Is Disney smoking crack or what???

[ga9497]

Isn't DCL spending an overnight in St. Petersburg, too?

Yes they are

 

[DMMarla07860]

I actually think we all might be suprised, and all the cruises besides maybe the transatlantic cruises will sell pretty good. I know they cost a lot but there are a lot of peoplein the world who are rich, then there are those that save for that once in a lifetime trip, then those who save for trips and don't go on trips every year. I always seem to forget much more people in the world cruise DCL and don't post on the disboards.

 

[taysmom]

Don't flame me, but we all created this monster...now we have to learn to live with it. Everyone has been posting for months about how hot and heavy they were for the 2010 intineraries; once the announcement date was publicized, everyone was already getting their strategy lined up on what time to start calling and book. Disney would be crazy to *not* take advantage of such a willing group of fans.

Please don't take this the wrong way -- I'm just as guilty as everyone else and was really excited at the thought of crusing in Europe w/DCL, but now I'm extremely disappointed (and bitter!). If you honestly feel the prices are way too high then let your wallet do the talking and book with another cruiseline or make alternate plans. If those ships set sail and aren't filled to capacity -- DCL will get the message.

I agree I had sailed several cruise lines prior to disney. Our first disney cruise was the med cruise and it was great. However we didn't have enough time on the ship, so I booked the western PC and it was even better...amazing. BUT both cruises did not cost me an arm and a leg either. Points for the med and first tier pricing on the PC. With the airfare to europe and the price of other acceptable cruise lines there is just to justification for chosing the med/baltic on disney based on price. I'll give my hard earned dollars to RCCL and cover the airfare and still save money over disney. Same ports, daughter likes the kids club on both, no tragic loss. Maybe when the new ships come out the prices will drop...I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[imsetuc]

how do you get the prices? I try to get some quotes on DCL site but I can't? Did you get those price with a TA or by calling? Thanks.

I have the same question. I have not seen rates published on the DCL website.

 

[Tink rules]

If you go to the top left on the page where it says cruises... it will list all of them - click on the one you want and scroll down... by the itineraries it will say rates for the cruises - click on that and it will take you to the prices...

 

[Tink rules]

& about the economy... it's hitting everywhere... We have several people over on our thread who are in Europe and they say it's as scary over there as it is here.

Sure people won't have to travel far to cruise... but alot of people are wondering if they even should...

 

[MegaMouseHouse]

Maybe the cruises won't sell as fast as they hoped and they will have to run some "specials" so those of us with under $10,000 for an annual vacation budget can cruise other places too.

 

[justhat]

I actually think we all might be suprised, and all the cruises besides maybe the transatlantic cruises will sell pretty good. I know they cost a lot but there are a lot of peoplein the world who are rich, then there are those that save for that once in a lifetime trip, then those who save for trips and don't go on trips every year. I always seem to forget much more people in the world cruise DCL and don't post on the disboards.

I think you're exactly right. Many people aren't concerned about the pricing at all for these cruises and they'll be the ones filling them up. Just cause it seems like a lot to me (and clearly others), it's nothing to many people.

We're still going, despite the price, as DCL is the best cruise line for us at the moment. We actually prefer Celebrity as adult cruisers, but with 2 small kids, we need the Clubs, food, and entertainment that DCL offers. Just makes life so much easier when we know our kids can be entertained when we're on the ship, that we can eat a meal without them if we desire, that many shows are geared towards them, etc. Those were things that lacked on Celebrity and Princess when we sailed with them so we're sticking with Disney right now no matter what they're charging.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Isn't DCL spending an overnight in St. Petersburg, too?

To me, 170 sq. feet is a decent-sized cabin. That's what I booked for my Celebrity TA cruise next year - in an inside cabin. Our OV cabin on Monarch of the Seas was 122 sq. ft. - but somehow my daughter and I survived. On my one and only Disney cruise. my mom and I had a handicap-accessible cat. 6 cabin. That thing was huge - as cruise ship cabins go. It had a very large balcony, too - which didn't get much use by us.

