Christmas/Holiday 2011 on the Wonder: 8 night Mexican Riviera 12/18/2011

[LovesToRun]

My TA said it was only this sailing. She has a couple other clients on earlier MR cruises and she checked theirs too... nope only ours has gone down! I think it was priced too much higher than the weeks before, IMO. And now it's just properly price adjusting.

It would have been nice if I could have had the cat 5C still and saved $1400 bucks but HEY not complaining!! Maybe now that spa villa will be back in my budget!

I also talked with my TA about the upcoming drydock on the Wonder. She was on one of the Alaskan cruises and said Parrot Cay is getting redone for sure, adding heaters to the adult pool for Alaska, some kind of upgrade to staterooms, and retheming Route 66! Sounds like a pretty ambitious drydock.

That is so interesting about the price drop for just our cruise! That is great for us, huh?! I did think it was priced high, but I just thought it was because school was out, so they can jack up the prices because for a lot of families they only time they can travel is when school is out. So, it's good they are dropping it to match more of the other MR cruises.

So, isn't a 5B better than 5C? So, didn't you get more of an upgrade (you said you wished you could have still had the 5C). But, maybe you are talking about the specific room, and you wanted the specific room you had booked in 5C.

I looked, and there are still quite a few 5A cabins available, so I doubt we'll have to change cabins with the price change (like I said, assuming the price is still dropped in the morning).

We are on deck 7, too! We are mid-ship. I love deck 7. It's the deck we always book when we cruise...

Well, thanks again for posting this. I doubt I would have found it myself.

Kathy

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

So, isn't a 5B better than 5C? So, didn't you get more of an upgrade (you said you wished you could have still had the 5C). But, maybe you are talking about the specific room, and you wanted the specific room you had booked in

We are on deck 7, too! We are mid-ship. I love deck 7. It's the deck we always book when we cruise...

Well, thanks again for posting this. I doubt I would have found it myself.

Kathy

Yes, a 5B is technically an upgrade from a 5C, but I really wanted to keep that extra $200! Well, I guess I could have, couldn't I? I wanted our deck 6 room because it was the only deck we've never stayed on. And I always like the aft elevators. But like I said, deck 7 is my favorite to stay on, so I'm very happy with our new room!! I can't believe my good luck to be playing around and find this price drop.

Kathy, I have seen prices drop before, prior to final payment. Last year Stew and I were looking at doing another cruise line or another trip for our 40th birthdays when there was a sale on cat 12s... We got it for $699 PP! And then ended up with getting pixie dusted up to a cat 9! What a deal. On that cruise I think we spent as much in the spa as we had for one person. Hey why not?! I think the original price for that room was $1099 PP. I wouldn't have paid that for a cat 12 though. We've tried to book inside rooms and never have actually stayed in one. But on our upcoming Dream cruise we are in one for 9 nights!!! I'm a little nervous about that. We had gambled on waiting until we were onboard in March to book. Big mistake. The price had jumped up at least $600 per cruise- putting those verandah rooms right out of reach. So we went with the cheapest room we could get (and keep) for the b2b, and have more money to spend onboard. It will be quite an experiment for sure!

 

[LovesToRun]

Yes, a 5B is technically an upgrade from a 5C, but I really wanted to keep that extra $200! Well, I guess I could have, couldn't I? I wanted our deck 6 room because it was the only deck we've never stayed on. And I always like the aft elevators. But like I said, deck 7 is my favorite to stay on, so I'm very happy with our new room!! I can't believe my good luck to be playing around and find this price drop.

Kathy, I have seen prices drop before, prior to final payment. Last year Stew and I were looking at doing another cruise line or another trip for our 40th birthdays when there was a sale on cat 12s... We got it for $699 PP! And then ended up with getting pixie dusted up to a cat 9! What a deal. On that cruise I think we spent as much in the spa as we had for one person. Hey why not?! I think the original price for that room was $1099 PP. I wouldn't have paid that for a cat 12 though. We've tried to book inside rooms and never have actually stayed in one. But on our upcoming Dream cruise we are in one for 9 nights!!! I'm a little nervous about that. We had gambled on waiting until we were onboard in March to book. Big mistake. The price had jumped up at least $600 per cruise- putting those verandah rooms right out of reach. So we went with the cheapest room we could get (and keep) for the b2b, and have more money to spend onboard. It will be quite an experiment for sure!

