May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise! Part 2

[tig82174]

well my TA called DCL armed with the details about what the gift was...and they denied to her that any such magnets exist or were being sent out.

Oh that DCL!!! They're sure lucky they throw a super fun cruise or I'd start to get a little irritated about how poorly they communicate and coordinate their information and activities internally!!

"Yes I konw you can't book your excursions online...nobody can. Nobody on the cruise has been able to do so......oh, you have friends who have? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, you're the ONLY person who has had all their bookings erased by accessing the discounted rates...everyone else has kept their reservations....oh, you have friends who have the same situation? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, we're not sending any gifts out...there are no magnets for this cruise....oh, you have friends who have gotten them already? Let me put you on hold...."






Erik

 

[mom_rules]

well my TA called DCL armed with the details about what the gift was...and they denied to her that any such magnets exist or were being sent out.

Oh that DCL!!! They're sure lucky they throw a super fun cruise or I'd start to get a little irritated about how poorly they communicate and coordinate their information and activities internally!!

"Yes I konw you can't book your excursions online...nobody can. Nobody on the cruise has been able to do so......oh, you have friends who have? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, you're the ONLY person who has had all their bookings erased by accessing the discounted rates...everyone else has kept their reservations....oh, you have friends who have the same situation? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, we're not sending any gifts out...there are no magnets for this cruise....oh, you have friends who have gotten them already? Let me put you on hold...."






Erik

Hit the nail right on the head!

 

[AuntyBrat]

well my TA called DCL armed with the details about what the gift was...and they denied to her that any such magnets exist or were being sent out.

Oh that DCL!!! They're sure lucky they throw a super fun cruise or I'd start to get a little irritated about how poorly they communicate and coordinate their information and activities internally!!

"Yes I konw you can't book your excursions online...nobody can. Nobody on the cruise has been able to do so......oh, you have friends who have? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, you're the ONLY person who has had all their bookings erased by accessing the discounted rates...everyone else has kept their reservations....oh, you have friends who have the same situation? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, we're not sending any gifts out...there are no magnets for this cruise....oh, you have friends who have gotten them already? Let me put you on hold...."






Erik

OMG - I almost wet myself reading that!!! And it is SOOOO true!!! Sent a note to my TA to see if she can find out anything about it...of course, it is probably with my Castaway Club card that they are going to send out really soon...I guess I am just being too pushy thinking 4 years is enough time

 

[ssnyder]

We had asked our TA to book us a trip to WDW as soon as the free dining plan became available (I was origianlly worried it would come out while we were on the cruise). David says we had a "put" option on a vacation Anyway, she just emailed em and we have the dates and hotel we wanted (POP) for September So, I am feeling muxch better about having to forgo the parks this trip if I know I get 9 days in Spetember (and free dinign again--LOVE THAT ) And now that MArika is 10 it is worth even more (and works for us--I ate some of her kids meals last year so she could have some "real" food, Rio on the other hand will want kids meals until he's 50).

I talked to Curt about this last night and he said go ahead as long as we can cancel. I checked the cancellation policy and it is 44 days, then $100 penalty up until 5 days, so I guess I'm going to go ahead and book this. When did you book yours for? I was thinking of Sept 22 (last day for free dining) through Sept 30 (to get in two days of food and wine festival at the end). It's my understanding the free dining is for length of stay as long as your stay starts by Sept 22.

 

[NHdisneylover]

We booked 9/14 to 9/24. We may drop a day or two after we figure out FF tickets and when we decide if we want to (meaning can afford--of course we want to) add a cruise for that second week (reason for not booknig hte same week you are talking about, DH has to be at a meeting first week in October, and we wanted to leave the cruise possibility open). We went at this time last year and it was great. No lines at all (rode Soarin' 3 times in a row without getting off--could have done more if we wanted) and the food was yummy and we couldn't eat it all (brought home tons of goodies we picked up trying to use credits).

 

[tig82174]

We booked 9/14 to 9/24. We may drop a day or two after we figure out FF tickets and when we decide if we want to (meaning can afford--of course we want to) add a cruise for that second week (reason for not booknig hte same week you are talking about, DH has to be at a meeting first week in October, and we wanted to leave the cruise possibility open). We went at this time last year and it was great. No lines at all (rode Soarin' 3 times in a row without getting off--could have done more if we wanted) and the food was yummy and we couldn't eat it all (brought home tons of goodies we picked up trying to use credits).

Oh yes, I HIGHLY recommend traveling to the World that tiem of year!!

