The Lollipop Road

Posts Tagged ‘disney’

In December 2011, Disney Cruise Line rolled out several unannounced changes in the way that it administers its extremely popular kid’s program. The chatter that ensued was quite overwhelming, so we thought it might be time (now that the dust has settled) to take an objective look at what really has changed – for better or worse.

Disney Cruise Line has always offered one of the most comprehensive and extensive programming schedules for kids of all ages. In doing so, they traditionally allowed some degree of flexibility in the age categories, which was always much appreciated by parents who sailed with children who straddled age groups. Officially, the categories are and have been: Oceaneer Club/Lab (Ages 3-10), Edge (Ages 11-13) and Vibe (Ages 14-17).

The flexibility that existed at one time would allow 18 year-old teens who were still in high school or older developmentally challenged adults to participate in Vibe at the discretion of the counselors. From what we understand, one or more incidents may have led to a change in this policy. So, as it stands today, Disney is strictly enforcing the maximum age for Vibe.

However, there still appears to be some flexibility on the lower end. We are aware of situations where a 14 year-old has been allowed to downgrade to Edge and a 13 year-old has been allowed to upgrade to Vibe with parental waiver. One thing is clear, however, this choice must be made at the beginning of the cruise and it may not be changed.

That leaves an open question with respect to the Oceaneer Club/Lab. Although the guidelines state that the maximum age is ten, the “unwritten policy” has been that children up to the age of twelve were able to participate. We have seen guidance that leads us to believe that is still accurate. We are sailing at the end of February and will return with a full report on the implementation of the new guidelines.

If this were the only change, it would have caused a bit of a stir, but probably would not have received as much attention as it has among families. The change that seems to have elicited more concern among parents is the elimination of parents in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab. According to the new guidelines, adults are only allowed into the secure space briefly for drop-off and pickup. Now, what “briefly” means is open to interpretation, but from passenger accounts it appears to translate into five minutes or less. Parents are also required to wear a badge during this time.

This change hits parents with children who are not potty-trained the hardest. Prior to this change, these toddlers were allowed to play in these spaces under parental supervision. Likewise, parents of children who require special assistance could also enjoy time with their children in these spaces. Now, they are restricted from using the space, which is what has caused the most uproar.

In order to offset the inconvenience of this new policy, Disney has added a daily open house where children and adults can participate in activities together. As a matter of fact, participating children MUST be accompanied by an adult. During this time, the opposite space (Club or Lab) runs the normal supervised program.

This setup has resulted in several complaints. First, the one secure space becomes overcrowded during open house. Second, children ages 3 to 10 are now vying to participate in activities within the same space. Third, times are not announced prior to sailing, so parents are unable to plan dinner or spa reservations with certainty. Finally, passengers have complained that the duration (3 hours) is too long. Our response – this is a work in progress and Disney will undoubtedly make adjustments that make sense for their passengers.

In the past, we’ve given Disney high marks for the flexibility in the kid’s program. Honestly, it really is what sets them apart from most other cruise lines. With this move, we’ve seen them move closer to Carnival or Celebrity in their implementation, so only time will tell if this will hurt their rating and popularity among cruising families.

Check back with us in early March for a complete first-hand account! In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.

It’s deal day again and this weeks deal is a Disney of a deal! Disney Cruise Line is offering its Kids Sail Free promotion for Verandah cabins only on the Disney Magic sailings between January 3 and March 5, 2011. If you’ve never sailed with Disney, this might be a great time to explore what Disney Cruise Line has to offer. Check out our review for more information.

Starting with the 5 night Bahamas sailing on January 3, 2011, you can sail in a Verandah cabin from only $2765 for a family of four - this one still isn’t listed on their website, so take advantage of the secret savings on this sailing while it lasts. The less expensive verandahs on the 7 night Caribbean sailings are drying up quickly (cabins on the February 19th sailing were gone before the sale started), but you can still hop on board the January 22, 2011 sailing from only $3,341 for a family of four. To obtain this special pricing, use booking code KFO.