Yes... Disney is doing an overnighter in St. Petersburg too but not Stockholm. Anyways... 170 sq feet for 4 people is a tight squeeze. I'd be okay if it was only the 2 of us but we have 4 in our family...

 

[OurDogCisco]

how do you get the prices? I try to get some quotes on DCL site but I can't? Did you get those price with a TA or by calling? Thanks.

Right now, I'm just guessing the price by using the chart they provide. Here's the link:


http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/cruises/rates?name=12NightBalticCruiseRatesPage

I added in the maximum for the fuel fee but I don't know the taxes so, that is unknown. My DCL price will be higher once taxes add in. I am also ASSUMING I get 1st tier pricing. The other cruiselines I used July 2009 rates.

 

[aan1701]

I saw the title of this thread and I could not agree more. Disney has turneed my baltic dream into just a memory now. There is no way in he doulble hockey sticks I will pay the prices that they want. The wife does not want to try another a cruise line and that is fine by me, but we were really hoping that it was at least going to be just overpriced, not into another galaxy over priced.

 

[OurDogCisco]

I think you're exactly right. Many people aren't concerned about the pricing at all for these cruises and they'll be the ones filling them up. Just cause it seems like a lot to me (and clearly others), it's nothing to many people.

We're still going, despite the price, as DCL is the best cruise line for us at the moment. We actually prefer Celebrity as adult cruisers, but with 2 small kids, we need the Clubs, food, and entertainment that DCL offers. Just makes life so much easier when we know our kids can be entertained when we're on the ship, that we can eat a meal without them if we desire, that many shows are geared towards them, etc. Those were things that lacked on Celebrity and Princess when we sailed with them so we're sticking with Disney right now no matter what they're charging.

Thanks for your thoughts... I looked at the club programs provided by CrusinMama and I was annoyed in how Princess had IN PORT supervision from 9 to 5 pm. The plan is 9 am card & board games; 10 am playstation; Noon lunch and at 1:30 pm lunch break. Sorry this SOUNDS WAY too boring. It isn't what I call a kids club type activity...

 

[pinkpixey]

I feel your pain...I am having a hard time letting go of the whole thing.

 

[colleenlg]

I priced out Carnival (suite) for a similar Med cruise (deluxe family with verrrandah) & they were only about $1000 less than Disney. The Carnival suite is a bit smaller (I believe) than the deluxe family with verrandah on Disney. Plus, Carnival offers no privacy curtain. We will have a 2 y-o & 5 y-o with us & Carnival charges the same for 3rd & 4th passengers, regardless of age. So, for us, it's worth it.

If we can afford it then with this crazy economy!~

 

[MAH4546]

HAL also sails from 2 different ports so, airfare would definitely be higher with the one way fares.

Airfare would not be higher.

Airlines allow you to purchase what is called an Open Jaw fare. An open jaw fare allows a person to fly XXX-YYY / ZZZ-XXX as if it were a round-trip airfare. You need to originate and end your trip at the same airport, but you can land/take-off from different airports during your trip.

 

[Pansy]

Disneys price is the reason I'm sailing HAL in April. The price was more than double Plus my nephew will be 13 and growing out of Disney but I still love/enjoy it. Will not stop cruising Disney but will find other lines that are just as nice. I believe HAL is more upscale for a 13 yr but maybe it will refine him in ways

 

[Rat-a-too-ee]

I hate to play devil's advocate, however...

Of course it is expensive - fuel prices, dollar low vs. the euro (still). And it's DISNEY - I haven't found a cruise company with as much enthusiasm and attention to detail yet.

I went on the Med Cruise last year, and it was worth every single penny. It's something you only need to do once. For me, most of it is still fresh in my memory because it was fantastic.

I am 80% certain we will be going on the Baltic even after I checked airfares for similar dates in 2009. The cheapest coach tickets I could find roundtrip from Chicago to London is $1200 per person (the highest I have ever seen), but I am willing to do it even though we are on a tight budget because I know it will be an amazing trip.

