Priced out

[cgolf]

It's not really "I don't have the money" but a step back to realize what I'm doing here. When an 11 day cruise is nearly the same price as a new car, you have to really pause. We love Disney, but it is clear they are leaving the loyal fans behind in favor of a newer customer. The question is will they ever come back to earth or is it time to look elsewhere? They've raised prices everywhere and it is just hard to justify the expense just for the brand name.

Well said, we are waiting to see if our year off, RCCL Freedom of the Seas, is only that or a lot longer. There are lots of other ships in the ocean that are more than happy to take our vacation dollars.

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

I was thinking to book a summer cruise on Fantasy for summer next summer and rebook it while on board in August if the price is cheaper. I'm not sure I can do it with the prices released--$2000 more than this August cruise. At this point, I don't think I should even do a place holder.

My first Disney cruise was a December 2010 4 nt on Disney Wonder and it was $1100 (3A1I) for an IGT. Looking back, it feel like I won a Jackpot back then. LOL

 

[Shanti]

I think it's stretching it to say "just for the brand name", when Disney cruises are so different, in style, quality and content, than other mass market cruises. You're also paying for the characters, the classic style of the ships, the service, and the family-friendly atmosphere.

 

[cruisingtwins]

No, not for the ages of your children.

Not true we just went on NCL GA with 4 yo twins and had a blast. The also had a program for toddlers where they did art and a bunch of different things everyday that IMO is way better than what disney offers for toddlers.

 

[DLM1980]

It's not really "I don't have the money" but a step back to realize what I'm doing here. When an 11 day cruise is nearly the same price as a new car, you have to really pause. We love Disney, but it is clear they are leaving the loyal fans behind in favor of a newer customer. The question is will they ever come back to earth or is it time to look elsewhere? They've raised prices everywhere and it is just hard to justify the expense just for the brand name.

#ThanksShanghai

 

[apathetic]

I think it's stretching it to say "just for the brand name", when Disney cruises are so different, in style, quality and content, than other mass market cruises. You're also paying for the characters, the classic style of the ships, the service, and the family-friendly atmosphere.

I was speaking more about the larger Disney Empire. Sure, each element is different, but is the premium worth it across the board to stay loyal to the brand? Parks are more, hotels are more, cruises are more, etc. The loyal people who go all Disney (like us with DVC, cruises, parks, etc) will start to drift away. It seems you can spend quite a bit less on Royal Car., Universal Studios & a non-Disney resort hotel. How long before loyalty wears off and the money goes elsewhere? I'm not really saying me because my wife is Disney loyal. But, that will only last so long when your annual Disney vacation costs the same as a new car.

 

[Shanti]

I was speaking more about the larger Disney Empire. Sure, each element is different, but is the premium worth it across the board to stay loyal to the brand? Parks are more, hotels are more, cruises are more, etc. The loyal people who go all Disney (like us with DVC, cruises, parks, etc) will start to drift away. It seems you can spend quite a bit less on Royal Car., Universal Studios & a non-Disney resort hotel. How long before loyalty wears off and the money goes elsewhere? I'm not really saying me because my wife is Disney loyal. But, that will only last so long when your annual Disney vacation costs the same as a new car.

Some of the people who are being "priced out" have a history of going for the higher-cost Disney options, then being disillusioned when the high-end becomes harder for them to afford. I saw one poster bitterly complain about being "priced out" of DCL a while back, but her posts a few years ago were all about cruising concierge. So what exactly was she priced out of? The cruise line itself, or an elite experience on the cruise line? I suspect it was the latter.

The same goes for DVC, which is very expensive to join, but many members clearly like the exclusive Disney-club feel it provides. That's fine, but you don't need any of that to enjoy WDW. Disney magic can still be had on a budget.

 

[Mrspeaks]

I feel we might be close to being priced out. When you think of what you could do/vacation with that money its hard to justify. We have two young daughters and I loved NCL and RC before kids. I've always thought when they grew out of the princesses, we would go back to NCL or RC. I would like to go for several more years, but I'm not sure we will.

