summer 2005 dates

Originally posted by Grumbo
I'm surprised that they're able to keep this such a secret though. IF they were going to the West coast you'd think there would be rumblings from the ports of calls they'd be hitting as I'm sure arrangements for docking etc would have to be made before the announcement.

Cheers,
Grumbo

Hmmm...maybe they have the policy of, "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." -- with threats of burying you under Cinderella's Castle or something.
 
hmmm...it must be something big for dcl to be so secretive...

-Just wanted to post to make sure I get updates!
 
I truly believe that Disney wouldn't announce the DL 50th plans so close to announcing different Caribbean destinations for Magic. It would take the thunder out of both announcements. I also think if the ship is going to CA, you wouldn't announce that at any time OTHER than when the announcement for DL 50th. Now that it's April and the announcement is supposed to happen May 5, I'm willing to bet that Magic will go to CA next summer. Otherwise, the announcement won't happen until June or later, IMO.

I'll be at DL for the announcement and if the cruise announcement happens then, I'll be sure to report it to all.
 
One scenario that has not been mentioned is a cruise from Fl to Ca and then turn around and come back to Fl, both cruises going through the panama canal.

Not sure if they can make it one-way in 7-10 days, I assume they could. But by doing that the Fl to Ca would stop at Castaway Cay on the first day and coming back from Ca to Fl it could stop for the last day. That way CC still gets used and they only have to dock a few times in CA, and worry about buses and such.

That would also make a 14-20 day round trip cruise possible if you booked back to back cruises.

Just a thought.
 

Originally posted by tap & dap
One scenario that has not been mentioned is a cruise from Fl to Ca and then turn around and come back to Fl, both cruises going through the panama canal.

Actually, a CA via Panama Canal cruise is the biggest rumor here....have you read this thread from the beginning?
 
tap 7 dap,

Were you talking about regular "turn-around" Canaveral to LA cruises via the Panama canal?

Many of the posters on this thread have talked about a repositioning cruise to California, then 3, 4, or 7 day cruises from CA for three months, then a repositioning cruise back to Canaveral.

I don't think regular turn-around canal cruises would work June - August, because it is very hot and humid in the canal region at that time. While there is plenty of interest for two repositioning cruises, I don't think there would be enough to support 13 or 14 weeks of it. Also, IF the ship repositions for the summer to the west coast, I would think they would want to have lots of 3 and 4 day cruises to create demand for future west coast cruises with a new ship.

Hopefully we'll all know in ~5 weeks.
 
I find it very interesting all of the possibilities being discussed, how could DCL keep it secret if it was going to California, surley someone at the ports would know by now if an annoucement was due next month?

They would have had to contact ports along the route and Panama cannal and start advising staff.

Reading the comments I think we will see 'varied' carribean cruises east and west, some 10 day ones, but it is possible as someone has writen there may be a there and back from Port Canveral to LA and straight back for the start of the 50th.

That cruise would book quickly and not be any risk.
Plus that option would reduce any effect on their DCL support staff.

I went on a PRINCESS CRUISE from Fort Lauderdale to LA some years back it was good, went through Jamacia, Columbia, Panama and up the Pacific past Acapolco and Cabo St lucus,

It took about 20 days, but the difference in the seas from the nice Carribean to the rough Pacific was very noticable.

Still hope they make an annoucement sooner rather than later.

But I mentioned before I have noticed all of the special changes have been annouced in May before at a WDW press meeting.
 
Originally posted by Andrew DEREK UK
the difference in the seas from the nice Carribean to the rough Pacific was very noticable.


Now that might make me change my mind about wanting to go that way! They won't have enough bonine or sea bands to keep me from being sick!!!!!

Rae
 
Yes we traveled in MAY and so it is the same type of seas the Magic would encounter if it had a cruise to Disneyland. From the back of the ship it was very noticable even with stabalisers on.

The carribean was nice and warm and glassy like and when he hit the Pacific we were 'inside' most of the time.

I still feel they have so much left to explore in the Carribean and they want to bring back loyal cruisers with fresh ideas.

