DCL has tentative bookings at Honolulu Harbor in 2012!

[Horace Horsecollar]

Sounds great but why do they have to make these during the school year. I'd be all over it but ds will be in HS then.

The timing (May and September) is because that's when it makes sense to reposition the ship between Los Angeles (for Mexican Riviera cruises) and Vancouver (for Alaska cruises) and back again.

 

[diane648]

Last time I checked, it was 2 sea days from Hawaii to Fanning Island, and 2 sea days back. If you only spent 1 day on Fanning Island, that would only leave you 2 days of a 7-night cruise actually on Hawaii (not counting debarkation day). That's a LONG way to go for only 2 days in Hawaii!

Sayhello

I can't remember what our itinerary was specifically, but we did this on our Honeymoon 7 years ago. It was RT Honolulu, and we had day stops at Maui (Lahaina), The Big Island (Hilo), Nawillhili (Kauai) plus Fanning Island. If I remember correctly, it took 1.5 days to get to Fanning Island, so we left one port in the evening and arrived the day after the next.

 

[dllocals]

The timing (May and September) is because that's when it makes sense to reposition the ship between Los Angeles (for Mexican Riviera cruises) and Vancouver (for Alaska cruises) and back again.

That makes good sense for Disney. It'll make the west coast repo cruises a lot more interesting. For those of us that have school aged children it is a bummer. We would LOVE to treat ourselves to a cruise to Hawaii. A two week cruise in September or May would be too much time away from classes. We missed the first week of school in Sept. of 08 to do the EB Panama cruise, that wasn't too bad.

 

[danfromca]

The timing (May and September) is because that's when it makes sense to reposition the ship between Los Angeles (for Mexican Riviera cruises) and Vancouver (for Alaska cruises) and back again.

That makes good sense for Disney. It'll make the west coast repo cruises a lot more interesting. For those of us that have school aged children it is a bummer. We would LOVE to treat ourselves to a cruise to Hawaii. A two week cruise in September or May would be too much time away from classes. We missed the first week of school in Sept. of 08 to do the EB Panama cruise, that wasn't too bad.

I still don't see the logic of this. Consider:

• Disney likes to move ships during the summer (peak season) to exoctic places where they can charge a premium (Med, Baltic, Alaska).
• Repositioning cruises usually aren't as easy to fill - probably because of the dates/costs involved. But the West Coast repo seems to be selling well enough (cat 11 is gone).

Ok, maybe they think they'll be able to get a premium for an off-season Hawaii repo?

On the other hand - a Hawaii option on the way to the far-east makes sense.

• It fits the previous pattern (first med, Baltic, Alaska) of offering a unique opportunity.
• There will be plenty of past cruisers who will jump at the chance to visit a "new" location under the Disney brand/service.
• They'll be able to charge Baltic-like margins or higher.
• Tie in to three Disney parks (2 in Tokyo, one in Hong Kong) - some will take the cruise just to visit those parks for the first time.

From a business/profitability standpoint, A repo to Vancouver by way of Hawaii during the off-season just doesn't make sense. A repo to the far-east by way of Hawaii could be hugely profitable.

Remember - it's not just about giving us a treat or going to new places for the sake of going to new places. It's about profitability. I don't see the business case for Hawaii as a repo to Vancouver.

So I stand by my prediction: If they follow through with Hawaii, they'll go to Asia.

 

[ForTheLoveOfDCL]

We take our kids out and would do it for a 14 nighter too....They will learn and experience more on a 14 day cruise then they will in school. Plus we bring their work and my kids get almost all but nightly reading and math facts done on the airplane. Our family time is important to their development as well!! I am hoping for a hawaii cruise.....can't wait for October in hopes of this on the 2012 itinerary!!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

From a business/profitability standpoint, A repo to Vancouver by way of Hawaii during the off-season just doesn't make sense. A repo to the far-east by way of Hawaii could be hugely profitable.

Remember - it's not just about giving us a treat or going to new places for the sake of going to new places. It's about profitability. I don't see the business case for Hawaii as a repo to Vancouver.

So I stand by my prediction: If they follow through with Hawaii, they'll go to Asia.

Doing Alaska cruises in the warmer months and Mexican Riviera cruises in the colder months (with May and September repo cruises that often include Hawaii) is a tried-and-true business model for cruise lines with ships on the West Coast.

It seems to me that Disney is "jumping in" too.

While cruises to the far corners of the Pacific sound good, keep in mind that a cruise ship travels at a speed similar to a car driving carefully on a residential street. The Atlantic Ocean is small compared to the Pacific.

