Sept 18 2010 WB TransAtlantic Pirates/Capt Jacks Re-Repoing Repossession Cruise Pt.9

[MagicMe]

I just got an e-mail from DCL reminding me of my cruise and my paperwork! How can I forget?????

So fun! I love getting these little reminders!

Having a hard time with dd just now ........send some sunshine our way please.....




Roll on the cruise!

Hoping everything works out.

So we all know about our next vacation However just out of interest has anyone got any future vacations planned???

We are trying to be good and so have nothing planned, I`ve been eyeing up a Caribbean cruise for next feb, possibly a couple of months in France in 2012.
DH would like to stay at home and save the money

Anyone else?

Currently scheduled for an Alaskan cruise 09AUG11 and sailing with my DS and DIL along with her twin sister and her parents (all three on their first real DCL cruise). I am also hoping to drag my mom along and maybe talk my other DS and his GF into going!

Lastly, I might possibly look at booking a phantom cruise and switching it to a 3 or 4-day dream which I might take my BD next year.

 

[got2travel]

So we all know about our next vacation However just out of interest has anyone got any future vacations planned???

We are trying to be good and so have nothing planned, I`ve been eyeing up a Caribbean cruise for next feb, possibly a couple of months in France in 2012.
DH would like to stay at home and save the money

Anyone else?

So at the San Francisco meet last month I was asked what my next plans are, to which I replied "I'm not really sure". But then I was reminded that I do have the January Cruise to Nowhere booked and also a June Dream cruise booked. I guess I'm so focused on this one that I haven't paid much attention to those. Plus, I may have to cancel one or both depending on DS's school situation.

 

[Bareacuda]

I just got an e-mail from DCL reminding me of my cruise and my paperwork! How can I forget?????

Me too.
But then again in the cruise docs it says to fill the ones out in the book.
Do we do both then????

Annie

 

[eeyorelvr10]

She's back. Still no documents.

 

[CustardTart]

Kaz, your docs must ahev taken a detour I reckon!

Hope so, hun...

So we all know about our next vacation However just out of interest has anyone got any future vacations planned???

OMG, 2011 is my year of vacations - 5 DCL cruises!!!!

 

[gpb_1]

Here is a link to all the menus from the Med cruise we came off of yesterday - just to give an idea of what might be on offer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40285840@N03/sets/72157624762416612/

 

[eeyorelvr10]

OMG, 2011 is my year of vacations - 5 DCL cruises!!!!

Your my kind of gal!

One year - I think 2008 - I had 4 cruises - a total of 42 days onboard within 4 months. I liked that year.

 

[LovesToRun]

Hi there,

I am writing (again) on behalf of my inlaws (screen name - GmaGpaOnTheFarm). I wrote here a couple days ago, and set them up with an account here, and they wrote a message or two here...

Just wanted to say they probably won't be posting on here for a couple more days, but they will! So, didn't want anyone to think they just disappeared. They are currently taking care of our two children (getting some quality grandma and grandpa time) until Friday evening, and then Saturday, there is a huge family reunion for the family.

So, they are just totally tied up with grandkids and then family after that, and I know they are loving every minute of the time with the grandkids (and my DH and I are loving time WITHOUT kids ), so the last thing they probably want to do is sit on the computer and spend time online while the grandkids are there. We don't live in the same place as them, so they don't get this opportunity to spend this kind of time with the grandkids often.

So, they will write...

But, just for the list and info, their names are: Ron and Linda

I think someone asked for their names a while back.

I know they'd love to meet up with the "Geezer Meet".... I love that name, by the way, and I know they will get a kick out of that!! My Father-in-law, especially, is extremely outgoing, and he's one of those people who I swear knows someone in every major city in the world somewhere... My husband, kids and I travel a lot, and there have been so many times we've ran into people, and they say, "Oh, I know Ron!"

So, they will love to meet many of you, and like stated earlier, they'd love to meet up with anyone who wants to attend the chapel services... and I think a few of you responded saying you hope to do that.

So, they'll hopefully get in touch here Sunday or early next week!

They are traveling to Europe first (they leave in 1 1/2 weeks) and spending time in Germany and then making their way to Spain where they'll meet the ship. Great way to spend retirement, huh?

Hope you all have a great trip!! They can't wait!

Take care and thanks for all the warm welcomes to them!

 

[paulasillars]

On our last disney cruise, we were a little disappointed in the table service. Our servers asked us how their service was, and pressed us to tell them what they could do to improve. So we pointed out a couple of things that we noticed. One was that they sometimes forgot some of our orders. They were better after that.