Carnival and RCCL have adjusted their cruises in the carribean and new ports have opened up, this would be easy for DCL to alter the trip or add on a few days and have 10 day cruises, they also could keep that quite.

If they were going up the West cost surley someone would 'let the secret out by now'.
 
Rae519 said.......
They won't have enough bonine or sea bands to keep me from being sick!!!!!

Geez thanks Rae... Another Kodak moment :)

Cheers,
Grumbo
 
Originally posted by Andrew DEREK UK
If they were going up the West cost surley someone would 'let the secret out by now'.

Couldn't the same be said for any new Eastern ports? These would need to be negotiated far in advance as well.
10 day Carribean, Panama Canal & West Coast potential pricing all give me the willies.
As an investor, I would hate to see them mess with a formula that works and fills the ship at it's busiest time of the year. I know the timing is wrong but it would make more fiscal sense to move her during the slower season - hurts me because that's when I cruise but it really makes more sense for the company if they want to "test the waters".
 
You might be right, I just thought there would be fewer new ports on an East or West carribean route than a 10/11 day trip up to LA.

Plus Moving the ''base'', even temporarly to LA from PC would involve a lot of organisation and support.

Therefore it would be harder to keep a secret thank adjusting a few ports in the Carribean.

I still think as its Disneylands 50th and at the start of this the Magic currently dissapears, everyone is putting 2&2 together and connecting them both. They might well be right.

But we have seen the Carribean trips slowly evolve, Bahamas only on the Magic, then the Wonder on the Bahamas route and Magic on Eastern carribean, then alternating with Western, then this year, a few 'new' trips based on the same theme, and one 10 day christmas one.

Disneyland is a big jump up, its possible, but also development in the carribean has at least a 50% chance.

A DCL offical said rencently PC remains our year round port.
 
Spoke with DCL yesterday while booking an 2005 cruise for October. I asked about the summer dates and got the standard replies, but asked a few more questions and got some 'pure speculution and rumors' and some facts.

My guess only ???????

May 14 is when the last scheduled crusie get back into Florida.

September 3 (Labor Day Weekend) is the first fall cruise back out of Florida.

DCL would have to make arrangements to share a cruise port in
the Disney area with another line, and use the port on days that are not already taken.

It probably takes 10 days for a reposition cruise, so:

If my quess is, a repositioning cruise on May 14-24, then 3 and 4 day cruises thru the summer.

DCL could generate more revenue and expose more people to DCL doing 3 and 4's than all 7 day cruises.

They could also sell the cruise as part of a Disneyworld land/sea package so that the check in / KTTW card / baggage / DCL bus systems could be used just like at WDW. That would eliminate alot of problems at the port.

Can you imagine a convoy of art deco DCL busses going cross country.

All of this would end with a repositioning cruise back to Flordida around August 24th to be back at PC for the Sept 3rd sailing that is already sold.

Just a guess, your mileage may vary.
 
You may well be right the schdule would work and a test for say a possible 3rd ship.

Looking at the 'past post' of a newspaper article last February, the options are open,

I have tried to cut it a bit to bring out the important points;-


Quoted on February 27th 2004 in Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer Laurin Sellers, wrote Travelers hoping to book a cruise on the Disney Magic next summer will have to hold off awhile,until it's determined just where the ship will be sailing.

Disney officials said late February that they are considering changing the Magic's itinerary for the summer of 2005, which could include;-
1/ Different ports of call,
2/ Shorter or longer cruises
3/ Another homeport during the three-month period.

Mark Jaronski, spokesman for the Disney Cruise Line. Said "We're 6 years old now and have a lot of repeat guests, The new itineraries give those guests an incentive to come back."

"We're looking at all our options, But leaving Port Canaveral permanently, that's not an option."
"We've invested a lot of money in Port Canaveral," he said. "As far into the future as we can see, Port Canaveral will be our year-round port."

Questions about the Magic's future surfaced when travel agents tried to reserve group space on the ship next summer and were told space was not available due to itinerary changes. However, the agents were told space was available for next spring and fall.

