Will dcl start offering more 7 night cruises now that they’ve had to put their 3/4 night cruises on sale?

[Moonspinner]

They didn’t put any 7 night cruises on sale. Obviously the 3/4 night cruises are not selling as well.

 

[OKW Lover]

DCL sets its schedules over a year ahead of time. It's not like they can just change a ship from 3/4 to 7 night sailings without significant disruptions. Perhaps when the next itinerary release happens we might see a change but remember that there will also be new ships to figure into the mix.

 

[DCL58]

One can only hope.

 

[holula]

I hope they do change it up more in their next itinerary release. Even if their idea of changing it up is the occasional 7 night out of Port Everglades.

 

[dreamer17555]

I think it’s going to be super interesting to see how much they need to discount the dream this winter to get it to fill. 3/4 nights out of Ft. Lauderdale this January and February, with no theme days (like Marvel), and the destiny sailing out of the same port… I absolutely could be wrong, but I think they’re really going to regret those choices.

 

[dreamer17555]

I hope they do change it up more in their next itinerary release. Even if their idea of changing it up is the occasional 7 night out of Port Everglades.

To me a seven night on the dream or fantasy out of Fort Lauderdale makes the most sense. It’s not cannibalizing any of the audience that might want to do short sailing and the parks, but is giving people who want to sail 7 nights from FL on a non Wish class ship the option.

 

[Moonspinner]

To me a seven night on the dream or fantasy out of Fort Lauderdale makes the most sense. It’s not cannibalizing any of the audience that might want to do short sailing and the parks, but is giving people who want to sail 7 nights from FL on a non Wish class ship the option.

That would be great. I am also wondering if they will do 7 nights out of Galveston when they put a ship there year round. Then they could also do some better ports from Galveston.

 

[holula]

To me a seven night on the dream or fantasy out of Fort Lauderdale makes the most sense. It’s not cannibalizing any of the audience that might want to do short sailing and the parks, but is giving people who want to sail 7 nights from FL on a non Wish class ship the option.

I agree and even if they did one every couple of months I think it would be really popular. I’d love to see an Eastern with different ports eg San Juan/St Maarten.

 

[BrokeMack]

My fantasy (heh heh) would be for the Fantasy to sail opposite the Treasure, ie 7n EC while the Treasure is western and vice versa. And BRING BACK STAR WARS DAY AT SEA ALREADY JEEZ ANDOR JUST BOUGHT YOU LIKE 30 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS! Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

 

[Disneyworldlocal]

I feel like Disney is at a crossroads here. The Treasure has a lot of sparked interest these days due to it being new and how plussed up it is over the Wish and other ships. However
This can only last so long as Disney has a market that really likes / prefers the older ships. The price point of the Treasure is also high and giving an option for an older ship with a 7 day itinerary at a lower price point I think would help the overall market.
But what I really think is hurting Disney right now with the 3 and 4 night is two factors. #1 they have too many ships in Florida doing the same 3 and 4 night itineraries. #2 is the new Universal Epic Park. I haven’t been yet and most likely wont go for awhile but the reviews so far is it’s EPIC ( no pun intended) and I am positive that people who would normally do a Disney World trip and then do a 3 or 4 night cruise either before or after are looking at how high those are priced vs going to this brand new Universal Epic Park and are making the choice to do that. I think when you factor that in plus the fact that Disney World will be getting new lands at 3 of their 4 parks in the next few years the current 3 and 4 night cruises will be even harder to sell at a higher price point.
I feel like the word is out now - why book a 3 or 4 night cruise way in advance if you are already planning to come to central Florida at a specific knowing that if you wait to plan the cruise portion of that 2 to 3 months in advance the price point will be considerably lower.
I think the only way to counter this is to give more options for different cruise lengths across all ships ( except the Treasure as that is the current 7 night ) and come up with 7 plus night at different ports than what they do now.

 

[SnowWhite2]

The Magic 10 night southern caribbean sailing has had Military and FL resident rates at $263/nt. Opening day price was $366/nt. I’m not sure that long summer cruises are the answer either. There is still a SPH room for almost $9K. That is $450/nt. I won’t pay that for the Wish or Treasure and I’m sure not paying that for an inside deluxe on the Magic (although the OGs are my fav). Their pricing is very out of line. RCCL has better amenities and has to be cheaper. My DCL 10 night to Hawaii in September was just lowered in price right before PIF date. We saved over $1K in my SPH room. DH and I are paying $169/nt per person for the cruise. Pretty good for transportation, food, entertainment and lodging. But DCL can’t get a full ship to Hawaii which is a supposed sought after destination by DCL cruisers.