Our servers have never been as good as the ones on the first DCL trip we did - it wasn't that they did anything special for us but they made dining fun - they were hilarious! On our last cruise, we saw John (aka Zan from Macedonia) and he had been promoted to head server. Otherwise on other cruises they have been ok but nothing exceptional - we ordered, they bought us our meals and drinks.

I know people rave about DCL and that unique Disney service. But sad to say, I have yet to experience it. Not to say I've had bad service, but I have had much better, more attentive and friendly service on 2 other lines. The only thing that brings me back to DCL is the chance to cruise with my friends.

I'm with your Monica, but we aren't demanding guests - we never ask for anything (like special requests) and we don't make a mess in our staterooms etc.

So we all know about our next vacation However just out of interest has anyone got any future vacations planned???

Mum and I are doing the Adventures by Disney Backstage Magic trip in July with the Dis Podcast team and 28 other Dis'ers. We will probably go to San Fran first and work our way back to LA.

DCL Alaska July 12-19 with a few days in Vancouver beforehand. Any one else on this?
Plan to book a dummy cruise because we don't know when to go again.

We will be booking a dummy cruise too for 2012 (hopefully) and I hear a rumour that 2012 dates/intineraries will be released in Sept so we might be able to book a real cruise. I think again we will be looking for longer special intineraries and will again link it to a WDW trip as we will have DVC points to use.

 

[donald'sdarling]

Yippee! Just heard from the TA that she sent the docs out to us today, and we should have them tomorrow!

--Lynn

 

[CustardTart]

Your my kind of gal!

One year - I think 2008 - I had 4 cruises - a total of 42 days onboard within 4 months. I liked that year.

That's awesome!!! And you know what, I'm STILL looking forward to the 2012 itineraries being released...

 

[dolphingirl47]

Here is a link to all the menus from the Med cruise we came off of yesterday - just to give an idea of what might be on offer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40285840@N03/sets/72157624762416612/

Thanks for the menus. This definitely has brought back some memories.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I also have a Sony Reader. I love it! It means I can just tote one slim book when I travel instead of several bulky books. It will be with me on the WBTA.

Also, Corinna, I got the beads yesterday. Thanks so much for doing this for us!

Rene

Thanks for letting me know that the beads have arrived. I have updated the spreadsheet.

Having the Sony reader has made such a difference. I normally take 4 or 5 books on vacation and that takes up a lot of baggage space. Especially with the low baggage allowance, this would not have worked. With the Sony Reader, I can have a whole library with me and it fits in my purse. Better still, I found that the charger for DH's video camera also charges the this.

Still no beads here...

So far the beads that have gone to the USA have taken 6 days to get there. As I only sent yours on August 16th, it should be with you around August 23rd.

Dh bought me a new Kindle for my birthday last month. Any reccommendations for what to download for the trip? Oh, we're staying the week post-cruise at Kidani so maybe I'll need a couple of books...??? Or am I dreaming of extra time on my hands that won't come to pass?

And thanks for letting us join in. This is our 6th Disney cruise and we're also booked on the Wonder Panama Canal in January!

Have a great day! I'll be lurking....

Jackie

I can recommend "The Shadow of the Wind", which is a fantastic read and is set in Barcelona. I am going to download "Angel's Game" for this cruise, which is also by the same author and set in Barcelona.

We are also hoping to do the Panama canal cruise in January. My leave is now confirmed. Now I just have to crunch the numbers to see if we can afford this.

Hi all,

There's another thread devoted to whether anyone has felt pressured by CMs to give them an "excellent" rating on the satisfaction surveys at the end of the cruise whether they deserve it or not. You can find that thread here.

I don't want to repeat that discussion here, but I would like to ask a related question: Given that Disney needs feedback on their service, how can they get it without being irritating or intruding on our fun? Here's my post from that thread:

QUOTE:
Disney (and all service providers) needs feedback to make sure they can improve their service, and the closer to receiving the service, the fresher our impressions are, and the more reliable the feedback. Yet the very act of asking can intrude on our pleasure as guests.

Next, Disney (and other service providers) rewards and promotes those servers who rate well, and, I would hope, works with and provides more instruction to those who don't rate well. This means that the servers are under pressure to get good scores, and some of them (especially the less confident ones) turn around and put pressure on the guests they are serving to give them good scores. This is OK if they deserve it, and not if they don't, but again, can be irritating in either case.

How can Disney find out who is doing well, who needs more instruction to do better, and what DCL can improve without being intrusive or irritating? Remember that it needs to be done while it's fresh in our minds.

If you were Disney, what would you do? And, as a paying guest, how would you like to give feedback? What have you seen done elsewhere that works, or that you like? What, in your opinion, doesn't work?

