No More Galveston

[kristinfly2]

I am also sad to see Galveston go! We did our first cruise ever on the magic 11/3. The flight from Denver to Houston is about 1/3 to 1/2 the price it would have been to Orlando! It is also half the flight time, which makes a big difference when traveling with 4 kids. We also have to option of flying in the same day which we couldn't do to mco. We loved being on a smaller ship! We are planing to book another DCL cruise for next November and keeping my fingers crossed they offer some good deals!

 

[skypixy]

My family is cruising out of Galveston in March and we're very excited about the cruise but our airfare to get to Houston was insane. We ended up paying nearly $600 per person. For use to fly to Orlando a that exact same time would have cost $300-$350. Since we live in Minnesota we obviously have to fly to cruise so it would be nice to have had to purchase the most expensive tickets around. (Although we had a credit to use and only had to pay about $1000 total but that still stings.)

The flights to Houston from Chicago are 2x what we would pay to Orlando, with fewer choices. We will be on the Magic 12/21 only because it is a Christmas cruise that DCL offered an interline rate on. The ports? Eh, not so great. At least for us it is all about the DCL magic for a holiday sailing with family. Traveling to Texas for a cruise versus Florida & Cali? We will give it a try....

 

[Mommy2Emmy]

Also they should have advertised much more. I know this was talked about a while ago. Half a dozen billboards in the greater Houston area doesn't cut it. I heard one radio add months ago. If people don't know you're here how can they buy your product?

I agree! We live in NE TX, and when we've told people we are going on DCL in January, they had no idea that Disney is in Galveston now! We only knew because we were looking into a cruise anyway. We will be very sad if they stop using Galveston, because the ability to drive to port was what sealed the deal with DCL for us!

 

[Golden Rose]

Yeah, it is amazing how many people in Houston didn't hear, or didn't hear until recently that Disney was here.

My husband's boss actually said to him about two months ago, "Hey, I know you guys like Disney, do you know Disney Cruises just started going out of Galveston?" To which DH replied, "Um, yeah, you know that vacation I put in for November? That's the Disney Cruise out of Galveston my wife booked a year and a half ago on the first day it was available."

I was at a luncheon today with a group of women who could easily afford to take their families on a Disney Cruise at the full prices, and every single one of them that I mentioned the wonderful cruise we'd just done last month was shocked to hear that Disney was sailing out of Galveston. Every single one I happened to chat about it with. Several of them were VERY interested, particularly when my mother started talking about what good care they took of us in concierge, and how impressed she was with their attention to detail.

I continue to be sorry that DCL seems to have mismanaged their attempt to break into the market here. We've loved having them here and will be sorry when they leave. If they were hoping to get bookings mostly based on word of mouth to save on advertising dollars, they won't start seeing returns from that until more people have cruised out of Galveston and tell their friends about it. I was really delighted by our cruise, and I've told a lot of people about it in the 3 weeks we've been back, and I suspect that some of them will end up booking cruises. But word of mouth takes time, and they seem like they may not be willing to give it time.

 

[emma'smom]

We are from Ohio and sailing out of Galveston next month. I have to say the lack of easy transportation between Houston and Galveston is somewhat daunting. Yes, DCL offers transfers---but we are used the MCO/Port Canaveral approach where one can easily do a one-way car rental. The transfer for an outsider seems so much more expensive and that much more of a hassle!

 

[tajz90]

I don't believe they were looking to keep a ship in Galveston permanently.

And I agree, their is an issue with transfers.

 

[cruisecrasher]

We went over Thanksgiving week and the director said 80% of the people on that sailing were Texan. I've read similar citations in other Galveston trip reports.
I've told everyone I know that DCL was coming for the last year. Many of them booked their cruises 2-3 months out because if they're used to cruising locally "that's when the best deals are". I know. Not so much usually on DCL, but between KSF and verandah for the price of ocean view how can I convince them otherwise?
At my kids' private school, 3/8 of the preschoolers in my DDs class sailed DCL this fall, 2 are going this spring. My sons kindergarten class is the same way. On our cruise I kept running into people I'm acquainted with from the Woodlands area. Now that my vacation pics are on Facebook, I get frequent questions as well.
So I think they're getting quite a bit of local referrals word of mouth wise.
I'm confused why we assume they're leaving when the website says:
New Itineraries and Ports for 2014
Get ready to explore dazzling destinations in 2014! Disney Cruise Line is offering cruises departing from such popular home ports as Miami, Florida, Port Canaveral, Florida and Galveston, Texasand sailing to spectacular ports of call in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...8&CMP=EMC-DCLFY13Q12014ItinsFrontAnnounce0006

I'm still super disappointed as I have to reschedule a big family cruise for not during my 10th anniversary. But we're willing to push it off by 6 months and see what shakes out.

 

[NancyIL]

Everyone keeps saying during the school year is not a good time. How did DCL fill ships out of other ports during the school year? The causes for the low sales out of Galveston are not rooted in the school calender.

The problem with Galveston is that it's in Texas and not Florida! You can't combine a WDW trip with a cruise from Galveston, and the token day at WDW on a few cruises isn't enough.

 

[cruisecrasher]

The problem with Galveston is that it's in Texas and not Florida! You can't combine a WDW trip with a cruise from Galveston, and the token day at WDW on a few cruises isn't enough.

