Coronavirus and DCL Megathread - Suspension of Departures for the fleet until early November. Booking only available from early December.

[Gentry2004]

My opinion, Disney only giving you 12 months to rebook sucks!

I'm just having sticker shock. We were supposed to go the week before Easter this year, on a 5 night Magic. The same exact cruise the week before Easter NEXT year will be $1200 more ($5600 to $6800.) That is a huge difference. No idea what we will do.

 

[randumb0]

I got through to ask questions. I am booked May 2nd currently. I was told you will pay the difference between cruises to rebook. They are also offering that you can do a "placeholder" of sorts where you don't pick a date, but still have to sail within 12 months of original sail date. I was told if you currently have 10% off on your reservation and/or the $200 OBC they will transfer that to the new reservation. No refunds being offered currently. There is currently no "end date" to this offer (re-book by this date, etc...) but she said if that changes people would be notified. This is what I was told and hoping the agent was correct as I can see people being told different things right now. As of now, we are keeping our reservation, at least $500+ more to book for next year for dates we want. Hard choice.

Looks like we are on the same cruise. See you on board!

 

[pixarmom]

I was on and off hold with DCL for 3 hours, 10 minutes total. We were on the March 9 Magic and rescheduled for December. No charge under the new policy, although the December cruise is during winter break and much more expensive. I was in a rush to make the change because after all this uncertainty, I wanted to have our family plans set. (Particularly for our youngest who is on the autism spectrum and having difficulty with the change in plans.) It also helps to be on the exact same cruise (minus marvel day at sea) in the exact same two staterooms.

The CM later explained that part of the reason for the wait was that he had to participate in a conference call to receive the update regarding the new policy. The good news is that the policy applied to us. This one particular CM did say that anyone who re-booked with the $300pp and falls within the policy can call back for a refund.

 

[pixarmom]

I'm just having sticker shock. We were supposed to go the week before Easter this year, on a 5 night Magic. The same exact cruise the week before Easter NEXT year will be $1200 more ($5600 to $6800.) That is a huge difference. No idea what we will do.

Just wanted to let you know that we can relate to your sticker shock. The bright side for us is that traveling during winter break means everyone will be more relaxed both now and then, so that's how I'm trying to justify it!

 

[Aby]

Does anyone know, or is someone willing to ask if they get through today, if the 12 month booking window is to the exact day next year?

I am booked on a cruise on May 9 2020 and funnily enough I am planning to sail next year on exactly the same date May 9 2021.

To me this should qualify as within 12 months, as it is in line with the 24 month limit on the OBB benefit (ex I booked a placeholder on Nov 18th and have until Nov 18th 2 years later to sail. But I don’t want to assume.

Thanks in advance of anyone knows.

Aby

 

[Adventurelawyer]

Fresh off the boat (Dream).

Despite the enhanced health “screening” prior to embarkation, the number of people who got off the boat SICK was just staggering. Regardless of the actual medical cause, symptoms were, glassy watery eyes, dry hacking cough, runny noses, appearing feverish (no I did not take anyones temp).

Multiple DCL employees stationed at Cabanas and MDR entrances with hand sani wipes, as well as Palo and Remy. Wipes visible everywhere on ship to help yourself. Not many double sanitized after using common serving utensils or condiments.

Many more people in the airport wearing masks today than there were last Thursday. No, they aren’t wearing them correctly. Yes, it is a source of my entertainment while I wait to board as is watching people not washIng their hands while exiting the bathroom.

We had a good trip, but If I had been offered the chance to push the trip without penalty, knowing and seeing what I know right now, I would 1000% take that deal. It is a matter of time before there is a confirmed case either on a DCL ship, or recently disembarked, and they will probably treat it the same way the ship at Port of San Fran is being treated right now (my opinion is that is a mistake, but I am not in charge).

Just my two cents getting off this AM.

 

[rtill]

It's still the cold and flu season. I was on a flight yesterday and half the plane was coughing and sneezing. Did they all have this virus? Of course not - they had the same crap that always goes around this time of year. Same goes for cruise ships, theme parks, shopping malls, etc...

 

[Adventurelawyer]

It's still the cold and flu season. I was on a flight yesterday and half the plane was coughing and sneezing. Did they all have this virus? Of course not - they had the same crap that always goes around this time of year. Same goes for cruise ships, theme parks, shopping malls, etc...

And that is true, however there is a chance you get stuck on that ship, and the risk is you lose time and treasure waiting to be cleared. I had hoped we would learn from the Diamond incident, but instead we are just repeating it (at least up to this point).

 

[hotshot146]

It's still the cold and flu season. I was on a flight yesterday and half the plane was coughing and sneezing. Did they all have this virus? Of course not - they had the same crap that always goes around this time of year. Same goes for cruise ships, theme parks, shopping malls, etc...

