Jammin' to Jamaica - Aug 30 2014 ~ Fantasy ~ 7-Night Western

[melsherard]

600 Days

We're getting closer!!! Lol!!!

 

[Panfan86]

My friend and I will be joining this cruise!!! This will be my second Disney cruise, and her first. Im excited to have her participate in all the fun! We decided to make it a girls only trip. Still saving up for the deposit, but this is the offical group we want to be apart of!

Going on cruise: Me(Alicia), and Karla

 

[LiseG]

My friend and I will be joining this cruise!!! This will be my second Disney cruise, and her first. Im excited to have her participate in all the fun! We decided to make it a girls only trip. Still saving up for the deposit, but this is the offical group we want to be apart of!

Going on cruise: Me(Alicia), and Karla

Alicia and Karla

Girls trip... sounds like a blast!

 

[sweetlovin']

I was going to join this cruise with my 10yo for her mommy and me trip. I was wondering if any of you are worried about hurricane season. I think I scared her when I mentioned it was less expensive because of the potential hurricanes.

 

[LiseG]

I was going to join this cruise with my 10yo for her mommy and me trip. I was wondering if any of you are worried about hurricane season. I think I scared her when I mentioned it was less expensive because of the potential hurricanes.

We've done 4 Disney cruises during hurricane season. Our anniversary and DD birthday both fall in Sept (and of course we like the low rates.) Sometimes the itinerary changes, so I recommend you avoid any locked in plans at specific ports... and book your excursions through Disney for easy modifications. Our first cruise started a few days late so we ended up with a day at WDW. Trip insurance paid for everything... the hotel, the food ... just not the park tickets

Needless to say, we keep cruising in September

 

[melsherard]

We've done 4 Disney cruises during hurricane season. Our anniversary and DD birthday both fall in Sept (and of course we like the low rates.) Sometimes the itinerary changes, so I recommend you avoid any locked in plans at specific ports... and book your excursions through Disney for easy modifications. Our first cruise started a few days late so we ended up with a day at WDW. Trip insurance paid for everything... the hotel, the food ... just not the park tickets

Needless to say, we keep cruising in September

Same for us. We sailed on our first Disney Cruise in September 2003. Hurricane Isabel was getting ready to come through, so our itinerary changed. Just make sure you book Disney excursions, so you don't lose any $$$! The cruise was wonderful, by the way. They took us out of harm's way!

 

[sweetlovin']

I'll talk to her about it again. Thanks for the help. Her 11th birthday will be Sept 8th, so I suggested we do this cruise then meet her siblings in Disney to celebrate her birthday. She was very excited until she found out about the hurricanes.

 

[wendyoconnor]

We've sailed twice during hurricane season and will keep doing it. Our first September cruise was affected more then any of our other cruises because the Hurricane had a direct impact on Orlando and the port. I wouldn't worry, the prices are great.

 

[LiseG]

Melissa - will Gracie be 14 or 15 on the cruise? I'm wondering if she'll be in The Edge tween club with Sabrina.

 

[Panfan86]

We've done 4 Disney cruises during hurricane season. Our anniversary and DD birthday both fall in Sept (and of course we like the low rates.) Sometimes the itinerary changes, so I recommend you avoid any locked in plans at specific ports... and book your excursions through Disney for easy modifications. Our first cruise started a few days late so we ended up with a day at WDW. Trip insurance paid for everything... the hotel, the food ... just not the park tickets

Needless to say, we keep cruising in September

Did you do the insurance through the Disney cruise site? Im debating weither to include it or not. Sounds like it would be a good idea to!

 

[melsherard]

Melissa - will Gracie be 14 or 15 on the cruise? I'm wondering if she'll be in The Edge tween club with Sabrina.

Gracie will be 13 on the cruise. When I did their ages, I used the ages they will be at that time. So she will be in the Edge with Sabrina!! She's not ever really been into the clubs that much, I'm hoping this time she will get into it a little more. Last time, she wasn't old enough for the Edge, but they let her in the last few days. She really loved it. For this time, Genny will be in Vibe, and now Gracie wants to be in Vibe too. She only wants what her sister has lol!

 

[melsherard]

Did you do the insurance through the Disney cruise site? Im debating weither to include it or not. Sounds like it would be a good idea to!

I have heard that the Disney insurance isn't that great. We have always gone without insurance, but I think we will get it this time. My travel agent uses another insurance vendor that is supposed to be better. I will find out what the company is and get back to you.

 

[LiseG]

Did you do the insurance through the Disney cruise site? Im debating weither to include it or not. Sounds like it would be a good idea to!

If you're traveling on Disney Vacation Club points, I believe you'll need to get the trip insurance through Disney. They now have some way to calculate a cash reimbursement for the lost points.

