Booking Disney Cruise with AAA?

[opteeka]

Is there any advantages or disadvantages of booking with AAA? Who have you booked your Disney Cruise through? We are trying to find the best deal and wondering who has it.

 

[kcashner]

No agency is allowed to discount DCL cruises; they are the same price regardless of whether you book yourself or go thru a TA--any TA. Where they can differ is in giving you an onboard credit or other "thanks for booking" gift and the quality of service they provide.

Each AAA office is different. My experience with my local office is that they knew NOTHING. They had never seen a DCL ship let alone sailed on one. All they could do was look at their computer and read the screen. The small booking gift they offered was not worth the headaches I would have had from dealing with them.

You'll get lots of suggestions on agencies and agents. I'm not allowed to name the one I like on this board. But I wouldn't even consider booking with AAA.

One hint--any good agent can get you all of the same credits you can get on your own; this should include an on line booking credit of $25 per cabin, a Disney Visa credit of $50 per cabin (if you use a Disney Visa card), etc. in addition to any "thanks for booking with us" gift or credit.

 

[trimix]

Honestly, the more time I spent here the more in control of my cruise I wanted to be.

I don't know if they still allow it, but I initially booked my cruise through the website then transferred the reservation to an AAA agent. The agent knew very little about Disney, repeatedly said she wanted to discuss it with me after my trip.

I only used AAA because of an additional stateroom credit, and what it meant for me was that two requests had to be forwarded through her, and I had to have her call in my payment instead of paying through their website.

I can only give you two reasons to use a travel agent - you will get an additional stateroom credit and, if you go through Dreams Unlimited, you will help support this message board. But you won't get a cheaper price through a travel agent.

 

[Max Webster]

I love using my AAA TA. She's great and is very familar with DCL, and Disney. Her service is fantastic. I think Dreams Unliminted "TA" may get me a higher onboard credit, but there "service" no way compares to what I get with my AAA TA.

Cheers!

Max

 

[Princess Sleepy]

I use a AAA TA and have found her to be very knowledgeable about DCL (I know she cruises herself). However, my information about WDW itself, far outstrips hers.

 

[kcashner]

Remember that you "buy" both the agency and the individual agent. Be sure that you are happy with both.

The MINIMUM requirements I'd look for are that the agency has been around a long time (isn't going out of business next week!), that the agent has personally attended the training that Disney provides for them and that the agent has personally been on at least one of the ships. I'd really like an agent who has sailed on the ships rather than just toured them, but you might not get that in a local agent.

AAA does give you a large agency, but the individual agents vary considerably. Thus, I'd look carefully at my local agents and their abilities/training.

 

[famviramontes]

I book most of my vacations with AAA, not air though. I do my research before I go in so that I know exactly what I want no matter the vacation. She realizes I have done my research and respects that and tries to add where she can. I got some fairly good things booking when I did because it was Disney month at AAA>

 

[moobear67]

We booked ours through AAA. Our agents are extremely knowledgeable about DCL, and have all been on their cruises multiple times. AAA usually has multiple benefits, such as onboard credit, as well as free use of floats on Castaway Cay, food/gift baskets in your room on the first and last day of the cruise, etc.

 

[opteeka]

Thank you for all the replies. I will be contacting DU for a quote also. Thank you.

 

[mammacaryn]

We have booked our last 2 cruises with AAA.(we pay for the service might as well use it)

There are other agents out there with MUCH better on board credits, you can get a lot of info on that here on the board.

Like another poster said, each area offers different perks with AAA. I am in Western NY (rochester) and a fellow dis boarder who is also a member of western NY AAA but in Syracuse didn't get nearly as much in bonuses as my area offered.(they only got the standard AAA package listed below)

The standard AAA benefits for an outside room is a $100 package:
$45 drink credit
Free floats at CC
Small fruit basket upon arrival
Small petit four plate on last evening
(NO GIFT BASKETS-unless your individual agent sends you something)

Inside rooms get a $50 package:
I do not know the specifics of this actual package

You are also able to get the $50/per room OBC when you book entire trip with Disney Visa

AND

$25 OBC per room when your agent books through the Disney site.


Mind you although a Disney expert working with AAA is "supposed" to know this stuff, some do not. So you have to make sure to tell them what offers you want.

We are also premier AAA members, so we get $100 off the total price, which is mailed to us in the form of a check after we pay in full.(since we booked two rooms, she got us $200 back)

our local office also does rewards AFTER your vacation, so we had discount vouchers from our LAST vacation since we booked with them to use on this one.

Like anything some AAA agents are good some not. The one we used last year was AMAZING, this one this year, I plan on putting a formal complaint in about since I have done more work than her (she is a Cruise and Disney expert...by title only apparently)

Just do your research.....

