Rebooking onboard. Still undecided.

[tomandrobin]

Originally Posted by SuzanneSLO

A potential issue with doing a dummy booking is buying travel insurance. The best options, including cancel for any reason and waiver of pre-existing conditions, usually need to be booked shortly after you make the deposit. I think that the date when you change the dates completely is treated as your deposit date, but this may not be true for all insurance providers.

Of course, it is not unusual to book a Disney cruise 18 months in advance. As a result, thinking about insurance way in advance is always often an issue. -- Suzanne

Private travel insurance will give you better options, more flexibility for a much lower cost.

[BWV Dreamin]

Just confirmed with DCL there are NO SAILINGS RELEASED yet for Sept, Oct. Nov, or December of 2013 for the Magic and the Wonder. So no, technically not ALL sailings can be booked 2 years ahead. No release date has been scheduled. There should be an announcement which is typically a week ahead of booking.

Your reasons for not releasing these dates have no more bearing than other speculation. Tis wise to get all perspectives.

If you like, Tom, feel free to explain the opening day booking frenzy and what goes on with cabin pricing on THAT day, then what typically happens a day or two later.

[carolina_yankee]

So, to sum up (as I understand it - Tom, please correct as necessary):

• You can still book dummy dates with a 10% deposit (instead of 20%) and receive an onboard credit (OBC) from Disney.
• If you tell DCL to attach your travel agent to the reservation, you will also get that travel agent's OBC based on their policy and the TA will manage the reservation for you.
• The OBC is no longer based on your Castaway Club status, but on the length of the booked cruise ($100 for 6 nights and under, $200 for 7 nights and longer).
• You can retain the OBCs if you change your dates, but you will be subject to whatever the current rules are for OBCs, not what they were when you booked the dummy date.
• Your TA will know the best way to move your sail dates to retain your maximum benefits.

Robin probably has the best insights, but I assume that DCL isn't releasing their 2014 dates yet because the Wonder and Magic itineraries could be up in the air. I've also heard rumors of Jamaica for DCL, which should affect the Fantasy's, Magic, and Wonder's itineraries. Then there's the whole Double-Dip 5 night Dream itineraries that are missing in 2013 and people want back. Disney may be waiting to see how things sift out before committing to 2014.

They have to evaluate how NY is doing, how the Wonder out of Miami is doing, and how the Magic out of Galveston is doing before they start locking things down.

I, too, have noticed a lot of whining and angst on the DIS, but if you read through the threads, I think you come up with the same summary above.

Dirk

[tomandrobin]

Originally Posted by BWV Dreamin

Just confirmed with DCL there are NO SAILINGS RELEASED yet for Sept, Oct. Nov, or December of 2013 for the Magic and the Wonder. So no, technically not ALL sailings can be booked 2 years ahead. No release date has been scheduled. There should be an announcement which is typically a week ahead of booking.

Hope....did you not read my post? I did not say all sailings were 2 years ahead. I said 1.5 to 2 years from the release date. I also gave the last scheduled cruise date for each ship. Please stop playing travel agent....you are not one, even if you read travel forums.

All cruise lines release cruise dates at 1.5 to 2 years out from sailing. Currently the Dream and Fantasy is available to book through the end of Dec 2013 (2 years from its original release date). The Magic is available through end of Aug 2013. which at that time it will probably dry dock. If the Galveston Cruises do well, more then likely it will be sent back to Galeston after its dry dock. The Wonder is available through end of Sept 2013. The Mexico itineraries have been canceled and DCL is still exploring winter itineraries to replace all the Mexico cruises. Maybe still have some Mexico, add more Hawaii, maybe add more from Miami.

The Wonder finishes its Alaska Cruises at end of Sept.

The Magic finishes its Mediterranean Cruise at end of August.

Both of those ship's itineraries were released over 1.5 years out of the last sailing. Clearly, DCL will be releasing/updating The Wonder and Magic in the fall and more then likely the dates will be through end of 2014, maybe into 2015.

[tomandrobin]

Originally Posted by carolina_yankee

So, to sum up (as I understand it - Tom, please correct as necessary):

• You can still book dummy dates with a 10% deposit (instead of 20%) and receive an onboard credit (OBC) from Disney.
• If you tell DCL to attach your travel agent to the reservation, you will also get that travel agent's OBC based on their policy and the TA will manage the reservation for you.
• The OBC is no longer based on your Castaway Club status, but on the length of the booked cruise ($100 for 5 nights and under, $200 for 7 nights and longer).
• You can retain the OBCs if you change your dates.
• Your TA will know the best way to move your sail dates to retain your maximum benefits.

Robin probably has the best insights, but I assumer that DCL isn't releasing their 2014 dates yet because the Wonder and Magic itineraries could be up in the air. I've also heard rumors of Jamaica for DCL, which should affect the Fantasy's, Magic, and Wonder's itineraries. Then there's the whole Double-Dip 5 night Dream itineraries that are missing in 2013 and people want back. Disney may be waiting to see how things sift out before committing to 2014.

They have to evaluate how NY is doing, how the Wonder out of Miami is doing, and how the Magic out of Galveston is doing before they start locking things down.

Dirk

Two things that need clarification.....

$100 for 6 nights and under, not 5 nights

You can retain the OBCs if you change your dates.

