DCL Disney Magic At Sea UK Residents Only Sailing Summer 2021 General Information

[luke]

I know of no other loyalty scheme that actively discourages new customers in the way the DCL CC does.

I take it you’ve never followed a football club?

 

[BadPinkTink]

I just checked, the Disney Magic At Sea overview page is still online and are all 4 port information pages. Its lunch time right now in Florida, so maybe in the few hours we might have an update.

 

[MattMills31]

I think that says more about you than it does about me.

If you’re trying to make the case that DCL isn’t heirarchically snobbish, you’ve failed.

I would love to know why you think all CC members are snobbish? I have read through this entire thread and do not see any snobbish attitudes. There are loyalty schemes all over the place, you could go to Tesco, shop with a Clubcard (Loyalty Scheme) and get better prices than those without Clubcards. You can fly regularly with an airline be a member of their reward scheme and get rewards for flying regularly. Hotels operate in the same way. Hell, even retailers such as John Lewis have loyalty schemes where you get discounts etc. So surely in this case every business is heirarchical?

Also in terms of pricing, most leisure businesses operate on a demand pricing, airline tickets get more expensive when there is demand, less when there is not. Hotels the same in most cases.

Not having a go at you or trying to criticise your opinions, but I would love for you not to cover every CC member under the snobbish banner!

 

[Joshua Kelso]

I know of no other loyalty scheme that actively discourages new customers in the way the DCL CC does.

You know, you're suggesting CC members are entitled because they want the perks they've earned - isn't it also entitled to demand you get the same perks without any previous loyalty to the company?

Airlines allow miles earners to book tickets cheaper, and earlier than the general public.

Our supermarket sends us vouchers as reward card members that they don't hand out to random people who just walk in off the street.

As you yourself noted, some companies favour new customers, others favour loyal customers. Both are valid options, you vote with your wallet.

For the rest of us scum, grateful to lick the crumbs that fall from your tables, we may just as well pass.

If you're grateful for the crumbs, why would you pass? Sounds like you're not very grateful at all.

That was an attempt at humour. Of course you aren't scum, and no one said you were. As a fellow potential first time crumb-licker, I agree it is daunting...BUT:

In my experience, none of Disney's holiday products are "novice, uneducated friendly". If you prefer holidays that are, there are many other options, but this is not one of them. If you are laid back, that won't be a problem if you are generally interested in trying a Disney Cruise. But demanding that Disney cater to your specific needs or you lose your mind seems a bit...pointless?

A Disney holiday is like any luxury product, you need to do your homework and count the cost to get your money's worth, and that includes coming to terms that this is a product that values rewarding loyalty more than pandering, so there is a "buy in" requirement for new customers before the benefits start adding up.

I wish you all the best and hope you come to an amenable solution for your circumstances.

 

[DoubletheMushu]

I would love to know why you think all CC members are snobbish? I have read through this entire thread and do not see any snobbish attitudes. There are loyalty schemes all over the place, you could go to Tesco, shop with a Clubcard (Loyalty Scheme) and get better prices than those without Clubcards. You can fly regularly with an airline be a member of their reward scheme and get rewards for flying regularly. Hotels operate in the same way. Hell, even retailers such as John Lewis have loyalty schemes where you get discounts etc. So surely in this case every business is heirarchical?

Also in terms of pricing, most leisure businesses operate on a demand pricing, airline tickets get more expensive when there is demand, less when there is not. Hotels the same in most cases.

Not having a go at you or trying to criticise your opinions, but I would love for you not to cover every CC member under the snobbish banner!

be careful you don’t get a warning for being argumentative as I did when I commented about the previous poster referring to CC members as scum (in a now deleted message).

 

[MattMills31]

be careful you don’t get a warning for being argumentative as I did when I commented about the previous poster referring to CC members as scum (in a now deleted message).

Thanks DoubletheMushu, genuinely not trying to be argumentative, will make sure future posts dont come off as so.

 

[DoubletheMushu]

Thanks DoubletheMushu, genuinely not trying to be argumentative, will make sure future posts dont come off as so.

For me you weren’t argumentative. You made a good point

 

[luke]

For me you weren’t argumentative. You made a good point

I thought you both made good points to be fair

 

[auntlynne]

I have never been on a Disney cruise. I was very excited to book one of these cruises as a way to dip my toe in the water. Indeed, I wondered if this was a way for Disney to market their cruises to a whole new audience. When they were announced I was very likely to book, unless the pricing was crazy.

I’m now unlikely to book. The communications and planning have been a complete shambles. What confidence can I have that the cruises will be any better organised.

Disney is a massive, multi-billion dollar company. It seems crazy to suggest that this is all the fault of some rogue TA.

