DCL Summer 2017 Megathread - Itineraries are out!

[wcw57]

good morning, friday........................

 

[mana'olana]

good morning, friday........................

TGIF! I have a question, sort of off topic but related to my 2017 Alaska cruise. I opened a DVA on 2/3/16 and I've been dumping my gift cards in there. Even though I haven't hit the 120 days, can I use that for my cruise deposit? I put almost the whole deposit in there and then started thinking maybe I couldn't use so I held on to a bunch of cards. I know I won't get the 2% for every $1000 yet because I don't have the 120 days.

And I second the question above, if the prices drop after the cruise is booked, does Disney do a price adjustment?

 

[lanejudy]

Kinda off topic, but, if you book for a cruise far out and the price goes down, for some reason, will DCL credit you the difference?

Yes, if the standard FARE actually decreases you can request an adjustment, but it won't be automatic. This does not count for special offers. It is a pretty rare occurrence, though.
The TAXES and/or Port Fees often adjust, especially if one books well in advance, and those are automatically credited back to you.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[lorimay]

good morning, friday........................

Guess we can sit back now and wait till Monday with new hopes.............

 

[Munkamamacallie]

Do they never release on the weekends? Thanks!

 

[RedSox68]

Guess we can sit back now and wait till Monday with new hopes.............

Or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday.......or the following week

 

[gismo1554]

Do they never release on the weekends? Thanks!

Not historically but hey Disney are a law unto themselves. If they do though it would be unlikely booking would open until Monday because of lower staff levels on a Sunday but you just never know

 

[RedSox68]

Not historically but hey Disney are a law unto themselves. If they do though it would be unlikely booking would open until Monday because of lower staff levels on a Sunday but you just never know

Plus it would leave the travel agencies completely out of the loop as most of them are not staffed on weekends.

 

[Adreyer]

It would be nice to have the itineraries just to spend time going over them for the weekend even if we couldn't book for a couple of days.

 

[Ofinn]

Kinda off topic, but, if you book for a cruise far out and the price goes down, for some reason, will DCL credit you the difference?

They will if it's before the paid in full date. DCL generally doesn't offer any discounts until after the PIF date. Sometimes lets say.. for example the cheapest verandah available for a while is a 5b. If they're having trouble selling rooms they may start selling 7a GTY rooms at lower price even thought there are no 7A rooms available. Anyone likely to book a 7a at that time will most likely get upgraded. They may do something like this periodically on certain cruises. Not really a discount. The GTY cats are not discounted, but you do have a chance of a upgrade at slightly lower price. There will more likely than not be some kind of discounts offered on 7 day or longer cruises after the Paid in full date. Some are public(GT) discounts some are not. Short cruises on the Dream rarely have discounts, but there are some GT rates on the Dream in May.
Sometimes the GT rates are low enough that it's worth paying the penalty, and sometimes it's not. I've never booked a cruise until after the PIF in full date, but I do watch the prices a lot.

 

[RedSox68]

It would be nice to have the itineraries just to spend time going over them for the weekend even if we couldn't book for a couple of days.

I have always thought this -- they don't give you any time to have a family discussion, go over the budget or figure out if you have enough vacation days. It's all or nothing within a 24-hour period anymore -- throw up some itineraries and then bamm, the next morning you must start booking! A weekend of time to think and look at what's available would be awesome -- but maybe they don't want you to have enough time to compare prices to other cruise lines

 

[Ofinn]

I have always thought this -- they don't give you any time to have a family discussion, go over the budget or figure out if you have enough vacation days. It's all or nothing within a 24-hour period anymore -- throw up some itineraries and then bamm, the next morning you must start booking! A weekend of time to think and look at what's available would be awesome -- but maybe they don't want you to have enough time to compare prices to other cruise lines

You can put three day holds on cruises. You also don't have to book the day they are released. Not to mention anything you book is fully refundable if you change your mind. I don't think there is going to be any big frenzy to book opening day unless they have lowered prices. It seems like the last few opening days there has been mostly anger on these boards.

 

[RedSox68]

You can put three day holds on cruises. You also don't have to book the day they are released. Not to mention anything you book is fully refundable if you change your mind. I don't think there is going to be any big frenzy to book opening day unless they have lowered prices. It seems like the last few opening days there has been mostly anger on these boards.

As we all have learned, if you don't book the day they are released, you lose out on any early booking savings you may have achieved (although Disney is starting the prices so high now not sure that matters anymore!)

 

[slindamood]

Plus it would leave the travel agencies completely out of the loop as most of them are not staffed on weekends.

It seems that over the years, DCL has been reducing benefits to travel agents. I am sure DCL makes more from direct, online bookings with no TA fees than from agent bookings.

It occurs to me that if DCL released schedules on a Friday and allowed direct bookings over the weekend, they would cut out many TA bookings and increase DCL profits.

Just saying, no evidence that this will happen. (I am not a TA, by the way)

 

[Adreyer]

On the DCL website, I was asked to take a survey about why I was on their site and if I was able to accomplish my goals. I don't know if I was a random selection to take the survey, but if not, you all may want to go online and do the same thing.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What changed? Why are they the last to announce now?

I have no idea.

 

[InSearchofMagic]

I'm dying for them to release dates! We are waiting to book our wedding cruise for 2017! Where is the news of a release usually published first?

 

[KalamityJane]

I'm dying for them to release dates! We are waiting to book our wedding cruise for 2017! Where is the news of a release usually published first?

Usually on Facebook (that I have seen) but honestly, within minutes of releasing, it's usually on here too.

 

[fsugirl333]

Hopefully this isn't a completely crazy question - Carnival just announced cruise stops in Havana, so do we think DCL may add a Havana stop some time soon? Perhaps summer 2017?

 

[InSearchofMagic]

Hopefully this isn't a completely crazy question - Carnival just announced cruise stops in Havana, so do we think DCL may add a Havana stop some time soon? Perhaps summer 2017?

Wow! That would be so cool!