Reserving DCL Soon - General Questions

[BigredNole]

I have been reading, lurking, and getting as much information as I can. I will continue to research this as time goes as well.

We (me 45, DW 41, DD10) wanted to take a 7-night cruise. However, the times we can do it the prices are too high. If a few things fall into place, luck comes into play, there is a slim chance we could still squeak out a 7-night cruise. We are going to "settle" for the 5-night Bahama cruise with 2 stops at Castaway Cay. It is a better compromise when a 7-night cruise is out of our current budget.

Now to the questions...

1. We have a Disney Visa card and plan to use the Reward points for the deposit. We will get a new card with the Reward points. If we do cancel, the refund goes back to the Reward card, correct?

2. We are looking at June 2017 for the cruise. Is there a general time GTY rates may be out?

3. Which area of the Dream is best...Aft/Mid/Forward, Deck?

4. With what is available right now, we are looking at a Deluxe Family Oceanview stateroom. It is only a $30 a day difference. Is a large porthole better or two smaller ones (I think I want the large porthole)?

 

[Quellman]

2. GTY rates are never a guarantee, and are a product of availability of the room and how the ship is selling. For example, on a cruise I have booked for May next year, there is a GTY rate for the 5e category. This is because the category fills up quickly and they need to figure out lifeboat situations as to cramming people in the other rooms.

Now- if you are looking for *GT rates, which is you pay for any Inside (IGT) category, any Oceanview (OGT), or any Verandah (VGT) categories, and they will assign you a room, then those rates do not usually show up until sometime AFTER the paid in full date is due. And sometimes, the price isn't much better than it would be to book it now. However, we have sailed VGT and got what we thought was a good deal. But to to be fair, we ended up in a 4a midhsip, so it was about the best they had besides concierge.

3. Area of the ship is determined what you think you will spend more time doing. People generally choose midship due to motion and its central location to all activities. Rear of the ship will be close to the night time adult areas, and 4 restaurants (Cabanas, Animators, Palo, Remy) . Mid will be close to kids clubs, guest services and 2 restaurants (enchanted Garden, Royal Court, quick service locations on pool deck). Forward will be close to the movie theater, the stage show theater, and some of the older kids clubs, the spa, and adults only pool area. If traveling with a window or balcony, I recommend a room on the starboard side if you can get it. It should afford you some great views of Castaway Cay if the ship pulls in like it normally does, which is back end first. There is a cost difference of course to room location, front and back will be cheaper than mid, my preference would be closer to the rear for proximity to food, and running up stairs to refill soda.

4. The large port hole usually allows you to sit in the window and gives you a lot more light. if you have any claustrophobia then try for the larger window. It also makes it easier to look out.

 

[Sytrace]

I have been reading, lurking, and getting as much information as I can. I will continue to research this as time goes as well.

We (me 45, DW 41, DD10) wanted to take a 7-night cruise. However, the times we can do it the prices are too high. If a few things fall into place, luck comes into play, there is a slim chance we could still squeak out a 7-night cruise. We are going to "settle" for the 5-night Bahama cruise with 2 stops at Castaway Cay. It is a better compromise when a 7-night cruise is out of our current budget.

Now to the questions...

1. We have a Disney Visa card and plan to use the Reward points for the deposit. We will get a new card with the Reward points. If we do cancel, the refund goes back to the Reward card, correct?
Yes.

2. We are looking at June 2017 for the cruise. Is there a general time GTY rates may be out? I don't have a clear cut answer for this one as it varies on a number of factors. You would just want to keep your eyes open for it. Or have your TA look for it if you have one.

3. Which area of the Dream is best...Aft/Mid/Forward, Deck? We prefer Mid and forward and always Starboard for the amazing views on the verandah. My two are teens and one goes to Vibe on forward Deck 5 and the other to Edge on Mid Deck 13. We like the ice cream station too which is really close to our forward cabin,. We did not care for Aft because we found it sooty and loud. And though I love bacon, I don't want to smell it everyday from Cabanas.

4. With what is available right now, we are looking at a Deluxe Family Oceanview stateroom. It is only a $30 a day difference. Is a large porthole better or two smaller ones (I think I want the large porthole)?
I would go for the larger porthole if I were booking that type of cabin.

 

[KristiMc]

GTY is not a discounted rate - what you want to look for is IGT,OGT and VGT if you are looking for a discount. Like the above poster noted, these do not come out (if they are offered at all) until after the PIF date which is 75 days out for most cruises.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

4. With what is available right now, we are looking at a Deluxe Family Oceanview stateroom. It is only a $30 a day difference. Is a large porthole better or two smaller ones (I think I want the large porthole)?

I believe, unlike the classic ships, the two porthole rooms have larger portholes.

This is the two porthole room on the classic ships (9D):


And a two porthole room on the Dream (8A):

 

[scgustafson]

I believe, unlike the classic ships, the two porthole rooms have larger portholes.

