When will '09 dates be released?

[DisneyKevin]

There are currently no DCL waitlists for any of the 2009 or 2010 sailings.

Travel agencies are taking advance requests but are currently unable to book any of these. They are simply being held until DCL announces and releases the sail dates.

If these sailings are released in a similar fashion to past years, the release date will be very, very busy.

DCL uses a tier pricing structure (as do most cruiselines). This means that as the percentage of available space available for any sail date begins to fill, the price increases.

We usually see this happen over weeks or months. In past years, we have seen this happens on the day of release within minutes.

These special sailings are very popular and many people are interested in pricing. If pricing is requested from DCL, an actual reservation is made and a window of opportunity in which to make a decision is given. Each and every request fills the percentage of the ship's available space.

This effect is compounded by people requesting pricing from multiple agencies and then also trying to book using DCL's on line system. This drives the pricing up very quickly.

We saw the Panama Canal sailings reach the top tier pricing within an hour of being available and selling out very, very quickly.

It does not matter how many of those original requests are actually booked with a deposit. Once a tier is acheived the price never goes back down unless discounts are later released.

Please keep in mind that every agency will have a large number of new requests for these sail dates. In addition, they will have clients who have booked on previous cruises in order to get the onboard credit and discounts looking to move exisiting reservations to new sail dates.

These will be very busy days indeed.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

QUICK THOUGHT

If the Wonder does Carribean cruises of 3/4/7 nights in 2009, you could have a 10 or 11 night cruise. Back 2 Back.

Say start with a 3 night and then a 7 night, two visits to Casterway cay, or a 7 night then a 4 night.

Now will the Wonder move to Saturday's? Say have 2 x 3 night cruises at the start to move to a Saturday.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

They should stagger the release over a umber of days to avoid this, best to register 'once' with a travel agent, do not multiple instruct as that pushes prices up.

I totally agree with this......the repo cruises should open first then a few days later do the Alaska sailings then a few days later the 7-day Wonder sailings.

DCL could go even one further and have separate days to open the bookings for the EB vs WB repo cruises.

But having everyone calling in on the same day was just ludicrous.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

QUICK THOUGHT

If the Wonder does Carribean cruises of 3/4/7 nights in 2009, you could have a 10 or 11 night cruise. Back 2 Back.

Say start with a 3 night and then a 7 night, two visits to Casterway cay, or a 7 night then a 4 night.

Now will the Wonder move to Saturday's? Say have 2 x 3 night cruises at the start to move to a Saturday.

Wow - had not even thought of that.....very interesting.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I totally agree with this......the repo cruises should open first then a few days later do the Alaska sailings then a few days later the 7-day Wonder sailings.

DCL could go even one further and have separate days to open the bookings for the EB vs WB repo cruises.

But having everyone calling in on the same day was just ludicrous.

I really hope they stagger the release of them to stop telephone wait times and the Website crashing under pressure of demand.

Wow - had not even thought of that.....very interesting.

Its a good one isnt it, 10/11 night carribean cruses???

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

There are currently no DCL waitlists for any of the 2009 or 2010 sailings.

Travel agencies are taking advance requests but are currently unable to book any of these. They are simply being held until DCL announces and releases the sail dates.

If these sailings are released in a similar fashion to past years, the release date will be very, very busy.

DCL uses a tier pricing structure (as do most cruiselines). This means that as the percentage of available space available for any sail date begins to fill, the price increases.

We usually see this happen over weeks or months. In past years, we have seen this happens on the day of release within minutes.

These special sailings are very popular and many people are interested in pricing. If pricing is requested from DCL, an actual reservation is made and a window of opportunity in which to make a decision is given. Each and every request fills the percentage of the ship's available space.

This effect is compounded by people requesting pricing from multiple agencies and then also trying to book using DCL's on line system. This drives the pricing up very quickly.

We saw the Panama Canal sailings reach the top tier pricing within an hour of being available and selling out very, very quickly.

It does not matter how many of those original requests are actually booked with a deposit. Once a tier is acheived the price never goes back down unless discounts are later released.

Please keep in mind that every agency will have a large number of new requests for these sail dates. In addition, they will have clients who have booked on previous cruises in order to get the onboard credit and discounts looking to move exisiting reservations to new sail dates.

These will be very busy days indeed.

Fully agree people should not panic just instruct one travel agency otherwise it forces prices up.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If you did back2back Wonder cruises in the Med say 7 nights then 4 nights, would you have to get off at Port Canaveral in the middle and could you go somewhere, like Kennedy Space center up the road, by port transport available?

 

[dragonflydreaming]

There are currently no DCL waitlists for any of the 2009 or 2010 sailings.