Well, I'm SUPER excited! I emailed my TA this morning, and she got back to me right away. She looked into the current price for this cruise, and she said the price definitely dropped!! So, she rebooked us with the new price (we are in our same room, so that is good).... Just saved us $1,240.00!!!

I am SO glad I read this. Our TA may have discovered it on her own, but she may not have. She told me she saw last week that the lower cabin levels had dropped in price, but the 5A's had not dropped last week. So, they must have just dropped this weekend, because when I emailed my TA, she did not know about the price drop and had to look into it. So, I'm glad I emailed her!

Also, my inlaws are coming on this cruise with us, and they use the same TA, so I had her check their fare, too, and sure enough, their price dropped, too! They saved $700 for the two of them! (They are Cat 5A as well). So, good all around.

At any rate, we are pretty darn excited. When we first booked this cruise, there was no Kids Sail Free offer. So, between the Kids Sail Free offer that we got in June, and now this new price drop, we are almost paying 50% less than what we booked in May when we booked this cruise!!

Our 2nd Disney cruise, we also got a free ugrade to a veranda room! We had booked a Cat 8 (that is with the old category system... not sure what Cat 8 is now.... but it's the Porthole room on the higher decks). Anyway, we got upgraded a few weeks before our cruise to a Veranda room (what is now a Cat 5A), so it was a significant upgrade.... we figured out it was about $3,000 of an upgrade for us.

That was so awesome. But, we always joke about how that was just Disney's investment because once we experienced a veranda room, we just cannot book anything else! We love the veranda rooms, so by Disney giving us that free upgrade, it was a good deal for them because the cruises we've booked since then have only been veranda rooms, where if we had not gotten the upgrade and had never experienced the Veranda room, we probably would have just continued to book the Porthole room.

That'd be awesome if you got an upgrade on your upcoming 9 day cruise to something other than an inside room!

Well, what a great day... nothing better than saving money!

Take care,
Kathy

 

[SanDeeKath]

ARGH!!! I am so jealous. Because we are in a suite, our prices are fixed with no KSF either. SHEEEEESH. Maybe I can call Disney and beg!

Katherine

 

[LovesToRun]

ARGH!!! I am so jealous. Because we are in a suite, our prices are fixed with no KSF either. SHEEEEESH. Maybe I can call Disney and beg!

Katherine

Katherine,

Oh, that would be frustrating!! It would not hurt at all to call.... the worst they can say is no, but they might say yes, or give you some sort of deal! Also, might even be the fixed price of the suite has come down, too??? Definitely worth the phone call.

I am not sure this would appeal to you and your family, but I wonder if it'd be cheaper now (with the Kids Sail Free offer, plus the price drop) for you to book 2 veranda rooms that are connecting? But, I guess the trade-off is you wouldn't get the consierge service. That'd be a tough one to give up!!

I hope they will do something for you!! Good luck!!!

Kathy

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I second calling them- why not? Can't hurt and might help. Ya never know!

 

[betsy918]

I made a HUGE error in booking. I booked myself directly using the DCL website, and took the guaranteed category (oceanview) Unfortunately it was a non refundable no change reservation. I discovered after the fact that we could have gotten a much better deal with the kids sail free. I called disney, and they said that there was nothing they could do, it was non refundable, non changeable, and I don't even get our room assignment until closer to the cruise. I'm so afraid will wind up with two little windows instead of the port hole. Has anyone ever booked this option before and been able to upgrade when they got to the cruise, or at least been given a decent room when assigned instead of the worst in the category? I'm hardly looking forward to our first cruise for fear of getting a lousy cabin.

 

[LovesToRun]

I made a HUGE error in booking. I booked myself directly using the DCL website, and took the guaranteed category (oceanview) Unfortunately it was a non refundable no change reservation. I discovered after the fact that we could have gotten a much better deal with the kids sail free. I called disney, and they said that there was nothing they could do, it was non refundable, non changeable, and I don't even get our room assignment until closer to the cruise. I'm so afraid will wind up with two little windows instead of the port hole. Has anyone ever booked this option before and been able to upgrade when they got to the cruise, or at least been given a decent room when assigned instead of the worst in the category? I'm hardly looking forward to our first cruise for fear of getting a lousy cabin.