Let me say again that when Disney launches these promotions, cabins sell fast. If you follow us on Twitter, you noticed that we tweeted this deal yesterday morning, before it even hit the Disney website. So, if you want to stay on top of these deals make sure that you follow us on Twitter!

Now it’s your turn…share your best travel deals, discounts tips or secrets with us by adding your link below. Read the Rules of the Road before posting.

 

Disclosure

It was with trepidation that I first ordered Disney’s Family Fun magazine. After all, the last thing my family needed was another magazine on the ins and outs of how to have the perfect family. But a friend’s son was having a school fundraiser (you know the ones I’m talking about) and we needed to order something, so off to the computer I went to check reviews of potential picks. “This time was going to be different”, I said. This time I was actually going to get a magazine that was helpful and informative rather than the usual coffee table clutter.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Family Fun really catered to the notion that families should play together. No parental advice “experts” need apply. The idea is that families who make crafts together, cook meals together and simply enjoy spending their time together will have more fun. “How refreshing”, I thought.

So, I placed my order for a 1-year subscription of Family Fun and anxiously awaited my first issue. When it finally arrived in the mail, I took a quick look at the cover and was instantly intrigued by what I saw. With a remaining amount of skepticism, I opened it and read the table of contents. Hmmm, an article entitled “Low Cost Summer Camp Adventures at Home” – that looks promising. But then again, “How to Make a Dancing Balloon” and “Taking an RV Vacation With Your Family” soon had me delving straight into the pages. In what seemed to be just a few minutes time, I heard “mommy!” “mommy!”. I guess I was taking too much time reading because the kids were standing at my feet, waiting to go outside and play. Reading would have to wait until the kids went to bed!

That evening I began devouring every article until I had finished reading the entire magazine. I actually found it quick to read due to all the project idea pages. This magazine looked and read differently from all of the other family and children’s magazines that I’ve read in the past and I felt like I had hit a home run in choosing it!

Family Fun has 5 feature articles in each issue, covering topics such as Holiday crafts, fun neighborhoods, homemade gifts, kitchen science projects and more. Inside, there are 11 additional departments such as “Creative Solutions”, “My Great Idea”, “Everyday Fun”, “Let’s Cook”, “Our Favorite Things” and my husband’s favorite – “Family Getaways”. Each and every article is focused on quality family time. For example, in a recent “Everyday Fun” article, some of the craft project ideas were making butterflies from plastic egg cartons, turning bottle caps into bejeweled magnets, making a Jacob’s Ladder toy and fashioning an Easter Egg display stand. If you go to their website at www.familyfun.go.com you will find an amazing array of additional articles, stories and ideas, as well as how-to-videos and parent’s groups.

While this magazine is filled with lots of great things, I feel it is just as important to mention what it is not filled with. You will not find articles on how to stop your child from whining while at the supermarket, why you should get the latest vaccine or how mom’s should not feel guilty because they can’t do it all. Rather than focusing on what we aren’t doing right, Family Fun celebrates family togetherness and how to make the best out of the limited time that we do have together. Family Fun is published 10 times per year at a current yearly subscription price of $10.00. It’s a feel good magazine at a feel good price. Now that’s fun!

Disclosure

One of the most frequent complaints that we hear from families (including our own) is that Disney Cruise Line is just too expensive as compared to other cruise lines.  Although there is good reason for Disney to command a higher price, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to take advantage of Disney’s Special Offers.

Right now, Disney Cruise Line is offering a promotion that allows kids (17 and under) to sail for free on the Disney Wonder’s Mexican Riviera sailings from January 23 through March 20, 2011.  This is a huge savings!  This promotion is capacity controlled and many of the sailings and categories have already sold out of this promotion, so act fast!

Disney Cruise Line is also extending its European Summer Sale to select 10 and 11-night sailings in August and September.  You can sail the Disney Magic from just $999 per person for a Category 12 Inside Guarantee.  Third and fourth rates are a bit high, but you can still reserve a family of four for under $3600.

Last but not least, Disney Cruise Line is offering special discounts for active and retired military personnel (including DOD employees) throughout the summer.  European sailings can be reserved for as little as $699 per person, while Disney is offering 25% off of its July 11th 5-night Bahamas sailing.  These deals change every week, so be sure to check back often.

