How to get the best prices on a cruise?

hockeyprincess

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Hey all! I know you are the cruise experts, so here it is... I want to take my family on a Disney Cruise, but holy cow the prices!!! It would have to be a 7-night, prefer Eastern Caribbean, we would book a Verandah or higher. I just don't know where the best place would be to get the best, bottom dollar price? I know DU is the sponsor and have got quotes from them before, but it all seems so expensive. We're a family of 4, one in school, so would prefer not to pull him out of classes for a week, but we could as I have done this in the past. Baseball starts in April and lasts thru the first part of July usually, so I would like to avoid this, as well as avoid hurricane season!!!!

I guess what I am asking: Where to get the best price, even if you can't possibly book the first day the dates are released(almost impossible for us), the best time to go, best itinerary? Any other advice?

Thanks!
 
DCL doesn't let anyone discount their cruises. The price will be the same everywhere you get a quote...UNLESS a TA has a group booking and has openings. You have to book as early as possible to get the best deals or rebook onboard for a 10% discount for a future cruise.

The only "discounts" will be inthe form of on board credits. See which TA offers you the best one. Also, only book with a Disney Authorized Travel Agent.

Happy cruising!
 
Are you a Costco member? I booked through them and saved a ton of money. I posted this when I first booked, but I will cut and paste how the numbers broke down for me. They don't add in the trip insurance or transfers and they give you a gift card back after the cruise. Ours is actually slightly cheaper than this because we are renting cars to go to and fro, rather than doing transfers. Our rental is about $45 per way, which quite a bit cheaper than transfers for four people:

Cat 8, 7 day Western, May 2, 2009

Two adults, two kids: ages 5 & 3

DCL listed price: $4,977.60

Costco listed price: $4,365.60
add trip insurance + $184 ($61 each first and second guest, $31 each last two)
add transfers $69 x 4= $276
So $4365.60 + 184 +276 = $4,825.60 - $350 Costco gift card = $4,475.60

Dreams Unlimited: $4,977.60 (all insurance, transfers, and fees included) - $100 onboard credit = $4,877.60

So, even when transfers and insurance are included, Costco is $502 cheaper than DCL directly and $402 cheaper than DU.
 


Hurricane season is June 1-Nov. 30. Because of the slowing economy, there have been some great prices on 2009 cruises. If you want a bottom dollar price, I would cruise in the off season (i.e. - when kids are in school) and skip the balcony. You can pick-up a real bargain if you book a cat. 12 guarantee. With 4 people you will be upgraded to a cat. 11 inside at the minimum, and possibly to a cat, 8 or 9 with a window.
 
I met some fellow Canadian snowbirds who live in FL for the winter and they were on my cruise last week for $499 per person (not sure which category).

Hello fellow Canuck!!
I have inlaws who are snowbirds and live in FL as well in the winter.

Does anyone know if they would be eligible for the FL discount?

If yes, would everyone be eligible if they travel with them, even if they have two different reservation numbers?
 


We priced our cruise out a year ago and I was actually nerdy enough to graph out the weekly prices to see my options (nerd, I know):rolleyes1.

We ended up pulling my son out of school for a week to save $3500 on the cruise from his normal spring break week. If you can go a few weeks before Easter, or a few weeks after easter, but before mid may, you'll get some better rates. Jan-Feb are cheaper too, but Castaway might be cooler per some recent reports. Sept-Oct would be cheaper too.

It's purely a supply and demand game. The times you "want" to go are the same time everyone else does. :)

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the great info everyone! Becoming a FL resident is an option for me, but not for my DH!! He'd go to the mountains, I'd go to the ocean, so we stay put, right here in snowy, cold Ohio!

How do you get different quotes for different weeks? It seems very difficult to get different prices for different weeks, unless on the DCL Website, and I'd rather book thru DU than go thru all that work myself. After awhile all the numbers are the same to me & I get a bit exasperated!! LOL

I did send a quote request to them and waiting on a reply, but will def. try and price out myself a few weeks prior or after Easter. Great idea!
 
Hello fellow Canuck!!
I have inlaws who are snowbirds and live in FL as well in the winter.

Does anyone know if they would be eligible for the FL discount?

If yes, would everyone be eligible if they travel with them, even if they have two different reservation numbers?

I believe you have to show Florida drivers license..
 
Hey that Costco deal looks amazing! I bet I can't apply that if I've already booked with a TA right??

Just wondering...I'm hoping an at-par deal comes out for me. fingers crossed.

:)
 
People who are part-year FL residents won't usually have a FL driver's license. Perhaps a a utility bill or something showing your FL address will work.
 
People who are part-year FL residents won't usually have a FL driver's license. Perhaps a a utility bill or something showing your FL address will work.

Actually, Florida has a part-time driver's license specifically for snowbirds. In fact, if you are driving in Florida for more than 30 days at at time, you are supposed to have a Fla. driver's license.
 

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