When will '09 dates be released?

[wdhinn89]

Talk about conflicting information. I personally talked to Captain Tom on the Thanksgiving Cruise on the Magic just 1 1/2 weeks ago, and specifically asked him about the Magic and he said there was no reason the Magic couldn't go to Alaska with a few adjustments.

I would believe Captain Tom more so than a cast member at DCL. And, That's just my opinion.

You just made my sad face smile

Thanks

I just checked the 2009 port schedule for Cayman Islands on-line and I did not see DCL on it. I don't know if that means anything

 

[MedCruise07]

This is crazy! Can't they just tell us when they're going to tell us?? (Fingers crossed for the Med again, just in case DCL is paying attention . . . .)

 

[ga9497]

Bermuda can be ruled out according to this
http://www.bermuda-online.org/cruises.htm

Quote from site
"July 23, 2007. Government has revealed its plans for the 2008/09 cruise ship schedule, which will see two contract ships (Norwegian Majesty and Norwegian Dream) dock in the town of St. George's each week and three disembark in Dockyard (Explorer of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas and the Norwegian Dawn), with no contract ships, just occasional smaller callers, in the city of Hamilton in 2008. In fact, Hamilton will only see 11 occasional callers all season next year. Instead, all contract ships will overnight for between one and three nights. The government states (but some would-be passengers have objected to this, see recent entries in the Bermuda Online Guest Book) that visitors will have more time on the island and, as part of declared government policy for the changes, spend much more money than before, including eating in Bermuda restaurants instead of eating on board the cruise ships as part of their cruise package. The following year, in 2009, St George's will receive only one contract ship, with Hamilton, again, taking occasional callers. Some passengers, used in the past to just walking off the ship and wondering by foot into the city and town respectively, or expecting to do so, instead now going a long distance by bus or taxi or moped to get to them; and be deprived on the meals, for which they paid as part of their cruise package, on board the cruise ships. Some have made this clear they don't appreciate this."

 

[CRSNDSNY]

That's too bad because I'd enjoy Bermuda.

BTW, I haven't seen any tweaking on the dcl.com site yet. That's usually a precurser to some impending news.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I said MAYBE Tom McAlpin is on the Wonder and not the Magic after seeing this on another site:

.......MouseFest Cruise 2007 Day-by-Day:

Sunday 12/2/07 – MouseFest Cruise departs
Monday 12/3/07 – MouseFest Cruise – Nassau
Tuesday 12/4/07 – MouseFest Cruise – Castaway Cay
Wednesday 12/5/07 – MouseFest Cruise – At Sea
Thursday 12/6/07 – MouseFest Cruise ends

I was thinking maybe an announcement might be made Tuesday from Castaway Cay. Just my wild guess...........

Per my conversation with DCL Customer Service this morning:

Information on 2009 will be available one day this week. Bookings will be open immediately once the announcements have been made.

There will be no Panama Canal repo cruises. ( I think that rules out Alaska or Hawaii.)

If Tom McAlpin is on the sailing on Thursday, I think that makes Friday our magic day.

Ok, here is what I heard:

Brochures that includes the summer 2009 months are getting ready and are being mailed out, starting this week to only travel agents 1st for all of 2009.

Bookings for Jan.2009 through April 2009 will be out very shorty( meaning they are doing working on the computer part and testing it, so whenever that is worked out then I think the Jan-April 2009 will be able for booking anyday now).
So, I short I don't see us being able to book for Summer 2009 until later in Jan. 2008 like last year. But between now and next week we should at least here about what is planned for the summer of 2009.

On another website I put out the question of DCL in Alaska? One person who was a travel agent wrote at 8:30 this morning that 2009 rates would be out next week ( Which I was told by DCL) and that the new cruises will be very exciting. I begged for more info. Hopefully he/she will respond. Another poster said he was in Alaska last year and several merchants told him that DCL was there interested in an Alaska port.

My hopes and dreams of Alaska with DCL have been rekindled

Please Oh Please let it be Alaska!

Just called DCL. They said they thought rates would be this week but they still haven't heard yet. She said definitely not Alaska. The boats are not coldwater ready. She didn't know why the Magic's drydock was a week longer but definitely no Alaska. I said if they haven't told them anything how did she know that Alaska was out. She said management told them. There were alot of rumors out there on the Disboards about Alaska, so management told them No Alaska.

BOOHoo

I agree....if DCL is planning anything "special" for the summer of 09 my guess is they will release the dates from Jan-Apr 2009 and possibly Sept-Dec 2009 and then come back with the BIG announcement sometime later for 2009. This has been what DCL has done in the past when planning PC and the Med. I have all my dummy bookings in from being on the ships and am just waiting to roll them over to 2009.

God go to work for 7 hours you put three pages on this thread is reaaly the place to get the info, thanks to everyone putting something in, Alaska does seem to be out, and Carribean in, with longer cruises possible and something out this week.

Wow,

Keep posting, thank you Andy VM as well.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

This thread is very popular and a lot has been discussed I know people find it hard to look back on posts to find what they want. So TO SUMMARIZE -what we know, from the posts on this thread.

