Review: Four Seasons Chicago with Kids

We're just back from a weekend with the kids at the Four Seasons Chicago. I've been impressed with my interactions with other Four Seasons properties so I came into it looking forward to seeing how this location would perform.

I'm pleased to report: The stay was amazing. If you'll let them, the Four Seasons can absolutely provide a wonderful family experience in the city.

Booking

We were looking to tack on a couple nights in Chicago after a week-long stay in South Haven, Michigan. I was pretty dead set on staying at the Four Seasons. I love their style of service. Other properties like Westin, Intercontinental and Hyatt were going for $300-$450/night and other top-flight hotels like the Waldorf Astoria and The Peninsula were over $500. The most affordable room at the Four Seasons was around $425. I booked a two double-bed city view room with their Kids in the City package for $464/night plus tax.

The package included:

• Complimentary meals for children 12 and under from our In-Room Dining children's menu
• A visit from the Ice Cream Man between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm
• Many special savings and discounts from local retailers and cultural attractions
• Luxurious accommodations

Pre-Arrival

A couple of days before our arrival I received an email from the hotel's concierge asking if they could do anything for us. We were just starting to think about what we wanted to do while we were there so the message was well timed.

We wanted to check out Top Chef Master Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill so I inquired about a reservation there the first night of our stay. When we stayed at the Four Seasons New York a couple of years ago they were able to finagle a reservation at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill (full review) when it was sold out so I thought to try the concierge again.

A little later in the day I got an email back saying Frontera Grill doesn't accept reservations for the most part and the adjacent Bayless restaurant Topolobambo does accept reservations but was sold out that weekend. She provided a nice alternate list of their preferred restaurants with useful descriptions ranging from celebrity chefs to steaks to deep dish pizza places and hot dog joints. No magic on a reservation at Frontera Grill or Topolobambo but that's okay.

Pro Tip: Program the hotel's main number and the concierge's direct number into your cell phone so when you're out and about you can call back to the hotel to pre-order things so you won't have to wait when you get back.

Arrival

Arriving at any city hotel location can be stressful. I always feel like I've got to find the hotel, figure out where to park the car if it's a crowded curbside situation, have a handle on what bags we want to stay in the car, what bags we want to take up the room, keep an eye on the kids, and figure out who and how much to tip. Even if you've got it all under control and you're as cool as a cucumber - it's a bit of a circus.

Fortunately, hotels like the Four Seasons do a fantastic job making this as relaxing as possible, and our arrival at their Chicago location on a Saturday afternoon was no exception.

We pulled up in our small rented SUV and were immediately greeted with a "Welcome to The Four Seasons". The street this location is on isn't terribly busy and they keep the curb clear with adequate doormen, bellmen, and valets.

Like everyone we'd meet at the hotel, they had a truly helpful way of approaching you that made you feel at ease about accepting their assistance in order to make your stay more enjoyable. No fussiness or pretension; somehow the staff answers questions thoughtfully and without making you feel like a cheapskate if you inquire about the price.

No need to put on your top hat and fancy pants - the hotel isn't stuffy. I wore flip flops the whole weekend and never felt out of place - it was a summer weekend in Chicago.

This Four Seasons is a relatively small portion of a tall building. Once you pass through the revolving doors into a nicely appointed but small lobby you take an elevator up seven floors to the main lobby. It's interesting there are almost always more concierges on duty than folks at the front desk. It speaks volumes about their focus - on service after the sale.

I was tempted to try the $20 Bill Trick but it didn't feel like that kind of party. Relax and let the Four Seasons delight, right? The desk clerk welcomed me politely and asked if a superior city view room with two double beds (exactly what we booked, no upgrade) would be acceptable. I said it would and she gave us our keys and pointed us to the elevators. I would have appreciated a bit of a review of what our package included (it was a little complicated) but in the spirit of sitting back and letting the hotel surprise us we headed right up to our room.

Room

The room was moderately sized for a metropolitan location, finely appointed (especially in the bathroom) and nicely prepared for our arrival. The hotel occupies floors 30 through 46 in the building and we were on the top floor with a view westward towards the swanky Waldorf Astoria. Special touches included two stuffed Four Seasons Chicago cows for the kids and a bathtub sprinkled with confetti soap and kids bubble bath. Two robes for adults and two for the kids as well.

They asked for our kids names during the check-in process but I don't recall seeing anything personalized towards that affect in our room or during the stay. Don't worry - they'd be plenty spoiled by the end of our visit.

The Four Seasons seems to have the timing of their appearances in your room down to a science. It's as if there's a mastermind behind the scenes determining when you've finished your gawking around the room and it's a good time for your luggage to be delivered. Moments after the bellman left the room, room service arrived with complimentary cookies and milk. Bonus points for providing a little chocolate syrup on the side to heighten the treat.