This is the two porthole room on the classic ships (9D):
View attachment 180010

And a two porthole room on the Dream (8A):
View attachment 180011

PrincessSchmoo, are you sure that is a standard 8A on the big ships? It looks more like a handicap accessible room.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

PrincessSchmoo, are you sure that is a standard 8A on the big ships? It looks more like a handicap accessible room.

I don't know for sure. I just know it's an 8A on deck 6. Pretty sure it's a regular room, as there is a step up into the bathroom:

 

[Hundredacre]

I have been reading, lurking, and getting as much information as I can. I will continue to research this as time goes as well.

We (me 45, DW 41, DD10) wanted to take a 7-night cruise. However, the times we can do it the prices are too high. If a few things fall into place, luck comes into play, there is a slim chance we could still squeak out a 7-night cruise. We are going to "settle" for the 5-night Bahama cruise with 2 stops at Castaway Cay. It is a better compromise when a 7-night cruise is out of our current budget.

Now to the questions...

1. We have a Disney Visa card and plan to use the Reward points for the deposit. We will get a new card with the Reward points. If we do cancel, the refund goes back to the Reward card, correct?

2. We are looking at June 2017 for the cruise. Is there a general time GTY rates may be out?

3. Which area of the Dream is best...Aft/Mid/Forward, Deck?

4. With what is available right now, we are looking at a Deluxe Family Oceanview stateroom. It is only a $30 a day difference. Is a large porthole better or two smaller ones (I think I want the large porthole)?

If possible use your disney visa for the deposit and payment so you can claim the $50 on board credit for drinks. It is nice to have. You could use your rewards cards for payment of gratuities ON the ship. Do not do this before you are on the cruise or you will not be able to get the $50 on board credit.

 

[lanejudy]

8A looks to be a pretty big stateroom on the newer ships due to it's "sideways" or square-shaped footprint instead of the standard long-narrow room; I don't know the square footage. It's quite popular and there are relatively few. I don't know that the Dream class ships have the 2 porthole rooms on deck 2 like the classic ships have, but that would be a category 9B not an 8A.

OP -- I like the larger window-seat windows, but I believe the lower decks of the Dream-class ships don't have window seats though it is a larger window than the 2 small portholes shown above. Consider how much time you will actually spend in the stateroom. The window size may not make much difference in the long run.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Hundredacre]

I find there are never guarantee rates for the summer months that are better than just booking early.
Even military etc rates in the summer months-- I have found- are no better than booking early.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

8A looks to be a pretty big stateroom on the newer ships due to it's "sideways" or square-shaped footprint instead of the standard long-narrow room; I don't know the square footage. It's quite popular and there are relatively few. I don't know that the Dream class ships have the 2 porthole rooms on deck 2 like the classic ships have, but that would be a category 9B not an 8A.

OP -- I like the larger window-seat windows, but I believe the lower decks of the Dream-class ships don't have window seats though it is a larger window than the 2 small portholes shown above. Consider how much time you will actually spend in the stateroom. The window size may not make much difference in the long run.

Enjoy your cruise!

As far as I know the Dream class ships don't have the smaller portholes in any room (like the 9Ds on the Magic class).

 

[Hundredacre]

You will love the two days in castaway cay. And then you will get an on board booking discount of 10% off for your next cruise which should help to afford the 7 night for the following year (good for bookings within 24 months).

 

[Hundredacre]

I personally would go with the cheaper room, but that's just me. I think $30/night- that's $150 of spending money. If it is your first cruise you will probably barely be in the room.

 

[Hundredacre]

Yes refund goes back on reward card. It gets complicated if you have one with an expiration date. Our last one did but our current one doesn't.

 

[Flossbolna]

The 8A on the Dream all have no divider curtain and no split bathrooms. In my opinion those are serious drawbacks for a family travelling. But yes, they seem to be considerably more spacious in there layout.

 

[TestingH2O]

Also remember that the 8A on deck 5 has the "mini-suite" layout while on deck 6, they are the large squares as shown above.

Here is a trip report on one.

 

[Billinaz]

Use Costco as the travel agent. You get a sizable cash card (more than any OBC you might ever find).

 

[BigredNole]

Thank you. We had planned on using our Disney Rewards for the down payment. It would cover the 20%. However, we are not in a position again to book unfortunately. We are going to have to wait about 6 months. We have to wait for a dragging accident suit to get closer to finalization.

 

[Billinaz]

Thank you. We had planned on using our Disney Rewards for the down payment. It would cover the 20%. However, we are not in a position again to book unfortunately. We are going to have to wait about 6 months. We have to wait for a dragging accident suit to get closer to finalization.

The deposit is pretty small, not 20% of the cruise cost.

 

[KristiMc]

The deposit is pretty small, not 20% of the cruise cost.

If you book a cruise less than 7 days onboard the deposit is 20%.