Travel agencies are taking advance requests but are currently unable to book any of these. They are simply being held until DCL announces and releases the sail dates.

If these sailings are released in a similar fashion to past years, the release date will be very, very busy.

DCL uses a tier pricing structure (as do most cruiselines). This means that as the percentage of available space available for any sail date begins to fill, the price increases.

We usually see this happen over weeks or months. In past years, we have seen this happens on the day of release within minutes.

These special sailings are very popular and many people are interested in pricing. If pricing is requested from DCL, an actual reservation is made and a window of opportunity in which to make a decision is given. Each and every request fills the percentage of the ship's available space.

This effect is compounded by people requesting pricing from multiple agencies and then also trying to book using DCL's on line system. This drives the pricing up very quickly.

We saw the Panama Canal sailings reach the top tier pricing within an hour of being available and selling out very, very quickly.

It does not matter how many of those original requests are actually booked with a deposit. Once a tier is acheived the price never goes back down unless discounts are later released.

Please keep in mind that every agency will have a large number of new requests for these sail dates. In addition, they will have clients who have booked on previous cruises in order to get the onboard credit and discounts looking to move exisiting reservations to new sail dates.

These will be very busy days indeed.

When you say there are no wait lists does this include Inventory Control?
I have requested a Christmas 2010 cruise and have heard nothing, not even a confirmation that they have my request. I didn't hear from them last time I reserved through them either but everything was booked as requested.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

There are currently no DCL waitlists for any of the 2009 or 2010 sailings.

Travel agencies are taking advance requests but are currently unable to book any of these. They are simply being held until DCL announces and releases the sail dates.

If these sailings are released in a similar fashion to past years, the release date will be very, very busy.

DCL uses a tier pricing structure (as do most cruiselines). This means that as the percentage of available space available for any sail date begins to fill, the price increases.

We usually see this happen over weeks or months. In past years, we have seen this happens on the day of release within minutes.

These special sailings are very popular and many people are interested in pricing. If pricing is requested from DCL, an actual reservation is made and a window of opportunity in which to make a decision is given. Each and every request fills the percentage of the ship's available space.

This effect is compounded by people requesting pricing from multiple agencies and then also trying to book using DCL's on line system. This drives the pricing up very quickly.

We saw the Panama Canal sailings reach the top tier pricing within an hour of being available and selling out very, very quickly.

It does not matter how many of those original requests are actually booked with a deposit. Once a tier is acheived the price never goes back down unless discounts are later released.

Please keep in mind that every agency will have a large number of new requests for these sail dates. In addition, they will have clients who have booked on previous cruises in order to get the onboard credit and discounts looking to move exisiting reservations to new sail dates.

These will be very busy days indeed.

We have contacted our TA that we have previously used and she said she has added us to her list but it would be helpful to narrow the dates down for a possible Alaska '09 and Asia '10 cruise. So for all of you who have waitlisted what dates did you give. We've never cruised during the summer or a special cruise so I have no idea when to expect these cruises to take place. I know it will probably be the summer but does anyone have a good guess when they think it will be? So confused, just want to go.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We have contacted our TA that we have previously used and she said she has added us to her list but it would be helpful to narrow the dates down for a possible Alaska '09 and Asia '10 cruise. So for all of you who have waitlisted what dates did you give. We've never cruised during the summer or a special cruise so I have no idea when to expect these cruises to take place. I know it will probably be the summer but does anyone have a good guess when they think it will be? So confused, just want to go.

June to Mid August, it would have to get there/back through Panama and LA, leaving early May and getting back for September.

 

[JsMom2]

How fast did the Med and the Repo cruises sell out? Was it days or hours? How can you get waitlisted? What would be the best approach for trying to secure a stateroom for either a possible 2009 Alaska or a 2010 possible Hong Kong? Thanks!

You can send a fax to Inventory Control to waitlist for a cat 1, 2, or 3 - I know the fax number is somewhere on this board. Even though the exact dates aren't announced, you just tell them when you want to sail.

I have a request in for a Cat 3 for 2009 on a Westbound PC in May/June OR in Europe itinerary in June. I asked that if they do not offer either of these itineraries in 2009, that the request be moved to 2010.

After I sent the fax, I received a postcard in the mail saying they had my request.

 

[paulasillars]

What possible ports are "around" Hong Kong that could be done in a 7-10 day round trip cruise??

Loads of options!

