2006 DVC Member Cruise - SSMC06 - October 22, 2006

[ohanafamily]

Excellent, Hey, that means a bachelor party is in order




Definitely, the kids go to the clubs!

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

 

[cherylp3]

You can call DCL and ask them for your number, I don't recall them asking for it last time

 

[WDWLVR]

I think they asked for ours and we did get our Castaway Club gift.

Julie I think it would be even more important for you to call and get a number since your address at booking time won't match the address you had last time. I think that might be one of the things to verify if you have sailed before.

 

[Laurabearz]

30 days until calling day!!!​

In case your keeping track!

 

[WDWLVR]

Here's the fine print from the Member Site. Hopefully it will help answer some questions. My comments below in red.



Please note the following important information about the S.S. Member Cruise 2006 before you call:

• Disney Vacation Club will waive the initial $75 transaction fee associated with booking your Disney Cruise Line reservation for the S.S. Member Cruise 2006.

Yeah! They did this last time as well!

• A change to a reservation, including a waitlisted change request, is considered a cancellation and rebooking. A non-refundable transaction fee of $75 will apply to all modifications associated with an S.S. Member Cruise 2006 reservation.

I believe it was asked if you could change names of those sailing with you after initial booking. I believe this $75 fee would apply then.

• Disney Vacation Club will accept the following forms of payment for Members not using Vacation Points to book this event: Disney's Visa® Card, MasterCard®, American Express®, or check received by overnight mail. If paying by credit card, please have the credit card number, expiration date, and the name that appears on the card available for full payment at the time of booking.

Looks to me like you don't have to book on points for even one person or they would have said so here.

• All S.S. Member Cruise 2006 booking requests must be made by calling Member Services at (800) ******** beginning Saturday, December 3, 2005, 9 am - 5 pm EST, or until the voyage sells out, whichever occurs first. Booking requests will not be accepted by fax or e-mail. International Members, please use your AT&T access number and when prompted, enter city code 800 and local number ********. Click on "Contact Us" above and choose "Overview" for more information.

• Member Services will only accept booking requests for the S.S. Member Cruise 2006 on Saturday, December 3, 2005. Booking requests for resort reservations, flights, rental cars, and all other customary services may be made beginning Monday, December 5, 2005.

• Expectant mothers should know that women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of October 22, 2006, will not be permitted to travel aboard Disney Cruise Line ships due to safety concerns. Neither a physician's medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.

• Infants under 12 weeks old as of October 22, 2006, will not be allowed to travel aboard Disney Cruise Line ships.

• Disney Cruise Line is committed to providing memorable and safe Guest experiences and will only divert from the scheduled itinerary in cases of extreme weather or during circumstances that may challenge safety.

• The Vista Spa and Salon is being expanded and will not be available during this sailing. Most fitness equipment will be available in an alternate location for your convenience.

Bummer but better to know about it now. The spa is nice but we never used it on the last Member Cruise. Too many other things to do.

 

[MaryJ]

No Spa!!! I didn't even SEE the spa on the SSMC05! That was one thing that I thought I could do "next time." Oh well.....just another selling point for DH...can't even spend money at the spa, dear.... .....this cruise will be sooooo inexpensive!

Still hoping for a cabana massage though.

 

[FoxxBoys]

The request for a Castaway Club number is a new advisory this year. As mentioned earlier, it could sometimes take months to get the number from DCL, so it's better to know in advance of calling Member Services. DCL wants to be prepared for how many repeat cruisers they have on board. During the last Member Cruise, there were so many repeaters, they had to have the special repeaters' party outside on Decks 9/10 on the final evening. They couldn't accommodate everyone in the clubs on Deck 3, as they usually do. The SSMC05 passenger manifest set a record for the most repeaters on one sailing. Is anyone really surprised about that? Not me.

Mary is correct. Any changes to a SSMC06 reservation require a $75 transaction fee, including name changes. Unlike hotels where accommodations are sold based on available rooms, reservations on cruise ships are sold based on the number of people in each stateroom. This is to ensure adequate seating in all the dining rooms for scheduled meals and to ensure adequate seating in all life boats in the unlikely event the ship must be evacuated at sea. Changing the names of individuals traveling in a party impacts many aspects of the voyage, including programming and entertainment, for instance.

The spa location is closed. However, DCL will relocate most of the fitness center to an alternate location on the ship. They are also evaluating how to offer limited spa services to passengers despite the facility being closed. For instance, massages on Castaway Cay still may be offered. They may do in-stateroom appointments for other spa services. This is all still being worked out by DCL - but for now it's better to not plan on the spa and find out later that they've been able to reinstate some of their services based on what they can feasibly accomplish.

Finally, for the Member Cruise only, you don't need to use Vacation Points if you don't want to. You can book entirely on cash or a portion on cash. The choice is yours.

Hope this helps.

David

 

[alikat99]

The request for a Castaway Club number is a new advisory this year. As mentioned earlier, it could sometimes take months to get the number from DCL, so it's better to know in advance of calling Member Services. DCL wants to be prepared for how many repeat cruisers they have on board. During the last Member Cruise, there were so many repeaters, they had to have the special repeaters' party outside on Decks 9/10 on the final evening. They couldn't accommodate everyone in the clubs on Deck 3, as they usually do. The SSMC05 passenger manifest set a record for the most repeaters on one sailing. Is anyone really surprised about that? Not me.

