Fantasy policies - published (Sept now 4 nights)

[Chloe&Jelly]

Sadly, we were booked for Fantasy Oct 2, which was changed to 4 night.
I am so sad.
Unless we agree to accept the 4 night, we are not entitled to any type of credit other than full refund.
This isn't just a modification...DCL can call it whatever they want but it's entirely a diff. cruise.
I tried for making this a B2B but there is a two day gap between the new 4 day Fantasy and the next cruise of Dream for 3 nights.
I was also informed that if we want to book for later..even within the next few weeks, they consider it totally new and we still receive no credit. Any new cruise, of course, would be at prevailing rates, which are significantly higher.
I know that there are worse things in this life but I am heartbroken. We, like so many others, have had multiple cruises cancelled in the past year plus. I know that part is outside of anyone's control.
We have experienced 3 deaths in our immediate family in the past year and now a recent biopsy for cancer.
It's difficult to keep hoping for something good.
I just wanted some peace and maybe a few days to not worry.
4 day cruise..I can't justify that given a full day of travel each way.

Thank you for allowing me to vent and maybe making it ok to feel sorry for myself for just a minute.

Tomorrow's a new day. Be kind to each other.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Are they refunding the difference between a 4 day and a 7 day or are you just stuck having paid for a 7 day and only getting 4? Could you just bank your credits again and rebook a later date?

 

[Chloe&Jelly]

Are they refunding the difference between a 4 day and a 7 day or are you just stuck having paid for a 7 day and only getting 4? Could you just bank your credits again and rebook a later date?

If we accepted the automatic transition to a 4 day, they would refund the difference +onboard credit+ a 25% future cruise credit AFTER the 4 day cruise is completed.
But if I don't accept the 4 day, they just refund me the cruise total with no onboard credit or any other credits being offered, neither will they just transfer to another cruise as we would need to pay the difference to match prevailing rates. No onboard credit, no FCC just 100% of what we paid.
We booked through Dreams Unlimited.

 

[lanejudy]

a 25% future cruise credit AFTER the 4 day cruise is completed

Clarification -- a 25% DISCOUNT off a future cruise before 9/30/2022. Not a future cruise credit. A discount is based off the future cruise price; a credit would be based on the current cruise price.

 

[Chloe&Jelly]

Clarification -- a 25% DISCOUNT off a future cruise before 9/30/2022. Not a future cruise credit. A discount is based off the future cruise price; a credit would be based on the current cruise price.

Yes 25% discount. Directly from DCL...this discount can be applied to MOST future sailings taken by September 30,2022

 

[sethschroeder]

I tried for making this a B2B but there is a two day gap between the new 4 day Fantasy and the next cruise of Dream for 3 nights.

That was my issue if I could have made it a B2B then I might have been fine. Going from a 7 night to a 4 night cruise is a dramatic change and to me isn't even a vacation its a weekend getaway.

 

[orum]

If we accepted the automatic transition to a 4 day, they would refund the difference +onboard credit+ a 25% future cruise credit AFTER the 4 day cruise is completed.
But if I don't accept the 4 day, they just refund me the cruise total with no onboard credit or any other credits being offered, neither will they just transfer to another cruise as we would need to pay the difference to match prevailing rates. No onboard credit, no FCC just 100% of what we paid.
We booked through Dreams Unlimited.

Was the prorated refund 3/7 of the price of the cruise or some other complicated math to come up with the refund amount? I haven't seen anything yet from my TA or Disney.

 

[sethschroeder]

Was the prorated refund 3/7 of the price of the cruise or some other complicated math to come up with the refund amount? I haven't seen anything yet from my TA or Disney.

Not sure anyone has been told the refund yet that I saw but might have change since I left my Fantasy cruise groups yesterday.

 

[orum]

Not sure anyone has been told the refund yet that I saw but might have change since I left my Fantasy cruise groups yesterday.

I thought Cloe&Jelly was speaking as if they had received the details. No one in my fb group has yet, but we are on the second sailing, not the first.

 

[TinkerMouse]

Was the prorated refund 3/7 of the price of the cruise or some other complicated math to come up with the refund amount? I haven't seen anything yet from my TA or Disney.

The email says Disney has yet to figure out the refund amount but they expect to have everything (refund amount, itinerary, onboard activities, etc.) ready and announced by August 25th. Once they let us know we will have five days (until Aug 30th) to decide whether we cancel or board.

I'll be upset if that partial refund is based on 4-night Dream cruise prices because the Dream (for whatever reason) is usually priced at a higher amount per day than cruises on the Fantasy. It's as if 7-night Fantasy pricing gives you a Costco/Sam's Club/BJ's buy in bulk discount. It would be more fair to just do the basic math for what we've paid per day then refund the three nights we're losing. Since this was supposed to be a holiday cruise with "extra" themed activities it would be nice to see that added to the refund but I feel like that's wishful thinking. Decisions, decisions...

 

[Cheburashka]

Sadly, we were booked for Fantasy Oct 2, which was changed to 4 night.
I am so sad.
Unless we agree to accept the 4 night, we are not entitled to any type of credit other than full refund.
This isn't just a modification...DCL can call it whatever they want but it's entirely a diff. cruise.
I tried for making this a B2B but there is a two day gap between the new 4 day Fantasy and the next cruise of Dream for 3 nights.
I was also informed that if we want to book for later..even within the next few weeks, they consider it totally new and we still receive no credit. Any new cruise, of course, would be at prevailing rates, which are significantly higher.
I know that there are worse things in this life but I am heartbroken. We, like so many others, have had multiple cruises cancelled in the past year plus. I know that part is outside of anyone's control.
We have experienced 3 deaths in our immediate family in the past year and now a recent biopsy for cancer.
It's difficult to keep hoping for something good.
I just wanted some peace and maybe a few days to not worry.
4 day cruise..I can't justify that given a full day of travel each way.

