DCL Europe Summer 2022 approaching - what are you doing?

[BadPinkTink]

Thanks for the optimism! I hope you are right. I really want to go on this cruise!

Im booked on the September Norwegian Fjords, so I'm watching everything very closely

 

[closetmickey]

We just received notice that Disney is extending final payment on our June Italy/Greece cruise. This is probably not a great sign, as this seems to happen often leading up to canceled cruises. That, combined with the lack of a replacement port for St. Petersburg, has me worried. If they cancel, when other lines that we could have chosen still sail, I will look at other lines for future cruises. If other lines can sail this itinerary, Disney can too and should do it for customer loyalty, even if they have more cancelations than they would like. They could easily fill these ships with Europeans and discounted GTY rates. Hopefully I am misreading the situation, since that would mean the Magic would sit empty all summer or they would need to scramble to find both ports and passengers starting at the end of this month. That doesn't seem very practical. Maybe it is just a move to stop cancelations and allow those on the fence to feel comfortable for awhile?

*****
Here is the email:

All of us at Disney Cruise Line hope you and your family are staying well. We want to let you know we’ve further modified our final payment policies for select sailings aboard the Disney Magic as we wait for clarification on the requirements to visit the ports included on these itineraries.

For sailings aboard the Disney Magic beginning on June 4, 2022 through June 27, 2022, we are extending final payment until 30 days prior to sailing for Guests booked in unrestricted stateroom categories. This means that Guests on these sailings who have not yet reached their final payment due date can wait until up to 30 days prior to sailing to pay for their cruise vacation. Onboard cruise activities can be scheduled within your Castaway Club booking window once final payment is received.

In addition, we are further relaxing our cruise cancellation fee schedule for the select Disney Magic sailings mentioned above.

Cruises 1 to 5 Nights (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	No fee
29-15 days	75% vacation price per Guest
14 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Cruises 6 Nights or More (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	No fee
29-15 days	75% vacation price per Guest
14 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Suites and Concierge Staterooms

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	Deposit per Guest
29 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Categories with Restrictions
Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions remain nonrefundable and nontransferable.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your sailing and hope that this added flexibility is helpful.

Sincerely,

The Cast and Crew
Disney Cruise Line

I received the same email for the cruises we just cancelled. I see it as a way for them to hold onto bookings that otherwise may be cancelled...

 

[DCLMP]

They haven't canceled the May cruises on the Magic so that's a good sign.

 

[otten]

I agree with others that they are extending the payment date to encourage people not to cancel.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I know several cm currently onboard and for them there is no sign the European season might get cancelled.. obviously there might be changes in ports erc but overall as a season it is standing

 

[Joshonfinal]

As an update for the Baltic cruises they never announced a replacement for St. Petersburg or sent out any kind of correspondence. The only change was that if I logged into the app I get this pop-up (not on the website mind you) so they missed their own deadline and I guess they are trying again. Assume this means that Platinum and Gold onboard booking windows are pushed too. But the wording is so generic and non-committal its hard to tell much. Anyway just wanted to provide an update if any of my fellow cruisers had not seen this yet.

 

[Mommb]

I am hoping this extension is not pre-cancellation, but rather pre-policy release. DCL has not released policies for COVID testing and onboard restrictions/policies for the European cruises. They may also be waiting for information and requirements from ports. Delaying the final payment date until after rules are released will give people who do not like the rules when they are released the opportunity to cancel with no penalty. Simply allowing cancellation for a week or so after the release would cause a greater run on the reservations line — this might spread the calls over a longer time frame.

 

[giantwiant]

That's great that Holland America is "donating" a ship to hold refugees. I doubt Disney will do this since they have a lot fewer boats than HA, but honestly I would be okay if Disney canceled my cruise in order to house refugees or transport them to other locations. I'll just use me plane tickets for a "land" trip, plenty of great places to visit in Europe & it's easy to get around by train or plane.

 

[DCLMP]

I am hoping this extension is not pre-cancellation, but rather pre-policy release. DCL has not released policies for COVID testing and onboard restrictions/policies for the European cruises. They may also be waiting for information and requirements from ports. Delaying the final payment date until after rules are released will give people who do not like the rules when they are released the opportunity to cancel with no penalty. Simply allowing cancellation for a week or so after the release would cause a greater run on the reservations line — this might spread the calls over a longer time frame.

