How Do I Add a Hotel to my DCL Reservation?

[ChicosWife]

I read on MouseSavers, "the Miami-area hotels below can be added to your Disney Cruise Line reservation." How does that work? I have only seen transportation options, not hotel options.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

You can call DCL. if you use a travel agent, call them.

Normally, under port of embarkation information on your DCL reservation online, if you click that the DCL Hotels and transfers for that port are shown. But it can't be added online, - at the moment.

 

[ChicosWife]

You can call DCL. if you use a travel agent, call them.

Normally, under port of embarkation information on your DCL reservation online, if you click that the DCL Hotels and transfers for that port are shown. But it can't be added online, - at the moment.

Thanks. I will go and look for that information on DCL's site. I have never seen that option before.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks. I will go and look for that information on DCL's site. I have never seen that option before.

Yes click through to your reservation, then to the page that has the details, if your booking, there are links, I think bottom right, embarkation port information, click that, and select Mismi. I did this for Copenhagen information recently.

Or do a search...

 

[ChicosWife]

You can call DCL. if you use a travel agent, call them.

Normally, under port of embarkation information on your DCL reservation online, if you click that the DCL Hotels and transfers for that port are shown. But it can't be added online, - at the moment.

I don't see any embarkation options on my reservation. It only shows port driving directions and air/ground transfers.

 

[ChicosWife]

Yes click through to your reservation, then to the page that has the details, if your booking, there are links, I think bottom right, embarkation port information, click that, and select Mismi. I did this for Copenhagen information recently.

Or do a search...

No luck. Couldn't find the link on my reservation details and did a search and it only showed me port excursion info.

 

[egesicki]

Just a suggestion, since you have the list of hotels, check rates on the hotels websites first. For our Miami cruise in November I got a better deal booking direct. And we can still book Magical Express since we're at the same property.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I read on MouseSavers, "the Miami-area hotels below can be added to your Disney Cruise Line reservation." How does that work? I have only seen transportation options, not hotel options.

Not sure how it works from Miami, but when we booked our TransAtlantic cruise, and added the airfare/DCL transfers, we were asked if we wanted to book a room the night before embarkation as part of the package.

 

[Stephanie711]

Just a suggestion, since you have the list of hotels, check rates on the hotels websites first. For our Miami cruise in November I got a better deal booking direct. And we can still book Magical Express since we're at the same property.

Have you actually booked the ME? I also booked one of the hotels directly since Disney's rate was more than double. It was one of the two hotels that Disney offers a pre or post-cruise stay at. However, I am being told that the ME is only available if you book the hotel through Disney.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

And we can still book Magical Express since we're at the same property.

Have you actually booked the ME? I also booked one of the hotels directly since Disney's rate was more than double. It was one of the two hotels that Disney offers a pre or post-cruise stay at. However, I am being told that the ME is only available if you book the hotel through Disney.

A bit of clarification - Magical Express is the free shuttle service between Orlando airport and WDW resorts. I don't think it's available in Miami.

If you're talking about DCL transfers, yes, DCL works with other than Disney hotels for pick up (for a cost).

 

[Stephanie711]

A bit of clarification - Magical Express is the free shuttle service between Orlando airport and WDW resorts. I don't think it's available in Miami.

If you're talking about DCL transfers, yes, DCL works with other than Disney hotels for pick up (for a cost).

Thank you. Yes, I meant the DCL transfer. (Can you tell it's our first cruise? ) They are telling me that even though we are booked at one of the two hotels they service in Miami, we can not book the DCL transfer (even for a fee) since we did not book the hotel through Disney. Of course Disney's rate for the hotel is more than twice the rate the hotel is willing to charge directly.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I don't see any embarkation options on my reservation. It only shows port driving directions and air/ground transfers.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you. Yes, I meant the DCL transfer. (Can you tell it's our first cruise? ) They are telling me that even though we are booked at one of the two hotels they service in Miami, we can not book the DCL transfer (even for a fee) since we did not book the hotel through Disney. Of course Disney's rate for the hotel is more than twice the rate the hotel is willing to charge directly.