 

[LVaughn]

Our AAA agent isn't good at all. She's their "Disney expert" but knows very little about DCL. I booked three cruises through her, giving her every chance I could to get things right, and because we used to get an OBC from them, which they no longer offer. She always put us in as new cruisers (no concept of Castaway Club), and she wouldn't forward all the documents they sent her, just the ones we needed to board. She was keeping everything else.

I'm glad there are good AAA agents out there that are knowledgeable about DCL. I would suggest visiting the AAA office and at least talking with the agent(s) to find out what they know. As a PP said, you're paying for the service, and talking doesn't obligate you to book anything.

We book directly with DCL now, and enjoy the ability to manage the reservation ourselves without having to contact a TA to make changes.

 

[poohj80]

Our AAA Disney experts didn't even know much about WDW or DL when we attended their special Disney night with their Disney "experts". I ended up advising members more than they did so that turned me off from even consideirng them in the future for Disney travel.

 

[MomsOf2boys]

We had booked with AAA before and were not happy with their level of knowledge on the concierge services both on the ships and at the resorts. We now book through DU.

 

[opteeka]

I have booked with a AAA TA in the past for all my Disney Trips. This was because they were able to get us a really good deal. For the cruise I am finding it a different story!! I just called out local Syracuse Office for information and will let you know if they still offer the same credits as others have received. When I checked with my orginal AAA TA that I have used for previous trips it was only a $25 on board credit ( I think she was from Buffalo Area?) I will let you know.

 

[mammacaryn]

I have booked with a AAA TA in the past for all my Disney Trips. This was because they were able to get us a really good deal. For the cruise I am finding it a different story!! I just called out local Syracuse Office for information and will let you know if they still offer the same credits as others have received. When I checked with my orginal AAA TA that I have used for previous trips it was only a $25 on board credit ( I think she was from Buffalo Area?) I will let you know.

Just so you know, the $100/$50 offer is ALL AAA offices and are good for cruises book through dec.2011. It is on their DCL literature so that is a given. I know another poster had confusion with it but that is for EVERY AAA office, beyond that it it is totally up to the office.
And the $25 online and $50 disney visa is for everyone if those services are used.
Good Luck!

 

[opteeka]

Just got off phone with Syracuse AAA office. She will email me info. How did you get a $200 credit. $100 for each room? Did you book two rooms for your family? I asked and she said no only I would get credit for 1 room. What I was trying to do was book a room for our family and one for my parents. I guess that doesn't qualify? If you know something different could you please let me know. Thank you.

 

[mammacaryn]

Just got off phone with Syracuse AAA office. She will email me info. How did you get a $200 credit. $100 for each room? Did you book two rooms for your family? I asked and she said no only I would get credit for 1 room. What I was trying to do was book a room for our family and one for my parents. I guess that doesn't qualify? If you know something different could you please let me know. Thank you.

I booked 2 rooms, one for us, and one for my inlaws. So the $100 package was added to each room, along with the $25obc AND $50 obc.

With the premiere membership, she put it in the system so that we got the credit on each room. Not sure how she entered it, but we did indeed get $200(2 one hundred dollar checks) AND the reservations ARE linked. Our rooms are connecting rooms as well. We were also able to use our return cruiser bonus certificates which gave us another $200 off-$100 off each room. I think some creative data entry may have been used I do think usually it is only $100 per cruise....so I honestly do not know what she did. I think that is one of those things that different travel agents handle different ways.

Also I put my daughter in with my inlaws so they will get a castaway club gift as well!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

My DH and I went to talk to the TA's at our local AAA office, and the TA tried to be helpful, but just ended up looking up the website for the DCL, and told us that there would be nothing additional that she could give. Also, since we are taking the train up to Vancouver BC for our cruise, that if we booked everything, that we would be charged an additional amount, since AAA does not deal with Amtrak often. I was able to find more information than she gave us, between this forum, Mousepad, and the DCL website. I ended up booking everything on my own.

 

[opteeka]

Thank you for all information. Everyone has been so helpful!! Still have not heard back yet from AAA rep. Will keep waiting. I have talked to someone at SMV and she seems to be most helpful. I just wanted to use my AAA membership.

 

[opteeka]

This is the reply I received from AAA:

The AAA perks will not be announced until late summer/ early fall for 2012 sailings. We do not know what they will be, however, we are expecting them to be very similar to last year’s. Last year there was a $45 on board beverage credit, hor d’oeuvres for pre & post cruise, and free float rentals at Castaway Cay.



Once they get loaded, they will be automatically added to your cruise reservation.

I have not heard yet if we would still get the $25 OBC with them booking on line. Waiting for that answer. Again thank you everyone!