September is our favorite time to go to Disney because not only is the park pretty empty...but the people who ARE there often represent so many different nationalities and are foreign tourists which adds such an interesting and eclectic flavor to the parks. I know that WDW is always very popular with international tourists...but during the other times of year they are often also mixed in with large numbers of AMERICAN tourists....so whenever we travel in September we always love seeing and hearing so many people hwo have traveled so far to enjoy WDW. There are days when we feel like we're the only person who doesn't have an accent or for whom (American) English isn't their first language...and that makes the WDW experience feel all the richer!


(If I can ask, Hadley, what is this free food thing you're talking about....the little piggie in me's ears perked up at hearing that!!! )


Erik

 

[ssnyder]

(If I can ask, Hadley, what is this free food thing you're talking about....the little piggie in me's ears perked up at hearing that!!! )


Erik

You can find the information here:
http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#dvfreedining

This is the info for Disney Visa card holders. They "expect" it to come available to the general public on April 12.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Erik--The free dining plan promotion was made available to Disney Visa holders today (goes to the public Thursday I think) to take advantage of the free dining plan you'd have to book a package including a stay at a WDW resort (no DVC points-sorry ) and at least a one day ticket (you wouldn't have to buy entrance for your entire stay--I know you have APs). The plan is the one you can usaully purchase if you have a package for $35 per adult per day (adult being 10 or over). Here is what the plan gives you:

1 sit down meal credit per person per night of your stay (2 people staying 9 nights would equal 18 credits). A sit down meal is one appitizer, one entree, one dessert and one non specialty drink. Tax and tip are included!!!! Or one character buffet. Also included is one casual service meal credit per person per night. This is for coutner service and one credit equals one combo meal, one drink and one dessert. Also one snack credit per person per night. Snacks are pretty much any food or drink that costs less than $4 (a soda, treats at Kring La, pacakged cookies, etc at the hotel gift shop, etc.). A few places are specials that cost 2 credits to dine at (dinner shows, Cindys, Artists Point). You can mix up your credtis and use lots on one day, none on another, share one credit between two people and then do the same again later, etc. It is a majorly good deal (for those of us who love to dine at the world).

 

[tig82174]

Our new rolling garment bag arrived....it's so FANCY!

It makes the reality of the trip even more tangible!!


Erik

 

[NoWorriesMate]

In the past we have always done WDW in Sept or Oct. It is a great time of year to travel... and as Eric says those of us who are foreign tourists aren't so out numbered!

Laura we've been waiting two years for our CC card - glad to know we shouldn't get excited about its arrival just yet. we could ask about it again, but i suppose like everyone else we would just be put on hold (again)

michelle

 

[tig82174]

Erik--The free dining plan promotion was made available to Disney Visa holders today (goes to the public Thursday I think) to take advantage of the free dining plan you'd have to book a package including a stay at a WDW resort (no DVC points-sorry ) and at least a one day ticket (you wouldn't have to buy entrance for your entire stay--I know you have APs). The plan is the one you can usaully purchase if you have a package for $35 per adult per day (adult being 10 or over). Here is what the plan gives you:

1 sit down meal credit per person per night of your stay (2 people staying 9 nights would equal 18 credits). A sit down meal is one appitizer, one entree, one dessert and one non specialty drink. Tax and tip are included!!!! Or one character buffet. Also included is one casual service meal credit per person per night. This is for coutner service and one credit equals one combo meal, one drink and one dessert. Also one snack credit per person per night. Snacks are pretty much any food or drink that costs less than $4 (a soda, treats at Kring La, pacakged cookies, etc at the hotel gift shop, etc.). A few places are specials that cost 2 credits to dine at (dinner shows, Cindys, Artists Point). You can mix up your credtis and use lots on one day, none on another, share one credit between two people and then do the same again later, etc. It is a majorly good deal (for those of us who love to dine at the world).

Ah thanks for the info...sounds like a good deal but I will pass this time. I have to pick and choose my battles, ya know! Jason would kill me if I told him I wanted to go back to WDW in September.

We were just there in Sept of 06, we're going back for 9 days BEFORE the cruise, and 3 days AFTER .....and we're tentatively planning a trip to the west coast to visit DisneyLAND for this fall. Plus at this point i'm still trying to convince him that it's in our best interest to book our next cruise while we're aboard THIS one in May. Right now he thinks the idea is nuts ("Let's get THIS big trip out of the way and paid for before we start thinking about the NEXT one, OK?"....Jason is the logic of our partnership, I am the impulse & emotion!). Of course....once we're IN Disney, and specifically on the boat, my powers of persuasion are amplified....last year I got him to agree to consider taking a tour and buying DVC membership once we paid off a bit more of our house (he hates hates HATES debt! )...and then once we were aboard the Wonder in Feb. I got him to sit in on a DVC presentation one afternoon and 30 minutes later we were filling out loan paperwork!




