Feb.13th(lucky for some) 2010 Eastern Valentines Cruise - The Love Boat Sails Again !

[barbarasc]

SO I got my repsonse back from Disney -
after being told they were going to refund our parking at shingle creek and gas and tolls.. now I am told SOL...... should have bought Travel Insurance.

I was told TI wasn't offered to TA's - but called them anyways and they said they aren't honoring alot of claims because it was DCL fault and not in the guidlines of TI.

There are two "fares" and we are only being refunded on the voyage fare. Our other fare we are not recieving money back on and they did refund the Tips... so our total refund wasn't even 10% of what we paid in before taxes and Tips.

Very upsetting for me since I have tried to stay postive for the whole thing and helped others stay positve but now the aftermath and its a different story from DCL - and there is nothing I can do?

I used Travel Guard Insurance and started my claim yesterday....it will be interesting to see what they actually cover. I'm a TA and I aways use Travel Guard or Access America but have NEVER had to actually use my coverage!

Taxes and Fees- taxes and fees for the entire trip was a total of $159 per person traveled. I can't get anyone to advise what the actual cost for St. Marrten is.

20% Refund is ONLY on the voyuage fare - price before any taxes, fee OR pre-paid tips were added.

 

[Linda Farrell]

Karen, I believe the $56 credit is for St. Maarten. Betty and I each got that, we each got $20 for food, I got $100 stateroom credit, which we shared, and then later in the week I got a $714 credit for the 20%. I paid with points, and was told it would be refunded in cash or points. I really have no idea if the $714 is 20% of the point value, but I was satisfied with that amount.

 

[MassDisLovers]

I paid with points also and got a refund of $798.00. We were in a category 10 cabin, so that seems about right for the 3 of us (Jody paid cash, the girls and I were booked with DVC points) compared with the 2 of you in a cat 6. I'm happy with that, too. I would rather have the cash than a refund of points, because we are already booked with points to go to Disneyland in April and then won't get to Disney again this year. I figure it covered all of our onboard spending with some left over, so I came home with cash in my pocket and a check will be coming, too. That's the first time I've ever come home from a vacation ahead of the game!

 

[Stevegriswold]

Hum, so far I have no refund. I booked via a travel agency, so does the TA issue me the refund or does it come direct from Disney?

Also I see there are several TA's posting here and am interested in finding out more or what kind of deals you get as a TA off Disney and other cruises. We love to cruise but now have two kids so our cost has doubled while my salary has stayed the same.

It might be overkill for me to get a business lic and start a travel agency just so I can save on 1 - 2 cruises a year, but I have done stranger things.

Steve
Atlanta GA

 

[Brooke3L]

I got a huge refund of $25.20

 

[PURTYPAT1]

I got a huge refund of $25.20

What did you call Disney?

Does anyone remember what night was Pirate night Wednesday or Thrusday?
Thanks

 

[MassDisLovers]

Patricia, Pirate night was Wednesday - the night we should have been in St. Maarten.

 

[HappyPeach]

I just wanted to check in and say Thanks!! to all the FE friends. We really enjoyed the exchange! I don't know if my 4 y/o son or my 75 y/o FIL liked finding the gifts more! I wish I could have gotten to spend time meeting everyone but I was tied to my son's schedule... plus the rough seas had him a little seasick for a couple of the days. We did make it for the photo, though. (I'm the one holding the closed-eye boy in red PJs.)

We had a really good time and as we drove away from the port, my son said, "Bye Mickey-boat! See you next year!" I hope so.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

LEAVING PORT VIDEO

I posted the video of the Disney Magic Cruise leaving port next to the Wonder on youtube also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rChP7bHwKb0

Best,
Steve, Lisa, Amber, and Brooke
Atlanta GA

Thanks for putting that up! I enjoyed seeing it all over again. I would love to see it from the other side looking at the Magic. Anybody found video from the wonder yet?

 

[Stevegriswold]

I did see a few videos on youtube. If you go to the main Disboard Cruise forum area there are a few posts within the last week that link to cruise videos. Some are from the shore, the magic and the wonder.

Steve

 

[MassDisLovers]

I uploaded the group photo from my camera here:

http://www.impressionswear.com/disney

click on groupphoto.JPG when the page loads.
Feel free to edit etc.

Best

Steve, Lisa, Amber and Brooke

I love the way Brooke is looking at sleeping Amber! So Cute!

 

[Stevegriswold]

Ok still no refund from our Disney Cruise trip. I called Disney Cruiseline and they said they sent the check to the travel agency (Cruises Only). So I am waiting on the travel agency to call me. So hopefully later today I'll know when and what amount we are getting back.

Steve

 

[walloon]

they have charged and credited my card 4 different times, 4 different ways. I don't know what any of it is, or if it is correct. I don't think they know what they are doing either.
Craziness!

 

[MassDisLovers]

I sort of had a fight on the phone with DVC today. Three of us (my girls and I) were booked on DVC points for the cruise. When we added Jody to our reservation many months later she paid cash, but it was charged to my credit card, just for ease.