But it will be based on the current OBC available, not what was available when the original reservation was made.

The Wonder will sail Alaska, its the winter itineraries that need to be hashed out. The Mexico violence situation has messed up DCL plans for winter cruises.

The Magic will more the likely go back to Galveston for winter sailings. The last schedule release dates for the Magic wasn't longer cause Disney wanted to see positive cruise results first. Galveston and NYC are new cruise ports for Disney. From what I can tell, both seem to be doing good.

The one cruise ship that is not performing great yet is the Fantasy. I think with the size, the cost of a 7 day cruise and having a lot of "direct" competition is hurting sales.

[carolina_yankee]

Originally Posted by tomandrobin

Two things that need clarification.....

$100 for 6 nights and under, not 5 nights

You can retain the OBCs if you change your dates.

But it will be based on the current OBC available, not what was available when the original reservation was made.

Thanks, I'll update my summary. That makes sense. I'm a planner, so it just makes sense to me to book something the approximates what you want to do so you can lock it in and not worry about any policy changes. Of course, that means knowing you will cruise within the next 18 months or so!

The one cruise ship that is not performing great yet is the Fantasy. I think with the size, the cost of a 7 day cruise and having a lot of "direct" competition is hurting sales.

I've noticed the RCCL has at least two of their newest class of ships running the same itineraries during the summer as well as itineraries out of San Juan for the Southern Caribbean. I suspect the other main lines are doing the same. If I recall, this is the first time that DCL has summered in the Caribbean for 5-6 years, so the demand might not be there for summer cruises.

There's a thread on the DIS comparing the Allure of the Seas with the Disney Fantasy/Dream. While RCCL has many more activities on board, and some amazing designs, it just doesn't look like cruising to me. You can spend your whole day in the central portion of the ship and not even notice you're at sea. The idea of going to sea to skate an ice-rink, climb, a rock-wall, zipline over a deck, eat in an Englich pub (or Johnny Rockets), and gaze out from your stateroom onto an arboretum with no ocean view is all very strange to me.

But then, I'm used to people wanting Fun! Fun! Fun!, while I'm content to just gaze out at the ocean with my beverage and book of choice and classic sailing ambience while Disney music plays softly in the background!

Dirk

[jedwards]

Originally Posted by tomandrobin

Hope....did you not read my post? I did not say all sailings were 2 years ahead. I said 1.5 to 2 years from the release date. I also gave the last scheduled cruise date for each ship. Please stop playing travel agent....you are not one, even if you read travel forums.



The Wonder finishes its Alaska Cruises at end of Sept.

The Magic finishes its Mediterranean Cruise at end of August.

Both of those ship's itineraries were released over 1.5 years out of the last sailing. Clearly, DCL will be releasing/updating The Wonder and Magic in the fall and more then likely the dates will be through end of 2014, maybe into 2015.

Any ideas about the Wonder for after mid 2013?

[BWV Dreamin]

Hmmm, last I looked you didn't have to be a travel agent to post on this thread!

Please let me make the disclaimer that I AM NOT A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT .

However, an experienced sailor that has lots of information.

Originally Posted by tomandrobin

Hope....did you not read my post? I did not say all sailings were 2 years ahead. I said 1.5 to 2 years from the release date. I also gave the last scheduled cruise date for each ship. Please stop playing travel agent....you are not one, even if you read travel forums.



The Wonder finishes its Alaska Cruises at end of Sept.

The Magic finishes its Mediterranean Cruise at end of August.

Both of those ship's itineraries were released over 1.5 years out of the last sailing. Clearly, DCL will be releasing/updating The Wonder and Magic in the fall and more then likely the dates will be through end of 2014, maybe into 2015.

[BWV Dreamin]

Originally Posted by jedwards

Any ideas about the Wonder for after mid 2013?

No, many people are asking and waiting.

[BWV Dreamin]

Nicely put.

Originally Posted by carolina_yankee

So, to sum up (as I understand it - Tom, please correct as necessary):

• You can still book dummy dates with a 10% deposit (instead of 20%) and receive an onboard credit (OBC) from Disney.
• If you tell DCL to attach your travel agent to the reservation, you will also get that travel agent's OBC based on their policy and the TA will manage the reservation for you.
• The OBC is no longer based on your Castaway Club status, but on the length of the booked cruise ($100 for 6 nights and under, $200 for 7 nights and longer).
• You can retain the OBCs if you change your dates, but you will be subject to whatever the current rules are for OBCs, not what they were when you booked the dummy date.
• Your TA will know the best way to move your sail dates to retain your maximum benefits.

Robin probably has the best insights, but I assume that DCL isn't releasing their 2014 dates yet because the Wonder and Magic itineraries could be up in the air. I've also heard rumors of Jamaica for DCL, which should affect the Fantasy's, Magic, and Wonder's itineraries. Then there's the whole Double-Dip 5 night Dream itineraries that are missing in 2013 and people want back. Disney may be waiting to see how things sift out before committing to 2014.

They have to evaluate how NY is doing, how the Wonder out of Miami is doing, and how the Magic out of Galveston is doing before they start locking things down.

I, too, have noticed a lot of whining and angst on the DIS, but if you read through the threads, I think you come up with the same summary above.

Dirk