These special deals may be booked through Disney Cruise Line or your local travel agent.  You might want to shop around as agents will offer up to 10% onboard credit for each booking.  Bon Voyage!

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we will attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ.  At the conclusion of our Cruise Views Marathon, we will crown the most family friendly cruise line (only Carnival, Disney and NCL are being evaluated) in several categories and then overall.  At some later date, we will be posting reviews from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity that were not part of this event.  Now, on to the review.

Ever since our first child was born four years ago we’ve been on a quest to find the most family friendly cruise line.  Having sailed on 30 cruises (as of next week), we had a few ideas of where to start, but it would be an interesting journey.  This was our 4 year-old’s fourth cruise and our 19 month old’s third cruise.  None of us had sailed with Disney Cruise Line before, so we didn’t really know what to expect.

We’ve talked to lots of folks who have sailed on Disney before and their sentiment seems to be that DCL has gotten better with time.  With a new ship coming out next year, perhaps they’re right…Disney has perfected their model and is ready to expand.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  A-

We reserved our 3-night Bahamas cruise through our normal online travel agency where we were able to get a $150 onboard credit as an incentive for booking.  We opted for a Category 12 – Inside Guarantee, which netted us an upgrade to Category 10 (cabin 2043  - a deluxe inside with split bath).  There were never any price reductions (we understand that Disney cruises only get more expensive as time passes – unless you live in Florida).  Our total cruise fare after discounts for a family of four was about $1,500.  If we had booked more than 4 months in advance, we could have saved a few hundred dollars.

The online check-in process is a bit cumbersome, as you have to login and enter your reservation number each time you visit and the layout was a bit disjointed.  We were able to register our kids for the kids programs, make babysitting reservations in the nursery and print all necessary documents prior to sailing.  We received a booklet in the mail that included our luggage tags about 30 days prior to sailing. 

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  A

We were coming from the Carnival Sensation, so we took a taxi across the port to the Disney Wonder (it took all of 3 minutes).  We arrived at the terminal around 9:30AM; passengers were still disembarking.  That gave us a chance to speak with several families who were able to give us lots of great tips.  The landside staff then directed us to the proper location to wait for the porters to open the gates to start loading the luggage.  Luckily, around 10AM, a DCL staff member let us pass our luggage over the locked gate so that we could head into the terminal.  Once again, we gave him a small tip to make sure our luggage got where it was supposed to go (it arrived in our cabin around 2PM).

We were the first to get through security shortly after 10AM.  If you are a past passenger or booked in a suite, you can use a special dedicated line to check-in, which is a bit faster as the agents started checking in those passengers early.  The dedicated Disney Cruise Line terminal was huge and designed to entertain families.  There was plenty of comfortable seating, televisions playing cartoons and a model replica of the cruise ship.  All of these extras meant that waiting to board wouldn’t be difficult as the kids would be well entertained.  Oh, and of course, Mickey and Minnie showed up on cue around 11AM for photos.

It began to get a bit crowded around 10:30AM as we were checking in and by 11AM, there was little seating left.  Disney uses boarding groups to board, so the earlier you arrive, the lower the number you’ll receive.  After checking in, you can make your way to the Oceaneer Club/Lab registration area to pick-up your child’s bracelet and your pager.  If you didn’t pre-register online, you’ll have the opportunity to register here.

Boarding began around Noon and along with the 50 or so other passengers in our boarding group, we were onboard in no time.  As you board, the host or hostess will announce your family over the mic.  The young lady announcing us must have lots of practice because for once our name was pronounced correctly.

There is no option to divert to your cabin as they shuttle you to Parrott Cay or up to the Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch.  No worries, my scolding would come soon enough.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  B+     Cabin Service Rating:  B

On this sailing we opted for an inside cabin so that we could honestly review what it is like to sail in an inside cabin with kids (not to mention that it was a lot cheaper).  Disney’s standard cabins measure about 184 square feet, which allows for a queen-sized bed (or two twins), a desk, closet space, a small sofa, coffee table (that raises and lowers) and a rather large bathroom with bathtub.  Our deluxe room was a bit larger at 214 square feet.  In addition to having a slightly different configuration (and a steamer trunk for storage), it had a split bath (one with toilet and sink and one with tub and sink).

