Is 25% Enough?

[aritchie45]

This is a frustrating thread with all the judgements being passed around, including on those whose cruise was impacted and are exploring their options for rebooking. My family and I were booked on the Fantasy cruise that was supposed to sail out today. Of course our hearts go out to those who have been and will be impacted by Irma. That is a lot bigger deal than a vacation. That said, it certainly makes me sad not to get to be on that boat like we've been planning for. This would have been our third cruise and we booked it when it became available in the first half of 2016 as we knew it would align with a conference I'd need to be in Orlando for. I've looked forward to sitting on that that extended varandah in the middle of the back of the boat for a long time.

I appreciate Disney's gesture of offering the 25% off a future cruise. I'm also particularly grateful it was cancelled on Tuesday when we had time to cancel other accomidations and plans and rearrange work schedules. When someone asks a question or gives their thoughts, its a lot better to show grace in giving your opinion knowing that your situation is not theirs. That always goes both ways. The 25% isn't going to let me book the same room and might let me come close to the same price we originally had as we find a new cruise and reset our countdown.

The reality is it is just a big bummer in the midst of very real impact to peoples lives. We'll be sad for a bit but before too long hopefully we will have another cruise to be looking forward to again!

 

[vacationer1954]

Rebooking your same cruise for next year may cost more, but maybe that is what the extra 25% is supposed to cover!?

I don't think we can tie x to y in that way. I think rather that this is a situation where both sides have taken a risk, and both sides have agreed in advance to cover their portion of the impact of the storm (even though some passengers are unhappy about doing so in retrospect), and then on top of that, the cruise line is giving something more, something over and and above what the contract says, just as a matter of guest recovery, something Disney is known for.

 

[mevelandry]

This actually makes me a little upset and goes back to he lack of communication on the cruise that was pointed out earlier. I was able to change my Monday flight to Friday in order to get back before the storm so I needed to stay the night somewhere Thursday. I booked a room at Pop at full price. I wish there was some indication that a discount on a room was possible. It would have really helped.

As long as you don't expect anything... I guess it doesn't hurt to ask?

 

[Dug720]

As long as you don't expect anything... I guess it doesn't hurt to ask?

Well, it may also come down to the poster said she booked it online rather than waiting in line at Guest Services. By booking online they had no way of knowing that she was on the Fantasy cruise being cut short and therefore no reason to offer the discount others who chose to work with Guest Services received. I get that lines can be a pain, but in situations like this, it likely is the best option to ensure you do get any benefits.

 

[Bishoparc]

I'd just like to get my refund so I can book a replacement cruise. Would've been nice if they'd offered any of us that wanted to a chance to move to the Western that's supposed to leave Saturday. But with $4k tied up that was done with a Disney Gift Card... That'll be the last cruise during hurricane season I book using gift cards. At least if it had been a credit card I could've done something else knowing the refund would eventually hit.

 

[stephmarty]

100% off would be fair. DCL must be made to pay for this horrible thing they've done.

 

[Bear3412]

Yes it is.

A quick recap of this thread;

We ... are Platinum, but this bothered me ...
Disney, is being shamed by one .....
I'd just like to get my refund .....
waiting in line at Guest Services .....
Can't the mouse afford to at least match the offers by others .....
But with $4k tied up ......
I wish there was some.... discount on a room was possible ....
I'd pay more than I am now ......
this bothered me. DCL is ..... offering refunds.... plus 25% off a future cruise.....
You should ask for more.....
25% Probley won't even cover there wasted flight to America......
When Frances went through Florida in 2004, ..... We got a 50% discount off a future cruise....
if you think ... they were doing this to ... save money at your expense...... Hopefully you had trip insurance.
100% off would be fair....
DCL must be made to pay for this horrible thing they've done .....

And a reality check of what has recently occurred. ;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-2KhmOCtvg

And the best link, where most of the damage stills originate fwiw;
https://www.facebook.com/caribbeanbuzzhelicopters/

http://caribbean-buzz.com/

Please keep it in perspective.
Is 25% worth your life, ... on ground, aboard, ashore, above in flight ? ? ?

All life is relative.

Damage videos are coming online. It's disturbing.
And it may be disturbing close to home in Cuba too.
Not to mention the FL Keys, Naples and south, and apparently JAX.

Recall these videos when you are whining about your 3k -10k cruise.
And where is my ship going to sail?
Perhaps you should cancel, invoke your insurance, then send that 2K - 10k to a relief organization that will help the USVI, BVI, Barbuda, USA, etc.
So one day you may be able to return to said island with infrastructure.

Just a thought.

And just in case you missed the cat 5 in the leewards, with sustained winds of 185, gusts over 200.....
https://twitter.com/anumetservice/status/905409277082443776

That's right. Barbuda/Antigua, St Barts, St Maarten, Anguilla, BVI, USVI, T & C, ...

We, FL, and the USA, owe Cuba a favor for busting Irma up. imo.

We dodged a monster.

