Cruise Restart: Are you Cancelling or Sailing?

Are you Cancelling or Sailing?

  • Love it! Keeping our cruise and booked more!

    Votes: 22 7.1%
  • I'm ok with the protocols, keeping our cruise

    Votes: 102 33.1%
  • Don't love the protocols, but keeping our cruise

    Votes: 42 13.6%
  • We are cancelling

    Votes: 57 18.5%
  • Wait and see...

    Votes: 85 27.6%

  • Total voters
    308
Reluctantly keeping November 2021. Hoping they relax/reduce the restrictions by then.
Same. We are on the November Fantasy double-dip and are leaning toward cancelling primarily because of indoor mask requirements, including not being able to eat/drink during shows and movies. I feel like if you actually state that you don't want to wear a mask on a cruise, you are subject to attack by some posters on the site. It is not a matter of understanding why DCL made the decision, it is a matter of what we are looking for on a vacation. I am also concerned about how often you will have to wear a mask on Castaway Cay, including on trams, in shops, in restrooms, and while waiting for food/drinks. I also read that chairs on the island have been distanced and guests are asked not to move them. I wonder if that means you will not be able to take the smaller chairs down to the water or if they will even be available? That is where I spend my day. Oh well, I think our PIF date is Sept 7, so we have a little time to make the decision, although I feel like we already have. We have booked a backup vacation to take the place of the cruise. I am looking forward to trip reports from guests after the first few sailings.
 
Same. We are on the November Fantasy double-dip and are leaning toward cancelling primarily because of indoor mask requirements, including not being able to eat/drink during shows and movies. I feel like if you actually state that you don't want to wear a mask on a cruise, you are subject to attack by some posters on the site. It is not a matter of understanding why DCL made the decision, it is a matter of what we are looking for on a vacation. I am also concerned about how often you will have to wear a mask on Castaway Cay, including on trams, in shops, in restrooms, and while waiting for food/drinks. I also read that chairs on the island have been distanced and guests are asked not to move them. I wonder if that means you will not be able to take the smaller chairs down to the water or if they will even be available? That is where I spend my day. Oh well, I think our PIF date is Sept 7, so we have a little time to make the decision, although I feel like we already have. We have booked a backup vacation to take the place of the cruise. I am looking forward to trip reports from guests after the first few sailings.

We are on the same cruise and feeling the exact same way. We have a backup DVC reservation for those dates at WDW.
 
We are on the same cruise and feeling the exact same way. We have a backup DVC reservation for those dates at WDW.
Just saw your title 😄. I love the People Mover - hope it is running without problems on our next WDW trip!!!!
 
I'm not happy with all of the changes, but willing to give it a chance when I go in September (I've really missed cruising)
 


Wait and See, our cruise is in December. My main concern is only one show on a 5-night cruise, and no deck parties! this is my husband's first Disney cruise, so I want him to experience the Sail-a-wave party, Pirate Night, and the shows. I also don't know how this will effect the Very Merrytime schedule. I felt like we were popular time of year, including tree-lighting and gingerbread house decorating. Only pro to me is the reduced capacity!
 
Wait and See, our cruise is in December. My main concern is only one show on a 5-night cruise, and no deck parties! this is my husband's first Disney cruise, so I want him to experience the Sail-a-wave party, Pirate Night, and the shows. I also don't know how this will effect the Very Merrytime schedule. I felt like we were popular time of year, including tree-lighting and gingerbread house decorating. Only pro to me is the reduced capacity!
DCL hasn't offered gingerbread house decorating on Merrytime cruises for a few years. Now it's cookie decorating, instead.

I wouldn't count on deck parties being back by December. They might or might not- it's a toss-up. We're sailing Merrytime in December, too. Just looking forward to cruising again.
 


First cruise is August 9th. Standard cancellation penalties apply beginning August 7th. Apparently they want people to make their decision before hearing any feedback from those on these first cruises. Wonder why...

How do we see cancellation dates and penalties? My cruise has a pay in full date of Sep 24. I can cancel up to that date without fees, right?
 
DCL hasn't offered gingerbread house decorating on Merrytime cruises for a few years. Now it's cookie decorating, instead.

I wouldn't count on deck parties being back by December. They might or might not- it's a toss-up. We're sailing Merrytime in December, too. Just looking forward to cruising again.
Oh, I didn't realize that they had changed from gingerbread houses to cookies. Thanks for letting me know! I didn't mean to say that we're only going because of that specific activity (We can decorate cookies at home), but rather I fear that some of the Very Merrytime festivities are going to be cut (in addition to what has already been cut) without a reduction in price. Bottom line is I feel like it's premium pricing due to the time of year for a less-than-premium experience. I haven't been on a cruise in 10 years, and so I'll wait a few months until most of the magic is back! :wizard: And, like I said, I really want my husband to get the full Disney experience as a first time Disney cruise-goer.