Royal has not either. Their website says by 30 days before cruise, but their PIF date stays at 90. Most of the cruises involve multiple countries with different restrictions so I can see that being problematic.
Many countries in order to be fully vacinnated you must have been vaccinated in the last 7-9 months. Some don’t require anything and some require a PCR. They‘re are also constantly changing things. Lately it’s mostly dropping restrictions. I get why they hesitant. I doubt masks or social distancing will be required on any cruise.

 

[DCLMP]

I just saw that denmark has dropped all entry requirements so that is good news for Baltic cruises. Hopefully other EU countries follow suite. Even better would be if the US dropped them.

 

[Pooh&Minnie]

We just received notice that Disney is extending final payment on our June Italy/Greece cruise. This is probably not a great sign, as this seems to happen often leading up to canceled cruises. That, combined with the lack of a replacement port for St. Petersburg, has me worried. If they cancel, when other lines that we could have chosen still sail, I will look at other lines for future cruises. If other lines can sail this itinerary, Disney can too and should do it for customer loyalty, even if they have more cancelations than they would like. They could easily fill these ships with Europeans and discounted GTY rates. Hopefully I am misreading the situation, since that would mean the Magic would sit empty all summer or they would need to scramble to find both ports and passengers starting at the end of this month. That doesn't seem very practical. Maybe it is just a move to stop cancelations and allow those on the fence to feel comfortable for awhile?

*****
Here is the email:

All of us at Disney Cruise Line hope you and your family are staying well. We want to let you know we’ve further modified our final payment policies for select sailings aboard the Disney Magic as we wait for clarification on the requirements to visit the ports included on these itineraries.

For sailings aboard the Disney Magic beginning on June 4, 2022 through June 27, 2022, we are extending final payment until 30 days prior to sailing for Guests booked in unrestricted stateroom categories. This means that Guests on these sailings who have not yet reached their final payment due date can wait until up to 30 days prior to sailing to pay for their cruise vacation. Onboard cruise activities can be scheduled within your Castaway Club booking window once final payment is received.

In addition, we are further relaxing our cruise cancellation fee schedule for the select Disney Magic sailings mentioned above.

Cruises 1 to 5 Nights (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	No fee
29-15 days	75% vacation price per Guest
14 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Cruises 6 Nights or More (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	No fee
29-15 days	75% vacation price per Guest
14 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Suites and Concierge Staterooms

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
30 days or more	Deposit per Guest
29 days or less	100% vacation price per Guest

Categories with Restrictions
Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions remain nonrefundable and nontransferable.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your sailing and hope that this added flexibility is helpful.

Sincerely,

The Cast and Crew
Disney Cruise Line

We received the same email. We’re on the June 27 Med sailing. I think it’s just DCL’s way of discouraging cancellations. I’m sure folks are calling daily (well, if you’re willing to wait for several hours on hold) to find out what their policies will be for the European sailings.

It’s incredibly frustrating to wait, but I get that DCL (and other cruise lines) are stuck between a rock and a hard place on this. If they announce stuff now, it’ll probably change at least a couple of times between now and this summer.

Thankfully, the trend continues to be further lifting of restrictions. I also hope the U.S. drops the return Covid testing requirement. That would help ease a lot of anxiety as well.

 

[tidefan]

Over on Cruise Critic the folks on the Carnival board are reporting that they are requiring all passengers 11 and older to be vaccinated AND have had a booster shot for the Transatlantic. Someone posted the e-mail CCL sent them today.

 

[Snowwhyt]

They haven't canceled the May cruises on the Magic so that's a good sign.

Nope, changed most of our room numbers today for the EBTA.

 

[mab2012]

We just received notice that Disney is extending final payment on our June Italy/Greece cruise. This is probably not a great sign, as this seems to happen often leading up to canceled cruises. That, combined with the lack of a replacement port for St. Petersburg, has me worried. If they cancel, when other lines that we could have chosen still sail, I will look at other lines for future cruises. If other lines can sail this itinerary, Disney can too and should do it for customer loyalty, even if they have more cancelations than they would like. They could easily fill these ships with Europeans and discounted GTY rates. Hopefully I am misreading the situation, since that would mean the Magic would sit empty all summer or they would need to scramble to find both ports and passengers starting at the end of this month. That doesn't seem very practical. Maybe it is just a move to stop cancelations and allow those on the fence to feel comfortable for awhile?

