Conde Nast Readers vote Disney Magic #1

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Fri, 01/23/2009 - 23:16

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Conde Nast Readers vote Disney Magic #1

As posted on the Mouse Traveler blog (www.mousetraveler.tv/blog), readers of Conde Nast Traveler have voted the Disney Magic and Wonder #1 & #4 in their rankings overall of all cruise line ships. Numbers two and three were Celebrity ships.

You folks KNOW I'm a DCL fan, and I have experienced the fact that the Disney ships have exceptional quality in all avenues, but I have GOT to wonder about the validity of this survey with all of the luxury lines that are out there.

It seems a bit odd that two cruise lines would so dominate these rankings. I just found it curious.

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Sat, 01/24/2009 - 03:18

Annie

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Really interesting! I guess that just means that Disney really does appeal to all types and that they really know their target market.

If there is some sort of bias, I'd be interested to see if it has something to do with the reader demographic. I used to subscribe to both Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure, and I imagine Travel & Leisure's readership wouldn't go quite so "family friendly" and would choose a more "high-end" line (not that Disney isn't quality, just that the T&L readership is a different crew altogether and tend to have more expensive tastes).

Any chance you got to see the Survey questions?

Sat, 01/24/2009 - 03:19

greebil

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mousetraveler,

do you know the differences between the #1 and #4 ships?

Sat, 01/24/2009 - 05:52

MouseTraveler

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Annie wrote:

Really interesting! I guess that just means that Disney really does appeal to all types and that they really know their target market.

If there is some sort of bias, I'd be interested to see if it has something to do with the reader demographic. I used to subscribe to both Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure, and I imagine Travel & Leisure's readership wouldn't go quite so "family friendly" and would choose a more "high-end" line (not that Disney isn't quality, just that the T&L readership is a different crew altogether and tend to have more expensive tastes).

Any chance you got to see the Survey questions?

I think you hit the nail on the head with the reader demographic thing. As much as I love DCL, if you took all the cruise ships in the world and did the same survey with an ubiased group I doubt you'd come up with results such as these.

I haven't seen the questions or criteria. I'll look around a bit for them.

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Sat, 01/24/2009 - 05:56

MouseTraveler

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greebil wrote:

mousetraveler,

do you know the differences between the #1 and #4 ships?

They are virtually identical. Other than some cosmetic differences in decoration you can't tell one from another.

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Mon, 01/26/2009 - 23:39

dsoup

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Yeah, it's probably the function of who your target audience is. Though the Disney Cruises are generally pretty good all around as far as quality right?

Tue, 01/27/2009 - 18:25

MouseTraveler

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dsoup wrote:

Yeah, it's probably the function of who your target audience is. Though the Disney Cruises are generally pretty good all around as far as quality right?

Absolutely. They're wonderful! I've talked to a lot of people who've cruised many cruise lines and they put them right up there at the top of the list.

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Thu, 01/29/2009 - 20:46

Annie

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MouseTraveler wrote:

I think you hit the nail on the head with the reader demographic thing. As much as I love DCL, if you took all the cruise ships in the world and did the same survey with an ubiased group I doubt you'd come up with results such as these.

I haven't seen the questions or criteria. I'll look around a bit for them.

Yep--I agree on the unbiased group survey. Really does matter what your demo is.

That's why I really like when the Travel Channel does shows on different TYPES of cruising--small boat, big boat, transatlantic, lots of stops, long-term (e.g. buy a condo on the boat), Alaska, Caribbean, etc. "Cruise" is often stereotyped as one type of vacation when it seems that it can be just about anything you want it to be.

Thu, 01/29/2009 - 22:37

dsoup

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What would be the characteristics that make a cruise more appealing than other vacations? Not having to change rooms and see lots of things?

Thu, 01/29/2009 - 23:21

MouseTraveler

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dsoup wrote:

What would be the characteristics that make a cruise more appealing than other vacations? Not having to change rooms and see lots of things?

I like that fact. Settling in once and not having to move.

Different ports every day.

A staff that is putting on a party for you pretty much all the time. If you don't have a good time on most cruises, blame yourself and not the cruise line. And they do multiple parties for all ages, so the entire family has something to do.

