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

[Stratus22]

Aaaaannnnddddd I just joined the canceled cruise club

 

[tink2020]

@skyvoyager
Tried this before and they stated it must be a new reservation. So I just cancelled and re-booked. There are people on their 3rd re-book now so they may have a more recent experience. This was back in March of this year.

We had a very expensive cruise as one of our many cancellations during this, and we were able to rebook a new one, pay off one, and put $ towards another (the last 2 being booked previously). It was no trouble, except that I had to call vs book online. Good luck!

 

[ajo]

Aaaaannnnddddd I just joined the canceled cruise club

Welcome! It's unfortunately going to be a pretty big club . . .

 

[harriet2]

Thanks, I'm in kind of a weird limbo. The official announcement came out and my cruise (Oct 2nd Dream) is not on the list of cancelled cruises but the DCL website no longer has my cruise as bookable. What is that? This is a strange form of torture.

They've done this for a lot of cruises before. It's probably for two reasons.

1. no new booking that will be eligible to 125% FCC if it does get cancelled
2. lower occupancy rate if to does get to sail

So it doesn't have to say anything yet.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Aaaaannnnddddd I just joined the canceled cruise club

I'm silver now as I have two cancelled cruises. Welcome to the club though!

I am just rolling with it at this point and trying to keep positive. I hope those upcoming cruises are still a go for everyone else this fall. For us cancelled folk, I hope we can all get back onboard soon and find a new upcoming cruise that fits within our schedule and budget.

 

[Calantha]

For us cancelled folk, I hope we can all get back onboard soon and find a new upcoming cruise that fits within our schedule and budget.

Me too. I had managed to find a 5 day Fall cruise on the Fantasy, where I could actually afford Concierge...That is unlikely in the future even with the 125...

I think we’re going to standby and wait for next Fall’s cruises to come out. At this point, I want to give it plenty of time for there to be a better resolution to the current situation. We are also planning to go to Alaska in May so if there are significant changes we will see it then...(and still plenty of time to cancel that if the situation doesn’t improve.)

 

[FigmentSpark]

I was out with some friends this evening and got my DCL cancellation notice for my August 31st cruise. I knew it was inevitable and I prepared myself but it still hurts.

Now I have to decide if I take the refund or rebook for next year.

Mmm... we were 2 days into the drive to FL when, late at night in the Georgia hotel, 6 hours before my sister was about to board a plane to Orlando, when we saw the email that our cruise had been cancelled. The kids were already asleep, so in the morning, we had to break it to them that they'd missed 3 days of school, (including a sports tournament) for nothing. We drove home, only to find that was the last time they would see their friends for several months.

So, yeah, I know. The shock of the finality - they really did cancel this trip, now what? - and the sadness for something you hoped would be a good and much needed break. Still, at least for me, I'm glad we didn't get on that ship. Who knows if someone would have brought Covid with them and we might have all been sick or quarantined.

Actually, I remember packing extra things in case of a quarantine. Now, I look back and wonder what was I thinking, but I was thinking that this thing wasn't on the N.A. continent and we were just doing a Western, so we'd be safe. I now know that wasn't the case and I'm grateful to DCL for making the decision I wasn't able to make at the time.

 

[chinarider]

2nd cancalled cruise club member here... hoping third times a charm... We're shooting for end of November now

 

[JM23457]

Can I use a FCC and apply it to another cruise to which I have only placed a deposit? My August cruise was just canceled but I have another planned for December.

Yes, I was able to do that with our FCC.

 

[Snowwhyt]

How far in advance do you think Disney would start marketing (TV type) prior to reopening DCL?

 

[T & R]

How far in advance do you think Disney would start marketing (TV type) prior to reopening DCL?

Not sure they'll need to market with all the 125% credits floating around and their likely need to reduce capacity. If they were going to put out commercials, I would hope they would do it right at releasing their late 2021 itineraries so at least people have more to choose from. Even before all this I rarely saw DCL commercials which is a bummer because I enjoy the occasional ones that did come up. I did see a DCL themed Wheel of Fortune week once and then many of us saw that Outdaughtered show that featured DCL. That was cool to see even though I would not normally watch either show.

 

[JM23457]

How far in advance do you think Disney would start marketing (TV type) prior to reopening DCL?

I don't thijk DCL will be airing commercials anytime soon. Given all of the Covid TV coverage, it could create some negative associations in people's minds, and do more harm to the brand than good.

 

[afan]

Not sure they'll need to market with all the 125% credits floating around and their likely need to reduce capacity. If they were going to put out commercials, I would hope they would do it right at releasing their late 2021 itineraries so at least people have more to choose from. Even before all this I rarely saw DCL commercials which is a bummer because I enjoy the occasional ones that did come up. I did see a DCL themed Wheel of Fortune week once and then many of us saw that Outdaughtered show that featured DCL. That was cool to see even though I would not normally watch either show.

