Disney Wonder to be homeported in Los Angeles

[kaseyC]

It depends on if they do 3/4-night cruises or 7-night. In 4 nights they could make 3 stops: San Diego, Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico. (They have to make that foreign port stop.) The 3-night cruise would probably make one stop in Mexico, and that might be it - unless they buy an island somewhere. The 7-night would be the typical Mexican Riviera cruise, which DCL has done twice before.

I think they will start out with 3/4-night cruises with tie-ins to Disneyland packages.

Those would probably be quite profitable for DCL. It would also be nice to see a few Pacific Coastal itineraries, similar to what a few other cruiselines offer when their repositioning their ships in the fall and spring.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Those would probably be quite profitable for DCL. It would also be nice to see a few Pacific Coastal itineraries, similar to what a few other cruiselines offer when their repositioning their ships in the fall and spring.

Pacific Coastal itineraries is a great idea!!!! the 3/4's are not on the radar.

 

[kaseyC]

Pacific Coastal itineraries is a great idea!!!! the 3/4's are not on the radar.

Did I miss something? What radar? Have the Wonder's West Coast itineraries been officially announced by DCL? I thought the discussion of the Mexican Riviera itineraries was based mostly on past WC cruises and rumor and speculation.

 

[RedSox68]

I personally agree and I thought the DREAMS would be the best ship to take over the 7 night crusies, but the Wonder is the most profitable ship of the two on its 3/4 nights cruises as it gets two sets of passengers in every week, and, so more cruisers can fit in the first new ship in a quicker time.

Only bad thing about that scenario is that those 3/4 night cruises really beat the heck out of the ship. I know when we took the wonder in 2006 I was stunned at how beaten up and worn it looked compared to the Magic. CM said that's because more traffic, more kids, less down time.

Personally, I would hate to see the new ships used for short cruises -- I was hoping it would rotate between 10 and 11 day cruises! I know I'd do a back-to-back just to have time to explore it!

Anyone think the Wonder may eventually go to Alaska (sorry if this has been asked -- haven't read all the pages of this thread yet)?

 

[tvguy]

Dole whip.

Dole whip if you win*. Mountain Dew Code Red if I win.



*Transportation to a Disney Park not included.

 

[RedSox68]

Any idea what month in 2012 the Fantasy (that's the other ships name, right?) will be coming out? My oldest DD wants to cruise on one of the new ships for her HS graduation present. She graduates in 2012 and we wont be traveling from CA to do a 3 or 4 day.

They are both supposed to come out Spring of 2011 and 2012. Here's a great website that lists all the new ships, names, estimated date of delivery, etc.: www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/other/new_build.asp

I'd list the site for the shipyard webcam, but they signed a deal with Disney not to broadcast the building

 

[awoltoday]

Anyone think the Wonder may eventually go to Alaska (sorry if this has been asked -- haven't read all the pages of this thread yet)?

I've been trying to figure out what might be in their heads at DCL. I have no idea what they are thinking...

Alaska is Falling out of favor with cruisers and the cruise lines. Carnival reported pricing off 30 to 40% and reducing capacity for 2010. Hal reduced trips for 2010. RCL and Princess have each removed a ship all together. The 2006 Alaska ballot initiative is much to blame for this. It included a $50 per head tax and other taxes on cruise operations. On top of that, the initiative also included new higher standards for waste discharge that the cruise companies are struggling with. The standards hold cruise lines to a higher standard than land-based facilities. This all means installing costly equipment, which the cruise lines are claiming doesn't even exist yet.

All of those other cruise lines still have ships in Alaska. So, there is still SOME market. Disney has proven they can charge a premium to go places when other cruise lines can't. Mexican Riviera in the summer? ICK! But, they did it TWICE very successfully! So, with Alaska falling out of favor with other cruise lines, it might be possible that Disney could do that successfully also. And with other lines cutting back, it may be possible to buy some trips into Glacier Bay from HAL or Princess who may be glad to be rid of them... Not that Glacier Bay is a requirement - recall that RCL/Celebrity does not have a single cruise that visits there. But, at the very least there is an empty berth in Seattle and Vancouver starting in 2010.

Dole whip if you win*. Mountain Dew Code Red if I win.



*Transportation to a Disney Park not included.

LOL! you got it! Thanks for the transportation exclusion. I'm pretty sure I'm a lot closer than you! I suspect you'll be able to buy my Dole Whip in October when we head over


BTW, if anybody has an extra 4 minutes... This is a great video on the Meyer Werft website. It is a year or so old, but pretty cool WRT to ship building at Meyer Werft. It's even in english.

http://www.ttv-bremen.de/popup.php?id=57

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Did I miss something? What radar? Have the Wonder's West Coast itineraries been officially announced by DCL? I thought the discussion of the Mexican Riviera itineraries was based mostly on past WC cruises and rumor and speculation.