I received a letter onboard from DCL saying that the POINTS were converted to a "cash value" and I got a credit of $798 on my onboard account. No mention about the cash paid for Jody. Today they say that her refund is "included" in my refund , so I asked for a "breakdown". I was told they "can't do that". Assuming that the first and second passengers (me and Meaghan on points) pay a higher rate than the 3rd and 4th (Kelly on points and Jody, cash), how do I ever figure out who gets what? I want to make sure Jody gets her fair refund back, but how do I figure what that is?

DCL won't talk to me because DVC is my "travel agent". I could scream!

 

[hockeymom98]

Hi Everyone,

A great big thanks for all the FE gifts! At least that part of the cruise was fun.
My refund is only about 13% of just the fare amount before taxes and fees. I knew 20% was too good to be true. I did not have any extra credits on my onboard account, just refunds for the canceled excursions. I guess I'll be fighting with DCL now too.

 

[jdybnsn]

Hi Everyone

Sorry I have not posted before, but for some reason the Disboard did not like my netbook that I took with me on holiday, and would not let me sign on or even change my password etc....so of course this meant i could not post anything until now !!! .

Back home in the UK .....so I'm able to sign back on here again.


I'd just like to say a big thank you for all our FE gifts too - the kids, especially Vyrnwy absolutely loved the whole thing and had so much fun out of finding them, and playing with them !! We had never done one before, or the ladies lunch, but now I think we have been converted !!It was truly lovely meeting you all.

Sorry, I could not find you all for the photo ...I went to the Promenade Lounge at 7.45pm but there was no sign...was the venue changed ???? Not to worry, I have some great photos of the lunch and will get them posted on here soon.... that was one of the highlights of my trip !! Great fun !

I am dismayed to hear about the poor compensation by DCL ... I haven't seen any refund yet, but it doesn't look as though it is going to be generous when you consider we missed a whole day, endured a total of 3.5 hours queuing in lines just to get information/park tickets/basic food, missed a whole port and when we should have been enjoying free 5* dining and continuous entertainment for us and the kids.

I will be further mad if I get my claim rejected for the hire car we had to keep and other assorted expenses (tolls, additional gas, hotel parking, internet at the hotel, additional fod costs etc. ).
We had no choice but to keep our hire car as the number/weight of pieces of hand luggage we had (and most importantly the fact some contained alcohol which correct me, is not allowed in the parks !) meant we could not possibly take their bus transfer option from the port, and carry hand luggage with us to the park.
Yes, we had our own trip insurance which we could have used but now we are in a halfway house as far as any claim goes, as Disney have paid our hotel expenses, and some items - looking back now, if I'd known how penny pinching (sorry cent pinching) they were going to be I would much rather have used my own trip insurance, and stayed where we liked, and spent what we needed ....but at the time DCL did not have the information on what was going to happen to us re boarding the ship, and we felt we had no choice but to do what they instructed (we did not get half the information that others got as it was)...we had no contact with them at the hotel (no letter that others apparently got) infact had to ring/email DCL for information ourselves - why were there no reps at the hotels until 9am on the day of departure ? This, coupled with no communication on the first day, before we drove all the way down to the port has really made me angry - what a waste of our day when they knew full well the ship wasn't there !!

I'm also going to ask them for our so called perk of free Epcot tickets to be replaced since we HAD to use them to gain entry into the park to get information - Infact all we used them for was for standing in a massive queues three times......and I'm not even talking about the rides (which were 120 mins for most) but just to get information, and some basic food provisions for lunch ! So much for a free day at the park.... no such luck considering our fruitless journey to the port meant we did not arrive at Epcot till 12.30pm in anycase - and given the crowds / queues we could not wait to leave there fast enough !!! Also, some people on the Disboards were talking about them laying on a "free party" ...some "party" when you get to queue for over an hour (and we were near the front !) just to be told what hotel you were in for the night ! Besides we were never told there was a "party "?? - just some films & refreshments for the kids, while they waited fo us.

I'm going to be giving a full account of exactly what I think of the "Disney Difference" on the main board here, and to Disney themselves, shortly and would encorouge you to do the same......more I look back the less and less impressed with Disney I am over this !!!
Yes, it was weather that prevented the Magic from returning to port on tme but at the end of the day, they did not supply a seven day cruise I paid for, only a six day one, and managed to completely ruin a whole day of our holiday too.
Under the circumstance a 13% refund, when they claimed they were give a 20% one is disgusting !

 

[ferastu]

I'm going to be giving a full account of exactly what I think of the "Disney Difference" on the main board here, and to Disney themselves, shortly and would encorouge you to do the same......more I look back the less and less impressed with Disney I am over this !!!
Yes, it was weather that prevented the Magic from returning to port on tme but at the end of the day, they did not supply a seven day cruise I paid for, only a six day one, and managed to completely ruin a whole day of our holiday too.
Under the circumstance a 13% refund, when they claimed they were give a 20% one is disgusting !

Here! Here!

I have to write them a letter with the receipts I expect to be compensated for as well.

My family did not even go to Epcot, get fed or bed Saturday night or get $15 gift cards for Sunday breakfast.

