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

[Cackyschmackers]

Why is Hawaii off the rotation? Were they one-way cruises? I heard at first they were popular then became hard to fill? No chance for 2019?

 

[mom4fun]

Another vote here for a 10-11 day Southern Carib! I would love to see one scheduled in early January, would definitely book a couple rooms on that!!

I made my own for January- February 2018. It's a 7 night Southern followed by a 4 night Eastern. I have my 11 nights for a really great price.

 

[Lilaney12]

Following.
Looking forward to a first summer 2019 cruise for the family.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Personally, I would love to see an Australia/New Zealand itinerary-maybe move the Wonder over there during Northern hemisphere winter? I know that will probably wait until after the new ships are are operational, but a girl can dream!

 

[mhorgan65]

Why is Hawaii off the rotation? Were they one-way cruises? I heard at first they were popular then became hard to fill? No chance for 2019?

US regulations require a ship visit or depart/arrive from at least 1 foreign port when using a foreign registered ship. If Disney did not do that they would need US built ship with US workers. I could see Japan or even Australia/NZ to Hawaii when the new ships are in service.

 

[DisneyParkFan]

Following/watching/waiting. Silver CC member hoping for a Spring Break 2019 Western Caribbean cruise.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

US regulations require a ship visit or depart/arrive from at least 1 foreign port when using a foreign registered ship. If Disney did not do that they would need US built ship with US workers. I could see Japan or even Australia/NZ to Hawaii when the new ships are in service.

Is this a new rule since the last time it was on an itinerary?

 

[cadien]

Is this a new rule since the last time it was on an itinerary?

They went out of Vancouver BC.

 

[Flossbolna]

Why is Hawaii off the rotation? Were they one-way cruises? I heard at first they were popular then became hard to fill? No chance for 2019?

I think they had Hawaii cruises in two different years. One year they had two round trip cruises from LA to Hawaii and back, one in the spring before the Alaska season and one in the fall after the Alaska season. The other year they did one-way cruises from Vancouver (so Vancouver to Hawaii and Hawaii to Vancouver). As is the case with most special itineraries on DCL, the prices were pretty high and it appears that Disney had trouble filling the ships as there were plenty of discounts (at least for travel agents and cast members if I remember the stories correctly). So, I am not sure if they want to try them again. I think currently they are earning more with the short cruises out of San Diego in the fall than if they would add in long cruises. Also, the longer cruises tend to have less people on the ship as more adult couples or singles book those, less families. So, with less people there is also less revenue (less people booking port adventures, less toys purchased in the stores etc.).

 

[Cackyschmackers]

One year they had two round trip cruises from LA to Hawaii and back, one in the spring before the Alaska season and one in the fall after the Alaska season. The other year they did one-way cruises from Vancouver (so Vancouver to Hawaii and Hawaii to Vancouver). As is the case with most special itineraries on DCL, the prices were pretty high and it appears that Disney had trouble filling the ships as there were plenty of discounts (at least for travel agents and cast members if I remember the stories correctly). So, I am not sure if they want to try them again. I think currently they are earning more with the short cruises out of San Diego in the fall than if they would add in long cruises. Also, the longer cruises tend to have less people on the ship as more adult couples or singles book those, less families. So, with less people there is also less revenue (less people booking port adventures, less toys purchased in the stores etc.).

Darn. That's what I was hoping for: the LA to Hawaii round trip. But with the new maritime regulations someone mentioned, that is no longer possible?

 

[Geomom]

Darn. That's what I was hoping for: the LA to Hawaii round trip. But with the new maritime regulations someone mentioned, that is no longer possible?

I don't believe the maritime regulations have changed. When Disney did LA to Hawaii, they had a stop in Ensenada, Mexico to fulfill the foreign port requirement. If it's a 1 way US port to US port, they need to stop at a distant foreign port, which is why Disney stops in Cartegena, Columbia on the Panama Canal cruises. I believe they can't do a 1 way from LA to Hawaii due to the foreign port requirement...but they could do 1 way from Vancouver to Hawaii as it's not starting AND ending in 2 different US ports.

