Update: All Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy Cruises Cancelled Until June 18th and All Disney Magic Cruises Cancelled Until July 2nd

Today, on their website, Disney announced that all cruises on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are cancelled until June 18th because of the coronavirus.  They also announced that all cruises on the Disney Magic are cancelled until July 2nd.  No cruises on the Wonder were cancelled in this announcement.  From a previous announcement, cruises on the Wonder are cancelled until the end of June.

All of the people affected by this suspension will have the choice of receiving a full refund or full cruise credit to be used in the next 15 months.

As always, if necessary, these cancellations will be extended.  Be sure to check the Disney Cruise Line website for more information and the latest updates.

Wish List: A Reliable Navigator App

Since the Disney Wish is now under construction, I thought it would be a good time to start thinking about what I would like to see on the new ships.  Besides the name, some basic stats and a few artist's renderings, not much is known about the Wish yet.

One of my wishes for the Wish won't even be a part of the ship.  I'm hoping for a better, more reliable Disney Cruise Line Navigator app experience.  Older fans of my blog might remember that I really like to complain about this app, and I think I have a valid reason to do so.  Disney charges so much for their cruises, while their app, that they encourage everybody on their cruises to use, doesn't work very well.

When I got on the Fantasy in January, I was hoping that Disney had improved the app since my last cruise.  There had been multiple updates promising bug fixes and other improvements since then, but I ended up being disappointed with how it worked (or how it didn't work, really).  

My biggest issue with the app involved sending and receiving messages.  Whenever I sent a message to someone, I didn't know if or when they would get it.  Sometimes, I couldn't even send or recieve messages because of a bad connection.  If you've been on a Disney cruise and used the app, then you've likely experienced this issue.  The connection problem was even worse on Castaway Cay, where the Wi-Fi signal doesn't reach many sections of the island.  I couldn't rely on the app, and there really wasn't any alternative.  

Another problem with the app was booking future cruise placeholders.  Near the end of the cruise, my dad booked a placeholder using the app.  He followed all of the instructions correctly, and the app said that he successfully booked a placeholder and he would receive a confirmation email after the cruise.  However, when we got home, he never got an email!  The app charged him for the placeholder, but he never actually got one.  At least he was able to get a refund by calling Disney.  Again, the app didn't do what it was meant to do.

Disney is clearly trying to get more people use the app, since they no longer pass out paper Personal Navigators to the rooms in the evenings.  If more people use the app, more people will experience these and other issues.  The unreliable app could make people have a less-than-magical experience on a cruise, which is the last thing Disney wants.  They could lose customers and their customers' money!

I've thought of a few ways that the Wish could solve these problems with the app.  First, the app will need more software updates to fix more bugs.  The app isn't too great now, but it's definitely better than it was in the past.  They're making progress!  Also, the imagineers could design the Wish in a way that allows a Wi-Fi signal to reach all around the ship.  Or, more Wi-Fi access points could be placed around the ship.  Wi-Fi technology has improved a lot since 2012, so in theory, these access points would be stronger and reach farther than those on the other ships.  These access points could also be installed on Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point, Disney's new private port, to ensure constant connectivity.  I doubt the new ships will have Wave Phones, so a call feature will likely be implemented into the app.  A strong and consistent connection would be necessary for this to happen, so I think more, stronger access points are likely to be included.  If these Wi-Fi improvements happen, they'll make the app much less frustrating and much more reliable.

How has the app worked for you on past cruises?  Have you encountered any problems worse than me?  Do you prefer the paper Personal Navigator or the app?  Comment your thoughts below if you'd like.

Disney Cruise Line Trivia Study Guide

This week, I wanted to post something a little different than usual, so I decided to make a list of random Disney Cruise Line facts I know.  Many of these facts are related to the DCL trivia game I played on the Fantasy in January, so this may be a good place to study for your next cruise.  They're in no particular order, just in the order that I thought of them.

There are currently four DCL ships.

