Where to begin

[MsDisney5]

Hi All.. We are talking about taking a Disney cruise in perhaps 2019. Our kids will be 5,4,3 at the time but I have NO IDEA where to begin. We are experienced Disney World travelers and know where to look for deals, all the lingo, and the ins and outs...Disney cruise I feel lost. Ive started to read these posts here and well I feel like I need like Disney Cruise 101 or like a key to explain to me everything. Is there a post or website where you guys can recommend where to begin to understand how this process works? Is there such a place like the travel agency we aren't allowed to actually say on the resort boards where they have really good prices? Any recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm feeling overwhelmed. Oh we could be traveling with a group of 10-15 people (3-5 rooms needed) does this make a difference in things? would you recommend 1 person being the leader and taking care of everything or each family doing it on their own? I would think we would at least travel with my parents for the extra help and all the others would just depend. Is there a time of year that you like best? I have even more questions but I won't torture you all! Thank you for the help

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I'm not sure what might have changed in the last several years... but at least for the 1st decade of DCL existence, the price you paid thru booking with DCL directly was the same as booking thru a travel agent. The only exception to the rule was when companies (like the sponsor of this web page) could also offer some on-board credits you MIGHT not be able to get booking directly thru DCL.

I have not attempted to book a DCL experience in about 10 years now... but based on my experience booking WDW vacations over the last 10 years... when you plan on staying on Disney Property, there really isn't much of anywhere else to go to get a {significantly} better rate than booking with WDW directly. So I suspect things are not much different with DCL today.

One thing I can say in general is that the early you book, typically the lower the rate.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You should definitely go through a travel agency, preferably one who knows DCL and Disney, because it's your first time. If you can find one that will give you an on board credit, go for that. Dreams Unlimited (who sponsor this board) gives a credit and I've heard they are very good. If there's one in your town where you can sit in front of an agent, then that might work for you, too. You want someone who can make recommendations. You can still look on all the sites, but it really helps to have someone to bounce information off.

This site is great, of course, but you might also like the Touring Plans cruise site.
https://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line

 

[Quellman]

If you do not have previous cruiseline experience and are trying to book 3-5 rooms I would highly recommend a competent travel agent. You can do some preliminary leg work and determine if you want verandahs, ocean view, front or back, high deck low deck, and what not.

DCL prices are DCL prices. The only cost difference between travel agencies is likely the amount of on-board credit that they can provide. (Different tier agencies can provide different amounts and it is also based on the amount you spend). As for a good website, the DisneyCruiselineBlog and blogg.touringplans have great introductory posts.

 

[MM123]

Hi, here also a newbie. I have learned here so much, our TA was not helpful considering information about DCL. Also learned a lot from searching for literally a 'DCL 101' and reading all the suggestions from the experienced DCL travelers.

One tip; book on time, especially with children, when we wanted to sign up for breakfast, meet and great, high tea etc everything was full (about 10 weeks before sail date). Our TA answered this when I asked for advice on how to get at least one activity for the kids:
Nothing I can do but “waitlist” the early dining. Disney is hard to do as most book far in advance and then it is full.
They only allow so many in the breakfast and once it is full.. it is full.

That was very disappointing to say the least.

Good luck, it is fun reading everything about the DCL!

 

[tcufrog]

Depending on where you live early dining isn’t always best. We live in the Central time zone. Second seating was best for us because it meant we were eating dinner when we normally eat at home.

 

[tink1970]

DCL is a different animal than WDW for sure.

DCL has consistent pricing so going through a travel agency (including costco) will NOT change the price of a fare. What might be different is the on board credit offered by many travel agencies including the board's sponsor dreamsunilmited.com or cash back in the form of a gift card to big box costco.

DCL is not going to give you a discount for multiple cabins so you'll have to decide what works for you and your family best (ie one person arranging or individual travel groups). I have arranged a family vacation doing all the work in tandem with a travel agent and it worked best for our family but everyone is different.

