4-Night Wonder Cruisers: FREEPORT Stop Will Continue

[Michelle]

DCL has announced that they will continue with the Freeport stop on alternate 4-Night sailings through the end of the year.

These are the sailing dates that will have a Freeport stop instead of a day at sea:

June 1, 15, 29
July 13, 27
August 10, 24
Sept 7, 21
Oct 5, 19
Nov 2, 16, 30
Dec 14, 28

Just FYI!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Wow! They certainly waited until the last minute to announce that. There's going to be a lot of annoyed passengers just like last year.

 

[Michelle]

It is typical with DCL on this issue it seems; that's why I wasn't totally convinced they wouldn't do this again.

 

[Talking Hands]

Awe shoot. I'd rather have a day at sea. Not planning on getting off the ship anyway.

 

[ZerasPride]

Thanks for the information. I see that the sailing hubby and I are on in November does have the stop in Freeport. Is something wrong with this port? I kinda like the idea of stopping at another place. It's our first cruise and I'd like to see as much as possible. What are the advantages to the sea days? Sorry if I sound goofy for asking these questions but this is all new to me.

 

[feenie]

We made our reservation hoping for a day at sea!!!. We had counted ahead assuming they would keep the same alternation...And we were right!!!
Well, our trip is not changing at least.... I'm just sorry for anyone who was planning on a day at sea, and is going to freeport instead.

 

[justmestace]

Zeraspride..(Lisa) I'm with you, I'd like to see as much as possible. I haven't figured out what it is that no one likes about this stop. I was looking forward to another chance to snorkel, and see another island. Our cruise doesn't have the stop, but I was hoping for it.

 

[Amymomof3]

This is also our first cruise and we are stopping at Freeport. Seems like alot of people don't like this island. Hmmmm.....

 

[currycook]

Not everyone would rather have the day at sea. Our family would much rather have the stop than the day at sea. But I dont understand why Disney waited so long to announce this. Certainly many people planned the other way.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, add me to the ones who are a little bummed by this!!!

Doesn't even seem like it will feel like 'sailing' if we are constantly sitting in a port, without even one day at sea.

I definately would have booked the following week if I had even the slightest idea that this would be the case. We were very flexible when we booked this. I didn't even know to check and see if this was going to be a possible 'Freeport Week' if this happened again, as it obviously has before... Wish it had been mentioned to me!

I think DCL ought to let us change to the following (or prev...) week, at the price that we have already booked and payed in full....

But, then we would most definately be giving up our Secret Porthole room. What are the odds of getting one now...

Okay, ranting and venting over.....


I want to know all previous cruisers input on Freeport-vs-no Freeport. What would be some benefits to stopping at Freeport? We need good advice and info here!

Thanks!

 

[wdw1972]

I total agree that it's not much of a "cruise" if you spend all your time anchored or docked somewhere. That would be my biggest gripe about the 3/4 day cruises.

I cruise for the cruising...enjoying the ship, catching a nice breeze as the ship sails thru the ocean. Sitting at some yucky dock, not moving at all, not much breeze - well, that doesn't sound a whole lot better than being in Florida (where I live) <g>! However, some people do like the ports more than the ships - even though I'll never understand it.

I have no experience at Freeport - never been there, never plan to go there. I don't usually do any cruises less than 7 day, but if I did a 4-day & it was going to Freeport I wouldn't leave the ship there OR in Nassau.

 

[BabySam99]

Originally posted by ZerasPride
Thanks for the information. I see that the sailing hubby and I are on in November does have the stop in Freeport. Is something wrong with this port? I kinda like the idea of stopping at another place. It's our first cruise and I'd like to see as much as possible. What are the advantages to the sea days? Sorry if I sound goofy for asking these questions but this is all new to me.

Nothing wrong with the port...very nice...I just loved the ship so much that I would have liked to be at sea enjoying the ship...it is so lovely and so much to do on board that I felt not enough time to explore.

Have fun!

