oct cruise cancelled

[dzneprincess]

good point kellib! Ouch I'd hate to be one of the reps these next few days....

 

[WDWguru]

When DH called, the first thing he said was "I bet you're having a good day. What did you do to be the one stuck doing this?" He said she really appreciated the sympathy.

Having worked in retail and customer service, we can absolutely sympathize, so we were careful not to shoot the messenger.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by WDWguru
Having worked in retail and customer service, we can absolutely sympathize, so we were careful not to shoot the messenger.

............................

 

[JenKatt]

I am so sorry to those of you put of by this. It sucks! Hubby works for the Mouse part time, and this really is indicative of what Eisner sees as successful business, no Walt in there at all. I can't wait until Michael "Scrooge" Eisner is gone.
It's the thought that Disney wouldn't do this to it's guests that seperates them from RCCL/ Celebrity. Carnival/ etc...

 

[CheapMom]

For those that say "disney is a business, their goal is to make money..." Of course that is true of all businesses. It does not excuse this misdeed. I have a business where I am paid for my time. If I am booked with a customer for a certain date and then another customer wants that date and is willing to pay me tripple I still wouldn't do it. I would honor my first obligation. Besides the integrity factor it would also be bad business. My reputation could be harmed if I did this.
Once again- so sorry to all of you that were affected by this.

 

[makaylee]

I hope I don't sound evil, but who else doesn't mind if this sailing has to skip CC?

 

[WDWguru]

Oooooo, poetic justice. That would be sweet!

 

[floridaminnie]

Miss CC, 40 feet seas and opps, there really can be a hurricane out there in Oct!

 

[clh2]

Originally posted by BriarRosie
3. It's October 28th! Not only is this during hurricane season, it
is probably a slow season for the ship, anyway. Who's to say that
Disney didn't request the company to charter that date to
inconvenience the fewest amount of pre-booked guests? I know that I probably would if I worked for Disney Cruise Line.

I totally disagree with this point...we sailed on the Wonder last year on the last week in October. We did the 4-night cruise, and sailed about 75% full. The 3-nt following our cruise sailed full.

In Wisconsin - there is a statewide teacher's convention the last Thursday and Friday in October. This has been going on since I was in Kindergrten in 1966. These are "no-school" days for the public schools. It is the perfect time to do a little cruise without missing any school.

PD to all cruisers affected by DCL's greed.

 

[floridaminnie]

When doesn't DCL fill at least their ship 75% full. They are usually pretty good with their prices with the demand during that time period.

 

[RescueRanger]

Wow, I feel so bad for you guys who have been affected by this. There really is no excuse for something like this. It may be legal but that doesn't make it right. My wife has been bugging me for the last two years to take the family on a Disney cruise. Well, I don't think that is going to happen now. It is a matter of principle and I do not want to do business with someone who would treat their guests this way. Carnival and Royal Caribbean operate cruises from Galveston which is less than 2 hours from home and they are much cheaper than Disney anyway. I think Universal will get my themepark business as well. I am sad to say it, but Disney has become just another corporation without heart or direction. Eisner and his ilk are ruining Disney and Walt is surely rolling in his grave. I sent an e-mail to Disney cruise lines conveying my displeasure with the recent events. Maybe if they get enough complaints, they will change. However, I think people need to start voting with their feet and going elsewhere to really send a strong message.

 

[two-foxes]

I, too, think it is just plain bad that DCL did this, however as another poster said, you will not see me cancelling our upcoming cruises out of protest, nor will we cancel any future trips to WDW. We are all living in Fantasyland if we think Disney would pass up a good financial deal, if this is what it turned out to be. Disney is a corporation, their aim is to make money. The pixie dust and good feelings that come from the cruises and trips to WDW is just the marketing. Is it a shame? Yes, but I still have a fantastic time when I go, I know that my money is going to an overpriced cruise and park passes, but I know I will have a great time. They offer amazing customer service so often, that we are all floored when we are reminded what it is all about.....the money!

If this was my cruise that was cancelled, after the screaming and picking up the pieces of what was left of my phone and or computer (whatever the messenger was!), I would be taking advantage of whatever offers DCL was offering, running to my boss to put in another vacation request or see where RCCL was sailing for that same date. I would be damned if it would ruin a good time that I had planned....be it DCL or not, sunshine and beaches would be in order! (Easier said than done, I know, but a vacation would be happening!)