Best time to book-pricewise is opening day which is staggered based on loyalty level so being a newbie that would be on the General Public opening day for you. This occurred already for Jan-May 2019 so depending on the cruise you may or may not get the best pricing. Pricing on DCL works like this-there are a certain number of cabins in a certain category that are the lowest price. When those are reserved, then the next batch of cabins are sold for the second lowest price, and so on. You can see that if a cruise is super popular (example 2019 Panama Canal) the prices jump up fairly quickly.

This is how I would approach planning:

1) When? When school is out (breaks, summer, holidays) DCL prices are higher. During Sept/Oct/parts of Nov and Dec, Jan they are lower. Those obviously have downsides (think storms, cold weather, etc).

2) Where? DCL usually has more options in the summer, with the Magic ported in Europe and Wonder on the west coast and Alaska. Fantasy and Dream are in the Caribbean, doing 7 days and 4 day trips, respectively (*usually, there are exceptions with special itineraries).

3) How long? DCL has a few, short 2 day trips out of the west coast but the most common options are 3, 4, or 7 night options. Again, there are other amounts but deciding "short" or "long" is helpful.

4) What kind of cabin? This basically breaks down into inside (no windows, inside, cheapest), ocean view (windows), verandah (outside patio) and concierge (verandah, suites in some categories, and other perks). Those big categories are broken down further by location (fore, mid, aft) and deck.

5) Budget- how much you want to pay. There are wide ranges so I'd recommend you go to the DCL website and play with numbers to get an idea of the very wide price variations (this will help you possibly avoid sticker shock).

There used to be a good book- Passporter's guide to DCL but I believe they no longer print this. It is available in e book form from their website for something like $15. I used an earlier version when I was switching from the WDW vacations to the DCL focus and they were very helpful. Other guidebooks like Birnbaum were so-so.

Honestly, these boards are probably your best guide so don't be afraid to read and ask questions.

 

[MM123]

Thanks for the heads up. I was a bit disappointed because did not expect that everything was full except for port excursions, assumed that there would be enough availability to book kids for the princess meeting, character breakfast, high tea etc. So that is until now the only tip I can give to MsDisney5.

 

[tink1970]

Thanks for the heads up. I was a bit disappointed because did not expect that everything was full except for port excursions, assumed that there would be enough availability to book kids for the princess meeting, character breakfast, high tea etc. So that is until now the only tip I can give to MsDisney5

Totally understand your frustration, especially since you were working with a TA!

Sometimes going to Guest Services immediately upon boarding and asking to be put on the wait list, or if there are extra tickets (for example Princesses) they will try to help as much as possible within their ability. I think a lot of Disney people are trained for planning ahead since the Parks require it so as soon as booking opens for DCL they do, especially since relatively speaking there is much less advance planning for a cruise.

 

[GPaLarry]

We used a TA for our first (14 night) DCL cruise, linked with son and his family, and it worked out great. After seven more cruises booked ourselves with the mouse, we found, as noted earlier, the Passporters are very helpful. Also, check your library and/or bookstore for books on DCL cruises and "like" Disney Cruising and Disney Cruise Line on Facebook for more information than you might ever need, often with photos. YouTube has videos by the bushel that are great, from surprising your kids with news of the cruise to what to do/pack/expect/not take/etc. on DCL cruises. Do book early for everything, as stated above, because the windows close fast and the prices go up.
One caution, don't overplan...let some of the magic come to you...when you get on the ship the daily Navigators (newsletters) will be your guide for the following day.
Caution #2: DCL is addicting...not just the Mickey Bars. The kids never ask, "are we there yet?" because you are taking the park with you. Good luck and happy sailing!!

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

@tink1970 laid out most of the important considerations. I can add a few more. We traveled as three related families and 9 people, so not as big as yours but we had some of the same issues.

1) Try to agree on a date and get it booked ASAP, but on the other hand don't rush so much that you make a bad call. Make sure the dates/locations/budget you agree on works for everyone. Remember, unless you are thinking Concierge (which is much more expensive) the deposit is refundable, so in a worst case you could book something soon and then re-book if you find something that works better for your family.

