DCL website,Update: 12/15/09 Barcelona/August 2011Med trips changed to 7 nights

[msabol01]

Annie,

I just got back from a trip and catching up. I left you a PM and message on the Aug 10 meet thread.

Anyway, we're leaning towards staying on the 10 night. Will let you know if it changes.

 

[woody73]

I might want to take a crap by myself sometime (can I say that here?)

Oh Pooh!

Woody

 

[jennypenny]

$2800/adult and $2100/child is close to what an ABD would cost without the cruise portion! I think Disney is trying to increase the profit margin on DCL/ABD.

I don't know--the concept is right but the prices are all wrong. These cruises are really meant for adults or for families well above our income bracket. We are a family of 5 so the cruise would cost $8-10K plus $14K for the ABD part, plus we'd have to fly to Barcelona at about $800 per person.

Or I could send my kids to college...

 

[Bobo912]

$2800/adult and $2100/child is close to what an ABD would cost without the cruise portion! I think Disney is trying to increase the profit margin on DCL/ABD.

I don't know--the concept is right but the prices are all wrong. These cruises are really meant for adults or for families well above our income bracket. We are a family of 5 so the cruise would cost $8-10K plus $14K for the ABD part, plus we'd have to fly to Barcelona at about $800 per person.

Or I could send my kids to college...

Most ABD trips are in the $3500-$5500 range. There are very few trips that are less than $3000 and none of the European trips are that low.

 

[NancyIL]

Most ABD trips are in the $3500-$5500 range. There are very few trips that are less than $3000 and none of the European trips are that low.

ABD tours include the lodging, and they are usually in pretty fancy digs, from what I've seen. (Castle, anyone?) You're already paying for your sleeping quarters by booking the cruise.

 

[Anal Annie]

$2800/adult and $2100/child is close to what an ABD would cost without the cruise portion! I think Disney is trying to increase the profit margin on DCL/ABD.

I don't know--the concept is right but the prices are all wrong. These cruises are really meant for adults or for families well above our income bracket. We are a family of 5 so the cruise would cost $8-10K plus $14K for the ABD part, plus we'd have to fly to Barcelona at about $800 per person.

Or I could send my kids to college...

BINGO!! There have been 2 types of people on this thread. The "haves" and the "have nots". The ones looking to book suites & the ones just happy to get their big toes on the boat. I would be in that 2nd bunch... I am a real "wannabe"! Sigh... I think most of the "haves" are dropping off the thread now!

 

[Bobo912]

ABD tours include the lodging, and they are usually in pretty fancy digs, from what I've seen. (Castle, anyone?) You're already paying for your sleeping quarters by booking the cruise.

Right, I was pointing out that $2800 per person is not close to what an ABD trip would cost without the cruise porton as the previous poster had stated. Some of the accommodations are very nice, some are not anything special. In some cases you're paying for the location and not luxury. I went on the Alaska trip last year and there was one "luxury" hotel and two that were nice but pretty average.

 

[abdmom]

$2800/adult and $2100/child is close to what an ABD would cost without the cruise portion! I think Disney is trying to increase the profit margin on DCL/ABD.

I agree with you. The Italy vacation (8 nights) starts at $3729 for an adult. For that, you get accomodation, meals, and the opportunity to actually sleep in Italy instead of on a cruise ship.

If Disney had instead chosen to set some shore excursions up as "ABD excursions" and charged $200-$300 pp , I think there would be more takers. I don't see the value in the current offering.

 

[Bobo912]

I agree with you. The Italy vacation (8 nights) starts at $3729 for an adult. For that, you get accomodation, meals, and the opportunity to actually sleep in Italy instead of on a cruise ship.

If Disney had instead chosen to set some shore excursions up as "ABD excursions" and charged $200-$300 pp , I think there would be more takers. I don't see the value in the current offering.