Location

The hotel is right off Michigan Avenue on Delaware near Water Tower Place (an indoor mall) which is along the not-so-humbly named Magnificent Mile in the equally proudly named Gold Coast neighborhood. At least nine other US states also lay claim to being The Gold Coast so they're in good company. Judging from the ritzy retail and restaurant mix it seems to be the place to be in Chicago.  I thought it had a lot of similarities to Boston's Back Bay with the overall size and gridded layout like New York.

In the spirit of "a little for them and a little for us" we took the kids to the Lego Store at Water Tower Place. They went nuts. It's a rather large Lego store with a cool Chicago skyline out front, interactive assembly stations inside, and of course an excellent assortment of Lego sets. Try as I might to get them to pick the Willis Tower set for the locally relevant souvenier they went for a couple others.

There are a bunch of great restaurants in Chicago, both near the hotel and accessible via a short taxi ride. We had our sites set on Frontera Grill so we hopped in a cab. We arrived at 4:45 pm and there was already a line 20 parties deep waiting to get a table. We got a reservation at Frontera Grill for 6:00 pm which normally wouldn't have been that long of a wait but the kids were tired after a day of travel. We opted for XOCO which was an excellent compromise - read my review over on Yelp here. We then walked back to the hotel along Michigan Avenue. Very nice.

Museums, the Shedd Aquarium, and Millenium Park are a short cab ride away from the hotel. Overall I don't think the hotel could be in a better location to enjoy Chicago.

Service

On the way out to dinner we stopped in at the Concierge desk to check on tickets for the Shedd Aquarium. We met the same concierge who emailed me back about Frontera Grill and she mentioned, as did a friend on Twitter, XOCO as an alternative if the wait at Frontera Grill was too long.

She also warned us about long lines at the aquarium later in the day and offered up some VIP tickets that let us skip the line for $35 a person. She was down to 1 ticket in the drawer so we were able to parlay that into even more moderately priced tickets on-site at the aquarium which worked out in our favor price wise - $105 for a family of four with no waiting in line. Compared to somewhere between $160 and $200 at the aquarium day-of I thought it was a great deal. The Shedd is a fantastic indoor aquarium but you've got to approach it strategically to enjoy it - full review here.

When we arrived back after dinner the room had been picked up and turned down. Not the most dramatic transformation I've ever seen but turndown service is always a nice touch when you're on vacation. Especially when the room is cluttered.

When we checked in, I asked about scheduling a visit to our room from their Ice Cream Man. The clerk suggested it was more of an evening thing and he was available from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm so we opted for 7:00 pm. However when we returned to our room we had a message saying there had been a mistake and he was only available from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm so we missed him the first night. A minor gaffe but I'm glad we didn't get the kids cranked up for his visit. We'd catch the Ice Cream Man later the next day.

Pro Tip:  Never tell your children about anything fun unless it is 100% set-in-stone, can not be rescheduled, going to happen even if the world ends.  Better to surprise and delight them if it does come through.

The next morning I was feeling a bit unfamiliar with the Kids in the City packaged we opted for, so I stopped in at the front desk and asked for a refresher. This time the clerk on duty provided me a printed card that revealed some discounts and additional information which I wasn't aware of previously. Of particular interest were a family discount at the aquarium (the VIP tickets are probably a better deal considering the line factor), the availability of a Wii, and Radio Flyer wagons available on a first-come first-served basis. Bonuses I hadn't considered! Always giving guests a little more than they expected.

While we were at the aquarium I called to ask if we could get a Wii. When we returned, it was set up in our room with hand written instructions on how to turn it on and change the TV input to the appropriate input device. However, the Wii remotes weren't working. I called down to the place I requested it from - the Concierge - and they pinged the folks in engineering who came over to have a look.

I find it refreshingly great the way they don't make you feel bad if you've called the wrong department and take care of the issue as far as you're concerned without transferring you. The first engineer couldn't figure it out so another guy came up. He couldn't figure it out either so they went to get some more batteries and another Wii in case it was a hardware issue. So we've got 2 guys fixing the Wii, room service on the way, and then someone stops by with complimentary cupcakes for the kids to boot. Insanely good service! (They got the Wii working shortly thereafter and the kids had a ball playing it which meant we could relax while they played).

Food and Drinks

The "free room service for the kids" aspect of the package was a bit ambiguous but I decided not to sweat it and let them delight us by figuring out an equitable split for each meal we enjoyed from room service. After a bit of a rocky night out the first night we settled in for 4 consecutive meals in the room. In some settings this could be rather depressing but in this context it was quite decadent.

