Podcast Cruise 4.0 - 12/08/2012

[mainegal]

We always earmark our on board credits for tips first and foremost

This is my 1,000th post!!!

Nice thing to do. I was thinking of putting it toward Palo.

Congrats on post 1,000!

 

[BriarRosie]

Okay, first time cruiser, long time DISer here. What does the shipboard credit mean?

For me, it meant, "Cool. Extra spending money."
If you're reading this, you've probably seen the posts listing the OBC from the DU bookings.

I used my OBC and some accumulated Disney Visa Rewards to buy my DCL Dooneys.

So in a sense, FREE DOONEYS!

 

[paulasillars]

DCL offers some terrific perks for rebooking on board that can not be found anywhere else and if you disembark the ship without rebooking....you lose them. There is no way to secure them once you get off the ship.

That being said......you can change your mind once you get home and have your full deposit returned without penalty.

This is the reason for my badgering people about rebooking.

It's usually the best deal around and it's only available while on board.

Also make sure they process your dummy booking properly. On the WBTA we requested a dummy date. We got the quote and a note to ring the cruise desk to confirm if we wished to go ahead - which we did, thinking that was the end of it.

Only to find out after leaving the ship that they had not processed it! Its not like we are regular cruisers so how were we to know what to expect and if we had to do anything further?

I had a number of emails back and forth with DCL and basically had to argue that it was entirely due to their stuff up and not our problem. They finally backed down and reinstated our dummy booking... which is now PCC4.0.

I found there were others in the same situation - I think they were so busy that some bookings were being dropped.

 

[mdvlprof]

This is my 1,000th post!!!

on 1000.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

"You'd be a dummy not to book a dummy date"

What worked for me was knowing that I could get my deposit back easily. And putting down the smallest possible deposit by booking a the lowest catagory cabin on the shortest farthest away date for the dummy date.

How do you figure what the shortest farthest away date for the dummy date is? Ideally what I would like to do is: when we are on our Sept cruise this year I'd like to book a dummy date (with DU) and then transfer it to the PCC4 date - that we already have booked with DU if possible plus book another dummy date just in case. I assume I would try and book the same date as PCC4 and then transfer later when we return home if space is available. But I don't when what date I would use to book the other dummy date.

 

[mainegal]

How do you figure what the shortest farthest away date for the dummy date

Just ask the person at the booking desk.
I am sure people do it all the time.

I am not sure about everything else you asked.

 

[BriarRosie]

How do you figure what the shortest farthest away date for the dummy date is? Ideally what I would like to do is: when we are on our Sept cruise this year I'd like to book a dummy date (with DU) and then transfer it to the PCC4 date - that we already have booked with DU if possible plus book another dummy date just in case. I assume I would try and book the same date as PCC4 and then transfer later when we return home if space is available. But I don't when what date I would use to book the other dummy date.

I can't see why you can't book the PCC 4.0 date referencing DU as your travel agent at the cruise rebooking desk. You could probably work something out with DU prior to your cruise so DU is aware you're trying to get the rebooking discount on the ship AND want to be part of the official PCC 4.0 group.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

I can't see why you can't book the PCC 4.0 date referencing DU as your travel agent at the cruise rebooking desk. You could probably work something out with DU prior to your cruise so DU is aware you're trying to get the rebooking discount on the ship AND want to be part of the official PCC 4.0 group.

I think I can do that as long as there is still space available for PCC 4.0 I didn't want to take any chances - that's why I have already booked with DU for that.

 

[Cherinva]

We always earmark our on board credits for tips first and foremost

This is my 1,000th post!!!

Congrats on the 1,000th post !!!!

 

[DisneyKevin]

How do you figure what the shortest farthest away date for the dummy date is? Ideally what I would like to do is: when we are on our Sept cruise this year I'd like to book a dummy date (with DU) and then transfer it to the PCC4 date - that we already have booked with DU if possible plus book another dummy date just in case. I assume I would try and book the same date as PCC4 and then transfer later when we return home if space is available. But I don't when what date I would use to book the other dummy date.

Please write to Tracey H. at TraceyH@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com.

She will be happy to help you figure all of this out and make your vacation less stressful.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

Please write to Tracey H. at TraceyH@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com.

She will be happy to help you figure all of this out and make your vacation less stressful.

Thanks Kevin, I'll do that when the cruise gets a bit closer.

 

[mjaclyn]

Can someone tell me what the weather will be like in the Caribbean in December? I'd like to book Podcast Cruise 4.0 but am wondering about how cool it will be. Can we still swim and lay out at the beach?

Also, are the seas rougher at that time of year? I have pretty bad motion sickness. Is the ship decorated for Christmas at that time or is it later in the month?

Thanks!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Can someone tell me what the weather will be like in the Caribbean in December? I'd like to book Podcast Cruise 4.0 but am wondering about how cool it will be. Can we still swim and lay out at the beach?