An item about the changes in Cruise Week, an industry publication, prompted speculation that the Magic might be relocating to Southern California to tie in with the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in Anaheim.

But if it does sail from the West Coast, it won't be for long, Jaronski said.

Port officials said Thursday they would hate to see the Magic go, even for three months.

"You never like to lose income," spokeswoman Dixie Sansom said. "But if that should come about, we would know in advance in preparing next year's budget and would take it into consideration."

Sansom said it's not uncommon for cruise lines to check out other ports for future expansion.

Ships also can be out of commission up to a month for dry-docking, she added.

A few changes already have been made in the Magic's itinerary for this summer, Jaronski said.
 
The more investigation into a Trans Panama Canal trip, the more I am leaning ito sticking with the cruise I have already booked.

The airfare to California, and then again from MCO by way of one way fares, as opposed to round trip fares is going to be substantial for me. Driving is obviously out of the question.
Reading the Panama Canal board on Cruise Critic was interesting and it seems there is really NO stopping, but just a cruise through the canal (which in itself would be great but I'd hoped for a day or so in Panama), the shore excursions are pretty much a minimum of $100 U.S. per person for most things anyway.
I looked at a Trans Panama from San Diego to Ft Lauderdale and it was going to cost me around $7700 Canadian in March (Veranda room) which is my preferred time anyway, and August would be more.
Disney is historically more expensive than Princess or Royal Caribbean so that said God only knows how much more.

Sooooooooooooooooo... Its not a fait accompli as I'll "Never say never" but I think Andy and Rae I'll pobably end up reading your trip report on a repositioning cruise if it happens and I'll take my March cruise, and we'll do our secondary summer plan. I honestly see a 10 -12 day repositioning cruise for a Cat 7 being around $8500 + U.S. for the three of us (then there are tips, shore excursions, bingo, spas etc ) and as hard as I try I only seem to be able to pick 2 of the 7 winning lottery ticket nuimbers at a time :)

Cheers,
Grumbo
 
If the price is like it is for the 10 day 2004 Christmas cruise, I won't be going either!!!
 
Interesting comments gentlemen,

I went through Panama on a 20 day Princess cruise, on our interiery there wasnt any 'stop' in the Panama area schduled, however they decided to fuel up at the port near Panama city, unannouced and we were there from 5pm to about Midnight.

Some of the cruisers hired taxis to the city, one said he was from Panama USA and couldnt resit it. ( Apart from a port market there wasnt anything else there apart from another cruise I think RCCL)

The trip itself is interesting princess put on a Panama cannal guide and during the day he talked to us on deck about what we were passing and the tug /trains pulling us up the locks, going accross the continentail devide, and the intercontentia Freeway.

The views were very good, however, after a time became 'very slow'.

I belive the cost will be high, and from the UK due to the late annoucement it will not be in our usual Brouchures (some come out this month), and I would have to book 'open jaw flights' to LA and back from MCO, and book through a USA Travel agency.

I still think its a big risk for DCL to take on, they need steady cash at this time and they would be 'gauranteed' income from repeat cruisers if they amend the Eastern/Western Carribean trips, the same as Carnival and RCCL have, and the likly set up costs would be far lower than moving all of the DCL support to LA.

Surely Disneyland would do well by itself on its 50th and they want to keep custom at WDW in Florida during this.

My Economics says it will remain in the Carribean, and I hope so because I would like to book DCL Magic next summer, Its already going to be difficult as the UK Companies will not list DCL after April next year because 'they do not know' so I have to book in dollars and a flydrive as well to get there and back.

Lastly remmber the Pacific is a lot move active than the carribean, from the back of the princess ship the horizion was moving conisderably and it was COLD! (In May) and I remmeber lots of rain.
 
Just for people in the UK, There is a programme on BBC3 Monday 5th April at 9pm, about Disneys millions under the title Outragous Fortunes, not a travel programme more about the background boardroom battles with CEO. Might be inteeresting.
 
Andrew, this year is our 8th trip to the states and we have never yet booked through the brochures. We find we have more flexibility and save money by booking flights, accommodation, DCL, park tickets etc independently.
 

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