Repositioning cruise question

[thinkoflaura]

We loved our 7 night Norway/fjord cruise so much we are considering booking the Norway/Iceland cruise next June. But my TA made a point to say it's a "repositioning" cruise. Is there any downside to a repo cruise? The only difference between this itinerary and the one in July is that it has a few different ports and has one more sea day (and one less port day).

It also isn't BLOCKED OUT for onboard booking discounts, so saving a $1000 seems like a no-brainer. But am I missing anything? Is the entertainment and activities on board the same as with a non-repo cruise?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We loved our 7 night Norway/fjord cruise so much we are considering booking the Norway/Iceland cruise next June. But my TA made a point to say it's a "repositioning" cruise. Is there any downside to a repo cruise? The only difference between this itinerary and the one in July is that it has a few different ports and has one more sea day (and one less port day).

It also isn't BLOCKED OUT for onboard booking discounts, so saving a $1000 seems like a no-brainer. But am I missing anything? Is the entertainment and activities on board the same as with a non-repo cruise?

Thanks!

Yes, the entertainment and activities will basically be the same. The difference is, typically, open-jaw airflights (necessary when flying to one city to catch the ship and flying back home from a different city after the cruise) cost more than a round trip (where you will fly into and out of the same city).

That being said, we love repo cruises - we've done 4, including our very first cruise.

 

[bumbershoot]

The difference is, typically, open-jaw airflights (necessary when flying to one city to catch the ship and flying back home from a different city after the cruise) cost more than a round trip (where you will fly into and out of the same city).

Last year, booking just a month before our flights, we found that booking "multi-city" got a GREAT deal for us. Into Heathrow and out of Shannon, got a screamin' deal. So don't do open jaw; do multi-city. Booking it separately or differently did NOT generate the terrific deal that "multi city" did.

Using United terminology because that's who we booked through. (and got Alaska, Air Canada, and Aer Lingus as well as United planes)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We loved our 7 night Norway/fjord cruise so much we are considering booking the Norway/Iceland cruise next June. But my TA made a point to say it's a "repositioning" cruise. Is there any downside to a repo cruise? The only difference between this itinerary and the one in July is that it has a few different ports and has one more sea day (and one less port day).

It also isn't BLOCKED OUT for onboard booking discounts, so saving a $1000 seems like a no-brainer. But am I missing anything? Is the entertainment and activities on board the same as with a non-repo cruise?

Thanks!

I am on that cruise and we have active groups, yes the only difference rather than a loop starting and ending the same place it cruises from port A and ends on port B both on this cruise Copenhagen and And Dover are easy to get open jaw flights to.

 

[Annabell]

Personally I have no problems with repositioning cruises but I think these cruises don't sell as good as the normal ones ?

If I look at this year's Magic repo cruise in the Med. The Dover to Barcelona repo cruise seems to have lots of availability as well as GT rates
available. Is it because this is a repo cruise ?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Personally I have no problems with repositioning cruises but I think these cruises don't sell as good as the normal ones ?

If I look at this year's Magic repo cruise in the Med. The Dover to Barcelona repo cruise seems to have lots of availability as well as GT rates
available. Is it because this is a repo cruise ?

The theory is they do not sell as well and that's why they are cheaper, however a lot of people like long cruises and know they are value for money so actually they sell very well.

You get extra entertainment, extra guest artists, and see more places.

The Dover to Barcelona hasn't normally sold well its a short run 7 nights and two are over the rough bay of biscay, it normally has availability when it has run in the past.

I think its a mixture cruise, people either like a sun cruise in the heat or they like a sightseeing cruise/nature/

The Med and Caribbean are sun cruises with a bit of sightseeing.
Alaska is nature and relaxing.
Baltic is sightseeing and Norway is sightseeing.


The Dover to Barcelona one is a bit confusing its 50/50 and I think people find the airfare or arrangements confusing.

 

[Ofinn]

Personally I have no problems with repositioning cruises but I think these cruises don't sell as good as the normal ones ?

If I look at this year's Magic repo cruise in the Med. The Dover to Barcelona repo cruise seems to have lots of availability as well as GT rates
available. Is it because this is a repo cruise ?

They usually end up being discounted, but Copenhagen and Dover are so close together I'm not sure if that will make a difference. The price on the Iceland/Norway cruise hasn't risen since opening day. They priced the European cruises so high on opening day they may have trouble selling them out anyway.

