It Pays To Plan Ahead
Did you know Walt Disney World Resort allows its guests to book a vacation package up to 499 days in advance? There are several ways to use this long window to our advantage.
Planning a Disney vacation far in advance will give you plenty of time to do your research and create your detailed touring plans.
It also allows you to spread out your payments so you can pay down your balance over an extended amount of time. This is welcome news for those of us who are on a tight budget!
Remember, when it comes to Disney vacations, the early bird catches the worm. What I mean by that is Disneys most popular hotels and restaurants are prone to selling out far in advance. Therefore, booking early will allow you to secure the Advanced Dining Reservations and FastPass+ selection of your choice before other people snatch them up.
Contact a Disney travel agent today and let them help you book your trip. We recommend the commission-free Disney specialists at The Vacationeer.
Ground Transfers Or Transportation
Disney offers transportation services for families trying to get to the port. However, these services are not included in the standard cruise package.
In general, these costs are $35 per person one way or $70 per person on a round-trip. Families using Disney cruise transportation to get to or from Walt Disney World also have to pay a fee.
Fuel Surcharge Policy On Disney Cruises
Disney Cruise Line has eliminated its fuel surcharge. Clients who have already booked a cruise will be refunded their supplement based on the following guidelines: If the closing price on the NYMEX of West Texas Intermediate fuel is below $70 a barrel two weeks prior to the beginning of the calendar quarter, the company will refund fuel surcharges paid in the form of an onboard credit. The quarter that the cruise falls in will be based solely on the sailing date. The entire cruise will be considered to be part of the quarter that the sailing date originates in. For the calendar of dates on which the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel will be measured and the quarters during which refunds could apply.
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When To Travel On A Disney Cruise
When to travel This will depend on where you plan to cruise. If you are planning on sailing to the Caribbean, the summer months will be the best. If you are cruising to Alaska, then you will want to travel May-September. Disney typically sails on special cruises during the summer months. They may also offer a Panama Canal cruise during the summer if they need to reposition one of the cruise ships.
Best times of year There are typically 3 seasons High , Shoulder, or Low season.
High Season If you want to cruise when children are out of school, you will typically find those times more expensive to cruise because of increased demand. You will want to price early for availability because the cruises limit the number of children on a cruise, and the rooms that will sleep a family book early. The Panama Canal cruises are usually priced in this category.
Disney typically offers Europe only during the summer months. Alaska high season would be June-August. The Caribbean cruises would be more expensive during June-August.
In shoulder and low seasons You will find better pricing for locations with year-round opportunities to cruise. The Bahamas and the Caribbean will offer lower prices.
Best times of year For Alaska, June through August are the warmest months. If you are looking to see wildlife on an Alaskan cruise, the later in the year you cruise, the more animals you will see.
How To Save Money On A Disney Cruise
Disney Cruise Line is considered a premium cruise compared to other family friendly cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. It’s obvious that Disney cruise ships are full of fun features for children and adults but the pricing difference also translates into things that might not appear initially obvious like menus quality.
The good news there are ways to make that dream Disney cruise more affordable.There are TONS of pricing variables when it comes to booking a Disney cruise…date of sailing, number of nights at sea, ports of call, type of cabin etc. As a REALLY GENERAL “ball park” a Disney Cruise costs between $150 – $300 per person/per night night at sea. To confirm advance reservations on a Disney Cruise, you will need to make a 20% deposit. Final payment for your cruise is due 75-90 days prior to sailing.
Still, a Disney Cruise tops the list of many a family’s vacation dream. So how do you make this happen for your kids without breaking the bank? Here are a few tips that will help you to save a boatload on your Disney Cruise….
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Minimum Age Policy On Disney Cruises
Minors under the age of 18 not traveling with a parent or legal guardian must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older in the same stateroom. The parent or guardian of any minor not traveling with a parent or guardian must appoint an adult to have custody and control over the minor and to contract on their behalf in connection with the Disney Cruise Line vacation. A minor authorization form can be obtained by visiting disneycruise.com and selecting “My Disney Cruise” or is sent when a document package is mailed. The form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to embarkation at the Disney Cruise Line Terminal. After 9:00 p.m., adult entertainment districts are restricted to Guests 18 years and older.
Disney Cruise Discounts For Disney Visa Cardholders
Disney Visa cardholders who use their card as their payment method onboard automatically get several discounts on purchases on the ship and on Castaway Cay. In order for this to happen, you have to register your Disney Visa card when you check in at the port. You do not need to charge the cruise fare on your Disney Visa to get the discounts.
