Any positive Experiences using DCL Air Transportation Program?

[Debby7]

Planning for 2018 Mediterranean cruise and wondering if there are any advantages to using Disney for Air Transportation?

 

[Aby]

Would love to hear about experiences too. On the website it says that air booking doesn't open until 60 days before the cruise - is this true? I normally book a lot farther ahead than this!

Aby

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Planning for 2018 Mediterranean cruise and wondering if there are any advantages to using Disney for Air Transportation?

Are you asking about using DCL to make the airline reservations for you? Or about the DCL transportation from cruise to airport?

 

[Debby7]

I am asking about Disney's Program for booking Airfare., I understand the ground transfers.Thanks!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

The one time I got a quote it was very expensive. I found much cheaper flights myself.

 

[Shanti]

Planning for 2018 Mediterranean cruise and wondering if there are any advantages to using Disney for Air Transportation?

Would love to hear about experiences too. On the website it says that air booking doesn't open until 60 days before the cruise - is this true? I normally book a lot farther ahead than this!

Aby

I made air reservations via DCL several months in advance (including choosing the specific flights and our seats), so the 60 day thing definitely isn't true.

Advantages to booking air via DCL:

• If you're using DCL insurance, your flights are covered by the insurance.
• Within reason, they'll try to wait the ship on you if the flights are late. (On our recent December cruise, the Fantasy left Port Canaveral hours late after waiting for air travel-delayed guests to arrive.)
• If you decide to cancel the cruise before the Paid-in-Full date, you can also cancel the flights with no penalty. (I have done this.)
• You can change your flights (before PIF) with no penalty.
• If the cruise returns late back to the home port, DCL will reschedule your flights without charge to you if that's needed. This (along with the first reason I listed) makes DCL-booked air a great choice for cruises during hurricane season, which are the cruises most likely to be disrupted.
• You can now choose the day and time of your flight via DCL (they didn't use to allow this without an extra fee).

Disadvatages:

• You can't book a discount carrier like SWA or Jet Blue (which are more cost-effective and often have more non-stop flights) via DCL.

Bottom line: If your plans are set in stone and you're cruising during a low-risk time of year (not hurricane season or winter storm season), you're probably better off booking flights with a discount carrier to get the best deal. But if your plans are tentative or there is some other reason you want Disney to take responsibility for your flights, then DCL might be the better option.

 

[GPaLarry]

We did a b2b Med./Trans last Sept. with air/transfers through DCL. Out of seven cruises, we have used them for six with no problems. For us it takes the worry and headaches out getting to the ship. Same is true of booking DCL excursions. If something comes up, the mouse will do his best to make it right. Last trip we flew into Barcelona and a DCL rep. with private car picked us up at the airport (2 days early so we could see the city). The hotel DCL recommended also had a DCL desk in the lobby to make touring the city, doing preliminary check-in, etc. easy. The hotel and mouse staff were all great. The Med. cruise was a long grind in each port (via DCL excursions), but we saw a ton of sites and relaxed on the second leg. Have a great trip!!

 

[Debby7]

This sounds like the information I wanted to hear! would love to know your recommendations for excursions. We will be in Naples, Florence, and Rome as well as Nice.

 

[Gilland18]

DCL changed their policy for booking air last fall some time, after we booked our WBTA. That caused some confusion but it was eventually sorted out. Our experience with this trip, as well as with our previous WBTA were very positive. DCL seems to be expensive on domestic flights but they have found us flights to Europe that are similarly priced to what others on our cruise are reporting they found for themselves. I don't know whether that remains true as they have changed their timeline.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The one time I got a quote it was very expensive. I found much cheaper flights myself.

We used DCL air on our Med/WBTA B2B combo in 2010. We found the cost was only about $100 more per person, and it gave us a bit of relief in the "what if the airplane doesn't make it there in time" issue.

We also used DCL air for our EBTA last year. Open jaw flights were cheaper that way.

Yes, it's an issue that DCL doesn't actually purchase the airfare until about 60 days out.

 

[Shanti]

Yes, it's an issue that DCL doesn't actually purchase the airfare until about 60 days out.

We chose our exact flights, and even our seats, over six months in advance booking via DCL. There was no "60 days out" issue at all.

 

[Aby]

"Yes, it's an issue that DCL doesn't actually purchase the airfare until about 60 days out."

What issues would this cause just out of curiosity? I'm just so used to booking flights myself so far in advance, I'd be worried if DCL didn't have anything I liked and then having to scramble to find something. Or will they arrange it farther in advance but just not give you the confirmation until later?

