Booking DCL Sept 2027 tips please.

[Nick6300]

What is the typical window for booking a DCL for Sept 2027? So far we've tentatively landed on Sept. with price being the most important. Sort of thinking a 3 day WDW followed by the DCL to ensure we don't miss our port time. I'd normally prefer WDW last, but otherwise we'd be considering a hotel for a night between MCO and Port C. There would be grandparents with 3 kids squeezed into a balcony facing room, and our fam of 3 somewhere within walking distance, hopefully in the middle of ship, away from balcony. We looked at some prices for this Aug-Oct, and mid Sept was the cheapest. We're thinking a shorter Caribbean with 1-2 Disney ports, such as 4 nights. The consideration for Aug., even if slightly more than Sept., is that the 2 of us our will likely be AP until 9/12, if we renew this Sept. If we land on a cruise in Sept., we probably won't renew and cut down on our WDW trips after our Aug 2026. Starting with when to book, any aspect that I should know would be helpful as none of us have done the cruises, and we've only gone on 1 Carnival cruise Aug 2012. Such as travel agents you've liked, which dining time, room types, etc. Thank you!

 

[RedHead0186]

In the past, DCL has opened booking about 18 months out. But, more recently they haven't always followed that pattern.

You will find that sailings in September are typically cheaper, one of the big reasons being that it's prime hurricane season. More often than not sailings aren't affected, but they can be (to varying degrees) so cruises are a bit cheaper to entice people. We've sailed in September several times and despite once sailing between two hurricanes, we've never had big issues and have continued to do it.

Dreams Unlimited is the travel agency that sponsors this board, and they are fantastic. I highly recommend Merrie Thomas, we've worked with her for years.

In terms of room type, you'll get varying opinions. I love having a verandah so we usually do that. I've done oceanview rooms and those are fine, but I do find I miss being able to just step outside and get some ocean air. I will not do an interior room-not being able to have natural light or see outside does bad things for my anxiety (but lots of people like those rooms, I'm just sharing my experience).

I'm typically a fan of the later dining time; however, due to some health issues in my party we have switched to main dining. Late dining is typically less busy as it's less popular and it's easier to get a private table (if you want that). Main dining is more popular with families, but I have seen younger kids at late dining as well.

 

[sponica]

Prices generally are cheaper when booking opens and then steadily creep up. It might take longer for September to creep up as people avoid september for various reasons (school just starting + peak hurricane season). My 7 night Eastern turned into a Western in August because of Hurricane Erin.

We book verandah rooms midship on deck 8, I don't like being too low on the ship as it makes me feel claustrophobic and I also don't want to be under the pool. We do main dining because we live in eastern time and my kids are nightmares after 7 PM.

I'm a control freak, so I don't use a TA. If you enjoy the cruise, buy the placeholder on the last day. It's good for 2 years and if you don't use it, you'll get the money back.

 

[Nick6300]

In the past, DCL has opened booking about 18 months out. But, more recently they haven't always followed that pattern.

You will find that sailings in September are typically cheaper, one of the big reasons being that it's prime hurricane season. More often than not sailings aren't affected, but they can be (to varying degrees) so cruises are a bit cheaper to entice people. We've sailed in September several times and despite once sailing between two hurricanes, we've never had big issues and have continued to do it.

Dreams Unlimited is the travel agency that sponsors this board, and they are fantastic. I highly recommend Merrie Thomas, we've worked with her for years.

In terms of room type, you'll get varying opinions. I love having a verandah so we usually do that. I've done oceanview rooms and those are fine, but I do find I miss being able to just step outside and get some ocean air. I will not do an interior room-not being able to have natural light or see outside does bad things for my anxiety (but lots of people like those rooms, I'm just sharing my experience).

I'm typically a fan of the later dining time; however, due to some health issues in my party we have switched to main dining. Late dining is typically less busy as it's less popular and it's easier to get a private table (if you want that). Main dining is more popular with families, but I have seen younger kids at late dining as well.

Thank you for your thoughts! I hope the Sept timing works out, as we are sort of set on that. Potentially late Aug if it makes sense but probably Sept., if I know us, without insurance.

I’d be game for late dining but if it’s 5/8… we have little kids and a diabetic, plus a mother in law who eats dinner no later than 6.