The Itlay ABD that goes to Rome is over $4000 per person though. The itineraries are different for all the trips, so it's hard to compare. And both Italy ABD trips have 6 or 7 meals that aren't included and all meals are included on the Med cruise/ABD. And of course, you're paying for the convenience of not having to plan anything yourself. But, if Disney's goal was to lure more ABD bookings in the future by showing people who normally take cruises how great their trips are, seems like they would have priced it so it was affordable to more people.

 

[woody73]

. . . if Disney's goal was to lure more ABD bookings in the future by showing people who normally take cruises how great their trips are, seems like they would have priced it so it was affordable to more people.

I think Disney missed yet another opportunity here.

If they wanted to introduce people to ABD, they should have offered individual ABD excursions. That way people could splurge on one or two ABD excursions, then compare the experience with standard excursions.

If ABD is as special as it's made out to be, then people will come back for full ABD vacations.

Woody

 

[NancyIL]

The Itlay ABD that goes to Rome is over $4000 per person though. The itineraries are different for all the trips, so it's hard to compare. And both Italy ABD trips have 6 or 7 meals that aren't included and all meals are included on the Med cruise/ABD. And of course, you're paying for the convenience of not having to plan anything yourself. But, if Disney's goal was to lure more ABD bookings in the future by showing people who normally take cruises how great their trips are, seems like they would have priced it so it was affordable to more people.

All meals are included on the Med cruise (or any cruise), but ABD is paying for them while you're away from the ship on their excursions.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Do you know what I find very surprising, but I have been on six Disney cruises, over 60 days as some of these were long, a few Suites, Cancelled my suite yesterday, the day of the seven day release and..........

NOTHING.

Maybe its a UK thing, maybe I expect too much, but my expectations was a retentions unit to call or contact and say why you cancelling, what can we do to assist you, maybe I expect something like a concierge contacting you and assisting you find another cruise etc.

Just silence, and my reservation dropped from the online reservations on 'My bookings'.

I expected some customer service. Maybe after knowing about this for over a month, and them denying it, my expectations were too high.

 

[Bobo912]

If they wanted to introduce people to ABD, they should have offered individual ABD excursions. That way people could splurge on one or two ABD excursions, then compare the experience with standard excursions.

The problem I see with that is that it wouldn't really be anything like an ABD trip. A big part of the ABD experience is bonding with your fellower travelers, especially for the kids. And you couldn't really get a feel for how great the guides are either, unless you spent a few days with them. Totally agree with you about the price though. I wondering if the only people they are going to draw in are people who have already been or planned to take ABD trips anyway and just want to combine it with a cruise.

 

[NancyIL]

Do you know what I find very surprising, but I have been on six Disney cruises, over 60 days as some of these were long, a few Suites, Cancelled my suite yesterday, the day of the seven day release and..........

NOTHING.

Maybe its a UK thing, maybe I expect too much, but my expectations was a retentions unit to call or contact and say why you cancelling, what can we do to assist you, maybe I expect something like a concierge contacting you and assisting you find another cruise etc.

Just silence, and my reservation dropped from the online reservations on 'My bookings'.

I expected some customer service. Maybe after knowing about this for over a month, and them denying it, my expectations were too high.

I'm sorry, Andrew.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I'm sorry, Andrew.

Thank you, but no need for you to be sorry, it would be nice for DCL to ''miss me'', have given then some direct feedback!!!

But thanks again as thats exactly what I think they should have said,

 

[Bobo912]

All meals are included on the Med cruise (or any cruise), but ABD is paying for them while you're away from the ship on their excursions.

Yes, but on all the non-cruise ABD trips all of the meals are not included in the price of the trip. There are always several lunches and dinners where you are on your own and the money comes out of your pocket. That's just one more thing to consider when comparing the price.

 

[Bobo912]

Thank you, but no need for you to be sorry, it would be nice for DCL to ''miss me'', have given then some direct feedback!!!

But thanks again as thats exactly what I think they should have said,

ABD hasn't given me the impression that they appreciate my past business either. Guess it shouldn't be surprising since the DCL and ABD have the same leadership. But it's very disappointing.

Hope you find a great replacement for you DCL cruise.