The room service menu contains selections for the grown ups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then there's a dedicated kids section as well. They've done a great job turning kid favorites into things grown ups can get behind ordering because they're [slightly] healthier or have a local spin. Like PB & J with homemade jam and organic peanut butter - or peanut-free SoyNut Butter. Or mac 'n cheese made with Wisconsin cheddar. Full kids menu here.

When they'd deliver room service they'd set the kids up at the desk and they'd wheel in a table and place it between the two beds. It was tremendous! It was almost like being in a restaurant but when the kids got fussy they could leave their seats to build a hideout on the window seat behind the curtains.

The first morning I think I made a tactical mistake with room service though. At turndown, they presented one of those menus you order on the night before and hang on the door then they deliver when you want the next morning. The menu itself didn't have prices and further, didn't match the options on the in-room menu which made it difficult to order cost effectively.  Writing in our order got us what we wanted, but cost a pretty penny.  I pledged to wisen up the ordering of subsequent meals.

For lunch I went with a Homemade Chicago-style Hot Dog with Fries. It included the requisite celery salt, but lacked the cucumbers I like to see included. Nonethless it was spectacular. It had the juicy texture of a sausage and pepper sandwich you'd buy on Yawkey Way before a Red Sox game, but tasted like a delicious hot dog. Best dog ever. 95/100 points! Classic!!

After a little Wii and relaxation the Four Seasons Ice Cream Man showed up! A highlight of the visit for sure, and they do it right. Chocolate or vanilla ice cream and all of the toppings to make a delicious sundae right in your room. The kids went nuts. My 5 year old said to his brother, "Can you believe this is happening!?" Money quote! That's my boy.

After ice cream we went for a walk around the area with one of their complimentary Radio Flyer wagons. I was determined at this point to take advantage of every kid friendly amenity they offer!

But in the spirit of a little for them and a little for us I called to request a visit from the Martini Man for a martini made in the room as well.

I have to pause for a moment to describe something that was subtly excellent about this interaction. I called the main phone number to the hotel to ask about the Martini Man and they transferred me to room service. Without me ever telling them what room I was in or who I was they said "I see you've got dinner scheduled for 7:30 pm - would you like the martini around the same time?" Sure! I said. I didn't realize until after I got off the phone that they identified me without me telling them who I was. Do they have caller ID with my cell phone number attached to my room? If so that's a pretty sweet CRM system. Putting technology to work to make their intuitive service even better.

The same friendly guy who dishes up the ice cream becomes a bartender in the evening. After pouring one very nice Dirty Martini he seemed surprised that we only wanted one. As if it was typically the kind of thing where you get two or three. I suddenly got a sinking feeling this was going to be a $50 martini. Gulp. No check came with his visit so we'd have to wait and see when we got our folio at the end of the visit. I started to brace myself.

For dinner I went with an Individual Deep Dish Pizza with Italian Sausage and Mushrooms. I paired it with a couple Goose Island IPAs for a very satisfying taste of Chicago. 92/100 points: Outstanding (both the pizza and the beer). I loved the way in-room dining gave everyone in the family a chance to try what they wanted in one convenient location. Full grown up menu here.

The free in-room dining for the kids is a bit ambiguous. How is the built-in 18% gratuity and $4 delivery charge amortized across the meal? For example, on the morning of our departure we ordered oatmeal and eggs for the kids and a pot of coffee ($12) for us. I'm not opposed to paying $12 for a pot of coffee presented to me in my room, but is the $4 and the 18% service charge for the entire meal all tacked on as a charge for the adults? If so it becomes a $20 pot of coffee and the "free in-room dining for kids" thing starts to feel like a bit of a Groupon because the kids meals are relatively affordable. I would have appreciated a little more clarity on this split.

At this point I'm starting to feel a bit uneasy about what is and what is not going to appear on our final statement. The room service bills included everything and I just signed them - then reminded myself not to worry about it.

Miscellaneous

We swam in their indoor pool with the kids which was very nice. It's an upscale Roman-columned affair reminiscent of the pool in Meet Joe Black, accessed through a spa and locker rooms. Definitely the nicest pool our little guys have visited. We would have appreciated it more if we hadn't just finished a week of multiple swims per day in Michigan.

The hotel offers free low bandwidth Wi-Fi and a paid higher bandwidth option. The low bandwidth was fast enough to be non-frustrating so I thought this was a fair way to play it.

