Disney Cruise Lines

[tinkerbell101]

I would like to go on a 3 day Disney Cruise, but they are very overpriced when compared to other cruise lines. Does anyone know of a Travel agency that offers group rates or discounted rates on Disney Cruise Lines?

[JaxFLBear]

DCL does not allow discounting. The price from a TA will be the same as direct from DCL. Depending on which TA, you may get a better credit for your on board account.

[TimK]

Disney only has 3 cruise ships now--4 soon. That limited supply has helped them avoid the discounting which is commonplace to other cruise lines.

I've never gone on a non-Disney cruise so I can't offer you any objective comparisons. Most people seem to think that Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) is a feature that others struggle to compete with. The kids clubs are very impressive. If you're a fan of the Disney parks, you are sure to enjoy the 3 live stage shows. The Dream and the Fantasy (in particular) are integrating a lot of technological advances and interactive features.

In watching shows on the Travel Channel, I've seen some pretty impressive newer ships from other carriers. But I assume they charge premium rates for those vessels as well.

If you're a Disney fan and a cruise fan, I'd give DCL a try at least once. Judge for yourself whether it's worth the extra money or not. When you are on board, DCL allows you to book a future cruise at a 10% discount. The on board down payment is also lower (10% rather than the normal 20%) and repeat cruisers get some perks and freebies via DCL's Castaway Club.

[tinkerbell101]

Thanks for the information. I guess i'll try and book early to get the 10% down. I went on DCL in 1999 and loved it, but it was much cheaper then.

[TimK]

Thanks for the information. I guess i'll try and book early to get the 10% down.

Just to clarify, the 10% downpayment and discount that I referenced is only applies if you REBOOK a cruise while you are already taking one. They have a desk on (I believe) the 4th floor where you can stop and make a future reservation. They are very flexible with this rebooking discount--you can essentially book the cheapest 3-day future cruise they have available only the deposit is only 10% of that fare. Then you can call back at any time and change the dates, itinerary, cabin class and still keep the 10% discount and 10% minimum downpayment.

In fact, if you don't want to cruise for 3-4 years, they'll give you a dummy reservation which you can keep modifying for several years, and you still keep all of the re-booking benefits.

As for taking that initial cruise, I've heard people getting good rates through places like Costco or AAA. But don't expect anything like 20% off the fares you see on-line. And different TAs offer different on board credits as incentives.