Disney Cruise Lines Firsts!

[Quellman]

Another first not mentioned (but no longer implemented) is the personalized Personal Navigators. In the beginning the Navigators looked nothing like they do today. they were actually personalized to each guest and it listed the ship's activities as well as your own activities and shore excursions each day. It was set up as a lined page with each hour printed on it and the activities listed. It lasted a little while but as you can imagine the logistics of keeping track and printing that was extraordinary! I still have mine from the Maiden Voyage of the Magic back in 1998 and it weighs a lot and is several pages long.

MJ

Seems like something that you should have scanned in and shared with the rest of us!

 

[darnheather]

The movie thing is especially good. On our eastern last April, we had the opening day of the Jungle book and Stars Wars the Awakening, Inside out, Zoopedia, the good Dinosaur, not to mention some of the classics.

AKK

The only time we go to the movies is on $5 Tuesday. Even at that we only go a few times a year because I find the price ridiculous. I saw four movies onboard. I know a lot of people go to the movies every week but that was a year's worth of movies for me! Savings for the three of us (tickets only): $80 (my older daughter went to premier of Jungle book so I priced that at $15).

 

[NancyIL]

Only Disney can "do Disney" - and they certainly do an excellent job! However, whether it's "worth every penny" is very subjective. (It depends on the length of the cruise and just how many "pennies" the Mouse wants!) By the way - DCL used to charge for soft drinks in the early years. I recall one perk for booking with AAA was that you got the mug for soft drinks.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Only Disney can "do Disney" - and they certainly do an excellent job! However, whether it's "worth every penny" is very subjective. (It depends on the length of the cruise and just how many "pennies" the Mouse wants!) By the way - DCL used to charge for soft drinks in the early years. I recall one perk for booking with AAA was that you got the mug for soft drinks.

Hi Nancy


I can add another discontinued item, kinda connected to DCL but really DVC. Back in the 1990's ,maybe early 2000's as members of the DVC, you could you use your points to sail on RCCL. For a short time you could sail DCL or RCCL. I do not know when they stopped that. I did not keep my point books that far back.

AKK

 

[NancyIL]

Hi Nancy


I can add another discontinued item, kinda connected to DCL but really DVC. Back in the 1990's ,maybe early 2000's as members of the DVC, you could you use your points to sail on RCCL. For a short time you could sail DCL or RCCL. I do not know when they stopped that. I did not keep my point books that far back.

AKK

I'm surprised Disney would allow using DVC points to sail with a competitor. No wonder it was short-lived.

Regarding the "free" WDW park hopper on cruises that stop at Port Canaveral: I'm pretty sure the ticket price and transportation to and from WDW are figured into the cost of your cruise. It is "included" - but not "free."

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I'm surprised Disney would allow using DVC points to sail with a competitor. No wonder it was short-lived.

Regarding the "free" WDW park hopper on cruises that stop at Port Canaveral: I'm pretty sure the ticket price and transportation to and from WDW are figured into the cost of your cruise. It is "included" - but not "free."

I agree.......of course the price is built into the cruise rate. It just feels better not out of pocket.

The same in the PC. I made a comment on another thread, the cruise lines pay for the transit fee.... I got told fast its paid for by the passengers. My point was the cruise lines pay extra for the daylight transit. Of course the passengers pay in the end, whether its though port costs or in the cruise rate. The cargo pays for the voyage in the end.

AKK

 

[dclpluto]

Hi Nancy


I can add another discontinued item, kinda connected to DCL but really DVC. Back in the 1990's ,maybe early 2000's as members of the DVC, you could you use your points to sail on RCCL. For a short time you could sail DCL or RCCL. I do not know when they stopped that. I did not keep my point books that far back.

AKK

I think you mean holland America and only for Alaska. That was the early 2000's don't know about the 90's.

 

[NancyIL]

I agree.......of course the price is built into the cruise rate. It just feels better not out of pocket.

The same in the PC. I made a comment on another thread, the cruise lines pay for the transit fee.... I got told fast its paid for by the passengers. My point was the cruise lines pay extra for the daylight transit. Of course the passengers pay in the end, whether its though port costs or in the cruise rate. The cargo pays for the voyage in the end.

AKK

The taxes on Panama Canal cruises are considerably higher than for most other cruises. They are $339.44 pp for the Aug. 2016 PC cruise. Compare that to the May 2017 15-night Transatlantic, where taxes are $143.57 pp.

 

[phinz]

Forgot the horns of Disney tunes.........another area DCL spent the extra money, to provide superior vessels and entertainment/cruise none of the others can.

AKK

MSC has really cool horns too.

Their container ships are pretty awesome too.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I think you mean holland America and only for Alaska. That was the early 2000's don't know about the 90's.

May have been Holland America too. but I do remember RCCL.


AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

MSC has really cool horns too.

Their container ships are pretty awesome too.

Gee you mean DCL is copied again........LOL

 

[scgustafson]

The taxes on Panama Canal cruises are considerably higher than for most other cruises. They are $339.44 pp for the Aug. 2016 PC cruise. Compare that to the May 2017 15-night Transatlantic, where taxes are $143.57 pp.

No one is maintaining and rebuilding the Atlantic Ocean, like they are doing with the Panama Canal. The fees for transiting the Canal are pretty steep since it is a convenience and not a natural waterway.

 

[TXDCLfan]

I'm surprised Disney would allow using DVC points to sail with a competitor. No wonder it was short-lived.

Regarding the "free" WDW park hopper on cruises that stop at Port Canaveral: I'm pretty sure the ticket price and transportation to and from WDW are figured into the cost of your cruise. It is "included" - but not "free."

Exactly

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The bottom line is anything done on a cruise is in the end, payed for by the guests.

In any case the tickets and transportation is a idea excursion in PC, still a first and a nice way to do it. One of many firsts and things other lines never did or later copied.

AKK