Am I missing something?

[Maleeni]

Am I the only one that thinks $8,000 plus for a cruise for a family of four is outrageous? Just did a quick look for the Caribbean in July 2015! Wow!

 

Perhaps you book these years in advance so you have time to take out a second mortgage; someone, please enlighten me.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

We just adjusted our sail dates and planned to adjust accommodations to do it, but the sail date cruising off season allowed us to pay the same as we would have in another line at on on season rate.

 

We also found that many don't add together their fare and on board charges when comparing two lines.

[moki'smommy]

 

 

We also found that many don't add together their fare and on board charges when comparing two lines.

 

Yes, but.....DCL has fewer on board charged items. Soft drinks at the beverage station and in the dining rooms are included, kid programming is included for all hours open. There are very few upcharge dining options. Room service is included. However, I can buy an awful lot of soda for the difference between a DCL cruise and other lines! My experience is that DCL still comes out more costly even after including any upcharges from other lines. However, the difference is not as great as it may seem at first glance.

 

Another "trick" other lines use is to show higher port charges and government fees. We looked at an Alaska cruise on DCL and another line with the same ports. The other line added $200+ MORE per person to the cost under the heading of "taxes" than DCL did. Again, that went a significant way toward neutralizing the cost difference.

 

You are right--you must compare what it will cost to get you onto the ship (total) plus any obvious on board costs you may incur from another line (soda package, etc.)

[Cedricandsophie]

We have done 15 Disney cruises. Most of them 7 days or more. We have an adult disabled daughter. We always bring her best friend too. And for last several years we have done Alaska, Mexico, a couple Mediterranean, Baltic, Greek islands and this coming June, norway. We bring as many of the family that want to come. We are blessed we can afford it I know. But as long as my daughter and grand children..who are now 18 and 13...still love it we will take them. We have done other cruises too like silver sea and crystal. Even the high end luxury lines have to work hard to match the level of customer service Disney provides. We enjoy the atmosphere, the characters, the food, the kids , etc. The price seems worth it to us.

[carolina_yankee]

Am I the only one that thinks $8,000 plus for a cruise for a family of four is outrageous? Just did a quick look for the Caribbean in July 2015! Wow!

 

Perhaps you book these years in advance so you have time to take out a second mortgage; someone, please enlighten me.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

The same itineraries in can be had in April for $2k - $3k less, so it's definitely influenced by time of you - and for many families, summer is their best chance. I notice that the cruises right after Easter (Spring Season) are just as high as July, again because that's when families can go.

 

You also have a challenge with the Cat 11 cabins on the Fantasy and Dream. Even though they are inside staterooms, they have the Magic Porthole screen, which a lot of kids love. The rooms can sometimes be in higher demand than Oceanview because of that. I noticed the price difference between Cat 11 and Oceanview (what few categories were still unbooked in July 2015) weren't that different.

 

I get the price struggle though. I've flirted with RCCL because of that, but since we don't cruise that often and love Disney, we prefer to earmark cruise dollars for DCL even if we have to wait a little longer to do it.

 

Dirk

[avgsuperheroine]

Definitely a timing thing. We've done five of us for $1800 (IGT 3 night), and are planning a seven night southern for $5200 next jan. We love Disney but as the boys get older we will likely try other lines again.

[catscanner]

I got 2 OV rooms deck 6 on Disney Magic beginning of Dec. 2015 for $4700 plus $300. room credit. I thought this was a great deal!

Edited February 8, 2015 by catscanner

[moki'smommy]

I got 2 OV rooms deck 6 on Disney Magic beginning of Dec. 2015 for $4700 plus $300. room credit. I thought this was a great deal!

 

Let me play "yes, but" here. I agree that's a decent price for 5 people in 2 cabins. BUT early December is low season. You are on the Magic rather than the more expensive Fantasy.

 

OP's issue was Fantasy at high season. Thus, the price difference.

[LuCruise]

Yep. We priced out a 7 day Caribbean cruise on Fantasy or Magic vs Allure or Oasis on RCL. The price difference is $2000. Needless to say, we booked with RCL. They offer tons of kids stuff and have DreamWorks instead of Disney characters. I will add that I was checking for April which is not prime vacation time .

