Disney Vancouver, BC--Only in 2011???

[LadyLuck]

We're really excited that Disney will be sailing out of Vancouver next year, but unfortunately, the vacation timing for next year is just not aligning for a Disney Cruise. Someone told me this morning that she heard from a travel agent that Disney is only sailing out of Vancouver in 2011, and then it'll relocate to another homeport in 2012. Is this true? Does anyone else know anything more? When will the 2012 itinerary come out? I've checked the DCL site and nothing yet.

 

Thanks.

[Host Mick]

The Disney Wonder is going to be berthed in Long Beach more or less permanently starting in 2011. It's easy to imagine that they will be doing Mexico trips in the Winter and Alaska in the Summer in the future. They seem to be building a DCL terminal in Long Beach so there will probably be a minimum number of departures from there but the rest can be from Vancouver. Of course I'm just wishing.

[gismo1554]

2012 Itineraries are due out on the 18th October this year so I assume once these come out we will know for sure. There are still rumours that summer 2012 the Wonder will do Hawaii rather than Alaska but that doesn't mean they wont go back to Alaska at some point. It will never be their home port as they can't run cruises all year up there but Long Beach is almost certainly going to be which would make it ideal to do Hawaii, Mexico and Alaska cruises but when and how they split these up we still do not know. It may be an every other year thing. I doubt DCL will dismiss Alaska entirely. In 2007 I was told that the Magic was not going to be returning to Europe again by a Travel Agent then in 2008 DCL announced that the Magic was indeed going back to Europe this year so don't count it out no matter what a TA says as to be honest, until DCL announces their itinerary for a particular year they could be going anywhere. DCL spent a lot of money refurbing the Wonder so it can go to Alaska (such as adding an enclosed seating deck on Deck 10) and I doubt DCL would rule out going back again as the Alaska cruises have been popular next year.

[Host Mick]

2012 Itineraries are due out on the 18th October this year so I assume once these come out we will know for sure. There are still rumours that summer 2012 the Wonder will do Hawaii rather than Alaska but that doesn't mean they wont go back to Alaska at some point. It will never be their home port as they can't run cruises all year up there but Long Beach is almost certainly going to be which would make it ideal to do Hawaii, Mexico and Alaska cruises but when and how they split these up we still do not know. It may be an every other year thing. I doubt DCL will dismiss Alaska entirely. In 2007 I was told that the Magic was not going to be returning to Europe again by a Travel Agent then in 2008 DCL announced that the Magic was indeed going back to Europe this year so don't count it out no matter what a TA says as to be honest, until DCL announces their itinerary for a particular year they could be going anywhere. DCL spent a lot of money refurbing the Wonder so it can go to Alaska (such as adding an enclosed seating deck on Deck 10) and I doubt DCL would rule out going back again as the Alaska cruises have been popular next year.

 

I wouldn't bet on Hawaii. Long Beach/Ensenada to Hawaii is about three sea days each way requiring a 10 day or longer cruise to see anything. Disney's key demographic is young families who are less likely to be able to take that kind of trip.

[theshowmestate]

The Wonder's new "home port" is LA. It will just be in Vancouver during the summers when it is doing the Alaska cruises. As for the future, when they make their announcements on the 18th, I think there won't be any huge surprises, maybe a new Easter Med route for the Magic. I think it'll be the Wonder on the west coast doing Mexican Riveria and Alaska; the Dream in Port Canaveral doing the Bahamas, the Fantasy in Port Canaveral doing year round Caribbean itineraries and the Magic in Europe during the summer and back to Port Canaveral during the winter also on Caribbean routes. There are so many discussions about this all over that it'll be interesting to see how it ends up.

[Marla07860]

I wouldn't bet on Hawaii. Long Beach/Ensenada to Hawaii is about three sea days each way requiring a 10 day or longer cruise to see anything. Disney's key demographic is young families who are less likely to be able to take that kind of trip.

 

I see how you can, think that, but Disney has done a couple 10 day or longer cruises in the past, so we might see Hawaii cruises in the future

[gismo1554]

I wouldn't bet on Hawaii. Long Beach/Ensenada to Hawaii is about three sea days each way requiring a 10 day or longer cruise to see anything. Disney's key demographic is young families who are less likely to be able to take that kind of trip.

 

I was thinking more repositioning cruise to Hawaii for 10 nights then multiple Hawaiian island cruises during the summer then back to LA via a repositioning cruise. This follows what they have done getting to Europe and Alaska etc.

[Host Mick]

I was thinking more repositioning cruise to Hawaii for 10 nights then multiple Hawaiian island cruises during the summer then back to LA via a repositioning cruise. This follows what they have done getting to Europe and Alaska etc.

 

DCL ships are foreign flagged so they can't do exclusively Hawaiian cruises. (Passenger Services Act of 1886) They must go to a distant foreign port on every cruise hence the stop at Ensenada or the need to sail way out to Kiribati, a five day detour for a day there.

The Passenger services act was supposed to protect US ships carrying passengers in the US. How's that working out for them? It's time to repeal it for ships above 500 Gross.

[tracyvansmith]

I can see Disney doing like Carnival. Do Mexico in the winter then in April Ensenada to Hawaii then Hawaii to Vancouver. Then Alaska for the summer. Then in Sep. do a Vancouver to Hawaii and a Hawii to Ensenada. And then back to the Mexico cruises.

[LadyLuck]

I've been checking the DCL website today, and they still don't have the 2012 info yet. Does anyone have any other website/source that they go to?

[theshowmestate]

so, DCL's "big announcement" today simply pertained to the Fantasy, it sets sail April 2012 doing the Caribbean, that was pretty much a given if you ask me. As for anything different for 2012, it looks like it it'll be a while for anything on that.

[theshowmestate]

so, DCL's "big announcement" today simply pertained to the Fantasy, it sets sail April 2012 doing the Caribbean, that was pretty much a given if you ask me. As for anything different for 2012, it looks like it it'll be a while for anything on that.

[tericelia]

I haven't found any information on shore excursions during the Alaska cruises. We are booked on the July 5 cruise on Wonder. Can anyone help or tell me where to look? Thanks, Teri

[minniedaisymom]

Just saw a post that says the excursions for Alaska are now posted....heading to the DCL site next!