2) Look at the sizes of cabins, and the makeup of your family and decide how many cabins will work best. For the cruise we picked (late Summer) Veranda cabins were only 10% more than inside cabins. This allowed us to book a big 5 person "family cabin" and a connecting 4 person one. For a cruise, less rooms equals cheaper price, since the first two in a room cost more than the others. (Though this is less true for DCL than some other cruise lines.) Of course, only you know the personalities of your families to know how few rooms will work for you. We had my mother and my sister's family (her, her husband and two teen-aged daughters) in one room, and myself, my wife and my two teen-aged sons in the other room. We get along well with each other, so it worked well. Having connecting veranda's was great too, since that gave us two ways to get to each other's rooms (Most but not all Verandas can be opened up to the ones next to it if you ask). All the cabins are small, but there is a lot of storage space. The bigger rooms have a curtain between the two sleeping areas, which provide some flexibility.

3) Make sure to "link" your reservations. This will allow you all to sit together in the Main Dining Rooms, and it will allow you to see the excursions, spa treatments, Meet and Greets, etc. that the others in your party have booked and for which times. This makes planning easier. We did some things all together and some things in various sub-groups. It was great to "mix and match."

4) On the ship, plan to get the DCL app, and to have as many people as possible have either a smart phone or wi-fi capable device (like an old smart phone or iPod that still can get wi-fi) so that you can use the app's free chat feature. This was great for us. Once on board, it allowed us to see all of the menus and activities. It also let us chat back an forth with each other. This made meeting up with each other for various things much easier, and didn't make people feel like they "HAD" to do what everyone else was doing, since they could always meet back up as soon as they wanted. This put several people more at ease!

5) Another big difference between a cruise and most any other type of vacation is the kids clubs. DCL's are excellent. I don't know the ages of your children, and it is difficult to say ahead of time if your kids will want to be in the kids clubs, but they might. If you have several children in a similar age range, they might be even more inclined to go together. The clubs have both scheduled and unscheduled events. Some kids prefer the free times, others like specific activities. Either way, it may mean you have some adult time on your hands too, and the Adults only areas are also very nice.

There are many steps to the whole process. Book the cruise. Decide if you want to stay before and/or after your trip. (Highly recommended, especially before so you don't have trouble making the ship). Get airfare. Get hotels (if needed). Get transportation. Pick optional shore excursions. Reserve other things like Spa treatments, Meet and Greets, Alcohol tastings, etc.

It sounds like a lot, but it isn't so bad. You say you've been to WDW many times, so you are a veteran planner. Actually DCL takes much less planning than WDW. Having said that, you will probably want to have one lead planner, or maybe one lead planner per family. I was the main planner for our group, but I spent a lot of time talking to my wife, my sister, and my mother about what they and their familes wanted, and what they could expect. It was a long series of joint decisions. But I loved it. Planning that trip was as much of a family experience as the trip itself (almost!)

Have a great time!

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

As others have said, I highly recommend looking for a travel agent who specializes in Disney Destinations, works for an Earmarked Agency, has completed the College of Disney Knowledge, and has booked groups on DCL before.

 

[MsDisney5]

Great Thank you for all the information.. Is there somewhere where I can find out usually when things get released? Like 2020 for first time cruisers. I need to be on my A game by then it seems lol Any other hints, tricks, things you wished you knew that first time would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Shanti]

Hi All.. We are talking about taking a Disney cruise in perhaps 2019. Our kids will be 5,4,3 at the time but I have NO IDEA where to begin. We are experienced Disney World travelers and know where to look for deals, all the lingo, and the ins and outs...Disney cruise I feel lost. Ive started to read these posts here and well I feel like I need like Disney Cruise 101 or like a key to explain to me everything. Is there a post or website where you guys can recommend where to begin to understand how this process works? Is there such a place like the travel agency we aren't allowed to actually say on the resort boards where they have really good prices? Any recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm feeling overwhelmed. Oh we could be traveling with a group of 10-15 people (3-5 rooms needed) does this make a difference in things? would you recommend 1 person being the leader and taking care of everything or each family doing it on their own? I would think we would at least travel with my parents for the extra help and all the others would just depend. Is there a time of year that you like best? I have even more questions but I won't torture you all! Thank you for the help