 

[apathetic]

Some of the people who are being "priced out" have a history of going for the higher-cost Disney options, then being disillusioned when the high-end becomes harder for them to afford. I saw one poster bitterly complain about being priced out of DCL a while back, but her posts a few years ago were all about cruising concierge. So what exactly was she priced out of? The cruise line itself, or an elite experience on the cruise line? I suspect it was the latter.

The same goes for DVC, which is very expensive to join, but many members clearly like the exclusive Disney-club feel it provides. That's fine, but you don't need any of that to enjoy the classic Disney experience.

Without a doubt you don't need that. Though, DVC members are the most loyal. They are frequenting parks every year & if you ever attend the members session on a cruise it is usually a few hundred people. I'm not going the "I hate Disney" route. We love them and really wouldn't go on another cruise line. Disney is the best and there is no trade-down. We like the Disney cruise, not just any cruise experience. It is more being sad that we are making the choice over so much money. A $6800 cruise 2 years ago is now over $9k. That's too much. I don't blame them chasing the profits, that is business and I don't fault them. But, when they push those loyal people who have been on 10+ cruises away, will they regret it? I hope they don't shut us out entirely, but I have to really think hard about every Disney trip at these prices.

 

[MunFam]

I doubt we will ever sail DCL again. Here is the perfect example of why...this summer, we are going on a 30 day (personal, not rental) RV roadtrip. We are going to Grand Canyon NP, Mesa Verde NP, Durango Silverton Train ride, Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain NP, Black Hills: Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Badlands and surrounding areas, Calgary for the Stampede, Banff, Jasper, Glacier NP, Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, Redwood NP and Napa. Our full hook up campground costs are just under $1000. Our fuel cost is just over $1000 and our activities are right around $1000. So with a $500 buffer, we are going on a 30 day vacation for $3500. Or...I can sail in an inside room for 3 nights...if I am lucky, and I have to add airfare to that cost. I just cannot bring myself to spend that kind of money.

Next year we are cruising to Alaska and then spending an extra week in the Kenai and Denali areas of Alaska. Predicted cost with airfare is about $3000.

We did the WBPC cruise last year and it was amazing. It was worth the $4200 for 3 people in an oceanview room. It worked out to be $100 per person per day. That was not too bad for all the Disney magic. I am a corporate travel agent and I see what hotels and cruise lines are willing to discount for large groups, so it usually makes me ill to think of ever paying full retail for travel.

Edit to add: The specific reason I will not do personal travel is because I just cannot plan a trip for someone knowing that they are not getting the best deal/price...but commission is a percentage of the price, so if I get them the best deal...I make no money.

 

[Disney Obsession]

No I'm. Not but my son will be starting school fall 2017
So august would be the latest we could go
Im not eligible to look at pricing until tomorrow but I always thought aug was cheaper than april -July months?

Some of April (not Easter) and beginning of May can sometimes be less expensive than August. I would recommend taking a look at those to compare tomorrow since you might find a better deal. I long for the days I didn't have to schedule vacations around a school schedule. I also long for the days that I didn't lose thousands of dollars doing so!

 

[Hundredacre]

Without a doubt you don't need that. Though, DVC members are the most loyal. They are frequenting parks every year & if you ever attend the members session on a cruise it is usually a few hundred people. I'm not going the "I hate Disney" route. We love them and really wouldn't go on another cruise line. Disney is the best and there is no trade-down. We like the Disney cruise, not just any cruise experience. It is more being sad that we are making the choice over so much money. A $6800 cruise 2 years ago is now over $9k. That's too much. I don't blame them chasing the profits, that is business and I don't fault them. But, when they push those loyal people who have been on 10+ cruises away, will they regret it? I hope they don't shut us out entirely, but I have to really think hard about every Disney trip at these prices.

