October 20th 2007 Western Magic

[JLDSMD]

Boy the search engine is picky. You try doing a "dry dock" search in the Cruise Line threads, and nothing comes up. Do it for the whole board an a ton of stuff comes up.

Anyhow, here are a few posts I found. But remember, this means nothing.

They tend to go to drydock every 2 years. The Magic & Wonder alternate so one is in DD every year.

I believe the captain mentioned at one of his receptions that the legal requirement was to be fully inspected in a drydock at least twice in every 5 year period.

Coast Guard requires a dry dock every 2 years for inspection of the underside of the ship, so the Wonder is due this fall. The past practice has been to make changes on the Magic one year, and the same changes the next year on the Wonder. So I'm more interested in next years changes on the Magic, than this years changes to the Wonder.

From other posts that I read through, it sounds like they get the ships out of dry dock in 2 weeks, but there could be another 2 weeks of stuff they still need to do on the boat while it is sailing.

I think we'll be fine with it sailing on 10/20/07, since it looks like they dry dock the first 2 weeks of October, but we may have issues with the ship being fully functional when we go.

If it goes in on the 29th or 30th of Sept, it should be out for the 10/13/07 sailing.

Now if they figure that all Sept sailings will go, the last one would leave 9/29/07, returning 10/6/07. That would put us on the first sailing after the dry dock. Any problems/delays, and our ship doesn't sail. Not to mention the finishing work they will be doing while we sail.

Hopefully the one post listed above is correct and they can wait another year. Or they just bring it in for the "check" of the underbody and not do any major changes. Who knows, maybe they can then get it out quicker. I'm not a Coast Guard or Nautical expert, so I couldn't tell you.

 

[A fat english gent]

Wife in a tiss when i said "thier maybe trouble ahead" so a rang DCL and had a chat with a nice lady (if not the sharpest knife in the box)who having explained are problems if the cruise was changed in anyway (air tickets,hotels,limo and all that) said "IF WE'VE TAKEN THE BOOKING FOR THEM DATES THE MAGIC WILL SAIL THEM DATES"....Have a magical day sir....Hell i wish they WOULD'NT say that it just reminds me am stuck HERE with only winter to look forward to

 

[oybolshoi]

I was going to type something but then my thought train derailed...

We'll just have to wait and see what happens, but they should know fairly soon I would think and then it shouldn't be an issue to get some info from DCL.

We're limited on our dates, too. If something happens with this cruise we're basically out for another year due to timing issues with work.

 

[JLDSMD]

Wife in a tiss when i said "thier maybe trouble ahead" so a rang DCL and had a chat with a nice lady (if not the sharpest knife in the box)who having explained are problems if the cruise was changed in anyway (air tickets,hotels,limo and all that) said "IF WE'VE TAKEN THE BOOKING FOR THEM DATES THE MAGIC WILL SAIL THEM DATES"....Have a magical day sir....Hell i wish they WOULD'NT say that it just reminds me am stuck HERE with only winter to look forward to

Tell that to the people who had Wonder booked for a 3 or 4 night cruise this month only to have it pulled for the 10 and 11 night southern cruises.

Plus, I think when the last time the Magic went in, or this year for the Wonder, they had the dates up before they decided and then pulled the cruises.

Looking at DCL's site right now, they have a Magic cruise available for every Saturday from September through November. If it does go into dry dock, you can be gauranteed that some cruisers are going to lose their cruise.

Here's a thought, do you think they wait until one year out, see which two weeks have the lowest bookings and then pull those cruises for the dry dock?

They seem to always use the first 2 weeks of October, so maybe that thought won't happen. But why list the first two weeks as available if you know you need to go to dry dock?

We should know within the next month hopefully.

 

[Lindy Loo]

YIKES im scared, been busy and off here for a while, jsut read a few posts and OUCH!!!


