Booking a "Breathless Illuminations Cruise" vent!!!

[jncvh]

Just a little venting so bare with me: for months I have been looking forward to doing the Breathless Illuminations cruise in October with my family. I only had one night that I would be able to do the cruise, as the other nights I have ADR’s later in the evening, and I wanted to make sure that I had everything in order before I called. Today was the 90 day mark and I had the print out of the quick access steps to calling at 06:55in the morning. I woke up a little bit earlier and got right on the phone to book the cruise. When I called I received an operator right away and asked to book a specialty cruise for Oct 19th on the 8:00p.m. Breathless Cruise. To my surprise the operator advised me that she doesn’t think that they book that cruise anymore. She was really unsure of herself and hesitated for a minute and then told me that she will have to check on how to make a ressie. Eighteen minutes later I was still on hold. Luckily there were some good Disney songs while on hold. When I hit the 20 minute mark I had to hang up or be late for work. All day this bothered me and was a little upset that they wouldn’t book this through WDW-PLAY anymore, so when I got home I called again and this time got on to an operator and within a few minutes she told me that all of the bookings for that day were taken and I would have to try again tomorrow for the next day.

I was really peeved that the operator was possibly inexperienced or new and I probably missed my chance to book this as she didn’t know how to book the cruise. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to book the cruise as much as being put on hold for 20 minutes and still she didn’t get back to me. On top of that I was calling long distance from Canada during prime hours and 20 minutes on hold can add up. I can totally understand that if someone beat me calling but missing the ressie due to the operator not knowing about the cruise and ruining something that I was looking forward to with my family on the only night that I could have booked this cruise upsets me.

Now I could try to switch my ressie for the next night, but it is for the Hoopdedo and the earlier show is better as I have a two year old and the later show may be too long for her to be awake.

My question, should I contact Disney and lodge a complaint or accept things as they are and shrug it off?

 

[Robo]

My question, should I contact Disney and lodge a complaint or accept things as they are and shrug it off?

I feel for you and agree with you that the operator blew the call.

But its no good to complain, they'd likely tell you (truthfully) that you probably didn't have much chance of getting the Breathless anyway.

But do try for another night.

I'd book the CRUISE first, then move any other ressies.

A different night's 5pm Hoop should be pretty easy to get 90 days out.
The 7pm sells out soonest.

GOOD LUCK on the Breathless (the regular pontoon cruises are still fun, too.)

 

[bicker]

Stuff like that is always a luck of the draw. Disney would surely prefer not to have any aspect of their service dependant on how quickly something can get booked. (Remember CRT -- they basically doubled the price over five years to address that problem.) My guess is that the bigger problem that they'd see in this case would be that they're clearly not charging enough for Breathless, as it sells out so quickly.

 

[disney junky]

I agree with the no complaining. It really is luck of the draw. Last year I called every morning at 6:55 on three separate phone lines and it took me three days to get an Illuminations Cruise on the pontoon boat. I had a six day window. I did first book a Wishes as my fall back and then cancelled when I was able to book Illuminations (it was Easter Sunday morning when I got the ressie). I would suggest that your ADR's are much more flexible than booking the cruise so try again. Does a cell phone from Canada work in the US because that's how I made mine? I literally had three cell phones and I was speed dialing all three till one got through. Good luck, but don't be disappointed. That wait seems like an eternity.

 

[Hugpug]

Issueing a complaint will do no good. Getting any cruise is a luck of a draw. May I suggest you post a request for anyone who has a cruise for your night and an open number of seats who will be willing to share there cruise. The breathless holds I believe 6-7 people. Just a though. I know I was very lucky a couple of years ago that a family let me share there Illumination cruise one evening and if my luck holds out I hope that some nice family will let me share there Wishes Premium Cruise this November. The folks here on the board try very hard to help one another out. So give it a try.

 

[Robo]

Stuff like that is always a luck of the draw. Disney would surely prefer not to have any aspect of their service dependant on how quickly something can get booked. (Remember CRT -- they basically doubled the price over five years to address that problem.) My guess is that the bigger problem that they'd see in this case would be that they're clearly not charging enough for Breathless, as it sells out so quickly.

That's true.

But you may recall that they aready (basically) DID that with these cruises.

The pontoon cruises were priced from $120 only about a year ago.

 

[bicker]

Yes, capacity is 7 people.

 

[salmoneous]

I know this is too late to help the OP - and I really hope things work out for you! - but it's a good time to mention that Disney phone CM's have vastly different skill levels. If you are booking something time-sensitive and you realize that you have a clueless CM, hang up immediately (get off a quick "I'm sorry I'll call back later" if you don't want to be rude) and call back in to get a different CM.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

We did the Breathless Illluminations Cruise in October 2005 and it was really fun.

Try again for another day and as another poster said if you don't get someone who knows what they are doing, call back. If fact before trying in the morning, I'd call and make sure who does the booking so any question about that is cleared up in advance.

We did the cruise after the big price change and it was right at $250. That doesn't include the tip.

Good luck

 

[Lizzybee]

I missed out on decent flight times and the airport of my choice because of a CM who had no idea what she was talking about. WDW travel had flights $129 rt from anywhere AirTrans services (I questioned the CM who gave me that info 3 times because it sounded too good, but she insisted) to Orlando and I called 1st thing in the morning the promotion was to start. I got a CM named Velma who told me the promotion didn't apply to Milwaukee or Chicago/Midway. I asked her a few times and then gave up and called back. Got Velma AGAIN, mumbled "wrong number". I could try again til I got to work. OF COURSE the deal applied to Milwaukee and Midway! As a result of the delay, our return flight has connections in Atlanta arrives at Midway at MIDNIGHT. I am still working on decent transpo back home from Midway, but most of the limo services charge extra for after 11pm. Thanks VELMA!
I hope things work out for you and the cruise, we did a Wishes cruise on Easter 2005 and it was sooo nice. Pixie dust to you and good luck

 

[MartDM]

I was really peeved that the operator was possibly inexperienced or new and I probably missed my chance to book this as she didn’t know how to book the cruise.

Clearly you got someone who had no idea what they were doing but, if it's any consolation, your chances of actually booking that cruise were slim to none. Remember, there are only a few cruises and hundreds of people trying to book them every day. Many of us have spent many an early morning dialing the reservations number and, even when you get through right when they open, you often hear that they are sold out. Yes, they actually do sell out in a matter of seconds each day!

I hope you get lucky & can snag a cruise for another day and I'm sorry you had such a frustrating experience!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

It CAN be done though. I got the Breathless on my first try and it had to be for 10/28 last year because that was DH's birthday. I didn't want another day - so if I'd had the OP's experience I would have been well beyond just mad!

Although they booked it though they gave me the old price and told me I could have decorations on the Breathless - neither of which was the real deal.

If you can go another day, keep trying I didn't do anything special but knew I had to start calling at a couple of minutes 'til 7am.

Good luck

 

[jncvh]

Thank you for all of your replies. I am going to forego the cruise this year. I guess it is just luck of the draw.