The Disney Magic entered service in 1998, the Wonder in 1999, the Dream in 2011, and the Fantasy in 2012.  The Wish is scheduled to enter service in late 2021, the sixth ship in 2022, and the seventh ship in 2023.

The Magic and Wonder were built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, and the Dream and Fantasy were built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

The Magic was built in two sections.  When they were both completed, the Forward section was pulled to the Aft section by tugboats.  When the two sections met, they were welded together.

In the Magic's atrium, there is a statue of Mickey Mouse.  Goofy is painting the back of the Magic.  In the Wonder's atrium, there is a statue of Ariel.  Donald Duck is painting the back of the Wonder.  In the Dream's atrium, there is a statue of Donald Duck.  Sorcerer Mickey is painting the back of the Dream.  In the Fantasy's atrium, there is a statue of Minnie Mouse.  Dumbo is painting the back of the Fantasy.  In the Wish's atrium, we have no idea who the statue will be of, or if there will even be a statue.  Rapunzel is going to be painting the back of the Wish.

The Magic and Wonder have 11 passenger decks, while the Dream and Fantasy have 14.

According to Welcome Aboard!:  The Creation of the Disney Dream, the Dream has 16 passenger decks, with 15 and 16 being the AquaDuck access.  This is an official Disney book, so I believe it.  You'd be better off saying the Dream and Fantasy have 14, though, unless you had the book with you to prove you're right.

In the stateroom hallways, the signal flags on the carpet spell the name of whichever ship they are on.

These flags on the Fantasy spell 'Disney Fantasy'.  This was a question in trivia!

The tops of the stars in the stateroom hallways point Forward.  This is one of the best tips I have for first time Disney cruisers.

The Magic is the only ship with the AquaDunk.

The Dream is the only ship without an AquaLab.

The AquaDuck is the first water-coaster on a cruise ship.  It's only on the Dream and Fantasy.

On the Magic and Wonder, the sports deck is the Wide World of Sports Deck.  On the Dream and Fantasy, it's Goofy's Sports Deck.

On the Magic and Wonder, the Aft funnel is taller than the forward funnel.

On all four ships, only the Aft funnel is functional.  The Forward funnel is just for decoration (and Vibe or Edge and Outlook).

The adult-exclusive pool area on every ship is the Quiet Cove.  In the Quiet Cove, each ship has a coffee shop known as the Cove Café.  The Magic and Wonder have a bar by the Quiet Cove's pool, called Signals.  It's named after the signal flags used by sailors.  The Dream and Fantasy have three poolside bars, Waves, Currents, and the Cove Bar.

The Dream and Fantasy have more adult pool areas, like Satellite Falls on Deck 13, a pool I've never seen because I can't go up there.  It's on the adults-only sundeck.

The adult lounge area on the Magic is called After Hours.  It consists of Keys, O' Gills Pub, and Fathoms.

A fathom is six feet.  I just learned that this week!

The adult lounge area on the Wonder is also called After Hours.  This variant consists of Cadillac Lounge, Crown and Fin Pub, and Azure.

The adult lounge area on the Dream is called The District.  It consists of the District Lounge, Pub 687, Pink, Skyline, and Evolution.

Pub 687 is my favorite DCL lounge, because 687 was the Dream's hull number that was assigned to it during constuction.  It's decorated with photos and artifacts (2011 was a long time ago) from the Dream's construction.

The adult lounge area on the Fantasy is called Europa.  It consists of La Piazza (or L.A. Pizza, as some crew members call it), O 'Gills Pub, Ooh La La, Skyline, and The Tube.

Interestingly, Ooh La La's door has the number 688 on it.  Why?  It's the Fantasy's hull number!  It's a really cool touch that many people probably don't notice.

The three main shops on each ship are Mickey's Mainsail, Sea Treasures, and White Caps.

Pepe the Muppet's room number on the Dream and Fantasy is 5148 1/2.  This was a trivia question!

Only the Dream and Fantasy have the Midship Detective Agency.

