It's in the Houston Chronicle today!!!!!!!

[tzuhouse]

Disney to start sailing out of Galveston in 2012
By JENALIA MORENO
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 4, 2011, 6:41PM


More cruise magic is coming to Galveston.
Disney Cruise Line will announce Wednesday morning that the Disney Magic will sail 12 seven-night cruises from the Port of Galveston to the Western Caribbean beginning Sept. 22, 2012. Ports of call include Grand Cayman and Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Rates for the seven-night Western Caribbean cruise itinerary departing from Galveston will start at $840 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy, according to a Disney news release. One travel agent said not to expect sales for passage aboard the ship that sleeps up to 2,700 passengers.
"Mickey does not go on sale. That cheese is way too expensive," said Steve Cosgrove, owner of Dallas area Dynamic Travel.
Disney's Magic will join the Carnival Cruise Lines' ship called Carnival Magic, which begins sailing from Galveston on Nov. 14. Carnival's Triumph will also begin sailing out of Galveston on Oct. 6. Carnival's Ecstasy and Conquest now sail out of Galveston but will be repositioned to New Orleans.
Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas also calls on Galveston. And in December, Princess Cruises' Crown Princess will also sail out of Galveston.
Meanwhile, the Port of Houston Authority's $71 million Bayport Cruise Terminal still doesn't have a ship regularly calling on the facility that was built in 2009.
Cruise lines are more interested in sailing out of Galveston because its downtown shopping, hotels and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark appeal to travelers while the closest major tourist attractions to Bayport are Kemah and NASA, said Cosgrove.

 

[princess aleya]

Doing the happy dance right now!!! I can't wait to book.

 

[tzuhouse]

I just spoke with Disney Cruiselines and they are making the announcement at 1:00pm tomorrow. I told her the Chronicle had already done that.

We are cruising on the Dream in February. DH said I can't do 2 cruises in the same year, but I wanna go on the first one!!!!

Mary

 

[m&m's mom]

As much as I was looking forward to this- timing stinks.
I have Fantasy 7 day booked in June 2012 and the times in TX are cruddy for those of us with kids in school. Unfortunately, I can't take vacation in Nov or Dec. either.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

I'm still frustrated that they have not announced a Christmas itinerary from Galveston. Hopefully, DCL will correct this oversight at tomorrow's announcement.

If not, we'll just stick with our Fantasy Christmas cruise booking.

 

[rachdd]

SOOOO SUPER EXCITED!! Looks like I know my first Disney Cruise is in the future! I have heard nothing but wonderful things but we just keep going back to the World but I think this just the push we needed since Galveston is just an hour away!!!!

 

[discruiser]

I'm still frustrated that they have not announced a Christmas itinerary from Galveston. Hopefully, DCL will correct this oversight at tomorrow's announcement.

If not, we'll just stick with our Fantasy Christmas cruise booking.

I agree. We sailed the Magic over Christmas last year and would love to do so again only 40 minutes from home!

 

[txsoccermom]

Won't Schlitterbahn be closed in Sept thru Apr?!?! The only reason I would go on a Disney cruise out of Galveston would be b/c I could drive. Nothing else is appealing - was hoping for an itinerary to Grand Payment, CC, and Belize or some place new besides Mexico; as pp said, timing is awful b/c the only sailing Texas can go on without their kids missing too much school is Thanksgiving week so those prices will be sky high. I might be in the minority, but I'm not excited about this. The one thing that makes me happy is thinking of all the folks who might move their Fantasy sailing to the Magic, and then maybe the price on mine will go down

For those of you that will be booking for Galveston, have a great cruise and enjoy! I know you will create some great Disney memories with your family, as we all do in these trips.

 

[TexasSteve]

They are waiting to announce Christmas and beyond as they want to be sure Galveston will have the new 3rd pier finished in plenty of time.

 

[discruiser]

Won't Schlitterbahn be closed in Sept thru Apr?!?! The only reason I would go on a Disney cruise out of Galveston would be b/c I could drive. Nothing else is appealing - was hoping for an itinerary to Grand Payment, CC, and Belize or some place new besides Mexico; as pp said, timing is awful b/c the only sailing Texas can go on without their kids missing too much school is Thanksgiving week so those prices will be sky high. I might be in the minority, but I'm not excited about this. The one thing that makes me happy is thinking of all the folks who might move their Fantasy sailing to the Magic, and then maybe the price on mine will go down

For those of you that will be booking for Galveston, have a great cruise and enjoy! I know you will create some great Disney memories with your family, as we all do in these trips.

