Booking window date calculator the disney cruise line blog. Essential disney cruise advice for first time cruisers. Aug 03, 2017 reserving activities online for your disney cruise august 3, 2017 by disney cruise mom 2 comments i used to have a post about ticketed events on disney cruise line, but i took it down because within the last year or two, the information had become outdated. If you book through disneys system, you need to cancel by midnight the night before. Effective for cruises embarking on or after september 30, 2015, disney cruise line guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne no larger than 750 ml or 6 beers no larger than 12 ounces on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each portofcall. Disney cruise line shore excursions, palo dining reservations, spa treatments, and childrens programs. First time cruisers, who are not yet castaway club members, may book 75 days. Recently, i shared my tips for firsttimers to disney world.
I know that i need to try and book our excursions ahead of time. As soon as you can narrow down the dates and itinerary that you. Is this a system problem or am i looking too far in advance. First and most important is the time of year that you will be cruising. But getting a disney cruise cheap will be an excellent family tour which kids and parents love during their vacations. My family has been on five disney cruises, and we have our sixth one scheduled for next year. No other line has quite the depth and breadth of activities available on every sailing. If you are interested in sending your princess to the bibbidi bobbidi boutique, getting a massage or facial, signing up for a port adventure, or getting tickets for an on board. When it comes to disney cruise line you have the option of booking even further out than walt disney world. Something i get asked quite often is whether or not cruisers should book shore excursions with their cruise line or independently through thirdparty tour companies. Cruise lines typically open bookings to cruises as early as two years in advance, and there are significant perks to booking early. For large groups, it can make sense to book up to two years in advance, if the cruise line will allow it.
Book disney cruise line bahamas disney vacation club. To ensure you get to enjoy the port adventures excursions you want, we recommend you make reservations as soon as your cruise reservations are paid in full and you have entered into your advance booking window your advance booking window is determined by your castaway club membership level, as specified below. Essential disney cruise advice for first time cruisers 1. Disney cruise line offers staggered arrival times to help prevent congestion in the port, so you will need to pick from a list of available times. Meyer group preparing for rough waters ahead due the. The bottom line is that booking as early as possible is the surest way to save money on a. How early or late should you book a cruise to get the best. Plan ahead and book far in advance for your disney cruise this is especially important if you are interested in a holiday or summer time cruise. Disney cruise line reservations must be made prior to the last four months of your use year for sailings during that use year. Some sailings also host afternoon teas, starring the princesses, and these book up way in advance. Kayaking on our alaska cruise on the disney wonder was a definite highlight, and all because we could arrange our port adventures in advance of our disney cruise. Now its time to talk about tips for firsttimers on disney cruise line.
You must confirm your age with a governmentissued id we recommend a passport or drivers license at the pier before boarding the ship. To ensure you get to enjoy the port adventures excursions you want, we recommend you make reservations as soon as your cruise reservations are paid in full and you have entered into your advance booking window. Apr 17, 2020 in both cases, however, cruises were still taking place at that time. Disney cruise line shore excursions, palo dining reservations. When and how to book a disney cruise dads guide to wdw. Since this site suggests you book your walt disney world trip at least 180 days in advance of your arrival date, and the disney website likely wont allow that for 2020 dates until summer 2019 the earliest, knowing that there are ways to book out to 499 days ahead is really helpful. Also any tips about the oasis class ships is much appreciated, it will be our first time on this class as well as this cruise line sent from my iph.
But keep in mind that you can only reserve your flights 330 days ahead, and departure ports are confirmed around 18 months before sail away. Reserving activities online for your disney cruise august 3, 2017 by disney cruise mom 2 comments i used to have a post about ticketed events on disney cruise line, but i took it down because within the last year or two, the information had become outdated. Let me quote my old buddy neil diamond, today, today, today. When you choose to book the cruise is up to you, but there are pros and cons for booking early. You can book portshore excursions before you embark on your disney cruise. Do book on opening day if possible historically, disney cruise. I see on the web site they are booking thru dec 2007 now, how far in advance do they generally book. Mar 19, 2018 kayaking on our alaska cruise on the disney wonder was a definite highlight, and all because we could arrange our port adventures in advance of our disney cruise. Your advance booking window is determined by your castaway club membership level, as specified below. Booking your cruise as early as possible allows for greater flexibility when it comes to rates, sailing dates and staterooms. Use the form below to quickly calculate the date when your booking window opens for your next disney cruise based upon your castaway club status. When is the soonest i can book my disneyland vacation. Generally speaking, most cruises can be booked anywhere from 18 months to one week ahead of sailing. The best rates are as soon as disney releases cruise dates.
