andrews_dad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2009
Last second cruise. Friends of ours invited us along when they booked 10 days in advance. Took me several days to apply for get approved for time off of work. We were on the April 7th 4 day cruise on the Dream. We booked via phone at 9:45 PM on April 4th. Thought wed share our experience for others doing a last minute booking.
I had a 5% off Pharmacy reward coupon at Target, plus the Red Card 5% discount. So, I went to Target about 8:45 PM on April 4th and purchased $2300 in Disney gift cards. I threw in some other cruise supplies like sunscreen and swimming attire. With the two 5% discounts, very nice savings and as of that day both 5%s applied to the gift cards. Attempted to book online with the gift cards, but the website said a max of 3 types of payment. So, I called and read off gift card numbers to a very patient cast member. My target carries on $50 increments, so I read off $2100 worth (price was that for 2 adults, 1 child, 1 infant). We booked a verandah guarantee, as it was cheaper than an inside or outside guarantee at that late hour. No idea how that all works, but the inside guarantee was the most expensive room on the ship still left at that time? Odd.
Looked at other booking suite before we pulled the trigger by calling Disney. Expedia, Travelocity, and a few others saying they offered discounts on last minute sailings. They all came in the same or more as Disney.com. Some travel agencies would not even allow us to get a quote as we were too last minute for them to get things processed.
Target s Disney gift cards were live and active just an hour after I bought them all. Booked via phone. We got a confirmation email the next AM, but did not get the luggage tags and book of info until we were back from the cruise! More on that later. The confirmation email had no room number upon it. Again, more on that later.
Booked flights on Southwest out of Baltimore. Not the cheapest we ever flew, but not terrible. Cost us 90,000 Southwest points for the 4 of us (infant needs a seat as she is over 2). Used Wendies code for Budget for a Ford Escape for $225 after fees and taxes (with the coupon) for all 10 days. I later found out that you can rent your car at the dock and not pay for days on the cruise ship.. live and learn. We ended up with a 10 day vacation, 4 on the ship and other days at SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Magic King/Epcot.
Drove to the dock, and pulled up to a cast member to check us in while we still in car. She assigned us a room number. Pulled to curb and porters helped us pile up our bags. They had generic tags and wrote our room number upon them. Inside the terminal to check in. There we find out the room number we were given was already booked. Ugh. Down to the supervisors area at the end of the desk area. Literally took us 45 min to an hour to get to the front and get done. We ended up in a 4A stateroom, room 9134. Very nice room. Our bags ended up in the hallway of the first room we were assigned on level 7, though. And the people that got the room on level 7 recd our castaway club gift for being returning members! Oops. Then, on the 2nd night of the cruise a man with his luggage showed up at our door saying hed been re-assigned to our room. LOL. I called and did get the castaway bookbag and trinkets for returning cruisers, and that man found a new home. Plus, my 4 year old son never was correctly assigned to my room. Caused a tad of confusion with the automatic tips and at the kids club, but got it all figured out.
Booking that late I was assigned 2nd seating for dinner. With a 4 year old and 2 year old, eating that late is not an option. Called twice while aboard to beg for a switch and got message machine both times. Instead, I walked to the Enchanted restaurant 2 house before first seating and asked to see the manager in charge. Tipped him $40 and he found us first seating for my party, plus the friends we were traveling with all at one table. Try that trick if you are in desperate need! He was busy and was very kind, so I was happy to offer up the $40.
Cruise was amazing. Dream is much better for kids than the Wonder with the Nemo reef, Kids club, Aqua Duck, mini-golf, the missing puppies adventure, etc. We will certainly aim for Fantasy or Dream again next time.
I used my last gift cards on board to pay off the tips and on-board charges. Works like a charm. I know BJs club also sells Disney gift cards for less than face, so use that trick to save some cash, folks!
