May 18, 2013 MAGIC EBTA - Who is with us?

[Yvet]

Hi,

We are also joining this cruise.
We are Emiel and Yvette from The Netherlands and we are traveling together with Donna & Steven.
In 2010 we already have done the EB TA crusie and we loved loved loved the 6 sea days in a row!!!!

I already have a question:
We are a week before the cruise in Orlando and we want to leave from Orlando to Houston on May 16th.
I checked airfare and because most of the carriers are not flying international some of them doesn't ring a bell at me.

I have looked and it looks like Southwest is our best deal, all flights i can find are in the $200 per person range.
But Southwest has the 2 free bags policy.

I also have seen Spirit airlines and there the flight would cost $108 per person but you have to pay (a lot) for bags $20 for the $9 fare club and then $20 for your carry-on $18 for the first checked bag and $25 for the seond checked bag (that would make $73 extra per person) so we would only save around $20 per person compared to Southwest.
Plus i have understood that Spirit isn't a great airline.....

Could you help me out with some advice and tips??

[nitrame]

Originally Posted by Yvet

Hi,

We are also joining this cruise.
We are Emiel and Yvette from The Netherlands and we are traveling together with Donna & Steven.
In 2010 we already have done the EB TA crusie and we loved loved loved the 6 sea days in a row!!!!

I already have a question:
We are a week before the cruise in Orlando and we want to leave from Orlando to Houston on May 16th.
I checked airfare and because most of the carriers are not flying international some of them doesn't ring a bell at me.

I have looked and it looks like Southwest is our best deal, all flights i can find are in the $200 per person range.
But Southwest has the 2 free bags policy.

I also have seen Spirit airlines and there the flight would cost $108 per person but you have to pay (a lot) for bags $20 for the $9 fare club and then $20 for your carry-on $18 for the first checked bag and $25 for the seond checked bag (that would make $73 extra per person) so we would only save around $20 per person compared to Southwest.
Plus i have understood that Spirit isn't a great airline.....

Could you help me out with some advice and tips??

IMHO I would choose southwest as it has the free bag policy. The only thing is they do not assign seats and so may be worth it to pay the extra 10 for early bird check in. Also need to know any arrangements you are making for Houston. There are two airports in Houston and southwest flies into the other one it is called Houston hobby. Just don't want to make rental car or hotel arrangements at the wrong airport.


And welcome...

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by Yvet

Hi,

We are also joining this cruise.
We are Emiel and Yvette from The Netherlands and we are traveling together with Donna & Steven.
In 2010 we already have done the EB TA crusie and we loved loved loved the 6 sea days in a row!!!!

I already have a question:
We are a week before the cruise in Orlando and we want to leave from Orlando to Houston on May 16th.
I checked airfare and because most of the carriers are not flying international some of them doesn't ring a bell at me.

I have looked and it looks like Southwest is our best deal, all flights i can find are in the $200 per person range.
But Southwest has the 2 free bags policy.

I also have seen Spirit airlines and there the flight would cost $108 per person but you have to pay (a lot) for bags $20 for the $9 fare club and then $20 for your carry-on $18 for the first checked bag and $25 for the seond checked bag (that would make $73 extra per person) so we would only save around $20 per person compared to Southwest.
Plus i have understood that Spirit isn't a great airline.....

Could you help me out with some advice and tips??

Welcome aboard!!

Definitely go with Southwest. Higher ratings, including higher safety ratings with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Also, multiple flights per day in case one gets cancelled for some reason you have backup. I've flown Southwest into Hobby twice in the past 4 months - great little airport. Would definitely recommend Southwest. No frills, but gets you where you need to be a better percentage of the time than most carriers.

I'll be flying Spirit in a few months one-way for international, and not looking forward to it, but it was half the cost of American Airlines and AA was wanting too many AAdvantage miles for that portion of the trip. A friend just got off of Spirit from Orlando with nothing but complaints, so I am really hating purchasing the one-way ticket I did, but had overshot another budget already.

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by LuvsTheSun

Hi! We're Lynne (me) and Terry (DH) from NY and will be sailing the EBTA with everyone in May, followed by a BTB Med. the following week. This will be our 5th & 6th DCL cruise, and our second TA voyage (first time was WBTA in 2010). Looking forward to meeting everyone in the spring and getting to know you in the months ahead. Any cruisers onboard from the 2010 WB? I will try to catch up on past posts, but many pages to read, so please be patient I will also request to be added to FB page. Happy Holidays!!!!

