Disney Wonder to be homeported in Los Angeles

[NancyIL]

I have read the whole thread and have just a few thoughts:

1. I would rather be on the Wonder repo through the PC than on a 3-4 night on the Dream, inaugural or not.

2. I would consider the Dream if the rumor of 5 night cruises were true.

3. Since the 3/4 night cruises are so popular, I think that the Wonder would continue this in LA. Perfect to combine Disneyland, California Adventure, etc, with a 3-4 night cruise. LA is only about, what? 40 or so miles from Anaheim? I smell West Coast land and sea packages.

I would also be interested in the Wonder's repo cruise to LA.

I think the Wonder should do 3/4 night cruises from LA, too. If those are the "bread and butter" cruises out of FL, then they will be the same in CA. In 2006 we did a 4-night cruise out of LA on RCI that went to San Diego, Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico - with Catalina being my favorite. We spent the weekend before the cruise at Disneyland, and I would love to do that again - especially since I haven't been back to Disneyland since 2006. Royal Caribbean moved Monarch of the Seas to Port Canaveral last fall, and doesn't have a ship doing those short cruises out of LA any more.

 

[wdhinn89]

I have read the whole thread and have just a few thoughts



3. Since the 3/4 night cruises are so popular, I think that the Wonder would continue this in LA. Perfect to combine Disneyland, California Adventure, etc, with a 3-4 night cruise. LA is only about, what? 40 or so miles from Anaheim? I smell West Coast land and sea packages.

I agree. This was my thought immediately.

Also, I am not so sure about the 5/4/5 option for Dreams. I think the 3/4 night Wonder cruises were so popular because they were combined with a land portion at Disney World. Most people go on vacation for 7 days. The 5 day itineraries will only give people 2 days in the park which really is not enough time.

The 5/4/5 option would be good for LA land/sea because 2/3 days is enough time to see Disneyland. JMO

 

[Pluto 2]

Another one hoping for Alaska and/or Hawaii and bring on the CA residents discount!

If the Wonder Westbound repo is mid-April 2011 or later I would love to go through the PC. Jan - Mar is my busy season at work so it will depend on the sail dates as to whether we could make it.

alaska and hawaii will be really nice, not interested in the mexico cruises. been on the panama cruise seen a few places in mexico.
just my guess but you might be able to make the repo dcl only has to have 52,620 guests a year in LA on their contract which they could easily do in half a year on 7 night cruises.52,620 guests a year divided by half a year = out to only 2,024 guests a sailing. which makes dcl doesnt have to stay there for the entire year. so we could see some nice alaska and hawaii cruises coming up in the future.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew

I thought Magic Disney Cruise will be in Europe for good??? but it sound not?

I am confusing now... why DCL based in London???

Scottishwee35

DCL do have an office in Hammersmith London, but that doesn't then equal guaranteed Europe cruises with DCL all of the time.

They will come back 2012 or after, but do not expect permanent presence.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Wouldn't that be a more profitable plan for DCL? It is more expensive on paper to do a 4-day and a 3-day than to do a 7-day. Plus the ship holds more people. I have no idea what turn-over cost is for DCL to port and re-load, but I would think they would still come out on top.
Is that right or am I confusing myself?

The wonder 3/4 night cruises are the most profitable cruises for DCL.

Why couldn't the Magic start doing the 3/4 day and the new ship do the 7 day both out of PC?

Firstly, I have covered that in 2/3 posts, that Captain Henry has been telling people he is getting the Dreams on the 3/4 night Wonder route.

Secondly, why swap the Magic back? They could just send the Magic to LA, it has staff with experience of the ports and the panama canal, so it just doesn't pass the make sense test, to then swap the Magic back to the Wonder route to then release the Wonder to LA.

 

[Grandma4ever]

The wonder 3/4 night cruises are the most profitable cruises for DCL.



Firstly, I have covered that in 2/3 posts, that Captain Henry has been telling people he is getting the Dreams on the 3/4 night Wonder route.

Secondly, why swap the Magic back? They could just send the Magic to LA, it has staff with experience of the ports and the panama canal, so it just doesn't pass the make sense test, to then swap the Magic back to the Wonder route to then release the Wonder to LA.

If you are concerned with the staff being trained it really would be no issue for the current crew on the Magic to take the Wonder and the current crew on the Wonder to move to the Magic. The ships are pretty much the same and people can be moved around. In fact they move between the two ships now.