I hope you all enjoy the cruise! And I hope at least some experiences come back so we can, too! I'm waiting until the latest cancellation date without penalty to decide.
 
Oh, I didn't realize that they had changed from gingerbread houses to cookies. Thanks for letting me know! I didn't mean to say that we're only going because of that specific activity (We can decorate cookies at home), but rather I fear that some of the Very Merrytime festivities are going to be cut (in addition to what has already been cut) without a reduction in price. Bottom line is I feel like it's premium pricing due to the time of year for a less-than-premium experience. I haven't been on a cruise in 10 years, and so I'll wait a few months until most of the magic is back! :wizard: And, like I said, I really want my husband to get the full Disney experience as a first time Disney cruise-goer.

I hope you all enjoy the cruise! And I hope at least some experiences come back so we can, too! I'm waiting until the latest cancellation date without penalty to decide.
I recommend that you watch some of the U.K. cruise blog videos to get a feel for what activities are currently like onboard.
 
I hate to say it, but I have a hard time seeing how things could be back to something close to normal by Feb. if kids under 12 still can’t get vaccinated.

Yeah, totally agree. I've heard anything from a matter of weeks to first quarter 2022 for the 5-12 vaccine depending on the source (does anybody really know anything, lol). My youngest is 11.5 which is the really frustrating part.

Even if we can get her vaccinated by Feb I can see DCL still requireing masks inside, etc. If that's the case we may look at rescheduling this cruise (again) and moving to another line that's sailing fully vaccinated or doing a land trip somewhere. Just playing the waiting game to see how things shake out which means not booking flights, hotels, etc. that I would usually have done by now.
 
Yeah, totally agree. I've heard anything from a matter of weeks to first quarter 2022 for the 5-12 vaccine depending on the source (does anybody really know anything, lol). My youngest is 11.5 which is the really frustrating part.

Even if we can get her vaccinated by Feb I can see DCL still requireing masks inside, etc. If that's the case we may look at rescheduling this cruise (again) and moving to another line that's sailing fully vaccinated or doing a land trip somewhere. Just playing the waiting game to see how things shake out which means not booking flights, hotels, etc. that I would usually have done by now.

I hear you. Masks are a complete deal-breaker for me.

I don’t object to the policy or disagree with its necessity right now; I’d just prefer to wait to cruise until masks are no longer required.
 
We are waiting to have a return call or email from DCL regarding how concierge will change. I had my question broadcast on the DCL show and you will notice Pete said they couldn't close or change things; but they have to for their new protocols. If Concierge changes for the negative, it is an immediate cancellation for us.
I finally received an email from Shoreside after well over a week, responding to my inquiry about concierge on the Fantasy. It was just the links for general info for the Dream. And they seemed to think that answered my questions.

Why couldn’t they say they don’t know yet, rather than totally blow me off and hope I didn’t notice?

Did you have any success? When do you sail?
 
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I sent shoreside an email a week ago and have not heard a thing - same questions as you, I suspect. I hope you will share what you learn. I'm not interested in dropping that kind of money for a significantly reduced experience.
I have not heard back from DCL Concierge. I've tried to call 4 times and have been on hold for hours. We are cancelling our cruise today based on the lack of information and lack of customer service.
 
I have not heard back from DCL Concierge. I've tried to call 4 times and have been on hold for hours. We are cancelling our cruise today based on the lack of information and lack of customer service.

I don't blame you! This is so frustrating! Today is day 130 for me and we usually would have received an email from shoreside w/ our 125 date and information re: booking activities, etc.. but nothing so far :(
 
I have not heard back from DCL Concierge. I've tried to call 4 times and have been on hold for hours. We are cancelling our cruise today based on the lack of information and lack of customer service.
When were you to sail? Did you push your cruise or lose the deposit? (I assume you were on the Fantasy, maybe not?)
 
I have not heard back from DCL Concierge. I've tried to call 4 times and have been on hold for hours. We are cancelling our cruise today based on the lack of information and lack of customer service.

When is your sailing? I got the normal pre-cruise email yesterday from Shoreside Concierge for a 12/3-7 Merrytime out of Galveston.
 
I miss it way too much not to sail next month. I’m curious to see how this will go but I’m also glad to not be on the first sailing out.
 
Well just pulled the trigger moved our December Magic sailing to September 18th on the Fantasy and paid in full. I expect things to be fairly similar to the Dream so I am good with that.

I also booked two shore excursions in case the requirement is to have Disney only excursions to disembark.
 

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