Departure

On the morning of our departure I went down to check on our final folio so I wouldn't be distracted by impatient kids ready to go. There was good news and bad news. The martini was indeed a $50 martini. I explained to the clerk that I was worried I'd made a mistake on that one and hoped he could knock it down to $18 or whatever they charge for a martini at the bar because I thought it was an a la carte kind of thing. He said we'd been charged for two martinis so if we only had one he could easily cut the price in half. Fair deal.

Other than that it looked like each of the room service charges were reasonable representations of just what the adults ordered with the appropriate amount of gratuity applied. Each room service charge was a single line item. When I asked for a little more detail he described what each charge was made of in terms of menu items. But even the final folio doesn't describe in full detail what portion of each room service charge comprised service charges and gratuities. Perhaps an area for improvement in the interest of assuring guests they didn't pay for things they weren't expect to.

Everything else looked like what I was expecting to pay - including a hefty but expected $51 per night valet parking charge.

We lugged our bags down thinking it wouldn't be too hard since we each had one piece of luggage and a couple shoulder bags. My fair wife painfully ran over her toe with one of the overstuffed large suitcases while we were jockeying to get into the elevator. Serves us right for refusing the bellman's kind offer to help!

I'd called ahead for our car and it was waiting for us on the curb. The doorman and the valet patiently helped us get our things packed into the car and we were on our way to the airport.

An amazingly perfect visit.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The lesson I learned, perhaps once again, is that the Four Seasons can provide a delightful backdrop for an unforgettable visit - if you let them. If you don't care to interact with the front desk, don't need help with luggage, enjoy finding your own way around a city, and are otherwise just looking for a clean room - the Four Seasons isn't for you. But if you're looking for an indulgent, relaxing family getaway I think the Four Seasons is worth every penny.

My rating:
5/5 Stars
95/100 points: A classic stay.

Further Reading

• Product Review: Four Seasons Hotel Pillows
• Mandarin Oriental Boston Review
• These Disney Cruises Infuriate Me: Why Do I Keep Booking Them? 

To learn more, visit the Four Seasons Chicago website and check out the Four Seasons Luxury Family Travel Blog

These Disney Cruises Infuriate Me - Why Do I Keep Booking Them?

After wandering around the Orlando airport a bit trying to figure out where to catch the Disney bus to the Disney Cruise Terminal, we finally found our way to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Terminal. We're trying to keep tabs on the kids and everyone's excited and it's a little hectic as we present our travel documents to the Disney agent to check in for our cruise. Since I'm a little encumbered, I pass the agent our little Disney-provided travel folder which contains our passports and birth certificates. I figure she's adept at navigating through these folders and finding what she needs but after a moment of searching she says she needs the kids' birth certificates.

I say, "they should be in the folder I passed you."

"I didn't see them in here," she says.

"Could you look again? I'm pretty sure they're in there," I say.

"I looked, they're not here."

I look in my shoulder bag, and rifle around a bit. The birth certificates aren't there. I can sense unspoken panic start to set in among our group. No birth certificates for the kids? That's the first thing they say you'll need when you book the cruise. How could he forget these? What will happen? Are they going to let us on the boat? Can we get copies rushed down here somehow? I ask the agent one more time to please look through the folder more dilligently.

Sure enough she finds them. Then makes some excuse about why they were hard to find.

How about an apology for instilling panic within our group to kick off our vacation?

And So It Went For 7 Nights

We were seamlessly transported to nearby Port Canaveral, swiftly made our way through the Disney Cruise Line Terminal and boarded the ship to our family name being announced by cheering staff. If there's one thing Disney does right, it's making every guest feel like they're special.

But throughout the two Disney Cruises we've taken this year and last, I couldn't help but be frustrated and disappointed between periods of elation and utter satisfaction while having the time of our lives.

When Disney is at it's best it delivers on Walt Disney's vision of creating situations where everyone in the family is enjoying themselves together. When it's at its worst I wonder why we don't vacation elsewhere.

See also: Going all in on Walt Disney World: On-site trip report

Father's Breakfast

The next morning me and our two boys (7 and 4 years old) got up and went for breakfast to give my wife a chance to sleep in. We'd been talking about it for months. Our waiter at dinner the night before said the breakfast buffet opened at 6 am. Turns out, it doesn't open until 7:45 am. That's pretty late if you ask me - and I think the other parents with young kids wandering and foraging around the decks that morning would agree. It wasn't so much that breakfast wasn't served until 7:45 - it was that I expected it to be available at 6:00 am and it wasn't.

After a couple hours exploring the ship we eventually got breakfast. When we got back to the room my wife wasn't feeling well. The kids were cranked up so I thought it would be a good opportunity to drop them in the Oceaneer's Club. It's supposed to be open every day from 9 am to midnight and the clock in our stateroom said 9:30 am. I walked them down to the club to find it wasn't open. Turns out the clock in our room was set an hour ahead.