I would prefer the Disney Dream do the 7 day cruises but I feel other's are correct and the Dream's will be doing the land & sea and shorter cruises and the Magic the longer 7 day cruises.

It would be nice if the Dream could do a longer cruise about once per month and the Magic do more of the 10/11 day cruises. I can dream can't I.

 

[surf2di4]

alaska and hawaii will be really nice, not interested in the mexico cruises. been on the panama cruise seen a few places in mexico.
just my guess but you might be able to make the repo dcl only has to have 52,620 guests a year in LA on their contract which they could easily do in half a year on 7 night cruises.52,620 guests a year divided by half a year = out to only 2,024 guests a sailing. which makes dcl doesnt have to stay there for the entire year. so we could see some nice alaska and hawaii cruises coming up in the future.

hi all

sounds like they would keep the possibility of Hawaii open with these figures. cause hawaii is basically a 14 day cruise. also alaska is probably a 10 or an 11 day cruise from LA. they are only guaranteeing PofLA 52k of embarkation's and debarkation's. so the summer month may have different itinerary's.
andrew Comment please rotfl:).

karl

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If you are concerned with the staff being trained it really would be no issue for the current crew on the Magic to take the Wonder and the current crew on the Wonder to move to the Magic. The ships are pretty much the same and people can be moved around. In fact they move between the two ships now.

I would prefer the Disney Dream do the 7 day cruises but I feel other's are correct and the Dream's will be doing the land & sea and shorter cruises and the Magic the longer 7 day cruises.

It would be nice if the Dream could do a longer cruise about once per month and the Magic do more of the 10/11 day cruises. I can dream can't I.

Its not a 'concern' just a practical fact, and why would DCL decide to move the Wonder to LA, then swap the staff around from the Magic to the Wonder.

They already have a large HR task recruiting for the new ships finding new Officers, CD's, CM's servers. They would have a logical plan in place to do this without enforcing extra staff to move between the two current ships.

Plus as covered in a number of previous posts of mine re conversations had.

I personally would prefer the new ship on the 7 night route as well.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

hi all

sounds like they would keep the possibility of Hawaii open with these figures. cause Hawaii is basically a 14 day cruise. also Alaska is probably a 10 or an 11 day cruise from LA. they are only guaranteeing PofLA 52k of embarkation's and debarkation's. so the summer month may have different itinerary's.
andrew Comment please rotfl:).

karl

Firstly, I announce I am biased as I do not like Hawaii, but in an objective way, the base of LA makes it possible for some special/limited cruises.

The pier at the new Disney resort there cannot accommodate cruise ships but it would be possible for a tie in. As you post, it would take a full 14 nights to Hawaii and back and a call somewhere out of USA.

I personally wouldn't be surprised to see cruises to the Fr East to tie up with the Disney parks in Tokyo and Hong kong.

Alaska, imho, if its done will have a couple of small 'repos' from LA to allow 7 night Alaska cruises.

Its still possible even with the issue on Glacier bay.

When the Dreams is settled down and the Wonder is in LA,I wouldnt be surprised to see Panama repos either by the Wonder, or the Magic going through in the spring summer to say hello and go back.

The LA agreement would cover that,

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If you are concerned with the staff being trained it really would be no issue for the current crew on the Magic to take the Wonder and the current crew on the Wonder to move to the Magic. The ships are pretty much the same and people can be moved around. In fact they move between the two ships now.

I would prefer the Disney Dream do the 7 day cruises but I feel other's are correct and the Dream's will be doing the land & sea and shorter cruises and the Magic the longer 7 day cruises.

It would be nice if the Dream could do a longer cruise about once per month and the Magic do more of the 10/11 day cruises. I can dream can't I.

We spoke with our head waiter on the Magic on our Thanksgiving cruise. He said they are taking 1/3 staff from Magic and 1/3 from Wonder to staff the new ship. He said if they remove more than that, service would suffer on the older ships and likewise can't have all new staff on the new ships. Since the new ships are bigger, more pax=more crew, the new ships will probably only be 1/2 experienced staff, 1/2 new. At least for the 1st one. He didn't mention the plan for the 2nd ship.

Even if the Dream does 5/4/5, judging from the prices on the Wonder 5 day DD as an indication of what's to come, I probably won't be on any new ships.
I'd love to go to Hawaii on the Magic.