You should not need to ask at purchase time to get the discounts if you have the card registered any discounts should automatically be applied when you make an eligible purchase.
These discounts cannot be combined with any other discounts you might qualify for, such as Disney Vacation Club discounts.
Discounts include:
- 10% off selected merchandise purchases of $50 or more. Excludes sale merchandise, gift cards, Castaway Cay merchandise, DVDs, CDs, big-ticket items like art, jewelry, fragrances, cosmetics and watches, plus several vague catch-all categories like selected special items. Basically, ask first if youll get the 10% off, if its important to your purchase decision.
- 10% off 10-photo, 15-photo, 20-photo or unlimited photo packages.
- 10% off the Castaway Cay Getaway package .
- 20% off full-priced massage or facial treatment in the onboard spa while in port. This does not include massages on Castaway Cay or treatments discounted as part of onboard specials.
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Included In Vacation Fare
Cruise vacation fares include shipboard accommodations on a per-Guest basis, and all meals and entertainment as provided on board the ship. For parties staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and reserving a shipboard suite for more than 5 Guests, an additional Walt Disney World Resort hotel room will be required at additional cost.
Disney Cruise Line Discounts
There are several other ways in which to get discounts on Disney cruises. For example, its possible to place a $250 placeholder fee that can be used on a cruise within the next two years. This lets you bank some of the costs ahead of time until you find a cruise within your budget.
Also, Disney will sometimes run promotions for Canadian residents, Florida residents, and military members. Each of these tends to be a flat percentage of the cost of the cruise.
These promotions are part of the special offers page on the Disney Cruise website, so be sure to check that out regularly.
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Disney Cruise Discounts For Canadian Residents
Canadian residents sometimes qualify for special rates on select sailings on Disney Cruise Line.
As of December 24, 2021, the following cruises had availability in the Canadian Resident category. Prices given are lowest available fares for a single stateroom, in US dollars, including taxes, fees and port expenses, rounded to the nearest dollar. All sailings are from Port Canaveral unless noted otherwise. The room category available at that fare is in parentheses.
Please note: a single guest gets charged essentially the same price as two guests. If a price isnt listed, that doesnt mean the category is sold out, just that it isnt available with this discount.
Select number of guests to see total sailing price:
| $4,604 |
Proof of Canadian residency will be required at time of check-in .
- If you are interested in booking one of these special Canadian rates, we recommend filling out a quote form with Small World Vacations. They give you full service, including a personal travel agent you can contact by email or direct phone number, and we recommend them wholeheartedly! Best of all, it costs you nothing to use them, PLUS their FREE onboard credit offer applies to these special fares . Be sure to tell them that you want to book a Canadian rate . These staterooms often sell out fast, so if you see one you like, snag it quickly.
Transferring Reservation To A Travel Agent
Disney has a policy for reservations booked directly with them and transferred to a travel agent. This policy includes Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Aulani. Disney must approve all requested transfers.
- Reservations paid in full are not eligible to be transferred.
- Reservations that are not paid in full may only be requested within 30 days of the initial booking. .
- If you booked your DCL reservation within the last 30 days, you could to see if they can save you money or apply a Shipboard Credit to your booking! *Deposit paid. Not paid in full. Other Restrictions Apply
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Travel Protection Options On Disney Cruises
We want our Clients to have the vacation of their dreams! So we’ve created a travel protection plan just for you. The Disney Cruise Line Vacation Protection Plan is a package of benefits that help prepare you for the unexpected before, during, and even after their trip. The Plan includes travel insurance, 24-hour assistance, and Disney’s Cancel For Any Reason feature. This feature delivers a credit of up to 75% of the cancellation fees to be used toward a future Disney Cruise Line sailing – so if you cancel for a reason that may not be eligible under the insurance portion of the plan, you still receive a credit for a future cruise! For bookings made prior to March 6, 2014, the feature provides a credit of up to 100% of the cancellation penalties towards a future Disney Cruise Line sailing.
Does Carnival Own Disney Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines bought the official cruise line of Walt Disney World on Monday in a $372 million deal. The purchase of Premier Cruise Lines adds a fourth brand-name to Carnival’s stable of ship lines. Carnival bought two other firms, Holland America Lines and Windstar Sail Cruises, in 1989.Apr 16, 1991
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Disney Travel Agents Can Set Up A Payment Plan
A Disney travel specialist can guide you through every aspect of your trip from the planning stage to the booking stage. They can make your Advanced Dining Reservations, FastPasses selections, and even your stroller rentals. Plus, your personalized agent will monitor the new promotions for you and automatically apply the new promotions to your existing reservation.