We are with you. And we are also disney diehards. Never thought we would go anywhere else. Guess what? Next year and a half: three new cruise lines. So excited. We realized last christmas on a wonder cruise that the magic was wearing thin for us. The service was really lacking and things were starting to feel a bit like overpriced gimmicks. We started to feel like fools. So when we got home we cancelled two upcoming cruises booked with dcl and scheduled three more with other cruise lines. I won't tell you how much we are saving. It is shocking. And yet it's not the price but the value. Two of our children are still under 8. We will still keep an eye out on dcl, but I don't know if we will book again or when.

 

[cgolf]

Some of the people who are being "priced out" have a history of going for the higher-cost Disney options, then being disillusioned when the high-end becomes harder for them to afford. I saw one poster bitterly complain about being "priced out" of DCL a while back, but her posts a few years ago were all about cruising concierge. So what exactly was she priced out of? The cruise line itself, or an elite experience on the cruise line? I suspect it was the latter.

The same goes for DVC, which is very expensive to join, but many members clearly like the exclusive Disney-club feel it provides. That's fine, but you don't need any of that to enjoy WDW. Disney magic can still be had on a budget.

And some of us aren't in that place. Yes we did 2 concierge cruises, pre concierge price hike! Grand total for us 8 inside rooms, 2 verandah, and 2 concierge. We have done 12 cruises in 9 years, so we are looking to other lines to keep up that pace, I suppose once our DD graduates from college things may change some for us, but that is at least 3 years out. We are not Disney lovers by any stretch, DCL happened to be our first cruise line and we fell in love with the service.

I will say the value though for frequent cruisers just isn't there, because they really don't change much up, same old trivia and we still lose lol. All that said, Disney fans should do at least one or a few cruises, they are really cool. We don't hate the product, the value just isn't there right now for our family.

 

[niccikatie]

It's not really "I don't have the money" but a step back to realize what I'm doing here. When an 11 day cruise is nearly the same price as a new car, you have to really pause. We love Disney, but it is clear they are leaving the loyal fans behind in favor of a newer customer. The question is will they ever come back to earth or is it time to look elsewhere? They've raised prices everywhere and it is just hard to justify the expense just for the brand name.

Yep. We have an OBB out there, so we'll get our quote and make our final decision. We enjoyed our EBPC so.much. It was truly a trip of lifetime. Two weeks on the Wonder just spoiled us. But, DD will be in middle school next year and I think our taking her out of school days are over, sadly. We *could* swing it. But, I'm not sure that's how we want to spend our money.

I think it's stretching it to say "just for the brand name", when Disney cruises are so different, in style, quality and content, than other mass market cruises. You're also paying for the characters, the classic style of the ships, the service, and the family-friendly atmosphere.

I really don't think they are SO different anymore. They do have the edge in family friendly programming, but that's about as far as it goes, IMO. Celebrity offered almost everything Disney does (style, service, quality) except the family programming - plus they have drink packages, which I loved. I'm not sure that's worth the premium anymore.

 

[tinkerone]

It's not really "I don't have the money" but a step back to realize what I'm doing here. When an 11 day cruise is nearly the same price as a new car, you have to really pause. We love Disney, but it is clear they are leaving the loyal fans behind in favor of a newer customer. The question is will they ever come back to earth or is it time to look elsewhere? They've raised prices everywhere and it is just hard to justify the expense just for the brand name.

Ditto, this is us to a T.
I didn't bother calling today but I watched the threads and it amazes me what the prices were coming out at. We booked an Oasis cruise for this Nov. in place of our usual DCL sailing and went to an all inclusive in March in place of a cruise. I have also booked a b2b for October 2017 on the Oasis. I'm already assuming that it will be as good for us as DCL was. The cost of the b2b was a heck of a lot less than what I was seeing for 7 days with DCL.
Try something new, you may find you like it. Not saying I will never cruise DCL again, maybe when DH retires and we can pick up last minute deals, but we will not be back in the near future. The value, for us, is just not there.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I really don't think they are SO different anymore. They do have the edge in family friendly programming, but that's about as far as it goes, IMO. Celebrity offered almost everything Disney does (style, service, quality) except the family programming - plus they have drink packages, which I loved. I'm not sure that's worth the premium anymore.