 

[terramei]

So the wonder is leaving on a 7 day on December 30th 2010 and get back on the 5th of January.

Do you think it will leave then straigt away for LA?
How long does that repo take?

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

So the wonder is leaving on a 7 day on December 30th 2010 and get back on the 5th of January.

Do you think it will leave then straigt away for LA?
How long does that repo take?

The previous repo cruises were 14 days. Unfortunately we won't know when they will move the ship. Keeping fingers crossed to get on that one!!!

 

[NancyIL]

So the wonder is leaving on a 7 day on December 30th 2010 and get back on the 5th of January.

Do you think it will leave then straigt away for LA?
How long does that repo take?

That is the last cruise you can book for 2010, but it doesn't mean it's the Wonder's last cruise in the Caribbean.

 

[surf2di4]

The previous repo cruises were 14 days. Unfortunately we won't know when they will move the ship. Keeping fingers crossed to get on that one!!!

P/C repos were 15 nights
and the wonder will not leave before the DREAM gets there since the 3/4 night cruises are the most profitable and they could still accommodate 2/3 of the Dreams' cruiser's should it be late. it will not leave before then.
but i do agree with andrew that the far east is a likely destination at least some of the yr once Wonder gets to the west coast.

karl a W/B P/C repo sailor

 

[Bob Price]

Its not a 'concern' just a practical fact, and why would DCL decide to move the Wonder to LA, then swap the staff around from the Magic to the Wonder.

They already have a large HR task recruiting for the new ships finding new Officers, CD's, CM's servers. They would have a logical plan in place to do this without enforcing extra staff to move between the two current ships.

Plus as covered in a number of previous posts of mine re conversations had.

I personally would prefer the new ship on the 7 night route as well.

Hey Andrew, what are your thoughts on the 5/4/5 vs the 4/3 rotation?
Is this 5/4/5 something DCL is testing out or is the future as you see it?

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

P/C repos were 15 nights
and the wonder will not leave before the DREAM gets there since the 3/4 night cruises are the most profitable and they could still accommodate 2/3 of the Dreams' cruiser's should it be late. it will not leave before then.
but i do agree with andrew that the far east is a likely destination at least some of the yr once Wonder gets to the west coast.

karl a W/B P/C repo sailor

Oops. Thanks for the correction. We weren't cruising then but are now and are quite anxious to get on a PC repo! And I agree with you that the Wonder won't move until Dream is on-board.

 

[RanCan]

Does anyone remember what the pricing was for the Magic WB Repo in 2008? Thanks

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Oops. Thanks for the correction. We weren't cruising then but are now and are quite anxious to get on a PC repo! And I agree with you that the Wonder won't move until Dream is on-board.

Just a footnote the Panama canal and the West coast Mexican Riviera ports all have to be booked in advance, so, they will have a date for completion and shake down of the Dream, and base everything on that, but the Wonder will not wait.

I am sure the contract for the ships will have significant penalty clauses for any delay in handover of control to DCL.

Dreams is currently expected Feb 2011.

 

[NancyIL]

Does anyone remember what the pricing was for the Magic WB Repo in 2008? Thanks

I booked a cat. 11 on opening day for $1399/pp plus taxes - which was the first tier price.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Hey Andrew, what are your thoughts on the 5/4/5 vs the 4/3 rotation?
Is this 5/4/5 something DCL is testing out or is the future as you see it?

I was following the discussion on that bit, its speculation as I haven't seen anything on that.

There are two schools of thought on that.

Firstly, the new ships are 1.5 x bigger than the current ship.

More passengers> more seats at dinner required>need to keep service the same> servers cannot walk further > DCL inspired rotation dinners.

Therefore a conclusion = More restaurants.

Therefore to say accommodate an extra rotational restaurant they would need a least 4 night cruises.


But second ally. 3/4 fits a week very well, it works well with WDW Land and sea and average vacation time, its highly profitable, and they get more cruisers through the turnstiles.

What DCL could do is have either two restaurants the same or one adults one one kids one and your make up of your party decided on a 3 night what 3 of the 4 you go to.

So,,

I would not rule anything out, but my bet is on majority 3/4 night cruises as now, -if it ant broke don't fix it, but maybe some 4/5 nights.

5 nights might have to add Key West or it doesn't work as well as 3/4 nights which are just right for CC and Nassau