The main issue with Disney's Hawaii ones is 'when' they hold them. They had them while kids were in school, and with those cruises being 10-15 days, it's too long to pull the kids out. If they had them during breaks...they'd probably sell better. With only 1 ship on the west coast in the summer, it's doing the lucrative Alaskan market! Maybe once they have more ships, they can have one permanently doing west coast, and the Hawaii cruises will happen again.

 

[Bella29]

I made my own for January- February 2018. It's a 7 night Southern followed by a 4 night Eastern. I have my 11 nights for a really great price.

awesome! We're doing a 14 day E/W in January 2018, can't wait! I would prefer an 11 day itinerary because it goes to new places (and I don't really like the turnaround experience).

 

[rodimusprime73]

hi all
currently planning first cruise for summer 2019-mediterranean
cant wait to get going,just need the dates to be released-only 7 months+ to go

 

[RedSox68]

Why is Hawaii off the rotation? Were they one-way cruises? I heard at first they were popular then became hard to fill? No chance for 2019?

We were so hoping for Hawaii next year to celebrate our 40th, now I am holding out hope for 2019. One can never say never

 

[Lesley Wake]

Darn. That's what I was hoping for: the LA to Hawaii round trip. But with the new maritime regulations someone mentioned, that is no longer possible?

I was curious so I looked into this. It's called the Jones Act and has actually been in place since 1920! Maybe there was some loophole earlier or enforcement was lax? A lot of cruises who do Hawaii roundtrip actually have to travel to the Republic of Kiribati, for no other reason than to meet the foreign port requirement. There is also an issue if passengers have to debark in an emergency situation-i.e., cruise round trip out of Galveston, but it makes a stop in Key West and passenger leaves because they have to get home in a hurry, they will be fined $300. Some congressman have tried to repeal it in the past 10 yrs (mainly for shipping purposes in Gulf of Mexico), but doesn't seem that they have been successful.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I was curious so I looked into this. It's called the Jones Act and has actually been in place since 1920! Maybe there was some loophole earlier or enforcement was lax? A lot of cruises who do Hawaii roundtrip actually have to travel to the Republic of Kiribati, for no other reason than to meet the foreign port requirement. There is also an issue if passengers have to debark in an emergency situation-i.e., cruise round trip out of Galveston, but it makes a stop in Key West and passenger leaves because they have to get home in a hurry, they will be fined $300. Some congressman have tried to repeal it in the past 10 yrs (mainly for shipping purposes in Gulf of Mexico), but doesn't seem that they have been successful.

I think someone said the Hawaii cruises out of LA stopped in Ensenada.

 

[RedSox68]

I think someone said the Hawaii cruises out of LA stopped in Ensenada.

I'd rather do the one-way -- fly to Honolulu, stay a few days and take the relaxing cruise home!

 

[Dean]

I was curious so I looked into this. It's called the Jones Act and has actually been in place since 1920! Maybe there was some loophole earlier or enforcement was lax? A lot of cruises who do Hawaii roundtrip actually have to travel to the Republic of Kiribati, for no other reason than to meet the foreign port requirement. There is also an issue if passengers have to debark in an emergency situation-i.e., cruise round trip out of Galveston, but it makes a stop in Key West and passenger leaves because they have to get home in a hurry, they will be fined $300. Some congressman have tried to repeal it in the past 10 yrs (mainly for shipping purposes in Gulf of Mexico), but doesn't seem that they have been successful.

Some cruises used to have 2 sites of embarkation like NO and Tampa but with changes a few years ago related to the 9/11 issue, this is no longer an option for the US. The requirement to stop elsewhere if registered internationally has been there as long as I've been aware of cruising. The only ocean cruises that I'm aware of that are registered in the US was the US Cruise Lines and it's replacement, a subset of NCL both doing HI inter island. I'm sure many of the river cruises are also registered in the US.

 

[akemom]

Hoping to take our first cruise in summer 2019! Most likely a 4 night on the Dream followed by a few days at WDW!

 

[Amunet]

Definitely joining this thread! We are planning for a November 2019 cruise (to coincide with the Frozen 2 release)
Though, my boyfriend's parents are interested in a Spring or Fall 2019 from Cali, with Disneyland before. Which may become a huge family vacation (multiple family members from both families).