Not Disney's fault of course, but let me tell you something: The clocks in the staterooms are harder to solve than a Rubik's Cube. The instructions refer to a button on the clock that doesn't exist. And why should I even need instructions to set a clock? Adjusting the time on the clocks they use has eluded me over the course of the two cruises we've taken.

The pattern of over-committing and under-delivering, along with failing to make my life easier at times when I wanted it most repeated throughout the cruise.

The Mickey Slide

We eventually got our act together and were determined to make the most of the day by spending some time at the kids Mickey Pool. By the time we got there, the place was a mosh pit. Every lounge chair in the area was taken and the pool was filled with youngsters and parents hovering around them.

This wasn't surprising given it was a day at sea, but we were determined to get it right the next day. Much like visiting Disney Parks you've got to be on your game to enjoy it.

The next morning we were promptly situated by the Mickey Pool before 9:00 am. The kids were having a blast enjoying the pool they had mostly to themselves. The Mickey Slide was set to open at 9:00 am according to the ship itinerary, but 9:00 came and went and the slide wasn't open. I couldn't figure out who to flag down to ask about the slide but eventually chatted up a cast member in a white shirt who said he had to wait for a lifeguard to open the slide because the lifeguards have the keys to the slide. Another 10 or 20 minutes went by and eventually a lifeguard showed up and the slide was opened.

Was it a big deal the Mickey Slide opened late? Not really. Was I annoyed that we arrived early to avoid the crowds and the slide opened late? I was. And I was annoyed that it wasn't clear who was in charge of the area. Where do I take my requests on board? It wasn't always clear.

Once the slide opened, the situation was magical. It gave all of the adults a chance to relax poolside on lounge chairs while keeping a relaxed but watchful eye on the kids as they went down the slide and raced back up for another trip. It was absolutely fantastic.

Room Dis-Service

I don't think I've ever been as angry with a service provider as I was with room service on the third night of our cruise.

Our kids were crabby and didn't want to join us for dinner so the plan was to order room service for them and send them to the Oceaneer's Club while the grown-ups ate dinner. Dinner is at 5:45 so we called for room service at 4:45 and ordered some food for the kids. Room service said they'd deliver in 30-45 minutes so it should have given us time to feed the kids, drop them in the club, and make it to dinner in time.

Not that it's a huge deal to be late for dinner, but we were running late the first couple of nights which made us feel like we had to sit down and make our selections hurriedly. We wanted to enjoy our meal a bit more but this time we were once again running late because room service didn't deliver. After an hour went by I called room service with a simple statement and question:

"We ordered food an hour ago. You said it would take 45 minutes and it's been an hour. WHERE IS IT!?"

After much discussion about who should stay behind and help the kids eat and join for dinner late, all of us except one took off for dinner. The food arrived 1 hour and 20 minutes after it was ordered. I'm not so much bothered by the backup right around dinner time as the mis-estimation of how long it would take to deliver the food. It's a classic case of over-committing and under-delivering.

If room service had just told us they were slammed and that it would be over an hour I would have gone up and gotten them some food on deck myself.

Where Do They Get These Kind People?

Half way through the cruise our 7 year old got sick. He took a nap in the afternoon which he hasn't done since he was 2. I thought he might be tired from all the fun, but sure enough when he woke up he felt warm and was running a mild fever.

A few hours later he threw up all over the room.

Not that it's difficult to cover "all" of an 180 square foot cabin, but it was quite a mess. We called our cabin steward and he showed up in just a few minutes. He saw my child laying on the couch looking green - and a little scared he was going to get in trouble for making a mess. To be honest I was a little afraid he'd be quarantined and not get to enjoy the rest of the cruise. But our cabin steward said - at just the right moment:

"Don't worry baby, you didn't do anything wrong. Everything is going to be alright."

Another cast member from maintenance came to steam clean the carpet and was similarly kind. 20 minutes later the room was as if nothing ever happened, our boy was in good spirits, and I was so thankful for the kind people Disney hired to help make our stay more enjoyable.

It's Probably Me

As I grow older I'm amazed how much I look at Clark Griswold as a peer. The National Lampoon Vacation series classically summarizes the enthusiasm - and disappointment - I feel as a father trying to enjoy vacations with family.

Finding moments of joint family enjoyment on vacations has proven elusive over the past few years for us. The vast majority of vacations have been marred by illness and weather-related airline delays and cancellations. I'll admit: At times I realize I'm pressing for things to go well.

We settled in over the next couple days. We kept our 7 year old out of the kids club and spent time hanging out with him doing low key activities. We were together. It was nice.

