2 DVC cruises for 2019!

[Cruising Engineer]

Looking forward to the WC cruise. This will be our first MC. Any advice for the June 23rd opening day? Just how crazy should I expect the phone system to be that morning?

 

[iheartglaciers]

Living in San Diego for 40+ years ... I never seem to tire of boarding a cruise ship from our home port. San Francisco, Victoria and Vancouver ... sure, been to each many times (Victoria and Vancouver yet again this month) ... but nobody says you must get off the ship, right?

I am thinking it would be nice to have an extra "sea day" to relax

 

[bobbiwoz]

Looking forward to the WC cruise. This will be our first MC. Any advice for the June 23rd opening day? Just how crazy should I expect the phone system to be that morning?

It is crazy. I have begun at 9, and begun talking to someone around 11:30. There are always some that say they just got in at maybe a stroke before 9. I’ve been dropped. I’ve redialed hundreds of time. My husband or a friend has been doing the same. Yet, I have always gotten on a DVC Member Cruise when I have tried. I was not as interested in this year’s, so did not try in the morning. Around 2 PM I decided I wanted to go, and got through right away.
This year will be like two years ago, they will be trying to fill the two classic ships. I did not get through that year, my cabin mate got through. That was when we sailed out of NYC!
To all who want to get on.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

It is crazy. I have begun at 9, and begun talking to someone around 11:30. There are always some that say they just got in at maybe a stroke before 9. I’ve been dropped. I’ve redialed hundreds of time. My husband or a friend has been doing the same. Yet, I have always gotten on a DVC Member Cruise when I have tried. I was not as interested in this year’s, so did not try in the morning. Around 2 PM I decided I wanted to go, and got through right away.
This year will be like two years ago, they will be trying to fill the two classic ships. I did not get through that year, my cabin mate got through. That was when we sailed out of NYC!
To all who want to get on.

Thank you for the info. Guess I'll try early and be ready for a long morning.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you for the info. Guess I'll try early and be ready for a long morning.

And we both may be lucky with an early answer.
It takes a VERY long time, because the DVC people have to talk to DCL folks....YOUR chosen cabins or even class of cabins may be booked, and the DVC person has to learn and convey that to you.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

And we both may be lucky with an early answer.
It takes a VERY long time, because the DVC people have to talk to DCL folks....YOUR chosen cabins or even class of cabins may be booked, and the DVC person has to learn and convey that to you.

So it's a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I will be prepared for the battle. Thank you.

 

[maburke]

There will be a thread running that morning which will keep you informed and entertained. I've done it several times. The first time, I got a busy signal for an hour, on hold for half an hour, and the transaction took half an hour. Twice I was unsuccessful -- once I got a busy signal for two hours and gave up; once I waited until the afternoon to call & it was sold out by noon. For the 2018 cruise, I got right through on my very first attempt at 8am and was the first caller my MS agent received. So just plan to commit the morning to it, be ready with your list of preferred cabins, and watch the thread here for updates on wait times and cabin availability.

 

[maburke]

So it's a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I will be prepared for the battle. Thank you.

It's not so much a battle as a marathon.

 

[Debbru]

And we both may be lucky with an early answer.
It takes a VERY long time, because the DVC people have to talk to DCL folks....YOUR chosen cabins or even class of cabins may be booked, and the DVC person has to learn and convey that to you.

I booked a cruise on points a couple of months ago & was shocked when MS booked the room directly. I even questioned her about calling DCL. She said they recently got the ability to book directly from the DCL site.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I booked a cruise on points a couple of months ago & was shocked when MS booked the room directly. I even questioned her about calling DCL. She said they recently got the ability to book directly from the DCL site.

Well, this may be a new era! I hope it is an easier booking!!!

 

[shaunacb]

I don’t know about these prices! We are a family of 5, so for the San Diego 5 night cruise, the cheapest inside connecting room (cat 10) will cost almost $9k (both my preschoolers will be charged the adult rate) for the two rooms. The only option sleeping 5 in one room (aside from concierge) is cat 4 which is $10.5 k! I don’t know if this is worth it?

