Has Disney ever Chartered a cruise that was already partially booked?

[kiford]

Every cruise line does this but it's not like it's a common everyday thing. Cancellations for non-chartering reasons can also occur such as weather events (as recently happened) or after a planned dry dock/inaugural launch because of slipped completion dates. As for changed itineraries - that does happen more commonly for reasons usually outside of the cruise line's control such as damage from prior weather events to a port to current weather events or other reasons. Personally, I wouldn't stress about cancellation due to chartering. You're more likely to have your own issues preventing you from going even though it does very occasionally happen. We've never booked less than 8 months in advance and booked one about 15 months in advance and never had an issue.

Best advice is to get travel insurance (which is a good thing to do regardless). Try to avoid the dates when hurricanes are most prevalent (although it's difficult when you're planning around something that has a fixed date), 1-2 cruises after a dry dock, or inaugural launch of a new ship (you're too early for that).

 

[FSU Girl]

When booking the cruise it always mentions adding trip insurance from the cruise. Is that what I would select? I've never bought trip insurance before.

 

[Geomom]

When booking the cruise it always mentions adding trip insurance from the cruise. Is that what I would select? I've never bought trip insurance before.

I would buy outside insurance. Insurance through Disney only covers whatever you purchased from Disney. The website "Insure My Trip" is a trip insurance comparison website that I've used. I just use it to compare policies and once I've figured out 'who' I want to go with, I go directly through them. I've used Travel Insured International (Worldwide Trip Protector Plan) for my 2 cruises--partly because it is one of the ones that the kids are insured for free. I haven't needed to use it, so no idea how good they are with claims. You basically want to make sure the insurance will cover all of your non-refundable expenses--airfare, pre-purchased hotel room, cruise, etc. I also look at how much they offer for medical evacuation as that can be prohibitively expensive if you needed to be evacuated from the cruise.

 

[olafLover]

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[TiggerBouncy]

Back to feeling super nervous making this booking. I don't like planning far out, normally I book a couple months in advance so booking over a year out so totally new to me.

Keep in mind that it's very, very rare. They don't do it lightly and they know how much it messes with people. At the end of the day, they are a business and if the money makes it worth it, they will do it - but they factor in compensating everyone who was booked so the ship generally has to be not full, and it has to be worth their while.

I seriously wouldn't worry about it. remember that every week these ships are sailing and these are people who like you booked 1-18 months ago.

 

[jrabbit]

Yes, I remember that. I also remember when DCL cancelled and changed a number of Med itineraries one year after sailings had been open for booking for quite awhile.

Those changes kept the ship from going to Turkey where there had been a lot of unrest, and I believe the summer of those cruises the situation there escalated, so Disney made the correct call due to security / safety concerns.

 

[jrabbit]

Well that's depressing. Now I'm considering booking a cruise that has a few other cruise lines with a cruise that falls in that same time frame as backups.

has anyone said that other cruise lines have and can do this as well? - Probably not Oasis / Quantum class ships, but smaller ships.

 

[kaseyC]

Those changes kept the ship from going to Turkey where there had been a lot of unrest, and I believe the summer of those cruises the situation there escalated, so Disney made the correct call due to security / safety concerns.

No, that's not what I'm talking about. The changes I'm referencing took place for the 2011 Med cruises. Disney cancelled the majority of the 10 and 11 night itineraries and replaced them with 7 night itineraries after folks had already booked. The change was not made for safety reasons back then.

 

[FSU Girl]

has anyone said that other cruise lines have and can do this as well? - Probably not Oasis / Quantum class ships, but smaller ships.

I just meant I'll find a cruise I like that during a week that another cruise is the same time so if they did cancel on me I could then just switch to the other cruise and wouldn't have to change my dates or travel plans. I found a few Celebrity for 2019 that have a couple cruises that are the same date in different parts of Europe. Not sure about the other cruise lines since no one else has 2019 out yet.

 

[mousefan73]

Although in the case of a cruise being cancelled the line makes things basically right, no insurance needed.

Does insurance cover though let's say nonrefundable airfare you book for the cruise?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does insurance cover though let's say nonrefundable airfare you book for the cruise?

If you've purchased a policy that covers all non-refundable costs, for the inclusive dates of the total trip, yes.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Does insurance cover though let's say nonrefundable airfare you book for the cruise?

You have to specifically list all of the non-refundable items (and tell them the cost) of each thing that you wish to have covered.

You don't have to do it all at once. For instance you can start out with insurance for the cruise and then add airfare or a non-refundable hotel or transport or excursion, once you make those arrangements. Of course, the cost will increase at that time, but not TOO much.

 

[lanejudy]

Does insurance cover though let's say nonrefundable airfare you book for the cruise?

In addition to the posts above, it's important to note that the insurance offered directly through DCL does NOT cover airfare or other expenses unless you booked those items directly through DCL. Most of us book our own airfare, in which case you would want to get 3rd party insurance coverage rather than the DCL policy.

Enjoy your cruise!