Aug 24 2014 cruise canceled!

[JustineMarie]

I agree! Even though we have it settled and it looks like we got a good deal on paper, it's not what I really want to do so is it really a good deal? I am still aggravated too.

And yes, mine was an on board booking too so I got the 10% off and on board booking carried over to the new dates, so you should too. Good luck!

No, I think we got screwed. While it is cheaper as far as the cruise goes, I still feel like I got ripped off.

We were going to spend 5 days before the cruise in Disney then do the cruise, then go back to disney for 2 days and then fly home.

Now we will probably have to drive in November and will MAYBE have 2 days at the parks. Not even sure if that would be worth it. I still have to talk all the details over with my husband.

I really am trying to focus on the good things about November but I keep coming back to the the inconveniences.

 

[erocrobro]

Thanks! That is nice to hear. Hopefully over the next year my heart will be in it...and hopefully I will love the Fantasy next month.

Maybe you can answer the question I have about the Easter. Did you have to get up early 1 morning for something with immigration. I remember hearing something about that years ago, but not sure if it still happens. Thanks for the info!

No, we didn't have anything like that. The only time we had to be up early was on the last day to get to breakfast on time. I hope you love it as much as we did!

 

[jajomo0118]

To OP and all others that this happened to.... I feel so very bad.

It actually takes a little of the "Disney Magic" away for me as well. I get business is business. I just though this business cared a bit more about the special people that have a special affection for that lovable Mouse.

Sending wishes for good vibes to all!

 

[SnowWhite2]

I just though this business cared a bit more about the special people that have a special affection for that lovable Mouse.

I can tell that you are NOT a DVC member. Disney has no special affection for those that love the mouse. They just like ways to find to take their money.

Disney is much more business-like lately.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

OP, did you mean Aug 24, 2014?

ETA: This still stinks, regardless of the year, especially since you will be celebrating a special occasion. I think DCL should give you the pricing that was in place the day you booked the original cruise. I actually don't see how they can justify not doing that. Whether they "have to" or not, it is just the right thing to do.

I agree, they should give you the same price. That's crazy! Our oct 2014 sailing has gone up over $1000 since I booked in feb. if they made me move to another sailing and expected me to pay the $1000 I would cancel. It's out of my budget and poor customer service. So sorry, OP!

 

[MillauFr]

These boards are great. I was booked on the 8/24/14 Dream and was able to call Costco this morning and rebook for 8/17/14. Yes it cost $300 more but at least I got the same room and they did offer $100 OBC. I just am glad that I can afford to sail on Disney and spend a few days at Disneyworld. Looking forward to it as I haven't been to Disneyworld since 1977. Our family usually goes to Disneyland since it is much closer.

Thanks everyone for the heads up.

 

[jajomo0118]

I can tell that you are NOT a DVC member. Disney has no special affection for those that love the mouse. They just like ways to find to take their money.

Disney is much more business-like lately.

I am not...and never planned to be. Just enjoy DCL when I can

Remember when businesses did right by their loyal customers....yeah me neither...haha.

 

[shburks]

Maybe this was mentioned earlier in this thread but I didn't see it. This is from DU's page:

The 8/24/14 sailing on the Disney Dream has been changed to a chartered cruise. Guests that were booked on this sailing are being offered a $100 onboard credit, as well as the opportunity to rebook on another sailing at the pricing that was available when they booked the original reservation. Disney (or your travel agent) will be contacting anyone affected by this change.

Found here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-cruise-line/bahamas.htm#charter

ETA: I posted this to show that DU says you can rebook on another sailing at the pricing available when you originally booked your cruise??

 

[lbgraves]

Does anyone know what the last day a cruise can be cancelled for a chartered group? 365 days out?? year and a half??

There isn't any limit. I think DCL cancelled the last Med cruise a couple years ago in May of the same year. At that point everyone's flights and hotels were already booked, many nonrefundable. DCL paid for cancellation penalties that were involved.

i admit i'm new to the whole cruise thing does this happen very often?

It happens at least once a year, sometimes more often. They changed the Wonder 2-3 times last year after cancelling the MR cruises and moving the ship to Galveston in December. The cruises out of Galveston didn't sell well so they revised the cruises two separate times.

Every single year when a DVC cruise is booked this happens also.

...Maybe you can answer the question I have about the Easter. Did you have to get up early 1 morning for something with immigration. I remember hearing something about that years ago, but not sure if it still happens. Thanks for the info!

That stopped around 2006 or 2007 possibly. You use to have to get up early when docking at St. Thomas for customs clearance.

...
ETA: I posted this to show that DU says you can rebook on another sailing at the pricing available when you originally booked your cruise??

This is what the OP posted they were able to do. On some cruises it won't make a difference, but if it is a popular cruise the price could have gone up quite a bit since opening day if that is when you booked it.

 

[qits]

I can tell that you are NOT a DVC member. Disney has no special affection for those that love the mouse. They just like ways to find to take their money.

Disney is much more business-like lately.

So true

 

[Spwhoney]

What company can afford to book the whole ship. Remember all the bailouts for companies that did crazy spending and cried that they needed money. Guess none of them learned.