 

[Annabell]

The theory is they do not sell as well and that's why they are cheaper, however a lot of people like long cruises and know they are value for money so actually they sell very well.

You get extra entertainment, extra guest artists, and see more places.

The Dover to Barcelona hasn't normally sold well its a short run 7 nights and two are over the rough bay of biscay, it normally has availability when it has run in the past.

I think its a mixture cruise, people either like a sun cruise in the heat or they like a sightseeing cruise/nature/

The Med and Caribbean are sun cruises with a bit of sightseeing.
Alaska is nature and relaxing.
Baltic is sightseeing and Norway is sightseeing.


The Dover to Barcelona one is a bit confusing its 50/50 and I think people find the airfare or arrangements confusing.

That makes sense ! Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Annabell]

They usually end up being discounted

I remember seeing people booking a bargain rate (lastminute) on the Dover cruise few years ago, (maybe in 2010)

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I remember seeing people booking a bargain rate (lastminute) on the Dover cruise few years ago, (maybe in 2010)

It was 2010 yes.

 

[mmouse37]

The EBTA which was a repositioning cruise was full (repositioned from Florida to Europe). No upgrades were available at the terminal. It was mainly adults on that cruise. I think they said there were only 249 kids ages 6 mos to 17 years onboard. I loved it. We booked one way on United to Florida and one way on Norwegian Airlines home from Copenhagen (very nice airline!!).

I have also found that booking mulit-city can yield great rates. I don't think I have booked an open jaw but I do multi city often when I fly into one place and out of another. I just booked one ways for the EBTA though as it was different airlines.

MJ

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

The EBTA which was a repositioning cruise was full (repositioned from Florida to Europe). No upgrades were available at the terminal. It was mainly adults on that cruise. I think they said there were only 249 kids ages 6 mos to 17 years onboard. I loved it. We booked one way on United to Florida and one way on Norwegian Airlines home from Copenhagen (very nice airline!!).

I have also found that booking mulit-city can yield great rates. I don't think I have booked an open jaw but I do multi city often when I fly into one place and out of another. I just booked one ways for the EBTA though as it was different airlines.

MJ

Often if you can, open jaw is far cheaper.

Our two LA>>Port Canaveral Panama cruises, we flew into Las Vegas on one and LA on another and out of Orlando and the price was just 5% more than a single one way ticket.

 

[Ofinn]

I remember seeing people booking a bargain rate (lastminute) on the Dover cruise few years ago, (maybe in 2010)

I would like to do that cruise, but they have it priced so high next year. If they offer a discount next year..... then maybe. I'm easy though I'll pretty much do any cruise if they discount it enough. Most of our cruises weren't planned they just kind of happened.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I would like to do that cruise, but they have it priced so high next year. If they offer a discount next year..... then maybe. I'm easy though I'll pretty much do any cruise if they discount it enough. Most of our cruises weren't planned they just kind of happened.

I think it will go to discount...

 

[Mamato3mice]

Which repositioning cruises usually go to discount? WE are trying to play based on the school schedule and would love to play one of the repositioning cruises based on when they hit with the fall conference schedule or the spring conference schedule.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Which repositioning cruises usually go to discount? WE are trying to play based on the school schedule and would love to play one of the repositioning cruises based on when they hit with the fall conference schedule or the spring conference schedule.

We were talking the Dover to Barcelona run in July

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I looked at that cruise, would love to do it, but too expensive IMHO. Almost $250 pp/pn for a family of 4 sharing an OV room!

I love the longer repositioning cruises, airfare can be a little more, but usually the price of the cruise is less to compensate.

 

[SleepyV]

The 2010 Dover to Barcelona cruise was discounted and full. It was the first cruise in British school holiday time and many of the cruise staff including officers commented on how Disney had missed a trick with the Baltics being out of that period. One flight only too ( for the British) and doable on low cost airlines. Also Disney had marketed the cruises in a couple of national newspapers and the Radio Times. Yes it was limited marketing but it did the trick.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

'The Sun' has been covering DCL cruises in Europe a lot on saturday travel sections.

 

[kiford]

A lot of people do not like repositioning cruises because they tend to have fewer ports and many more days at sea. We have not done one (yet) but we like sea days. It all depends on whether you want to experience the ship or the ports. Sometimes we cruise for the ports and sometimes for the ship or sometimes for a bit of both. My problem with these cruises is just that the time of year tends not to be good for us at this point.