Erik

 

[tig82174]

Laura we've been waiting two years for our CC card - glad to know we shouldn't get excited about its arrival just yet. we could ask about it again, but i suppose like everyone else we would just be put on hold (again)

michelle

Out of curiosity....does anyone actually HAVE a Castaway Club card? Do they actually exist? Because Jason and I never got them either!



ERik

 

[ssnyder]

Out of curiosity....does anyone actually HAVE a Castaway Club card? Do they actually exist? Because Jason and I never got them either!



ERik

They do exist because I received one, just for me and not Curt. I called to get his CC#.

No you don't need the card for anything.

 

[kpros]

Out of curiosity....does anyone actually HAVE a Castaway Club card? Do they actually exist? Because Jason and I never got them either!



ERik

We received Castaway Club Card after we sailed on the Magic back in 1999. The numbers on those cards do not match our current Castaway Club numbers. It appears they changed the numbering sequence at some point early on - at least for us.

Ken

 

[gismo1554]

Festival to Rock with Flower Power
The 14th annual Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival will bloom for a record 60 days this year, transforming the Park into a floral fantasyland complete with lavish gardens, interactive seminars and activities, themed weekends and more from April 5-June 3.

Among the highlights of the annual festival is the Flower Power Concert Series, featuring popular artists from the 1960s and 70s in open-air concerts at the America Gardens Theatre. Classic bands are scheduled to perform at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. daily, and the shows are included with Epcot admission

May 6-10 Nelson featuring the songs of Ricky Nelson
May 11-15 Davy Jones

Can't wait to see the Nelsons! Such a fan!

 

[gismo1554]

Out of curiosity....does anyone actually HAVE a Castaway Club card? Do they actually exist? Because Jason and I never got them either!



ERik

DCL keep telling me that they are all due to arrive in late spring so maybe soon!

 

[tazzmacd]

well my TA called DCL armed with the details about what the gift was...and they denied to her that any such magnets exist or were being sent out.

Oh that DCL!!! They're sure lucky they throw a super fun cruise or I'd start to get a little irritated about how poorly they communicate and coordinate their information and activities internally!!

"Yes I konw you can't book your excursions online...nobody can. Nobody on the cruise has been able to do so......oh, you have friends who have? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, you're the ONLY person who has had all their bookings erased by accessing the discounted rates...everyone else has kept their reservations....oh, you have friends who have the same situation? Let me put you on hold...."

"No, we're not sending any gifts out...there are no magnets for this cruise....oh, you have friends who have gotten them already? Let me put you on hold...."






Erik

Oh this sounds oh so familiar, somebody in Marketing has a good idea, gets the information together and sends it out. The only problem is that the marketing people forget to tell the front line people that they are doing this. So when we call the front line people to ask they say they are not doing it. Oh but you have friends hang on. They then call marketing to find out that it was done. You can just hear the poor DCL personal cursing their marketing person before they come back on the line with you.

If I had a $1 for everytime a marketing group did this to me I would have enough money to maybe pay for at least my cruise without any worries.

DCL is no different then any other big company, the lines of communication are not fully open before what one group is doing and what others are supposed to know they are doing.

 

[tazzmacd]

OK Question, what is the Castaway club?

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[Jeisur]

Just passing through. We are not on the repo (we are on the first sailing int he med)but may still book if the Florida residents rates come out and look appealing.

Someone asked about laundry tablets. Last night at Super Wal-mart I saw "Tide sink packs" for 3/.97$. I have used them before and hadn't seen them in a while. just an FYI!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Ah thanks for the info...sounds like a good deal but I will pass this time. I have to pick and choose my battles, ya know! Jason would kill me if I told him I wanted to go back to WDW in September.

We were just there in Sept of 06, we're going back for 9 days BEFORE the cruise, and 3 days AFTER .....and we're tentatively planning a trip to the west coast to visit DisneyLAND for this fall. Plus at this point i'm still trying to convince him that it's in our best interest to book our next cruise while we're aboard THIS one in May. Right now he thinks the idea is nuts ("Let's get THIS big trip out of the way and paid for before we start thinking about the NEXT one, OK?"....Jason is the logic of our partnership, I am the impulse & emotion!). Of course....once we're IN Disney, and specifically on the boat, my powers of persuasion are amplified....last year I got him to agree to consider taking a tour and buying DVC membership once we paid off a bit more of our house (he hates hates HATES debt! )...and then once we were aboard the Wonder in Feb. I got him to sit in on a DVC presentation one afternoon and 30 minutes later we were filling out loan paperwork!




Erik

The problem in our hosue is BOTH of us are addicted to travel and Disney so hter eis no voice of reason Ignore my PM full of extra info then