Book Disney Cruise for this summer or next summer?

[fantavet]

Would like to book 2 cabins for a total of 3 adults and 3 kids. And it sounds like I definitely should go through a TA. The cruise would be Florida to Carribean 5 night. Just a few questions/concerns.

 

If I book the cruise for this August I'm not sure if I would have enough time to get all the passports needed? With the kids I heard you really don't need passports but having them is good in case of emergency.

 

I was on the Disney site and modeled a cruise for June 2024. For inside stateroom it was $1500 more for 1 adult and 3 kids vs going August this year? I thought the further you booked out the better the price break? Or is mid August hurricane season hence the cheaper fare?

[Rothko1]

Are you sure you need passports for a Florida to Florida cruise?  I thought that wasn't required.  Now I gotta go research that...

 

Mid-August is definitely prime hurricane season, but I wouldn't be too concerned.  Disney isn't going to sail into any storms; they will go far around them.  Of course, that might affect your itinerary.

[Rothko1]

So it depends on what islands you are going to be stopping at.

 

See the following:

 

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/do-you-need-passport-caribbean-cruise

[mommb]

As noted in the article Rothko1 posted, you probably do not need passports for a Caribbean cruise that leaves from and returns to the same US port, but it is a good idea to have them just in case you need to fly home.

 

I just looked at cruise prices for June and August of 2023 and June and August of 2024. The June prices are consistently higher than the August prices. This could be because August is less desirable because it's hurricane season and the weather tends to be hot. It is also possible most students are out of school in mid-June than in mid-August, and Disney Cruise prices tend to be higher while more kids are out of school. Also, the 2024 5-night cruises are out of Fort Lauderdale and the 2023 5-night cruises are out of Miami, which may have caused a slight price increase.

 

Disney Cruise prices do typically stay the same or increase as the ships fill up. They rarely if ever decrease, although special discounted non-refundable fares that require full payment when booked may be offered a few months before a sailing that's not yet sold out. 

[Oceansaway17]

prices are better in 2024 for the Disney Wish.