Edited February 9, 2015 by LuCruise

[moki'smommy]

Yep. We priced out a 7 day Caribbean cruise on Fantasy or Magic vs Allure or Oasis on RCL. The price difference is $2000. Needless to say, we booked with RCL. They offer tons of kids stuff and have DreamWorks instead of Disney characters. I will add that I was checking for April which is not prime vacation time .

 

Depends on when in April. Spring break basically covers from mid-March to late April depending on the school system.

 

Currently there are *GT rates available for the April 11 cruise!

[CI66774]

OP - I guess it depends upon what YOU consider value. Since I adopted my daughter, we've been on two Disney and two Princess cruises. I prefer Princess for a number of reasons (they have great kids clubs, too). Kid loves Princess but is obsessed with "Frozen" and everything Disney. I kept checking Disney prices and got really reasonable fares on both the Fantasy and Magic. Again, value is in the eye of the beholder. If the price is right - for me, I'll book Disney again.

[mollyeilis]

DCL also makes a larger effort to meet child needs, with more North American youth counselors than other lines, better child/youth experiences, etc.

 

And yet my son LOVES Royal's Adventure Ocean and the more personal attention there, even if it's from non-North American counselors. Having native English speakers isn't a value to everyone.

 

He also says that Disney plays GAGAball wrong. I don't even know what that is, so I can't explain it, LOL. By day 2 on Royal the counselors are greeting him by name even when out of the club. On Disney only one counselor in 4 cruises has recognized him from one day to the next, and that's because he was talking with that CM because he was so bored in the kid's club that time. (he's old enough to ask to go to Edge, but not quite mature enough to WANT to ask to go to Edge)

 

 

 

OP there's no way I would pay 8K or near it for a 7 night cruise. Just no chance. Disney is nice, but it's just not that nice.

[LuCruise]

Depends on when in April. Spring break basically covers from mid-March to late April depending on the school system.

 

Currently there are *GT rates available for the April 11 cruise!

 

I was looking at April 2016. It's 2 weeks after Easter and should be after most Spring breaks (but I cannot confirm as I am not in the US). Having said that, I saw similar prices for the RCL cruise in May 2016 (Disney doesn't go that far so can't compare May yet).

[moki'smommy]

I was looking at April 2016. It's 2 weeks after Easter and should be after most Spring breaks (but I cannot confirm as I am not in the US). Having said that, I saw similar prices for the RCL cruise in May 2016 (Disney doesn't go that far so can't compare May yet).

 

You are correct--with Easter being in late March, April 9 should be the end of the spring break period in the US. May prices for DCL are expected within a few weeks.

[LuCruise]

You are correct--with Easter being in late March' date=' April 9 should be the end of the spring break period in the US. May prices for DCL are expected within a few weeks.[/quote']

 

Thanks for confirming. Will be interesting to see how May prices compare...especially with initial release of DCL.

[Lerin]

What do you expect?

This is the same company that charges $100 for 3-year-olds to enter their smallest park and then aren't even tall enough to go on half the rides (if they can even stand the wait in line to begin with).

 

Disney has a cult following, their prices will never go down. Some people do in fact save for years in order to have 1 Disney cruise. While others prefer to use one of the mass market lines and cruise every year or more!

[JVilleGal]

Our family of four is sailing in a balcony for half what the OP is quoting.... Just don't sail over Spring Break and expect a bargain!

[cocacola86]

Do you think 2500 is to much for an OV for either Magic or Fantasy?

[moki'smommy]

Do you think 2500 is to much for an OV for either Magic or Fantasy?

 

Not enough information given. Fantasy does 7 night cruises. Magic does all sorts of lengths. Are you talking 7 nights? How many people? What season? If this is Christmas week for 4 people, it is an amazing price. If it is September 10 for 2 people, it is OK but nothing to be excited about.

 

"Too much" is up to you and what you are willing to spend. The rest of 2016 dates and rates should be released in March. They are lowest at release time and increase as the ship fills. Sometimes by the penalty date, the cost of the cruise has doubled from the initial release date.

