We looked forward to our first Disney cruise for over two years. I've sailed on Carnival and Celebrity and always heard that Disney blew them both away. I was sadly disappointed, however. We got a great deal, so at least that helps soften the blow.
First thing I noticed was many of the crew on board was less than helpful. I had questions like, "what time does the pool open," or "where can I get a blanket" and many times the crew did not have answers and didn't seem interested in finding them. These were questions about their area of the ship and that Disney sunshine was nowhere to be found. Even the kids room staff (Oceaneer Lab, not Edge) seemed annoyed at my questions about upcoming events.
I hoped the food on board would be better quality than what I found on the economy Carnival cruises but it was pretty much a wash but I found the crew in the serving areas also less than friendly and helpful, choosing to be more concerned about getting the service over with than making the guests happy. The fruit wasn't ripe, the bacon greasy, the eggs undercooked and, please, someone figure out how to make a Mickey Mouse waffle that doesn't taste like cardboard. The dinner waitstaff, on the other hand, was fun and extremely accommodating. They were the exception and I'm grateful for all of them!
The room was nice! Having had only inside staterooms with all other cruising experiences, I loved having a porthole. It was cramped but offered fairly efficient use of space. The house cleaning staff was also an exception to the helpful rule on board. They were nice, always said a friendly hello and seemed genuinely interested in making our stay a good one.