Has anyone ever got a "Great Deal" on their cruise?

[jahber]

We snagged an IGT for 2a, 2c to Alaska for $2500 in Sept 2013. We'll never see the likes of that again.

But our best deal ever was a Florida resident rate over Halloween of 2012. We had two connecting 4Ds (upgraded to 4Bs) for 2a, 2c for $1600. That was truly a splurge for us, having two family verandahs.

I won't pay more than $100 per person, per night, so DCL is officially out for us now. Oh well.

 

[Flossbolna]

Odd thing is, we did -- which I never thought I would say about DCL pricing! But our pricing for the WBTA in 2017 is actually less than it was in 2007 -- and it was for three adults and the exact same stateroom. So 10 years later we are paying thousands less. Granted, next year's cruise is 3 nights shorter and doesn't stop at CC, but still - that's a heck of a savings 10 years later. My TA said it was because some itineraries like TA and PC don't sell as well, so Disney started them out at lower prices this time around. Worked for us!

Was 2007 the first year the Magic came to Europe? That might explain the high prices then. Now they really seem to have trouble to fill the ships for the longer cruises. The PC prices are less than those for the very first PC cruises, too.

 

[MikeyNS]

Magic 7 day Eastern in late February 2012 in a sideways inside for 2a + 2c was $29xx, less OBC and travel agent OBC.

 

[RedSox68]

Was 2007 the first year the Magic came to Europe? That might explain the high prices then. Now they really seem to have trouble to fill the ships for the longer cruises. The PC prices are less than those for the very first PC cruises, too.

It might have been. We did a back-2-back with a 10-day Med and the TA. It was the most expensive vacation we've ever taken, but we wanted to do Europe with Disney. Of course, since then, we have branched out and have enjoyed many other cruise lines and much less expense. Cannot wait to be back on the Magic though! We have missed her.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I think what people determine as a great deal is all relative. Opening day bookings + paying with discounted gift cards from Sams Club + using a TA for onboard credit + Disney Visa for OBC (no longer available next year) = Family fun with plenty of time to pay and create memories!

By booking early, it lessens the blow on the price and we make monthly payments. At the moment I have 3 cruises booked and consider them all great deals, because I will be with my family enjoying new things

 

[RedSox68]

I think what people determine as a great deal is all relative. Opening day bookings + paying with discounted gift cards from Sams Club + using a TA for onboard credit + Disney Visa for OBC (no longer available next year) = Family fun with plenty of time to pay and create memories!

By booking early, it lessens the blow on the price and we make monthly payments. At the moment I have 3 cruises booked and consider them all great deals, because I will be with my family enjoying new things

My friends and family can never understand how we can plan/book a vacation 18 months out! My answer is.....payments. It does lessen the blow when you can pay it off in payments

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

My friends and family can never understand how we can plan/book a vacation 18 months out! My answer is.....payments. It does lessen the blow when you can pay it off in payments

THIS! My facebook 'friends' think that we are lunatics because we know we are vacationing through 2021, I keep explaining that everything done in advance helps planning my year out AND helps me be able to afford to travel so much AND allows me to book cruises while onboard! LOL!!!

 

[over50visits]

I'm curious to hear your stories. Did you get a super deal on a last-minute? Combine an on board booking discount with release-date prices? Good discount with a corporate travel agent? My family's first (and only) cruise was October 2011 and I think we paid $3400 Canadian for a 7-night Eastern on the Magic. Want to go again next year but the prices have shot up. I want to decide if I should watch out for opening day prices or wait for a good last minute deal.

Great service and Disney should be used in the same sentence. Great CMs and Disney, Great Ship and Disney, Great Kids Programs and Disney, all should be used in the same sentence.

Great Deals and Disney should never be used in the same sentence.

 

[Birdie dog]

I sailed a long time back when certain cruises had "kids sail free". We did a quick 3 night on the Wonder, for four for less than $1000. I got a cheap room and upgraded at the port for maybe $300 to a cat 5. So four people, 3 nights, cat 5 for around $1300.

 

[com_op_2000]

All 8 of my DCLs were priced right for us.
7 of them were paid for by my DVC points and $95.00 cash out of pocket.
1 was less than $300.00 per person for a three night cruise.
I would not of been able to take most of my DCLs if not for the DVC points being used for the trips.

 

[AquaDame]

Yes, we sailed once with a great discount because DCL had cancelled our cruise a couple months prior. I'd prefer to not get that "deal" again...

 

[RedSox68]

Yes, we sailed once with a great discount because DCL had cancelled our cruise a couple months prior. I'd prefer to not get that "deal" again...

UGH

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I think it was the first year in Galveston- they offered some great deals but airfare was too high to book last minute. So the next year i booked airfare on Southwest with points for the week I hoped to cruise. They released great fares again, $699 IGT per person for a seven day cruise. I was able to afford a veranda for the first time. The Taxi was $100 Hobby to Galveston.
So an odd port(not Canaveral), not school vacation, and no DCL transfer available from Southwest airport all combined for a good deal.

 

[pillow]

Yes!! In 2007! 11 day Med GTY rate. Paid something crazy like $4,000 for our family of 4. We were upgraded from inside to a porthole, so it was the deal of the Century! Things have definitely changed.

 

[RedSox68]

Yes!! In 2007! 11 day Med GTY rate. Paid something crazy like $4,000 for our family of 4. We were upgraded from inside to a porthole, so it was the deal of the Century! Things have definitely changed.

Especially being upgraded anymore

 

[pillow]

Especially being upgraded anymore

It was a mid-June date, so the ship wasn't full. I received a call about 6 weeks out from a DCL rep telling me we'd been moved from an inside to a porthole. Sadly, my idea of what a "deal" is has changed significantly since then. Now less than $6K for a week seems cheap - makes me want to slap myself!

 

[Ofinn]

I think what people determine as a great deal is all relative. Opening day bookings + paying with discounted gift cards from Sams Club + using a TA for onboard credit + Disney Visa for OBC (no longer available next year) = Family fun with plenty of time to pay and create memories!

By booking early, it lessens the blow on the price and we make monthly payments. At the moment I have 3 cruises booked and consider them all great deals, because I will be with my family enjoying new things

I think people were referring to great prices. You dont have to be on dcl to enjoy time with family and see new things.

 

[Ofinn]

Great service and Disney should be used in the same sentence. Great CMs and Disney, Great Ship and Disney, Great Kids Programs and Disney, all should be used in the same sentence.

Great Deals and Disney should never be used in the same sentence.

Ok that me laugh. Your right. Even our percieved great deals on dcl are still pretty expensive.

 

[Ofinn]

THIS! My facebook 'friends' think that we are lunatics because we know we are vacationing through 2021, I keep explaining that everything done in advance helps planning my year out AND helps me be able to afford to travel so much AND allows me to book cruises while onboard! LOL!!!

Its funny how we all do things differently. Booking last minute has allowed me to be able afford to travel more. I cant have more than one cruise booked at one time. It stresses me out big time. I feel like I have too many things to pay off.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I think people were referring to great prices. You dont have to be on dcl to enjoy time with family and see new things.

But price is all relative, I consider my prices all great deals and I posted how I saved money. I didn't say you had to be on the DCL to do those things but as this thread was about the DCL, I was sharing what we get out of what we pay on the DCL.