Disappointment Island

On the last day of Disney Cruises out of Port Canaveral, the ship stops at Disney's private island Castaway Cay. After visiting last year and enjoying every moment there, we were pumped to visit again. I was up on deck watching us sail towards the island. When I felt like we were about 20 minutes away, I ran downstairs to rally the troops.

The kids got their bathing suits on, everyone got sunscreened up and we came back on deck to watch the ship pull into port. However, the ship seemed to be wandering around the ocean and we were farther away than we were a half hour ago. We were this close - what happened?

The Captain came on the public address system to announce that due to a technical malfunction we'd be docking at Castaway Cay a couple hours later than scheduled. The Cruise Director hurriedly patched together some entertainment around the boat, but the crowds were anxious to be on the island.

I realize it may seem small to complain about minor inconveniences like this. And it is a small thing. It could have been a lot worse. 

But Disney could have offered some half price drinks on board while we were waiting. Or something. The ship stayed an hour later at Castaway Cay than originally planned to help compensate for the time missed. We had a great time.

How Disney is like Apple

They got us to our destinations safely and I appreciate that. But there never seems to be much shame in their game. Kind of like with Apple products: If you have an issue with Disney or Apple there must be something wrong with you. This situation drives me bonkers.

This piece by Seth Godin comes to mind where he advises that in business the "best available strategy is providing remarkable service and an honest human connection."  Disney does that - to an extent - but what's missing for me is the loop where I can share feedback and feel like it's been received thoughtfully by a human being. They asked for my opinion several times but I feel like it's taken to fill out a formulaic spreadsheet.

Ironically, in Godin's piece he suggests businesses consider firing the whiners because they'll never be satisfied and the cost of delighting them is too high. I guess that makes me the whiner in this situation. I understand that perspective, but I don't think my expectations are out of line with the costs of a Disney vacation.

Bon Voyage

The final kick in the pants was when I tried to return a shirt I'd bought on Castaway Cay. Think of all the things they got right to enable this: I purchased an exclusive-to-the-island Castaway Cay t-shirt with my Key to the World Card and I could return it on the ship where they didn't even sell that same shirt. Disney magic right?

Just one problem: The gift shop didn't open as scheduled at 5:30 pm so I had to do it after dinner, before the show, on the last night of the cruise when the gift shops are mobbed. What's so hard about opening things on schedule?

Why Do I Keep Booking These Things?

The next morning we enjoyed what has to be the most efficient debarkation process at sea. Our luggage was waiting for us and we were off and running as seamlessly as we arrived.

Systematically, Disney gets so many things right. When we booked our cruise they remembered all of the important details of every member of our party so re-booking was a snap. They had our pictures saved from last time so we didn't have to re-take them for identification purposes when getting off and on the ship.

Their ships are filled with some of the kindest people I've ever met in the service industry. It was striking how when we arrived back to Boston, some folks who work at the airport don't even acknowledge you as a human being. Yet even the maintenance staff on the Disney ships are as warm as can be.

How do they do it? How do they delight and frustrate me so much on the same day?

Conclusion and Recommendations

I think human nature, if we're lucky, is to forget the bad things that happen in life and remember fondly the good things. I'm sure in a few weeks I'll be joyfully replaying scenes from our vacation to our collective delight. We'll start talking about our next vacation and who knows - maybe we'll do a Disney Cruise again soon. I booked this latest cruise with similar concerns after our first.

I search around, consider alternatives and come to the conclusion that for us, at this stage in our lives, the Disney Cruises provide a tremendous value.

I understand why we've chosen them for vacation the last couple years. I just wish they wouldn't drive me so bonkers.

At the end of the cruise, Disney gives you a survey to fill out. A couple days later they send a similar survey online. But neither seemed to allow me to capture how I really felt about the cruise. It's kind of like when a friend asks "how was your cruise?" "It was great!" I say. But if I want to get real with someone who's as interested in taking great family vacations as I am it's a longer conversation.

Update: We took another cruise with Disney, this time on their Concierge Level. Did it patch things up? Find out...

Robert Dwyer is an avid family fun seeker and aspiring cruise critic. He can be reached at robert.paul.dwyer@gmail.com or on Twitter: @RobertDwyer

Question of the Day: What do you think of Disney Cruises? Of Disney Vacations? Take the good with the bad and stick with them? Or is there better family fun to be found elsewhere?

Why I'm Returning the Kindle Fire

When Amazon announced the $199 Kindle Fire, it was the first time I was intrigued by a tablet other than the iPad. I'm a big fan of the Amazon value proposition and I was impressed with their focus on content consumption at a reasonable price.

