Looking for a great deal for first time Disney cruiser

[Kevkel4]

I have only cruised on Carnival, but looking to try Disney. Always hear how awesome a Disney cruise is, and want to hopefully find an awesome deal! I want to take my two kids ages 11 and 8 before the magic is gone. How do I find the best deal ever?

[moki'smommy]

Best deal is likely to be a Kids Sail Free, but you have no way of knowing when or if DCL will offer this again.

 

If you can sail on short notice (30-75 days), look for IGT rates. There are also OGT and VGT (inside, oceanview, and verandah), but the best rates will be the inside...and how much time do you really spend in your cabin?

 

Best way to find these? Either check DCL's web site daily or contact a TA who is a DCL specialist (everyone who claims to be is not!) and will notify you when specials come out. I get a weekly e-mail from my TA with info on any deals from many lines, and rarely an extra post about a new "deal." They don't fill my box, but they keep me informed of what's out there.

[Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE]

Disney doesn't really have awesome deals. (Bummer right?) The best prices you can get usually are on opening day & by sailing off season. Anytime that kids are out of school DCL cruises are extremely expensive. The same cruise I am taking in January is more than double the price in July. A lot of parents take their kids out of school. Our last January DCL cruise had lots of kids. Another cheaper option is to sail the Wonder. The Magic had a major refurb last fall, and since then it has been pretty close in price to the Fantasy. The prices usually only go up the closer to the sail date that you get. Disney doesn't usually have very many promotions. They did have a kid sail free promotion when the Magic was sailing out of Galveston, which didn't sell well at all. They actually pulled out of Galveston early. I guess looking for a deal... I would plan far in advance or just go on the Wonder. That is definitely the cheapest way to get on DCL. That's just my two cents :)

[moki'smommy]

In the past, there have been Kids Sail Free offers out of LA, Galveston, and Port Canaveral (that I know of for sure)....and maybe others. But they only happen when the ship is just not filling. In general, the best prices are at the beginning, when dates are first released, but special and deals DO exist. There is a "specials" tab on the DCL web site to see what can be currently booked. Right now you can get a 12 night Trans-Atlantic cruise for 4 people for $3248 including ALL taxes and fees. Of course, the air fare home will kill you! 4 people can cruise for 7 nights on the Fantasy next week for $5500 (I don't think that's cheap, but it is a special!) They sometimes even have deals on concierge suites.

[Muushka]

How fast can you pack? Panama Canal, 5/2/2014 less than $100 a day per person.

[avgsuperheroine]

How do you find these? I checked the specials tab and didn't see anything. But last night I found a five night for $440 which hadn't been there before and I see those longer ones at a great price now.

[moki'smommy]

How do you find these? I checked the specials tab and didn't see anything. But last night I found a five night for $440 which hadn't been there before and I see those longer ones at a great price now.

 

You have 2 choices--either keep looking at the DCL site (you sometimes have to look at various cruise dates...when I checked the "specials", they only showed military and Fl Res rates OR find a travel agent who will keep track of them for you.

 

There are March specials right now if you can do them!

[Muushka]

Disney's Panama Canal cruises are always pretty much a great deal. They have another in the fall.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

My suggestion is, if you can't do a long Panama or TA cruise for a decent price, look for a 3/4 or 5 day for a good price and dip your toes in to DCL cruising. My only DCL so far was a 3 day and it BLEW OUR MINDS. Up to that point, I always wondered why any one would cruise less than a week, but on DCL, its not a requirement to be amazed. While I would like a week, other family didn't want to commit to 7 days again on a ship (after a 7 day CCL in 2007) so we are doing a 4 day and tacking on some park days to it.

 

If you can get an IGT (interior) OGT (oceanview) VGT (veranda) short notice sail (non refundable and non transferable and all cruise fare due right away), it is a good deal. We did that and had 3 spectacular deluxe double bathroom veranda rooms. This next one, we booked early (July of '13 for May '14) and got interiors (some of us, others got verandas) and used a 10% off coupon that was mailed to us. We got the 4 day for $522 pp cruise fare, which is about what we paid for our CCL Dream 7 day spa interior which was a very disappointing cruise (to me anyway). Our cruise fare includes Castaway Cay which is AWESOME! And none of my CCLs have included their private islands so far.