I'd like to get the full 20% we were promised as well as reimbursed for our rental car on Saturday and hotel on Sat night. The total of which is probably 1/2 of what some of the rooms DCL booked when they ran out of onsite space.

Our tablemates at dinner didn't go to Epcot either. They did go directly to the Boardwalk and ended up in a 1 bedroom that DCL covered.

 

[reenie1]

So, how was the partial refund explained to people? When I called, I was told that the fare I had paid included $159 in port charges/person. A TOTAL of $25of that (for four people) was supposedly for St.Maarten, so that was refunded. That doesn't seem to make sense to me. We paid over $600 in port charges, but only 25 was for the island that we missed? What costs so much at the other ports? I'm curious what others have been told.

 

[PURTYPAT1]

I used Travel Guard Insurance and started my claim yesterday....it will be interesting to see what they actually cover. I'm a TA and I aways use Travel Guard or Access America but have NEVER had to actually use my coverage!

Taxes and Fees- taxes and fees for the entire trip was a total of $159 per person traveled. I can't get anyone to advise what the actual cost for St. Marrten is.

20% Refund is ONLY on the voyuage fare - price before any taxes, fee OR pre-paid tips were added.

Hay Barbara,

Did your family get home ok? How did your daughter like her Dooney?

 

[PURTYPAT1]

Hi Everyone

Sorry I have not posted before, but for some reason the Disboard did not like my netbook that I took with me on holiday, and would not let me sign on or even change my password etc....so of course this meant i could not post anything until now !!! .

Back home in the UK .....so I'm able to sign back on here again.


I'd just like to say a big thank you for all our FE gifts too - the kids, especially Vyrnwy absolutely loved the whole thing and had so much fun out of finding them, and playing with them !! We had never done one before, or the ladies lunch, but now I think we have been converted !!It was truly lovely meeting you all.

Sorry, I could not find you all for the photo ...I went to the Promenade Lounge at 7.45pm but there was no sign...was the venue changed ???? Not to worry, I have some great photos of the lunch and will get them posted on here soon.... that was one of the highlights of my trip !! Great fun !

I am dismayed to hear about the poor compensation by DCL ... I haven't seen any refund yet, but it doesn't look as though it is going to be generous when you consider we missed a whole day, endured a total of 3.5 hours queuing in lines just to get information/park tickets/basic food, missed a whole port and when we should have been enjoying free 5* dining and continuous entertainment for us and the kids.

I will be further mad if I get my claim rejected for the hire car we had to keep and other assorted expenses (tolls, additional gas, hotel parking, internet at the hotel, additional fod costs etc. ).
We had no choice but to keep our hire car as the number/weight of pieces of hand luggage we had (and most importantly the fact some contained alcohol which correct me, is not allowed in the parks !) meant we could not possibly take their bus transfer option from the port, and carry hand luggage with us to the park.
Yes, we had our own trip insurance which we could have used but now we are in a halfway house as far as any claim goes, as Disney have paid our hotel expenses, and some items - looking back now, if I'd known how penny pinching (sorry cent pinching) they were going to be I would much rather have used my own trip insurance, and stayed where we liked, and spent what we needed ....but at the time DCL did not have the information on what was going to happen to us re boarding the ship, and we felt we had no choice but to do what they instructed (we did not get half the information that others got as it was)...we had no contact with them at the hotel (no letter that others apparently got) infact had to ring/email DCL for information ourselves - why were there no reps at the hotels until 9am on the day of departure ? This, coupled with no communication on the first day, before we drove all the way down to the port has really made me angry - what a waste of our day when they knew full well the ship wasn't there !!

I'm also going to ask them for our so called perk of free Epcot tickets to be replaced since we HAD to use them to gain entry into the park to get information - Infact all we used them for was for standing in a massive queues three times......and I'm not even talking about the rides (which were 120 mins for most) but just to get information, and some basic food provisions for lunch ! So much for a free day at the park.... no such luck considering our fruitless journey to the port meant we did not arrive at Epcot till 12.30pm in anycase - and given the crowds / queues we could not wait to leave there fast enough !!! Also, some people on the Disboards were talking about them laying on a "free party" ...some "party" when you get to queue for over an hour (and we were near the front !) just to be told what hotel you were in for the night ! Besides we were never told there was a "party "?? - just some films & refreshments for the kids, while they waited fo us.

I'm going to be giving a full account of exactly what I think of the "Disney Difference" on the main board here, and to Disney themselves, shortly and would encorouge you to do the same......more I look back the less and less impressed with Disney I am over this !!!
Yes, it was weather that prevented the Magic from returning to port on tme but at the end of the day, they did not supply a seven day cruise I paid for, only a six day one, and managed to completely ruin a whole day of our holiday too.
Under the circumstance a 13% refund, when they claimed they were give a 20% one is disgusting !

Glad you made it back to the UK ok. I am going to put a claim in this week with my travel insurance for the food meal in epcot $100.00 & a $36.00 cab ride. I will let you know how I make out with that.

I got a refund on my visa, but not sure how the breakdown is on it.

Keep us posted on your progress please. It was so nice to meet you at lunch.