Do you think a 3 night DCL cruise in January will sell to members?

[bobbiwoz]

I can't do the September one, but I will be free in January. However, the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward our original plans, doing a cruise that's a partial crossing of the Panama Canal during that time. I want to go where the weather should be significantly warmer, and where I'm pretty sure I could get some snorkeling in.

I've taken a chances with cruises during hurricane season and have had some great cruises. The MC in '05 was diverted to Port Everglades for the return due to Ophelia, but that's as inconvenienced as we've been. Do you think DVC can SELL a January cruise to the Bahamas to it's member at the prices they're asking? I'm not biting. Will you try for the January cruise?

Bobbi

 

[disneynutz]

I think that Disney can sell anything that they put their name on.

Bill

 

[tammymacb]

Not me. If I was biting- and I'm not- I'd go for September. I've been in the Caribbean that time of the year, and I've froze. Going to CC in January, you better bring a parka.

 

[Anal Annie]

You wouldn't get me on a 3-night cruise again unless it was a give-away. But that's 'cuz we don't like the 3-night cruises. SOMEBODY will go though.

(Plus the 3 night ones are even more over-priced than the 4 night ones.)

 

[genmasjoy]

Not me. I am thinking about trying for September 16. We went on a Dream cruise in September 2011 and it was perfect, and I've been wanting to go on a member cruise. However, January is likely to be cold and it would not be fun to go to Castaway Cay in cold weather. Plus, three days is just too short.

 

[Doug7856]

Not me. I am thinking about trying for September 16. We went on a Dream cruise in September 2011 and it was perfect, and I've been wanting to go on a member cruise. However, January is likely to be cold and it would not be fun to go to Castaway Cay in cold weather. Plus, three days is just too short.

We would consider it -- but I haven't looked at the prices; however, I believe the January 2013 cruise is the same time as the 1/2 Marathon and I have a goal to run that race, so the January 2013 is not an option for us.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

I don't get it. What is the allure of these cruises? I guess I could see going if there were some great member appreciation rates...good laugh right? Also who wants to pull the kiddos out of school? We are going on the June 2, 2013 4 day cruise and it is cheaper! What am I missing?

 

[bobbiwoz]

We would consider it -- but I haven't looked at the prices; however, I believe the January 2013 cruise is the same time as the 1/2 Marathon and I have a goal to run that race, so the January 2013 is not an option for us.

It seems to me that the marathon weekend is the first whole weekend in January, so this wouldn't be it.

Brrrrr, that's what I don't want at CC, cold weather. I just found out that our Panama Canal cruise will be in February that year, so now, I'm back to having to make the decision based on the cruise's merits, and I'm not sure there are too many.

 

[Doug7856]

It seems to me that the marathon weekend is the first whole weekend in January, so this wouldn't be it.

You may be correct. I was at a runDisney event and discussed the dates with the cast member and put them in my calendar at the time, but that would place the marathon weekend a week later than normal.

I did look at the cruise pricing and I think we will pass. I don't see added value for the DVC events.

 

[pyrxtc]

I'm actually going to call for January. We can afford for all of us to go on 2 yrs worth of points. I don't have to rent them out and use the cash, it will only cost us to get down there and then we're good. 3 nights is a good starter cruise for someone like me who has never cruised before. January at CC is sure to be warmer than NH in January. I can afford, on points, to squish the 5 of us in one room or to split us into two rooms for the January cruise but am short points for September. For September it would cost me cash or only allow four of us to go.

We have January's in FL for the past few years, I think I'll survive on a cruise as long as it doesn't snow on us.

We also don't plan on Disney trips for the next few years so at least we'd be using our points and not letting them sit.

 

[tammymacb]

I hope you have a fabulous time. I really do.

I just want to warn you that if you get cold weather, you have no idea how cold it feels on a cruise ship.

In 2010 we took a cruise the week that we had that godawful cold surge that ran all the way down into the Caribbean. It was 40 something in Belize. ( And it actually was dusting snow in Port Canaveral when we were waiting to board ) I watched people attempt to carry food on trays across the Lido deck to have a gale of wind take their entire meal over the side of the ship. It was very choppy, so we actually couldn't tender to Grand Cayman ( and sometimes in bad weather, they can't dock at CC ) We wore jeans and long sleeves every day. The dude who hands out beach towels by the pool was handing out plaid fleece blankets. I was going absolutely crazy because everything indoors was jam packed because there was NO ONE on the deck. It kind of sucked.

Chances are you'll have much better weather than we had, but be prepared. When you expect that "any weather will be better" sometimes it's not.

http://globalfreeze.wordpress.com/tag/freezing-cold/

 

[JimC]

We took our only three night cruise on the Dream earlier this month. We enjoyed it, especially our table mates for dinner -- all central Floridians. Yet it seemed rushed to us, too tight a turn from arrival to departure.

A four night cruise is the optimum short cruise for us. It opens up options. We can visit Palo/Remy without missing any of the rotation restaurants. We have a relaxing day at sea to enjoy more of the ship's offerings. All in all a far more enjoyable experience. And the cost per day is favorable.