If you're paying for the cruise you have options. In 2004, we booked through a travel agent and she took care of ordering the insurance. It covered the cruise, flight... everything that was pre-paid and not cancelable or might be incurred due to a delayed canceled/trip. Our coverage activated due to Hurricane Frances delaying our cruise and paid for extra nights at WDW All Star Movie and our meals. They were awesome no documentation needed with a hurricane. They had the money we laid out for the hotel/meals in our account before the end of the cruise (so 5-6 days). Disney was also awesome... they gave us 1/2 our money back for the shortened cruise and 25% off our next cruise.

I'm not sure if you book the cruise on the DCL and book your flights separately if that could be added to the policy. You might also consider what other things you may pre-pay or have cancellation deadlines/fees. A couple years ago, we had medical emergency and had to cancel a Disneyland trip... the insurance covered the flight and the pre-paid tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The hotels would have been covered, but no need as we cancelled the hotels before the deadlines.

Some plans are different in what they cover and what it takes for the insurance to go into effect. The last non-cruise trip we took we got TRAVEL GUARD'S GOLD PLAN from Teel's Travel Planners... kids are covered FREE. I started to do it online, then I ended up calling on a Saturday. Brad Teel answered the phone himself and walked me through the whole thing.... such a nice man (family run travel agency). He let me know that since every one was healthy, we could add the insurance even though we'd planned the trip a while earlier... and it didn't matter that I'd booked the trip direct.

Some plans you can opt for coverage even if you choose to cancel the trip (you don't have to be sick, lose your job, find a hurricane, etc.). It's refered to as "change for any reason" or "change your mind" insurance. It costs something like an extra 50%.

I just ran the numbers for the 3 of us. Through Disney it would be $250. TravelGuard Gold thru Teel's was $155 ...with "change your mind" added it was still only $228.

I'll be interested to hear what plans others have bought / used.

Lise

 

[LiseG]

Gracie will be 13 on the cruise. When I did their ages, I used the ages they will be at that time. So she will be in the Edge with Sabrina!! She's not ever really been into the clubs that much, I'm hoping this time she will get into it a little more. Last time, she wasn't old enough for the Edge, but they let her in the last few days. She really loved it. For this time, Genny will be in Vibe, and now Gracie wants to be in Vibe too. She only wants what her sister has lol!

That's great... both our girls will be 13!!!
Before our last cruise, I set Sabrina up with a DISboards account, and we started a KIDS ONLY thread. It worked out PERFECT.
When we arrived at the curb of the cruise terminal, DH Chuck spotted a tween girl wearing a Raiders jersey. It was Sabrina's DISfriend Sierra! From then on, the girls were together most of the trip and often with some other DIStweens. Sabrina continues to post with her DISfriends. Actually we're meeting up with Sierra and her mom later this month... this time at California Adventure!

Sabrina and I will set up a KIDS ONLY thread tomorrow, and we can get the girls chatting. Hopefully a number of kids of various ages will join in. It was nice for the kids to have their own thread, so they could talk about school and favorite Disney characters.

 

[melsherard]

That's great... both our girls will be 13!!!
Before our last cruise, I set Sabrina up with a DISboards account, and we started a KIDS ONLY thread. It worked out PERFECT.
When we arrived at the curb of the cruise terminal, DH Chuck spotted a tween girl wearing a Raiders jersey. It was Sabrina's DISfriend Sierra! From then on, the girls were together most of the trip and often with some other DIStweens. Sabrina continues to post with her DISfriends. Actually we're meeting up with Sierra and her mom later this month... this time at California Adventure!

Sabrina and I will set up a KIDS ONLY thread tomorrow, and we can get the girls chatting. Hopefully a number of kids of various ages will join in. It was nice for the kids to have their own thread, so they could talk about school and favorite Disney characters.

Sounds great

 

[LiseG]

Sabrina and I just started the KIDS ONLY thread ... KIDS ONLY - Aug 30 2014 ~ Fantasy ~ 7-Night Western

Now the kids on the cruise ... and those considering the fun... can post about the cruise, excursions, characters, share stories from previous DCL trips, school, every day life... and about spending time onboard with their new DISfriends.

 

[Panfan86]

Im so excited for this cruise, that I've already bought some things for the FE gift exchange!! Not sure how to post a picture on here, or I would show it.

 

[CarolyninCO]

Just booked this cruise tonight and can't wait! This will be our first Disney cruise (first cruise for my husband and little one). I've learned so much from these boards in a short amount of time. I can't believe the wealth of info available here!

Carolyn, Lou (hubby) and Sofie (she'll be 4 during the cruise)

Quick question: For those who buy insurance, when do you purchase that? Now or closer to the cruise date?

Thanks so much!
Carolyn

 

[Panfan86]

591 DAYS!!!! Not that im counting or anything....

I was wondering if I could start gathering info for FE gifts now instead of waiting further down the road. Here is the info I would need:

Family last name
Cabin # (if you have one)
favorite character of each person in cabin
favorite color of each person in cabin
favorite disney songs
age of kids at time of cruise

Thank you all in advance . If I dont start now, ill never get anything done lol

 

[matdrew]

can't wait to get onboard. This time it will be hubby and I and our 3 youngest kids. 11,9,and 3yrs old at the time of the sailing. We are from NJ . hello everyone