Plus, you've pretty much paid for everything up front. If you aren't a big drinker and don't overdo the shore excursions (which can also be pre-paid), then you don't have to watch your pennies while you are on the cruise.

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Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:47

bali

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MouseTraveler wrote:

Plus, you've pretty much paid for everything up front. If you aren't a big drinker and don't overdo the shore excursions (which can also be pre-paid), then you don't have to watch your pennies while you are on the cruise.

THAT is a great point. I always forget that cruising is all-inclusive, pretty much. Vacation is pretty much the only time I really indulge much in alcohol, so I'd have to pay for that, but otherwise I'd be taken care of.

Then again, on DCL I'd want to do Palo (which costs extra, no?) and get a massage or spa treatment as well. Plus, don't some of the shore excursions cost extra?

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Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:53

MouseTraveler

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bali wrote:

Then again, on DCL I'd want to do Palo (which costs extra, no?) and get a massage or spa treatment as well. Plus, don't some of the shore excursions cost extra?

Palo is an extra service fee. I think its ten bucks a person, so that doesn't really count much.

And all of the shore excursions cost extra in the various ports. Of course you can just get off the ship and wander around and not spend a lot. We rarely do shore excursions. Depends on whats available and what the individual wants to do.

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Sat, 01/31/2009 - 03:16

cdub

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MouseTraveler wrote:

bali wrote:

Then again, on DCL I'd want to do Palo (which costs extra, no?) and get a massage or spa treatment as well. Plus, don't some of the shore excursions cost extra?

Palo is an extra service fee. I think its ten bucks a person, so that doesn't really count much.

And all of the shore excursions cost extra in the various ports. Of course you can just get off the ship and wander around and not spend a lot. We rarely do shore excursions. Depends on whats available and what the individual wants to do.

I've never been much of a tour person. Although if I don't go on an excursion then I have to worry about whether I'll get left behind by the ship. I'm the worrying type.

Sat, 01/31/2009 - 05:54

dsoup

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How long do you usually have between when you dock and when you leave? Also, if they do overnight in a single place, can you come back whenever you want or is there still a curfew?

Sat, 01/31/2009 - 13:26

MouseTraveler

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dsoup wrote:

How long do you usually have between when you dock and when you leave? Also, if they do overnight in a single place, can you come back whenever you want or is there still a curfew?

On the domestic cruises, they don't do an overnight stay. I can't remember if they did on the Med, but I believe that they did.
Stay times vary. Normally you are in port by 9 or 10 in the morning, and usually there until late afternoon, or in the case of Nassau until midnight or so. I think the earliest I've seen them leave port is about 4 or 5PM.
One thing that we discovered going into Cozumel one day. We were on deck near the front of the ship as we came into port. On one of the lower decks is what I'll call a "docking station". It is an external control panel, about the size of a large desk, that allows the Captain to guide the ship into port. The ships can actually go sideways. It was interesting because the Captain was using a glorified joystick to actually move us into the dock.
If you're ever on one of the cruises and going into port, go up on the top deck near the basketball court and look down on the dock side. You'll be overlooking this scene. If you're a techno geek like me, you'll love it.
BTW, I just watched on the DIY Network (Do It Yourself) last night a program called 'Project Xtreme', where they redid the Magic in drydock. It focused on the 12 days or so that the ship is in there and what is involved. It was amazing!!! I think they'll be airing it a few more times.

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Sat, 01/31/2009 - 16:08

SpaceAce

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MouseTraveler wrote:

On the domestic cruises, they don't do an overnight stay. I can't remember if they did on the Med, but I believe that they did.
Stay times vary. Normally you are in port by 9 or 10 in the morning, and usually there until late afternoon, or in the case of Nassau until midnight or so. I think the earliest I've seen them leave port is about 4 or 5PM.

BTW, I just watched on the DIY Network (Do It Yourself) last night a program called 'Project Xtreme', where they redid the Magic in drydock. It focused on the 12 days or so that the ship is in there and what is involved. It was amazing!!! I think they'll be airing it a few more times.

That's one of my worries about cruising. Always afraid I'll end up running to the dock as the boat pulls away.

I'd be interested in the DIY show. Thanks for the tip. I'll go check listings.

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Conde Nast Readers vote Disney Magic #1