NEWS 5/17: Late 2019 itineraries released - link in post #1 (2020 watch thread will start soon)

[EllieBride]

Did you list your TA when you made your placeholder? If so, that TA would need to book the reservation for you. If DU is your TA, they will give you 1/2 the OBC they would give a new booking through them as their commission is reduced for on board bookings and transfers. You DO also get the $100-$200 OBC from Disney as well as the 10% off from your placeholder.

I don't know how they prioritize them--probably with the more popular cruises first as they're more likely to increase in price sooner. I do think you would spend a long time trying to get through to Disney on the phone on opening day.

Thanks - this is helpful. I honestly have no idea if we listed a TA with our placeholder or not. And it hasn't even been a whole year, yet! Yikes, what is happening to my memory... I guess I will send our agent an email and see if she can add us to her list.

 

[AquaDame]

Can someone tell me what Alaska cruise I want? Ha! I have no idea what is important. There are 6 of us, so price is somewhat a priority, but it is also a place we likely won't return for a long time, so if there is one stand-out itinerary here i'd pay the extra.
Kids will be 3, 9, 11, 20. We will leave the 3 year old onboard some to do some excursions if she can't participate in them.
I know nothing about the ports. I do remember seeing really cool pics of a train on a talk bridge.
Any suggestions?

ETA: kids get out of school 5/23/19. The littles can miss the last week or whatever they need to. I just need to work around the college schedule...she gets out early May and returns probably 3rd week of August.

Personally we loved Hubbard Glacier much more than Endicott (Tracy Arm's backup) - it was far more active with calving and was much larger/we got closer to it. Personally, if money is no object and you wont be back for awhile, I'd take a close look at the 9 night since it is longer and you get more stops. I don't get the extra day in Vancouver since it is so easy to add on to your trip which made me discount it for us though (the only port we haven't been to before is Sitka so that wasn't a draw in my case).

Edit: My reading comprehension sucks - they are in VICTORIA, not Vancouver that second to last day!

Does anyone know how a TA, such as DU, prioritizes the requests they are receiving? I used them for our first cruise, but I didn't book it on one of the opening days. I'm just wondering if I'm better off calling on my own since I already have a placeholder. What advantage is there to be gained by having a TA book on my behalf? Will they even get to my request in a timely manner, or will my request be sitting in a pile while I could be calling directly in hopes of booking the specific cabin I am looking for? I know that I received a nice OBC from them last time, but will I still receive that again this time since I am already receiving one from DCL with my placeholder? I'm confused

Each TA can have their own method to the madness. I know my TA at DU does prioritize based on how popular an itinerary is and how specific a request is. Getting client on say the 10 night Iceland or 11 night Southern in a specific room will likely be booked before a regular western caribbean at a slow time for example. She does them all in one go, so its not THAT much time difference but there is of course a difference. If I was a TA I admit I'd likely prioritize clients who have a lot of bookings over one I have never helped before, and also ones that have provided payment info and told me to book a specific cruise over one that wants 10 quotes. Maybe there is a reason I'm not a TA.... ^^;

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We (myself and DS16) did the 9 night last summer and it was AMAZING! Highly recommend it if it can fit the budget!!

I was leaning towards this. Maybe will go with 2 ov's to help with cost.

It will be cheaper if you can do a cruise in May/early June. Peak prices will be in late June/July/Early August. I think the regular 7nt itinerary is good w/ Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan. It's the one that we did--and we loved it. (Of course that 'was' the only itinerary they had in 2016...) The 9 nt one will be priced higher than it should be, and I'd expect the 7 nt ones with the different itinerary to be priced higher just due to those being more unique. I would stay away from the 5 nt one as it only has 1 port and it's the least exciting port.

I would look at 2 connecting rooms, either inside or oceanview to save money. I LOVED being on deck 2 oceanview--and it saved us a lot of money! Verandahs were costing $3,000 more than oceanviews.

I was planning one interior and one verandah if I can find them across the hall from each other. I'd like to have the verandah b/c dd2 will nap a few hours each afternoon. Maybe I could get a 7A and 11. Off to check deck plans.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I’ll settle this right now everyone... it has to be this Thursday because we are moving on Friday and I’ll be swamped all weekend... Last time they released Fall 2018 the day before we were boarding Anthem of the Seas... I was so frazzled with last minute packing and stuff that I didn’t have time to look info the DCL release until we came home.
So naturally this release HAS to happen when I’m not available haha.

HA! Of course... when I left this morning to move some stuff to the new house, nothing.
I come back and this!
When does everyone want Fall 2019 released by the way? I'll make sure to book a trip or something else important and I'm sure that's the weekend DCL will release them

I'm forced to stay home next few hours though as DS is sick so I will be checking this out... I gather no Hawaii but any changes to Alaska?

 

[EllieBride]

Each TA can have their own method to the madness. I know my TA at DU does prioritize based on how popular an itinerary is and how specific a request is. Getting client on say the 10 night Iceland or 11 night Southern in a specific room will likely be booked before a regular western caribbean at a slow time for example. She does them all in one go, so its not THAT much time difference but there is of course a difference. If I was a TA I admit I'd likely prioritize clients who have a lot of bookings over one I have never helped before, and also ones that have provided payment info and told me to book a specific cruise over one that wants 10 quotes. Maybe there is a reason I'm not a TA.... ^^;

Thanks - this makes a lot of sense... I'm looking at the May 27 Alaska. I have no idea if that's considered "high demand." Not necessarily peak season, but I think a lot of people have been waiting for the Alaskan cruises to be released. I have one or two back-up plans if our preferred cabin isn't available. If I were a TA, I would also prioritize my regular customers at the top to make sure they were taken care of first. Since this will only be my second time working with her, I am a little fearful of not ranking very high on the priority list just yet.