I’ve been surprised and disappointed by the consistent lack of detail offered. There are vague, generic promises that are rendered meaningless by warnings that it’s all subject to change. If I book a cruise do I get to see a show or not? Is it guaranteed? Could I turn up to the theatre and be sent away because I didn’t get there early enough?

It is utterly bizarre to me as a newbie that pricing information is not made available in advance. So when booking eventually opens, I have to gather and absorb huge amounts of information and make a panicked decision because, absurdly, each second I waste the price goes up.

The Castaway Club seems designed to actively deter new cruisers. My money’s as good as anyone’s. I have no interest in being treated as a second-class citizen. What kind of business model makes you earn the right to know what the prices actually are? And those of you who are Castaway Club members might like to try to sound just a little less bratty and entitled. Some of you.

This could have been a great marketing opportunity for DCL. Sadly, they have screwed every aspect of it up.

mousematt,

The method of announcing cruise dates + itineraries without pricing IS annoying. Not just newbies, even seasoned cruisers. The fact that this forum creates a thread for opening day pricing should be a clue that we want to know what to expect.

I am one of those Platinum cruisers and I am offended by the thought that this group could get better pricing just for loyalty. (I also don’t know if the pricing stays the same all day for us, either. Does it go up in the course of Platinum booking day? Or does it change for each day until the general public gets a chance)

when announcement of the cruise is made, a “starting at rate” should be included. And the general public should be able to book at that price.

And why should the price go up as the ship fills? If you don’t realize you want to sail until months after the offer, why are you penalized? Especially when they list cruises a Long way off.

Rant. That got my blood boiling.

I imagine most first time cruisers don’t have the inside scoop regarding early booking for loyalty and/or a change in price, however. I certainly didn’t.

I would rather see a discount for loyalty. And yes, the option to book first and get cabins we want (There are plenty of good cabins. I personally look for less expensive ones, not the best balcony.)

disney has not been a good communicator this year. They wait a long time to notify us that cruises aren’t sailing. This current U.K.-only sailings are just a continuation. I think they want to get their ducks in a row before making ANY statement, leaving their customers in limbo.

If you really want to sail on Disney, I hope they get their act together, that you can get rid of the bad taste this pre-booking mess made have left and get to have a fun cruise.

 

[Claireywalsh]

I have never been on a Disney cruise. I was very excited to book one of these cruises as a way to dip my toe in the water. Indeed, I wondered if this was a way for Disney to market their cruises to a whole new audience. When they were announced I was very likely to book, unless the pricing was crazy.

I’m now unlikely to book. The communications and planning have been a complete shambles. What confidence can I have that the cruises will be any better organised.

Disney is a massive, multi-billion dollar company. It seems crazy to suggest that this is all the fault of some rogue TA.

I’ve been surprised and disappointed by the consistent lack of detail offered. There are vague, generic promises that are rendered meaningless by warnings that it’s all subject to change. If I book a cruise do I get to see a show or not? Is it guaranteed? Could I turn up to the theatre and be sent away because I didn’t get there early enough?

It is utterly bizarre to me as a newbie that pricing information is not made available in advance. So when booking eventually opens, I have to gather and absorb huge amounts of information and make a panicked decision because, absurdly, each second I waste the price goes up.

The Castaway Club seems designed to actively deter new cruisers. My money’s as good as anyone’s. I have no interest in being treated as a second-class citizen. What kind of business model makes you earn the right to know what the prices actually are? And those of you who are Castaway Club members might like to try to sound just a little less bratty and entitled. Some of you.

This could have been a great marketing opportunity for DCL. Sadly, they have screwed every aspect of it up.

I dont think you should let this one experience of DCL deter you - it’s going to be a whole new ball game post COVID That is ever changing and they will need to adapt to that continuously. We will all need to accept that as we have done for the past year in other aspects of our lives.
As a castaway cay member - I don’t get to see prices prior to my booking date and I completely disagree with your second class citizen comment. We were all first timers once. I wasnt bothered that i was not seeing the details first. I was too excited booking my first ever Disney cruise. From my experience the prices do not fluctuate in the first few months of release.
there are no guarantees unfortunately in this new world we are adapting too, it’s challenging but it’s beyond our control

 

[CarolynU]

I’m a bit puzzled.
Platinum cruisers have only become platinum because like everyone they started right at the bottom. I started with no cc membership.
I couldn’t have an early booking, I couldn’t have a stateroom gift, I didn’t get a shopping discount nor an early port arrival or whatever.
i then became silver just like everyone else then gold then platinum.
I know no more about pricing than anyone else and I won’t find that out in advance.
Only last year or the year before there were significant rumours that DCL might introduce a cc membership higher than platinum presumably with enhanced benefits.
If they do good luck to those who have climbed up the loyalty ladder and spent a gazillion dollars doing so and reached the number of sailings required whatever that might be.
If I continue sailing and spending then I will eventually get there too but it’s the same system for everyone. I won’t consider myself disadvantaged. Nor will I feel that those who immediately qualify are being entitled and in some way superior.

