Short cruises attract kids and families, compared to longer ones. When you walk with a cane, as my wife does, this can create a trip hazard. Both of us were struck with misguided strollers, as well. It's smart to start your family with a short cruise, and I can't fault Disney for selling out the ship, but it put a damper on our ability to enjoy the ship. If you like cuteness and don't mind screaming, it was great. I think we'll stick with the week-long or longer cruises absent good reasons.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Little waiting, but as we were back-to-back from the previous cruise and not changing cabins, it could have been done more efficiently. As it was, they were unable to apply the CC from the previous cruise for incidentals. Disney still has room to improve their B2B process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Main dining rooms and Palo were great. We particularly like the new menu in Tiana's Place (cajun!). Can't do buffets due to my wife's disability.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We did very little on this cruise, largely because the ship felt very crowded with lots more kids than I've ever seen before on Disney.
Entertainment
Due to the hordes of screaming children, we didn't attend any. The same shows were great the previous week though.
Children's Programs
No kids, but I think it would have been easy to rent a few.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Outstanding service, as always. This is where Disney shines, and we needed shades.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Too crowded in the main dining rooms, especially with rugrats running around at random. Otherwise we love the ship's design.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The only things less than perfect is I need another 2-3 inches at the foot of the bed so I don't have to turn sideways to get by, and the tuffet seat by the desk could be more comfy.
Disney's twin bathrooms, large desk, and ample storage are superior to any but a few luxury lines.
Ship tip
Because the Wonder does primarily short cruises, you're likely to be a first-time cruiser. If so, my advice is "DON'T PANIC!" There's plenty of food, plenty of seating, and absolutly no need to rush for anything. Also, take the ship tour on your first day, it's a big help to avoid getting lost.
We love Old San Juan, but our dock was outside the city, and no shuttle buses were on offer, as they were on previous cruises when Disney docked downtown. Due to the challenge of reregistering for a back-to-back, we ended up staying onboard all day. Pity.
The island being familiar to us, and my wife's arthritus acting up, we opted to shop and lunch at the port facilities. The Smoking Rooster is a decent smokehouse; not something common in the Caribbean, but a welcome respite from elegant ship's food for those who love a good brisket.
Delightful as always. The large number of kids and families on this cruise meant the adults-only beach was half empty. Low tied let us wade out almost 1/4 mile! Sadly, the BBQ at this beach ran out of plates and we waited half an hour for more to be brought out.
One never knows if customs will be fast and have many inspectors, or slow with only a few. This time it was very fast, being ready for us to disembark before we had finished breakfast, and we were out by 9:30!
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