The MAGIC is Back!!! - 6th Sept 2014 WBTA - Come & join the fun! - PART 2

[GatorMomInNC]

I have been a Disney fan for MANY years. Growing up in South Florida, we had lots of visits to DisneyWorld and all the other parks. It was GREAT to be that close by. And, we have cruised other lines, but this WBTA on the Magic will be my very first Disney Cruise. What do I need to know? What should I expect?

Looking forward to meeting many of you onboard!

A great, relaxing cruise. Lots of character interactions. Great service. Lots of smiles!

 

[NJA]

We finished paying off the cruise.

 

[ludari]

We finished paying off the cruise.

Congrats. The hardest part is having to wait five months until our cruise.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Well, my DH has decided he wants to spend a few days with us in San Juan so he is going to surprise the kids and meet us when we get to port. I'll need to push our flight home out a couple days but that is the great thing about flying Southwest -- no change fees!

 

[DavidADuck]

So yesterday I upgraded our cabin class from '9A' (Deluxe Ocean View) to '5A' (Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Verandah) and it got me thinking about passing on some good advice regarding Frequent Flyer Miles. I will caveat the below by saying this experience could be applied to any airline, not just United Airlines

Call this a 'lessons learned' as a means of informing others on what i think is a great way to offset the significant expense of airline tickets in conjunction with a cruise.

By booking with United Airlines Cruises (and no, I am not a paid agent of theirs in any way), I will earn roughly 32,000 Mileage Plus Points booking/paying for our WBTA cruise.

$1 per x 4 Mileage Plus Points for being a Mileage Plus Member (and booking a Veranda)
$1 per x 4 Mileage Plus Points for using Mileage Plus Visa Card (and booking a Veranda)

The implication here is huge from an airline cost standpoint

Case in point (here is just but one example)

1. Sign up for a UAL Visa Card/Become a Mileage Plus Member

Earn 30K Mileage Plus Points

2. Book/Buy tickets with UAL Cruises, pay with UAL Visa

Earn 32K Mileage Plus Points

3. Spend $3000 on Disney Magic during cruise (shore excursions, on ship purchases)

Earn 24K Mileage Plus Points

Grand Total Points generated: 86,000 Mileage Plus Miles

Airline Charges

Two Saver 1 Way Awards from North America to Europe: 60,000 Mileage Plus Points

Two Saver 1 Way Awards Domestic: 25,000 Mileage Plus Points

Total Mileage Plus points (Economy) for two to get from North America to Europe/back from Puerto Rico to Mainland USA: 85,000 Mileage Plus Points

Taxes (estimate around $125)

Summary - By simply booking with an airline cruise agency and using an associated airline credit card on charges one would make anyhow, you could generated enough frequent flyer points to get from NA to Europe and back home from Puerto Rico. Total cost for airfare would be less than what most folks would have to pay extra for baggage charges!!

In our case - here is what I spent, and what I will earn in Frequent Flyer Miles.

Spent

2 x One Way First Class Domestic (Business Class International) tickets from Los Angeles to Rome, Italy.

2 x One Way Business Class from Rome to Zurich and then to Barcelona.

Total Points: 140,000 Mileage Plus Miles

Roughly $200 in taxes.

What I expect to generate from this trip:

32K from Cruise Purchase

24K from on board Purchases

10K from various shopping trips in Rome/Zurich

10K from travel one way back from Puerto Rico to LA

Total Earnings: 76,000 Mileage Plus Miles

So, basically I earn back almost half the points I spent flying the DW and I First/Business Class to make the cruise. Bargain in my book!

Hope this helps folks think about future travel and ways to make it cheaper.

 

[woody73]

. . . Total Earnings: 76,000 Mileage Plus Miles

So, basically I earn back almost half the points I spent flying the DW and I First/Business Class to make the cruise. Bargain in my book!

Wow! Very impressive.

Woody

 

[MandyGirl]

Wow! Very impressive.

Woody

Ditto!! Hubby's mother decided this evening to join us, so I have been figuring out how to add her the most cost efficient way. (No, not putting the 5 of us in a cabin, but may book one of our children in her cabin and let her pay the price difference). She is also joining us on our NCL cruise, and we purchased airfare this evening to Copenhagen for her at a decent price and decent connection we felt comfortable with her flying by herself. But I'm on the constant search to get her overall costs down here and there.

 

[woody73]

. . . Hubby's mother decided this evening to join us, so I have been figuring out how to add her the most cost efficient way.

. . . She is also joining us on our NCL cruise, and we purchased airfare this evening to Copenhagen for her at a decent price

. . . But I'm on the constant search to get her overall costs down here and there.

I keep telling myself that I should just book whatever you have booked, and save countless hours of research.

I'm glad your plans are coming together, and that you will have DMIL along to watch the kids. Hopefully you and DH will enjoy some specialty restaurants.

Woody

 

[MandyGirl]

I keep telling myself that I should just book whatever you have booked, and save countless hours of research.

