The remainder of the 2008 schedule is out

[NancyIL]

Congrats to all who where hoping to see this announcement of the Magic heading west. I'm sure there are many of you who are very happy today..... I'm just not one of them. With starting prices of $1599 per person for the 7-day Mexican trip, I don't think we'll be flying to CA to do that one. DH wants a veranda so I would guess prices would be well over $2000 pp for that.
I was so hoping that DCL would do something different with the Wonder to make up for the loss of the Magic in the summer time, especially if this is going to be an ongoing trend. If we wait until they build another ship to make the 7-day Carribean, at least one kid will be off to college by then. Who can afford college tuition and cruises?? I'd consider Princess Cruise Line, but I don't think the kids want that (neither do friends who we wanted to travel with).
Okay - time for me to stop grumbling. So sorry if I sounded as if I were having my own pity party.

While I think $1699+ for the repo cruises is great, I agree that $1599+ for the 7-day is no bargain!

 

[Mickey_loves_Minnie]

Congrats to all who where hoping to see this announcement of the Magic heading west. I'm sure there are many of you who are very happy today..... I'm just not one of them. With starting prices of $1599 per person for the 7-day Mexican trip, I don't think we'll be flying to CA to do that one. DH wants a veranda so I would guess prices would be well over $2000 pp for that.
I was so hoping that DCL would do something different with the Wonder to make up for the loss of the Magic in the summer time, especially if this is going to be an ongoing trend. If we wait until they build another ship to make the 7-day Carribean, at least one kid will be off to college by then. Who can afford college tuition and cruises?? I'd consider Princess Cruise Line, but I don't think the kids want that (neither do friends who we wanted to travel with).
Okay - time for me to stop grumbling. So sorry if I sounded as if I were having my own pity party.

Oh, go ahead and have a pity party!!! I can understand your disappointment. And I certainly think the Mexican cruise prices are crazy; they're more than double that of other lines. The canal/repo cruise prices seem normal, though.

I liked Princess--it depends on the ship, though. Some are a bit older. And I've been on cruises that have been panned by others in reviews. My favorite line so far has been Celebrity. Can't compare it with DCL, as I haven't taken my Wonder cruise with them yet. And there are other lines that are great too. Or just do the Wonder; it's cheaper!

 

[starwood]

I remember reading that it was pretty chilly in June on the '05 Mex. Riv. cruise. Can anyone else add to that? I know we've been in LA in late May early June and only brought 1 pair of pants, (Hey it's sunny California!!) and really froze at night. We're shooting for Aug., so it should be pretty awesome by then.

We found that the first day out at sea was cold, cloudy and very, very windy. Same for the last day out (same stretch of ocean). I was very disappointed with those 2 days.

 

[maminnie]

Anyone have any insight as to why there are so few Eastern cruises after the Magic comes back from CA? As mentioned in another post there are only three and the balance are western or alternate western with a double-dip to CC.

Just wondering.

 

[cjckclan]

Oh, go ahead and have a pity party!!! I can understand your disappointment. And I certainly think the Mexican cruise prices are crazy; they're more than double that of other lines. The canal/repo cruise prices seem normal, though.

I liked Princess--it depends on the ship, though. Some are a bit older. And I've been on cruises that have been panned by others in reviews. My favorite line so far has been Celebrity. Can't compare it with DCL, as I haven't taken my Wonder cruise with them yet. And there are other lines that are great too. Or just do the Wonder; it's cheaper!

We've been on the 4-day Wonder! It was so great that we are afraid we'd be disappointed by another line. Plus friends that we hope to go with have two smaller kids and need the kids clubs. I'd even consider another 4-day, but all of us really wanted to see the ports on the 7-day Western. Maybe we'll just push with another line for just our family. Oh the choices......

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We were also hoping for some 7 night cruises in summer '08. If the magic is going to be on the West coast, why can't they alternate the Wonder and do some 7 nighters with it?

We have no desire to cruise around Mexico. Plus its too long of a flight for us right now also.

Glad we booked the 4 nighter for June '07.

 

[akasleepingbeauty]

I believe that DCL doesn't alternate between 3/4 day cruises and 7 day cruises due to several reasons.