Each ship has five youth clubs:  It's a Small World Nursery for children up to 3 years old, the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club for ages 3-12, Edge for ages 11-14, and Vibe for ages 14-17.

On the Magic and Wonder, It's a Small World Nursery and the Oceaneer Club and Lab are located on Deck 5 Midship.  Edge is on Deck 9 Midship and Vibe takes up all of Deck 11.

On the Dream and Fantasy, It's a Small World Nursery and the Oceaneer Club and Lab are also located on Deck 5 Midship.  Edge is on Deck 13 Midship and Vibe is on Deck 5 Forward.

Since there are no exclusive areas for ages 18-20, the 18-20 Society exists.  It's a group that has scheduled activities for people in this age range throughout the cruise.

All four ships have Cabanas, the buffet restaurant.

All four ships also have Animator's Palate, one of the main rotational restaurants.

The Dream and Fantasy are the only ships where a certain surfer turtle comes to talk with guests at Animator's Palate.

Additionally, all four ships have Palo, an adults-only Italian restaurant that is available for an extra charge.

Palo is named after the poles in the canals in Venice, Italy.

In addition to Palo, the Dream and Fantasy have Remy, another adults-only, extra charge restaurant.  Remy is a French restaurant.  They also have Meridian, a bar outside of Palo and Remy.

My favorite fact about Remy is that it's named after the main character from Ratatouille, who happens to be a rat.

The Magic's three rotational restaurants are Animator's Palate, Lumiere's, and Rapunzel's Royal Table.

The Wonder's three rotational restaurants are Animator's Palate, Triton's, and Tiana's Place.

The Dream's three rotational restaurants are Animator's Palate, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace.

The Fantasy's three rotational restaurants are Animator's Palate, Enchanted Gardeb, and Royal Court.

Royal Palace and Royal Court are very similar, while the Dream and Fantasy's Enchanted Gardens and Animator's Palates are almost identical.

Each Disney ship has an ice cream station called Eye Sceam, themed after Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc.  Next to Eye Scream is Frozone Treats, a specialty drink and dessert station named after Frozone from The Incredibles.  Items there are available for an extra charge.

However, on the Wonder, Frozone Treats is Sulley's Sips, which I think works better with the Monsters, Inc theme.

Each Disney ship has three poolside quick-service restaurants.  The Magic has Daisy's De-Lites, Pinocchio's Pizza, and Duck-In Diner.  The Wonder has Daisy's De-Lites, Pinocchio's Pizza, and Pete's Boiler Bites.  The Dream and Fantasy have Flo's Café, a group of restaurants themed after Cars.  It consists of Fillmore's Favorites, Luigi's Pizza, and Tow Mater Grill.

Pinocchio's Pizza is not to be confused with Pinocchio's Pool, a pool on the Wonder that I still can't find.  This official Disney sign says it's on the right, so I believe it.

The Magic and Wonder have two main family pools, Goofy's Pool and the Nephew's Splash Zone, a smaller pool inside the AquaLab.  Above this pool is the Twist n' Spout, a long yellow water slide.

The Dream and Fantasy also have two main family pools, Donald's Pool and the smaller Mickey's Pool.  Above Mickey's Pool is Mickey's slide, the Twist n' Spout's smaller older brother.

The Dream and Fantasy also have the Funnel Puddle pool, a tiny family pool just above the Quiet Cove.

The Magic and Wonder used to have Mickey's Slide, a slide that was simpler but taller than Mickey's Slide on the Dream and Fantasy.  It didn't look like as much fun as the Twist n' Spout, so I understand why it was changed.

There are four elevators in each elevator lobby on the Magic and Wonder.  Only two elevators go up to Deck 10 Midship and Deck 11 Midship, and only one goes up to Deck 10 Forward.

On the Dream and Fantasy, there are four elevators in the Forward and Aft elevator lobbies, while there are six in the Midship elevator lobby.  Two of the Midship elevators don't go up to Deck 12, and only one goes up to Deck 13 Midship and Deck 14. Only two of the Aft elevators go up to Deck 13 Aft.

