2015 sail dates?

[Meghatron]

I really would like to see summer sailings for Hawaii.

Summer in Hawaii would cut into the Alaska season, which is very popular.

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[tajz90]

Summer in Hawaii would cut into the Alaska season, which is very popular.

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Loved our Alaska cruise! Would love one or two other dates for Hawaii still.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Summer in Hawaii would cut into the Alaska season, which is very popular.

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I still think they could do a Hawaii cruise before the Alaska season or after (maybe alternate before and after year to year?).

 

[Meghatron]

I still think they could do a Hawaii cruise before the Alaska season or after (maybe alternate before and after year to year?).

But that would still be during the school year in May and September. The post I was responding to specifically wanted summer.

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[minximom]

My bet is the Baltic for the Magic. I really would like to see summer sailings for Hawaii.

Fingers crossed. Id love to book a Baltic 2015 cruise on my 2014 med cruise.

 

[deanimal]

Wouldn't it be awesome if they took 3 weeks out of the Alaska season (maybe in early summer when the weather often isn't great yet) and did 2 one way sailings from Vancouver to Hawaii and back? 10 or 11 days would give you 5 days for the islands and 5 or 6 days at sea and the one way would be legal if it started or ended in Vancouver. I know the Alaska cruises are a big money-maker for DCL and they won't likely change it, there are a few of us out there who aren't really that keen on Alaska and would like to go somewhere different in the summer without having to pay for a transatlantic flight.

 

[tajz90]

Wouldn't it be awesome if they took 3 weeks out of the Alaska season (maybe in early summer when the weather often isn't great yet) and did 2 one way sailings from Vancouver to Hawaii and back? 10 or 11 days would give you 5 days for the islands and 5 or 6 days at sea and the one way would be legal if it started or ended in Vancouver. I know the Alaska cruises are a big money-maker for DCL and they won't likely change it, there are a few of us out there who aren't really that keen on Alaska and would like to go somewhere different in the summer without having to pay for a transatlantic flight.

I think that's a great idea. I believe the sailing would be wildly popular Oh one can dream!!!!!

 

[NWmom]

Wouldn't it be awesome if they took 3 weeks out of the Alaska season (maybe in early summer when the weather often isn't great yet) and did 2 one way sailings from Vancouver to Hawaii and back? 10 or 11 days would give you 5 days for the islands and 5 or 6 days at sea and the one way would be legal if it started or ended in Vancouver. I know the Alaska cruises are a big money-maker for DCL and they won't likely change it, there are a few of us out there who aren't really that keen on Alaska and would like to go somewhere different in the summer without having to pay for a transatlantic flight.

They could even tie it in with Aulani.

I live near Seattle. I have seen a gazillion ads for Aulani over the last two years.

I have seen some ads for DCL for Dream ad Fantasy and their itineraries. Not once have I seen an ad for the Wonder Alaskan cruises.

If they had a one way from Vancouver to Hawaii with some time going around the islands, I would do that maybe a few days at Aulani, then fly home again.

It's actually cheaper for me to fly to Hawaii than to MCO.

 

[AquaDame]

It's actually cheaper for me to fly to Hawaii than to MCO.

Strange... I'm your neighbor in PDX and often find MCO to be a couple hundred cheaper than Hawaii for the two of us. I much prefer the nonstop to Hawaii than the gauntlet getting to MCO though!

 

[MousseauMob]

The problem is not where they're sailing. The problem is the combination of ONLY 7-night cruises with a market unfamiliar with the product and the school year. As I already said, the 2-nighters DCL has offered out of LA and San Diego sell fast and at much higher per person/per day rates than the problematic MRs. They can easily do 2/3/4 night closed-loop cruises to Ensenada, Catalina, Santa Barbara, target advertising to Disneyland visitors and passholders, and offer CA resident rates. You know, the strategy they successfully used in Florida to launch the brand in the first place.

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Add San Francisco and Astoria and they could be longer 7 night. Other cruise lines do it, and they don't have the Disneyland tie in. I'd be all over that, I'd love a Pacific Coast cruise.