I will be SO MAD with DCL if they cancel the cruise, as its for my 40th Bday ( im doing something "new" each month of the year !)
We have booked Flights, and hotels, plus got time off work authorised and time off school for Elouise, ( even though she hasnt even started there yet !! )

Can they REALLY do this??????????????????

We are already cruising this year on the fist trip after dry dock with the wonder. Im nervous about stuff not being finished or the boat sailing late etc. We didnt know about this either, until we read it on the DIS!

 

[A fat english gent]

I bow to your superior knowledge on this i was only going by what the lady said on the phone,as am booked on this cruise and the 10/27 too how can i book air tickets?,also ive booked a suite who's deposits are non-refundable where would this leave us?
JLDSMD how long before we are likely to know one way or the other please?...thanks

chris

 

[Timon]

Sorry, didn't mean to open a can of worms. I am sure our sailing will be fine. (crossing fingers, of course!) I think the last two sailings in October would be too busy to cancel, especially the 10-27-07 sailing.

Also, I don't think they will have as much to do this dry dock as the last one. Last dry dock there were some major renovations going on, so hopefully this one won't be as involved.

I guess we should find out soon enough.

Chris, if DCL cancels a cruise for dry dock, I am quite sure they will refund your $$$, but I don't think you have anything to worry about.

And DCL HAS cancelled/changed SEVERAL cruises over the years, for 10 & 11 night cruises as well as DVC members only cruises, so it has happened and will happen again I am sure.

Linda, wow, you have airline tickets and hotels booked already for next October?? I've been looking at some reservations but I can't book anything more than a year away.

 

[JLDSMD]

I bow to your superior knowledge on this i was only going by what the lady said on the phone,as am booked on this cruise and the 10/27 too how can i book air tickets?,also ive booked a suite who's deposits are non-refundable where would this leave us?
JLDSMD how long before we are likely to know one way or the other please?...thanks

chris

Chris,

By all means, I am NOT an expert on this. I'm just going by what I've found on the boards.

I don't think you need to worry about our cruise not sailing. It may be the first one after the dry dock unless they change the weeks they've done it in years past. Unless there is a major renovation that is scheduled that could cause problems (like when a cruise line modifies a boat to make it bigger - cut it and lengthen it - and it takes on water unexpectedly) I think they will have this thing down to the scheduled time.

Now if the east coast gets hit by a major hurricane while it is in dry dock (I believe they do it in Virginia or the Carolinas), all bets are off.

As for your deposit, I would believe they'd refund it since they were the ones who cancelled your trip. But not sure how that works.

If they do cancel our trip, I'm hoping for a major discount for rebooking (on top of the 10% we already got for rebooking on board). Another 10-20% would be sufficient in my mind or $200 - $400 additional room credit. Neither will happen, but it's fun to dream.

Jeff

 

[JLDSMD]

Sorry, didn't mean to open a can of worms. I am sure our sailing will be fine. (crossing fingers, of course!) I think the last two sailings in October would be too busy to cancel, especially the 10-27-07 sailing.

Also, I don't think they will have as much to do this dry dock as the last one. Last dry dock there were some major renovations going on, so hopefully this one won't be as involved.

I guess we should find out soon enough.

Cass,

Don't worry about stirring up a can of worms. I totally forgot about the possibility of a dry dock next year.

I'm hoping they're allowed to skip next year (i.e. the 2 every 5 year rule).

As you said, they don't really need to do many updates since the last one, so maybe it will only be an inspection dry dock. Hopefully that can be done quicker.

If they want to change carpeting, bedding, curtains, etc, let them do the top floors (6-8 and the kids clubs) while in dry dock and then do the lower cabins (decks 1, 2 and 5) while we sail. They can then upgrade us all for the inconvenience.

Jeff

 

[oybolshoi]

I'll write myself a note to ask someone with DCL when we're at WDW next month.

I'll also check with the vacation club because if my parents come with us next year on this cruise we're going to let them use our points to cover their cabin, so hopefully 12-months out DCL should know if, and when, the Magic will drydock next year.