In the end, the last second booking was a success. Ended up in a great room. Had a great cruise. Of course, early booking would have allowed me to get a better rate on flights, rental car, and been able to research to know about dropping the car at the port and picking a new one up on the other end of the cruise! Some issues with reservations and getting my room number assigned, but understandable with a last second deal. Did not damper my cruise. So, if a cruise leaves in 4 days that you are eyeing up, go ahead and do it! lol
I had a 5% off Pharmacy reward coupon at Target, plus the Red Card 5% discount. So, I went to Target about 8:45 PM on April 4th and purchased $2300 in Disney gift cards. I threw in some other cruise supplies like sunscreen and swimming attire. With the two 5% discounts, very nice savings and as of that day both 5%s applied to the gift cards. Attempted to book online with the gift cards, but the website said a max of 3 types of payment. So, I called and read off gift card numbers to a very patient cast member. My target carries on $50 increments, so I read off $2100 worth (price was that for 2 adults, 1 child, 1 infant). We booked a verandah guarantee, as it was cheaper than an inside or outside guarantee at that late hour. No idea how that all works, but the inside guarantee was the most expensive room on the ship still left at that time? Odd.
Looked at other booking suite before we pulled the trigger by calling Disney. Expedia, Travelocity, and a few others saying they offered discounts on last minute sailings. They all came in the same or more as Disney.com. Some travel agencies would not even allow us to get a quote as we were too last minute for them to get things processed.
Target s Disney gift cards were live and active just an hour after I bought them all. Booked via phone. We got a confirmation email the next AM, but did not get the luggage tags and book of info until we were back from the cruise! More on that later. The confirmation email had no room number upon it. Again, more on that later.
Booked flights on Southwest out of Baltimore. Not the cheapest we ever flew, but not terrible. Cost us 90,000 Southwest points for the 4 of us (infant needs a seat as she is over 2). Used Wendies code for Budget for a Ford Escape for $225 after fees and taxes (with the coupon) for all 10 days. I later found out that you can rent your car at the dock and not pay for days on the cruise ship.. live and learn. We ended up with a 10 day vacation, 4 on the ship and other days at SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Magic King/Epcot.
Drove to the dock, and pulled up to a cast member to check us in while we still in car. She assigned us a room number. Pulled to curb and porters helped us pile up our bags. They had generic tags and wrote our room number upon them. Inside the terminal to check in. There we find out the room number we were given was already booked. Ugh. Down to the supervisors area at the end of the desk area. Literally took us 45 min to an hour to get to the front and get done. We ended up in a 4A stateroom, room 9134. Very nice room. Our bags ended up in the hallway of the first room we were assigned on level 7, though. And the people that got the room on level 7 recd our castaway club gift for being returning members! Oops. Then, on the 2nd night of the cruise a man with his luggage showed up at our door saying hed been re-assigned to our room. LOL. I called and did get the castaway bookbag and trinkets for returning cruisers, and that man found a new home. Plus, my 4 year old son never was correctly assigned to my room. Caused a tad of confusion with the automatic tips and at the kids club, but got it all figured out.
Booking that late I was assigned 2nd seating for dinner. With a 4 year old and 2 year old, eating that late is not an option. Called twice while aboard to beg for a switch and got message machine both times. Instead, I walked to the Enchanted restaurant 2 house before first seating and asked to see the manager in charge. Tipped him $40 and he found us first seating for my party, plus the friends we were traveling with all at one table. Try that trick if you are in desperate need! He was busy and was very kind, so I was happy to offer up the $40.
Cruise was amazing. Dream is much better for kids than the Wonder with the Nemo reef, Kids club, Aqua Duck, mini-golf, the missing puppies adventure, etc. We will certainly aim for Fantasy or Dream again next time.
I used my last gift cards on board to pay off the tips and on-board charges. Works like a charm. I know BJs club also sells Disney gift cards for less than face, so use that trick to save some cash, folks!
In the end, the last second booking was a success. Ended up in a great room. Had a great cruise. Of course, early booking would have allowed me to get a better rate on flights, rental car, and been able to research to know about dropping the car at the port and picking a new one up on the other end of the cruise! Some issues with reservations and getting my room number assigned, but understandable with a last second deal. Did not damper my cruise. So, if a cruise leaves in 4 days that you are eyeing up, go ahead and do it! lol
