Cruising Engineer
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2018
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?
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?
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.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?
Thank you for the info. Guess I'll try early and be ready for a long 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.
And we both may be lucky with an early answer.Thank you for the info. Guess I'll try early and be ready for a long morning.
So it's a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I will be prepared for the battle. Thank you.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.
It's not so much a battle as a marathon.So it's a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I will be prepared for the battle. Thank 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.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.
Well, this may be a new era! I hope it is an easier booking!!!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.
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.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?
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?
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.
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.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?
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.