"Child's Age At Time of Travel". . . Nostalgic

You know that part of the Disney Cruise Line website where you get to "Find a Cruise" and after you select your destination, time of travel, length of cruise, departure port, ship, and then enter in details about the number of adults and children in your travel party along with "Child's Age At Time of Travel"?  Well, every time that drop down menu appears, it makes me think of all the cruises we have experienced as a family and how time is running out for us to experience more with the boy considered a "child."  The next time we sail, the boy will be 13!  Yikes--only a few more ages on that darn drop down menu left until he is considered an adult!

The first time we sailed the boy was 4.  We already had one trip to Walt Disney World under our belts and had actually booked the cruise first to celebrate the husband's 40th birthday.  Once we knew we were going on a Disney Cruise it only made sense to take a trip to Walt Disney World first.  (Don't you just love Disney logic!)

For our second Disney Cruise, the boy was 5 1/2.  We sailed on the Disney Magic out of L.A. and it was our first seven night voyage.  We bought photos from Shutter's this trip AND booked our next cruise while on board--correcting two things we had regretted from our first cruise.

Disney Cruise number 3 was over New Year's and the boy had just turned 7.  It was another great week on board the Disney Magic.  We rebooked on board for our next sailing!  While there was a Pirate Night, the fireworks were saved for New Year's Eve and there were many new and interesting characters out for New Year's.  We spend the first day of the new year at Castaway Cay!

Our 4th Disney Cruise was onboard the Disney Dream!  It was our first 5 night sailing, our first "double dip" cruise with two stops at Castaway Cay, and the first time we combined a cruise with a visit to Walt Disney World.  The boy was 8 1/2.  We parasailed on Castaway Cay and kissed some sea lions at Blue Lagoon while in Nassau.  Oh, and we rebooked our next cruise while onboard!

Cruise number 5 was also on the Disney Dream--over Christmas!  The boy had just turned 10.  He was picked, okay he lobbied to be picked, to be the Holiday Prince of the Sea and got to usher in the holidays in a ceremony in the Lobby Atrium.  This was the first time we stayed on board while the ship was in port.  We spent three days at Walt Disney World after we disembarked the ship.  And, we booked our next cruise while sailing!

Which brings us to Disney Cruise number 6 and our most recent sailing.  The boy was 11 1/2 and enjoyed the tween club--Edge--immensely.  This was our first time sailing on the Disney Fantasy and our first time going to Jamaica.  We also combined this trip with a week at Walt Disney World and a day at Universal Orlando.  And, yes, we booked our next cruise while on board!

We have had so many great memories as a family on Disney Cruise Line vacations in seven years.  And, the time has flown by!  See what I mean about the time running out?

What Will Be Our NEXT Disney Cruise?

Yesterday I wrote about our plans to spend our on board credit during our 7 night sailing on the Disney Fantasy this summer and other budget considerations, such as budgeting for the deposit for our next cruise.  A Williams Family Blog reader then commented with a question about what we were thinking for our NEXT cruise, which was an excellent question.

So the photo photo above is where we are right now in the decision making process.  The matrix will help us decide what itinerary we will book next--while we are sailing.  The only unknown or yet unannounced itinerary is for the holidays 2015 and there is no word yet on when Disney Cruise Line will release that information.  The good news is that the farther out the itinerary the less expensive the cruise will be at the time of booking, even if there is no rebooking discount, which is typically 10%.

Let's review each of our options:

• 5 nights on the Wonder out of Miami in March--Our Spring Break is early in March which means the prices for the cruise are not peak prices and the "black out" dates for rebooking discounts may not apply.  Due to the boy being 12 at the time of sailing, we are aware of the less than stellar tween club on the Wonder.  The only port in this itinerary that we would take advantage of is Castaway Cay.  This cruise would be for pure relaxation. . . and to add another sailing to our list and help move up our Castaway Club status.
• 5 nights on the Dream in July 2015--This is a been there, done that cruise for us, but still fun none the less.  More expensive than the 5 night on the Wonder, but more flexibility in terms of flights and travel dates.  The double dip means two stops at Castaway Cay!  
• 7 nights on the Fantasy during the holidays in 2015--right now this cruise is in the lead, even without the rebooking discount.  I think all of us would love to sail again either over Christmas or New Year's.
• 7 nights on the Fantasy summer of 2015--we could select the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, which we have yet to experience.  This would be a tight fit for our budget.

There you have it. . . our thinking at this point.  I can say though, that is almost a certainty that we will rebook on board.  A benefit that is no longer available when rebooking a Disney Cruise while on board is getting the extra perks from your travel agent.  Disney Cruise Line is no longer in partnership with AAA and our upcoming sailing will be the last cruise that we walk on board with both DCL's on board credit and perk from our travel agency.  We can still book cruises through our travel agent and our travel agent can still handle the details of our Disney Cruise if we rebook on board, but the perks are gone.  Glad we were able to take advantage of them when we did!

Saving Money on Your Next Disney Cruise

Combine our love for Disney travel and passion for saving money and you’ve got an interesting dichotomy that makes for some creative thinking and planning.  This was evident yesterday evening.

I was volunteering at our local event center (another way we save money and still get to see shows) and as I was helping folks find their seats, I noticed a couple wearing Walt Disney World t-shirts.  They ended up sitting near my “station” of sorts, so I took a moment to compliment them on their shirts. 

They said they had been to Walt Disney World 11 times, some with children and grandchildren, and some not.  They said that the loved it there, even just with the two of them.  I gave them the number of days until our 10^th trip.

At intermission, I was approached and asked where we had stayed.  Easy question, but it did take some thought and math:  Caribbean Beach—twice, Port Orleans Riverside—five times, Port Orleans French Quarter—once, Coronado Springs—once, and Coronado Springs again for our next trip.  Yep, that makes 10.

They told me that when they go with the grandkids, they stay at a value resort—All Star Movies, Music, and Pop Century, but when they travel as a couple, they stay at a moderate resort—Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside. 

I then told them we were cruising on the Dream for Christmas.  They shared that they sailed on the Dream in spring of 2011 for an anniversary trip; their first and only cruise.  I explained that we had already sailed on the Dream and this would be our 5^th Disney Cruise.  It was then that I got the look. . . the “how do you afford that?” look.

I shared how we rebook our next cruise while sailing and get a discount.  I explained that we actually booked our upcoming cruise while sailing in July 2011.  “You can book that far out?”  was the question that came next.  Yes!  Definitely!  The prices are a bit less that far in advance as DCL wants to fill the ships and the sooner the better—and prices are a reflection of availability.  Add the lower price to a 10% discount, a larger on-board credit for your next cruise, and a requirement of half the typical deposit, and you’ve got yourself a deal.  All things this family didn’t know.

If the above deal is the cake, here comes the frosting!  We give our travel agent credit for the booking—right there on the ship when we make our arrangements.  Then, we get both the travel agency’s incentives for the cruise AND Disney Cruise Line’s incentives.  Gotta love that!

As an example, on our upcoming cruise, we will walk onboard with $100 onboard credit from DCL—a result of our reserving this cruise during our last one.  Then, we will have a photo package credit on our account from our travel agent.  Bonus!

We have managed to navigate and marry, so to speak, our desire for both money savings and Disney travel.  Contact your travel agent for specific offerings.