Any chatter about more 2016 dates?

[PrincessShmoo]

I believe the Wonder has to have the reimagine by a certain time, anyone know? That might help pin things down.

Well, she doesn't have to have the re-imagine at any time specifically. But I believe she is due for another dry dock/inspections within the next year or two.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

So if they are only in the Med Aug and Sept, do you think they will be in Norway/Baltics for both June and July, or maybe some other itineraries?

I had previously posted somewhere that I had seen the Magic on the Akureyri, Iceland port calendar twice in 2016 (in June and July). I checked not too long ago and now gone but that happens a lot. Who really knows!

Heather

Ps the dates were 6/24 and 7/18

 

[KalamityJane]

So there's this - http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...gination-potentially-confirmed-for-late-2016/

But that is mostly what I could find on it.

 

[KalamityJane]

So it looks like the Panama Canal expansion might be complete in early 2016 (it's at 84% complete as of 12/31/14). I really, really hope that they send the Magic through!

 

[chirurgeon]

So it looks like the Panama Canal expansion might be complete in early 2016 (it's at 84% complete as of 12/31/14). I really, really hope that they send the Magic through!

I'm hoping for the Magic too. It would give me all of the Disney Ships.

 

[dsnydaddy]

So it looks like the Panama Canal expansion might be complete in early 2016 (it's at 84% complete as of 12/31/14). I really, really hope that they send the Magic through!

I just sailed through the canal last September. The new canal may be 84% of the way complete but that final 16% is gonna be a killer! It did not look anywhere near complete. Add to that the fact that there may be some serious design flaws in the operation of the locks and you have a recipe for a big delay. The guy who gave the talks on our cruise was fairly pessimistic about the new canals future and once I saw it for myself it was evident to me that he may very well be correct.

 

[jtba]

the Wonder is listed for Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan from late May thru late August, 2016, in this Cruise Lines Agencies of Alaska document:

http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/All-ports-All-ships-2016.pdf

 

[gismo1554]

Im thinking we are looking at similar schedule to 2015 then for Magic & Wonder just possibly a swap in ships if they are doing dry dock in Cadiz

 

[Flossbolna]

the Wonder is listed for Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan from late May thru late August, 2016, in this Cruise Lines Agencies of Alaska document:

http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/All-ports-All-ships-2016.pdf

Interesting that it shows the Wonder in Victoria in late August, which has been a port on the transitioning cruises in the past. But I think she also went into dry dock there? I guess a dry dock would not show up on that port calender, so it seems that she will be travelling back down the coast.

It also seems from the port schedule that the Wonder arrives later and departs earlier than in previous years? Might mean more West Coast cruises before and after Alaska...

 

[gilsan]

We took our 1st cruise this past January and a few weeks ago got something in the mail with an offer to book our next cruise before March 6th and get 10% off.

So my guess is the new summer dates will come after March 6th

You could book something before March 6 to get on to your 10% and then move it it to your new date when the schedule is released.

 

[KalamityJane]

I just sailed through the canal last September. The new canal may be 84% of the way complete but that final 16% is gonna be a killer! It did not look anywhere near complete. Add to that the fact that there may be some serious design flaws in the operation of the locks and you have a recipe for a big delay. The guy who gave the talks on our cruise was fairly pessimistic about the new canals future and once I saw it for myself it was evident to me that he may very well be correct.

Bah. What did he say about the canal's future (like it wouldn't work at all? Or just severely delayed?) We're doing the PC trip as well which is why I'm so invested in this

 

[chinarider]

wanting to know.. looking to switch Oct PC crossing, hopefully for May 2016

 

[thndrmatt]

Got an e-mail today directly from DCL re: people shifting booking involving infants and the new infant rules (2015 cruises previously booked grandfathered in not affected, but new 2016 bookings are), and some of the verbiage was interesting:

"Please know that beginning on all sailings commencing on or after December 30, 2015, the minimum age to sail aboard Disney Cruise Line ships will be 6 months of age on most itineraries. In the event Transatlantic, Hawaii, and Panama Canal itineraries become available, the minimum age to sail on these itineraries is 1 year of age. At this time, no announcements have been made regarding additional 2016 sail dates."

 

[KalamityJane]

wanting to know.. looking to switch Oct PC crossing, hopefully for May 2016

Same here. I may try to make the Oct PC trip work, but May would work better (youngest would be over 3 and could use the kid's clubs in May).

 

[CTdaizy]

the suspense!!!

 

[Judyat]

Suspense yes! I'm glad to see we are not the only ones hoping for the PC in May, 2016. Looking forward to hearing something soon!

 

[dsnydaddy]

Bah. What did he say about the canal's future (like it wouldn't work at all? Or just severely delayed?) We're doing the PC trip as well which is why I'm so invested in this

Captain Puckett felt strongly that the plan to ditch the rail engines in favor of tugs was one that they were going to regret. Furthermore, if the tugs don't work as he predicts there will be NO infrastructure to install the rails. As a result the Panamanians will need to go back to the drawing board and re-engineer the locks. Neither a easy or cheap solution.

Essentially the rail engines keep the ship centered in the locks. Having the tugs do this job when the are not anchored and they are subject to the same ebb and flow that the ships are means that they will have a difficult time keeping the ship under control while entering and exiting the locks.

Now, from what I personnally saw, there was still a huge amount of digging and construction that needed to be done. It seemed to me that the scope of the unfinished work was such that finishing in a reasonable amount of time was doubtful.

I haven't even broached the subject of the experimental water saving plan that they have planned. I'm assuming that better minds than mine have determined that it will work. But it seemed overly complicated and very much like a perpetual motion machine.

 

[KalamityJane]

Captain Puckett felt strongly that the plan to ditch the rail engines in favor of tugs was one that they were going to regret. Furthermore, if the tugs don't work as he predicts there will be NO infrastructure to install the rails. As a result the Panamanians will need to go back to the drawing board and re-engineer the locks. Neither a easy or cheap solution.

Essentially the rail engines keep the ship centered in the locks. Having the tugs do this job when the are not anchored and they are subject to the same ebb and flow that the ships are means that they will have a difficult time keeping the ship under control while entering and exiting the locks.

Now, from what I personnally saw, there was still a huge amount of digging and construction that needed to be done. It seemed to me that the scope of the unfinished work was such that finishing in a reasonable amount of time was doubtful.

I haven't even broached the subject of the experimental water saving plan that they have planned. I'm assuming that better minds than mine have determined that it will work. But it seemed overly complicated and very much like a perpetual motion machine.

Thank you! Well, dang. Tugs do sound like an odd choice. Here's to hoping it may work... but sounds like it will probably be the Wonder going back through.

 

[rantnnravin]

do the west coast sailings -say, hypothetically, Vancouver to San Diego - sail close enough to the coast to be able to see it?

 

[BartmanLA]

Just sailed on the Wonder in Feb of 2015, and talked to some CM and they seem to think that the Wonder will do the PC in 2015/2016, but once the new locks are opened and functional sometime by 2017, they'll be able to accommodate ALL of the Disney Ships, if they get them opened by early 2016 they could send the Magic or either the Dream of Fantasy to do the Alaskan Summer Cruises as a test to see if they could book the larger ships for such trips. I do believe that the Wonder will do a full drydock/retrofit sometime in late 2016 or 2017 as it is the oldest of the fleet that hasn't been overhauled like the Magic was in 2013.