2013 dates

[EDH Family]

Being Gold and Platinum it's an added benefit to book early. Not all levels in the Castway Club are meant to be equal, if that was the case why have levels. RCI offers the same thing for their different levels.

I agree it is frustrating, but Disney is not wrong for only opening the Hawaii trip up to only Gold and Platinum members.

 

[bonnielynn]

Could you please post these prices in the HI price sticky if you haven't already done so?
thanks

I did..

 

[NancyIL]

I wish Disney would dock over there for a summer and just do 7-night island cruise like NCL does. We did NCL in 2008 -- would never take them again, but being able to spend so time over there on land was worth it. I wouldn't want to "waste" 8 days at sea. I'd rather fly over and spend time in Honolulu and Maui again. Who knows, maybe they'll do something like that in 2013 instead of Alaska. If they did, we'd book it immediately. I would LOVE to do the islands again, but am sure we'd have a much better time on Disney

Only NCL Pride of America can cruise roundtrip from Hawaii because it is a US-flagged ship. All other cruise ships are foreign-flagged, and can't do a roundtrip from Hawaii without visiting a foreign port. It can't do one-ways between Hawaii and CA without visiting a distant foreign port.

 

[NancyIL]

Being Gold and Platinum it's an added benefit to book early. Not all levels in the Castway Club are meant to be equal, if that was the case why have levels. RCI offers the same thing for their different levels.

I agree it is frustrating, but Disney is not wrong for only opening the Hawaii trip up to only Gold and Platinum members.

I don't object to DCL opening bookings only to Platinum and Gold members today, but for treating Silver members no differently than those who have never cruised with DCL.

 

[AmandaRG]

Being Gold and Platinum it's an added benefit to book early. Not all levels in the Castway Club are meant to be equal, if that was the case why have levels. RCI offers the same thing for their different levels.

I agree it is frustrating, but Disney is not wrong for only opening the Hawaii trip up to only Gold and Platinum members.

I don't think they are wrong for opening it up to those that have cruised more first. My issue is that DCL then lumps Silver CC members in with the general public, even if one has cruised 4 times. I don't believe that equality is being asked for. I certainly have not proven my loyalty to DCL like one who is Platinum has, and I shouldn't book the same day they do. However, I have cruised DCL before and have plenty more currently booked (it is a fabulous vacation!). Why are never-cruised-before people equal to those that have sailed less than 5 times? That is the point, I think.

 

[bonnielynn]

I don't object to DCL opening bookings only to Platinum and Gold members today, but for treating Silver members no differently than those who have never cruised with DCL.

Y not open booking to silver on Sat.. and then first time cruisers on Monday? I agree that silver should be able to book before first time cruisers..

 

[NancyIL]

Y not open booking to silver on Sat.. and then first time cruisers on Monday? I agree that silver should be able to book before first time cruisers..

It's too late for them to change the way things are set up this time. However, I hope they think a little more about the Silver CC members before they open bookings for 2013.

 

[mca]

I for one am disgusted at the way DCL has handled this whole issue. I am a gold castaway with 8 cruises and 2 more booked.

1) I was never notified by email or other means. (I know they have my email because it doesn't take them long to send me a confirmation when I pluck down thousands for a cruise)

2) The prices are outrageous like usual and are climbing by the minute. I'll be damn if I will pay 300 to 500 dollars more for a cruise because I was not allowed to be prepared.

 

[sammatt]

I am a TA, and have brought these concerns to the people at DCL. Hoping for some changes in the future...

 

[jilljill]

I for one am disgusted at the way DCL has handled this whole issue. I am a gold castaway with 8 cruises and 2 more booked.

1) I was never notified by email or other means. (I know they have my email because it doesn't take them long to send me a confirmation when I pluck down thousands for a cruise)

2) The prices are outrageous like usual and are climbing by the minute. I'll be damn if I will pay 300 to 500 dollars more for a cruise because I was not allowed to be prepared.

This has happened other times they have opened bookings. It wouldn't hurt them to let everyone know that in 2 or 3 days bookings will open for XYZ cruise(s) and the rates will start at $XYZ. This gives people a day or so to look at dates and decide BEFORE they book and the prices increase because of the tiered structure.


BTW - I don't think I've ever rec'd an email from DCL letting me know about bookings coming up when I know others have rec'd emails from them - we are each Platinum. This, once again, proves how bad their IT department is in regards to mass communication.

 

[CruznLexi]

I have no problem with Gold and Platnium booking first but why wait 72 hours. I will be gold after my magic cruise. They should have waited until Monday and let Tuesday for Silver.,

 

[NancyIL]

I think DCL knows exactly what it's doing by allowing very little time to THINK about what one is booking. Because of the fervor created when an itinerary like this is announced - the prices increase rapidly. Even if the deposits aren't paid - the damage has been done and the prices remain high.

 

[collectoraholic]

I think DCL knows exactly what it's doing by allowing very little time to THINK about what one is booking. Because of the fervor created when an itinerary like this is announced - the prices increase rapidly. Even if the deposits aren't paid - the damage has been done and the prices remain high.

Exactly. If ppl. put a hold on the cruise and then don't pay the deposit, the hold expires and then the room is put back into inventory, but not at the original price, but the prevailing price at the time it is returned to inventory.

 

[mello]

The law (Passenger Vessels Services Act) requires foreign-flagged ships (almost all cruise ships) that sail from the same US port (i.e., round-trip cruises) to stop in a foreign port. Hence - the Ensenada, Mexico stop. The ship could not do one-way cruises between two different US ports (LA and Honolulu) without making a distant foreign port stop. That's why the only one-way cruises you see to Hawaii are repositioning cruises between the US and another country.

Why couldn't they do 1-way LA-Mexico-Hawaii and then another 1-way, same thing in reverse: Honolulu-Mexico-Hawaii?

 

[NancyIL]

Why couldn't they do 1-way LA-Mexico-Hawaii and then another 1-way, same thing in reverse: Honolulu-Mexico-Hawaii?

Mexico is not a distant foreign port. The cruise would have to begin or end in Mexico.

 

[CruznLexi]

Now that Hawaii is out lets get the others out.. I am waiting on the TA!

 

[NancyIL]

Now that Hawaii is out lets get the others out.. I am waiting on the TA!

After the initial excitement about Hawaii, I'm going to pass. If one of the Transatlantic or Med cruises has a decent itinerary and price - I'll probably book it.

 

[poohs4me]

Now that Hawaii is out lets get the others out.. I am waiting on the TA!

Me too!!!

 

[mikewdw]

thinking about first cruise and this year learned you really have to book way in advance to get best price so if we are thinking about 2013 summer cruise when do those rates come out and what is the best way to do everything for a first time cruiser (on any cruise)
thanks
mikewdw

 

[kcashner]

Any time now....they may not come out with all of 2013 at once. There may be a release of the first half of the year but not the second half...or they may release the Fantasy/Dream info while they are still finalizing stuff for the Magic and Wonder. We are all waiting eagerly!