Thank you for allowing me to vent and maybe making it ok to feel sorry for myself for just a minute.

Tomorrow's a new day. Be kind to each other.

Maybe a few days at Disney's Vero Beach resort on one side or the other of the cruise? I just checked and there's availability in a deluxe studio from 9/29 - 10/2. If you've never been, it's a very nice place.

 

[Labdog]

I'm going to cancel ,already booked Royal Caribbean Allure of the Sea, 10/3 - 10/10 only have to change one flight

 

[TheBigErn]

I'm very disappointed in how DCL is handling all of this at the last minute. People have airfare booked, rental cars and limos, pre and post cruise hotel reservations that all must be changed and in many case result in lost money because of cancellation fees etc. This is very poor planning by DCL. We are on the Fantasy November 6-11 which is a double stop at CC. It's also a stop at Nassau and a day at sea. Now I'm wondering if they will cut out one day or make a second day at sea. If they cut one day out, I will be scrambling to rearrange my pre cruise hotel, airfare and limo. What a cluster this is becoming.

 

[vrneuroh]

i think, like you said, Dream/fantasy 4 nights will be DD and the 3 night will be castaway/sea day on Dream.

The Dream 3/4 night and Fantasy 4 night sailings can all do double-dips in September:
Dream 3-night: Friday - Port Canaveral, Saturday - CC, Sunday - CC, Monday - Port Canaveral
Dream 4-night: Monday - Port Canaveral, Tuesday - Day at Sea, Wednesday & Thursday - CC, Friday - Port Canaveral
Fantasy 4-night: Saturday - Port Canaveral, Sunday - Day at Sea, Monday & Tuesday - CC, Wednesday - Port Canaveral, Thursday/Friday - no sailings

The Fantasy could sail out on a 3-night cruise on Wednesday-Saturday, but they would end up having a day at sea since the Dream would be a CC on Thursday, so not sure why they decided not to do it. Maybe they figured not as many people would do it and might not make enough money to sail. Who knows!

 

[Clojel]

I'm very disappointed in how DCL is handling all of this at the last minute. People have airfare booked, rental cars and limos, pre and post cruise hotel reservations that all must be changed and in many case result in lost money because of cancellation fees etc. This is very poor planning by DCL. We are on the Fantasy November 6-11 which is a double stop at CC. It's also a stop at Nassau and a day at sea. Now I'm wondering if they will cut out one day or make a second day at sea. If they cut one day out, I will be scrambling to rearrange my pre cruise hotel, airfare and limo. What a cluster this is becoming.

My guess is - and this is JUST a guess, I have no inside information - is that you will be fine! I can't imagine they'd want to deal with the hassle of refunds etc... over ONE day. I think the 7+ are the ones that are most likely to be impacted by last minute changes. Also, the fact that the only ports on your cruise are CC and Nassau helps you as well!

BUT, I completely agree that it is disappointing that this is all coming down to the wire. We're on a 7 night Fantasy cruise in December and we haven't made any arrangements (airport, transfers, hotels) yet b/c I'm convinced it's going to *at least* be altered if not canceled completely. Very frustrating!

 

[TheBigErn]

My guess is - and this is JUST a guess, I have no inside information - is that you will be fine! I can't imagine they'd want to deal with the hassle of refunds etc... over ONE day. I think the 7+ are the ones that are most likely to be impacted by last minute changes. Also, the fact that the only ports on your cruise are CC and Nassau helps you as well!

BUT, I completely agree that it is disappointing that this is all coming down to the wire. We're on a 7 night Fantasy cruise in December and we haven't made any arrangements (airport, transfers, hotels) yet b/c I'm convinced it's going to *at least* be altered if not canceled completely. Very frustrating!

I hope you're right.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Does anyone know if the deadline to use those original credits is still something like June 2022?

 

[Chrissy-Mickey]

Does anyone know if the deadline to use those original credits is still something like June 2022?

September 2022 is the current 'use by' date for FCC.

 

[TinkerMouse]

Just in case anyone is still wondering...
Three nights off of 7 nights (when charged at the same rate) is 43%; Disney refunded 45%. Their itemized receipt takes travel insurance (through them) into account so that price is reduced to match the shortened protection length. The receipt also takes any ground transport and airfare (purchased through them) into account but those figures don't change since they're a set price.

Still no word on how DCL is going to handle the new Bahamas vaccine requirements but Royal Caribbean announced that all cruises heading there will comply even if they're leaving from Florida. There is no word on them joining NCL's lawsuit so I don't fully understand how it's happening but they've already announced it for future sailings.

Disney's only real options now are to copy Royal by requiring vaccines for all over the age of 12 in order to travel to Castaway Cay, shut back down or come up with a new 4-night itinerary that keeps them out of Bahamian waters. With vaccines they'd have access to more ports but it's too late to switch the cruises back to 7 nights. Longer cruises are also harder to manage and control so they're probably not ready for them yet. Still, even though the back and forth is annoying, I'd actually be happy if they switched back to 7 nights.