I'm glad your plans are coming together, and that you will have DMIL along to watch the kids. Hopefully you and DH will enjoy some specialty restaurants.

Woody

... And I keep telling myself, "Man, I sure hope Woody surprises us and is on this NCL cruise!!!" Who am I supposed to collaborate with for any last-minute port changes for union strikes? (Which I am watching the Russia Ukraine thing... which won't stop us from going anyway even if St Petersburg is cancelled). We did book flights today for Edinburgh to London, spend time there, then also have London to Copenhagen booked early morning, which is where we meet DMIL. Now to grab Vueling from CPH - BCN nonstop. Our oldest has a birthday the day we disembark in Copenhagen but we will just have to celebrate in Barcelona.

I really did want to apply the Woody Packing System and go all carryon, but just knew that wouldn't fly. Man, these checked bag fees hurt!

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Has anyone asked the designers on the DIS magnet threads and/or the Facebook design groups to do magnet designs for our cruise yet? If so could you please share links? I would love to start planning our door. Also I know we voted on the one official design on the 1st page but where are the other designs if we want to use them for other magnets or items?

 

[woody73]

And I keep telling myself, "Man, I sure hope Woody surprises us and is on this NCL cruise!!!" Who am I supposed to collaborate with for any last-minute port changes for union strikes?

Oh, how I would love to join you and once again be part of the A-Team. I'm sure you will do just fine, especially equipped with a copy of Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports.

. . . I really did want to apply the Woody Packing System and go all carryon . . .

Traveling with only carry-on luggage is really not that difficult, especially on DCL which has laundromats.

Woody

 

[SpikenLex]

Traveling with only carry-on luggage is really not that difficult, especially on DCL which has laundromats.

Woody

Packing is my major downfall. Do you bring pirate wear / formal wear? I could do our everyday clothes in carry on, but have no idea how I would fit all of the "extras".

 

[MandyGirl]

Hubby and I could do it... It's the kiddos who think they need all the different princess dresses and pirate outfits hehe.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

... And I keep telling myself, "Man, I sure hope Woody surprises us and is on this NCL cruise!!!" Who am I supposed to collaborate with for any last-minute port changes for union strikes? (Which I am watching the Russia Ukraine thing... which won't stop us from going anyway even if St Petersburg is cancelled). We did book flights today for Edinburgh to London, spend time there, then also have London to Copenhagen booked early morning, which is where we meet DMIL. Now to grab Vueling from CPH - BCN nonstop. Our oldest has a birthday the day we disembark in Copenhagen but we will just have to celebrate in Barcelona.

I really did want to apply the Woody Packing System and go all carryon, but just knew that wouldn't fly. Man, these checked bag fees hurt!

Are you flying to Barcelona the night before the cruise or day of? I really can't decide if I'm game enough to take an early morning flight from Rome or fly the night before the thing is I'd really like to spend the night in Rome and the early morning flight is cheaper but I keep thinking what if we miss the ship

I went back to the first page to see if the FE was up and I see your on the Hard Rock Cafe Meet n Greet so I answered my own question

 

[Wedgeh]

Wow it would take some doing to do the WBTA with only carry-on, DW will need one suitcase for shoes alone.

 

[Madhattr]

Actually we met a couple last May on Panama Canal who only had backpacks!

 

[SpikenLex]

Hubby and I could do it... It's the kiddos who think they need all the different princess dresses and pirate outfits hehe.

That's exactly my problem too! The outfits, dresses, Mickey ears, pins, Duffies, Duffy outfits to match kid's outfits.

 

[wayneg]

Carry on luggage allowance varies a lot between airlines, UK carriers tend to be 6-10kg but US carriers use size instead of weight.
I use my 10kg on laptops & cameras etc, no chance I could fit any clothes in but we are away for over 3 weeks.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Hi. We decided not to take this cruise and will be releasing our room tomorrow. For those looking for a primo room, 8034 will be available tomorrow.

 

[AlexL]

Welcome to our 'little family' of cruisers and to this thread.

Alex - this thread has been going since booking opened in February 2013 and a lot of us have cruised together before on the WBTA 2011 and those years before. As it has been going on for so long we are now on Page 2 of the thread but if you have the time Please start reading through from page one of THIS thread and it will give you some idea of what is going on.

Claire who looks after the roll call works so can only update periodically so don't worry if your name isn't added straight away but it would be helpful to her if you can post the numbers of your cabins too.

You cannot personal message anybody until you have 10 posts and to achieve that just keep posting with odd bits of information about you and your family - previous cruises you have done - any questions you may have.

Welcome again.

Thank you so much!!
I add here cabins and names for roll call

Johnnie, Alicia and Naty #7508

Tommy ( 11) Bauti ( 7) and Maxima ( just turn 5 for cruising)#7504

Alex and Ramiro #7506


Already got an apartment for 8 in Barcelona, it was hard deciding and even if i started long tme ago due to a convention that week in Barcelona, the hotels are short in space!