I would take it at face value, personally. There have been no protocols announced yet for European cruises. Presumably they are still waiting for the authorities to decide, or perhaps hoping local restrictions will be further loosened. Forcing people into final payment when they can't even list the rules that will be in place is a recipe for further cancellations.

I haven't seen any update on my early July cruise yet, for what that's worth. I am still waiting to see protocols before we make a final call. Recent changes for US departures are encouraging, but it remains to be seen if they will extend to Europe.

 

[mab2012]

Over on Cruise Critic the folks on the Carnival board are reporting that they are requiring all passengers 11 and older to be vaccinated AND have had a booster shot for the Transatlantic. Someone posted the e-mail CCL sent them today.

Italy's current entrance requirements call for a second shot within the last six months (I think), or a booster with no time limit. This is an improvement over the rules a few weeks ago, when the booster must have been administered within the last eight (or nine?) months. I've been paying attention, because my third shot was last August (taken to meet nonsensical RCCL protocols at the time, ironically), and getting a fourth shot, if I had to, could be mildly problematic.

I think there's also an option for a 24h test.

Anyway, point is that if other European countries have similar requirements, I won't be surprised if they just require everyone to have a booster. Trying to tailor the requirements to meet the minimum for every port on every sailing would just get too complicated.

My teenage kids haven't had boosters. If they need to get them to sail, so be it.

 

[tidefan]

Italy's current entrance requirements call for a second shot within the last six months (I think), or a booster with no time limit. This is an improvement over the rules a few weeks ago, when the booster must have been administered within the last eight (or nine?) months. I've been paying attention, because my third shot was last August (taken to meet nonsensical RCCL protocols at the time, ironically), and getting a fourth shot, if I had to, could be mildly problematic.

I think there's also an option for a 24h test.

Anyway, point is that if other European countries have similar requirements, I won't be surprised if they just require everyone to have a booster. Trying to tailor the requirements to meet the minimum for every port on every sailing would just get too complicated.

My teenage kids haven't had boosters. If they need to get them to sail, so be it.

We are all boosted, so if that is the case then fine. I am thinking they are trying to wait to see if these get relaxed at all.

I think if they said this now, then they’d probably have a good number of cancellations. That said, if this is what lines are going to do in Europe, they need to give people time to get their booster if they so choose and have not done it yet.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We are on the WBTA in September, and we think ( &hope) it’s going to be fine.🛳

 

[ladyofthetramp]

The June 10th cruise is the one I cancelled two weeks ago. I think this extension is to see if anything changes here in the US by April 18th-which I believe is the next deadline that the mask mandate on flights is due to expire-which would have been after the 60 day PIF, I think, for our cruise. I heard on the news that the CDC was working on new guidelines to be implemented by then. Maybe that will include covid testing to arrive in the US? That would certainly have led me to not cancel my cruise. Plus Greece just had a covid surge, which I believe is now coming back down. So many moving parts. I couldn't deal with waiting it out. Sorry DCL, we will be back, maybe? at some point.

 

[DCLMP]

Italy's current entrance requirements call for a second shot within the last six months (I think), or a booster with no time limit. This is an improvement over the rules a few weeks ago, when the booster must have been administered within the last eight (or nine?) months. I've been paying attention, because my third shot was last August (taken to meet nonsensical RCCL protocols at the time, ironically), and getting a fourth shot, if I had to, could be mildly problematic.

I think there's also an option for a 24h test.

Anyway, point is that if other European countries have similar requirements, I won't be surprised if they just require everyone to have a booster. Trying to tailor the requirements to meet the minimum for every port on every sailing would just get too complicated.

My teenage kids haven't had boosters. If they need to get them to sail, so be it.

If you were someone who just got vaccinated you wouldn’t need a booster.

 

[mab2012]

If you were someone who just got vaccinated you wouldn’t need a booster.

Yeah, they were vaccinated last summer so will be outside of the time limits. We'll wait a bit and see if things change again. I really don't think they need boosters, medically speaking, but if that's what it takes to cruise, we'll just get them.