Lynne

Welcome aboard, Lynne and Terry And Merry Christmas!!

[Tink1987]

Originally Posted by Yvet

Hi,

We are also joining this cruise.
We are Emiel and Yvette from The Netherlands and we are traveling together with Donna & Steven.
In 2010 we already have done the EB TA crusie and we loved loved loved the 6 sea days in a row!!!!

I already have a question:
We are a week before the cruise in Orlando and we want to leave from Orlando to Houston on May 16th.
I checked airfare and because most of the carriers are not flying international some of them doesn't ring a bell at me.

I have looked and it looks like Southwest is our best deal, all flights i can find are in the $200 per person range.
But Southwest has the 2 free bags policy.

I also have seen Spirit airlines and there the flight would cost $108 per person but you have to pay (a lot) for bags $20 for the $9 fare club and then $20 for your carry-on $18 for the first checked bag and $25 for the seond checked bag (that would make $73 extra per person) so we would only save around $20 per person compared to Southwest.
Plus i have understood that Spirit isn't a great airline.....

Could you help me out with some advice and tips??

Welcome aboard

Hope everyone has had a very nice Christmas Day

[sdlong329]

Originally Posted by Tink1987

If these GTY rates come out then are we better not 're-booking' and holding out for an upgrade? We did book on the first day in an 11C but I guess that doesn't matter, i.e it will be a random selection of offered upgrades?

In 2010, the EBTA had HOARDs of people booking Cat 12C (I think) for next to nothing ... many of which were upgraded to a verandah stateroom. As I understand, if you booked a SPECIFIC stateroom, odds are, you likely will not get an upgrade. If you booked a category (or category GTY), are are more likely to get an upgrade, since you essentially said, a specific stateroom was not requested. There is a slim chance you might get a stateroom over the engines (deck one) ... but you never know. There has been numerous arguments of why DCL would give upgrades to NEW DCL cruisers, and why upgrades should be given to those tho have been long time DCL cruisers. Then again, there are many reasons / excuses as to why DCL many not give upgrades to long time cruisers.

All in all ... I hope and wish for an upgrade ... but am happy to be most anywhere on the ship ... including a pillow and blanket placed on a random stairwell, or within a lifeboat!

Steven

[sdlong329]

Originally Posted by Yvet

Hi,
I already have a question: We are a week before the cruise in Orlando and we want to leave from Orlando to Houston on May 16th. I checked airfare and because most of the carriers are not flying international some of them doesn't ring a bell at me.

I have looked and it looks like Southwest is our best deal, all flights i can find are in the $200 per person range. But Southwest has the 2 free bags policy.

HANDS DOWN ... SOUTHWEST!

[heatherb819]

We were upgraded in 2011 and booked in an cat 12 gty but we weren't upgraded until day 3. They were doing a lot of work on staterooms throughout the ship during the crossing and it just so happened ours was next to a few of them being scheduled to be worked on so they moved us due to noise. I know some of the people weren't upgraded

[Tink1987]

Originally Posted by sdlong329

In 2010, the EBTA had HOARDs of people booking Cat 12C (I think) for next to nothing ... many of which were upgraded to a verandah stateroom. As I understand, if you booked a SPECIFIC stateroom, odds are, you likely will not get an upgrade. If you booked a category (or category GTY), are are more likely to get an upgrade, since you essentially said, a specific stateroom was not requested. There is a slim chance you might get a stateroom over the engines (deck one) ... but you never know. There has been numerous arguments of why DCL would give upgrades to NEW DCL cruisers, and why upgrades should be given to those tho have been long time DCL cruisers. Then again, there are many reasons / excuses as to why DCL many not give upgrades to long time cruisers.

All in all ... I hope and wish for an upgrade ... but am happy to be most anywhere on the ship ... including a pillow and blanket placed on a random stairwell, or within a lifeboat!

Steven

Thank you, I totally agree with you, I'm lucky enough to be cake to be on the ship and can sleep anywhere, I'm such a heavy sleeper

[Tink1987]

Originally Posted by heatherb819

We were upgraded in 2011 and booked in an cat 12 gty but we weren't upgraded until day 3. They were doing a lot of work on staterooms throughout the ship during the crossing and it just so happened ours was next to a few of them being scheduled to be worked on so they moved us due to noise. I know some of the people weren't upgraded

I wonder if they may do the same on this one then if it is as empty as people say?