 

[Lindy Loo]

Hi everyone!

We only booked so far in advance, cos of work and school commitments.
Virgin released their flights and we booked that day. So at least we got EXACTLY what we wanted. We are staying at the All Star Movies. Cos thats where Elouise chose ( It looks quite cool to a 4 yr old) I wanted the Poly, but hey the budget wont stretch that far! ( unless we win the lottery!)

This Oct we stay in the villa we used last year and loved!

Im on the Wonder on the 19th Oct, I will be happy to "investigate" with DCL about dry dock for the Magic.

Take care all......

Heres Elouise getting ready for the pirates party for this Oct !
http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j...rent=DSCF0123.jpg&slideshow=paused&interval=3

Loving the shoes !!!!

 

[oybolshoi]

Too cute! The shoes just make the whole pirate ensemble, don't they?

 

[Lindy Loo]

Thanks Brenda, too funny isnt she !

Brenda, am I right in remembering you are off to hospital tomorrow?
If so all the very best, I will be thinking of you and a BIG

Take care............ Linda X

Ps Next weekend, is HRC pin hunt................... London! I will get photos of me buying them too............ just to proove I was there

 

[Lindy Loo]

Brenda............................ ive got a little something for you !!!

guess what it is ?

 

[Lindy Loo]

emmmmmmmmmmmm something to do with New York.....

 

[Lindy Loo]

Perhaps to do with the Hard Rock hotel there .......

 

[Lindy Loo]

Could it be a PIN???

Or four ?????



YES IT IS!

My friend has just got back from New York and had GREAT fun going to the HRC for you. She brought 4 pins, 2 gutiar (sp?) pins and 2 pins that represent NY..... Statue of liberty and an Apple!! How cool is that

She said someone wanted to trade with her, straight away, but she declined. She had great fun getting these for you. Im excited about my London Trip now

Let me know if you want me to post them to you, or do we do a big "handover" on the cruise ( I should have lots by then!)
As soon as I have the actual pins,I wil post a picture if you want. My friend lives 40 miles away.

Take care everyone, sorry for taking so many posts up on this.... but at least it keeps us on page ONE

 

[oybolshoi]

Oh, Linda, that's such great fun news!! Thank you so much - that's just the pick-me-up I needed for the rest of the day (no food...no pills...ugh!). I can't wait to tell Jason when he gets home tonight.

As for when we do the exchange, I'll leave that up to you based on what will be easiest for you since you and your friends have been so kind as to embark on a global pin-trek for us.

Thanks again! You are a sweetheart!!

 

[Lindy Loo]

Brenda, glad you are pleased....... I think it was "fate" that I could send you some cheery news, when you are feeling so crappy! ( whoops can I type that ???) oh well, just did
Hope Jason is chuffed too............... im excited, and we dont even collect!!!

Take care of yourself............... speak soon big

Linda x

PS anyone else want us to bring anything out from the UK, please just ask.......... so long as its legal and easy to carry, we are happy to help.We are taking an abundance of Cadburys for the cruise in 6 weeks, plus a few other little "English" things, but cant say what they are, in cases Jules or any of the other are peeping!!!!!! i KNOW Jules is sooooo thinking about doing the 7 nighter with us

 

[Poohbush]

Linda - Elouise looks so cute in her pirate get-up. They grow so fast! And I think you're a sweetie for getting those pins for Brenda. What a great group of cruisers we are!

Brenda - sending some Pixie dust your way! Hopre you're feeling better soon!

I think we were on the Magic right after she came out of drydock in 2000. If that's the case, then she must go in drydock sometimes every 2 years, sometimes every 3 years. I sort of do hope she's in drydock before our sailing. I would like her spruced up a bit after the long Med sailings. Seems to me she just might be "feeling a bit rusty" after the Atlantic crossings. Nothing too major though that would cancel our sailing!

Have a good weekend everyone!