 

The point is that the rate is the rate. The question is whether you are willing to pay it. Also, be sure ANY quoted rate includes ALL taxes and fees.

Edited February 16, 2015 by moki'smommy

[Friend100]

Do you think 2500 is to much for an OV for either Magic or Fantasy?

 

I suppose this is Caribbean 7 nights so this is equivalent to $357 per night and I suppose it is per person, tax fee included in USD $. This seems to be fair market value for summer sailing. People will pay that much for this. Personally, I won't. Need OP to provide more information. It could well be for 4 people 12 nights Baltic on the Magic which then is an unbelievable unreal bargain! :D

[Emperor Norton]

Wow, thats about the same per diem as a 7 day Caribbean cruise on Seabourn.:eek:

[slightlysilly]

I am sitting in the Orlando airport after getting off a three day cruise on the Dream. I'll post a more detailed review but my immediate thoughts are if you and your family are not "Disney" people, and you take away all the Disney stuff, you can do just as well in terms of service on other cruises. We aren't Disney people MEANING that we don't flip out when a princess or Goofy walks by. We got a great deal through my credit card rewards and decided to see what the fuss was about. Service is excellent. Ship is classy. Castaway Cay is brilliant. Food is great. So there's that.

[clemsonlori98]

My family sailed on the Fantasy back on 1/24/15. It was our first Disney cruise. My 5 year old son had a blast. We got a VGT rate and got assigned a Deluxe Family Verandah on deck 9. It was a great price, especially getting the 4A category. I now realize that I want that kind of deal when we sail Disney again. Unfortunately that deal probably only comes in the off season. We are hooked now. I don't think we would be willing to pay the going rate for a verandah during peak vacation times.

[moki'smommy]

My family sailed on the Fantasy back on 1/24/15. It was our first Disney cruise. My 5 year old son had a blast. We got a VGT rate and got assigned a Deluxe Family Verandah on deck 9. It was a great price, especially getting the 4A category. I now realize that I want that kind of deal when we sail Disney again. Unfortunately that deal probably only comes in the off season. We are hooked now. I don't think we would be willing to pay the going rate for a verandah during peak vacation times.

 

The special rates appear any time a cruise is not selling well. There are currently *GT rates available for April and May 2015 cruises, and I believe one in June was just announced.

 

Your best bet is to do an onboard rebooking and move it to a newly announced date. The rates on the day bookings open can be lower than the *GT rates and you have an unrestricted booking that way. Of course, this requires that you have a good handle on work and school schedules that far in advance.

 

We've gotten some amazing rates in the past. Most recently, we have 2 cruises booked which have doubled in price since we booked them! Ouch to the new bookers!

 

Of course, we've also had cruises that didn't change in price from the day booking opened till embarkation. Still had a great rate and a not full ship!

[cyclenut]

No way I would pay that price. I did once, on the Wonder to Alaska. We had a great time, but not THAT great. Every DCL sailing since has been at a discount rate. You have chosen Disney's newest ship during a peak time. That will come at a premium price.

 

When faced with a similar per person price on the Fantasy during the inaugural year, I cancelled and chose RCL instead. Best choice I could have made.

 

I agree with the previous poster who suggested you wait for 2016 sailings prices and see if they are more reasonable. Maybe try off season. Otherwise, go somewhere else. You won't be disappointed.

[moki'smommy]

I guess you can't blame DCL for getting what they can for each cruise and each cabin. If they start too high with prices, the ship wont fill and they can always offer "specials." If they start too low, the ship will start to book up rapidly and the price tiers will quickly increase (this is usually special cruises, new ports, etc.)

 

They have a computer algorithm that tells them where to start the pricing and how/when to increase it to maximize profit. And DCL is the only division of Disney that has ALWAYS made a profit from the initial launch date regardless of the economy, 9/11, etc. So they must be doing something right from their standpoint.

 

As long as there are guests willing to pay the prices, they will continue to charge them. When there are not sufficient guests, prices drop. Simple supply and demand. Each of us can determine our own price point and when they get too high, we can vote with our feet--either by banking our vacation dollars to another time or taking them to a different company.