Advance booking is the best way to get a great price and your choice of available staterooms. Where walt disney world only releases vacation packages a year in advance sometimes even less depending on your dates, disney cruise line always plans itineraries and will release sail dates much further out making it the perfect option for forward planners. To make your advance dining reservations, go online, use the mydisneyexperience app or call 407 wdwdine 9393463. Uk residents can book on the uk disney site the 2015 free dining offer for example the rest of us can book by calling the us disney reservation phone number. Disney cruise line allows you to book your cruise up to 15 months in advance, and it uses a tiered pricing structure meaning the. How far in advance can you book a walt disney world vacation.
Reserving activities online for your disney cruise disney. Many disney cruise line veterans have experienced the anticipation leading up to the latest release date of new itineraries. This is especially true with luxury cruises, new or popular mainstream ships and disney cruises. Book early for the best room choices photo by brett svenson. Booking early also gets you your pick of cabins especially if you want a suite. How far in advance should i book a disney cruise line vacation. Swandolphin, shades of green, disney springs resort area hotels and offsite hotel guests who want to make advance dining reservations as early as possible will have to call back or go online each day at the 180day mark.
Jan 08, 2020 this is especially true with luxury cruises, new or popular mainstream ships and disney cruises. With disney characters roaming the decks, onboard theater productions, mickey waterslides, and hightech cabins, it promises an experience to thrill children of all ages. If you book early about a year to 1 12 years in advance, you should be able to find even better cruise prices. In this crisis, our customers are also struggling to survive. As its pouring freezing rain outside, i would love to share my thoughts on jumping at the chance to book port adventures and other shipboard activities when the clock strikes midnight est. Were here to help with a guide of when you can book your hotel, disneyland tickets, airfare and even make your dining reservations. This is especially possible on disney cruise line, but for a good reason. The illuminations cruise is far more exciting, than the wishes cruise. You can hold a disney cruise line wedding, commitment ceremony or vow renewal that is as small as just the two of you, or as large as 100 guests.
Disney cruise line wedding packages are usually available on all cruises, but only a few weddings are allowed for each sailing. And originally we were going to skip palo this time but after reading the thread about the brunch, i need to rethink that and if i can get a time book that ahead of time. Its always a pleasure helping a fellow cruiser from il plan their magical voyage aboard the disney cruise line. The corona crisis is by far more drastic, as for the first time in the 50year history of cruise shipping almost all cruise ship worldwide are laid up. However, for transatlantic, transpacific, select south american cruisescruisetours and other select cruisescruisetours, the infant as of the first day of the cruisecruisetour must be at least 12 months old. So far, i havent made too many planning mistakes in the present while focused on the future. Jun 20, 2016 once you have paid in full for your disney cruise and have completed the online checkin process, many booking options will open for you to select from as activities to participate in during the duration of your cruise. After 8 disney cruises, i have put together my top 100 tips you need to know for your disney cruise. Your best best is to book as far out in advance as you can. How far in advance you can do this will be dependent on your castaway club membership, as per the dining reservations above. Unlike booking a walt disney world vacation package where discounts are released closer to your arrival date, the best deals for disney cruises are always further out. No other cruise line has quite the depth and breadth of activities on every sailing. Disney cruises are quite expensive, but they are well worth the money spent. Costa cruises, crystal cruises, disney cruise line, holland america line, princess cruises.