Disney is in the business of doing family-oriented cruises that are seldom longer than 7-nights. (Yes, I'm aware of DCL's longer cruises too.)

I'm not saying that DCL will never go to Asia. But if I were a betting man, I'd bet against it for 2012.

 

[danfromca]

Doing Alaska cruises in the warmer months and Mexican Riviera cruises in the colder months (with May and September repo cruises that often include Hawaii) is a tried-and-true business model for cruise lines with ships on the West Coast.

It seems to me that Disney is "jumping in" too.

While cruises to the far corners of the Pacific sound good, keep in mind that a cruise ship travels at a speed similar to a car driving carefully on a residential street. The Atlantic Ocean is small compared to the Pacific.

Disney is in the business of doing family-oriented cruises that are seldom longer than 7-nights. (Yes, I'm aware of DCL's longer cruises too.)

I'm not saying that DCL will never go to Asia. But if I were a betting man, I'd bet against it for 2012.

I'm not actually saying that I'd bet on it. What I do believe is that IF they do Hawaii in 2012, it will be as part of an Asia summer. I think there's a good chance the Hawaii port visits are just tentative and that they'll stick with the Alaska summer and cruise up the coast again.

As for Asia, DCL has done very well with the longer cruises on their first time in a new location. The first Med season and first Baltic had longer cruises and did very well. This year's med was not quite as strong I gather, which may be the reason they went with shorter Med cruises for 2011.

So I think they could do a summer in Asia and make it work. But it's far from a sure thing right now.

 

[clten]

I still don't see the logic of this. Consider:

• Disney likes to move ships during the summer (peak season) to exoctic places where they can charge a premium (Med, Baltic, Alaska).
• Repositioning cruises usually aren't as easy to fill - probably because of the dates/costs involved. But the West Coast repo seems to be selling well enough (cat 11 is gone).

I think that the northbound repo may be filling in 2011 only because it is tied to the first ever Alaska cruise. The southbound repo is not booking well at all. They are going to have to offer a stronger itinerary in 2012 to get people to book the repo to move the Wonder to Alaska. I don't think Alaska is going to be a one year itinerary. There is a lot of work that goes into researching and contracting with excursion operators. They won't throw that away after one season. So they have to get the Wonder up there and with more than a stop in San Francisco.

Ok, maybe they think they'll be able to get a premium for an off-season Hawaii repo?

There is no off-season for Hawaii. It's only "off season" for parents with school aged children. When DCL has offered strong repos (like the PC), they have easily filled them.

On the other hand - a Hawaii option on the way to the far-east makes sense.

I think this makes less sense. Look at their history in filling TransAtlantic cruises. They have struggled the first time they did it, they struggled this year and they will struggle next year. Long cruises with lots of sea days appeal to a limited market. Everyone says they'd love to cruise to Hawaii. But how many are going to put their money down when they find out it is a two week cruise with only one day in Hawaii and a very long flight home from Asia??

From a business/profitability standpoint, A repo to Vancouver by way of Hawaii during the off-season just doesn't make sense.

Historically, this is a tried and true repo between LA and Vancouver. Look at any of the cruise lines that move ships to Alaska. You'll see most of them -- Princess, HAL, RCCL, etc. -- do a Hawaii itinerary. So if it wasn't profitable, why do all of them do it??

 

[maria-fan-22]

when did we decide the Wonder was going to Hawaii. I think that the wonder is going to keep doin what its doin and the Magic will do Hawaii/Asia. And we don't yet know what other ports Disney is looking at. If they're plannign on basing Hawaii cruises in Honolulu then they'll want to reserve their spot early. Anything else they can "shop around" for ports of call.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

when did we decide the Wonder was going to Hawaii. I think that the wonder is going to keep doin what its doin and the Magic will do Hawaii/Asia. And we don't yet know what other ports Disney is looking at. If they're plannign on basing Hawaii cruises in Honolulu then they'll want to reserve their spot early. Anything else they can "shop around" for ports of call.

The reason for this thread was an article in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser called: The Wonder of Disney - A 2,400-passenger cruise ship is leaving Florida for the West Coast and might start sailing to Hawaii

http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20100613_The_Wonder_of_Disney.html

The article included this paragraph:

Although a Disney spokesman wouldn't comment on any of the company's cruise itineraries beyond 2011, the state Department of Transportation confirmed that Disney has tentative bookings at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor in May and September of 2012.