Each bathroom was small and we think that we may have preferred a single larger bathroom.  The cabin was also equipped with a small flat panel television (with tons of family friendly movies and cartoons), desk telephone (not kid friendly), basic toiletries, a safe, cooling box (ie refrigerator) and a hairdryer.  There is also a wall mirror in the deluxe inside cabins, which makes the cabin feel less confined.  There was more than adequate storage space for a 3-night cruise.

I do have to say at this point that the lack of natural light did cause us to sleep late each day.  If we were to sail again, we would either book an outside cabin or bring a natural light alarm clock.

All cabins on this ship are considered family friendly as every stateroom can accommodate at least 3 guests.  You’ll find the “secret porthole” cabins (priced as inside, but really obstructed view outside), deluxe verandah cabins (some with enclosed “navigator” balconies), a deluxe family verandah (sleeps 5 and a bit larger at 304SF), and mega suites that can accommodate up to 7 guests.  If you want to sail in a special cabin or a suite, you will need to reserve far in advance, as they are very popular.

Cabin service was a bit of a disappointment during our cruise.  Our cabin steward kept the room clean, however, he never seemed to clean at any predictable time.  He also scolded me on the first day for dropping off luggage before the 1:30PM “cabin availability” time (hey, I couldn’t lug around two kids, a stroller and 5 bags of varying sizes anymore) and hounded us on the last night about getting our luggage out (we easily made it before the 11PM deadline).  This was in stark contrast to our Carnival stewards accommodating attitude.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  A-     Dining Service Rating:  A

The selection at the buffet for breakfast and lunch consisted of quality entrees, sides and desserts that catered to both adults and kids.  As a matter of fact, there was a special kids side to the buffet (that didn’t stop me from eating the goodies).  There was also Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, Pluto’s Dog House (a grill area that serves a half-dozen items like burgers, hot dogs and chicken) and Goofy’s Galley (deli and ice cream).  Goofy’s, Pinocchio’s and Pluto’s were all open in the evening for a fast-food dinner and sometimes a late night snack.  The selection was limited (especially the salad selection), however, the quality was excellent; the dessert selection was extensive and very good.  Another perk is that Disney offers free soda 24 hours a day, something that you would pay for on other cruise lines.

Disney offers two fixed seating dining choices (5:45PM and 8:15PM) and incorporates dining room rotation.  We chose the 5:45PM seating as we have young children; these families are assigned an APT rotation and your wait staff rotates with you, which is terrific.  The menu in both Animator’s Pallet (a modern restaurant that changes colors) and Parrott Cay (a Caribbean themed restaurant) yielded several delicious meals for everyone at our table.  However, the menu at Tritons (French themed and upscale) was a bit more limited, so I reluctantly chose beef for a third night in a row as the rest of the entrée choices were not appetizing to me.  Unfortunately, the beef wasn’t on par with earlier meals.  Other than this particular meal and a few so-so items from the buffet, the food was excellent.

The dining room service as well as the service at the buffet was also excellent.  At the buffet, there was always someone to help with your tray if you were struggling and the staff kept the tables clean and clear at all times.  In the dining room, the kids meals are served first, so kids aren’t kept waiting.  This is the first time in months that we actually got our 19 month old to sit in a high chair.  Of course, having another family with a child similar in age at our table also helped to keep everyone entertained.  Just before dessert, there was also a short bit of entertainment from the dining room staff that the kids really loved.  I’d say that Disney definitely gets it right when it comes to feeding and serving families.

Room service (24 hours) offers a basic continental breakfast, sandwiches, salads, pizza and desserts.  In addition, late night snacks were also available in Route 66, except on Pirate Night when there was a buffet on deck.  The Pirates in the Caribbean buffet was just so-so, although there were some interesting items, such as the giant turkey legs!  There was also a dessert buffet, which was a bit disappointing; the desserts were not as good as those served at other times during the cruise.