 

[bobbiwoz]

I don’t know about these prices! We are a family of 5, so for the San Diego 5 night cruise, the cheapest inside connecting room (cat 10) will cost almost $9k (both my preschoolers will be charged the adult rate) for the two rooms. The only option sleeping 5 in one room (aside from concierge) is cat 4 which is $10.5 k! I don’t know if this is worth it?

Wow, tough. We brought our grandchildren with their parents a few times, and they are a family of 5. They much preferred even connecting inside rooms to a veranda cabin that could sleep 5. They liked the two bathrooms and ability to have some quiet place to sleep once the others got up.

 

[MeLaNie9]

This will be our 1st MC also. I made some late half-hearted calls for the 2018 MC, and never got through - worked out fine because we have other events for our kids at that time (like we figured we would).
Even though they say the phone lines open at 10am, you can call and get in the queue at 9am??
Also trying to plan the attempt to book - DH will be out of town in KY with one DS and I don't know if I should call on 2 phones (other DS manning one) AND have DH try to call from KY?

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are definitely looking at east coast cruise and paying cash since we have lots of points we use them during year. A $2000 premium for the dvc Cruise seems reasonable given all the extras you get, the cool interviews, the shows, etc. and the gifts.

 

[bobbiwoz]

This will be our 1st MC also. I made some late half-hearted calls for the 2018 MC, and never got through - worked out fine because we have other events for our kids at that time (like we figured we would).
Even though they say the phone lines open at 10am, you can call and get in the queue at 9am??
Also trying to plan the attempt to book - DH will be out of town in KY with one DS and I don't know if I should call on 2 phones (other DS manning one) AND have DH try to call from KY?

I was in TN and my cabin mate was in OK. We were both trying, she got into the queue first and texted me. She had my info, and I hung up, but was available to te texted if needed.

If your DH got through, he would be the one to book.

 

[HookdonWDW]

OK, i have a question. I would love to do the west coast cruise. Can I do one person on DVC points and one person on cash? I know if I rent my points that would be better but not interested in the stress of renting. I was already planning a DVC vacation next May but instead maybe I'll do the MC with the points. Than we'll stay several extra days and visit Vancouver.

Not interested in cruising in October, nervous about storms during that time of year.

Question in return:

Why not just sell the points your were going to use, and use that cash to pay for both people? DCL gives you a point value of $7.xx per point. With a little effort, you could get double that or more by renting your points instead.

 

[jillt2ph]

I really want to do a MC sometime, but it is so hard to justify the expense vs my normal Carnival cruises. Does each person in the cabin get the gifts, or is it a one gift per stateroom kind of thing?

 

[bobbiwoz]

I really want to do a MC sometime, but it is so hard to justify the expense vs my normal Carnival cruises. Does each person in the cabin get the gifts, or is it a one gift per stateroom kind of thing?

Mostly it is everyone in the cabin gets the gift. However, there was only one picture per cabin, when they gave out a coupon for one of the pictures from the photograph store, and only 1 special DVD of Beauty and the Beast. There may have been other times only one per cabin was given.

 

[JLitfin]

Question in return:

Why not just sell the points your were going to use, and use that cash to pay for both people? DCL gives you a point value of $7.xx per point. With a little effort, you could get double that or more by renting your points instead.

I'm thinking that might be my plan, if I can convince my DH we should go. Rent my points than pay cash for both of us.

How is it cruising in the fall out of NYC, I've always been nervous because of storms that time of year. If we go out of NYC than I won't need airfare, just a hotel room the night before sailing. I really wanted to do the west coast MC but my DH says it's too much money plus we'll need airfare and hotel for a couple of nights. I'm still working on him. Send me some pixie dust that I can convince him.​

 

[JLitfin]

I'm excited my DH just told me if I rent my points for enough in order to paid for the whole cruise, we can go. I'm going for the West Coast cruise with extra days on both ends of the cruise. Pixie Dust worked. Now I just need to rent my points.

We have plenty of airline points to cover the flights and Marriott points for the hotels. I'm so excited.