[NancyIL]

Originally Posted by sdlong329

In 2010, the EBTA had HOARDs of people booking Cat 12C (I think) for next to nothing ... many of which were upgraded to a verandah stateroom. As I understand, if you booked a SPECIFIC stateroom, odds are, you likely will not get an upgrade. If you booked a category (or category GTY), are are more likely to get an upgrade, since you essentially said, a specific stateroom was not requested. There is a slim chance you might get a stateroom over the engines (deck one) ... but you never know. There has been numerous arguments of why DCL would give upgrades to NEW DCL cruisers, and why upgrades should be given to those tho have been long time DCL cruisers. Then again, there are many reasons / excuses as to why DCL many not give upgrades to long time cruisers.

All in all ... I hope and wish for an upgrade ... but am happy to be most anywhere on the ship ... including a pillow and blanket placed on a random stairwell, or within a lifeboat!

Steven

Remember that the 2010 EBTA was very early - April 10-24. Since ours is 5.5 weeks later, more school-age kids will be able to go. I expect the IGT price will be lower than the 11C that we booked, but I hope the difference will be negligible after the 10% onboard booking discount and $200 OBC.

There are only 13 cat. 11C cabins, so I am crossing my fingers for an upgrade!

[kaseyC]

Originally Posted by heatherb819

We were upgraded in 2011 and booked in an cat 12 gty but we weren't upgraded until day 3. They were doing a lot of work on staterooms throughout the ship during the crossing and it just so happened ours was next to a few of them being scheduled to be worked on so they moved us due to noise. I know some of the people weren't upgraded

Heather, did they help you move? I'm not sure I would like moving after being unpacked and settled in my stateroom. Did they at least upgrade you to an oceanview or verandah?

[Tink1987]

Originally Posted by NancyIL

Remember that the 2010 EBTA was very early - April 10-24. Since ours is 5.5 weeks later, more school-age kids will be able to go. I expect the IGT price will be lower than the 11C that we booked, but I hope the difference will be negligible after the 10% onboard booking discount and $200 OBC.

There are only 13 cat. 11C cabins, so I am crossing my fingers for an upgrade!

Ooooh I didn't know there was only 13 11c cabins!

[MandyGirl]

Originally Posted by NancyIL

Remember that the 2010 EBTA was very early - April 10-24. Since ours is 5.5 weeks later, more school-age kids will be able to go.

That's us exactly. Had it been in April, we would not be able to. However, the timing of this EBTA means our daughter is only missing the last 9 days of school (kindergarten). For students not taking finals or who have state assessments in early May, I expect there to be more families onboard. I know some private schools follow the university model, so they have concluded the schoolyear by the time this EBTA begins. The way we are able to validify her missing school is that she is in a dual language immersion program, and although Portuguese and what they speak in Spain is not exactly the Spanish she has been learning this year, it will be an educational experience. (Plus in our state, kindergarten is not required by law...)

[padalyn]

Originally Posted by Ladyshopper

For those you've done a transatlantic before, what happens with the shows? Is there something different on every night, or do they just spread the same ones out a bit!

Same for dinner menu, is it a 7 night menu that repeated, or is it totally different every night?

Yes, there are different shows or other entertainment every night. As others have posted, there may be movies (premEAR), talent shows (crew) and other types of stuff...it was worth going to see what ever the evening entertainment was in my opinion.

The menues DO repeat - the 7 day menu goes through twice. However, since you are most likely in a different restaurant (because of the odd number of menues) you will get to experience different foods!

There will be at least one formal and most likely two informal nights. On a few of the longer cruises we had two formal and two informal nights. So be sure to bring your fancy clothing!!

Originally Posted by heatherb819

I agree sea days is why we've booked this once again! If you want to do something, there's plenty to do or you can lounge by the pool or catch a movie! We had activities planned and ended up not doing half of them because the weather was so beautiful we decided to stay by the pool. To each his own!

Oh - we are SO into the sea days....we have to agree!

Originally Posted by sdlong329

We're IN (and PAID IN FULL)!


Steven

Welcome Steven! Cathy and I are on this cruise!!!

Originally Posted by sdlong329

All in all ... I hope and wish for an upgrade ... but am happy to be most anywhere on the ship ... including a pillow and blanket placed on a random stairwell, or within a lifeboat!

Steven

another interesting thing - DCL seldom upgrades DVC bookings...we are going to try to get a port upgrade, but we are not hopeful....we are on deck 6 and are happy with that!

Cayla