 

[El&Asmom]

We went in Jan '10 and had decent weather. In the afternoon at CC I was getting a bit cool, but we had sun each day. Even with the good Jan weather, we decided not to go in the winter on a cruise again. Just too expensive to take that chance.
I like cruising, but feel that overall it's just not cost efficient for a family of 5. Seems a bit crazy to drop $4-5000 on 4 nights but that's just me. I'll wait for a kids sail free cruise before we go again.

 

[pyrxtc]

We went in Jan '10 and had decent weather. In the afternoon at CC I was getting a bit cool, but we had sun each day. Even with the good Jan weather, we decided not to go in the winter on a cruise again. Just too expensive to take that chance.
I like cruising, but feel that overall it's just not cost efficient for a family of 5. Seems a bit crazy to drop $4-5000 on 4 nights but that's just me. I'll wait for a kids sail free cruise before we go again.

With points I'm not worrying about the cost, especially since I have been reading that ll the little expenses are covered like tip and tax and stuff. (correct me if I'm wrong) We have been waiting a long time for "kids cruise free" to happen again from a state we can afford to drive to or fly to.

 

[El&Asmom]

With points I'm not worrying about the cost, especially since I have been reading that ll the little expenses are covered like tip and tax and stuff. (correct me if I'm wrong) We have been waiting a long time for "kids cruise free" to happen again from a state we can afford to drive to or fly to.

Fair enough. In some ways my points are worth more to me than the $ I would spend on a trip. Only so many points I can borrow in a year.
Have fun. My kids loved the cruise and would love to go on another. Maybe when they're all old enough to enjoy it.

 

[Mom B]

I was really interested in it, but now having second thoughts. We typically go to WDW and Vero Beach that week in January anyway, and have never cruised before, so we thought it would be a good way to try it out. Maybe if it's less appealing to many, we'll have a better chance of getting through on the phone to get our booking! So I guess the jury is still out. I think I will get on the phone and try it and trust that fate will determine what is 'meant to be.'

 

[CMOORE185]

You slap the words "Members Cruise" on it and people will want to go, regardless of the time of year.

 

[Starr W.]

You slap the words "Members Cruise" on it and people will want to go, regardless of the time of year.

, yep that phrase will make the phones ring at MS on the given booking date.

 

[Anal Annie]

We went in Jan '10 and had decent weather. In the afternoon at CC I was getting a bit cool, but we had sun each day. Even with the good Jan weather, we decided not to go in the winter on a cruise again. Just too expensive to take that chance.
I like cruising, but feel that overall it's just not cost efficient for a family of 5. Seems a bit crazy to drop $4-5000 on 4 nights but that's just me. I'll wait for a kids sail free cruise before we go again.

With points I'm not worrying about the cost, especially since I have been reading that ll the little expenses are covered like tip and tax and stuff. (correct me if I'm wrong) We have been waiting a long time for "kids cruise free" to happen again from a state we can afford to drive to or fly to.

Fair enough. In some ways my points are worth more to me than the $ I would spend on a trip. Only so many points I can borrow in a year. Have fun. My kids loved the cruise and would love to go on another. Maybe when they're all old enough to enjoy it.

Not knowing any better we used points for a 4-night cruise not long after we bought our DVC. I think the 4-nights sucked down 392 points for the 3 of us in a Cat 10 (in July)!! 392 points! WOW. I look back now & wonder WHAT were we thinking? We only own 250 points so that was WELL OVER 1.5 years worth. Then we were out of points and didn't want to start the borrowing mode bcuz I knew that would be never ending so we had to pay OOP to go to Disney. How stooopid was that? We got 4 measley nights on a cruise and had to pay cash for 2 other trips when we could've stretched those points for 3 weeks in studios. NOT an even trade IMHO and we won't make that mistake again. In hindsight we should've used the cash spent on those 2 trips to do an add-on.

Kids Sail Free is only offered on cruises they're having trouble filling. I wouldn't hold my breath for it to be offered on the Dream OR the Fantasy for many years to come. It is sometimes offered on the Mexican Riviera cruises which are mainly in the off-season when people can't take kids out of school. (Plus the MR is an iffy destination lately so people are hesitant to go there.) Last summer they offered it on a couple of the longer early summer Med cruises. Again, it was like May & June when people's kids are still in school so you may have to be willing to sail during a time like that in order to take advantage of it. FWIW I've heard that some of those KSF cruises are so over-run with kids it's not even funny so it may detract from the over-all experience.

 

[sskem96]

I am hoping to book the Jan. cruise for us. None of us have ever cruised before, so we wanted to start with a short one anyway. It's at a time of year when DH won't have any trouble getting the time off for vacation, and the kids won't have to miss too much school. Our oldest daughter is turning 16 next December, so if we are able to book it, it will be her birthday present. We didn't think we were going to be able to take a vacation next year, but if we can use points and just have to get to FL, it will work out perfect.