 

[luke]

I’m a bit puzzled.
Platinum cruisers have only become platinum because like everyone they started right at the bottom. I started with no cc membership.
I couldn’t have an early booking, I couldn’t have a stateroom gift, I didn’t get a shopping discount nor an early port arrival or whatever.
i then became silver just like everyone else then gold then platinum.
I know no more about pricing than anyone else and I won’t find that out in advance.
Only last year or the year before there were significant rumours that DCL might introduce a cc membership higher than platinum presumably with enhanced benefits.
If they do good luck to those who have climbed up the loyalty ladder and spent a gazillion dollars doing so and reached the number of sailings required whatever that might be.
If I continue sailing and spending then I will eventually get there too but it’s the same system for everyone. I won’t consider myself disadvantaged. Nor will I feel that those who immediately qualify are being entitled and in some way superior.

Thanks for posting that. Putting my thoughts into words much more eloquently than I could have mustered

 

[auntlynne]

...

The Castaway Club seems designed to actively deter new cruisers. My money’s as good as anyone’s. I have no interest in being treated as a second-class citizen. What kind of business model makes you earn the right to know what the prices actually are? And those of you who are Castaway Club members might like to try to sound just a little less bratty and entitled. Some of you.

...

I would love to know why you think all CC members are snobbish? I have read through this entire thread and do not see any snobbish attitudes. ...

Not having a go at you or trying to criticise your opinions, but I would love for you not to cover every CC member under the snobbish banner!

You know, you're suggesting CC members are entitled because they want the perks they've earned - isn't it also entitled to demand you get the same perks without any previous loyalty to the company?
...

I read that mouse Matt did not accuse all Castaway members.

And sadly, those who are most offensive are probably those who are unaware or would not acknowledge that they are. This is a universal situation, not confined to cruising loyalty programs. I am not pointing fingers at these other posters, either. I was just shocked how quickly it turned into a pointing fingers situation.

I know I got worked up thinking about pricing as I typed A recent post. Sometimes the thoughts just start flowing. Self-editing doesn’t always happen.

...

mattmouse, the great thing about Disney as compared to ships with designated classes (I think Cunard still does this) is that you don’t see the difference between class categories. From bottom of the boat to Concierge, you enter by the same gangway, attend the same shows (with no preferential seating), eat in the same dining rooms. Concierge gets fawned over in their set-off area, but it’s not an in-your-face situation for the rest of us.

 

[mousematt]

you could go to Tesco, shop with a Clubcard (Loyalty Scheme) and get better prices than those without Clubcards

Indeed you can, but the point is that anyone can get a Tesco Clubcard and the benefits are available to all from Day 1. Sure, you have to spend in order to accrue points to get vouchers, but no-one is holding you back from the shopping aisles while the Platinum Clubcard members take their pick of the juiciest steaks and freshest vegetables, while you’re told to come back in five days to see what’s left.

I joined the Radisson Rewards programme and got discounted pricing immediately.

It just doesn’t sit well with me to be told (for example) that I might not get to dine at Palo on my first cruise. This kind of “loyalty” scheme does not operate at Disney World. You’re not told “you probably won’t get to ride Space Mountain on your first trip”.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Its been a stressful few days for everyone, can we all take a deep breath, we all want to see the return to cruising, hopefully all this confusion will get sorted out soon. I am a first time cruiser too so I understand all points of view, there is nothing we can do about Castaway Club membership. so lets get back to refreshing the Disney Magic at Sea overview page for any updates

 

[auntlynne]

The Palo thing is a bummer. But I would hate for them to bump up the pricing to make up for the limited seating the physical space demands. And I wouldn’t like to see them go to more pay-for dining that other carriers have.

 

[auntlynne]

Its been a stressful few days for everyone, can we all take a deep breath, we all want to see the return to cruising, hopefully all this confusion will get sorted out soon. I am a first time cruiser too so I understand all points of view, there is nothing we can do about Castaway Club membership. so lets get back to refreshing the Disney Magic at Sea overview page for any updates

I really thought you were a long-time cruiser!

 

[mousematt]

I really thought you were a long-time cruiser!

Yeah. Me too!

 

[meryll83]

The Palo thing is a bummer. But I would hate for them to bump up the pricing to make up for the limited seating the physical space demands. And I wouldn’t like to see them go to more pay-for dining that other carriers have.

What’s the Palo thing?
Have I missed an update about it?

 

[BadPinkTink]

I really thought you were a long-time cruiser!

aww thanks, I've been cruise planning since July 2019 when I booked my first cruise for September 2020 which was cancelled, and my second cruise for September 2021 has now been cancelled too. I have now rebooked for September 2022.