 

[ChicosWife]

You can't get prices until next week. you could estimate by looking at an equivalent cruise for 2018.

Good idea!

 

[tink1970]

I was planning one interior and one verandah if I can find them across the hall from each other. I'd like to have the verandah b/c dd2 will nap a few hours each afternoon. Maybe I could get a 7A and 11. Off to check deck plans.

This worked really well for our cruise eons ago! The verandah room was great for me (early to bed early to rise) and my mom would use it to drink coffee and watch the scenery. DD and DF were the vampires (up all night, sleeping late) so the dark interior room worked well for napping and sleeping in! It was the best of both worlds

 

[ahain]

Personally we loved Hubbard Glacier much more than Endicott (Tracy Arm's backup) - it was far more active with calving and was much larger/we got closer to it. Personally, if money is no object and you wont be back for awhile, I'd take a close look at the 9 night since it is longer and you get more stops. I don't get the extra day in Vancouver since it is so easy to add on to your trip which made me discount it for us though (the only port we haven't been to before is Sitka so that wasn't a draw in my case).;

Where are you seeing "extra day in Vancouver?" All I see is Vancouver as the port of initial and departure ports?

 

[drewmisha]

What time does the DCL phone lines open for booking? Is it based on Eastern time? TIA.

 

[ChicosWife]

I am hoping the extra day (8-night EC) is not too much more than what we are paying for the 7-night SC! Now I have to wait for pricing! ARGH!!!

Is there a reason why they don't announce pricing AND the itinerary at the same time, even if they don't allow booking until the following week? It gives people more informed decisions, right?

 

[MelSpees]

What time does the DCL phone lines open for booking? Is it based on Eastern time? TIA.

Yes, it's midnight Eastern, 9 PM for us lucky Pacific time zone folks.

Oops folks! Someone pointed out that I was thinking of check-in times not booking times. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[ChicosWife]

Yes, it's midnight Eastern, 9 PM for us lucky Pacific time zone folks.

Really??? I did not know this! I am silver, so I can call Tuesday night instead of Wednesday morning?????

 

[dcassetta]

Yes, it's midnight Eastern, 9 PM for us lucky Pacific time zone folks.

I think you may be confusing online check-in times with reservations. The reservations line opens at 8am eastern.

 

[ChicosWife]

I think you may be confusing online check-in times with reservations. The reservations line opens at 8am eastern.

Awwww. That's what I had thought all along, but it would have been nicer with the other way around!

 

[MelSpees]

I think you may be confusing online check-in times with reservations. The reservations line opens at 8am eastern.

Oops! you're right. So sorry for the mistake.

 

[EllinK]

Anyone know what time Costco travel opens?

 

[pillow]

Can someone tell me what Alaska cruise I want? Ha! I have no idea what is important. There are 6 of us, so price is somewhat a priority, but it is also a place we likely won't return for a long time, so if there is one stand-out itinerary here i'd pay the extra.
Kids will be 3, 9, 11, 20. We will leave the 3 year old onboard some to do some excursions if she can't participate in them.
I know nothing about the ports. I do remember seeing really cool pics of a train on a talk bridge.
Any suggestions?

ETA: kids get out of school 5/23/19. The littles can miss the last week or whatever they need to. I just need to work around the college schedule...she gets out early May and returns probably 3rd week of August.

One thing to note is that "bear" season is different for different ports. For example, we wanted a private tour to Anan Creek to see the bears catching fish. Since the salmon season doesn't begin there till July (and thus no bears), we didn't want a May/June cruise. You might also want to research weather by month for each of the ports. When I did that, July seemed to be statistically the best in terms of weather. Of course, it rained EVERY DAY of our July cruise - ha - so no guarantees!!

 

[pillow]

Anyone know what time Costco travel opens?

8:00am sharp East Coast time!

 

[iamporch]

Has Disney done 6 nights on the Fantasy before? Wondering how that will compare to the 5 night DD. Its one more day but the DD cruises tend to be pricer per night right?

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Ok now I'm caught up. Any idea if the August 26 Alaska (which was traditionally cheaper than earlier in August) will be more now because it includes Icy Strait Point? I also see that Juneau is the same day as Tracy Arm... assuming it will be a short day in Juneau...
For those that have been, does Juneau deserve a full day? Am I wrong to think having both on one day will make it for a hectic day?
I'm also looking at Aug 12 or 19 "regular" 7 night Alaska.
I wonder if adding an extra port day to the Aug26 sailing was done to justify charging more for a time they normally charged less....?
Like with SWDAS. Prior to SWDAS, Jan/Feb Fantasy sailings were the cheapest... we scored amazing deals on them. Hasn't been the case since they have special days at sea... it's like Disney takes slower, less popular times, adds some twists and then charges more...
Hope this is not the case with the "modified" 7n Alaska ... any ideas? Who else is looking at Alaska?