Also, are the seas rougher at that time of year? I have pretty bad motion sickness. Is the ship decorated for Christmas at that time or is it later in the month?

Thanks!

Christmas decorations will be up.

The weather is far less predictable.

On the last Podcast cruise, the weather was COLD and windy, but it was cold and windy pretty much everywhere.

We've also been on December cruises that were much warmer.

Also, please keep in mind that the last PCC was a 4 day cruise.

PCC 4.0 is a seven night cruise and will go deeper into the Caribbean and hopefully, that will mean warmer weather.

 

[mnra]

Can someone tell me what the weather will be like in the Caribbean in December? I'd like to book Podcast Cruise 4.0 but am wondering about how cool it will be. Can we still swim and lay out at the beach?

Also, are the seas rougher at that time of year? I have pretty bad motion sickness. Is the ship decorated for Christmas at that time or is it later in the month?

Thanks!

Like Kevin said it was cold and windy but the captain did a great job of givening us a bright sunny day at castaway cay. We where able to lay out but the water was cold on the island. The pools however where very nice and warm. we have booked for podcast 4 and are hoping for nice weather but even if cold the group of people on the ship with the podcast are great

 

[Cherinva]

Can someone tell me what the weather will be like in the Caribbean in December? I'd like to book Podcast Cruise 4.0 but am wondering about how cool it will be. Can we still swim and lay out at the beach?

Also, are the seas rougher at that time of year? I have pretty bad motion sickness. Is the ship decorated for Christmas at that time or is it later in the month?

Thanks!

I did a search for the average temps, and it said that 80 was the average high in December.

 

[mjaclyn]

Thanks everybody!!

One more question about the ship being decorated... Are there decorations everywhere with Christmas music playing, big tree, and characters in holiday outfits or is it more subtle?

The reason I'm asking is that my family actually does not celebrate Christmas so I'd like to know what to expect... If it's more seasonal decorations or if the whole ship is covered and everything from the restaurants to the kids clubs have special Christmas activities, menus, etc.

 

[Cherinva]

Thanks everybody!!

One more question about the ship being decorated... Are there decorations everywhere with Christmas music playing, big tree, and characters in holiday outfits or is it more subtle?

The reason I'm asking is that my family actually does not celebrate Christmas so I'd like to know what to expect... If it's more seasonal decorations or if the whole ship is covered and everything from the restaurants to the kids clubs have special Christmas activities, menus, etc.

We were on the Wonder in December and the ship wasn't overly done. The entrance way had a large tree, and the banisters were decorated with garland. I'm not sure about the characters, I never saw any, but that's not say that they weren't around at some point. They did have Santa out for pictures. I didn't hear any Christmas music either.

 

[jcb]

I was on the PCC 2.0 cruise and it was cold most of the time. Cold for the Caribbean isn't New York, cold of course. We did the same cruise in 2008 and it was much warmer. Going further south, as Kevin said, is hopefully going to mean warmer temps. Odds are it will be warmer.

Decorations. In addition to the ship's atrium, expect Castaway Cay to have some decorations. There is a tree and snow people as you disembark, the tram will have antlers and tails and there will be scattered wreaths throughout the island. It is not pervasive.

Mickey and Minnie will wear some subtle Christmas themed tops. The photos I have from 2008 and 2010 show them in a green background with a poinsettia print.

I'll try to put up photos of the Wonder later today (what the Fantasy will do is anyone's guess). I have a gutter full of leaves to deal with first.

 

[mainegal]

At WDW in December, Christmas/seasonal music was everywhere. I don't remember any on the ship.

The decorations on the ship are nice, but not over the top "Christmas". Sort of what you would see at a mall. If your family does not celebrate Christmas, but you live with the American way of doing seasonal decorations in December, you will be okay. You will see Christmas on some people's doors and fish extendenders.

My December trips to WDW in 2006 and 2008 were much warmer than the trip in 2010. I am hoping for warmer in 2012. Plus, going south and west should help in terms of air and water temperatures.

 

[Justin Jett]

At WDW in December, Christmas/seasonal music was everywhere. I don't remember any on the ship.

The decorations on the ship are nice, but not over the top "Christmas". Sort of what you would see at a mall. If your family does not celebrate Christmas, but you live with the American way of doing seasonal decorations in December, you will be okay. You will see Christmas on some people's doors and fish extendenders.

My December trips to WDW in 2006 and 2008 were much warmer than the trip in 2010. I am hoping for warmer in 2012. Plus, going south and west should help in terms of air and water temperatures.

You did not see the big Christmas tree in the atrium????? It was very hard to miss. The Gingerbread House too!

Also, there was a very nice mix of Christmas music and Disney songs around the ship. Also, Castaway Cay has Christmas decorations too. Even the trams were dressed up.