The timing of May and September is consistent with repositioning cruises when cruise lines move ships between between Los Angeles (Mexican Riviera cruises) and Vancouver (Alaska cruises). The DCL ship on the West Coast will be the Disney Wonder.

Yes, when the Disney Fantasy replaces the Disney Magic at Port Canaveral in 2012, the Disney Magic will go somewhere else. It could be Europe. It could be Asia. It could be a different U.S. home port (Gulf, East Coast, or West Coast). The Disney Magic could move around. The West Coast is unlikely because the Disney Wonder will already serve that market.

DCL won't base a ship in Hawaii because of the restrictions imposed by the PVSA of 1886. It just doesn't work. NCL tried the Fanning Island trick; the result was a "Hawaii cruise" that spent most of the week going to and from an island that had little to offer other than satisfying the foreign port requirement the PVSA.

 

[dllocals]

So I stand by my prediction: If they follow through with Hawaii, they'll go to Asia.

Ok danfromca,
You have got me thinking. Where in Asia do you think DCL will go? A cruise to Japan via Hawaii would be fun. But do you think DCL will give up on Alaska after one summer? Ok maybe they might skip a summer in Alaska for a summer in Asia.

We are booked on the Aug. 9th Alaska cruise anyway. So DCL in Asia would be something. I hope you are right!

 

[danfromca]

Ok danfromca,
You have got me thinking. Where in Asia do you think DCL will go? A cruise to Japan via Hawaii would be fun. But do you think DCL will give up on Alaska after one summer? Ok maybe they might skip a summer in Alaska for a summer in Asia.

We are booked on the Aug. 9th Alaska cruise anyway. So DCL in Asia would be something. I hope you are right!

Give up? No. Maybe take a summer off. Maybe send the Magic through the Canal to do that route.

It is my hope that a DCL presence on the west coast will be permanent. Of course, I'm biased since I live in California.

 

[dllocals]

It is my hope that a DCL presence on the west coast will be permanent. Of course, I'm biased since I live in California.

Us too!

 

[WilliamK99]

I still don't see the logic of this. Consider:

• Disney likes to move ships during the summer (peak season) to exoctic places where they can charge a premium (Med, Baltic, Alaska).
• Repositioning cruises usually aren't as easy to fill - probably because of the dates/costs involved. But the West Coast repo seems to be selling well enough (cat 11 is gone).

Ok, maybe they think they'll be able to get a premium for an off-season Hawaii repo?

On the other hand - a Hawaii option on the way to the far-east makes sense.

• It fits the previous pattern (first med, Baltic, Alaska) of offering a unique opportunity.
• There will be plenty of past cruisers who will jump at the chance to visit a "new" location under the Disney brand/service.
• They'll be able to charge Baltic-like margins or higher.
• Tie in to three Disney parks (2 in Tokyo, one in Hong Kong) - some will take the cruise just to visit those parks for the first time.

From a business/profitability standpoint, A repo to Vancouver by way of Hawaii during the off-season just doesn't make sense. A repo to the far-east by way of Hawaii could be hugely profitable.

Remember - it's not just about giving us a treat or going to new places for the sake of going to new places. It's about profitability. I don't see the business case for Hawaii as a repo to Vancouver.

So I stand by my prediction: If they follow through with Hawaii, they'll go to Asia.

LOL, first off, Disney is not doing Asia in 2012, its not going to happen. What Disney is doing is follow a blueprint many other cruiselines have done the past few years. Instead of going from LA to Vancouver for repositioning, they went from LA to Hawaii and then Hawaii to Alaska, this allows them to tie into their new resort and maybe even offer a land/sea package for the resort.

It makes no business sense for Disney to launch into a new area suddenly, remember it took years before Disney had the courage to try Europe....

Far East is not happening this year, I guarantee it.

 

[Pudo]

LOL, first off, Disney is not doing Asia in 2012, its not going to happen. What Disney is doing is follow a blueprint many other cruiselines have done the past few years. Instead of going from LA to Vancouver for repositioning, they went from LA to Hawaii and then Hawaii to Alaska, this allows them to tie into their new resort and maybe even offer a land/sea package for the resort.

It makes no business sense for Disney to launch into a new area suddenly, remember it took years before Disney had the courage to try Europe....

Far East is not happening this year, I guarantee it.

This was probably speculated, but I think the repo will be done in two parts to integrate Aulani. In May the Wonder will go to Hawaii from LA by way of Ensenada. The second leg of the repositioning will take the Wonder from Hawaii to Vancouver.