Its 7 night cruises. As 2008, maybe Saturdays, but same ports, if it ant broke don't fix it, as others say 3/4 night cruises will ruin the ship, and the first night in/out of LA has been awful in my experience.

 

[cindy18]

Just want to be clear: the Wonder will do 7-night cruises out of LA, and Dream will do 3/4 night cruises out of Port Canaveral? So the juice is that even though they're doing the same 3/4 night cruises they've always done, they're doing it on a new ship, and with the old ship, they're doing newish Mexican Riviera cruises?

 

[crzy4magic]

One of the real highlights of the Disney cruises from Florida is the extra investment they made for Castaway Cay. Is there any island of the California or Baja California coasts that Disney could drop Pixie Dust on to create a similar experience?

 

[vossjemi]

I haven't read this whole thread, but am wondering about the Dream schedule from the last few comments. I know its been announced the Wonder will do Mexican Riviera. So, why in the world would the Dream only do 3/4 day cruises? Why wouldn't they switch the Magic to 3/4 day and let the Dream do the Caribbean 7 day? Is there any proof the Dream is doing the shorter cruises? What leads people to believe this?

 

[Renysmom]

Disney has made no official announcement on any of the changes except that the Wonder is going to LA permanently... Everything is speculation until they make the announcements on the 2011 cruises later this fall.

 

[NancyIL]

So, why in the world would the Dream only do 3/4 day cruises? Why wouldn't they switch the Magic to 3/4 day and let the Dream do the Caribbean 7 day? Is there any proof the Dream is doing the shorter cruises? What leads people to believe this?

Cuz no one would book a Bahamas cruise on an old ship!

 

[NancyIL]

Its 7 night cruises. As 2008, maybe Saturdays, but same ports, if it ant broke don't fix it, as others say 3/4 night cruises will ruin the ship, and the first night in/out of LA has been awful in my experience.

The first night out of Port Canaveral can be pretty rough, too! I'll believe the Wonder is doing 7-night cruises when I hear the official word. Until then - I still think it will do shorter cruises.

 

[vossjemi]

Cuz no one would book a Bahamas cruise on an old ship!

Really? Well, I don't want to do a Southern Caribbean on an old ship either!

 

[awoltoday]

Disney has made no official announcement on any of the changes except that the Wonder is going to LA permanently... Everything is speculation until they make the announcements on the 2011 cruises later this fall.

I would like to make a small, technical correction to your statement if I may.

Everything is speculation until Disers sleuth out the truth, which is likely to be well before the announcements later this fall.

Right now, we know it doesn't make sense to play musical chairs with the ships and a 1/1 replacement is much simpler, cheaper, and maximizes revenue for the company.

 

[NancyIL]

Really? Well, I don't want to do a Southern Caribbean on an old ship either!

The way to get people on an old ship is by having a NEW itinerary! DCL rarely does Southern Caribbean cruises, so maybe that would get people to book a cruise on the Magic - especially if they were longer cruises.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

The way to get people on an old ship is by having a NEW itinerary! DCL rarely does Southern Caribbean cruises, so maybe that would get people to book a cruise on the Magic - especially if they were longer cruises.

I for one would jump on a Disney southern Carb. cruise in a heart beat, old or new ship just give me the southern carb.

Rob

 

[tvguy]

Really? Well, I don't want to do a Southern Caribbean on an old ship either!

Why not? The Magic and Wonder are barely 10 years old. My first cruise, a free one, the one that got he hooked on cruising was on a old ship. It was in 1980 on the MS Mermoz, a ship built in 1957 (same year I was born). 23 year old ship 450 passenger ship NO stabilizers. 14 days Southern Caribbean, Gourmet food, free wine with lunch and dinner. My fare, if I had to pay for it, would have been $5,000 per person, and that's in 1980 dollars!!

My second and third cruises, in 1983 and 84 were on the Norway, built in 1960, 23 and 24 years old at the time. In 85 we went on the Nordic Prince, built in 1971, so at 13 years, older than the Magic and Wonder are now. Not until 1986, when we cruised on the Soverign of the Seas, just 4 months old at the time, did we cruise on a newer ship.

It isn't the age of the ship, it is the condition, refurbishment and staff that make a cruise.

 

[vossjemi]

I for one would jump on a Disney southern Carb. cruise in a heart beat, old or new ship just give me the southern carb.

Rob

I agree! If the Dream is relegated to the drudgery of a 3/4 day cruise, I won't be going on her. So, I'll either go on the Magic or wait until 2012 when the Fantasy comes out, assuming she does 7 day itinerary. I'd prefer to go on a brand new ship, and by old (no dis meant Mickey...just using someone else's lingo there), I just meant I had soooo looked forward to new ship with a new exciting itinerary.