Anyone ever book with the cast member discount?

[j_cwayman]

I was wondering if anyone has ever gone on a cruise that was booked with Disney cast member discount?? I know that you have to wait until 30 days before the cruise but we were wondering if it's possible after you book your stateroom to get bumped off the cruise?? Can anyone please help?? I also heard that a double occupancy in September usually never get bumped. We are hoping to take the four day Disney wonder cruise in a verandah room leaving on September 11th. Please help!!
Thanks

 

[one princess]

I don't know about a cast member discount but I used to get an airline discount which is pretty substantial and once we were booked we could not be bumped. It was just like making a regular reservation. I would think it is the same for you. I am sure you could call and ask though.

Jackie

 

[996turbos]

I have sailed with my DW who is a cast member 4 times. Yes you can be bumped off the ship. This is not common but has happened to us a few years ago. We booked our reservation, paid it in full, put in for vacation time at both our jobs, and got bumped off 4 days prior to sailing. The reason was understandable enough though not easy to swallow. When the Magic was infected with the Norwalk virus the passengers on the canceled cruise were offered vacation time at the parks with a 3 or 4 day balance of the vacation spent on the Wonder. To make room for as many as possible all cast member cruises were canceled and refunded(although it took them 30 days to process those refunds ). As a result we were left to call the dock right up to sailing in hopes of a cancel or no show. That didn't happen. The unfortunate part is that some cast members who now had to wait for refunds had no money to go on vacation. When you already live here, vacationing in central Florida is not as special as it is for those who live elsewhere and travel in. All the way around it was a bummer not just for us but for everyone affected including those who lost out on thier 7 day cruises as well.

On a side note to add insult to injury my wife and her sister were selected to go help with the clean up of the Magic. They normally work in an office as travel agents but volunteered to work on the Saturday our vacation was to start. They thought it would be fun to see other areas of the ship and get some extra pay as well. It wasn't a cruise but they really enjoyed themselves. We, as I said called right up to Thursday morning in hopes of a cancel. When all hope was lost we went to the Animal Kingdom lodge with our children. It wasn't the cruise we all hoped for but still we had a great time. Truth be told it made the next 2 cruises we took (7 day and 3 day) seem more special. As I walked around with my wife, she would point to where she worked and what it was like in the crew areas she went through. In the end it made for some intresting memories .

 

[Mmketeer]

Yup...several times.
Their is a phone number you can call and they actually sometimes post the available dates upto three months in advance (sometimes). It is a pre-recorded message that will tell you the available dates and availablity goes really quick, so put something on comp. hold if your really serious.

Bumped....Yes...one time. It was aweful....I had booked three cabins (max a CM can book for friends and family) and booked it in Sept. for the end of November 4 day cruise. My family had non-refunable airline tickets to fly in and we were called Thanksgiving weekend and told they all of us were bumped off the cruise for the next week. No if's and''s or butts. We weren't even allowed to pay full price to sail, which we were willing to do! And, even with me also being a Castaway Club member it was a no go at any rate even though I talked to a supervisor! She said they had already canceled my staterooms before they called me.
The cruiseline's usually close inventory a week out and I had to really scramble to book anything in or around that price range we had cause' my family had non-refundbale tickets and the kids were really wanting to go on a cruise. My family and I always get together for the holidays, so this was our Christmas get together. What happened? It turns out that this Thanksgiving week a few years ago the Norwalk virus first made a appearance in the cruise industry and on the Disney ship! DCL let those onboard who were sick rebook our cruise the following week and hence we got bumped. We ended up on the Carnival's Fantasy cause' the family was already flying into Orlando Int. We Didn't really care for the cruiseship, but bless Carnival anyway for getting us onboard last minute and at a discount too.

The CM rate is a great discount and the Oceanview room's are affordable. You can book what you want if your willing to pay for it. Way back when... you got whatever they gave you and that was that. They have made some great strides to make the CM rate compatiable with a Travel Agent's discount and it's about time. I would book the CM rate, only if you are "able" to be bumped, otherwise they also have now come up with something called 'confirmed space' which is more, but wasn't available of course that holiday time period when I needed it, cause' you can't be bumped with that one. Hope this helps...

Mmketeer.......Next cruise's : RCCL/SOS 12/05 & DCL/Wonder 2/06

 

[GenieDana]

How does the CM rate compare to a typical fare? Is it half the typical price, or better?

Just a little pre-planning - I have a SIL who is a CM and has never cruised, and we're trying to decide what to plan for a family reunion for my side of the family this year September (DH's family already did a reunion on the Magic in 2003 - it was a great time). Since we would also sail dates during Florida resident's discounts already announced, CM rates could help us???

 

[SueEllen]

CM rates are posted on the Cast Portal, and are available by calling the Disney Cast DCL phone number.

While it's rare for someone to be bumped from a space available cruise, it has (and does) happen. I know that a lot of people were bumped during the Norwalk canceled cruise time.

Sue Ellen

 

[j_cwayman]

we are just hoping not to get bumped it's going to be our 5th wedding anniversary trip, 5 years since we last cruised on the Disney Wonder!! Hopefully September 11-15 won't get booked out and us get bumped. Here's to hoping!!!