Actually Schlitterbahn in Galveston has an indoor water park which is open during the winter time.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

They are waiting to announce Christmas and beyond as they want to be sure Galveston will have the new 3rd pier finished in plenty of time.

What timeframe are we talking about? Weeks, months???

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Won't Schlitterbahn be closed in Sept thru Apr?!?! QUOTE]

Not the one in Galveston.

Being from Houston, this is awesome news for me. The savings on airfare and hotel rooms the night before (plus less hassle flying with two kids) will make this a great option for us.

 

[N365PA]

Living in the woodlands I look forward to this. I could have a good breakfast, hop in the car, be at the port in an hour...awesome I'll personally be going to Galveston alot to get pictures of the Magic as she sails out of port. The sun will be behind ya as you stand at the ferry terminal to get shots!

Clint

 

[lcsmom]

I was really intrigued by the rumors a few weeks ago. Really excited to see the announcement in The Chronicle this morning. Now, a few hours later, I remember why I've never cruised out of Galveston - Cozumel, Grand Cayman, etc.......
The dates are going to yield a high number of bookings with young children or private school kids. Disney may not appreciate the school attendance laws in Texas. Or, maybe, there will be special programs for thse of us who can come without the kids? (DD will be starting college in fall of '12)

 

[lcsmom]

Living in the woodlands I look forward to this. I could have a good breakfast, hop in the car, be at the port in an hour...awesome I'll personally be going to Galveston alot to get pictures of the Magic as she sails out of port. The sun will be behind ya as you stand at the ferry terminal to get shots!

Clint

Hmmm. Like this idea. In six years in The Woodlands, I've been to Galveston once. On a school trip w/ DD. Combine a meal at Guido's and/or a night at the Galvez with waving to the happy people on the Magic. Definitely adding this to my file of "things to do when DD is out of the house."

 

[KSDisneyDad]

They are waiting to announce Christmas and beyond as they want to be sure Galveston will have the new 3rd pier finished in plenty of time.

What timeframe are we talking about? Weeks, months???

Bumping...still hoping for an answer. Will we know by May?

 

[texas68]

I would love to know, too, when we might find out about Christmas dates or if that's even possible. We're booked on the Fantasy for June 2012 (and, like others, can't pull the kids out of school to cruise in Sept-early December), but I would switch to Christmas 2012 in a heartbeat if we could cruise out of Galveston!!

 

[lcsmom]

Also wondering when we may know about the Christmas to Spring Break calendar. DD would not be back in school until after MLK weekend, most likely.

 

[Gina]

Am just so excited about this!!!! Well, will be, once they extend the schedule!

As far as school goes, I pull my son out of school every year for a week for vacation. Have since he was in K, he's in HS now. Every teacher and principal had been very nice, and it's a great motivator for my son -- he knows if his grades drop we can't go. He is in all pre-AP classes, tons of work, but has never had a problem catching up before and after. Every parent has their own philosophy, but for me, I know that the memories we create on those trips are priceless... Completely worth missing one little week of school.

I am definitely not the only parent who refuses/can't afford anyway to travel during crazy busy holiday times -- there are always tons of other kids onboard and at WDW when we go.

 

[triptaker]

Am just so excited about this!!!! Well, will be, once they extend the schedule!

As far as school goes, I pull my son out of school every year for a week for vacation. Have since he was in K, he's in HS now. Every teacher and principal had been very nice, and it's a great motivator for my son -- he knows if his grades drop we can't go. He is in all pre-AP classes, tons of work, but has never had a problem catching up before and after. Every parent has their own philosophy, but for me, I know that the memories we create on those trips are priceless... Completely worth missing one little week of school.

I am definitely not the only parent who refuses/can't afford anyway to travel during crazy busy holiday times -- there are always tons of other kids onboard and at WDW when we go.

Gina - I don't know about your school, but our school district in Texas has a final exam exemption policy - Grade of 90-100 no more than 3 absences,
Grade of 80-89 no more than 2 absences, Grade of 75-79, no more than 1 absence. Most of the kids here will not give up those exemptions for anything!!! Plus you can miss no more than 8 days in any given semester without being referred for truancy and must supply a doctors note.

I teach an AP class, and I cringe when I have a student out for a week - they miss soooooooooooo much!


On another note - even Thanksgiving week would be out - we only have Wed-Fri off in our district.