When will '09 dates be released?

[Andrew DEREK UK]

What's the best chance I have of booking a repo cruise for 2009? Should I go through a travel agent or is it best to call DCL yourself on the fay they are released? Can you get through?

I guess I can forget concierge but are there any chances of cat. 4 being available?

Any advise?

Sorry if this question has already been asked. I did look through the thread a little but 38 pages.......good grief

Anyhow, any insight would be wonderful.

Thanks!

Use a specialist DCL travel agent such as Dreams unlimited they have got me a Cat 4 each time.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I only ask because I was wondering if that was the reason he asked cruisers if they would like to go to Northern Europe.

Could be he knows that area well.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I've been following this board very closely the last week or so and appreciate the summary very much! Thanks Andrew!

When the new dates/itineraries come out, will there be a few days or so before the official booking begins to get myself organized? I'd like to mull things over to find the best date/itinerary that would work for us before the mad rush of that first day, if possible. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would spend all day on the phone just trying to decide on what to do! If there is any amout of time between the release of dates/itineraries and booking, how long is it (usually)?

The last few times for ''special cruises'' they have given two weeks notice, for normal cruises the 3/4 Wonder and 7 night Magic they just come out.

 

[kaseyC]

The last few times for ''special cruises'' they have given two weeks notice, for normal cruises the 3/4 Wonder and 7 night Magic they just come out.

This is something I find very odd about the release of dates this time. Usually the Wonder's dates for the year would have already been released. Makes you "wonder" if there isn't something going on with the Wonders itineraries as well.

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

The last few times for ''special cruises'' they have given two weeks notice, for normal cruises the 3/4 Wonder and 7 night Magic they just come out.

Thanks for the info! I better start getting my ducks in a row for a normal cruise just in case a "special" summer cruise isn't going to work for us.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

This is something I find very odd about the release of dates this time. Usually the Wonder's dates for the year would have already been released. Makes you "wonder" if there isn't something going on with the Wonders itineraries as well.

I do agree the Wonder 3/4 night trips for at least up to April were out well before now, pro rata, the Magic followed, and then the full year bar the May-August special trips to LA.

LA trips came out January 31st.

Now there has been a lot of talk about DCL negotiating with Port Canaveral and maybe move to another port.

Maybe as part of the negotiations they have delayed the announcement, maybe DCL move to Miami or Tampa from January 2009, that would explain it?

Well at least an option.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

This is something I find very odd about the release of dates this time. Usually the Wonder's dates for the year would have already been released. Makes you "wonder" if there isn't something going on with the Wonders itineraries as well.

Agreed. There are some strange things going on here. Why can't DCL release the first few months of 2009 for both ships? What's the holdup there?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks for the info! I better start getting my ducks in a row for a normal cruise just in case a "special" summer cruise isn't going to work for us.

Its good to be organised for the special ones.

Agreed. There are some strange things going on here. Why can't DCL release the first few months of 2009 for both ships? What's the holdup there?

Agree see above, also price maybe a factor, re fuel prices going up and up.

 

[JLDSMD]

This is something I find very odd about the release of dates this time. Usually the Wonder's dates for the year would have already been released. Makes you "wonder" if there isn't something going on with the Wonders itineraries as well.

Don't be surprised if there is something special for the Wonder in 2009. It is its 10th anniversary year.

Maybe we'll see normal Magic itineraries and special Wonder ones for 2009.

 

[mimusco@aol.com]

But the wonder doesn't have ocean quest for the kids. Wouldn't that be an issue for longer sailings? That was a major factor for my kids. Is the wonder going into drydock any time before summer of 09?

Interesting they CM say "magic" is staying closer to home. No one has said much about the wonder.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

But the wonder doesn't have ocean quest for the kids. Wouldn't that be an issue for longer sailings? That was a major factor for my kids. Is the wonder going into drydock any time before summer of 09?

Interesting they CM say "magic" is staying closer to home. No one has said much about the wonder.

My kids did not miss Oceans Quest at all on the Wonder. I thought they would after having lived there on our Magic cruise. But my kids were very, very happy at the kids' clubs on the Wonder and didn't mention Oceans Quest at all. And the 10-12s spent time in Aloft which has a similar "feel" to Oceans Quest (and had the Wii).

So no worries about the Wonder doing longer cruises and the kids missing Oceans Quest. All my kids need are the Wii, Playstation and Gamecube and they are set for a longer cruise.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Don't be surprised if there is something special for the Wonder in 2009. It is its 10th anniversary year.

Maybe we'll see normal Magic itineraries and special Wonder ones for 2009.

I like the way you think.

But the wonder doesn't have ocean quest for the kids. Wouldn't that be an issue for longer sailings? That was a major factor for my kids. Is the wonder going into drydock any time before summer of 09?

Interesting they CM say "magic" is staying closer to home. No one has said much about the wonder.

True

My kids did not miss Oceans Quest at all on the Wonder. I thought they would after having lived there on our Magic cruise. But my kids were very, very happy at the kids' clubs on the Wonder and didn't mention Oceans Quest at all. And the 10-12s spent time in Aloft which has a similar "feel" to Oceans Quest (and had the Wii).