This is a difficult problem, and one that's not unique to Disney, but if we can come up with a better way to help Disney improve our experience, and help us have more fun, ultimately we will benefit from it most!
END QUOTE

I would very much be interested in your thoughts on this, especially from those who are repeat cruisers!

Thanks,
Richard
__________________

This is a very difficult topic. I manage people in a customer service role and therefore appreciate the value of honest feedback. I also understand that this is left to customers to provide feedback with no prompting then for the most part the feedback that you get is negative. As a rule, people who have received excellent service don't take the time to write in, but people who have received sub-standard service or perceive that they have received such, will. So if it left completely to the customer, you are never going to get accurate feedback.

Personally, I don't mind filling in a survey at the end of the cruise. This is really straightforward and does not take long to do. What I do however mind a great deal is the begging for excellent ratings. We had this on the first three cruises. The first two cruises, our servers were excellent and one the third, the server and the head server were absolutely wonderful, but the assistant server was useless. However much we got the talk about providing only excellent ratings, I provided accurate feedback.

On our most recent cruise, a new question had turned up on the survey asking us if we were pressured into giving only excellent ratings. Happily, this time round I could honestly say "no". Nobody mentioned the survey beyond asking if we could please fill it out. Nobody tried to influence us this time round regarding the ratings. Our serving team was fantastic and they had deserved their excellent rating.

Corinna

 

[donald'sdarling]

Our next planned trip is at Christmas. Our oldest daughter, who is doing a professional internship with Disney, just told us she's in the Candlelight Processional choir! So, we have to go see her sing!

We're hoping to book an Alaska cruise while we're onboard, maybe for June 7, since that's the first one after our youngest daughter gets out of school. But, I want to try to see Aulani next year, too! Too many vacations to take, not enough time!

--Lynn

 

[Buckeye Gal]

....I work as a project manager in ICT so could help people if you want as well

Oh. You are one of THOSE. I'm an IT PM as well, so I'm allowed to say that!

I got mine packed!!

.....We have DL 50th anniversary gold ears, but can't locate any of our black ears. We might just have to go with those.

Awesome! I have a feeling we'll see pink, silver, and maybe even white Ears! My Minnie Ears are on a headband, not a cap, so mine will be "different", too.

.....i love standing at the front of main street and closing my eyes then opening them to see the castle before me and then i am there as a child again

my uncle did that in La disneyland i was only 8 made me close my eyes led me to main street then told me to open my eyes ... and that was it got pixey dust in my eyes

LOL

Okay...that's like one of the sweetest stories I've heard in awhile! What a great uncle!

Hi there,

I am writing (again) on behalf of my inlaws (screen name - GmaGpaOnTheFarm).....Take care and thanks for all the warm welcomes to them!

You are such a loving, caring DIL to be so helpful and concerned about them hopping in with us!! I promise they'll be well taken care of by all of us!

I hope your kiddos enjoy their time with grandma and grandpa! Have a great "vacation" yourself while they're having a blast with GMA and GPA!

 

[MagicMe]

Hope so, hun...

OMG, 2011 is my year of vacations - 5 DCL cruises!!!!

Okay, someone has to stop me . Almost everytime I'm out I look around for small things to give as FE's for the "children" in my group. Well, I just finally got everything out and tried to organize it and let me tell you - I need to stop shopping!!!! It's small stuff but I hope fun things. It's easier to find small things for the girls than the boys. Does anyone want some bouncing balls? whistles?

Hopefully I can still fit this all in to my suitcases!!!

 

[acourtwdw]

As of right now we have the Dream 3/3 with a couple of days at DW and Alaska 8/30 booked. Thinking about changing to Med cruise that stops in Cannes instead of Alaska. Also will book the new DVC Hawaii for 2010 with stops at DL when we have more points in Feb 2011. DVCer's talk about banking points but we always have to borrow!!

 

[minimousefan]

Oh. You are one of THOSE. I'm an IT PM as well, so I'm allowed to say that!

Okay...that's like one of the sweetest stories I've heard in awhile! What a great uncle!

LOL yes i am one of those .. and yes i understand completely

yeah indeed i hope one day i can do the same for my nephew and niece

tag

 

[Buckeye Gal]

.... Does anyone want some bouncing balls? whistles?

Whistles? You're going to be a FUN grandma some day!

 

[poohbear926]

I'm so excited to hear more people are going to have their MMC shirts on!! If you have Ears, bring those, too!!!

We ordered out MMC shirts and should be getting them the 25th. hopefully my mom likes it because i did it while she was at work so she didnt get a chance to see it haha... I will definitely be bringing my ears just have to figure out which ones since i have so many.