 

[RedSox68]

Got the final confirmation call from my TA yesterday (Disney FINALLY told them they could release the info). In a word -- DISAPPOINTED. Not only in the way this was handled, but in Disney's choice to rework this so they could bring in ABD. We might have considered keeping the 7-day had they done a one-way itinerary ending and starting in different ports so we could make it a b2b -- that would have appealed to us with varying ports. But the itinerary they changed it to is one that, had they originally offered it, I never would have booked in the first place!

Oh, and our choices from Disney were this: if we keep the 7-day, it's $5,229. Or we can move it to the 7/9 for the same price we have booked now. Problem is, the 7/9 would cut it way too close to the Dream booking we already have. We don't feel like changing up all our reservations just to accommodate Disney's decision!

We are hoping that HAL keeps the Barcelona to Rome 17-day itinerary and carries it over to 2011. It's a terrific itinerary, has everything DCL originally had listed and more, and is 6 extra days to boot (at a lot less if you get in on the early booking). Either that or something in Alaska with a land tour (not with Disney -- we want to see Glacier Bay).

Also saw some great offerings on RCCL and Princess. My family and I feel "slighted" by Disney -- especially since they chose NOT to contact the booked customers first and instead release it all at once to the public. My husband's words: time to take our allegiance elsewhere.

We're sailing HAL next year in the Baltic -- we shall see how we like it. It may be a whole new beginning

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

ABD hasn't given me the impression that they appreciate my past business either. Guess it shouldn't be surprising since the DCL and ABD have the same leadership. But it's very disappointing.

Hope you find a great replacement for you DCL cruise.

THANK YOU; Agree poorly handled, no customer service, just misinformation.

Got the final confirmation call from my TA yesterday (Disney FINALLY told them they could release the info). In a word -- DISAPPOINTED. Not only in the way this was handled, but in Disney's choice to rework this so they could bring in ABD. We might have considered keeping the 7-day had they done a one-way itinerary ending and starting in different ports so we could make it a b2b -- that would have appealed to us with varying ports. But the itinerary they changed it to is one that, had they originally offered it, I never would have booked in the first place!

Oh, and our choices from Disney were this: if we keep the 7-day, it's $5,229. Or we can move it to the 7/9 for the same price we have booked now. Problem is, the 7/9 would cut it way too close to the Dream booking we already have. We don't feel like changing up all our reservations just to accommodate Disney's decision!

We are hoping that HAL keeps the Barcelona to Rome 17-day itinerary and carries it over to 2011. It's a terrific itinerary, has everything DCL originally had listed and more, and is 6 extra days to boot (at a lot less if you get in on the early booking). Either that or something in Alaska with a land tour (not with Disney -- we want to see Glacier Bay).

Also saw some great offerings on RCCL and Princess. My family and I feel "slighted" by Disney -- especially since they chose NOT to contact the booked customers first and instead release it all at once to the public. My husband's words: time to take our allegiance elsewhere.

We're sailing HAL next year in the Baltic -- we shall see how we like it. It may be a whole new beginning

Agree. If they did 7 nights with say Malta and Tunis in the 'other week' I would have gone for a back to back.

 

[NHdisneylover]

We are also VERY disspointed in how DCL handled all of this. We cancelled our two cabins on back to back 2011 Med cruises. We do not like the new iteneraries nearly as much and feel so annoyed by the appalling lack of consideration given to those who were booked we have no desire to try to work around it. Had the customer service been better AND the new iteneraries rotated through different ports so that back to backs would see more we may have considered it.
Andrew--we did not hear from any kind of retention team either (I never thought we would though--never occurred to me until I read the post) and have now been on 8 DCL cruises (usually sailing with multiple cabins--often groups of 10 or more).
We have asked our TA to let us know when Princess and HAL release their 2011 schedules for Europe. Disney has slipped anyway--DD12 did not enjoy a single activity in the Quest last week (she still had a nice time just hanignng reading and swimming and going to family activities when something was actually scheduled--lots of big holes there too).