 

[WB1971]

I think it’s going to be super interesting to see how much they need to discount the dream this winter to get it to fill. 3/4 nights out of Ft. Lauderdale this January and February, with no theme days (like Marvel), and the destiny sailing out of the same port… I absolutely could be wrong, but I think they’re really going to regret those choices.

I have zero interest in the Destiny- outside of Pirates and Haunted mansion, but no way I’m booking a cruise just for those two spaces. I’d sail on the dream every chance I get. The way I see it, destiny a complete mishmash of themes and will be a one and done to say they’ve done it for most DCL vets. I could be wrong as well, and certainly the Destiny will do well until everyone “cycles through it”. 3 years in there will be regret over building a mishmash marvel ship, in my estimation.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have zero interest in the Destiny- outside of Pirates and Haunted mansion, but no way I’m booking a cruise just for those two spaces. I’d sail on the dream every chance I get. The way I see it, destiny a complete mishmash of themes and will be a one and done to say they’ve done it for most DCL vets. I could be wrong as well, and certainly the Destiny will do well until everyone “cycles through it”. 3 years in there will be regret over building a mishmash marvel ship, in my estimation.

Interesting perspective. I'm one of those DCL vets and am indeed booking the Destiny because it's new. Just like I booked the Treasure, and the Wish before that.

Will I sail on any of them again? Yes. If the cost and itinerary are to my liking. I don't write off any DCL ship when considering my future sailings.

 

[jimmymc]

Maybe. The shorter cruises are still their bread and butter, and I can see overpricing them just to put them on sale as a marketing strategy. I also don't see the Wish doing anything different in the near future, since that ship was designed for shorter sailings, even though a lot of them were on sale. I do think Disney will offer more longer cruises as the new ships come out.

 

[Kingoglow]

I would also like to see them alter some sailings.

I know this might be a different take, but I prefer Days at Seas over the ports. Most port days I stay on the boat. I prefer the 7 night cruise because of the opportunity for 2 Days at Sea.

I would be interested in 3-4 night sailing with all Days at Sea or a 5 night sailing with only one port day.

 

[tvguy]

I doubt it. The spending per passenger is through the roof on the 3/4 day cruises as compared to 7 day. Until that changes, the itineraries won't shift to longer cruises. Basic math, carrying twice as many passengers a week is more profitable even at a lower fare.

 

[jwalk03]

I would also like to see them alter some sailings.

I know this might be a different take, but I prefer Days at Seas over the ports. Most port days I stay on the boat. I prefer the 7 night cruise because of the opportunity for 2 Days at Sea.

I would be interested in 3-4 night sailing with all Days at Sea or a 5 night sailing with only one port day.

Cruises will nothing but days at sea are not permitted from US Ports due to the PVSA. Every cruise starting and ending in a US port must visit a foreign port since none of them are US Flagged vessels. (Other than the NCL Pride of America)

 

[RedHead0186]

They didn’t put any 7 night cruises on sale. Obviously the 3/4 night cruises are not selling as well.

The only ship doing 7-night sailings right now (at least in the Caribbean) is the Treasure. That's still new, so I think they're not having as much of a hard time filling the Treasure. The Wish is kinda 'old news' at this point, so I can see why it's not filling as well.

 

[RedHead0186]

Cruises will nothing but days at sea are not permitted from US Ports due to the PVSA. Every cruise starting and ending in a US port must visit a foreign port since none of them are US Flagged vessels. (Other than the NCL Pride of America)

The PVSA prohibits non-US flagged vessels from transporting passengers between two different US ports without stopping at a distant foreign port.

There may be other rules/restrictions on cruises with no port stops, but I don't believe that's because of the PVSA.

 

[RedHead0186]

I also don't see the Wish doing anything different in the near future, since that ship was designed for shorter sailings, even though a lot of them were on sale.

I can't recall ever seeing that the Wish was designed for shorter cruises (maybe I missed that?).