DCL 2014 Do you go or just say NO!

[EDH Family]

Seems like all the are the ones who booked over the summer and spring break.

Agreed.... Off peak sail dates are priced accordingly. For those that think Spring Break and Summer rates are high, try another cruise line. We did... Can't wait to go on the Oasis again...

 

[Wadekind]

Moved a dummy date but won't use it at the price we booked. It is getting harder for us to see where the Disney difference is worth the cost.

 

[pyramid2000]

I guess I was just shocked at the dates we were looking at. We usually can book off-season, but with one in college, we have to be less flexible (she won't be with us if we do our 4-day extended family cruise this April and is very sad ).

So I looked for the second week of March when she has a week off and I was shocked. About $2000 more than we are used to ($7277 for 3A/2K in a 4D Fantasy). Guess college break is as big as Easter break??

Thought maybe doing the first week of January since the other kids would just be "extending" their winter break, but it is again a Western and we've never been able to swing an Eastern. Looked around on RCCL and can do Freedom of the Seas over Christmas break in 2 verandas for the price of March and no one would miss school (let alone it is much cheaper if we did original dates).

Decisions are getting tough. College DD was the biggest balker of doing another cruise line and youngest thinks it blasphemy to not be home on Christmas day. Just waiting it out...

 

[Dawn414]

HOLY RUSTED METAL...I know the Eastern itineraries are typically higher with the extra sea day, but after reading some of the posts here, I did an inquiry between the 8/24th Eastern sailing in 2013 and the 8/23 Eastern sailing in 2014. YOWZA! It's like a $2K difference. THANKFULLY...we are using DVC points to pay for the cruise. Otherwise, it wouldn't be happening. And ironically, the DVC points for the 2014 cruise are less because it put the 8/23 sailing in 'Regular" season versus "High Regular Season" which is where it is in 2013. Bizarre.

I also have to agree with the overall quandary. I LOVE LOVE LOVE all things Disney, but in some cases, just cannot justify the difference in cost. We are heading to Alaska in June (2013). I would have LOVED to do the trip via Disney, but the price of an Inside cabin on Disney gets me a verandah on Royal. I actually like that itinerary a little better too. So...we will still do Disney where we can...but other cruise lines are definitely in the hunt at this point.

 

[RedSox68]

We are heading to Alaska in June (2013). I would have LOVED to do the trip via Disney, but the price of an Inside cabin on Disney gets me a verandah on Royal. I actually like that itinerary a little better too. So...we will still do Disney where we can...but other cruise lines are definitely in the hunt at this point.

These are the reasons we booked our cruise this past year on HAL. We got a verandah room for $1,000 less than on Disney, AND HAL went through Glacier Bay, which Disney does not. Soooo worth it as we saw tons of stuff in Glacier Bay and had a blast with the National Park Rangers. Plus HAL stayed in some of the ports longer than on Disney's itineraries.

 

[bluenosemickey]

I priced up many cruises, was prepared to just book one and think about it later. But with the price increase, I just couldn't do it.

 

[JnDRader]

Honestly we're getting a 7-night eastern on fantasy in May 2014 for about what we had to pay for a 4-night on the dream this past summer. We're actually fairly pleased. Yes, other cruise lines can be much less but the entertainment in DCL is more in line with what we're comfortable with and we're willing to pay for it. We're pretty stoked. Turks and Caicos in 2013 and DCL again in 2014!

 

[Dawn414]

I'm wondering ... if the major price hike is only for August? I've seen a couple posts (including my own) state that. Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the kids' school schedule and we enjoy going around our anniversary...So August it is!

 

[Tiger926]

We booked for August, as being a teacher, I can only go July or August, and August is cheaper than July.

We paid $4875.00 for Fantasy Western in August - Cat. 9B (2A, 2C). Granted it was a GTY rate, so a bit cheaper, I think?

On the other hand, once you take out the onboard discount though which not everyone will qualify for, compared to the rate we got in August, the price increase is very substantial. In fact, we booked our August cruise from a few months ago, 18 months in advance with no onboard discount, so in that respect, the exact same 2014 cruise is $1300 more!!!!

We expected a bit for inflation, but subtract the onboard discount, and we thought we would pay around the same or slightly less, so these prices are nuts!

Hoping it comes down in price, as the prices are high! Tiger

 

[RedxPanda]

We're doing a DCL 5 night out of Miami in January. Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Earlier this year we did Magic out of PC to the Bahamas. These are the only cruises in 2014 that are even close to what we're willing to pay. We don't want to sale the same thing again, just yet.

