Newbie trying to book Fantasy

[wishlounge]

I have never been on a cruise and never been to the Carribean. We just got back from WDW and I now want to book a cruise. I want to wait till 2012 so I think Fantasy is a good choice for us I just had a couple questions:
1)Is May or June a better time to sail
2)Are deposits fully refundable? Our daughter is in remission from cancer and we never know what may come our way?
3)How in the world do I know which room, deck, etc. I want.
TIA, I am already excited just thinking abou the planning.

 

[kcashner]

As a first time cruiser, I would strongly suggest that you work with a TA who specializes in DCL. There are many good ones out there; in addition to their services, you will get an onboard credit (real money that you can spend on board) or other thanks for booking gift.

Deposits are fully refundable UNTIL THE PENALTY DATE. Since you have a pre-existing condition involved, you will want to purchase travel insurance separate from DCL (their insurance doesn't cover pre-existings). It usually has to be booked within 14 or 21 days of booking the cruise depending on the company. A good TA should be able to help with this too.

For all practical purposes, May and June are the same. The later it gets in the summer, the hotter it gets. I'd say early May is best. Our late May was HOT!

As to rooms--choose inside room (virtual porthole, no real outside view), porthole room (ocean view), or balcony. Then you look at how many people are in your group and book a cabin big enough for your family. Larger families may need 2 connecting rooms, etc. As to which deck, traditionally the higher decks were more desirable, so generally cost more. Midship rooms have less motion than forward or aft, rooms closer to the water line (lower) have less motion. Again, a good TA can talk about your desires and budget.

 

[wishlounge]

Thank you kcashner for the info! I was just about to post whether it is best to book through DCL or through a travel agent but I think you answered my question.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just to add to the great info kcashner gave you, I'd personally choose May if given the choice. Most kids are still in school and prices go up dramatically once school lets out. Airfare will probably be more reasonable too.

Also some TAs give an onboard spending credit as a thank you for booking with them. While I wouldn't choose a TA based on how much they give, it is a nice little perk. Just keep in mind that if booked through a TA, all questions, payments, changes, special requests, etc. all go through the TA. DCL will really not even speak to you on the phone once you say you have a TA. (Not that they're mean but expect the TA to earn his/her commission.)

If you think there's a good chance that you'll need to change your sail date, be sure to ask the TA if the trip insurance is also tranferrable. I know the ins. my TA gets is not. It's great that my parents are covered for their PECs if they had to cancel but it's kind of a pain that if we find a date we'd rather do, they'd have to cancel and re-book and buy new ins. so we rarely change dates for that reason.

 

[kcashner]

I've used insurance from 2 different companies....in one case, I am allowed to move the coverage date once and keep it in effect. With the other company, I am allowed unlimited moves of the date.