See what a cat 1, 2, & 3 did to mainland FL.
It could have been 20 times worse if cat 5.

Good Luck to All

On all Lands

 

[cheribelle]

I'm reading this thread and others about port changes with disappointment. This is a Disney cruise line forum. Not a hurricane relief forum. And I don't think one should feel guilty about asking a question about their cruise. No one knows what posters do in their spare time with charities to make any judgments that they should be more focused on hurricane relief.

I'm sorry for all those impacted. I have family and friends In Florida that are in shelters. I have donated to several charities already and my husband is working with Rubicon to help with various rebuilds. But I'm here to find out info about Disney Cruise Line. And I think others are too.

Just because someone is concerned about their upcoming cruise or questioning about refunds, does not make them selfish or insensitive (no one used those terms exactly but the words are implying so). We do not know nor is it our business to know what they do privately.

Hate to say it but life goes on and as long as the cruise line is sailing, then someone has every right to question upcoming port changes or refunds on a Disney Cruise Line forum. People are going to Disney world today as it reopens. No one is saying to them not to go and questioning their worries about fast passes being changed or dining reservations moved.

Now as for the question, I think DCL did the right thing for its guests. They didn't have to offer anything per the contract. But it was a nice gesture. I can certainly understand the frustrations of having to move a cruise and it probably will end up costing more money (especially those who booked on opening day). And I feel for those people as well. I think they have a right to feel their frustrations too. Because in the end this hurricane has affected so many people, obviously some more than others. And unfortunately those with cruise adjustments will just have to accept what was given and move on. Hopefully you will have a cruise rebooked soon and you can put all this behind you. While those who were severely impacted probably can't.

 

[RedSox68]

I don't think they need to offer anything other than a refund for the cruises that cannot be taken. The 25% off is a nice bonus. Sure, it is a huge bummer but this is a vacation (a luxury, not a necessity) and the reason for cancellation is not the fault of the cruise line in any way.

I guess I just can't understand wanting to get bigger personal benefit on a devastating act of nature that has the potential to kill hundreds of people

THIS -- thank you. When I started reading this thread I was stunned that you are all arguing over how much compensation you should get for your cancelled or changed cruises! And whether or not you could have stayed at sea another day to make it worthwhile. In the meantime, there are people who don't have homes to go to anymore and have lost loved ones and all their possessions and pets!

I was onboard the Magic for Hurricane Frances in 2004 -- we were stuck out at sea 3 extra days because we could not go back to Port Canaveral (we ended up docking in Port Everglades). And while Disney brought more entertainment onboard and stopped in Galveston for supplies, those "extra" three days were not a party. Many people were crying, worried about their homes and family, and were upset about the delay about getting home and their kids missing school, etc. over those three days. So no, trapping everyone for an extra day at sea is not a great idea either.

End of soap box, but sorry -- there are much bigger priorities then how much a cruise line can comp you for another cruise!

 

[over50visits]

I suppose it's okay to make the cruise lines bear 100% of the cost of the hurricane (by refunding our money in full, so we bear zero of the cost). But for them to offer a further discount on a future cruise is an entitlement that just doesn't seem right to me. Hurricanes happen, they hurt us all, and expecting someone else to help us profit from the hurricane impact (by a future cruise discount)...well...thanks to Disney for the many things they have done to make this impact less. That's one of the (numerous) reasons we pay DCL a premium cruise fare.

 

[Justacruiser]

I was on the Fantasy that was shortened and also was booked for the next week, B2B. DCL cancelled our first cruise after 5 of the 7 days and I have received an email stating a refund based of 2/7th of fair cost, excluding port fees and taxes is coming. Also, I was told on the ship that a 25% discount offer was going to be offered if booked between 9/18 and 10/18 with cruise dates before 12/31/18. We also are receiving a full refund for the 2nd cruise and another 25% off with the same conditions.

I really isn't important to me what other cruise lines offer because I don't cruise them.

On the Fantasy, the itinerary was changed to get allow us to have the best seas during the 5 days. The path of Irma was never exact until around Tuesday. Once the decision was made by DCL the Weather Channel was on the Special Channel (Channel 20) for the remainder of the cruise.

I was frustrated that the cruise had to end early, however DCL is at no fault for the hurricane. I have two dummy cruises already on the books so a discount of 25% might find me a future cruise a little cheaper.

I feel that by getting a full refund of the unused portion of the cruise is fair. Providing a discount for a future cruise is generous. Placing a time limit on when you can book allows them to forecast the financial impact caused by their generosity.

Do you know people that know matter what great things happen to them, they always find a way to be the victim? Getting to cruise 5 days, 2 days refund, and saving bucks on a future cruise.... priceless

All meanwhile all of these countries in the path of Irma... Thoughts and prayers for all.

 

[Winston Wolf]

We love DCL and are Platinum, but this bothered me. DCL is apparently offering refunds plus 25% off a future cruise if you were impacted by this week's storm. OK, sounded good.