That being the case, we're going back to NCL, most likely. There is a cruise out of Tampa that goes to Honduras, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Belize. We could sail it B2B with enough money to spend onboard/excursions for the price of 7 nights on Fantasy. CRAZY! We have sailed both and would be happy on both. If we really want the Disney touch, we can go to the parks and get photos and entertainment.

We want to sail out of FL, so unless something different comes up for the rest of 2014, those are most likely our plans. We're not quite ready for Alaska, but I do hope DCL sails there when we are! We will hold on to our OBB for when we are more able to use it.

 

[canyoncam]

I have booked for May 3rd Eastern on the Fantasy. Since the beginning I have taken 5 May cruises and 3 in September. I have not noticed a significant increase in either. Just the normal inflation. I do notice there is not a significant difference in price between inside to oceanview or verandah. I have an 8A for only $80pp more than my friends in a 9D.

I have sailed Royal Caribbean and Celebrity during these monthes too and not had any significant price difference there. I have the May 4th sailing on Fantasy for 2013 (so I guess I am also content to do the same thing year after year). But I did price RCI for the Freedom of the Seas that same week, same islands (exept private ones) only a $180pp price difference for 2. Since I do prefer the Disney rooms & Castaway Cay, I will stick with them.

 

[sweetlovin']

I haven't booked yet. I already talked to my daughters teacher next year and explained that the price difference was over 2k Jan vs summer months. That being the case, I explained that she would be missing school. The teacher looked at me like I had two heads at first. "Are you talking about Jan next school year?" LOL! I explained that usually I am better off booking ahead or the prices increase.

I do have a question. I am booked on a Feb 14th cruise this year. Am I better off waiting and booking the Jan 14 cruise while on the cruise or am I better off booking now?

 

[FREEZIN]

Booked a 4 night and a 3 night back to back on the DREAM for Presidents week 2/16/14-2/20/14 and 2/20/14-2/23/14.Used two dummy cruises I had
and paid 6,000 with insurance and transfers.
2 adults,2 kids 16 & 13
Cat 5B Deck 8 Midship
I dont think it's that bad for school vacation week,plus that means 2 stops at
Castaway Cay.
I paid nearly the same for our upcoming presidents week 7 night Western(2/16/13).
Always going to pay a little more for school vacations weeks.

 

[sweetlovin']

Freezin - you get the entire week of president's week off of school?

 

[Silverfox97]

I have booked for May 3rd Eastern on the Fantasy. Since the beginning I have taken 5 May cruises and 3 in September. I have not noticed a significant increase in either. Just the normal inflation. I do notice there is not a significant difference in price between inside to oceanview or verandah. I have an 8A for only $80pp more than my friends in a 9D.

I have sailed Royal Caribbean and Celebrity during these monthes too and not had any significant price difference there. I have the May 4th sailing on Fantasy for 2013 (so I guess I am also content to do the same thing year after year). But I did price RCI for the Freedom of the Seas that same week, same islands (exept private ones) only a $180pp price difference for 2. Since I do prefer the Disney rooms & Castaway Cay, I will stick with them.

That's because u are cruising off season. The inflated prices are spring break & summer. You are lucky!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Silverfox97]

We paid $4875.00 for Fantasy Western in August - Cat. 9B (2A, 2C). Granted it was a GTY rate, so a bit cheaper, I think?

A GTY isn't a rate; it's just that you don't have a room assigned. The cheaper rates are VGT/OGT/IGT.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[dizneekrazee]

I did not book, and had no intentions to, unless something really stuck out to me. I would have been interested in seeing one of the ships come back to CA. However, we are planning WDW in the later half of 2014, have been considering a 3 or 4 night cruise to the Bahamas. I, of course, would much prefer the 4 night, but chances are it will be the 3 or none. DBF doesn't want us taking that much time away from work, or kids from school. Our limit is generally 1 week, wherever we go.

 

[dbarker]

Yes! Aug 2, 2014, Fantasy Western Caribbean.

 

[Tiger926]

A GTY isn't a rate; it's just that you don't have a room assigned. The cheaper rates are VGT/OGT/IGT.

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I thought it was a cheaper rate, so I guess I was mistaken. We actually did get a room assignment right as we booked. Seems to have been some GTY glitch with our booking. Not a bad thing, as we loved the room, and we just booked it again!

That makes it even worse then, as the cruise difference is over $1300.00 between both cruises!!

Tiger

 

[Yokelridesagain]

By 2014 I will have done a Western and an Eastern...and given the rigmarole involved in getting on and off the boat and a 3+ hour flight to Florida I don't have much interest in cruises less than seven days. So, undecided. Hopefully they will do something other than sail four ships around the same puddle over and over again. Would consider going back to Alaska in summer if they did that again.