Disney Wonder Review
Rating by category
Additional details
When selecting our vacation we decided on a Disney Cruise. Our only question was, what destination. We are big Disney fans. We booked this cruise in March for an August sailing. Being that we booked so late, we also paid more than those who book early. We actually booked three staterooms. Two on deck 1 and one on deck 6 for our group of 7. While we had some problems, our overall experience was great. We'll have some of the best memories ever and most in our family are already trying to figure out how they can go on their next Disney cruise. My wife and I have reservations. Embarkation was absolutely amazing. Super smooth and organized, we were on the ship relatively quickly after arriving at the port. We booked airfare and transfers all through Disney. We also booked all of our port adventures through Disney. This was our first Disney cruise and the first cruise of any kind for our "kids".
From the moment we boarded the ship we could tell we were on a Disney ship, not just because of the statue of Ariel just outside Triton's restaurant or the Mickey symbols all over. It was the service. We were pulled aside after being announced as having arrived and were given a quick lay of the land, a brief itinerary for the next few hours and an opportunity to ask questions. Disney service is very hard to beat. When we reached Deck 9 and the buffet, we had trouble finding a table for our group of 7 but a cast member (Disney crew for those unfamiliar) helped us out right off. We had our meal and it was announced that our staterooms were ready. Our cruise had begun!
Throughout the cruise there was always plenty to do. We had one under-18 on the ship and the club for them is called "Vibe". The counselors there were not as strong as I would have expected and it took until the last day of sailing before we finally got our kid comfortable with joining in and that took a phone call to Guest Services and a discussion with the youth activities coordinator. This shouldn't be necessary and won't be if your child is outgoing and quick to make new friends. Those who may be a little more shy might find it difficult to break through. Parents should use the open house time to visit the Vibe with their teen to help get them acclimated.
Cabin Review
Our cabin was excellent. This was a "special" Navigator's Veranda that was converted from a Veranda room due to a partially obstructed view, and I mean PARTIALLY. It is on the starboard side, aft. There is room to sleep three as this room has no pull down bunk. It does have the split bath, which was outstanding. There was a sofa that converts to a bed, a small table in front of the sofa and a desk. Next to the desk was the TV which was on an arm that allowed it to be adjusted to be seen from virtually anywhere in the room. The veranda had a small table and two chairs with plenty of space to move about. The "obstruction" was actually helpful in shielding us from the wind at times. Being on Deck 6 aft meant we were just 3 decks right below the Beach Blanket Buffet and very near the Animator's Palate restaurant, which was also the location for our muster station. To the aft on deck 7 and 8 were small public balcony areas that were also excellent for viewing the wonderful Alaska scenery. All very near the the stateroom. The laundry facility was midship on starboard side, which made it readily accessible but not so near that we had to deal with the foot traffic. I don't think there is a better value for a stateroom anywhere on the ship.