Overall – a very enjoyable dining experience.

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  A-

Okay, so here is where Disney really pulls ahead of the competition.  Somehow, Disney has managed to create activities and entertainment that is not only appealing to kids, but also adults.  Throughout the cruise, there were many family oriented activities that you could participate in together.  Our favorite was the family dance night, but there was also crab racing, Wii tournaments, frisbee making, family friendly trivia, family bingo, family karaoke and don’t forget “Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer?”.  This is in addition to a parent’s ability to participate in Oceaneer Club/Lab activities as well (discussed later).

Now, we’ve been to a family disco night before on another cruise line where the music was blaring and there was nothing fun about it.  On Disney, there was a singer who interacted with the kids and parents, the music was fun and upbeat and everyone was having a blast!  I’ll call this the Disney Difference (DD for short).

As far as evening entertainment, the first night was The Golden Mickey’s.  Admittedly, this production was a mix of Disney movies meets a typical cruise line song and dance production.  My 19 month old fell asleep, my wife and 4 year-old had ditched to go to the Oceaneer Lab and I bailed early because it was getting a bit boring and I was exhausted.  If it was only this show and the rest were just like it, I’d feel differently, however, the next two productions, Toy Story: The Musical and Disney Dreams managed to entertain the entire family.  On the four cruises we’ve been on with our kids, this is the first time we actually got through more than 5 minutes of a show, never mind the entire show.  Once again, it’s the DD.

This is on top of the Disney character appearances throughout the cruise.  There must have been at least 20 opportunities each day and there was always a line.  If you bring an autographs book, you can get them to sign along with taking a picture.  Don’t want to wait, no bother, drop off a white pillowcase, t-shirt or other item at the Guest Information desk and they will return it to your room signed by All-Stars, Princesses or both (limit one item per person).

Oh, and did I mention the fireworks display at sea?  Let me say it again – the DD.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  B+

Built in 1999, the Disney Wonder is probably due for a little expansion and renovation.  There are lots of great family spaces onboard, however, Mickey’s Splash Zone is too small to serve the number of children that cruise.  Equipped with a 3FT by 12FT (approx) water fountain “splash area” for those still in diapers, Mickey’s Slide (min 38” to participate) and a shallow one foot deep (I figure a bit more, but I didn’t measure) wading pool with “hot tubs” for kids, this is the center of the action.  This areas was packed every day, so I cannot imagine what it would be like during school holiday, so please take heed that overcrowding may e a serious problem during peak periods.

About 30 steps away is Goofy’s (Family) Pool, which can accommodate all ages (so long as they are potty trained).  With two hot tubs, this area was also hopping, but not as much as the Splash Zone.  There is also a gigantic aerial television above the pool area that shows movies throughout the day and night, so this is a great place for your tweens to hang out.

Take another 30 steps and you’ll find yourself in the Quiet Cove Pool area.  Boasting two hot tubs, a large pool, cozy loungers and shaded tables for hanging out, this is an oasis for childless adults.  We were able to get an hour to ourselves and this was our destination; we enjoyed every last moment.

For the entire family, there is also a large video arcade (best for tweens and teens), Diversions sports pub (over 18 only after 9PM) where you can watch sporting events during the day and deck sports such as basketball, ping-pong and shuffleboard.  There is no mini-golf course.

For mom and dad, there are several shops with the usual trinkets (Mickey’s Mates is geared toward kids), art gallery, a spa, gym and several adult only entertainment areas, such as Cadillacs (night club) and the Cove Cafe.

Overall, Disney has done a great job of putting together a ship full of popular amenities for families and they have done a great job of carving out quiet and secluded areas for adults as well.  However, the limited space at Mickey’s Pool is a concern.

Oceaneer Club/Lab

Rating:  A

Disney has undoubtedly worked on perfecting their kids program over the last ten years to get it the way it is today.  From 9AM until Midnight (or later), the youth staff has cool activities to keep the kids busy at all times.  Honestly, the clubs themselves are so cool, that I’m not sure they even need activities!  Read more about the programs.  They even offer the programs on the island at Castaway Cay!