While I rarely see dcl commercials I have started seeing Universal Orlando commercials on cable. They are about the measures they are taking and to come visit. I thought it was interesting since I can't imagine wdw or dlr commercials any time soon and being on the west coast I get both and UH.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Not sure they'll need to market with all the 125% credits floating around and their likely need to reduce capacity. If they were going to put out commercials, I would hope they would do it right at releasing their late 2021 itineraries so at least people have more to choose from. Even before all this I rarely saw DCL commercials which is a bummer because I enjoy the occasional ones that did come up. I did see a DCL themed Wheel of Fortune week once and then many of us saw that Outdaughtered show that featured DCL. That was cool to see even though I would not normally watch either show.

Although there are 125% credit floating around most will not have the opportunity to use that credit on 2-3 months notice, especially if they’re not from Florida. But you have always been optimistic.
Non of the cruises are sold out currently. And it may be a while before they sail(mid 2021 or later is my guess) it will be safe to cruise then when they start. Maybe a $25 OBC for every passenger with a documented virus shot.
Plus 125% doesn’t go too far on a last minute cruise if you have hotels and last minute airfare to worry about. You have always had lots of optimism about the sailings. But I can’t handle the disappointment so I have to be a little more pessimistic so I can be pleasantly surprised in the future.
As for commercials, I see tons of them on the shows that I recorded in January and February and all of 2019. That’s what gave me the thought that commercials would be our tell. I just talked to Disney on the Castaway line, two days before the last cancellation and she was so positive that the August cruises were going. Smh. But I didn’t believe her either, but thought if I gave my opinion it would seem rude. So I said I was “glad to hear it”, I was glad, just not able to believe like she did.
I to have seen a few things for Universal Studios and also Sea world.
Wish I understood how to tell fake news. I also read an article that said Florida had 900 some deaths last year from pneumonia and this year they have over 5000 for the same period. It’s so hard to tell these days.

 

[tinkerone]

Although there are 125% credit floating around most will not have the opportunity to use that credit on 2-3 months notice, especially if they’re not from Florida. But you have always been optimistic.
Non of the cruises are sold out currently. And it may be a while before they sail(mid 2021 or later is my guess) it will be safe to cruise then when they start. Maybe a $25 OBC for every passenger with a documented virus shot.
Plus 125% doesn’t go too far on a last minute cruise if you have hotels and last minute airfare to worry about. You have always had lots of optimism about the sailings. But I can’t handle the disappointment so I have to be a little more pessimistic so I can be pleasantly surprised in the future.
As for commercials, I see tons of them on the shows that I recorded in January and February and all of 2019. That’s what gave me the thought that commercials would be our tell. I just talked to Disney on the Castaway line, two days before the last cancellation and she was so positive that the August cruises were going. Smh. But I didn’t believe her either, but thought if I gave my opinion it would seem rude. So I said I was “glad to hear it”, I was glad, just not able to believe like she did.
I to have seen a few things for Universal Studios and also Sea world.
Wish I understood how to tell fake news. I also read an article that said Florida had 900 some deaths last year from pneumonia and this year they have over 5000 for the same period. It’s so hard to tell these days.

I agree with you, I see plenty of DCL commercials. Not recently, obviously, but they come on plenty. We are Canadian and while we get commercials they are especially noticeable in situations like when our Canadian dollar is not doing well, when there is a travel crisis such as 911, when bookings are not filling up as quickly as they would like and they are offering a Canadian discount.
While it looks like there will be tons of bookings, enough to fill the ships, in the coming year or two I have my doubts. Yup, we are hearing from lots of people on the DIS who can't wait to get out there and sail again but we are diehards. The majority of cruisers aren't on DIS boards though, we are a small majority. I think they are going to have to come up with a lot of discounts (FL Res Rate, Canadian discounts, Military discounts) to fill the ships over the next while. Even if they want to keep them at a 50% capacity they may find this hard. Right now they only have the US to fill the ships as boarders are closed. Incomes have been slashed, people are worried about the virus and it's effects if they get sick while on board or in a foreign port. For some it will be a matter of timing of sailings that will prevent them from going. There is so much going on right now and for the foreseeable future that no one can really be sure.
I think you will see commercials start to come back once sailings have resumed but that is just my thoughts. I think it's not going to be as easy as everyone is thinking to get people back on board.

 

[T & R]

I think you will see commercials start to come back once sailings have resumed but that is just my thoughts. I think it's not going to be as easy as everyone is thinking to get people back on board.

I agree but right now there is less than 12 months of bookable cruises available on their website. If their going to put out ads, they need to open up the rest of 2021 to provide more choices. I know I will be putting money down on opening day.

 

[Jimmiesatx]

Question for those of you who were on one of the Disney cruises that Disney cancelled, and took the 125%- were you PIF or not PIF yet? I've got a mid-August cruise that could be cancelled, but it's not PIF yet and didn't know if it makes a difference for the FCC.

i was PIF

 

[Jimmiesatx]

I got canceled, and was very upset to say the least. I got ahold of DCL the following day and booked for February 2021. Not ideal, but it will work for us. Got a nice upgrade due to the credit.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Months ago someone either here or ‘book who had a google doc that showed available rooms on the ships- it would be interesting to see how the capacity is actually fairing..

 

[Stratus22]

I had a B2B cruise cancelled, 3 nights each. I've read that you can take your FCC and place that on an existing reservation. Anyone know if I could take both b2b FCC's and put them on one existing reservation?