Exactly. People like to imply the DCL service is so much better than other lines. That's not my experience. I've sailed Royal and NCL. Everyone I came in contact with was fantastic. We thought the service was great. I actually find service on DCL sometimes a bit much to the point of feeling like they're trying too hard. It can come off patronizing. I've also had really terrible service on DCL before. It's not consistently the end-all be-all.

Other cruise lines do some things better, actually. I thought food quality on NCL Getaway last September was a little better while the selection and sheer number of options was off the chain. I loved it!

Cruise lines all have their pros and cons. Disney does the family entertainment and brand saturation well. If you have little kids it's definitely a good fit. I've sailed adults-only on Disney and had a great time but that was because of the company, not necessarily the ship. Sailed adult-only on NCL and honestly had an even better time.

Our boys are both aged-out of Disney's youth programs. They've done the character meets and all the Disney things. We have those memories. There's just nothing Disney offers them that can trump the more adventurous offerings on other lines. My TA friend sent me the heads-up about the new itinerary release in time to send her requests for opening morning but I didn't give booking any thought whatsoever. First, not really interested. Second, I don't sail in the summer. Third, I knew the interesting itineraries would be beyond obscene in price.

It's okay to move on. Other lines offer fantastic experiences, too.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Ditto, this is us to a T.
I didn't bother calling today but I watched the threads and it amazes me what the prices were coming out at. We booked an Oasis cruise for this Nov. in place of our usual DCL sailing and went to an all inclusive in March in place of a cruise. I have also booked a b2b for October 2017 on the Oasis. I'm already assuming that it will be as good for us as DCL was. The cost of the b2b was a heck of a lot less than what I was seeing for 7 days with DCL.
Try something new, you may find you like it. Not saying I will never cruise DCL again, maybe when DH retires and we can pick up last minute deals, but we will not be back in the near future. The value, for us, is just not there.

Yep. We are sailing NCL Escape b2b next month. For what a verandah stateroom on a 7-night Fantasy at that same time would've cost we are sailing for 14 nights in a balcony room on a brand new ship. All our upcharge dining, adult beverage packages, soda packages, activities, and excursions for the entire 14 nights added to the cruise fare just about comes to what JUST the Fantasy cruise fare was for 7 nights. I'm not complaining one bit. I'll take my 2 weeks having my fella & our boys to myself over just 1. Yes, ma'am!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Ditto, this is us to a T.
I didn't bother calling today but I watched the threads and it amazes me what the prices were coming out at. We booked an Oasis cruise for this Nov. in place of our usual DCL sailing and went to an all inclusive in March in place of a cruise. I have also booked a b2b for October 2017 on the Oasis. I'm already assuming that it will be as good for us as DCL was. The cost of the b2b was a heck of a lot less than what I was seeing for 7 days with DCL.
Try something new, you may find you like it. Not saying I will never cruise DCL again, maybe when DH retires and we can pick up last minute deals, but we will not be back in the near future. The value, for us, is just not there.

Ps. I came here to see the opening day prices just for entertainment factor, too. its morbid curiosity. Ya just gotta look.

 

[jerry557]

The same goes for DVC, which is very expensive to join, but many members clearly like the exclusive Disney-club feel it provides. That's fine, but you don't need any of that to enjoy WDW. Disney magic can still be had on a budget.

The big difference about DVC though is (at least with DVC resorts) is the points required to stay at a resort never go up. So by joining in you have security from future price increases for accommodations.

Plus the price of a few long DCL cruises just about covers the cost to buy into DVC these days. That fact alone should signal that DCL probably overpriced.

 

[soniam]

We did a 7 night Western Caribbean out of Galveston on RCCL when DS was 4. Even with him getting sick for a day, it was still one of the best family vacations we ever had. He really enjoyed the kids club. We did DCL when he was 8, and we couldn't drag him away from the kids club. It's hard to argue the great prices on RCCL though. I don't know about 2 year olds though. Maybe sit out a year and wait for your youngest to turn 3 and then try RCCL.