Castaway Cay was originally named Gorda Cay.

Castaway Cay was the first private island owned by a cruise line to have a dock, allowing guests to go straight from the ship to the island.

The paths on Castaway Cay are red to imitate the red paths in Main Street, USA at the Disney Parks.

Disney is currently developing a second privateish island, Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera.  Eleuthera is a lot bigger than Castaway Cay.  There are even towns on the island!  So, Disney doesn't own the entire island, just the southern point.  I'm guessing cruises going to both Castaway Cay and Eleuthera will be expensive.

Congratulations, you're now practically a DCL expert!  I may make an even longer version of this list at some point, with stats about the ships and how much ice cream is consumed each day.  Hopefully you'll remember something you learned here during your next DCL trivia.  Let me know what you win!

Update: All Disney Magic Cruises Are Cancelled Until June 7th

Yesterday afternoon, on their website, Disney announced that all cruises on the Disney Magic are cancelled until June 7th because of the coronavirus.  The Magic was scheduled to go to Europe in the middle of May, but because of the current situation, the late-May and early-June European cruises have been cancelled.  The cruises on the Dream and Fantasy are still only cancelled until May 17th, but that's probably going to change.  

All of the people affected by this suspension will have the choice of receiving a full refund or full cruise credit to be used in the next 15 months.

If necessary, the Magic cancellations will be extended past June 7th.  The Dream and Fantasy cancellations will likely be extended as well.  Be sure to check the Disney Cruise Line website for more information and the latest updates.

Update: All Disney Cruises Are Cancelled Until May 17

I'm three days late, but on their website, Disney Cruise Line announced that all cruise departures will be suspended until May 17th because of the coronavirus.  All of the people affected by this suspension will have the choice of receiving a full refund or full cruise credit to be used in the next 15 months.

At this point, no changes have been made to the Magic's European cruises that are scheduled to start in the middle of May.  I think the earlier cruises in May and June will be cancelled, because the coronavirus probably isn't going to just disappear by then.

As you probably know, these cancellations will be extended past May 17th if necessary.  Be sure to check the Disney Cruise Line website for more information and the latest updates.

38 Wonder Crew Members Tested Positive For the Coronavirus

I bet they wish they were on the Magic, Dream or Fantasy right now...

According to cruiselawnews.com, anonymous crew members on the Wonder have reported that 38 crew members on the ship have tested positive for the coronavirus.  This news comes around a week after a few passengers and two crew members tested positive for it.  Nobody on the Magic, Dream, or Fantasy has gotten the virus yet, and hopefully it'll stay that way, as no one has gotten on or off the ships.

Here's my theory on how 38 crew members got the virus:  A passenger unknowingly had the virus on the recent 14-night cruise, then a crew member contracted it from that passenger, and other crew members contracted it from the first sick crew member, spreading the virus further.  For health and safety reasons, the crew (except for the sick) is not allowed to get off the Wonder.

Since everybody is in close proximity on a cruise ship, it is easier for sicknesses and viruses, including COVID-19, to spread.  The ship's crew lives in very small rooms, and multiple people share a room.  On the Wonder in 2019, I got to peek inside a crew room by looking through a window in a door in the Deck 2 Midship elevator lobby, and it was tiny.  With so many people in such a small area, there isn't much room for social distancing.  To solve this problem, I think some of the crew members are currently using guest rooms to keep their distance from others.  Besides being larger and more spread out than the crew rooms, the guest rooms have really comfy beds, so that's an added bonus.  Whoever gets to stay in the Walt Disney Suite or Roy Disney Suite is in for a treat!

I really hope the coronavirus doesn't spread further on the Wonder and that nobody gets it on the other three ships.  Also, I'd like to thank my grandmother for sending me the news article about the Wonder, I probably wouldn't have found out about this so quickly without you!