Which would be why the ship is mostly pulling locals.

 

[ksucats]

How do you find out how full the ship is for your dates? Thanks.

I am basing my opinion on the fact that there is no meet thread started here yet & the cruise is only 4 months out. I have asked a couple times and seems I only got one or two responses from people on the cruise. My previous cruises have had a ton of activity on these boards. Also the fact that prices haven't increased at all & virtually every cabin type is still available.

 

[jenerra11]

I am basing my opinion on the fact that there is no meet thread started here yet & the cruise is only 4 months out. I have asked a couple times and seems I only got one or two responses from people on the cruise. My previous cruises have had a ton of activity on these boards. Also the fact that prices haven't increased at all & virtually every cabin type is still available.

That's exactly what I was going through when I booked my March 15 cruise out of Galveston. I started a meet thread and only one person responded; that person wasn't even sure that they would be on the cruise. That cruise today still has tons of cabins left.....I bet my last dollar that Disney will be discounting these March sailings soon.

 

[ksucats]

That's exactly what I was going through when I booked my March 15 cruise out of Galveston. I started a meet thread and only one person responded; that person wasn't even sure that they would be on the cruise. That cruise today still has tons of cabins left.....I bet my last dollar that Disney will be discounting these March sailings soon.

I am debating whether to move mine back prior to the PIF date. Although I have a good rate, I won't be thrilled if they start offering big discounts to last minute bookers.

 

[kristinfly2]

I just looked at the 3/23 magic sailing out of Galveston and it has tons of open rooms and main dining available! Wish they would offer a special on this one. It's over spring break here!

 

[tajz90]

I just looked at the 3/23 magic sailing out of Galveston and it has tons of open rooms and main dining available! Wish they would offer a special on this one. It's over spring break here!

Maybe they will. Spring break is the week before for several Texas areas.

 

[jenerra11]

I am debating whether to move mine back prior to the PIF date. Although I have a good rate, I won't be thrilled if they start offering big discounts to last minute bookers.

I strongly believe you should. In fact, If it hadn't been for the KSF cruise that I booked, I would have done the same thing. When I told the Disney Rep that this cruise wasn't selling, he suggested that I get travel insurance so that if the price fell after my penalty date, I would be covered. For this reason, I think they know something is about to happen.

 

[ksucats]

I strongly believe you should. In fact, If it hadn't been for the KSF cruise that I booked, I would have done the same thing. When I told the Disney Rep that this cruise wasn't selling, he suggested that I get travel insurance so that if the price fell after my penalty date, I would be covered. For this reason, I think they know something is about to happen.

I am interested to know about the travel insurance. We do have insurance through Disney. I didn't think that covered anything related to prices dropping.

since we have another 30 days or so until the PIF date, I will hold off making any changes. If the situation still looks the same around Christmas, I will probably move my cruise date & hope for a big price drop.

 

[jjje]

The prices for those March cruises are dropping. In addition to the kids sail free deal the price of our room has dropped over $300 since I booked it. I'm hopeful it drops a bit more before I have to pay for the whole thing.

 

[Minnie321]

We went over Thanksgiving week and the director said 80% of the people on that sailing were Texan. I've read similar citations in other Galveston trip reports.
I've told everyone I know that DCL was coming for the last year. Many of them booked their cruises 2-3 months out because if they're used to cruising locally "that's when the best deals are". I know. Not so much usually on DCL, but between KSF and verandah for the price of ocean view how can I convince them otherwise?
At my kids' private school, 3/8 of the preschoolers in my DDs class sailed DCL this fall, 2 are going this spring. My sons kindergarten class is the same way. On our cruise I kept running into people I'm acquainted with from the Woodlands area. Now that my vacation pics are on Facebook, I get frequent questions as well.
So I think they're getting quite a bit of local referrals word of mouth wise.
I'm confused why we assume they're leaving when the website says:
New Itineraries and Ports for 2014
Get ready to explore dazzling destinations in 2014! Disney Cruise Line is offering cruises departing from such popular home ports as Miami, Florida, Port Canaveral, Florida and Galveston, Texasand sailing to spectacular ports of call in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...8&CMP=EMC-DCLFY13Q12014ItinsFrontAnnounce0006

I'm still super disappointed as I have to reschedule a big family cruise for not during my 10th anniversary. But we're willing to push it off by 6 months and see what shakes out.

I agree - I am not dismissing it yet either because from what I understand one of the big complaints about the cruises from Galveston was that there were not summer dates, so if only the beginning of 2014 is going to be out tomorrow then I am assuming it is not the summer dates - maybe they decided to do something in the summer - because don't forget they did just recently sign a 2 year contract with the port of Galveston - and yes I realize that is probably pocket change to them, but why would they have done it when they knew at that time the cruises were not selling.

 

[Meghatron]

because don't forget they did just recently sign a 2 year contract with the port of Galveston - and yes I realize that is probably pocket change to them, but why would they have done it when they knew at that time the cruises were not selling.

Contract means absolutely nothing to DCL. If you don't believe me, ask any DISer who lives in the Southwest US who now can't cruise without flying despite the Port of Los Angeles having a contract.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[kristinfly2]

The way I read the article that was posted on here from a Texas newspaper, was that the contract was for 2012 and 2013.