Mary is correct. Any changes to a SSMC06 reservation require a $75 transaction fee, including name changes. Unlike hotels where accommodations are sold based on available rooms, reservations on cruise ships are sold based on the number of people in each stateroom. This is to ensure adequate seating in all the dining rooms for scheduled meals and to ensure adequate seating in all life boats in the unlikely event the ship must be evacuated at sea. Changing the names of individuals traveling in a party impacts many aspects of the voyage, including programming and entertainment, for instance.

The spa location is closed. However, DCL will relocate most of the fitness center to an alternate location on the ship. They are also evaluating how to offer limited spa services to passengers despite the facility being closed. For instance, massages on Castaway Cay still may be offered. They may do in-stateroom appointments for other spa services. This is all still being worked out by DCL - but for now it's better to not plan on the spa and find out later that they've been able to reinstate some of their services based on what they can feasibly accomplish.

Finally, for the Member Cruise only, you don't need to use Vacation Points if you don't want to. You can book entirely on cash or a portion on cash. The choice is yours.

Hope this helps.

David

David, you're AWESOME!!! Thanks for hanging around and giving your insight on SSMC06!!

 

[cherylp3]

Thank you David, you will be missed.

For those of us that are local will the 407 number work?

 

[BCVOwner2002]

David,

Thanks for the information and best of luck to you in the future.

Annmarie

 

[#1Mouse]

Thanks David for the clarification on this. We will make sure to have our CC# handy.

We set the record for most repeaters - that's pretty cool, but I'm not surprised. Do you think the SSMC06 can break 05's record

Glad to hear the cruise can be paid with just cash - not sure if what we have left in points will get us too far! Note to self: get John to agree to more points especially with the 15% discount being offered right now.

 

[FoxxBoys]

Thanks for all your well wishes. I feel like I'm not really going far because I'm connnected through all of you and through our Membership. Now that I'm not working for DVC any more, I can really say this without people thinking I'm feeding them a line - DVC really does bring people together.

Yes, Cheryl, the 407 number will work. Please tell Todd I said hello.

David

 

[WDWLVR]

David - glad to hear you are sticking around this little part of the internet. Don't know how much time you've spent over on the DVC forums but there are many great DVC'ers posting over there as well.

If you can't join us on SSMC06 I hope we get to see you at some future Member events!

 

[cgcw]

Did you all see this awesome announcement

New Moderators

 

[cgcw]

Thanks for all your well wishes. I feel like I'm not really going far because I'm connnected through all of you and through our Membership. Now that I'm not working for DVC any more, I can really say this without people thinking I'm feeding them a line - DVC really does bring people together.

Yes, Cheryl, the 407 number will work. Please tell Todd I said hello.

David

The best part, David? You can now be one of us.....a crazy DVC person who just wants to have fun with DIS friends. To quote a friend, "how cool is that"!!

 

[cgcw]

We set the record for most repeaters - that's pretty cool, but I'm not surprised. Do you think the SSMC06 can break 05's record

There will be 4 more with my family now.

Big communication issue here. Gary told me this morning that we did receive our Castaway Club cards and thought that I had seen them. I'm looking at them right now....sure enough, we did get them. A long time ago, 9/19.

At least we have them. Good thing I didn't get around to calling DCL today to find out where they were. I'm sure they would have known they were in my house the entire time (actually, I did that once with something we sent home from WDW. I thought it never showed up, Gary found it on the deck, knew it was for Christmas and tucked it safely into the garage. Weeks later, I called WDW asking where it was. They then told me it was delivered to my back deck on whatever date. I was a little that's for sure).

 

[seaulater]

Thanks for all your well wishes. I feel like I'm not really going far because I'm connnected through all of you and through our Membership. Now that I'm not working for DVC any more, I can really say this without people thinking I'm feeding them a line - DVC really does bring people together.

Yes, Cheryl, the 407 number will work. Please tell Todd I said hello.

David

David-yes---you are family! Just remember, you are now alot closer to Salt Lake City and you are always welcome to come stay at our place if you are in the area as well as any of our other disboard family!

Best of luck to you and Will. Just think-if you join a future cruise with us you will have so much free time you might just get an hour or two of sleep in..............well.....knowing our group........maybe NOT!!!



Linda

 

[Stitch#1]

So this is the new playground.
I only just saw the info on the DVC site today (a day late and a dollar short) I never made it on the web yesterday or I might have had a clue.

I love the itinerary!! Now I have more time to hang with the girls unlike last cruise (which was my first).

 

[ohanafamily]

OK, I am trying to figure out what category we need to book. We normally get a cat 5 or 6, the main diference being the deck. We have Baby IAN now who will be ALMOST 2. Should I spring for a cat 4 (or 3)????

I am figuring cat 5 about 215 points per adult, and 20 points for the baby... 450 points for the cruise... this is close to double what it was in 03. I took Mary's Numbers and added 10 and rounded up.

OK, 450pts X $6 a point... = $2700 (actual cost)
Week before at BCV 214pts X $6 a point... $1284 (actual Cost)
$3984 for this family vacation.....+travel,+f&w+(we have ap's)+rental car/transfers+++++++++

I am sure glad I have my DVC; Point rental would put me at $6640 to start out........

OK, this may be expensive, but I am sure it will be worth it..... We will have to go the week before the cruise because our AP's expire on the 23rd... OK, Now to wait for the real point charts to know exactly what this will cost...

 

[cherylp3]

don't forget one of the major reasons it is more is because the season changed.

I think everyone should go for cat 4's .. that way there will be plenty of cat 10's for me to book