So when are they out?

Next Few days!

Well a number of people on this thread have contacted DCL, by E.mail, by phone, and on ship, and they have all been told early December, or’’next week’’
Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday.

WHAT WE KNOW ITS NOT

NO REPO'S
NO PANAMA
NO WEST COAST
NO ALASKA


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

Seems to be an upgrade only, slash area like Wonder etc.

DIS-PODCAST

A few months ago have said Alaska Summer 2009 They also said the Wonder would do 3-4 nights and 7 night cruises in the Caribbean if the Magic goes on its travels.No one else has confirmed Alasaka DCL discount this and say NO Alaska.

DCL AGENTS ON BOARD

Say cruises will start to be released early December, -this week.
They keep saying the ship will be closer to its home than the previous two years. various Caribbean ports mentioned such as Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Note they have confirmed NO REPOS so it must be around Carribean cannot be Europe either.

RESPECTED TRAVEL AGENTS

Have sent e-mails saying they think is the Caribbean, Maybe further south.

ALSO NEW. More t/a’s have said they are being invited onto the ships for a big announcement in early December. CEO Tom is now on the WONDER at Casterway Cay Tuesday.


RELEASE DATES

On release we are not sure if all of 2009 or just the first part.

Historically they have usually have started releasing dates 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.


Many Castaway club members in the USA have also received the email regarding Hosting a Disney Cruise Party. This is on January many speculate that this email has something to do with the 09 announcements? Maybe the release of special summer Magic cruises, around that time.

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 runner:-

Caribbean special trips .Either East or South.


Fuel Prices

will the rising fuel costs make cruises cost a lot more?

SO what are you recommended to do?

Well do not panic! But some release will be out soon, not all but the start of 09.

Standard cruises i.e. 3-4 nights Wonder and 7 night Magic ones will not have a problem. For any special cruises:-

Register now with a specialist quality DCL Disney authorised travel agent, or keep you eyes on this board. There has always been an announcement and a tip off here first.

Dreams unlimited the sponsor of this board is an option.

You can book yourself direct with DCL by phone or website, but on ‘special cruises’ they have had long waits on telephones and the website has been under pressure.

Please do not instruct multiple travel agencies as in past years this has pushed up all the prices to all cruises supply demand and the cruises tier price system.

Release date time is often 8am but there sometimes has been a press launch at WDW or Disneyland and bookings opened up after that at 1pm EST.

 

[MedCruise07]

WHAT WE KNOW ITS NOT

NO REPO'S
NO PANAMA
NO WEST COAST
NO ALASKA

I have not read every post on this thread, but my impression is that we really do not "KNOW" anything. We have lots of information (much of it conflicting, from DCL agents who are notorious for not knowing and from DCL crew who are seemingly enjoying tossing out ambiguous comments) but can we really say for sure that these things are definitely not going to happen?

 

["Got Disney"]

Talk about conflicting information. I personally talked to Captain Tom on the Thanksgiving Cruise on the Magic just 1 1/2 weeks ago, and specifically asked him about the Magic and he said there was no reason the Magic couldn't go to Alaska with a few adjustments.

I would believe Captain Tom more so than a cast member at DCL. And, if DCL is going to do a special itinerary, they aren't going to just "release" the dates and start selling as soon as it's posted, they will make a big huge deal out of it and make an official announcement by having a press conference. That's just my opinion.

I agree 100%. we talked with Captain Tom last Christmas cruise and asked him about Alaska and the ship being able to travel there and he said "No problem" that the Magic and Wonder could.

I also mentioned that many people said that there is no heaters in the room and he said that each room is equipped for heat and air.

He even stated that the water on the way to the Med can be just as cold as the sail to Alaska.

He did not mention if we would ever go there. He just said that there will be many more surprises along the way but that he new nothing of what they would be.

We have friends that live in Alaska and last year mentioned that DCL was there about a year and a half ago inquiring about itineraries and talking to store owners. My guess is they will take one of the new ships there....not the Magic or the Wonder.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I have not read every post on this thread, but my impression is that we really do not "KNOW" anything. We have lots of information (much of it conflicting, from DCL agents who are notorious for not knowing and from DCL crew who are seemingly enjoying tossing out ambiguous comments) but can we really say for sure that these things are definitely not going to happen?

Whilst we cannot be 100% sure until the do release, we on this thread have had a lot of very consitent messages and they all ''connect up''

If you just read back a few pages you will see,

Months back a DCL specialist Travel agenct said it was specail trips in the carribean, everythnig points that way,

Yes we had one conflicting message about Alasak from the DISPODCAST, but on this thread the people posting have over a time obtained a consistent message.

DCL crew have said things like Alaska and Europe, but when the DCL reservations clerk consistently says 'CLOSER TO HOME' and not The Med and Not Alasak, and a DCL reservations clerk at HQ said the same today, I would say thats consistent.

We shall see if this thread is proven correct, maybe soon.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";22024061]I agree 100%. we talked with Captain Tom last Christmas cruise and asked him about Alaska and the ship being able to travel there and he said "No problem" that the Magic and Wonder could.