 

[Meghatron]

Add San Francisco and Astoria and they could be longer 7 night. Other cruise lines do it, and they don't have the Disneyland tie in. I'd be all over that, I'd love a Pacific Coast cruise.

They tried Pacific Coast cruises. Apparently those didn't work, either, even with the Pixar theme. They need to introduce themselves to the market with more shorter cruises and only the occasional 7-night cruise as a specialty, especially if they're not going to be in SoCal during summer.

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[deanimal]

I would love to tie in a 3 or 4 day cruise out of LA with a Disneyland trip if the price wasn't too outrageous. A lot of people have a week for vacation and will spend 3 or 4 days at Disneyland, then move on to Universal, Seaworld, Legoland, the sights in Hollywood, etc because the Anaheim resort just isn't as big as Orlando. There are a few people who stay for a week at a time, but most folks feel like they can "do" Disneyland in a few days. Disneyland doesn't even sell tickets for longer than 5 days anymore! 3 days at Disney then a 4 day cruise would be a perfect vacation for our family!

 

[Seamama]

I would love to tie in a 3 or 4 day cruise out of LA with a Disneyland trip if the price wasn't too outrageous. A lot of people have a week for vacation and will spend 3 or 4 days at Disneyland, then move on to Universal, Seaworld, Legoland, the sights in Hollywood, etc because the Anaheim resort just isn't as big as Orlando. There are a few people who stay for a week at a time, but most folks feel like they can "do" Disneyland in a few days. Disneyland doesn't even sell tickets for longer than 5 days anymore! 3 days at Disney then a 4 day cruise would be a perfect vacation for our family!

I couldn't agree more! This would be perfect for our family. Or even 2 days at Disneyland and 5 days on a cruise would be great for us. It seems to me having (and marketing) some package deals like this would be exactly the right way to introduce DCL to people.... I hope someone from DCL reads this boards and uses all our posts as free market research

 

[Seamama]

Wouldn't it be awesome if they took 3 weeks out of the Alaska season (maybe in early summer when the weather often isn't great yet) and did 2 one way sailings from Vancouver to Hawaii and back? 10 or 11 days would give you 5 days for the islands and 5 or 6 days at sea and the one way would be legal if it started or ended in Vancouver. I know the Alaska cruises are a big money-maker for DCL and they won't likely change it, there are a few of us out there who aren't really that keen on Alaska and would like to go somewhere different in the summer without having to pay for a transatlantic flight.

Yes, we would totally do this! And I saw another post recommending a tie-in to Aulani, which I also think would be great. What I love about the one-way to Hawaii, too, is that (at least I'm guessing) that a lot of people would want to stay in Hawaii a bit longer than those round-trip cruises allow for. So this would leave things open ended for folks to either stay at Aulani a few days and go home OR stick around and explore around Hawaii for even longer. Love, love, love, it!

 

[MousseauMob]

They tried Pacific Coast cruises. Apparently those didn't work, either, even with the Pixar theme.

Ahhh, I must have missed these.

I would love to tie in a 3 or 4 day cruise out of LA with a Disneyland trip if the price wasn't too outrageous. A lot of people have a week for vacation and will spend 3 or 4 days at Disneyland, then move on to Universal, Seaworld, Legoland, the sights in Hollywood, etc because the Anaheim resort just isn't as big as Orlando. There are a few people who stay for a week at a time, but most folks feel like they can "do" Disneyland in a few days. Disneyland doesn't even sell tickets for longer than 5 days anymore! 3 days at Disney then a 4 day cruise would be a perfect vacation for our family!

I'd be all over this!

