2014 Itineraries?

[poohs_hunny]

Does anyone know when the 2014 itineraries will be released? I am trying to organize a family reunion cruise for the summer of 2014 and want to be ready with some basic decisions about it when the schedule is released so that we can book ASAP to get the best rates. I'm thinking it will be within the next couple of months since I booked my June 2012 cruise in Oct. of 2010. Thanks for any info you can give!

 

[NY Disney fan]

Royal Carribean and Carnival have 2014 dates already (up until May), I don't know why Disney waits so long.

 

[GoofyTwinDad]

Royal Carribean and Carnival have 2014 dates already (up until May), I don't know why Disney waits so long.

Disney does not do anything without alot of thought. IMHO, I think they are having a difficult time filling all four ships. If they open up 2014 and they have creative itineries, there will be alot of movement to rebook to 2014.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does anyone know when the 2014 itineraries will be released? I am trying to organize a family reunion cruise for the summer of 2014 and want to be ready with some basic decisions about it when the schedule is released so that we can book ASAP to get the best rates. I'm thinking it will be within the next couple of months since I booked my June 2012 cruise in Oct. of 2010. Thanks for any info you can give!

Rumor has it, around October.

 

[lbgraves]

DCL just released the last of the 2013 dates last month, so don't expect 2014 anytime soon.

 

[aan1701]

Royal Carribean and Carnival have 2014 dates already (up until May), I don't know why Disney waits so long.

Cause they want us to think that they will be doing something really cool, then just announce the same ole boring stuff like they did with the rest of 2013. I have a theory on one thing that will happen, and that is since they switched the Magic and Wonder for the end of 2013 I would expect the same for 2014. This would include the Wonder going to Europe for sailings and for a extended drydock like the Magic is getting next year.

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[jdb in AZ]

Which ship/itinerary interests you? If you're planning to sail on the Dream or the Fantasy, they're contracted to use Port Canaveral, so it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out what their schedules will be. Their 2013 itineraries were released months before the Wonder the Magic, because their contracts with the port don't give them a whole lotta flexibility. The Fantasy currently sails every Saturday and rotates between the eastern and western caribbean itineraries.

Has your family indicated which dates will work best? When DH and I coordinated cruises for the extended family, there were so many conflicting activities -- sports, summer camp, different school schedules across several states -- on our last cruise there was only one week out of the whole summer that everybuddy could go. We still ended up leaving one little family behind because the mommy was preggers and her morning sickness did not mix well with seasickness.

Anyway, it would be helpful if you knew exactly which dates you're looking at, so that when DCL gets around to releasing their itineraries, you'll be ready to book the first day. And it wouldn't hurt to have a Plan B and even a Plan C for different itineraries on different cruise lines, just in case someone balks at the Disney price tag, or the same boring itineraries.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Does anyone think NYC will be a possibility for 2014 or are those days gone?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Royal Carribean and Carnival have 2014 dates already (up until May), I don't know why Disney waits so long.

Conversely, DCL had the last half of 2013 up before RC did. In January this year the hubby's family all decided to shoot for everyone sailing on RC's Allure for Thanksgiving week 2013. DCL already had those dates out but RCI didn't. In fact, the day or day after we sailed on our Magic cruise in May RCI released the stinkin' itineraries. We were like 5 days after my BiL & MiL booking their staterooms and paid $500 more than my BiL for a step down in stateroom category(s). Totally burnt my tookus. Oh well. We can't win 'em all, right?

I'm going to get the hubby to give me some solid input on a holiday cruise for 2014 so I can book on opening day with a dummy booking. It's hard to think in terms of how old our sons will be. Just the thought of them being 17 & 18 is a little bit of a --> moment.

 

[NancyIL]

I think only the 2014 Dream and Fantasy itineraries will be released in the fall - based on what DCL has done with the 2013 Magic and Wonder cruises this year. I don't foresee anything different for the Dream Bahamas cruises - other than some 5-night double dips at Castaway Cay. DCL could substitute different ports on their 7-night eastern and western cruises on the Fantasy, but they haven't shown much imagination in their itineraries lately!

 

[ang2383]

Does anyone think NYC will be a possibility for 2014 or are those days gone?

I would love it if disney came back to nyc too!