Really, the best part is that Disney has disbanded the notion of age groups.  This allows younger kids to participate in Oceaneer Lab activities and older kids to participate in Oceaneer Club activities (although that is less common).  The upside is that two siblings who would normally be separated can now play together.  From what we’ve seen, it is working very well and was a smart move…should we say…another DD.

Another great feature of the program is that parents can participate in the activities or just hang around in the club while their child plays.  This is ideal if you have a shy or uneasy child who isn’t comfortable staying there alone.  You are also allowed to bring children under the age of 3 into the clubs so long as you stay to supervise.  Okay, this is a huge DD!

Don’t forget the Flounder’s Reef Nursery, where you can drop your infant or toddler for babysitting or play time.  You do need to reserve in advance and there is a fee ($6/hr), but it may be well worth it.  We were able to leave our 19 month-old twice, each time for an hour.

Security and safety was very good and we were very impressed with the youth staff overall.  They went out of their way to make kids feel comfortable and always had a great attitude and were very flexible.  Thanks to them, we were able to leave our 4 year-old for over an hour and sneak away to the Quiet Cove Pool.  He would have stayed longer – the counselors were great.

There were parents onboard who were not successful in getting their kids to participate in the program alone.  However, this is where Disney differs – on any other cruise line, the kids would be out of luck, as adults are not allowed.  On Disney, adults can participate as long as they wish with their child. While not ideal for adult alone time, it does keep your child entertained.  We loved being able to make Flubber and chocolate chip cookies!  Chocolate…Chocolate…Chocolate…chip…chip…chip.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  B

This 3-night sailing called at Nassau and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island).  These  are two great stops for kids.  In Nassau, we stayed on ship to enjoy the pool and activities as did many other families.  We did venture out to Castaway Cay and found it to be a bit crowded.  You can read our article on Castaway Cay for a full review.  Stay tuned for articles on Nassau Excursions and Blue Lagoon Island coming up next week.

Getting on and off the ship was easy, there were no lines and the security staff was fast, efficient and pleasant.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  B+     Cleanliness Rating:  A-

In general, most of the crew that we encountered were friendly and many provided excellent service.  The only exception was our cabin steward who was a bit inflexible and inconsistent.  We always felt welcomed at Guest Information and the youth staff always gave 110%.

We found the ship to be very clean and sanitary.  There were no dirty dishes, food or other trash collecting in public areas and the ship overall was well maintained.  Some of the areas are becoming a little worn (pool area), but everything else was in tiptop shape.

Disembarkation

Rating:  A+

The disembarkation process was the best we’ve ever seen.  Although we thought it a bit inflexible at first, we understand the reasoning behind their method.  They strongly encourage you to eat breakfast in the dining room (only limited food available elsewhere) at your required time.  This is determined according to your rotation.  We ate last in Triton, so we would eat in Triton for breakfast on the last day at 7AM.  Times were staggered, so breakfast started at 6:30 in AP, 6:45 in PC and 7:00 in Triton.  Second seating was staggered 7:45, 8:00 and 8:15.  This worked out amazingly well.  After breakfast, we grabbed our bags from the room (don’t bring them with you if you have young kids – just put them out of the way of your cabin steward and collect them later) then headed off the ship.  There was nobody in line and getting our bags was a breeze.  A friendly porter met us at the elevator, whisked us through customs and into line to wait for the Budget shuttle.

I’ll say it one last time…what a DD!

Conclusion

Overall Rating:  A-

Positive – Spacious family friendly cabins, excellent food and service, extensive kids facilities and activities, family friendly evening entertainment, spacious adult-only areas.

Negative –Small Splash Zone area, inadequate beach chairs/space on Castaway Cay, inflexibility from our cabin steward, price.

Note:  Disney Wonder would have received an Overall Rating of “A” but for an inadequate amount of space at Mickey’s Pool and Splash Zone.  We understand that they have addressed this when designing the Disney Dream (debuting in 2011).

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

If you enjoyed these photos and would like to see more, visit Photo Friday at Deliciousbaby.

Disclosure