My in-laws def want a veranda or whatever room with ocean view. I, on the other hand, get sick, and unlike those who feel better with air and seeing the sea, I want to be in the middle of the middle even if it doesn’t really help with rocking. I’ve heard some say that it doesn’t. It’s at least cheaper, and further away from in laws. I want to be able to commute to them but not be adjoining. If you know what I mean.

Do you or anyone have ship suggestions for budget conscious and the 4 night or close to, options. I’d imagine the older ships. I’d imagine the short cruises are limited in port options but if there are some choices, are there some you prefer more than others in the short Caribbean routes.

18 months out would be like this March. Yikes. I suppose it’s just a deposit but we need to get going on figuring some of these details out.

Do we need a passport including young kids or is it a birth cert? Is it all casual or do you need nicer clothes for dining. Are all meals including room service included?

 

[Nick6300]

Prices generally are cheaper when booking opens and then steadily creep up. It might take longer for September to creep up as people avoid september for various reasons (school just starting + peak hurricane season). My 7 night Eastern turned into a Western in August because of Hurricane Erin.

We book verandah rooms midship on deck 8, I don't like being too low on the ship as it makes me feel claustrophobic and I also don't want to be under the pool. We do main dining because we live in eastern time and my kids are nightmares after 7 PM.

I'm a control freak, so I don't use a TA. If you enjoy the cruise, buy the placeholder on the last day. It's good for 2 years and if you don't use it, you'll get the money back.

I don’t even know what a verandah means but it makes sense if you know the ship well enough to be away from the noisy pool. Maybe once we have our ship chosen, we can look at a map and figure out how to avoid being near a pool.

We have a 2 yr old, and our most recent WDW trip last month over Christmas, she was wore out to the pt we had to carry her a lot, and we left by 7-8:30 every night. So probably another reason we can’t do the late dining. But hopefully we’re still able to enjoy some night activities. We saw fireworks only once in 8 nights last mo. But we also go often, so we’re more ok missing some things. It’s my 2 yr olds 6th WDW trip next mo.

The others want to go with an agent since we’ve not been on dcl, but also because we’re not cruise goers. I’m clueless here as I dislike water in general and purposely avoided cruises. Likely a once in a lifetime experience.

 

[Mommb]

18 months out would be like this March. Yikes. I suppose it’s just a deposit but we need to get going on figuring some of these details out.

Do we need a passport including young kids or is it a birth cert? Is it all casual or do you need nicer clothes for dining. Are all meals including room service included?

Unless you book a Concierge room (which is much more expensive) the deposit will be fully refundable until the final payment date (typically 3 months in advance for a 4 night trip).

If you are US citizens on a cruise that leaves from and returns to the same US port, you do not need passports, just official birth certificates for everyone and government-issued IDs for adults. However, if for some reason you needed to fly home from a foreign port, you would need passports. It is possible to get emergency passports in that situation, but it could take a few days.

The only official dress rule in the main dining rooms is no shorts or tank tops. Cruises of 4 or more nights will have 1 or 2 optional dress-up nights, when most (but not all) guests wear nice clothes rather than jeans and shorts. Some guests dress up every night.

All meals in the buffet (open for breakfast and lunch), main dining rooms (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and quick-service places on the pool deck are included in the cruise fare, as is food from room service. Juice, milk, coffee, tea, and soda are included at the buffet, main restaurants and beverage station. There are extra charges for beverages in the bars and from room service and for alcoholic beverages everywhere. There is also an extra charge for the adults-only restaurants.

 

[Mommb]

If your 2 year old will be 3 and potty trained by the time cruise, she will be able to go to the kids’ club at no additional cost. She may be happy there while you do activities after dinner.

A veranda is a balcony. Veranda rooms have a heavy door (with a latch high up) that leads to a small outdoor area with chairs. Oceanview rooms have a large window instead. Inside staterooms on some ships have a “virtual porthole” that shows outside the ship.

Most short cruises from Florida go to Nassau and one or both of Disney’s private islands in the Bahamas. Some people prefer one over the other, but as a first-time cruiser, either would be fine. I would choose based on the dates and the prices, unless you or someone in your family has a strong preference for the dining room or show themes on a particular ship.