So no worries about the Wonder doing longer cruises and the kids missing Oceans Quest. All my kids need are the Wii, Playstation and Gamecube and they are set for a longer cruise.

The Magic has usually been the one to go on the extended trips but there isnt anything stopping the Wonder doing it.

The Dis podcast said that if the Magic went to Alaska the Wonder would do 3/4 and 7 night Carribean trips.

Theother factor to think of is the Magics dry dock in September 08, if the Magic for example was going to Alaska they could modify the pools maybe get some covers,

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Well if its early December we may be less than 15 days away now!

 

[disneydance]

This is getting very interesting i'm still praying for Alaska

 

[disneydance]

Well if its early December we may be less than 15 days away now!

15 days away why cant it just be today so i can know now

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

15 days away why cant it just be today so i can know now

A day less now.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

For ease of reference a summary as we know.

TO SUMMARIZE -what we know, from the posts on this thread.

One of the other talking points is the longer than usual dry dock for the magic in 2008.

2008 Dry-dock Plans
The Magic will be in dry-dock September 6-27, 2008.

Now some have mentioned including the Dispodacst team this longer dry-dock might be to assist with modifications to the pool areas for a possible Alaska trip.

DIS-PODCAST

Say Alaska Summer 2009

DCL AGENTS ON BOARD

Say cruises will start to be released early December, and the ship will be closer to its home than the previous two years. Hint Bermuda

RESPECTED TRAVEL AGENTS

Have sent e.mails saying Caribbean.

CAPTAIN TOM

Said in the Med a strong hint for Northern Europe.This was mentioned again just recently on the Wonder.

RELEASE DATES

We are told first 2 weeks of December, not sure if all of 2009 or first part.

Have usually have started in November for the first part of the following year, say January to April standard 3/4 Wonder cruises, and standard Magic cruises for 7 nights.

We are overdue, conjecture, DCL is negotiating now with Port Canaveral , they are unhappy with costs and restrictions on the port calls to keep their pier exclusive to DCL. Miami port has said soon they will sign up a big cruise line, Would DCL move to Miami or Tampa, its this a reason for delay.

PAST YEARS
The Special summer cruises have come out later,

FOR 2005 May 5th 2004
FOR 2007 April 3rd 2006
FOR 2008 January 31st 2007.

The summer 2006 cruises were double dips in the Caribbean.

Front runners:-

Alaska
Carribean special trips maybe Bermuda.

Outsidee runner

Europe but a lot of people have recently discounted the Med or Northern Europe now.

Fuel Prices

Will cruises cost a lot more?
__________________

 

["Got Disney"]

anyone here good at scoping out the ports as the Mexican cruise and the was? If we can check the ports we may now where they are heading in 2009.

Hope it isn't somewhere I want to go. I want to save some money and if it is somewhere I want to go than well I'll have to go. No will power when it comes to cruising

We cruise every year and pay cash for everything....we are lucky enough for Dh to get 8,000 a year in vacation pay. The rest is easy to save for and with DVC we can stay at DL or WDW before the cruise.

But if they pick somewhere like the Med cruise again we will not go because of the plane flight...I am not flying with my kids for 14 hrs anywhere

but if it is Alaska or Hawaii than I am doomed..doomed I tell ya doomed

So for you all I hope it will be the cruise of your dreams but me well if it is the same old same old than yay we can pass and save lots of money...Will power ...will power....

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";21807730]anyone here good at scoping out the ports as the Mexican cruise and the was? If we can check the ports we may now where they are heading in 2009.

Hope it isn't somewhere I want to go. I want to save some money and if it is somewhere I want to go than well I'll have to go. No will power when it comes to cruising

We cruise every year and pay cash for everything....we are lucky enough for Dh to get 8,000 a year in vacation pay. The rest is easy to save for and with DVC we can stay at DL or WDW before the cruise.

But if they pick somewhere like the Med cruise again we will not go because of the plane flight...I am not flying with my kids for 14 hrs anywhere

but if it is Alaska or Hawaii than I am doomed..doomed I tell ya doomed

So for you all I hope it will be the cruise of your dreams but me well if it is the same old same old than yay we can pass and save lots of money...Will power ...will power....[/QUOTE]

Hi yes it would be nice to find out about the ports and do some detective work, I from reading all the helpful contributions to this thread would rank the possibilities as:-

1. Caribbean, ''closer to home' but when I say Caribbean, not the usual trips, different ports.

2. Alaska.

3. Northern Europe.

I would say the plane flight to Europe isn't that bad, I am traveling to LA next year for the Magic and thats 11 hours from London.

I think according to the regular information coming through the 'closer to home' - Caribbean is the clear winner at the moment, but the guys at Dis podacast did say they were under the impression is Alaska.

 

[Mozart]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";21807730]anyone here good at scoping out the ports as the Mexican cruise and the was? If we can check the ports we may now where they are heading in 2009.

[/QUOTE]

One thing to remember is that last year at this time, Disney's permit to dock at Los Angeles had not even been filed yet. It was sent to the Board of Commissioners for the port on Dec 27, and not approved until Jan 18. If they use similiar timing this year, that means that they have not even applied for final permits and may very well still be in negotiations with multiple ports.