I didn't have any disillusions about the device being an iPad replacement. I had plans for it being two things: A kitchen counter web browser usable by everyone in the family -and- a replacement for our portable DVD player.

But as it turns out the device doesn't provide a very satisfying web browsing experience and (due to the fragmented content marketplace) it's not a very good value as a portable video player.

Apps

Leading up to the device's release there was a lot of information swirling around about which Android apps would be available on the device. By default, you purchase apps through a special section of the Amazon App store, and there are indeed a number of apps there.

But as you push forward and attempt to make the Kindle Fire perform like your iPhone or even your iPod touch you start bumping into limitations. Read this article to get a sense for what it's like install non-approved Android apps on the device. Within an hour of opening the box I'm wandering around the web learning about .apk's, sideloading, and rooting. The fragmented app situation on the device is a total mess.

Web Browser

Amazon made a big deal about the "Silk" web browser when they announced the Kindle Fire. It was said to speed download times as it predicted where you were going to browse next. My complaint isn't so much with the time it takes pages to load as with the lousy overall experience of navigating web pages on the device.

Often you have to tap on hyperlinks several times to be effective, Apple's brilliant "double-tap" to fit a column of text gesture is missing, and some pages don't function properly. I thought the larger screen size would enable the Fire to be a usable web browser, but on the contrary, the device is slightly worse than a 3 year old 2nd generation iPod touch - which has a much smaller screen - in terms of web browser usability. Browsing the web on an iPhone 4S is a much more pleasant experience than on the Kindle Fire due to the iPhone's speed, excellent page rendering, responsive touch screen and intuitive and effective gestures.

Since web browsing was one of the primary things I was looking for in the device it's a big disappointment.

Books

I've never owned an e-ink Kindle, but so many people say they love theirs, I figured this device was a good time to get in on that experience. Unfortunately I'm not feeling the magic. I thought it was pretty nice that I could borrow "Moneyball" for free from the Amazon Lending Library with Amazon Prime, but I find the experience of reading on the Fire a little awkward given how heavy it is.

Compared to an e-ink Kindle, the battery life of the Fire and lack of 3G connectivity is also a concern. I think I'd be better off getting an entry level Kindle e-reader - they start at $79now.

Videos

Next to the web browser this was my second area of interest and also a big disappointment. Video playback looks great and purchasing/renting content from Amazon is a breeze (if you know what you want, navigating the Amazon store for free content is still a bit of a morass in my experience).

My beef is with the still-fragmented market for digital content. It's still often cheaper to buy a hard copy than it is to rent or buy. Take for example Rio. $8.99 to buy the DVD (free shipping with Prime) or $14.99 to buy the digital copy. Cars 2 isn't available for purchase - you have to rent it at $3.99 a pop. I see similar with books.

I can guess why this is, but it doesn't make me any more enthusiastic about accepting it. Until it's more convenient and affordable to buy digital content it feels like digital just doesn't make sense yet.

Ripping DVDs for playback on the device is also a complicated mess. After experimenting for a day with the best file format and resolution I still can't get a video to make use of the full screen. It's a total pain in the neck.

Magazines

The magazines I want to read (for example Wine Spectator) aren't available. I want a model where I pay one price for a subscription and I can consume it any way I want to. Print, online, on the go. I don't think this is any better elsewhere but it's certainly not good on the Fire.

Conclusion

It's not so much that the Kindle Fire is a lousy product. It's that Apple spoiled us and Amazon is doing the best they can within the confines of the ecosystem they're operating within.

It's been magical watching our kids intuitively navigate their way around the iPod touch and iPhone. The Kindle Fire has them peppering me with questions about why things don't work. "You've got to tap it a few times sometimes," says our 6 year old. The iPhone found the perfect intersection of being intuitive, looking gorgeous, and being immensely effective.

About the only thing I like about it is the random high resolution images that greet you after waking the device. Unfortunately, the novelty wears off as soon as you swipe your finger across the device and you're reminded of the laggy, herky jerky responsiveness you experienced last time you touched it.

My experience playing with the device the past few days has made me appreciate what a breakthough device the first iPhone was. And what an amazing device the iPhone 4S is. The core interface of the iPhone hasn't changed much since it was released - it's just gotten better and better. Will Amazon be able to pull the same trick? Release a valiant 1.0 and continually improve it through software updates? We'll see, but I don't think I'm going to be along for the ride.

Rating

74/100 points - Not Recommended

Here's a link to this same review on Amazon.com

Who and How Much? Replacement Windows from Newpro, Marvin, and Window World

It's amazing how when you're shopping around for an expensive item or embarking upon a home improvement project how businesses that never crossed your mind suddenly catch your attention. Or should I say consume your attention. For about three weeks this Fall I became Mr. Replacement Windows as I sought replacement of 4 windows in our 1940s New England colonial home.