I also mentioned that many people said that there is no heaters in the room and he said that each room is equipped for heat and air.

He even stated that the water on the way to the Med can be just as cold as the sail to Alaska.

He did not mention if we would ever go there. He just said that there will be many more surprises along the way but that he new nothing of what they would be.

We have friends that live in Alaska and last year mentioned that DCL was there about a year and a half ago inquiring about itineraries and talking to store owners. My guess is they will take one of the new ships there....not the Magic or the Wonder.[/QUOTE]


I know I have never posted anything on this thread saying the ships cant go to Alaska, they can, comfort maybe an issue, but they can go there, but what I have posted is it appears NOT TO BE ALASKA in 09.

Until the Panama canal is widened up the new ships would not make it through, so it would have to be the Magic or Wonder, unless a long cruises around.

DCL have checked out many ports and places.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Per my conversation with DCL Customer Service this morning:

Information on 2009 will be available one day this week. Bookings will be open immediately once the announcements have been made.

There will be no Panama Canal repo cruises. ( I think that rules out Alaska or Hawaii.)

If Tom McAlpin is on the sailing on Thursday, I think that makes Friday our magic day.

Just going to repeat this very good post today and the response today from DCL, many posts on this thread have been simular.

 

[Mozart]

I have not read every post on this thread, but my impression is that we really do not "KNOW" anything. We have lots of information (much of it conflicting, from DCL agents who are notorious for not knowing and from DCL crew who are seemingly enjoying tossing out ambiguous comments) but can we really say for sure that these things are definitely not going to happen?

I'd say you're correct. Even though I talked to an agent this morning who told me there would be no Panama Canal cruises, there is a little voice gnawing in my head that says Alaska is the best place for them to go. However, either the DCL phone reps are making stuff up, or they are being told that they can totally discount Alaska because they're not going there, or they're going there and DCL wants to purposefully mess with us. I tend to think they're not going to Alaska. It would make no sense for DCL to purposely tell people they're not going there since that may discourage eventual sales, and being a call center manager I can guarantee you that phone reps giving out false information face immediate termination.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I'd say you're correct. Even though I talked to an agent this morning who told me there would be no Panama Canal cruises, there is a little voice gnawing in my head that says Alaska is the best place for them to go. However, either the DCL phone reps are making stuff up, or they are being told that they can totally discount Alaska because they're not going there, or they're going there and DCL wants to purposefully mess with us. I tend to think they're not going to Alaska. It would make no sense for DCL to purposely tell people they're not going there since that may discourage eventual sales, and being a call center manager I can guarantee you that phone reps giving out false information face immediate termination.

Very good points, I saw your post, but watching this thread for weeks now, I have seen the same response you have got for many a week. You can go through it back and see.

I have kept in my summary posts the DISPODACST out of respect,to the DISBOARDS as they said Alaska. But THE SAME DAY as that was broadcast, a quality Travel agent e.mailed me and many others and said it is Not Alaska.

They said

Carribean,

They also said

West coast 15 nights, for 08, well before ANY one else said it, and also the Med in 07.

So putting my money where my mouth is you will see special cruises in the Carribean, we know that.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I have noted a change on the DCL website,

Under ports of call>Special Caribbean Cruises, there are now FIVE empty blocks rather than three.

The only listed cruise is the special Costa Maya cruise, but FIVE extra slots for Special Caribbean Cruises!

I think the three before were for Christmas and or the Wonder in 06.


Also not sure if this is a hangover from previous cruises but a picture of St Lucia comes up, with Casterway cay, Acapulco for some reason, and another beach not sure where that is, St Thomas Barbados or Virgin Islands?

Special cruise ports have a few more empty slots under costa maya these are not for west cost and panama 08.

 

[PurplePrincess4]

I have noted a change on the DCL website,

Under ports of call>Special Caribbean Cruises, there are now FIVE empty blocks rather than three.

The only listed cruise is the special Costa Maya cruise, but FIVE extra slots for Special Caribbean Cruises!

I think the three before were for Christmas and or the Wonder in 06.

Oohhhhhh.....sounds EXCITING! Hoping Southern Carribean 10 DAY I am THERE! Or any other double dip would be good too!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Oohhhhhh.....sounds EXCITING! Hoping Southern Carribean 10 DAY I am THERE! Or any other double dip would be good too!

It was interesting I had visited the website page recently so it was stored in my internet history, I hit refresh and it changed in front of my eyes!

Now fill the blocks in, maybe 10 and 11 night Carribean cruises, maybe some shorter ones????

 

[aussieinvasion]

Also, under the 7 night Western dates section, there appears to be a large gap under the 2008 date grid so one would assume they will add the 2009 grid there soon.... or maybe Im reading too much into it and its nothing

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Also, under the 7 night Western dates section, there appears to be a large gap under the 2008 date grid so one would assume they will add the 2009 grid there soon.... or maybe Im reading too much into it and its nothing

I am looking.....

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I am looking.....

Not sure on that one, but there is space to add 09.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Oh cool! I love seeing these changes happening!