 

So yeah, either jump at a *GT rate and pack and go like we did last April and had the best family trip in years (until this May of course, which should even top that) or book quite a bit ahead of time.

 

For additional savings, we have the Disney Chase rewards card that gives 1% Disney dollars on all purchases (free card) and the 2% Disney dollars for all items of Disney (including vacations), gas, restaurants and groceries (premier card costs $49 annual fee) and we have both. We got $50 Disney gift card for signing up for the free card (that went towards our cruise deposit which only cost $22 pp thanks to the gift card and rewards) and then we got a $200 gift card when we applied for the Premier card. With the gift cards and rewards from March 2013 by Feb 2014, we only had to pay HALF our cruise out of pocket. Even with taxes and tips, our cruise is costing $300 pp. AND we are working on using about $150 or more towards Disney tickets or On Board expenses.

 

Others use Target cards and get discounts buying the Disney gift cards, others book through CostCo and get money back, others book through Travel Agents who offer lots of On Board Credits, and many others book while on board for a guaranteed 10% off and possible smaller deposits.

 

I hope that helps OP! Once you cruise DCL, it might be difficult to go back to CCL. I always found the ports to be wonderful on CCL but our last two shipboard experiences have gotten stale and really poorly serviced. DCL is a VERY high quality superior ship experience for us (and I can only speak to my personal experience, but I have also heard others agree.)

[DeeKay96]

In my opinion Disney is not worth it! It is a nice cruise line and the ships are nice but I honestly had a better time on Carnival. Disney barely ever gives discounts an even when they do it's still expensive, and not worth the extra money! I would say that unless your kids are HUDGE Disney fans then just stick with Carnival, they are truly the "fun ship" :)

 

 

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[sippican]

In my opinion Disney is not worth it! It is a nice cruise line and the ships are nice but I honestly had a better time on Carnival. Disney barely ever gives discounts an even when they do it's still expensive, and not worth the extra money! I would say that unless your kids are HUDGE Disney fans then just stick with Carnival, they are truly the "fun ship" :)

 

 

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Of course we are all entitled to our opinions and mine is that my last experience (on Carnival) ranks at the bottom of our cruises. I am not loyal to any one line but based on our last two cruises, I doubt we will ever book Carnival again.

 

Kevkel4, there are many agents out there that can be your advocate in looking for a good deal. It pays to shop around and ask others for referrals. Be sure your agent is available almost around the clock (or someone covers for them). A trained Disney specialist can offer proof that they have completed The Disney College of Knowledge.That being said, Disney deals are few and far between. Whatever Disney offers will be available to other agencies and to you for booking independently. What an agent can offer is to watch for deals for you (such as kids sail free). An agent can also offer OBC, or other perks (which come out of the agency's commission). These can vary from one to another.

Many people like to keep "control" of their own booking, rather than have an agent handle it.

 

Other posters have offered some great advice on finding these deals. If you are flexible and patient you can sail for less (but never even close to the cost of some other cruise lines).

[moki'smommy]

Kevkel4, there are many agents out there that can be your advocate in looking for a good deal. It pays to shop around and ask others for referrals. Be sure your agent is available almost around the clock (or someone covers for them). A trained Disney specialist can offer proof that they have completed The Disney College of Knowledge.That being said, Disney deals are few and far between. Whatever Disney offers will be available to other agencies and to you for booking independently. What an agent can offer is to watch for deals for you (such as kids sail free). An agent can also offer OBC, or other perks (which come out of the agency's commission). These can vary from one to another.

Many people like to keep "control" of their own booking, rather than have an agent handle it.

 

Other posters have offered some great advice on finding these deals. If you are flexible and patient you can sail for less (but never even close to the cost of some other cruise lines).

 

Be careful--an agency may display a "Disney specialist" sign in their window if one agent has taken the Disney training. The training is free, but it does mean that the agent must be away from work and potentially travel to receive it. The problem comes with the definition of an "agency." Some agencies exist nationwide with multiple offices (think AAA, Costco, etc.) That sign doesn't mean that a person in your location has any training, just that someone in the entire national agency does!