Hmmm.... I find that odd. When you fly into Orlando, even if you don't use DCL to book your flights, or you stay off site and then return to the airport, you can still book DCL transfers.

But it's "their house, their rules".

 

[Shanti]

I read on MouseSavers, "the Miami-area hotels below can be added to your Disney Cruise Line reservation." How does that work? I have only seen transportation options, not hotel options.

I have done this for two cruises in the past week. In neither case was there any info about the hotels on the DCL website, but I'd done my homework elsewhere online & knew what hotels DCL booked. To book, I simply called DCL and told them I wanted to book a night at a hotel before my cruise.

For the Alaska cruise out of Vancouver, they told me which hotels they book, and the agent said they were already booked up at one of them (a year out, btw), but there was still availability at the other. She told me the rate, which was significantly less than what the hotel asked directly via their website for the same date (yes, even after I converted their price to American dollars).

For the Bahamian cruise out of Port Canaveral, I simply told the agent I wanted the airport hotel, MCO Hyatt, & she quoted me a rate which was also less than what MCO Hyatt quoted online for that date.

I accepted both offers, and in each case the amount was added to my cruise final payment total. I believe I will have to pay the hotel tax directly to the hotel at checkout- veteran cruisers, correct me if I'm wrong about that.

I like having DCL handle the hotel and transfers, to reduce the hassle factor.

 

[Stephanie711]

Hmmm.... I find that odd. When you fly into Orlando, even if you don't use DCL to book your flights, or you stay off site and then return to the airport, you can still book DCL transfers.

But it's "their house, their rules".

I agree, it seems odd. I just called again to make sure I wasn't given bad information but the second agent also confirmed that it is their policy for the Miami cruise departures. I was so hoping to take DCL transfers as I did not want to bring a car seat for alternate transportation but it appears that we will have to bring it after all since we will need to book a cab or shuttle now.

 

[Shanti]

I also booked one of the hotels directly since Disney's rate was more than double. It was one of the two hotels that Disney offers a pre or post-cruise stay at.

That's unfortunate. As I described above, both of my Disney-booked hotel stays were cheaper than what you could get directly from the hotel.

 

[Stephanie711]

What port and hotel did you book?

It's a Miami departure and the hotel was the Marriott Stanton. The Marriott's direct rate is less than half what was quoted by DCL.

 

[Shanti]

It's a Miami departure and the hotel was the Marriott Stanton. The Marriott's direct rate is less than half what was quoted by DCL.

Bummer.

 

[Stephanie711]

Bummer.

So sad, the transportation issue is a hassle! We never cruised on Disney before (cruised with DH like 10 years ago) but I am seeing that things seem much easier if you cruise out of PC. We picked this cruise because it worked best with our schedule but if I had to do it again, I would leave from PC.

 

[Shanti]

So sad, the transportation issue is a hassle! We never cruised on Disney before (cruised with DH like 10 years ago) but I am seeing that things seem much easier if you cruise out of PC. We picked this cruise because it worked best with our schedule but if I had to do it again, I would leave from PC.

TBH, if in your situation I would book the hotel from Disney despite the higher price, just to avoid the transportation hassle. We sailed the Magic out of Miami over New Year's. No hotel, just had a very early flight into MIA followed by a DCL transfer to the ship, which worked like a charm.

Our departure was another story. Since we'd booked our outgoing flight via SWA, which doesn't fly into MIA, we had to fly from nearby FLL, which DCL doesn't service. I researched & found a shuttle company (sorry- forgot the name) with good reviews, but I had an unpleasant experience with them. Then, the FLL airport itself was a major cluster. The whole thing tainted the last day of a wonderful vacation.

After that experience, I vowed to only use DCL transfers, & to only fly via airports/airlines they work with. YMMV.