When it comes to planning a disney cruise, it is a slightly different kettle of fish than planning a walt disney world getaway. Theres a lot to choose from, and most of it you can select once you board. I dont know about the package cruise, but if you were to book a fireworks cruise, you would call disney recreation reservations. Its also one of the many ways that disney has revolutionized the entertainment industry. Reserving activities online for your disney cruise. Firstly, cruises usually offer bonus extras like onboard credit or dining and beverage packages to entice bookers to book early. Spring and fall are usually the best time to find deals. How far in advance you can do this will be dependent on your castaway club membership, as. Disney cruise line sails a fleet of four ships geared toward families. From planning to embarkation to castaway cay to the sad ending of debarkation we have got the best disney cruise tips to make your sailing a breeze. This question is a bit tricky so i have highlighted some of my reasons to book shore excursions with your cruise line as well as.
Oct 17, 2019 if you book through disney s system, you need to cancel by midnight the night before. After three disney cruises, ive learned a lot of tips and tricks that i wish i would have known before my first disney cruise that would have made it even better. Due to the increased popularity of disneys dining plan, it is frequently impossible to just walk up and eat at a fullservice restaurant, even in low season. How early or late should you book a cruise to get the. How is the best way to get the best price on a disney. For assistance with your disney cruise, please call 800 95532. Ive been trying for the past half hour to price out a disney vacation package for 2015, but it only goes through 123114. Infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruisecruisetour. If youre a planner when it comes to vacations, knowing the right time to book everything for disneyland can be hard. If you are planning to try some of disneys excellent tableservice restaurants andor dinner shows while you are vacationing at walt disney world, it is important to make disney world.
The thing thats different about dcl is the best rooms tend to sell out really quickly. If you think you might want to take a cruise next year or the year after, you. Where walt disney world only releases vacation packages a year in advance sometimes even less depending on your dates, disney cruise. My wife and i are going on harmony of the seas in october and were wondering how far in advance do the entertainment reservations open up usually. Booking early also gets you your pick of cabins especially if you want a suite and dining times. This post was originally posted on 71817, but i updated it on 10519. Disney cruise booking tips 11 ways to save on disney. Im sharing everything that ive learned with you so you will have the best cruise ever. While you can hold off and sign up on board or go about it by yourself and find an excursion on your own ahead of time or when you get to each port, i highly recommend that you book it through disney ahead of time. Book port excursions through disney there are many different excursions you can select from in each port and sign up for through disney. There are many advantages to booking your disney cruise as early as possible.
Disney cruises are expensive but so popular that some summer cruises sell out a whole year in advance. All the details will be arranged and prepared for you by disney for a hassle free experience of a lifetime. If you book by calling, there arent any cancellation fees. The boats park under the bridge, between united kingdom and france. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call. These special events only take place on cruises that are seven nights or longer and have at least two sea days, and they give children a chance to spend more time with their favorite characters. If you want to go on a specific cruise and want to get the best stateroom in your price range, book a cruise as far in advance as you can. For instance, guests can currently book through until the spring of 2018 with dates for the rest of 2018 expected to be released during the first half of 2017. Many people dont even consider using travel agents. How is the best way to get the best price on a disney cruise.
I have started to plan my walt disney world resort vacations so far in advance that my wife jokes that im always thinking 4 trips ahead. Once you have paid in full for your disney cruise and have completed the online checkin process, many booking options will open for you to select from as activities to participate in during the duration of your cruise. How far in advance should i book my disney vacation. One of the more prominent castaway club perks is the ability to book onboard and shore excursions before anyone else. Platinum level can book 120 days prior to sailing, gold 105 days, and silver 90 days. This is because, disney cruises offer the best of entertainment, with children clubs and fun activities for the adults, along with food that the. If payment is not received at the time of confirmation, disney vacation club reserves the right to cancel the reservation. You can hold a disney cruise line wedding, commitment ceremony or vow renewal that is as small as. But our friends tell us stories of getting an amazing deal two months before sailing, and were intrigued by the various last minute specials advertised by cruise sellers. The cruise lines tell us to book early, announcing itineraries 18 months or more in advance and touting early booking specials. Oct 01, 20 but if you do have a disney visa, or were thinking about getting one, you may want to book your cruise with it. Keep in mind that your disney cruise deposit is fully refundable up to the paymentinfull date 75 days before sailing for most 34 day cruises, 90 days for most 7 day cruises, longer for holiday cruises, cruises from nonus ports and for conciergeclass bookings. On a rare occasion, and typically on a less popular cruise and the older ships, disney might have a special booking offer.