 

YOUR agent can prove that they took the Disney training. If they didn't, find a different agent! There are too many good ones out there to use someone who isn't.

[sippican]

Be careful--an agency may display a "Disney specialist" sign in their window if one agent has taken the Disney training. The training is free' date=' but it does mean that the agent must be away from work and potentially travel to receive it. The problem comes with the definition of an "agency." Some agencies exist nationwide with multiple offices (think AAA, Costco, etc.) That sign doesn't mean that a person in your location has any training, just that someone in the entire national agency does!

 

YOUR agent can prove that they took the Disney training. If they didn't, find a different agent! There are too many good ones out there to use someone who isn't.[/quote']

 

You are absolutely correct. That is why I said A trained Disney specialist can offer proof that they have completed The Disney College of Knowledge.. The certificate will have his/her name on it.

However, any agency can claim to specialize in Disney travel - no specific Disney training necessary by anyone in the entire agency.

Not sure what you mean that the agent must be away from work or travel to receive Disney training.

[moki'smommy]

Many years ago, a local agent (manager of the office) told me that she'd be gone for 2 days to attend Disney training....so from that, I inferred that the training is not given in the office. She definitely took off work to get the training and went somewhere.

 

Of course, things could have changed. I'm not an agent and know only what they've told me....now it could be totally computerized--I don't know.

[sippican]

Many years ago' date=' a local agent (manager of the office) told me that she'd be gone for 2 days to attend Disney training....so from that, I inferred that the training is not given in the office. She definitely took off work to get the training and went somewhere.

 

Of course, things could have changed. I'm not an agent and know only what they've told me....now it could be totally computerized--I don't know.[/quote']

 

Yes, totally computerized, but opportunities to tour the ships and free park tickets (limited) once the training is completed.

[ducklite]

You are absolutely correct. That is why I said A trained Disney specialist can offer proof that they have completed The Disney College of Knowledge.. The certificate will have his/her name on it.

 

However, any agency can claim to specialize in Disney travel - no specific Disney training necessary by anyone in the entire agency.

 

Not sure what you mean that the agent must be away from work or travel to receive Disney training.

 

 

There are three types of Disney training for TA's. The first is the basic training that consists if written material and videos to watch. Frankly there is more information just on the Internet.

 

Then there are the in person classes held at Disney University and the DIsney call centers. These are only offered to the TA's in the country who sell the most Disney. We're talking too 5%or so. If you can find one of those TA's, they will be well worth booking through.

 

The third type is the hands on experiences that only the very, very top producers get with free trips to the theme parks including hotels, not just tickets, and free cruises (not just tours while the ship is in port.)

Edited March 17, 2014 by ducklite

[BigTex71]

As a matter of fact, I just got back from an Agent Education Program at Walt Disney World. One of the days of our program, they bused us to Port Canaveral and we took a 3 hour tour (3 hour tour) of the Disney Dream. We were able to see all the different stateroom classes and all the public areas, including the Spa, kids areas, and restaurants.

 

Now I am begging my wife to allow me to book our family a cruise on the Dream next summer for a double dip at Castaway Cay. It is such a beautiful ship!

[moki'smommy]

 

Now I am begging my wife to allow me to book our family a cruise on the Dream next summer for a double dip at Castaway Cay. It is such a beautiful ship!

 

Tell your wife that you want to go on the Fantasy. Why do a "quickie" on the Dream if you can do a week????? And the price of air, transfers, etc. will be essentially the same regardless of length of the cruise. Longer = better IMHO

[BigTex71]

Tell your wife that you want to go on the Fantasy. Why do a "quickie" on the Dream if you can do a week????? And the price of air' date=' transfers, etc. will be essentially the same regardless of length of the cruise. Longer = better IMHO[/quote']

 

I tried that one yesterday. The Fantasy 7-night for my family (we have to go in the summer when kids are out of school) would be more than she was willing to spend. But the lower cost for the 5-day on the Dream (double dip) has her thinking about it. :)

 

Worst case scenario for next summer - we do a few days at WDW, then a little 3-day cruise at the end.