But today I saw that our second favorite cruise line, NCL, is offering a 50% discount off a future cruise if you were impacted by a shortened or cancelled cruise. Seems like the company known for it's customer service, Disney, is being shamed by one of the other lines on this.

Wouldn't it seem like the cruise lines would carry insurance for "business interruptions" this big? Can't the mouse afford to at least match the offers by others.

We also love NCL. I was super impressed with the way they handled everything. Not just the 50%, but the fact that they loaded Escape up and sailed off to Cozumel with everyone who couldn't arrange safe travel out of Florida...for Free.

 

[mcd2745]

Haven't read the whole thread, and don't want to get into the whole debate about "privilege" and "first-world problems". I think the approach DCL (and all the other lines) should have taken was to emphasize convenience over monetary "benefits/compensation" for those who had their cruises impacted. Rather than give the 25%, I would have preferred to have seen them give customers, let's say 30 days, to decide if they want a full refund or have their reservation transferred to a different cruise date (for a cruises of the same length, same cabin category, etc.) at no cost to the customer even if the new date is currently more expensive. Or if the new date you wanted didn't have availability at your cabin level, offer up to two categories upgrade until there is availability. If you choose neither by 30 days, you get the refund. In addition, offer everyone impacted the opportunity to purchase a placeholder to make up for any placeholder/OBB you would have reserved while onboard.

 

[Justacruiser]

mcd2745, I understand your thought process, but by just refunding the time not on the ship and providing the cruisers the option to book again, within parameters is much easier for them. Then they have made the gesture and it's up to us if we want the discount, IMHO only.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Haven't read the whole thread, and don't want to get into the whole debate about "privilege" and "first-world problems". I think the approach DCL (and all the other lines) should have taken was to emphasize convenience over monetary "benefits/compensation" for those who had their cruises impacted. Rather than give the 25%, I would have preferred to have seen them give customers, let's say 30 days, to decide if they want a full refund or have their reservation transferred to a different cruise date (for a cruises of the same length, same cabin category, etc.) at no cost to the customer even if the new date is currently more expensive. Or if the new date you wanted didn't have availability at your cabin level, offer up to two categories upgrade until there is availability. If you choose neither by 30 days, you get the refund. In addition, offer everyone impacted the opportunity to purchase a placeholder to make up for any placeholder/OBB you would have reserved while onboard.

I would think the bookkeeping necessary to keep track of how much people paid for what cruise (same itinerary) would be cumbersome. Much easier to just do the 25% discount.

 

[vacationer1954]

The way Carnival does it they just put a future cruise credit on account for 25% of the cruise fare of the cancelled cruise, with a restriction that it has to be used for cruise fare (which is something they need for other reasons) and with an expiration date (which is another thing they need for other reasons), so it really very easy for them..

 

[mareed]

Travel insurance can be purchased so that it would give you that in cases like this, but it is more expense. A lot of us are traveling on a budget and we don't all want to pay more for cruises that include that more expensive treatment, so it is good that we have a choice: We can pay less and take this risk or we can pay more and have the insurance company take the risk.

Is there really trip insurance that will cover the fact that a replacement trip of my choosing would cost more? I do have trip insurance, but since the cruiseline refunded the original cruise cost, there is nothing to submit to insurance since I had no out of pocket expenses.

 

[hanscarlet]

Dude I feel like the 25% is a HUGE discount. I don't get the complaints. I expect them but I don't understand them. When one books a cruise one thinks about hurricane season right? My first cruise I had no idea about cruising, none of the details, no island names I knew of but I remember thinking to myself, "When's hurricane season?" so I looked and sure enough, awesome rates during hurricane season! Only ones I could afford... so then I thought, "Should I book it, even if in hurricane season? Maybe I should get some trip insurance".... now I really try and avoid the Caribbean during hurricane season because of school calendar but seriously one knows what they are getting into and the risks associated with booking during hurricane season, especially a seasoned cruiser.

This is basically a 25% off coupon and that's awesome and rare. Definitely I can absolutely understand the disappointment, we're cruising in 2 weeks, if it gets cancelled I would totally be pissed, upset, disappointed but I wouldn't blame Disney.

 

[Rjw615]

Would like to ask, hopefully without getting flamed. I assume the answer would be no but just want to double check and make sure.

Does anyone know about combining the FL discounted rates with the 25% off? We were booked under a FL discounted rate on one of the sailings that got cancelled and trying to look at our options before calling in next week.

 

[hanscarlet]

Would like to ask, hopefully without getting flamed. I assume the answer would be no but just want to double check and make sure.

Does anyone know about combining the FL discounted rates with the 25% off? We were booked under a FL discounted rate on one of the sailings that got cancelled and trying to look at our options before calling in next week.

I think @Trera posted earlier in the thread that he confirmed with a CM, you cannot stack the FLL resident rate or other OBB discounts(including placeholder 10%) with the 25%, so unfortunately No but tagged him for confirmation