Just my two cents!

 

[paulasillars]

I think Disney was on crack when they decided to send their only 7 night ship to Europe in 2010. Most people can't afford the flight let alone the crazy prices.

I respectfully disagree with the "most people" comment.

The prices are exactly what people in Europe can and will pay ... the US$ is weak against the pound and euro and so far Disney haven't really tapped the European market. I may be wrong but I seem to remember hearing they didn't even advertise the Med cruises last time in Europe - imagine if they did!?

When you consider how many British and Europeans have been traveling to the US and Disney for years then its probably a very reasonable cost for them and a lot closer to home.

We were at WDW in September and have never seen/heard that many English and other European language speakers there before. Just because the US economy is struggling at the moment, its not the case everywhere (or not the quite the same extent) and I think Disney have realised this and are doing what they can to ensure their balance sheet continues to look healthy.

 

[lyn9856]

I respectfully disagree with the "most people" comment.

The prices are exactly what people in Europe can and will pay ... the US$ is weak against the pound and euro and so far Disney haven't really tapped the European market. I may be wrong but I seem to remember hearing they didn't even advertise the Med cruises last time in Europe - imagine if they did!?

When you consider how many British and Europeans have been traveling to the US and Disney for years then its probably a very reasonable cost for them and a lot closer to home.

We were at WDW in September and have never seen/heard that many English and other European language speakers there before. Just because the US economy is struggling at the moment, its not the case everywhere (or not the quite the same extent) and I think Disney have realised this and are doing what they can to ensure their balance sheet continues to look healthy.

Actually, I think this is only partly right. In UK we are feeling the squeeze as much as anyone. Each day our economy gets blacker. Many of us are seriously concerned for fuel bills this winter, and jobs are being lost throughout UK now on a regular basis.

As I posted in another thread, I have looked long and hard. I really doubt we can afford those prices. Comparing what I could get for the same money....2 weeks AI in Maldives, Seychelles, etc. 3 weeks in Far East didnt cost us half that!

I prefer to do city breaks as city breaks...for fractions of the cost. I could travel Europe independantly for 3 weeks for that cost. The Northern cities is the only one that would have any freshness for us, having been to most of the other Ports/cities/countries before. We're actually off to Spain for a week this Sunday. Booking independantly, airfare, rented accom and carhire has only cost us £162 pp!! Yes I know its Disney, and you're looked after...but many of us in europe are used to frequent travel to all the med cities using budget airlines, so it will be a lot of money to pay for places we have already seen.
I agree we haven't children, which is what Disney is all about. So many will think differently.

I also have concerns re the weather in Europe...so unpredictable these past few years, I wlll be looking for guarranteed sun..

I am also thinking....the only Disney we havent done in the world yet...is Tokyo.....now for the cost of one of these cruises ...

The point I am making, is all this is very individual.
I agree with a previous poster; there are many both sides of the atlantic who can and will afford to pay for any price.....but there are equally many that can't.
These prices are not a reasonable price for UK either, just because we have no airfare to find.
Some of our package rates to Florida are very well priced, and for some it may still be a better option, especially as many visit Florida for more than Disney eg beaches and Universal/Busch

So, I agree that definitiins of "most people" are very subjective, but from all sides, angles and viewpoints!!

 

[hawaiian mickey]

Aloha,
Just saw the prices for the Baltic cruise. It's just way out of our league. We did the Med on DCL and thought the price was reasonable. Wow the price for the Baltic is just to much to justify spending that kind of green.
I think they are doing these cruises more for the Europeans because of the strong euro and the air travel will be less than if they flew to Orlando to do the cruise.They want to see if the Europeans can support a ship base in Europe. If they see a strong market there they will probably keep a ship there.
The money we save by not doing the Baltic cruise will be used to buy points at the new DVC in Hawaii Ko'olina. Better investment and maybe we will do a trip with Adventures by Disney.
To all who will do the Baltic cruise I will live through your trip reports.


aloha,
hawaiian mickey