2010 news from the Magic

[pillow]

Other than not having a covered pool area, there's nothing lacking in the current DCL ships for Alaska. Alaska ISN'T Antarctica!

Ah, another place I'd like to sail - Antarctica!! Eventually, Disney will probably go there too.

So, do you think they were just trying to keep the cat in the bag?

J

 

[pillow]

I've never used the pools on any cruise - or even at a WDW hotel!

WHAT???!!! I see we need to work on you.

Actually, I'm not a huge pool person either, but the pool at the Beach Club is just too great to resist. One of my favorite things to do on DCL is sit by the adult pool with a frosty drink and a book.

Jodie

 

[NancyIL]

Ah, another place I'd like to sail - Antarctica!! Eventually, Disney will probably go there too.

So, do you think they were just trying to keep the cat in the bag?

J

I'll bet DCL hates it when smart DISers figure out what they're going to do before they announce it!

 

[pillow]

Wow, we're cruising in November and planning on rebooking onboard for 2010, that would be nice if we already know the itinerary. So hopefully they announce the new itinerary in October.

For the Med, they announced the itinerary early, but you couldn't book it till the Spring (I think I'm remembering that correctly). If prices come out, I would go ahead and book immediately. Then when you're onboard, check on the rebooking discount (if the price is better onboard then just cancel your original booking). When the Med cruise bookings began, the price had increased by the end of the first day of booking!!! I sat there and watched the prices go up and up and up.

Jodie

 

[NancyIL]

WHAT???!!! I see we need to work on you.

Actually, I'm not a huge pool person either, but the pool at the Beach Club is just too great to resist. One of my favorite things to do on DCL is sit by the adult pool with a frosty drink and a book.

Jodie

If I looked better in a swimsuit, I might actually dip my toe in a pool now and then! I ventured into the ocean, wearing my swimsuit, when in St. Martin in March. Thankfully - the beach patrons didn't start screaming and running away! Nor did they laugh and point...but that might've been because they were too busy watching the topless women strolling along the beach!

 

[pillow]

I'll bet DCL hates it when smart DISers figure out what they're going to do before they announce it!

I'm sure they think we're all nuts and need to get a life instead of obsessing about our next Disney cruise. On that note, I really need to go get something done today. Time to fix dinner!

Jodie

 

[awoltoday]

I see you did the ferry. How was that? We looked into it, but after all was said and done, for a family of 4, it cost almost as much as a cruise. I think it was all the hopping on and off that we wanted to do which drove up the price.

Jodie

We actually only did a Juneau->Skagway->Juneau on the Ferry (and kept our hotel in Juneau). It is very expensive to do the whole way, especially with a cabin(closet w/bunks?) and hotels in the towns you want to spend time in. If you sleep on deck with the kids and don't get off, it's not as bad The food out of the vending machine was a nice touch. LOL. It wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound! I don't think it's something you would want to do with kids, though.

Hey - I didn't say a covered pool area was necessary...just that it was "lacking" on DCL (as it is on many ships that sail there)! But some think a ship needs a covered pool in order to get people to cruise to Alaska. I've never used the pools on any cruise - or even at a WDW hotel!

I think I used the pool more in Ak than 2 trips to the Caribbean. Well, that is if your definition of "used" is got in the water. If sitting next to it with a cocktail counts as "used" then it may be a wash

 

[kaseyC]

OH! NOT AGAIN with the covered pool area! There are PLENTY of ships sailing the inside passage WITHOUT a covered pool area! Including the Pearl (the Norwegian one, not the Black one) that I was drug off kicking and screaming. You're just trying to get my BP up, aren't you

Don't worry we will also soon hear "How DCL ships are not made for cutting through the massive amounts of ice in Alaska"!!

Like others posted, I think DCL will try one of the more traditional R/T itineraries. Possibly, Seattle/Vancouver, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and maybe Victoria.

.

 

[pillow]

Just heard from the husband of someone currently on the Magic Panama crossing. Apparently, the rumor on board is pretty strong for Alaska too. Looks like a sure thing to me!

Jodie

 

[kaseyC]

Just heard from the husband of someone currently on the Magic Panama crossing. Apparently, the rumor on board is pretty strong for Alaska too. Looks like a sure thing to me!

Jodie

Cool!
Airfare will be much cheaper than Europe!

