Page 19 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – January/February 2022

My Return to Cruising on
Disney Cruise Line
By John T. Garcia
As my wife and I prepared for our first voyage after the cruise ships returned to sailing post lockdown, many people were wondering how much things will have changed on board and if we would enjoy it. We had to remind them, as seasoned cruisers who have been at sea more than 200 nights, where we were when the world stopped: On a cruise.
In March 2020 we were on the Disney Wonder sailing from New Orleans to San Diego, via the Panama Canal, when we were denied entry to Cartegna, Columbia, because the president had locked down the country just hours earlier.
We didn’t know about facemasks or social distancing yet, but the buffet and 24-hour drink station were no longer self-serve. Disney always promotes hand cleaning before entering restaurants, so that didn’t change, it was just reinforced.
All other ports were closed along the way, so we ended up arriving in San Diego a day early with the option
of leaving the ship and not returning or staying and disembarking on our regular date. We chose the latter since we figured we had already paid for the meals and we’re not ready to face what lay ahead.
Fast forward more than 19 months later, and three canceled cruises, we were getting ready to get back on the Wonder. As part of our online check-in, we had to submit photos of our passports, vaccination cards and head shots, to help expedite check-in at the port.
Once we arrived at the port, our luggage was taken
to the ship while we were taken in groups for mandatory COVID testing. About 35 minutes after doing our swabs,
© Disney
our reservation number showed on the screen that we were cleared to board and we proceeded through security, check-in and boarded the ship. Instead of receiving our stateroom keys at check-in, they were waiting for us at our room, along with our luggage.
To help facilitate social distancing on the ship, the ship was sailing at only about 40% capacity, so there were about 1,100 guests onboard. The only time I noticed the difference was at dinner with all the empty tables since I’ve never really felt a Disney Cruise to be that crowded. The dinner menus, as well as the bars and lounges throughout the ship, are available on the Disney Navigator app,
which DCL was transitioning many services to before the lockdown. There also are QR codes available and you can utilize the ship’s free Wi-Fi to access the menus.
The buffet and 24-hour drink station were still not self- serve and facemasks were required unless you were in your stateroom or eating or drinking. Disney Cruise Line’s famous Broadway-style shows – on this cruise “Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” and “Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic” – were shown on consecutive nights to help with social distancing inside the theater. The movie theater, which was showing “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Jungle Cruise” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” also had seats marked off to promote distancing.
There were no deck parties, which meant no Sail Away party or the famous Pirates in the Caribbean deck party on Pirate Night, but Disney still shot off fireworks, with spots marked on deck to keep your group distanced from others.
All things considered, I think the only thing I really missed because of the changes was pin trading. I’m not much into as I used to be, but at least getting a chance to trade for something new was always fun. Especially when it’s Disney.
John T. Garcia is managing editor AAA Every Day Magazine.
WINTER 2022 I 19
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