Aby

 

[For the love of Pooh]

I booked through DCL air in December for my upcoming EBTA in May. I asked for window seats and got them. Last year I priced DCL air for my WBPC and found I could get the airfare cheaper myself (Miami and San Diego). I couldn't find anything as cheap as what they offered for my EBTA (Orlando and Copenhagen). Yes I missed out on no baggage charges on SW but their price was $500 cheaper than if I had booked the exact same flights myself.

 

[KDG]

We are going to be flying into London to board the Magic in Dover. Anyone have prior experience with this destination? We will have 3 parties flying from western states and want to arrive a few days before the ship departs.

 

[mmouse37]

I used DCL air for the first time in many, many years last year for the WBTA from Barcelona. I booked pretty last minute for the cruise and priced out one way airfare on my own and it was very expensive. I asked about DCL air and at first I was told there was nothing left from my home airport and I would be put on a waitlist. A few days later I was notified that they had a seat for me. Their price was much cheaper than I could find on my own at that late date so I booked it. I also booked airfare and I came in a day early. I guess I was the only one on my flight going to the Hilton Diagonal Mar (also booked through DCL) so I was met at baggage claim and I was taken to my hotel via private van.

The whole experience was great. I had an overnight flight and got to the hotel around noonish and was exhausted so I just spent the day lounging by the pool at the hotel. I met up with my friend onboard the next day for the Transatlantic. The hotel included breakfast.

Clayton, the Cruise Director was on my flight!

MJ

 

[Shanti]

"Yes, it's an issue that DCL doesn't actually purchase the airfare until about 60 days out."

What issues would this cause just out of curiosity? I'm just so used to booking flights myself so far in advance, I'd be worried if DCL didn't have anything I liked and then having to scramble to find something. Or will they arrange it farther in advance but just not give you the confirmation until later?
Aby

You do get confirmation right when you book. I think that poster hasn't used DCL-arranged air in a few years, since the system has become more customer-friendly. In its earlier years you had to wait until 60 days for flight details, but not anymore.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You do get confirmation right when you book. I think that poster hasn't used DCL-arranged air in a few years, since the system has become more customer-friendly. In its earlier years you had to wait until 60 days for flight details, but not anymore.

I used it last May on our EBTA. At the time DCL was just implementing their "new" procedures. We booked at bit last minute (5 months out). We were "confirmed" on our airflights within a couple of days (well, they said, "this is what we have you on, but it could change"). I couldn't pick our seats until closer to the actual date of the trip.

Yes, in the past, DCL would let you pay for your airfare at the time of booking a cruise, but the actual air flight reservations didn't happen until around 60 days out.

 

[over50visits]

We chose our exact flights, and even our seats, over six months in advance booking via DCL. There was no "60 days out" issue at all.

You're right, that "60 day" information is out of date. Don't know where that idea came from, but DCL's systems is pretty friendly, if (of course) more expensive than booking yourself. There's some value in the perks they provide (like late flights, getting you to your flight on time afterward, taking care of hurricane problems, etc.)

 

[Sparky47]

The last time I booked air travel through DCL was in 2104 for EBTA. Price was about $100 more than if I did it on my own (unless on my own I wanted many connections). We must have been under the old program because I do recall being told that I would not receive any flight information until around the 60 day time period. We had no choice regarding which flights, connections or seats. But peace of mind is why we were willing to pay more because we had to fly in the day the transatlantic cruise was leaving. It was most likely the best decision we have made with respect to our cruises--the morning of our departure as we were waiting for our friend to pick us up for the airport (literally 20 min before he arrived), I received a message that our flight from Cleveland to Charlotte had been cancelled. I freaked out for 2 minutes and then called DCL. Within 5 minutes I received a call back from DCL asking how fast we could get to the airport because they were able to completely reroute us (there 4 of us traveling on 2 separate reservations)-- we departed from Cleveland to Newark an hour earlier than original flight and ended up landing in Barcelona about three hours earlier which allowed us to time do the Hop On Hop Off bus tour before the cruise. I would definitely consider DCL air travel again (especially for an overseas trip).

 

[gruffudd242]

We used it for a while, but switched to booking it ourselves. The main issue was price, for whatever reason the tickets that Disney were purchasing were about double what I could get if I booked it myself, even accounting for the free transfers from the airport to the cruise. (at least what I have in my notes for our 2014 cruise). That and the flights were for the day of the cruise, which as mentioned can lead to issues if there are flight delays. Overall the process was clean and simple and we had no issues when using DCL to book air.