Surprisingly, the services of most Disney travel agents are 100% commission-free. This means that youll never pay more than if you had booked the entire trip on your own .
And, since its the agents job to stay on top of the discounts and promotions, then theres a good chance that the cost of your trip will be less when all is said and done.
Working with an educated, commission-free Disney travel specialist can make all of the difference, and it makes your life A LOT less stressful.
If you use a Disney specialist, be sure theyll be able to handle a payment plan. The agency will be responsible for sending your payments directly to Disney. The agent will use your credit card number to book the trip and the payment will then be processed by Disney. No legitimate agency will hold your money. Rather, your payments should go straight to Disney.
Walt Disney World Resort Check
Check-in time for Walt Disney World® Resort hotels is normally after 4:00 PM. For Guests arriving early, luggage arrangements can be made so Guests can visit Theme Parks or enjoy Resort amenities. It is recommended that necessary items including proof of citizenship, valuables, medications and any other personal items or other items required for check-in or embarkation be packed in your day bag. Walt Disney World Resort check-out time is normally before 11:00 AM. Ship’s embarkation begins at 1:00 PM. Guests are required to be on board the ship at least one hour before scheduled sailing time.
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What Happens If You Book A Cruise With Fred Olsen
The river cruise line has updated its Plain Sailing Guarantee with two new features one around moving deposits, the other around what happens if you cant travel due to testing positive for Covid-19. Under the guarantee, if you book a cruise for 2021 you can move your deposit to another cruise before your final balance is due, free of charge.
Disney Cruise Line Refund Policies
Disney Cruise Line’s refund policies can get a bit complicated, so it helps to understand what you are entitled to and under what circumstances.
Disney is offering relaxed policies for final payments and cancellations through September 30, 2021, as well as the flexibility to change dates on select sailings. Standard refund policies are based on length of cruise, category booked, and time remaining before sailing, as outlined below.
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Tipping Policy On Disney Cruises
We’ll make it easy. Of course, you should never feel that a reward is automatically expected from you. But it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of service, which you will most likely be treated to in abundance aboard the ship. As a guideline, may we suggest the following: Per guest/Per cruise
|
$120 |
$168 |
For your convenience, a 15% gratuity is automatically added to bar, beverage, wine and deck service tabs. All gratuities can be charged to your room charge.
Disney Cruise Line Travel Insurance
If you think theres a possibility that your vacation plans may change, you might want to consider travel insurance. Travel insurance costs 8% of each guests base cruise fare and port fees.
- Minimum cost per person: $29
- Maximum cost per person: $399
For more information on the Disney Cruise Line Travel Insurance Policy, . Prices are subject to change without notice.
We recommend that you also compare policies/prices through www.insuremytrip.com.
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Book On Board And Save
Save on a future Disney Cruise Line vacation by taking advantage of our special onboard-only booking offer. When you do, youll enjoy the following:
Visit the Disney Vacation Planning Desklocated on Deck 4, Midshipto speak with a Crew Member and to book your next Disney cruise. Unsure of which cruise to take? No problem! You can even reserve a placeholder on a future sailing and decide later.
View Terms and Conditions some restrictions apply.
Disney Cruise Line Offering 50% Off Deposits For A Limited Time
Feeling a little stressed with the holiday season in full-gear right now? We totally get it.
Maybe its the perfect time to plan a getaway on a Disney cruise! You could escape the chilly weather by heading to the Bahamas or Caribbean or embrace the snow by cruising up to Alaska. Right now is a great time to plan a cruise, because theres a BIG sale going on for new bookings.
Right now, Disney Cruise Line is offering 50% off the deposit for some cruises. From now until , most Disney cruises will only require half the usual deposit up front!
Note that you will still need to pay the price in full at the time of the final payment.
This deal applies to most sailings to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Europe, and Bermuda. Some bookings are excluded, such as any trips on the Disney Wish that are departing from June 9th, 2022 through September 30th, 2022.
You dont need any special code to take advantage of this discount. You can book your cruise by heading to the Disney Cruise Line website or calling 325-2175. If youd like to use a travel agent to book your cruise, we highly recommend our friends over at MouseFanTravel.
If youve been looking for a relaxing escape when all the festive craziness is over, this just might be the sign you were waiting for. Keep following AllEars for more updates on the latest Disney deals.
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