Starting to plan for end of year land/cruise. What is good price andother questions?

[Mom+4]

I am starting to plan/dream an end of the year land and cruise vacation. I'm looking at 12/26/04 4 day night and 3 day cruise packages. There will be 5 of us me, DH, DS (15), DS (8) and DD (6). We may have to add DS (20) if he doesn't study abroad next year.

1. I just talked to AAA and got a quote of $8,178 including air fare from St. Louis, all ground transfers and trip insurance for two Cat 10 staterooms. I was also told it would include shipboard credit of $100 per stateroom. Does this seem like a good price? I don't know how to compare since the Disney website won't let me put in 5 people, except in a Cat 4 room. I've requested a quote from Dreams Unlimited to compare that.

2. What could I use my shipboard credit on? We're not the spa type. Can it be used on shore excursions? What kind of excursions are there?

3. Can a specific stateroom be requested? Can adjoining rooms be requested? If you have to have 2 rooms on the ship, do you get 2 rooms at the resort?

Sorry about so many questions. I'm really clueless about cruising.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

. I just talked to AAA and got a quote of $8,178 including air fare from St. Louis, all ground transfers and trip insurance for two Cat 10 staterooms

If you are booking 2 cat. 10's and have 5 people why do you want to know why you can't put 5 people in one room??? LOL
If you book two rooms the first two must be "adult fares". One person in each room MUST be at least 18 years old. If your eldest doesnt go you MUST book you in one room and your hubby in the other, then you can split the kids up either way. We booked a verandah for myself and DW and and inside stateroon for DD's and 2 friends.

 

[sherr]

Our trip is getting closer. We are also doing the 4 day land and 3 day sea. We are also a family of 5.
Our travel agent gave us 2 scenerios. Either cat.4 family suite or 2 connecting rooms. Also, had to choose a deluxe resort at WDW. We chose Polynesian.
We are driving ourselves to save money and our total paid was $4,859. No air fare mind you and no room credit but your quote still seems a lot higher. Maybe rates have gone up for 04?
Anyway, hope this helps.

sherr from chilly Illinois

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

1.) Comparing with DU is a good idea. I looked on allseastravel and for the land/cruise portion only (not including airfare, transfers or insurance) the cost for those 2 cat 10 rooms at that date is showing $7060. Sounds pretty reasonable to me considering you are paying a little over thousand more for airfare for 5, ground transfers & insurance. You may want to ask if you can drop the ground transfers though- with 5 people you are paying $69 per person. You can get a limo through FLTours (a sponsor of this board) for all 3 legs for around $350 plus tip. So you'd pay about the same amount but get to go resort/port/airport by limo instead of DCL buses.

2.) Shipboard credit I believe is for anything you charge on the ship. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong? And in that case- it means all charges... that would be all drinks (sodas, smoothies, alcoholic beverages), any games the kids play (token cards cost), souveniers purchased using your room key? Things like that- it's not only the spa. But yes, I think excursions paid for on your room key would also come from shipboard credit too.

3.) Usually specific staterooms can be requested unless you get gty status which means you can't get specific room but will be guaranteed either that cat or better. You can request rooms near one another or connecting -if they are still available. I would assume if you are paying for 2 rooms for the cruise (which btw means you are paying 2 adult fares per room regardless of the guests ages) that you would get two rooms for the land portion also. In fact I know you HAVE to... because at 2 cat 10 rooms the land portion doesn't have you in a deluxe resort- and anything but deluxe wouldn't be enough room for 5 people unless you got a trundle bed room at POR (moderate).