 

[rosermama]

I would like them to add Puerto Rico back to the schedule I didnt see it for 2013 & I would rather go there than ST Marten

 

[Cruisin Castaway]

I would like them to add Puerto Rico back to the schedule I didnt see it for 2013 & I would rather go there than ST Marten

The Fantasy will be going to Puerto Rico instead of St. Maarten in 2013 for the January-April Eastern sailings.

 

[sandiegosusie]

I was in charge of our Family Reunion cruise back in 2009. Huge undertaking for 28 people, but worth it! We all had a blast. Whatever you do, remember to get a group rate...if you book 8 cabins or more, at least with Costco. We got one person for free so we split the savings with all the families.

 

[poohs_hunny]

Which ship/itinerary interests you? If you're planning to sail on the Dream or the Fantasy, they're contracted to use Port Canaveral, so it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out what their schedules will be. Their 2013 itineraries were released months before the Wonder the Magic, because their contracts with the port don't give them a whole lotta flexibility. The Fantasy currently sails every Saturday and rotates between the eastern and western caribbean itineraries.

Has your family indicated which dates will work best? When DH and I coordinated cruises for the extended family, there were so many conflicting activities -- sports, summer camp, different school schedules across several states -- on our last cruise there was only one week out of the whole summer that everybuddy could go. We still ended up leaving one little family behind because the mommy was preggers and her morning sickness did not mix well with seasickness.

Anyway, it would be helpful if you knew exactly which dates you're looking at, so that when DCL gets around to releasing their itineraries, you'll be ready to book the first day. And it wouldn't hurt to have a Plan B and even a Plan C for different itineraries on different cruise lines, just in case someone balks at the Disney price tag, or the same boring itineraries.

This is exactly why I was asking if anyone had an estimate on the release date. Right now I am in the very beginning stages of asking who in the family may be interested (big family so can't just make a few phone calls). Once I have an idea of who may be going, we will discuss length of cruise and narrow down some dates. I assumed that the Dream and Fantasy would be sticking with their typical itineraries, but the other two ships are the wild cards. If one does sail from New York during our time frame, I think that would win out since most of the family live in CT and that would mean no need to book flights.

 

[poohs_hunny]

I was in charge of our Family Reunion cruise back in 2009. Huge undertaking for 28 people, but worth it! We all had a blast. Whatever you do, remember to get a group rate...if you book 8 cabins or more, at least with Costco. We got one person for free so we split the savings with all the families.

Interesting... One of my tablemates on my recent cruise mentioned discounts are offered for more than 8 rooms. I asked my TA about it and she said no discounts are available for large bookings. Maybe it's just a Costco thing. My parents were Costco members for years, but not anymore.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Interesting... One of my tablemates on my recent cruise mentioned discounts are offered for more than 8 rooms. I asked my TA about it and she said no discounts are available for large bookings. Maybe it's just a Costco thing. My parents were Costco members for years, but not anymore.

Our TA said Disney doesn't discount large groups, tho she was able to get us great rates on other cruise lines.

I doubt we'll ever need that many rooms again, but it would be good to know whether it's a Costco thing or what.

 

[rosermama]

The Fantasy will be going to Puerto Rico instead of St. Maarten in 2013 for the January-April Eastern sailings.

I should have clarified I was hoping for the Dec time frame but really want it for 2014

 

[mgroshans]

I would like to see a ship return to NYC in 2014, sober can take advantage of it- couldn't this year

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Interesting... One of my tablemates on my recent cruise mentioned discounts are offered for more than 8 rooms. I asked my TA about it and she said no discounts are available for large bookings. Maybe it's just a Costco thing. My parents were Costco members for years, but not anymore.

What the poster mentioned is what RCI does. I know that. Maybe the poster was talking about them. I don't think DCL does any discounting for groups either. Right now I'm part of a team organizing a pretty substantial group that currently has more than 8 rooms. Somehow a little extra moolah is coming into play but it could also very well be coming from the TA. My TA friend has been helping organize and the owner of the agency she works for is involved (& cruising with us). There's been mention of looking into a group dinner at Palo or something extra for everyone like maybe a private event with whatever the $$ is. Again, not sure where or how exactly that $$ is coming into play. Could very well be something the agency is doing.