Discount with DU?

[Tooth Fairy]

Trying to decide if we should go for it with the 7 day cruise. Has anyone ever got a discount after booking with DU and how much? Thanks!!!

 

[my3kids]

When I priced trips, there wasn't a discount from DU. I priced the trip through Costco also and got a big discount...they deducted 10% from the best DCL fare I found. Others have mentioned other agencies also that offered discounts. Price the same trip through several TA and see who has the best price.

 

[peg2001]

When I booked with DU, the quote was the same as through DCL. However, they did offer a rebate (amount varied on category booked) which is essentially a portion of their commission that they give back to the client in exchange for their patronage. At least, this is my understanding. I am sure that someone can jump in here and correct me if I am wrong.

After I booked with DU, DCL extended the first-time cruise credit into 2003, and DU added that credit onto my ressie.

Discounts, rebates, credits, I'll take what I can get!!

Peg

 

[Michelle]

In addition to the rebates, DU will also continue to check for any repricings or discounts for your sailing AFTER you book, unlike most agencies. If the price goes down they will have your cruise price adjusted accordingly.

 

[kpgclark]

I have ressies for 2003 with DU and I just checked my booking on-line. They haven't automatically credited me with the first time cruisers discount. I'll e-mail them, but I wouldn't count on it automatically being there. Besides how would they know if this is your first cruise?

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Does this credit apply if it is your first cruise with Disney or your first cruise period? Also, can someone tell me how much of a discount it is and if it can be applied with other discounts/rebates we've already received? This will be my children's first cruise. My husband and I have cruised before on RCCL but this will be the first Disney cruise. Every little bit helps!

 

[kpgclark]

Wow, those DU people are fast. I sent them a message a few minutes ago regarding my 2003 cruise. I said that I heard there was a Disney first cruise rebate. They've already credited my account with the $50 rebate. This is a shipboard credit. It doesn't show up on your reservation on the DU WEB site.

 

[peg2001]

Luckymommyx2,

The credit is for first time DCL cruisers. It doesn't matter if you've cruised with someone else. It is $25 for a 4-day cruise and $50 for a 7-day cruise. It is not combinable with any other DCL credit but if you have a TA rebate, you can still use the DCL credit. Does that make sense? If you're TA doesn't know of a "First Time Cruise" credit, try asking for the credit associated with code REF.

Good luck.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Thanks Peg! I've booked a 7 day through DU and received the $100 rebate and I believe the $100 on-board credit too. It was something that I wanted to check into. These boards are such a wealth of info! Thanks again!!

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Just got quote from Costco for the 4 day- it was the same but can save $168 off the 7 day in a cat. 10. What do you think? Need the best deal but unsure about Costco and like the possibly of DU adjusting the price if other offers become available. How often does that happen with Disney? Thanks!!

 

[kpgclark]

Is that a savings of $168 per person or total? If total, how many people are in your cabin?

 

[Tooth Fairy]

kpgclark
It is $168 off the total and we have 2 adults and 2 8 yr. olds in one cabin! What do you think? Thanks!!

 

[kpgclark]

Tooth Fair, this being my first Disney cruise I am probably not the best one to respond. However if you talked to DU and got their best quote and compared it to Costco, I'd go with Costco. I may be wrong though. I just booked a category 10 myself with an 8 and 6 year old myself through DU but I didn't check around. I just figured they'd have the best price based on what I've read on this board. You can private message me if you want to discuss details on prices and discounts I received.

 

[digitalmom]

I too was/am kind of like kpgclark. Last July 2001 I booked a 7 night western carib cruise for May 2003 with DU, it was our second Disney cruise. We did the 7 night eastern carib in March 2001 and booked it thru my husband's manager who is a travel agent on the side and all he did was call Disney and get the price. When I decided to book the cruise for May 2003 I didn't call anyone else, just contacted DU and booked thru them based on all that I had read on these boards about them. I was in a cat 11 on deck 7 with 3 people (1 adult, 15 yo-priced as adult- and 13 yo). I got a price of just over $3200.00. This past March we went on the Carnival Pride and had an inside room and hated it so when I got home I contacted DU and wanted to quote a cat 8 room on deck 6. I was quoted just over $3700.00. No air, no insurance, no transfers from Orlando, just the cruise on the ship. I decided to call Disney directly and get a price. You would think that calling Disney directly it would be more expensive as DU has the rebates but Disney was cheaper, a lot cheaper. I basically was able to get a cat 5 on deck 7 for pretty much the same price as DU was giving me for a cat 8 on deck 6. I will say that the person that we had at DU was very, very, very good about responding to my questions especially at the end when I was trying to decide what to do. If we go on another Disney cruise after the one in May 2003 I would probably get a quote from DU again but instead of assuming that they would have the best price I would get Disney's quote and maybe one more. Sorry if I am bashing DU but that is not my intent, they just did not have the best price for the particular cruise I wanted(May 24, 2003) and I cannot wait to have a verandah, our first. Also cannot wait to tell the kids, they don't know yet, although they may be suspicious.

 

[padisneyfan]

Digitalmom,

Thanks for the information about DU and DCL. I currently have a reservation through DU for the 9/28/02 western (just me and DH as our sons will be in college) and haven't made my final payment yet. I saw a lower rate on the all season web site so I may give them a call to see if that rate is still available. All my previous cruises have been with DVC points. We are also looking at the same date (5/24/03) for another western taking our 2 sons with us (ages18-19). However, on our most recent cruise (6/16/02), there were not may teens their age so they didn't have as good as time as our previous cruise. I know that the 7 day will have more for them to do, but we are also looking at the Carnival Pride. Other than the stateroom which I would get a veranda even on the Pride, did you like that ship. My one big concern is the smoking. More the fact that the stateroom may smell like smoke. Any input you have will be helpful.

Thanks

Nancy

 

[digitalmom]

Nancy,

I was on the Pride with my 2 boys, ages 14 and 12. We all liked it. Although my kids, even the 14 year old said that they preferred Disney more. They never really did tell me why they liked Disney more. Even though there were a lot of people smoking, a lot more than I noticed on the Magic, our room didn't smell like smoke and I don't remember any ashtrays in the room. I did notice someone smoke on an all passagener cabin floor at the elevator as there were ashtrays at the elevators. It seemed that the smoke was most around the casino and the bar area on on that same deck(deck 3 if I remember right). As your kids are older than mine I am sure that they will find lots to do, at least they will be old enough to try out the casino if they would so desire. I also believe that one of the discos was open real late just for older teens/young adults. I will say that when we went on the Pride it was a quite older crowd and I think that we were on the ship at the very tail end of Spring Break weeks. If you haven't already, check out cruisecritic.com. They have a Carnival board and you will find tons of information on the Pride. On the 5/24/03 thread there was a question from someone who wanted to know more about the Pride and I posted some stuff there so you may want to look at that, I can't remember now all what I said.
Suzanne

 

[padisneyfan]

Suzanne,

Thanks for all the information on the pride and the web site to check out other information. I did read some of the reports on the Pride on that site. It seems that there is still the lack of activites for that 18-20 age group on that ship. Will continue to monitor that site. Will also see how DH and I like the Magic Western trip and if we think that the boys will like it my just book another Western Magic for next summer.

Thanks again for you help.

Nancy