 

[Grumbo]

I have only ever been on the 3 day so can't speak from personal experience but I now know that if I went back to Nassau I'd look at staying on the ship. I enjoyed what we did but to me that would be like a "sea" day.
That WOULD be one advantage. I appreciate looking at a dock may not be as nice as sailing but there is an upside in that you have way fewer folks to share your ship with you.
Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[katz99]

Or you could look at it this way, when I originally booked my cruise I did it because of the Freeport stop. Then they cancelled it , now they reinstate it and I still won't have it on the date that I paid for. I wanted it that way so that my daughter would turn 13 on a Carribean Island ( a memory of a lifetime) I feel I should at least be reimbursed in some way. An upgrade would be nice but fat chance in that happening. On the bright side, if it wasn't for this board I never would have known any of this. As my TA has not told me ANYTHING! You can bet it will be the last time I use Liberty Travel!!

Sorry for the ranting just a little dissapointed

 

[wdw1972]

Originally posted by katz99
Or you could look at it this way, when I originally booked my cruise I did it because of the Freeport stop. Then they cancelled it , now they reinstate it and I still won't have it on the date that I paid for. I wanted it that way so that my daughter would turn 13 on a Carribean Island ( a memory of a lifetime) I feel I should at least be reimbursed in some way.

If you want your daughter to have her birthday on a Caribbean island, you'd need to be on the Magic. The Wonder only goes to the Bahamas (which are not nearly as nice as the Caribbean) - not the Caribbean.

I can understand being frustrated if you booked a cruise mainly because of one port and then the itinerary changes. ALL cruise lines can change the itinerary at any time, and the passengers agree to that when they buy their tickets (in the fine print). It's not unique to Disney.

Hopefully your daughter will have many "memories of a lifetime" and her 13th birthday will probably be special enough just being on a cruise.

Grumbo - You're absolutely right about the ship being really nice when the rest of the passengers have left to go ashore! I stay on the ship quite often when we're in a port, just for that reason. Too bad they couldn't discharge the land-going passengers, then sail around aimlessly for half the day until it was time to pick them up again ;-)

 

[actuarian]

On the original posting, you gave these two dates for the December cruises with stops in Freeport. However, Disney's own site indicates that December 4-day cruises are on "7, 14, 24, 31". No 4-day cruise on December 28. Did you mean 24?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I'm bummed to. I really wanted a sea day to get DH used to it and hopefully help convince him about our western next year.
Also, I don't want to have to run back from CC so the kids can do the kids show--but I guess we'll have to. What time do the kids have to be back on the ship on CC day?
Now instead of rested, sounds like we'll be whipped when we get into port. I'll have to pick either Nassau or Freeport to stay on the ship.
Robin M.

 

[winddancer]

We sail in three weeks with a stop in Freeport. We were trying to go on an excursion while there, but decided instead to get off the ship and walk around the port area and take a few pictures then spend the rest of the day onboard. Sounds like a good day to check DD into the Lab and escape to the spa.

 

[floridaminnie]

Kids have to be back in the club at 3:45 and their show (which is really cute) is at 5pm in the Walt Disney Theater.

 

[tecdavidt]

I just got off the phone with our TA. We are on 3 day land/ 4 day sea cruise that starts Dec. 28th.

28th arrive at Poly.
29th parks
30th parks
31st embarkation day
1st at Sea
2nd Nassau
3rd Castaway Cay
4 the Debarkation

I am so furious with DCL. When we booked this we assumed the day at sea was the last day before debarkation just like our last DCL 4 day. This is what we prefer. I think sailing in circles to waste time is stupid and that is what the ship will do because Nassau is not that far away from Port Canaveral. Normally you wake up in Nassau, now the ship will have the entire night and another full day of cruising to get to Nassau. This is what the DCL person told her, "the passengers will be all hung over from New Year's Eve and won't get off the ship that is why they changed it." This just might be the first cruise we cancel. If we were on one that would get Freeport we would also cancel. If I am on a cruise I want a day at sea. If I spend all my days in ports I might as well be on a land only vacation. Having the last day a sea day is so relaxing, you're tired from the rush of parks, emabarkation, two ports then one wonderful relaxing day at sea. Now this vacation will end with a rushed feeling. Kathy