Hi Betsy918,

Welcome to this cruise meet board!

I'm sorry about you experience with Disney not allowing you to change your reservation, but I am sure your room will work out.

We did a GTY status on our last Wonder cruise (which was the Panama Canal cruise). I was also worried, especially since that is a 16 day cruise, so that is a long time to be stuck in a cabin you don't like. But, it worked out wonderfully! We had a great room... it was actually a connecting room to the room next door, but since we weren't traveling with the people in that room, that door just stayed locked and shut the whole time.

At first I was worried that because there was a connecting door that we'd be able to hear noise really easily in the room connecting, but the noise from that room was no different than a room without a connecting door (which, at least in my experience, is not a lot of noise at all).

So, we had a positive experience... of course, I can't speak for every single GTY status experience, but it is possible if you do get to your room, and it's not desirable, that you could go to guest services and see if there is another room available in your category that you could just switch to. I have no idea if that could happen, but it would be worth a try asking.

But, from what I've read on these boards, and from our own experience, I think people are happy with their rooms. I think the complaints I mostly read about is noise (like noisy neighbors, or across from the laundry room, etc), but as for the rooms themselves, I think people generally are happy.

I actually think the lower decks would be great to stay on (we always book a veranda, so we end up on the high decks), but I LOVE to go down to deck 3 on the ship and just sit next to the big porthole windows and watch the surf... it's so neat to me. And, I've heard good reviews about the two small porthole rooms.

And, you may end up getting a big porthole! You should get your room assignment a month or so before the cruise, and once you get it, there are stateroom reviews on these boards, and you can go and read the reviews on your room. If it turns out it did get bad reviews across the board, it definitely would be worth calling Disney to see if they could assign you to a different room.... if the cruise is not sold out, it's possible there will be other rooms.

But, hopefully it'll all work out. There is always just a little bit of anxiety with getting a GTY, but I'm sure once you get your room assignemnt, everything will be great!!

Hope this helps.

 

[betsy918]

Hi Betsy918,

Welcome to this cruise meet board!

I'm sorry about you experience with Disney not allowing you to change your reservation, but I am sure your room will work out.

We did a GTY status on our last Wonder cruise (which was the Panama Canal cruise). I was also worried, especially since that is a 16 day cruise, so that is a long time to be stuck in a cabin you don't like. But, it worked out wonderfully! We had a great room... it was actually a connecting room to the room next door, but since we weren't traveling with the people in that room, that door just stayed locked and shut the whole time.

At first I was worried that because there was a connecting door that we'd be able to hear noise really easily in the room connecting, but the noise from that room was no different than a room without a connecting door (which, at least in my experience, is not a lot of noise at all).

So, we had a positive experience... of course, I can't speak for every single GTY status experience, but it is possible if you do get to your room, and it's not desirable, that you could go to guest services and see if there is another room available in your category that you could just switch to. I have no idea if that could happen, but it would be worth a try asking.

But, from what I've read on these boards, and from our own experience, I think people are happy with their rooms. I think the complaints I mostly read about is noise (like noisy neighbors, or across from the laundry room, etc), but as for the rooms themselves, I think people generally are happy.

I actually think the lower decks would be great to stay on (we always book a veranda, so we end up on the high decks), but I LOVE to go down to deck 3 on the ship and just sit next to the big porthole windows and watch the surf... it's so neat to me. And, I've heard good reviews about the two small porthole rooms.

And, you may end up getting a big porthole! You should get your room assignment a month or so before the cruise, and once you get it, there are stateroom reviews on these boards, and you can go and read the reviews on your room. If it turns out it did get bad reviews across the board, it definitely would be worth calling Disney to see if they could assign you to a different room.... if the cruise is not sold out, it's possible there will be other rooms.

But, hopefully it'll all work out. There is always just a little bit of anxiety with getting a GTY, but I'm sure once you get your room assignemnt, everything will be great!!

Hope this helps.

Thank you. It really does help to hear from previous cruisers. We switched from a veranda cabin on a February cruise to this cruise when it dropped into the affordable range. It's a lesson learned however, to use a travel agent, who I'm sure could have told me the kids sail free was available for this cruise, and we could have stayed in a veranda cabin. Your description of watching surf through the window makes me feel much better, though, and I can feel myself getting a little excited agian. Thanks!