Firstly DCL most likely has contracts with the 3/4 day port stops for a certain number of stops per week/per month and by alternating the types of cruises they would not be able to satisfy the contracts. Getting ports to agree to fewer stops may not be that easy as they may go with another ship/line that could promise more stops=more revenue for the port. They most likely ceded their port rights for the entire summer at the 7 day ports and contracting for those ports on such a "random" basis (1 western, 1 eastern a month at best) would make a contract that much harder to come by.

I also think that DCL makes more money with 3 and 4 day cruises (I believe the prices are slightly higher on a per day basis for 3 and 4 day cruises than for 7 day cruises) and also the land/sea combination is very popular (more revenue there too!).

One last thing is that DCL may fear that offering a 7 day cruise out of PC in the summer may compete with the special 7 day itineraries they have planned. They basically want to force anyone who wants to do a 7 day cruise to go where they locate the Magic.

I do think that it would be so nice if they could find a way to at least offer 1 long cruise per month on the Wonder during the summer when the Magic is gone but due to the reasons above (and probably others I haven't even thought of) I doubt it will happen.

 

[Tarabra]

I remember reading that it was pretty chilly in June on the '05 Mex. Riv. cruise. Can anyone else add to that? I know we've been in LA in late May early June and only brought 1 pair of pants, (Hey it's sunny California!!) and really froze at night. We're shooting for Aug., so it should be pretty awesome by then.

Oops...sorry, I thought I started a new thread. Didn't mean to hijack this one.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

You could always do your own 7-Day cruise by booking back to back cruises? I read somewhere on another thread that some of the Wonder 2008 cruises will go to Costa Maya with two stops at Castaway Cay. That would be a nice cruise backed with the Nassau cruise (three stops at CC!). Only time will tell. All the Wonder 2008 dates are out, but no itineraries. Why is that?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

In the first post the alternative Westerns are the DDs.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

You didn't like Costa Maya? I found Costa Maya to be a great port (on an RCI cruise) - once you get out of the manmade shopping area! I loved going to the Chacchoben Ruins with Ivan and David: www.chacchobenruins.com

I loved Costa Maya on the Aug double dip - I'm just so annoyed that DCL isn't offering it during the summer. We stopped at Pez Quadro in Majahual and had the best time ever.

In fact, I wrote a letter to DCL telling them to please, please, please keep Costa Maya as a port stop. I just didn't think to tell them that it has to be during the summer as well.

I agree with everyone else.....why couldn't the Wonder do at least a few 7-day trips during the summer. It would be a win-win for everyone.

I don't like the message DCL is sending that if you want a 7-day Carribean cruise that you have to pull your kids out of school to do it.

 

[Mickey_loves_Minnie]

To be honest I'm disappointed. Our wedding is in Disney on May 20th and we were hoping to spend a few days there and then take a cruise out of Port Canaveral. I guess not though Oh well!

The Wonder will be there!

Can you move up your wedding? I noticed you just got engaged. Are your dates set in stone?

 

[Laurabearz]

Hmmm that alternitive Western cruise over Thanksgiving is kind of interesting..

Anyone know when we might be able to book that... I know they are not taking requests for 2008, Can the above cruise be booked on Jan 1st also??

edited to add not that I would call on THAT day to book... just wondering when we would be able to book it

Thanks

 

[kritter]

Can anyone tell me how Costa Maya is overall?????

 

[BethA]

Well, add me to the pity party--I so hoped the Wonder would offer some 7 days. I'm not sure what we will do--being such big DCL fans I hate to miss another year with them--missed last time they went to CA, and this yr for the Med.
We are/were on the waitlist for a suite, so whether we get it or not and the price will play into my decision--the suites have spoiled us and I may not be able to turn it down if we get one. I wish we could do the repo because that price seems great, but I can't pull my son out of school for that long. I wonder why they don't make the repo later--say around Memorial day and have the ship return in Sept.

Is the Sept 5 night when the Magic returns over Labor Day week-end?

 

[birkner]

Can anyone tell me how Costa Maya is overall?????

I enjoyed traveled to Kohunlich when we went to Costa Maya. I found a website on the net that has some pics:

http://www.geocities.com/atlantis01mx/yuc_pen_south/kohunlich.htm

 

[lbgraves]

Can anyone tell me how Costa Maya is overall?????

I wrote about our experience in Costa Maya in my trip report from our 12/9/06 cruise. The link is in my sig below. I would recommend David & Ivan for a wonderful experience!