Hurricane Irene was the straw that broke the camel's back. Of the four windows in the modest addition that is my home office, one had a cracked pane, one was extremely hard to open and now that the wind was blowing rain sideways, one leaked. It was time to replace these 4 double-hung 6 over 6 windows. Who to call?

When it comes to a job like this I like to call out the most familiar in the field -and- a reliable contractor I'm familiar with to get a sense for the cost of the project.

With that in mind I called up Newpro on Red Sox color commentator Jerry Remy's recommendation. Mention the Remdawg, he said in the ad, and I'd get half off plus free installation. Sounded good to me! I scheduled an appointment for an estimate later in the week. I also scheduled an appointment with a contractor we'd done a substantial amount of remodeling with on our kitchen previously. Somewhat strangely they funneled me over to "the window department."  What is it with replacement windows? Why is it such a specialty item?  I'd soon find out.

Here's the way it goes: Professional looking guy in a foreign luxury car pulls up in front of your house right on time. He's very likeable and is very good at what he does. He captures your hopes and dreams for the project, casts them upon replacement windows, and describes in sometimes excruciating detail why these windows are the most incredible things you've ever seen. By the end of his presentation you're convinced these are going to be a substantial upgrade to your life. When you're replacing all (or most) of the windows in your house the energy savings could reduce your heating bill substantially - and I could see buying into the story. But since we're talking about only 10% of our home we were able to avoid letting our desires get the best of us.

After much discussion we finally, mercifully got a quote from Newpro for our 4 very ordinary, right down the middle, double-hung replacement windows. For some reason I had in my head the job should cost around $2,000; $500 per window including labor. I don't know why I thought this. I guess it had something to do with other windows and doors we've had replaced in the house. $500 per seemed about right to me.

The quote? $6,000. $1,500 per window. You've got to be kidding me! They sounded like nice windows but the thing is - after talking with colleagues, friends and associates who have Newpro windows - they're not even that great. People I spoke with reported all kinds of problems with Newpro windows they inherited after purchasing a house. I can get behind a premium price if the product warrants it - but I wasn't convinced their windows were that great long term.

The familiar contractor representing Marvin came in over $4,000 - still more than $1,000 per window. What the heck was going on here?

I casually mentioned to a client I was working with at the time my dilemma. I just wanted some reasonably priced windows that would slide up and down easily, wouldn't leak, would look nice, and would provide better insulation than my current drafty windows. He said replacement windows should cost about $350 per and that I should call Window World.

I'd never heard of them but a Google search turned up WindowWorld.com - home of the original $189 (installed!) replacement window. I had no illusions about paying only $189 per window, but I liked the starting point. I scheduled an appointment for later in the week.

The salesman came out just like the prior two did. Right on time, very professional, checked out the windows I needed replacing, showed me his product, described the company, and efficiently worked towards a quote.

First off, there's no such thing as a $189 window - at least not in Massachusetts due to efficiency standards in effect here. But the add-ons were sensible. More efficient glass, grids in the glass, disposal fees, etc, etc. But as he's building up the quote I'm thinking to myself: "He could add on anything he wants and he still won't come close to the numbers I'd heard from the other two salesmen who proceeded him."

When he presented me with the total cost of $1,700 for all four windows ($425 per window - below my target cost of $500) I had to contain myself. There might be an opportunity to hold out and get some rogue discount like there was with the other guys. But he made it pretty clear - this was the best he could do today. We agreed to move forward with the project pending our calling a couple nearby references. They checked out and we went forward.

Along the way I kept thinking in the back of my mind that something was going to go wrong. The installation was going to be crap or the windows were going to be lousy. Or they'd increase the installation cost when they found some unforeseen catastrophe. But there was no such event.

An estimator came out for detailed measurements and the windows were ordered. About 5 weeks later an installer came and politely and cleanly removed the old windows and installed the new ones. A day later a different installer did trim work on the outside to tidy things up. I think they look great.

I immediately felt that my usually chilly home office was warmer. More a part of the house rather than a flimsy addition. The windows look great and they slide up and down with ease. They're perfect. They're just what I was looking for and they didn't cost a fortune.

How nice is that? And what in the heck ever happened to Remdawg's "half off plus free installation" offer? What a bunch of hot air that was. $6,000+ after discount? You've got to be kidding me. Sometimes I feel like I'm too negative about businesses that fall short of my hopes and expectations. And in this case I'm disappointed with some. But with Window World I'm happy. A fair price for a square deal and a pleasant experience. You can't ask for much more than that.

So check 'em out if you're in the market for replacement windows: Window World