1. To get the best pricing (without dealing with the stress of last-minute travel), book your cruise as soon as availability opens up to the general public.
2. There are no secret cut-rate travel agent deals with DCL like there are with WDW, but many agencies give customers onboard spending credits for booking through them, and Cosco gives a shoppers' incentive.
3. Ask for mid-ship cabins. That way you avoid the excessive movement you might get in the forward part of the ship, and the vibrations from the engine that you might get in the aft part of the ship. These aren't problems for a lot of passengers (I actually like sailing forward), but they do bother some, so midship is the safest bet for pleasing everyone.
4. If you're sailing in a verandah, check the ship diagrams on the DCL website to make sure your balcony isn't close to a designated smoking area.
5. Find your cruise on Facebook and sign up for a Fish Extender gift exchange. They're fun.
6. Sign up for activities online as soon as your window opens (75 days), for best availability. Passengers who have cruised DCL before will have already had the chance to sign up, and concierge passengers were given the very first pickings, so don't expect any availability of the most sought-after amenity on a Disney cruise: a Castaway Cay family beach cabana. (Your consolation is that it would have been really expensive, anyway.)
7. Be sure to sign up for a specialty meal at Palo.
8. To experience the Aqua Duck (on Dream & Fantasy) or Aqua Dunk (on Magic) with minimal waiting, or to swim in the family pools with minimal crowding, keep swimsuits in your shoulder bags and swim or get on those slides right after embarkation.
9. Call DCL and prepay your gratuities, so you won't have that bill hanging over your head at the end of the cruise.
10. Turn off wifi & mobile data on all electronic devices, and put them on airplane mode during the cruise, to avoid being hit with unexpected international roaming fees.
11. Learn about the differences between classic ships (Magic & Wonder) and Dream class ships (Dream & Fantasy), and use that info to decide which will be best for you. The two classes offer somewhat different experiences.
12. Relax. Planning a cruise is easier than planning a WDW vacation imo. Don't try to "do it all" during one cruise, no matter the length. You can't. Just enjoy what appeals to you, and don't bother with the rest.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Great Thank you for all the information.. Is there somewhere where I can find out usually when things get released? Like 2020 for first time cruisers. I need to be on my A game by then it seems lol Any other hints, tricks, things you wished you knew that first time would be greatly appreciated.

The earliest announcement of 2020 cruises will be posted here. We usually see it on Facebook, and occasionally an e-mail from DCL, but the DIS boards are very reliable for announcing any thing new and different on DCL.

 

[lizabu]

Great Thank you for all the information.. Is there somewhere where I can find out usually when things get released? Like 2020 for first time cruisers. I need to be on my A game by then it seems lol Any other hints, tricks, things you wished you knew that first time would be greatly appreciated.

Each year new cruises are released around the same time of year. January to May 2020 will probably come out in October 2018. Summer of 2020 will probably come out in March 2019. And Halloween and Merrytime cruises for 2020 will probably come out in May 2019. You need 20% down for your deposit and then you can make payments.

 

[JimGA]

DCL is a different animal than WDW for sure.

DCL has consistent pricing so going through a travel agency (including costco) will NOT change the price of a fare. What might be different is the on board credit offered by many travel agencies including the board's sponsor dreamsunilmited.com or cash back in the form of a gift card to big box costco.

DCL is not going to give you a discount for multiple cabins so you'll have to decide what works for you and your family best (ie one person arranging or individual travel groups). I have arranged a family vacation doing all the work in tandem with a travel agent and it worked best for our family but everyone is different.

Best time to book-pricewise is opening day which is staggered based on loyalty level so being a newbie that would be on the General Public opening day for you. This occurred already for Jan-May 2019 so depending on the cruise you may or may not get the best pricing. Pricing on DCL works like this-there are a certain number of cabins in a certain category that are the lowest price. When those are reserved, then the next batch of cabins are sold for the second lowest price, and so on. You can see that if a cruise is super popular (example 2019 Panama Canal) the prices jump up fairly quickly.

This is how I would approach planning:

1) When? When school is out (breaks, summer, holidays) DCL prices are higher. During Sept/Oct/parts of Nov and Dec, Jan they are lower. Those obviously have downsides (think storms, cold weather, etc).

