DCL Air for Alaska Cruise?

[Shanti]

Has anyone used Disney Cruise Line Air to get from America to Vancouver? If so, what was your experience? We're flying up from Texas, so this will be a bit more complicated & expensive for us than our usual flights into MCO.

Btw, I am aware of alternatives such as WestJet, and flying into Seattle instead of Vancouver. I'd just like to hear about what kinds of options people got and experienced via DCL Air, for comparison purposes. TIA!

 

[cmph]

I think we're pretty settled on doing the Amtrak train from Seattle, but I'm curious what others say too.

P.S. June 18 sailing for us... what about you? I see you're doing June too!

 

[Shanti]

I think we're pretty settled on doing the Amtrak train from Seattle, but I'm curious what others say too.

P.S. June 18 sailing for us... what about you? I see you're doing June too!

June 4th

 

[diznymom]

We did. We flew from DFW to Vancouver. I had to argue w/ the Disney lady about flying in the day before the cruise (I won - she wanted us to fly into Vancouver the day of the cruise. I let her know if there was even 1 slight delay we would miss the cruise and I wasn't willing to take that chance).
I don't remember which airline it was (either United or Delta). It was not a direct flight. We had 1 layover each way.
We chose getting the flights through Disney b/c we were flying into areas we were not familiar with. Plus we didn't want to take any chances of missing the boat.

Keep a close eye on you flights. Plus, Disney does not let you know when your flights are until really close to cruise time.

Will I do it again....probably not.

 

[Shanti]

We did. We flew from DFW to Vancouver. I had to argue w/ the Disney lady about flying in the day before the cruise (I won - she wanted us to fly into Vancouver the day of the cruise. I let her know if there was even 1 slight delay we would miss the cruise and I wasn't willing to take that chance).
I don't remember which airline it was (either United or Delta). It was not a direct flight. We had 1 layover each way.
We chose getting the flights through Disney b/c we were flying into areas we were not familiar with. Plus we didn't want to take any chances.

Keep a close eye on you flights. Plus, Disney does not let you know when your flights are until really close to cruise time.

Will I do it again....probably not.

Good to know your experience! Just fyi, DCL has changed their Air program to allow the guests themselves to choose their exact flights (including a day or so in advance if desired) out of a set of options, and even choose their seat assignments, several months before the cruise. So it's a lot more customer-friendly now. That's why I'm considering using them.

 

[Racer X]

So what is the up-side to using Disney to book the flight? Is it less money? Either way on a trip of this expense travel insurance is probably a good idea, and it will cover you for a multitude of things outside your control. FWIW, if you can i would give yourself a couple days before your cruise. Vancouver is a vibrant friendly city to visit, and if you do have a delay then you will need that extra day...

 

[Shanti]

So what is the up-side to using Disney to book the flight?

• Price: Booking DCL can sometimes be less expensive, sometimes more expensive. You have to check the options but that is possible.
• Familiarity: I've never flown with a Canadian airline before, so I like the idea of DCL being my intermediary with them.
• Flexibility: If for some reason we decide to change or cancel the cruise before the PIF date, the flights that I have scheduled via DCL will be cancelled without me losing a dime.
• Protection: If I book flights via DCL & use DCL insurance & transfers, they will take responsibility for eventually getting us on the ship even if there is some issue with the flight not being on time, and they will take responsibility for getting us home if the Wonder comes into port late, causing us to miss our departing flight.

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, we took the repositioning cruise from San Diego up and to get back we took Amtrak down to Seattle and flew home from there. It ended up cutting our airfare costs in half.

We get trip insurance through a third party provider because they have better insurance for less.

 

[bumbershoot]

We're flying up from Texas, so this will be a bit more complicated & expensive for us than our usual flights into MCO.

There is nothing more complicated about flying into Vancouver than to Orlando.

Expensive, maybe. But not complicated.

The airport has the code YVR. Go from your airport to there.

I think we're pretty settled on doing the Amtrak train from Seattle, but I'm curious what others say too.

Now THAT increases the complication.

Plus we didn't want to take any chances.

On what? For me, putting a middleman inside of a flight is worse than no middleman.

 

[cmph]

Now THAT increases the complication.
.

LOL! Yeah, I'm essentially turning our 7 day Alaskan cruise into a 2 week Northwest adventure. My kids have never been on a real train, none of us (extended family cruising with us) has been to Seattle, and we want to spend at least a couple of days in Vancouver anyway. I priced it out, and we're spending no more to fly into Seattle, stay the night there in a hotel, and take the train than we would fly straight into Vancouver, probably less even (depends on the hotel).

 

[Shanti]

Still hoping someone else with DCL Air experience to Alaska can chime in...

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We did the Seattle Amtrak thing last year. It was an amazing experience and something new for our family. We figured it out and it wasn't too complicated at all. Flying into Vancouver this time. Although we haven't done it yet, it doesn't seem anymore complicated than using any other airport really. I would hate to not know my flight times when I book. I'm a planner and that would drive me nuts!

I guess I would price the flight myself then through Disney and go with the cheaper option.

 

[Shanti]

I would hate to not know my flight times when I book. I'm a planner and that would drive me nuts!

I guess I would price the flight myself then through Disney and go with the cheaper option.

I agree about flight times. I wouldn't book via DCL if they didn't allow us to choose our flights, which they now do.

Yes, I will price out comparables, but like the idea of flights being refundable if the trip changes (we change plans a lot), since these flights are expensive & we can't use SWA for this.

 

[beckicnm]

I agree about flight times. I wouldn't book via DCL if they didn't allow us to choose our flights, which they now do.

Yes, I will price out comparables, but like the idea of flights being refundable if the trip changes (we change plans a lot), since these flights are expensive & we can't use SWA for this.

Sure you can. Fly from Texas to Seattle on Southwest and then train/bus/drive/ferry to Vancouver.

 

[Shanti]

Sure you can. Fly from Texas to Seattle on Southwest and then train/bus/drive/ferry to Vancouver.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't want to drive for hours on our vacation. I already have a daily commute for work & vacation is an escape from that.

We like to fly & are going to fly into and out of Vancouver. The other options are just too much hassle for me to look forward to.

 

[ironz]

Hi, Shanti-- well, I would agree that there is definitely more cost, and a bit more complication for us to fly from our area right to Vancouver, compared to our usual 2.5 hour, nonstop, SW flights to MCO. The flights are long, you have to connect somewhere (usually SEA), and some of the less expensive flights back are red-eyes, or you have to leave early the day after debarkation.

We did not use DCL Air--I can see how that might be an advantage if you need the flexibility, if they will let you choose good flight times. (not the day of). So, I realize, I'm not the person you are targeting your question to. Although, I wanted to tell you what we did.

We flew on Alaska Air, for one, because we have their credit card and get a companion fare for a small amount. And for two, they have a slightly less expensive change fee, compared to other legacy airlines, though of course, not the same as SW.

We found it quite nice to fly right into YVR, and have time to explore that city, rather than changing to a different form of transportation for the SEA to Vancouver leg.
If it helps for comparison purposes, our R/T cost for 2 was less than $700 with the companion fare.