I can see why DCL would head back west again. Unlike the Med cruises and the T/A Repos, DCL did not have to offer any form of discount for the 2005 or 2008 West coast sailings. My DD and I sailed the 2007 August T/A Repo and we got an amazing deal for a Cat. 12 Gty (upgraded to a Cat.9).

 

[pillow]

Cool!
Airfare will be much cheaper than Europe!

I can see why DCL would head back west again. Unlike the Med cruises and the T/A Repos, DCL did not have to offer any form of discount for the 2005 or 2008 West coast sailings. My DD and I sailed the 2007 August T/A Repo and we got an amazing deal for a Cat. 12 Gty (upgraded to a Cat.9).

Same thing happened to us on the Med cruise. We switched to a cat 12 - cruise fare of $4,600 for all 4 of us for 11 nights (incl insurance). Then we were upgraded to a cat 9 on deck 2. I felt like the luckiest person on the planet!!

Jodie

 

[kaseyC]

Same thing happened to us on the Med cruise. We switched to a cat 12 - cruise fare of $4,600 for all 4 of us for 11 nights (incl insurance). Then we were upgraded to a cat 9 on deck 2. I felt like the luckiest person on the planet!!

Jodie

So did I, ours was about $2200 for the 2 of us (14 nights). I felt like that was the deal of the century! We got a great Cat. 9 on deck 2 right down from the Midship elevators and Ocean Quest (where dd spent all of her free time).

One thing I can be sure of, if DCL goes back out West, we won't see those kinds of rates.

 

[gydell]

We were on the EB - 3 of us, cat 12 for $1800 including tips and got upgraded to a SPH room. Don't think that will happen again!

 

[pillow]

We were on the EB - 3 of us, cat 12 for $1800 including tips and got upgraded to a SPH room. Don't think that will happen again!

Wow! Those are fabulous prices!! I think the Panama EB was tough to fill since the kids were still in school. I would have LOVED to have gone, but I just couldn't take the kids out.

No, I doubt we'll ever see those kind of deals again. I'm a little scared to see the Alaska pricing. I'd really like to spend some time on land as well, but I have a feeling all our money will be spent on cruise fare. Maybe we'll have to make a second trip to see Denali and all the other great interior stuff.

Jodie

 

[gydell]

I figure that if DCL goes to Alaska then I will get a taste of Alaska and then can go back knowing what areas I want to spend time in. If DCL doesn't go then I still plan on going in 2010 on another cruise line.

 

[CustardTart]

Just heard from the husband of someone currently on the Magic Panama crossing. Apparently, the rumor on board is pretty strong for Alaska too. Looks like a sure thing to me!

Jodie

That's very exciting!!! My DH and DS are extremely keen to do this - me, I'm happy with anywhere...

 

[4campers]

Alaska encompasses 570,380 square miles. The Anchorage municipality covers just under 2000 square miles or about 0.3% of Alaska's total area. Perhaps you are being a little harsh for someone who has spent a whopping 1 week there and in the off season? You might also note that roughly 3/4 of Alaska's population lives in coastal communities.



Alaska certainly has some very expensive excursions, but there are a LOT of choices. Have you checked the competing cruise lines for excursions? For NCL, I count no less than 47 excursions in Skagway, 40 in Juneau, and 44 in Ketchikan. That's 131 excursions to choose from ranging in price from around $20 per person to $2000 per person Do we really want to compare this to the 18 choices you get in Grand Cayman or the 16 choices you get in St. Maarten with DCL?

And you always have the choice of doing things on your own which will save you some money and broaden your choices even more.

Hey scarey one! You sure get around! I'm going to start calling you 'data', instead of scarey one

Love the pics! How is everyone! Hope to see you soon

 

[MrsJobba1]

Cool!
Airfare will be much cheaper than Europe!

Not for me


It was great in 07 when I only had a 2 hour flight that cost £400 for the two of us.

Next year I think we are paying just under £3000 for the two of us

 

[pillow]

Not for me


It was great in 07 when I only had a 2 hour flight that cost £400 for the two of us.

Next year I think we are paying just under £3000 for the two of us

Ouch! Thats pretty steep for just 2 of you. My $900 flight to Barcelona really was a deal then. At least the exchange rate is in your favor, and you can plan to do some good shopping while you're in the states. Which cruise are you doing?

Jodie

 

[MrsJobba1]

Hi
we are flying premium economy.

Next year we are coming to the states for 3 weeks - there will be plently of shopping

We are having 1 week at wdw
1 week at Newyork
1 week on the 7 night Eastern Aug 1st

and I can't wait