 

[disneybride96]

Originally posted by smjj
It would be very appropriate if we could find out the company that chartered the ship then call them and let them know how this has affected so many people and threaten to boycott them. You never can tell...smjj

I agree! These are the people I really want to complain to! They are the ones who think they own the world!

 

[westjones]

Wow! I didn't know this could happen either! This makes me nervous about future trips and booking airfare far in advance! We have had our airfare booked since January and others going with us have done the same thing!!!! If this had happened to us we would lose money on the airfare reservations!

Next year we were planning to drive to our cruise (4 day instead of a 7 day--we can manage driving days for the shorter cruise, but DH can't take off enough days to drive AND go on a 7 night cruise).

I am glad I know about this for the future! I am going to let DH know and we won't be booking airfare anymore. We always go in September which is a slow time, and probably more likely to be bumped than the summer months.

I'm so sorry for those of you who have been affected by this; but thank you so much for sharing this information with all of us.

DJ

 

[Verandah Man]

I read through this entire thread late last night after a fellow DIS'er brought this to my attention. For the most part, I have been a positive supporter of DCL, but from what I gather and after reading this thread, I am somewhat disappointed in the way this was handled. I know, if I had been waiting a year, or more, and this was going to be my first experience with DCL, and this happened to me, it would also be my last experience with DCL. I feel so bad for everyone who was told that this cruise was cancelled. I sent an e-mail to DCL last night showing my displeasure in how this was handled, and I'm still not feeling the DCL magic this morning either.

 

[herrbeeb]

while i am not defending disney and i don't condone or approve the business decisions michael eisner has made in the last few years i cannot condemn disney without knowing why and for whom they canceled the cruise. it doesn't seem likely that the money they would make from a single charter would compensate for the bad publicity thay have generated at least on this board. after all the resorts and the cruise line depend on the "disney" aura to attract new customers and the loyalty of repeat disney fans. especially in fl and on the dcl where universal and the other cruise lines offer very competitive prices.

just my opinion.

herrbeeb

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've just written a letter to the cruise line and complained about the action. I hope everyone who was involved gets compensated to the degree of satisfaction that each one deserves.

My DH is more sympathetic to the company than I am, he views it strictly as a business decision.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder." We all know that, but we forget, it's the pixie dust!

Bobbi

 

[mariamard]

this is very disheartening............I hope that everyone voices their displeasure with the way DCL handled this. I would be wigging out if this was my cruise. I feel for all of those who were affected by this STUPID move by DCL We have to plan a year in advance for something like this, so I can only imagine how you all who were screwed must feel...........I'm very curious to know who booked this. How hard would it have been for a company to book something of this magnitude(sp?) this close?? I mean, I just don't get how they booked something this large, so close with all of the planning that you would need to coordinate 3,000 + people. Why couldnt they booked this 18 mos. out when dates are announced and released for booking?Its amazing what the mighty dollar can do.................

Poor Walt........

_Maria

 

[Cara]

Like Verandah Man, I just finished reading the entire thread. I feel just horribly for the folks who lost their spots on the cruise. I planned my cruise 18 months in advance, and I would have been both broken-hearted and truly SPASTIC at the thought of it being cancelled six months out. At that point I also had plane tickets. I will be writing a letter. I do have to agree that I also feel horribly for the poor customer service reps who are likely taking a beating this week.

Cara

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by jmminarik
If Disney were really smart, they'd offer people's money/dvc points back and give people rooms on property with a LOS pass (whatever the marketing heads call it these days) at an All star resort. The 'loss' for Disney would be only on paper, the gain would be extra spending in the parks and a lesser or entirely mitigated PR fiasco.

Just my not so humble opinion.
-Joe

I TOTALLY disagree with this. If it were my family, we all have AP's. When we cruised on DCL, it was in Cat 3, and there's no way that a room at the All Stars could even begin to compare. It would be an insult! The closest thing that WDW would have to a Cat 3 on DCL would be a one bedroom suite at the YC/BC/BWI.

In addition, we go to WDW three, four, even five times a year, so if our cruise was cancelled, a stay at WDW in an All Star resort wouldn't exactly be an equitable solution.

I'd want a full refund, including all airfare, pre-paid hotel rooms, etc., and a coupon for a free cruise in the same category with up to three years to use it.

Anne