Disney Cruise newbie

Hi all! I need some help. I am not new to cruising at all, but new to Disney cruising, and I know this is a whole other beast.

I can plan a walt disney world vacation like the back of my hand but cruising, forget it. I need help.

I am looking to go Jan or Feb 2017. I know that the booking is not open yet.

But..

1) WHEN does it open?

2) How can I get an idea of routes before it opens? I know when it opens you need to book ASAP to get the best rate.

We are open to length of cruise, ship, port, etc. I just want to take my kids on a Mickey ship! So help me out - what do I need to know and do? Thanks!

We can make logical guesses based on past years, but no one knows for sure what DCL will do.

Best guess--the Dream and Fantasy will continue what they are currently doing out of Port Canaveral. Dream basically alternates 3 and 4 night cruises and the Fantasy does 7 nights with Saturday departures. There are sometimes small variations due to holidays whatever, but this is the normal schedule.

The Magic and Wonder are totally "up in the air" as to 2017. It will depend on how the sales go with the current ports. They will have Miami and Galveston departures as well as Port Canaveral in the winters of 2015 and 2016.

As to release dates, the current history has been to release in sections of about 1/3 of the year. Dream and Fantasy cruises may release for the entire year or may wait till things for the other ships are finalized. Typically the release is about 18 months before cruising. My suggestion is that you can either keep your eyes open here, or a better way in my opinion is to make contact with a good travel agent who specializes in DCL and will notify you when they learn the release date. The agency I use typically finds out when the release will be only 1-2 days before the actually day 1 bookings begin. Day 1 is typically reserved for gold and platinum Castaway Club members, day 2 is open to everyone. Since you are doing an "low season" cruise, I wouldn't anticipate much difference in price between day 1 and day 2 or 3. Any cruise with new ports, etc. will be priced at a premium and sell more quickly.

Also, keep your eyes open; if 2016 is at all a consideration, you might find some discounted fares (restricted fares called *GT) available 75-90 days before the cruise date.

Sorry that I can't be more precise about releases.

... a better way in my opinion is to make contact with a good travel agent who specializes in DCL and will notify you when they learn the release date. The agency I use typically finds out when the release will be only 1-2 days before the actually day 1 bookings begin. Day 1 is typically reserved for gold and platinum Castaway Club members' date=' day 2 is open to everyone. Since you are doing an "low season" cruise, I wouldn't anticipate much difference in price between day 1 and day 2 or 3. Any cruise with new ports, etc. will be priced at a premium and sell more quickly.[/quote']

 

We're regular cruisers but we've never sailed Disney. My husband and I will be celebrating a milestone anniversary in July 2016. I can think of nothing I'd like to do more than go on a cruise with our beloved grand daughter (now 11 months old) and, oh yes, our son and daughter-in-law. To me, that means a Disney cruise.

 

We're regular cruisers on another line that would be a disastrous fit with such a young passenger. But I hear that Disney is as wonderful an experience for the adults as for kids. How do I identify a Disney cruise specialist? I know you're not allowed to name your travel agent, but are there any key words you recommend for a productive search beyond "DCL specialist"?

I am not a travel agent, and know only what I have learned from agents I've spoken with...so if any of this info is not accurate, I'm sorry.

My understanding is that there are 3 levels of Disney training for agents. The first is an on line thing that any agent who sells Disney should have. The second is an in person course which is offered around the country. And the final step is the training that is given by invitation at WDW. And, if only one agent has done only the first level, an agency can hang up a sign proclaiming themselves "Disney specialist."

OK, what I look for...and I'll tell you that I use an agency that does a lot of on line business...is an agency that does things MY way. They will communicate with me by 800 number, e-mail, or snail mail. They are open "extended" hours; not 24/7, but they are open on evenings and weekends. EVERY agent has been to WDW and on at least one of the ships within the last couple of years. Various agents have done Adventures by Disney trips; not everyone has done each trip, but there is someone in the agency who can give you the inside info on them. The agency is big enough that some agents have specialty areas like insurance or international air; when I have a question in those areas, they put the right person on the phone or get an answer from that person. On the less important side--I love that the agents are not on commission. What that means is that if I call at 8 pm, the agent on duty is happy to help me as he/she is just as much "my" agent as the person who did the booking. And they have a "bricks and mortar" office so my info is accessible if I call. Every agent except one has been with the agency for some huge length of time like 15 or 20 years (I'm hedging because I don't want to mis-state). And the one new agent is great...new = a couple of years. It is a full service agency; by this I mean that they sell all sorts of products and cruise lines, not just Disney. They will happily sell me Disney insurance, but they actually recommend a couple of other companies. If I wanted to do an African safari, they can book that. On some of the longer cruises, they have arranged some private excursions which they then offer to their clients. I've done 2 of these. One was quite literally the best excursion we have ever done and was maybe 1/3 the cost of a similar DCL excursion (but ours was better!) The other was probably about the same as a similar DCL excursion, but we had a smaller vehicle and group. They do give an onboard credit. Some agencies give a bigger credit, but I've never seen an agency give better service.