2) Where? DCL usually has more options in the summer, with the Magic ported in Europe and Wonder on the west coast and Alaska. Fantasy and Dream are in the Caribbean, doing 7 days and 4 day trips, respectively (*usually, there are exceptions with special itineraries).

3) How long? DCL has a few, short 2 day trips out of the west coast but the most common options are 3, 4, or 7 night options. Again, there are other amounts but deciding "short" or "long" is helpful.

4) What kind of cabin? This basically breaks down into inside (no windows, inside, cheapest), ocean view (windows), verandah (outside patio) and concierge (verandah, suites in some categories, and other perks). Those big categories are broken down further by location (fore, mid, aft) and deck.

5) Budget- how much you want to pay. There are wide ranges so I'd recommend you go to the DCL website and play with numbers to get an idea of the very wide price variations (this will help you possibly avoid sticker shock).

There used to be a good book- Passporter's guide to DCL but I believe they no longer print this. It is available in e book form from their website for something like $15. I used an earlier version when I was switching from the WDW vacations to the DCL focus and they were very helpful. Other guidebooks like Birnbaum were so-so.

Honestly, these boards are probably your best guide so don't be afraid to read and ask questions.

Well said, perfect, this is all you need to know for now. Excellent !

 

[JimGA]

Great Thank you for all the information.. Is there somewhere where I can find out usually when things get released? Like 2020 for first time cruisers. I need to be on my A game by then it seems lol Any other hints, tricks, things you wished you knew that first time would be greatly appreciated.

If planning and your budget is a factor. What we typically do is book a dummy date, for example, 4 night in Jan. 2019, pay the deposit and have a monthly plan on how much you need to pay a month to tech your 2020 sail date goal. The dummy date can be moved by yoyr trael agent or you to the final cruise of your choice, no costs or pitfalls to worry about. I booked my dummy cruise for a 4 night September 2018 back in August, made the deposit and several payments, just moved it to spring break 2019. All set and a nice chunk already paid.

 

[Twilight Terror]

One tip; book on time, especially with children, when we wanted to sign up for breakfast, meet and great, high tea etc everything was full (about 10 weeks before sail date). Our TA answered this when I asked for advice on how to get at least one activity for the kids:
Nothing I can do but “waitlist” the early dining. Disney is hard to do as most book far in advance and then it is full.
They only allow so many in the breakfast and once it is full.. it is full.

If when you sign in, you do find things like this are booked, don't give up hope! On embarkation day, when you get given your Navigator at check-in, take a moment to read over it. There will more than likely be a location on board where you can go and either get spare tickets or put yourselves on a waiting list. Last year, we didn't know you could pre-book the Frozen or Princess meet and greets, so by the time we realised (30 days out) everything was already gone. However, on embarkation we went to Port Adventures (that's where it was for us, but it does change location, so check the navigator!) we were given multiple options for booking both meet and greets, so were able to secure a space without too much issue. They also do similar with the dining options too, like Palo and character breakfast. People change their minds and alter plans, particularly when things get closer to time. So keep checking. But also make times and plans to visit those specific locations when you embark and see what pixie dust magic can be spared.

A tip with Port Adventures - try to have two or three excursions in mind for each location. Check-in and excursion booking opening dates are tiered based on your CC status or if you are Concierge level. So, as a first timer, you will have access to those at 75 days out. Even as Silver, some of our excursion choices were already gone, despite logging in at midnight 90 days out Also, log in at midnight 75 days out to book! When it comes to check-in and booking online, try and work out a priority list, so the things you really want to book, you go there first and book. Then you can do the less important things. That way, at least you stand a slightly better chance of getting the things you want.

But yes, start thinking of all your questions and start asking around this board. It is probably one of the best, and easiest to access resources you could possibly find. if you cant get an answer here, theres a good chance you wont get an answer anywhere!

Good luck with all your holiday planning!

 

[rcchello]

If cost is a factor remember the following:

All the rooms have basically the same furniture,
All guests have access to the same events
All guests eat at the same restaurants,
Even if you don't have a veranda, you can sit on deck and watch the ocean just like those who paid more money and you have more money to spend so you can have a drink brought to your seat.


Sometimes we stay In the cheapest rooms just and put the savings toward other things, such as more convenient flights.