If you went south you could do this -
Day 1 - Hong Kong
Day 2 - sea
Day 3 - Nha Trang, Vietnam
Day 4 - Ho Chi Minh City (Vung Tau), Vietnam
Day 5 - sea
Day 6 - Singapore
Day 7 - sea
Day 8 - Bangkok, Thailand

If you went north you could do this -
Day 1 - Hong Kong
Day 2 - sea
Day 3 - Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan
Day 4 - Okinawa, Japan
Day 5 - sea
Day 6 - Shanghai, China
Day 7 - sea
Day 8 - Nagasaki, Japan
Day 9 - sea
Day 10 - Beijing (Xingang), China

I have been to a number of places in Asia and would love to see Disney do Vietnam, although many American's have very negative feelings towards Vietnam still, it is one of the most interesting and hospitable countries I have ever travelled to.

What about Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand? These are all beautiful countries with fabulous beaches and resorts, not to mention really geared up for tourism.

The cruise industry is really picking up through Asia at the moment and with a massive population of increasingly wealthy people I can't see Disney not taking advantage of it in some way.

Also don't forget Tokyo Disney either - another port to park a ship.

 

[yndygo]

I'd do either of those itineraries Paula!!!
Great suggestions - and there are a lot of cruiselines over in that area that already do similar routes - so it's not exactly tricky for DCL to come up with itins...

Oh my gosh this has me way excited!

 

[dragonflydreaming]

You can send a fax to Inventory Control to waitlist for a cat 1, 2, or 3 - I know the fax number is somewhere on this board. Even though the exact dates aren't announced, you just tell them when you want to sail.

I have a request in for a Cat 3 for 2009 on a Westbound PC in May/June OR in Europe itinerary in June. I asked that if they do not offer either of these itineraries in 2009, that the request be moved to 2010.

After I sent the fax, I received a postcard in the mail saying they had my request.

I find it so odd that I haven't gotten a postcard or anything from them indicating that they had my request either time we faxed IC. We booked through them in 2006 and now they have my 2010 request. I wonder how they decide whom they send postcards too?

 

[Joan1]

Here is the port schedule for Alaska cruises
They don't have the 2008 or 2009 information on there yet but it will be interesting to keep an eye on it

http://www.akcruise.org/port_schedules.cfm

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

What about Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand? These are all beautiful countries with fabulous beaches and resorts, not to mention really geared up for tourism.

You're killing me with this.......what an unbelivable cruise that would be!!!!

The cruise industry is really picking up through Asia at the moment and with a massive population of increasingly wealthy people I can't see Disney not taking advantage of it in some way.

Very true......remember there were rumors last year that DCL would go to Asia.

I find it so odd that I haven't gotten a postcard or anything from them indicating that they had my request either time we faxed IC. We booked through them in 2006 and now they have my 2010 request. I wonder how they decide whom they send postcards too?

Sometimes we've gotten postcards and sometimes we have not. I did receive a postcard for 2009. So it seems to be hit and miss.

 

[2disneydads]

If we are interested in booking the 2009 dates, how will the process work? Will DCL announce the itineraries and then say that bookings will be accepted beginning on a certain date, so that we have a bit of advance notice to get organized? Or will we just have to be standing by at a moment's notice hoping to book before the price increases set in? I assume that if we call in to DCL there will be a time when reservations for summer 2007 will open. We are converting reservations made onboard as "placeholders" so that we can preserve our discounts and shipboard credits, so we have to work with DCL by telephone. We can decide about converting to DVC points later, once we have the booking.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If we are interested in booking the 2009 dates, how will the process work? Will DCL announce the itineraries and then say that bookings will be accepted beginning on a certain date, so that we have a bit of advance notice to get organized? Or will we just have to be standing by at a moment's notice hoping to book before the price increases set in? I assume that if we call in to DCL there will be a time when reservations for summer 2007 will open. We are converting reservations made onboard as "placeholders" so that we can preserve our discounts and shipboard credits, so we have to work with DCL by telephone. We can decide about converting to DVC points later, once we have the booking.

DCL usually will give a date for bookings to start, you can pre register with some 'quality' DCL travel agents.

For specail trips cruises they have annouced the itinery first, then say there will be a release date to book maybe two weeks later to help you choose and then sellect.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

If you look at a recent cruisers post from the WONDER, they said 2009 will not be the Med and will stay closer to home, I have had other people and travel agents say its going to be the Carribean, not Alaska, we shall see.

 

[kaseyC]

DCL usually will give a date for bookings to start, you can pre register with some 'quality' DCL travel agents.

For specail trips cruises they have annouced the itinery first, then say there will be a release date to book maybe two weeks later to help you choose and then sellect.

They also usually release a price range for each cabin category. Considering the madhouse that booking day has become for the specialty cruises and jump in prices by the minute, I would budget based on the highest tier pricing and be pleasantly surprised if I get in on the lower tier pricing.