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Has anyone ever booked this option before and been able to upgrade when they got to the cruise, or at least been given a decent room when assigned instead of the worst in the category? I'm hardly looking forward to our first cruise for fear of getting a lousy cabin.

Welcome Betsy918! This is a really nice group of cruisers here, and I'm sure we can answer lots of questions for you. Im sorry Disney wouldn't let you change your reservation. This type of special guaranty rate is new. My TA did a blog about it awhile ago. This special rate only is available as it gets closer to the cruise and has a lot more restrictions than a typical gty status room. I have booked gty status rooms twice before and was very happy. The first one was a cat 12 gty (now called 11c). We got upgraded to a cat 9 room by DCL, deck 2 midship! We had the big porthole and really enjoyed the room and location. That was on a 7 night Western. Our other gty was an oceanview cat 9. That was our DVC incentive cruise, and like you we had zero control over that. I too was afraid we'd end up with the 2 little portholes on deck 1 but we didn't. We got a deck 2 forward room and it was great. We could have upgraded at the port but chose not to. I would expect that rooms will be available to upgrade at the port if you aren't thrilled with your room. It's a set price already figured on a price sheet. So for example to go to a cat 5B verandah from a cat 10A inside it may be $750. $650 from a cat 9A, etc. Don't quote me on those prices as that's what I paid in 2009 upgrading on a 7 night Eastern. But it will give you a ballpark idea.

Anyway, welcome! Tell us about yourself and your family.

Christine

 

[LovesToRun]

Thank you. It really does help to hear from previous cruisers. We switched from a veranda cabin on a February cruise to this cruise when it dropped into the affordable range. It's a lesson learned however, to use a travel agent, who I'm sure could have told me the kids sail free was available for this cruise, and we could have stayed in a veranda cabin. Your description of watching surf through the window makes me feel much better, though, and I can feel myself getting a little excited agian. Thanks!

For whatever reason, Disney does not make it completely clear on the website that the Kid's Sail Free promo is included in this Christmas cruise. On the Disney Cruiseline site, it says it's good up until Dec 18, which intuition would say that the Dec 18 - 26 cruise would not apply. Also, if you go to try to make a reservation on the Disney Cruise site (which I have done... just to see pricing, but of course, not fully booking), there is no option to add the Kid's Sail Free promo, but if you look at November and early December MR cruises, there is a box to add the Kid's Sail Free code, which again, leads one to think that the Kid's Sail Free does not apply to this cruise.

I only found out this Kid's Sail Free promo worked through this site. And, then I called my TA, and she said Disney added this itinerary to the promotion. So, I did not find out about the Kid's Sail Free through Disney, which might be a bit of an advertising glitch (or maybe not???). So, I have actually wondered how many people on this cruise with kids do not know that the Kid's Sail Free promo applies to this cruise (like people who do not use these boards, or who do not have TA's that would let them know, or who just book directly through Disney...).

Well, if I could add up the money I've probably lost on how many times I've booked a vacation somewhere that was non-refundable thinking I got a great deal, and then a better deal comes out and then I kick myself, I probably could use that money to pay for an entire new vacation! In other words, this sort of thing I think happens to everyone... but regardless, this MR cruise is a great deal, and a better deal that the Caribbean cruises right now, so you still got a great deal!

I'm glad you feel better about the GTY status, and this cruise all together. I think it's going to be a really fun cruise. Regardless, as soon as you step foot on the Disney Ship, all these little stresses just go away. Disney has a way of doing that.

Our last cruise in January, I fractured my back 2 weeks before our cruise (you can imagine the incredible dissapointment... and physical pain ), but literally, as soon as I got on the ship, I just felt so happy and even though I knew I wouldn't do half of the things I wanted to do on the cruise, all those worries seemed to go away because I was on the Disney Wonder! It was WAY better to be on the ship injured than sitting at home injured on my couch (in the cold winter, no less). But, I'm planning for an INJURY free cruise in December (and November for our Eastern Caribbean!).

 

[SanDeeKath]

I second calling them- why not? Can't hurt and might help. Ya never know!

