Okay when can we book beyond April 2004? (m)

[OurDogCisco]

I really want to book our vacation for Thanksgiving 2004 but the reservations aren't open. I'm sure this has been asked a thousand times. But we really were looking for a deep discount for booking in advance but nothing beyond April 2004 is open. UGH.... And, I don't want to book an April 2004 trip because my toddler will be 3 in May and I want to make sure she is fully potty trained before we go on the trip because I am swimming in the pool. Does anyone know the scope? I'm sure this has been asked a thousand times.

 

[Hygiene99]

i heard that they will soon be opening up the dates for that time period,, peter

 

[OurDogCisco]

I realized later that I should have read the entire board because someone just posted that they decided not to do the Med. Which would now enable them to open all the months.

 

[allseastravel]

The Western itineraries should open for booking beginning Monday, December 23. I believe they will wait a while before opening up the other weeks. Word is, you just might see a change in the Eastern itinerary. Stay tuned.

 

[OurDogCisco]

I'll be on the look out!

Thanks Again!

 

[Lorraine]

We were on the Holloween cruise, but as they had not opened the dates post Arpil 2004 we were not able to book on board to secure the on board credit. Do you think in the circumstances they may honor this retrospectivly if we book as soon as the cruises are available? Just a thought really.

Also, we are intending to book the Xmas 2004 cruise does anyone know if this will be Eastern or Western? We much preferred the Western, so it will be interesting to see if they do change the Eastern.

Many Thanks

Lorraine

 

[allseastravel]

Any change in the Eastern itinerary may only be for the summer, so it should not affect December sailings.

As for the Christmas sailing, who knows? Christmas falls on a Saturday that year and there was talk of doing something to change the departure date for that sailing, as they really don't want sailings that return to Port Canaveral and leave Port Canaveral on Christmas Day. No one wants to be traveling to or from the ship on that day and no one wants to be away from their family to check people in and off the ship on Christmas either.

Since the Wonder departs on Sundays, my guess would be that you will see a 6 night sailing the week before Christmas (that one was supposed to be a Western) and an eight night sailing Christmas week. The Christmas sailing would leave Friday, December 24 (that one was supposed to be Eastern). Itineraries would have to be different those weeks because of time constraints.

I don't believe you have any chance of getting the $200 onboard booking credit retroactively. If you have this problem again, the way to get around it is to pick a sailing that is open and then change the date (in the same reservation) once the sailing you really want opens. Last time I was on, that's what they were telling people and that's what we have advised some of our people to do as well. It's always subject to change, but in the past, they were allowing for one date change before the $200 credit dropped off.

Good luck! There is no better way to spend Christmas!

 

[bkline]

Anyone have any ideas on the potential Eastern change. I'd love to see Tortola added to the eastern itinerary.

 

[AnnMorin]

This is the first I heard of that. Any ideas of what the change will be? And why would it be only for the summer? We are thinking of the 12/13/03 eastern -have done it once already if the changes were good maybe we would skip that and go on a new route.

 

[allseastravel]

I think the Med plans had progressed so far that Disney had told St. Martin and St. Thomas that they would not be stopping there that summer. One of these ports may have committed or been in the process of committing to another cruise line when Disney dropped its plans for the Med at the eleventh hour. The whole idea behind the Med was to offer a new itinerary to those who had already sailed on the Eastern and Western itineraries. After two years of offering only the Eastern itinerary, they began to offer the Western. After two years of offering both, they considered the Med. Now with no Med, they are considering something else. Today I heard that they might be opening the Eastern sailings at the same time as the Western after all. Whether they will change the Eastern itinerary after the sailings are opened (as they did when the Western itinerary was announced), or stick with the Eastern itinerary as presently scheduled, who knows?

 

[Michelle]

I think it will be 12/30 before the rest of 2004 is opened up.

No speculation on itinerary changes at this point.

 

[allseastravel]

Word on the street now (well, not quite on the street yet) is that most of the rest of 2004 on the Magic will open for booking on Monday or Tuesday (December 30 or 31). They will be holding back five fall sailings for possible itinerary changes. They are also holding back the sailings around Christmas, as they still have not finalized a plan for dealing with the fact that Christmas and New Year's fall on Saturdays, normally the embarkation/disembarkation day. On those, they'll probably adjust for this by sailing itineraries that are not the normal seven nights. Stayed tuned............

 

[Michelle]

They definitely should have 2004 opened up on Monday, 12/30. There may be some dates blocked out for now but most dates should be open.

Good luck to all with your bookings!

 

[AnnMorin]

What was the big announcement that Disney was going to make/ Have they made it yet or do you know what it will be?

 

[ucralum]

Do you know when the DU site will be ready to accept dates past the April '04 time frame? I keep checking the quote request form page and it still doesn't list anything past the end of April 2004. I know I'm obsessive, but I want to be sure to get the cabin I want and take advantage of the rebate and shipboard credit offers. Thanks!

 

[Michelle]

Susan, the additional dates will be added late Sunday night in anticipation of the Monday start-up by DCL for all 2004 bookings.

 

[ucralum]

Can you tell we're excited about booking our next cruise?

 

[anonie]

I am very excited to report I received confirm yesterday of Cat 1 for the August 14, 2004 Western Itinerary on the Magic.