By breaking up the repo you now have what amounts to a long "Land & Sea" where you can stay at Aulani before or after the two Hawaiian cruises. The reverse would happen in September.

 

[ImprovGal]

Ok danfromca,
You have got me thinking. Where in Asia do you think DCL will go?

I'd like to see one-way cruises going from Hong Kong to Tokyo and then reversed. That would allow pre/post cruise stay tie-ins with both Disney park areas.

 

[clten]

This was probably speculated, but I think the repo will be done in two parts to integrate Aulani. In May the Wonder will go to Hawaii from LA by way of Ensenada. The second leg of the repositioning will take the Wonder from Hawaii to Vancouver.

By breaking up the repo you now have what amounts to a long "Land & Sea" where you can stay at Aulani before or after the two Hawaiian cruises. The reverse would happen in September.

But you can't go from LA to Hawaii via Ensenada. This was allowed years ago but not any more. To do a one way, they would have to sail from Ensenada. It's a very inconvenient detail and I can't see DCL making this move in 2012 just to market their new resort.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

This was probably speculated, but I think the repo will be done in two parts to integrate Aulani. In May the Wonder will go to Hawaii from LA by way of Ensenada. The second leg of the repositioning will take the Wonder from Hawaii to Vancouver.

By breaking up the repo you now have what amounts to a long "Land & Sea" where you can stay at Aulani before or after the two Hawaiian cruises. The reverse would happen in September.

There are a number of posts in this thread explaining why Disney cannot legally break the cruise into two parts. In short, it's because Los Angeles and Honolulu are both U.S. ports; DCL operates foreign ships; and there's an 1886 law called the PVSA that Disney must abide by.

There will not be any land-sea vacations combining a cruise with an Aulani stay.

 

[Anal Annie]

We take our kids out and would do it for a 14 nighter too....They will learn and experience more on a 14 day cruise then they will in school. Plus we bring their work and my kids get almost all but nightly reading and math facts done on the airplane. Our family time is important to their development as well!! I am hoping for a hawaii cruise.....can't wait for October in hopes of this on the 2012 itinerary!!

According to your siggie your kids are only 6 & 9 so you can get by with doing that NOW...but when they're older (in MS & HS) and have advanced GT / AP classes you will sing a different song!! My DS is starting 8th grade next week and he's already doing HS credit classes...he had HS Algebra 1 & Spanish 1 last year and this year will be taking HS Geometry. It is very impt. that he keeps his GPA up as this goes on his permanent record for college entrance. He's also in GT English & Science classes so if he even misses a day or two for sickness or something he has SOOO much work to make up it isn't even funny. And the teachers at that level leave it all up to the kids to catch up. They don't hold their hands any more once they're out of elem. school. Our school system also does not give excused absenses for vacations - so they're counted as absent and if it's unexcused they don't have to even allow them to make up the work. Homework in our county does not count as part of their grades! And if he misses something that counts as 90% of his grade he is soooo screwed to try to catch back up.

While they may learn a lot of different things on a PC cruise or something it can't replace 14 days of HS Alegbra instruction or a science lab where they disect some small critter that counts as a big part of their grade. I'm just sayin'...take advantage of it now but be prepared that it won't always work that way... For this reason we'll never be able to do a repo until DS has moved out & on to college.

 

[Silverfox97]

I'm with you all the way, Annie. My parents took us out of school 1 measly day early to do WDW at Christmas in 1996. That's it. It's impossible for older kids. I even thru my parents for a loop - I took summer school starting the summer between 8th grade and high school (I took Geometry so that I could take Algebra II as a freshman), and so on. Four summers of AP classes to keep the GPA high, and get me to take higher classes in high school (I took calculus as a junior! -- never took a study hall). Anyways, point of it, I even "screwed up" vacationing in the summer for the family - there was usually a little time in Aug between when summer school ended and the next year of high school began. My parents would never dream about taking me out of school, and frankly, I wouldn't want to to be behind.

Now younger (like pre-school, etc.), some people would feel a little different about. My child is going to miss 5 days of pre-school next Oct. for a Disney cruise. I have a co-worker who is on vacation now and all 5 of he kids are missing the first week of school, and she thinks that is nothing, as "they don't do anything anyways." CRAZY. But, that's it for me - I am sad to have to be a slave to school schedules, but I know it has to be done. In 2012, we are hoping for 7 night eastern on the Fantasy in the summer, because I don't want DD to miss school, even though it's Kindergarten. Sets a bad precedence that school is not important and you can miss it willy nilly.

Different strokes for different folks!