Disney Cruise Discontinuing Military Rates?

[DISFAN LA]

Just had a bit of a disheartening conversation with a Disney Cruise line agent. Looking at dates in 2014 and was advised that Disney is most likely "replacing" military rates with other discounts - such as VGT. These rates typically are not offered until a month prior to sailing (after Paid in full date). At that time, cruise prices are typically higher anyway. Anybody have any insight?

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I'm no expert, but I have seen when they offer *GT sales and I have seen when they offer Military or FLRes sales. So I don't see why they would kick the one out when they have already been doing both (vs 'replacing') but again I'm not the expert. Perhaps its like the KSF (kids sail free) sales in which they are just offering blanket category sales such as the *GTs instead?

 

[over50visits]

I just spoke with Disney about the same thing (military discounts), and the CM I spoke with stated that military (and other discounts) have not changed. They don't have any right now, she says because the ships are selling well, but military, Florida, GT, and other discount programs have not changed and are not planned for changes.

Her 2 cents.

 

[lbgraves]

You can talk to 10 DCL CSRs and get 10 different opinions about this. Don't believe anything until DCL actually makes an official announcement.

 

[disprincess4ever]

Disney wouldn't just get ride of them, it would make them look bad. But we will be seeing less and less as their sales continue to improve.

 

[StephenKay]

So Disney are pulling the plug of the very people who keep the very freedoms we all uphold as extant, how disgraceful. I served for in some conflicts with our country cousins for 20 plus years and yet if you live next to the port you get the cheapest rates available. Have DCL gone mad, it's not as if they were offered on all cruises.

It's a disgrace.

 

[Justacruiser]

So Disney are pulling the plug of the very people who keep the very freedoms we all uphold as extant, how disgraceful. I served for in some conflicts with our country cousins for 20 plus years and yet if you live next to the port you get the cheapest rates available. Have DCL gone mad, it's not as if they were offered on all cruises.

It's a disgrace.

I do not feel this is the case. They do not offer military rates all of the time, however they do offer some discounts. It is just this time of year that there are no discounts. If I remember correctly, I recieved discounts on several on my cruises the last 3 years. If you note, I don't cruise during the summer when the ships are more full. I know for a fact they had the military discount for the Panama and Transantlantic for this year. And I got a Military Discount just 2 months ago. Looking at the number of cruises, especially out of Port Canaveral between now and the end of the year, they will need the Military Discount to help fill the ships. IMHO

 

[luvndizny]

I hope they have some military discounts coming. We don't like living here (El Paso- sorry for anyone who is from here, but just not my cup of tea), and I was grasping at straws for any and every silver lining there is here. Being to sail out of Galveston with Disney was one of them, well, not any more.

We just cannot afford to fly to Florida for the 4 of us, and driving there would take several days...so this might be the last year we sail with them for a long time...unless they come back to the West Coast or a good discount. Please!!

 

[Heyriddle]

I think it's sad that they just can't offer a standard military discount. Seriously

 

[dta87]

They have made changes to the Military Discount program in the last year that make it less military friendly. We are a family of 5 and would book 2 staterooms in a lower category over one family category stateroom. Under the old system, when military rates were released for a cruise the member was allowed to book up to 3 staterooms at that rate. With the new program the military member is limited to 1 stateroom at the discounted rate taking away the 2 room option from any large family.

 

[caitlinS9]

They have made changes to the Military Discount program in the last year that make it less military friendly. We are a family of 5 and would book 2 staterooms in a lower category over one family category stateroom. Under the old system, when military rates were released for a cruise the member was allowed to book up to 3 staterooms at that rate. With the new program the military member is limited to 1 stateroom at the discounted rate taking away the 2 room option from any large family.

The military member is only allowed 1 stateroom, but so is the spouse. So book 1 stateroom with the military member as the primary w/ 1-2 kids & the spouse as the other primary w/ 1-2 kids. Both the military member & the spouse will need to have IDs with them at the time of cruising to get the rate.

Hope that helps!

 

[Arkum]

The military member is only allowed 1 stateroom, but so is the spouse. So book 1 stateroom with the military member as the primary w/ 1-2 kids & the spouse as the other primary w/ 1-2 kids. Both the military member & the spouse will need to have IDs with them at the time of cruising to get the rate.

Hope that helps!

Have you actually done this? I'm curious as that is not how I read it. If that's the case, I would be so thrilled!

 

[over50visits]

I think it's sad that they just can't offer a standard military discount. Seriously

I think, like everything else, Disney does whatever makes money for them. If they offered a standard military discount, people who would book at the standard rate would pay less and Disney would lose money.

By waiting until they see a ship will not be full, they can turn that potential business loss into a publicity plus by pretending to "honor the troops" or "reward Florida residents" or "help out families" by offering military, Florida resident, or KSF rates. By waiting until they realize a ship won't be full, they have gotten money from all those who pay full fare, then fill up remaining rooms that would otherwise go empty, AND they create goodwill by having guests think they are being given special deals.

I'm glad they do it, I'm sure it helps a lot of troops that could not otherwise afford a cruise, but offering true military discounts on all cruises would reduce their bottom line. That's a big no-no.

 

[dta87]

The military member is only allowed 1 stateroom, but so is the spouse. So book 1 stateroom with the military member as the primary w/ 1-2 kids & the spouse as the other primary w/ 1-2 kids. Both the military member & the spouse will need to have IDs with them at the time of cruising to get the rate.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for that info. The site I was looking at did not mention spouses, only the active/retired member. The DU site has a different write up on the military discount that includes spouses and even words it that the spouse can travel without the active/retired member which is new to me.

Thanks again

 

[Arkum]

Just curious if anyone has recently sailed with the military discount and booked 2 rooms. One under the spouse and one under the member. Even on the DU website, I see the word OR used, not AND. I read it to be that if the member can't sail with, the spouse could still book a room. Not the member AND spouse. Hmmm.....really curious now!

 

[caitlinS9]

No, I haven't done it. But, since every reservation is it's own reservation, I do not see how it would be a problem. The guidelines aren't up right now, or I would link to them, but I don't remember it saying the spouse is eligible on if the Military member was not booking. Unfortunately, my husband & I both qualify on our own (Thank you Disney for extending this to DOD civilians!), so I book them that way knowing we are each eligible for our own room.

 

[caitlinS9]

As I said, I haven't done it - but Disney doesn't know who you are married to. So under seperate reservations, they wouldn't know if your spouse was or wasn't traveling with you. Even if you linked the reservations, you could just be people related with the same name.

When i was on the phone with the agent last week, i have the kids in a seperate room with my mom & the lady didn't really seem to understand that those were my kids in the other room (and i have a super unique last name that my mom doesn't share).

 

[Comcam]

I just booked a Alaskan cruise for June into July 2014 and they did not have any military discount available for the cruise yet. I was told to call back every so often to see if they have released it for those dates yet.

 

[insureman]

As others have said, don't believe anything you hear from a CM until Disney makes an announcement and I can't believe they would make an announcement that they are getting rid of military discounts. It wouldn't make good pr sense.

 

[Luv2Diz]

I just booked a Alaskan cruise for June into July 2014 and they did not have any military discount available for the cruise yet. I was told to call back every so often to see if they have released it for those dates yet.

They don't usually release the military rates until about 2 months prior to the cruise. Military rates are only offered on cruises that didn't sell well and usually in the off season. I'd be surprised to see a military rate for an Alaskan cruise in late June/early July. But anything is possible! We've been able to snag the military rate for two of our cruises, one in early December and the other early May.