I think this is the biggest issue with the coronavirus. Most people not knowing if they have the cold/flu or the coronavirus.

 

[MaC410]

Really happy the cruise lines are starting to do this with the cancellation policies for the time being. We have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked and fully paid for at the end of May. It was really bothering me we couldn't just wait things out and see how things are by then and decide if we want to go. Now we can basically make a last minute decision, not lose all our money and look forward to a cruise in the future.

 

[Adventurelawyer]

Really happy the cruise lines are starting to do this with the cancellation policies for the time being. We have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked and fully paid for at the end of May. It was really bothering me we couldn't just wait things out and see how things are by then and decide if we want to go. Now we can basically make a last minute decision, not lose all our money and look forward to a cruise in the future.

I would feel less anxious knowing this was the policy. The ball is back in your court, at least somewhat.

 

[justafigment27]

My opinion, Disney only giving you 12 months to rebook sucks!

I’ll agree with you. I found it very disappointing compared to other cruise lines that are offering penalty free cancellations or the ability to use a credit through the end of 2021. 12 months is not a lot of time - particularly if you work in a place where vacation time has to be requested a year in advance if you want any hope of getting a “good” week off (ie - any time the kids are out of school). We can’t use a cruise credit in the next 12 months except for the week between Christmas and New Years b/c DH already has it scheduled as off ... but even a full cruise credit is basically a 50% discount on a cruise that week - plus, we never travel that week because it’s prime cold & flu season (oh, the irony ... ).

I’m just counting myself lucky that this is a 3 night Dream. Losing 75% of a fare for this cruise is a lot less painful than it would have been to lose 75% of a 7 night Fantasy ... still stinks since we are paying spring break rates.

Oh well.

 

[MaC410]

I would feel less anxious knowing this was the policy. The ball is back in your court, at least somewhat.

Absolutely. I have been pretty anxious about it and it's been making me not looking forward to our cruise. Even if we cancelled now we would lose a bunch of money and I would be kicking myself if we cancelled now and then things were much better by our sail day. Now the decision is fully mine.

 

[HuskyGal]

I’m interested to know if they will transfer the 10% discount for obb to the new cruise.

 

[jlbf06]

I agree on the disappointing cruise credit/rebooking policy. We cannot travel again within the next 12 months - we already have an October trip booked and paid for, and this disruption could be in place all summer.

My fb cruise group have reported that Med cruises including the TA will have 15 months. Not yet publicised which makes me wonder whether there will be a further announcement for European Cruises.

 

[KevinFL]

Has anyone been able to confirm if they will allow you to rebook further than 12 months out?


I have been on hold 1 hour now waiting to find out. Like many on here; 12 months does not fit our schedule. At 15 months out there is a cruise all family members on our current cruise can reschedule to.

 

[jlbf06]

Has anyone been able to confirm if they will allow you to rebook further than 12 months out?


I have been on hold 1 hour now waiting to find out. Like many on here; 12 months does not fit our schedule. At 15 months out there is a cruise all family members on our current cruise can reschedule to.

This was for the EBTA in May, a member of my group was told that all Med cruises will be given 15 months.

 

[1supermomsmd]

I’m interested to know if they will transfer the 10% discount for obb to the new cruise.

I asked this same question earlier before threads were merged and the Moderator responded. Thank you lanejudy! It is #758 here. Someone asked and was told yes the discount and OBC would apply to the new booking if you had if for cruise your canceling in accord with the announced policy today.

 

[MarkLT1]

We are in a somewhat similar boat (har har). Looking at the next 12 months (after our current sailing date in April), there are 4 different weeks we would be able to sail. Unfortunately 1 of those weeks appears to have no available 7-night cruises that I could find, 2 of those weeks are significantly more expensive than our current sailing. That leaves us with one week in the next year we can make it happen, and looking at the cruise in question, there are exactly 5 staterooms that appear to be available on the website (there were 7 available an hour ago). My mom is on hold now, and we are hoping that we can snag 2 of those rooms. Does anyone know, if you "book" that cruise online, can you then transfer the credit to it afterwords? Or are there more rooms available than what you pull up on the website?

 

[slg]

This makes me happy for my cruise in May...however, my PIF for my July cruise is in 3 weeks. All my flights are booked, but my instinct is to cancel and put the money in a placeholder because next year we would like to do the eastern transatlantic rather than the northern european and if I have to cancel my hawaii cruise I will transfer my money to that one. If I then PIF for my July cruise and have to cancel that...I won't want to take another cruise the same summer. The only reason I am doing it this year is because I have the hawaii booked and my son is forgoing working this summer to do two cruises this year. He isn't going to do that next year. My husband thinks that if we cancel and then decide to go on it, we can book last minute cheaper because no one else will be booking. What do you guys think?