HI everyone,

I am so jealous of the great deals you all are getting! I called Disney today and they told me that there is NO WAY to get any sort of discount on a suite! UGH. I am so disappointed! They said no KSF or anything. Basically the suites "never go on sale" according to the woman.

She asked if we wanted to change to cat 5 for the KSF but I just can't give up our suite! So I guess we just have to be super frugal for the next 6 months. Ah well...

Katherine

 

[LovesToRun]

HI everyone,

I am so jealous of the great deals you all are getting! I called Disney today and they told me that there is NO WAY to get any sort of discount on a suite! UGH. I am so disappointed! They said no KSF or anything. Basically the suites "never go on sale" according to the woman.

She asked if we wanted to change to cat 5 for the KSF but I just can't give up our suite! So I guess we just have to be super frugal for the next 6 months. Ah well...

Katherine

I SO am with you... I'd definitely not want to give up the suite. I'm all for living frugal for a few months in order to have a vacation that is exactly what you want, even if it costs a little more. I would have done the same as you.

Bummer, though, that they won't give any promotions for the suites, but I guess it kind of makes sense...

We met some people on our last cruise who were staying in a suite, and they just raved about the experience... they said it was 100% worth the money. So, you will love your decision to stay in the suite!

Kathy

 

[Tinkerbellll]

The first morning we are at see I want to surprise my kids with a Disney gift card so they could pick something out on the ship. Are all Disney gift cards the same? Can Disney store cards be used onboard? If not, what do you suggest?

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Yes, you can use Disney dollars or gift cards! We do. My kids will get Disney dollars or gift cards throughout the year from their grandparents, etc for good grades, birthdays, Christmas. Then they use them as their spending money onboard. If they want a souvenir, smoothie, arcade, pins- they buy it themselves! Cuts way down on the I-wants. I tell them I brought them here and that anything they want to buy is extra.

The ship is cashless. So when you purchase items, it gets charged to your room. You can choose if your kids have charging privileges or not. I let my kids have charging- and every few days they go to Guest Services and pay their tab!

 

[Tinkerbellll]

LOVE it!!!!

 

[SanDeeKath]

I SO am with you... I'd definitely not want to give up the suite. I'm all for living frugal for a few months in order to have a vacation that is exactly what you want, even if it costs a little more. I would have done the same as you.

Bummer, though, that they won't give any promotions for the suites, but I guess it kind of makes sense...

We met some people on our last cruise who were staying in a suite, and they just raved about the experience... they said it was 100% worth the money. So, you will love your decision to stay in the suite!

Kathy

Thanks Kathy! I am sure you are right. We love sailing but really like our space and love to be in our room (to eat on the balcony in privacy sometimes...). When I talked to my DH about it, he said to just leave things as is. But we did cancel our October cruise to save $$$$. Ah well...

Katherine

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Thanks Kathy! I am sure you are right. We love sailing but really like our space and love to be in our room (to eat on the balcony in privacy sometimes...). When I talked to my DH about it, he said to just leave things as is. But we did cancel our October cruise to save $$$$. Ah well...

Katherine

If you're feeling sad just look at the pictures in my TR of the suite and allllll that space! And yes it was great to eat there! If I could afford the suite price I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Hands down!!!! I can only hope Mike is back. I've never sailed concierge anywhere else but we have stayed concierge level in many a hotel. As it is I'm planning to be the first person at port to try and get an upgrade to a suite again. I've budgeted for the cost...

 

[chernabogfamily]

We just booked!

I have been lurking around and reading this thread for a week or so and figured it was time to make it official and post. We were booked on the 2012 Christmas MR cruise, but moved it to this one when the Kids sail Free offer came out for Oceanview Cabins. I admit, I am a little jealous of you guys talking about being in suites and verandah rooms...but at least I'm on board.

We are: me, DH, DS (12), and DD (8)

We can't wait. We've been on DCL a number of times before, but never at Christmas. We're are hoping Disney can make our holiday extra special.

 

[jzandmeplus3]

We just booked this cruise yesterday. It is our first cruise ever, and we are super excited that it's a Disney Cruise! Looking forward to hearing about everyone's past experiences and plans for this cruise, excursions and all. I'll be cruising with my DH, DS 8, DS 7 and DS 4. The boys don't know about the trip it will be an early Christmas surprise.