 

[Tsunami]

DCL wants you to be a loyal repeat customer and this is the best they can do? Why don't they require anyone chartering a cruise to do so before the schedule and bookings are open to anyone for individual bookings? They want you to not change your plans and put in place cancellation fees to make sure you don't. But they can change their minds without penalty? Not fair, not customer oriented, but they know many of us are Disney lemmings and would accept a shorter cruise on a tug boat with no a/c if they said so. Unless enough people say no this is unacceptable this same scenario will happen again and again. $100 OBC give me a break! When you take into account the profit margin for anything you would buy with that OBC is at least a 50% markup, they are really only giving you a measly 50 bucks. There are 1000's of experiences out there besides Disney, and we all need to remember that we are the customer and they are not doing us a favor!

Agree 100%!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

DCL wants you to be a loyal repeat customer and this is the best they can do? Why don't they require anyone chartering a cruise to do so before the schedule and bookings are open to anyone for individual bookings? They want you to not change your plans and put in place cancellation fees to make sure you don't. But they can change their minds without penalty? Not fair, not customer oriented, but they know many of us are Disney lemmings and would accept a shorter cruise on a tug boat with no a/c if they said so. Unless enough people say no this is unacceptable this same scenario will happen again and again. $100 OBC give me a break! When you take into account the profit margin for anything you would buy with that OBC is at least a 50% markup, they are really only giving you a measly 50 bucks. There are 1000's of experiences out there besides Disney, and we all need to remember that we are the customer and they are not doing us a favor!

All agreed, however we all have to remember ALL THE LINES do this!

AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

What company can afford to book the whole ship. Remember all the bailouts for companies that did crazy spending and cried that they needed money. Guess none of them learned.

Its not just Companies, its professional groups and other organizations.

AKK

 

[Donna3271]

If you are flying from nj/ny/pa the first week of Nov. you might not be too happy about airfare cost. We have looked at this November and the prices are horrible.

Ugh!!! I AGREE!!! We usually fly out of Newark to MCO. I switched to the Miami 4 night. We have to fly out of LGA (instead of Newark) to Miami. It's not as bad as flying into MCO.

We are flying in for the Marathon in Jan and got $200 fare! We are also flying to Vancouver in Aug for the Alaska Cruise and got $555 airfare. So to pay almost that to fly to Orlando - CRAZY!!!

 

[cwdefouw]

What company can afford to book the whole ship. Remember all the bailouts for companies that did crazy spending and cried that they needed money. Guess none of them learned.

Another Disney Company, like the Disney Vacation Club. Also, when companies book charters like this, the people who go on the cruise almost always still have to pay something although it may be at a lower rate. DVC members actually pay a much higher rate for the member cruise than they would pay for a typical cruise, (they do get special entertainment and a lot of special gifts for their extra money).

The actual cost to a company to do this could potentially be very small if they have enough paying guests to fill the ship. So it would have to be a very large company to be able to do that.

 

[JohnsPrincess]

We were booked on the February 1-9, 2013 cruise. The first is my sons birthday (was his 1st birthday) and the 9th is our anniversary. They cancelled ours to change it into a 3 and a 4 or something like that. Ours was changed to a dummy cruise. We realized last month that DCL is leaving Galveston so we went on and looked at our options and rebooked for this Nov. I think we got 250$ OBC. I can understand the need to do this...if the longer cruises weren't booking, even though it really sucks. But I REALLY don't think they should cancel in a situation like this. If a company wants to charter, they should have to choose from ones that are not yet released.

Anyways, it took a while for me to get over it but I'm really excited for the upcoming one. The Christmas decorations will be up and Frozen comes out right before!

 

[LizzieandLuke]

I don't usually post but I read the boards all the time. We booked our first cruise for Aug. 24, 2014 and read HERE yesterday that the cruise was cancelled. Although I booked through a travel agent, I did all the research and booked that week because I could afford it.

Now Disney is offering me the week before at $800 more and a lousy $100 on board credit or the week after which my husband is forbidden to take off. I am so angry and so sad. My children are so disappointed and I feel like Disney could care less. They really are telling me to go ^%% off. The people at cruise line are down right rude let alone unsympathetic. Although this was to be our first cruise, I have spent a small fortune at Disney World. If I have to cancel I will never, ever give them another dime. I feel like they stole from me.

 

[buckeyemom16]

All agreed, however we all have to remember ALL THE LINES do this!

AKK

They do, except they treat their customers better than what is being reported here. My Mom had her 8 day CCL cruise out of NO for next year changed to an 11 day out of PC and they gave them the same room and a $250 OBC for only a $100 price difference. Three more days and $150 gain? That's exactly how it should be done.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[JustineMarie]

If you are flying from nj/ny/pa the first week of Nov. you might not be too happy about airfare cost. We have looked at this November and the prices are horrible.

I know the prices are going to be insane. We were going to go to wdw this november and devided to cancel bc the airfare was out of control. I refuse to pay $450+ roundtrip per person when i can pay $250 any other time.

We will probably end up just driving down and skipping the days at the parks- just doing the cruise.