To Sail, or Not To Sail a Maiden Voyage, That Is the Question

[JJZMgailey]

Hey everyone,

We've got a fantastic article over on the DCL Fan site explaining the ins and outs of embarking on a Maiden Voyage with Disney Cruise Line. If you're thinking about hopping onboard the Disney Treasure's Maiden Voyage, check out a first-hand experience from one of our contributors who was on the Maiden Voyage for the Disney Wish!

With the announcement that Disney’s newest ship, the Treasure, will sail in December 2024 we know now that the Maiden Voyage and inaugural season will go on sale to the general public on September 20, 2023.

With that in mind, I thought I would take time to share with you some of the things to consider when deciding if you’d like to try to sail on the Treasure’s Maiden Voyage or even some of the first few sailings during the Inaugural Season. I decided not to call them “pros and cons” because each person may find they fall into different categories for themselves. Continue reading...

 

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for the suggestion Jackie. Val & I were also on the Wish MV and we enjoyed it. However, when the announcement of the Treasure sailing was made we decided that the extra cost of the MV sailing wasn't worth it. We instead told our TA (Tracey from Dreams Unlimited) to book us on the 3rd sailing. We could get a concierge cabin on that one for the same money as a standard veranda was going to cost on the MV.

 

[ngl]

Thank you. I appreciated the article! We were wondering if anyone has an idea if the Treasure MV date seems realistic. I know when Wish was being built people were "watching" the build (and posting web cam shots) and many doubted it would meet that MV date. With this MV being over Christmas week, I would think they would not want to get this one wrong! But was curious if anyone had any webcam videos or any other insight regarding the build?

 

[MinniesBoyfriend]

We felt the same as OKW lover, we aren’t going to pay an extra $2K for the maiden voyage. It’ll still have that new boat smell when we catch it later in the summer.

 

[OKW Lover]

Thank you. I appreciated the article! We were wondering if anyone has an idea if the Treasure MV date seems realistic. I know when Wish was being built people were "watching" the build (and posting web cam shots) and many doubted it would meet that MV date. With this MV being over Christmas week, I would think they would not want to get this one wrong! But was curious if anyone had any webcam videos or any other insight regarding the build?

I think the issue with the Wish came more from shipyard issues related to Covid and trying to resume production. With that background, I believe both Disney and the shipyard have taken a careful look at the production schedule for the Treasure. I think there is a good chance the Treasure will be completed on time.

 

[kathi]

Since we are Pearl and would be almost guaranteed a concierge cabin, I assumed we would book the maiden voyage and was ready for some sticker shock. Adding a Christmas premium onto the cost put it out of range for us which is super sad. It was a week we were able to sail with our daughter who is in college. Oh well - I'm sure there will be plenty of folks who will be able to afford the rates.

 

[Annabell]

Would love to sail a maiden voyage but not willing to pay the extra.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We traditionally host Coast Guard recruits for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so once we saw the date, we said No.

We definitely will be booking the Treasure for a January cruise.

 

[OKW Lover]

We traditionally host Coast Guard recruits for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so once we saw the date, we said No.

We definitely will be booking the Treasure for a January cruise.

Hope to see you on the January 11th sailing. Well, that's if we can get on that one when the Platinum window opens.

 

[FastPasser.]

Don’t have a need to do it right away. I’ll get around to it at some point. I want to do RCCL’s Icon of the Seas first.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Hope to see you on the January 11th sailing. Well, that's if we can get on that one when the Platinum window opens.

Shucks, we want this one. Eastern Caribbean. We really like NYE at WDW, then we head home, and wait for Festival of Arts, so the 11th is too soon for us to go back.

 

[KevinFL]

We are Pearl and were 100% set on booking for the Maiden Voyage. Until they decided to sail it on Christmas. So will not be doing Maiden because of that. Surprised they chose that date I would think a lot of people would not want to sail then. Had it been just a couple weeks prior it would have worked perfect.

 

[bcwife76]

Having never done a maiden voyage I was crossing my fingers the Treasure would be it. Alas, cannot sail that date as my husband is unable to take any vacation from end of November through to Dec 24 (life of a delivery driver ).

 

[Micca]

Wait...they charge extra when they might not even have all the kinks worked out??? No Thanks!

 

[Pens Fan]

Maiden voyages have never interested me. I'm not forking out that kind of money while they still work out the kinks. But then, we aren't "we have to be first!!" and buy the t-shirt kind of people. As this one is over Christmas (an interesting choice on Disney's part), that's an even bigger nope. We have no interest in being on a cruise ship for Christmas.

 

[Marthasor]

I'm not interested in putting down a non-refundable deposit or paying a significant up charge to sail the MV. I am eyeing a sailing in spring 2025 when prices drop substantially and, hopefully, the kinks will be worked out.

 

[DCLMP]

I'll take a hard pass on any ship that resembles the Wish. The article sounds like a sales pitch.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'll take a hard pass on any ship that resembles the Wish.

Why is that? Did you have a bad experience on the Wish?

 

[tink1970]

Shucks, we want this one. Eastern Caribbean. We really like NYE at WDW, then we head home, and wait for Festival of Arts, so the 11th is too soon for us to go back.
View attachment 792455

me, too-I've wanted to do an Eastern for a long time and just haven't gotten around to it...

sorry to miss you by at week @OKW Lover

 

[DCLMP]

Why is that? Did you have a bad experience on the Wish?

There have been numerous reviews of the Wish across multiple platforms. I don't think I need to rehash all the negatives.