I finally noticed that
Disney was cutting corners. The drinks, bread, salads and coffee all appeared to be generic brands. They did not have the
premium quality I expected. However, the fruit was spectacular and since my family loves fruit, the remainder of the food
became a minor annoyance. The island is excellent and we were sad to leave.

That night at dinner the waiter did come over and say that the guest services manager had offered us a complimentary
bottle of wine. This was a nice gesture but here again were signs of a lack of understanding of customer service as my
family does not drink and the offer was extended through the waiter and he had to ask me why I was getting a complimentary
bottle of wine!

That night I handed out the tips. This was very difficult for me, as I understand how much these people depend on this
money. I did give the waiters what was recommended, as the service was competent. However, I cut the stateroom in half
and I probably should have not even given a tip but I could not bring myself to do that. I felt sad because I believe the crew is
hard working and mean well but they just do not have the support from management that is required to help them perform
better. I could have and would have given more than what was recommended but I could not reward inferior service.

The next day was disembarkation and it went very smoothly. It was at this time I understood why the crew appeared burnt out
and exhausted. Disney pushes people through this cruise; you arrive at port at 5:30am and they want you off the boat by
9am so they can load a new assembly line of guests starting at noon. That really presses the crew to get ready and the
service suffers because of this. It is a wonder that they all do not have a negative attitude.

When you do get off the ship I recommend you grab a porter they are worth the money as they will make sure you get your
bags to the right place. I did notice that most people were only tipping the porters a couple of dollars. I would recommend
that you tip them a dollar a bag that is fair compensation for their efforts. The porter I had was great; he took very good care
of me and was very friendly but then again I was back on land.

Our vacation was very good and we did enjoy ourselves. However, if I had it to do over I would either have spent the entire 7
days at the resort at Disney World, taken a flight to Nassau and stayed there or taken a different cruise ship. The Disney
Cruise is nice but be prepared as the service will not be Disney and if you lower your expectations you should be okay. My
recommendation is that you be aggressive; carry your evening clothes with you on board, check your stateroom thoroughly
when you arrive, tell your waiters who you are and where your from, enjoy the nightclubs, shows and dinners. Finally, do not
let disappointment ruin your vacation - the Bahamas and Castaway Cay are truly excellent.

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