 

[RedSox68]

Just my opinion, but over the past couple of years or so it just seems to us that Disney is not "open" to seeking more new ports and changing it up with the Eastern and Western. I'm not in the industry, but when I see other cruiselines constantly changing their itineraries year to year, I feel that Disney just does not want to do the work to get licenses/permits for new ports

Makes me wonder if they sail out of New Orleans if they would finally add new ports like Belize, or whether we'd still be stuck with the same western and eastern itineraries.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Just my opinion, but over the past couple of years or so it just seems to us that Disney is not "open" to seeking more new ports and changing it up with the Eastern and Western. I'm not in the industry, but when I see other cruiselines constantly changing their itineraries year to year, I feel that Disney just does not want to do the work to get licenses/permits for new ports

Makes me wonder if they sail out of New Orleans if they would finally add new ports like Belize, or whether we'd still be stuck with the same western and eastern itineraries.

They're trying. Houston was a new port that didn't work. Last year they tried Hawaii, twice. They also pulled out of the Mexican Riviera cruises when the drug cartels scared away the tourists. They tried the Baltic, but haven't been back. The med cruises seem to be doing better, at least they're returning there next year. Alaska seems to be successful, even if they can't get permits to sail into Glacier Bay.

DCL was originally designed to just sail WDW customers to a private island, but their cruises became so popular they added more ships to the fleet. So they're still working out the growing pains. Better advertising would help. So would lower prices that are more in line with the rest of the industry.

 

[RedSox68]

They're trying. Houston was a new port that didn't work. Last year they tried Hawaii, twice. They also pulled out of the Mexican Riviera cruises when the drug cartels scared away the tourists. They tried the Baltic, but haven't been back. The med cruises seem to be doing better, at least they're returning there next year. Alaska seems to be successful, even if they can't get permits to sail into Glacier Bay.

DCL was originally designed to just sail WDW customers to a private island, but their cruises became so popular they added more ships to the fleet. So they're still working out the growing pains. Better advertising would help. So would lower prices that are more in line with the rest of the industry.

Yes, I am well aware that Disney has made great efforts overseas and kudos to them for keeping up with the industry. I think they will constantly be testing Hawaii in order to market Aulani.

But I was strictly speaking about Caribbean itineraries, not the U.S. ports they leave from. Let's face it, other than the VERY rare change (like adding San Juan or doing the 10-day Southern Caribbean cruise back in 2006), Disney has made very very very few changes to the Eastern and Western itineraries. After more than 14 years sailing those itineraries, I would think they could (by now) have altered the itineraries completely and not just add a port every other year or so. JMO

And you are very right on about pricing -- I have many friends and co-workers who want desperately to take their families on a Disney cruise, but they cannot afford it. They have sought out Carnival and NCL and RCCL instead. They get great itineraries for half what Disney wants. And they don't have the ridiculous pricing tier that Disney does where prices escalate by the thousands in one 24-hour period! Oh well, here's hoping their pricing will level off and when it does, we'll book another.

 

[lucas]

Yes, I am well aware that Disney has made great efforts overseas and kudos to them for keeping up with the industry. I think they will constantly be testing Hawaii in order to market Aulani.

But I was strictly speaking about Caribbean itineraries, not the U.S. ports they leave from. Let's face it, other than the VERY rare change (like adding San Juan or doing the 10-day Southern Caribbean cruise back in 2006), Disney has made very very very few changes to the Eastern and Western itineraries. After more than 14 years sailing those itineraries, I would think they could (by now) have altered the itineraries completely and not just add a port every other year or so. JMO

And you are very right on about pricing -- I have many friends and co-workers who want desperately to take their families on a Disney cruise, but they cannot afford it. They have sought out Carnival and NCL and RCCL instead. They get great itineraries for half what Disney wants. And they don't have the ridiculous pricing tier that Disney does where prices escalate by the thousands in one 24-hour period! Oh well, here's hoping their pricing will level off and when it does, we'll book another.

It is not just Disney. All the cruise lines go to the same Caribbean ports. There are only so many places the big ships can go.

 

[Tianni]

Well put I have been on the borad for about a year and amazed how much people know.

Hoping for dates out of New Orleans, 56 miles from front door.

56.... I gotcha beat!!! 25!! Bring on the magic or even the wonder!!!