I do not work for them, I have no connection with them other than the fact that I'm a very satisfied customer.

What I do not like in an on line agency (and I consider these red flags)...an agency who will deal with you on line only...a "get a quote" page where they want you to fill in all your info about the cruise and then they will tell you exactly what you would have gotten off the DCL website...a place where the "agents" are a loose collection of people working from their smart phones, some of questionable training and experience.

I have found that I get better service and answers from this agency than I can from any local agency (and I have checked out a couple of local ones). I am able to punch computer buttons and get answers--if that is all the agent is doing, I don't need them. I like the personal experience--the fact that the agents have cruised recently. You may have better local agencies than I have.

After 30+ Disney cruises, I'm perfectly able to book on my own. The benefits of a great agency keeps me coming back to them.

Hope this helps.....

We have done about half of the Disney Cruises that moki'smommy has done and plan to do many more. We have booked all of them with DCL or DVC, but I can see many merits to use a TA as described in the previous post. I assume a TA can't mange a reservation booked through DVC? (We have had DVC for many years and it's a sunk cost to us, so we use it for some of our cruises). Airfare is always a challenge as we live on the west coast. I will research TAs with your comments in mind. Thanks.

We have done about half of the Disney Cruises that moki'smommy has done and plan to do many more. We have booked all of them with DCL or DVC, but I can see many merits to use a TA as described in the previous post. I assume a TA can't mange a reservation booked through DVC? (We have had DVC for many years and it's a sunk cost to us, so we use it for some of our cruises). Airfare is always a challenge as we live on the west coast. I will research TAs with your comments in mind. Thanks.

When you pay for a cruise using DVC points, DVC is essence becomes your travel agent. No, a travel agent cannot book for you if any part of your cruise is on points.

That said, we often pair a WDW points stay with a cruise paid in dollars. No problem there--I book the WDW thru DVC and let the TA book the cruise. We do not find cruising on points to be a good use of our points...but that is another debate. The biggest issue is the $95 booking fee, which is charged AGAIN if you need to make changes to your reservation and the restrictions applied when you use points should you need to cancel the cruise. Cruising on cash gives us a lot more flexibility.

is there a benefit to using a TA or booking through Disney directly?

is there a benefit to using a TA or booking through Disney directly?

DCL offers one price for everyone, whether you book through a TA or through them directly.

Certain TA's may offer you an on-board credit, but that comes from their commission.

And in response to a different issue noted above, I have used an online TA both times I've sailed DCL and have been very happy with their service.

 

I won't mention their name here, but if you search for a much more popular DCL board/Disney podcast, they are the sponsor/host.

If it is the agency I'm thinking of, I booked with them once and never again. I think it all depends on the agent.

I use a different agency now that has a large on line presence but also operates by phone, mail, etc. Your choice. They are a full service agency, meaning that they sell a huge array or products (not just what you did by "requesting a quote" when in reality you typed in all your details for them!) They will advise re travel insurance, air arrangements, etc. and book those privately if you request. THey also often arrange special excursions for their clients on some of the more atypical cruises--Europe, Alaska, etc. And give a nice OBC.

As above, the price is the same no matter how you book. The perks may change and you get the least by booking directly thru DCL. ANYTHING you can get thru DCL, a good agent who knows what they are doing can get you!

is there a benefit to using a TA or booking through Disney directly?

We just booked our first cruise with Disney, and did it directly online from the DCL web site. It was a piece of cake. If you go that route, set up your profile ahead of time. In the time it took me to create my profile, someone grabbed my original room. It worked out as two other rooms came open and we liked one of those better.