STAR WARS: GALACTIC STARCRUISER Official Information & Questions Thread

[HokieRaven5]

New offer from Disney:

Save Up to $700 on a 2-Night Stay at Select Disney Resort Hotels When Combined with Select Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Voyages

Offer Details​

Eligibility
Purchase of a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser vacation package is required—valid for select voyages from February 5 through September 30, 2023.

Length of Stay Requirements

• Minimum – 1 night
• Maximum – 2 nights

Important Details

• Purchase of a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiservacation package is required.
• The number of Resort hotel rooms allocated for this offer is limited.
• Offer not valid on select voyages, including those on the following dates:
  • 
    
  • February 16, 18 and 22
  • March 12 and 14
  • April 3, 7, 9, 11 and 13
  • May 3 and 17
  • June 12 and 16
  • July 24
  • August 9, 15, 19, 21 and 23
• Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same Resort hotel room.
• Resort hotel stay must occur on dates immediately before or after the
  Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser voyage, but does not need to be on consecutive nights.
• A maximum of 2 nights in a Resort hotel room may be booked with this offer.
• Cancelling the reservation for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will result in the cancellation of the Resort hotel stay and any applicable cancellation fees will apply.
• All Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser package components are only valid during the
  Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser voyage and cannot be redeemed during the Resort hotel stay.
• Offer is nontransferable.
• Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
• Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults in Resort hotel room.
• Discounted room offer excludes the following room types: campsites, cabins, studios and villas.

 

[iheartglaciers]

Just got back and we had an amazing time! We all thought it would be a one time splurge, but all of us want to do it again! There were 9 of us—two families with young kids of varying ages and two adults without kids, so I feel like it’s a great experience for all ages.

It’s expensive but, now that I did it, I can see why. If they discount it, they’d have to reduce the experience.

I do wish they’d offer a returning guests discount. Seems like it would be a good way to fill voyages without offering a general discount.

 

[beldred]

It’s expensive but, now that I did it, I can see why. If they discount it, they’d have to reduce the experience.

I do wish they’d offer a returning guests discount. Seems like it would be a good way to fill voyages without offering a general discount.

I agree. I wish repeat voyagers could get a bit of a discount. After all, we're less work since we know what we're doing, right? We went in July and I would go back in a heartbeat if I had the funds.

 

[Rigby]

Just got back and we had an amazing time! We all thought it would be a one time splurge, but all of us want to do it again! There were 9 of us—two families with young kids of varying ages and two adults without kids, so I feel like it’s a great experience for all ages.

It’s expensive but, now that I did it, I can see why. If they discount it, they’d have to reduce the experience.

I do wish they’d offer a returning guests discount. Seems like it would be a good way to fill voyages without offering a general discount.

So glad you had a great time! Did you guys all dress up? We don’t sail until June but can’t wait!!! Any spoiler free pointers??

 

[iheartglaciers]

So glad you had a great time! Did you guys all dress up? We don’t sail until June but can’t wait!!! Any spoiler free pointers??

We had in-universe outfits, which I’m really glad we did, but didn’t do anything super elaborate. I thought about a different dinner outfit, but decided to keep things simple since I figured we’d be busy (and we were!). On our voyage I would say about half wore regular clothes and half had in-universe outfits to varying degrees.

We also constructed a semi-elaborate backstory, but I felt like just having a planet where you were from and some sense of why you were there was enough.

A few random tips in no particular order:

• Whenever you have free time, hang out in the Atrium or Sublight Lounge (often there will be characters to interact with, or other guests at the very least!)… or wander… sometimes I just happened upon something going on
• Interact with your in-room droid!
• Definitely hang out in the Sublight Lounge at night after the activity has died down. We would sometimes play holo sabacc, but often played with our own cards. They have coins you can borrow to play, just ask at the bar. Also, the snacks on the menu are included!
• On Batuu day, come back to the ship for lunch and use your quick service credit after you disembark (if you’ll be in the parks or at a Disney hotel.. it’ll pop up when you mobile order… it can include an alcoholic drink too!). Make sure you use it by midnight of check out day. Also the food is just so yummy and unique on the ship, we wanted to eat as much there as possible anyway.
• It’s easy and quick to go back and forth between Batuu and the ship, so don’t feel like you need to do it all in one go.
• Make sure you do the missions on Batuu since they impact stuff back on the ship. We didn’t realize we’d spend so much time there since we’ve been to Batuu so many times outside of Starcruiser.
• Scan anything with a QR code you find around the ship, but you don’t have to go crazy scanning everything on Batuu. Most are not related to Starcruiser-specific missions and you only have a limited amount of time.
• Consider bringing trinkets to give to fellow guests, the characters, and crew (e.g., 3D printed plastic credits). It’s a fun way to engage with others and a few guests on my voyage had things to “trade”.
• Look for Photopass photographers, we saw them in the bridge room when we embarked.
• If you do the Regalia red carpet, make sure you have the photographer scan your magic band. We forgot (since photographers are usually good about prompting you) and had to track down the photos with Photopass. I’ve heard this has happened to others too.
• If you do the CSL portrait session, look at photos others have taken online (there are lots in the Starcruiser costuming Facebook group) to get an idea of locations and poses. The photographer was great about suggesting locations, groupings, and poses, but the time goes quick. I’ve heard varying reports of whether they’ll lend you lightsabers for your pictures. We forgot to ask.
• You’ll get specific transport times for Batuu and departure day, but you can leave whenever you want so you can kinda ignore those times.
• Don’t worry if you can’t get the Captains table. At least on Day 1, the Captain was barely there and there’s so much food already that we didn’t need the extra course. The coin was kinda nice though and you do get a good location for watching Gaya’s performance, although with the sailings that aren’t full, all the seated tables had a good view (I could see how that would be different on a full voyage where some tables are behind a column).
• You can request a takeaway box to bring back food from the breakfast and lunch buffets to your room.
• Bring a portable battery to charge your phone since you’re using it so much!
• Don’t wait until Day 3 to buy stuff from the store. I’ve heard they’re sometimes open early, but it was closed by the time I got to the Atrium on Day 3. There is a small pop up stand when you’re waiting for a taxi off of the ship that sells different merch. If you really want something they don’t sell there, they may be willing to go get it (they did fetch us some sabacc decks!).

 

[Rigby]

Thank you so much!!! Really great advice. I just read your response to my wife and kid and we’re crazy excited about this. Where did you get your costumes? This thread has been super helpful! Thanks to all

 

[iheartglaciers]

Thank you so much!!! Really great advice. I just read your response to my wife and kid and we’re crazy excited about this. Where did you get your costumes? This thread has been super helpful! Thanks to all

We mostly used regular clothes we bought on Amazon or thrift stores to make outfits that look like they’d be in the Star Wars universe. We got a lot of ideas and inspiration from the Starcruiser costuming group on Facebook.

And then if you search “greeblies” on Etsy you’ll find things you can put on jackets or shirts that make things Star Wars-esque. There are some you can glue on and some that come with strong magnets to attach temporarily.

I also got a Bix Caleen Andor shirt for 60% off on the Hot Topic web site that looks in-universe but doesn’t look like you’re dressing up exactly like a specific character. If your wife gets it, I’d recommend sizing up!

 

[iheartglaciers]

We are staying at POR the night before our voyage and Yacht club after.

Do I have to contact anyone regarding the voucher for transportation to and from the hotels or will the concierge/front desk take care of this?

Also was told we will have late check out at POR and early check in at Yacht Club. Anything I need to do on my end to make this happen?

I know this is an old question, but I’ll share my experience in case anyone is wondering the same.

I stayed DVC at AKL the night before our voyage. They left us a voicemail the morning of check-out letting us know they were giving us late checkout of 12pm and to go to the kiosk outside of the lobby to ask for a taxi. We never told anyone at the hotel, so they must’ve had our name on a list from Starcruiser since both reservations were connected to my MDE.

I know with DVC rooms late checkout isn’t guaranteed, and we probably could’ve asked about it the night before, but we thought we weren’t going to stay past 11am (we did end up leaving the room at 12pm ).

When we got outside of the lobby, we just let them know we were going to Starcruiser and they called a taxi. We didn’t have to show proof of our reservation.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

It sounds like they're really struggling to keep Galactic Starcruiser booked. So far, they've always had a new voyage every 2 days. However, starting with October 2023, they're reducing it to 2 voyages per week. That's nearly cut in half: 7 voyages in 2 weeks vs. 4 voyages in 2 weeks.

DW and I really enjoyed our trip on GS last year, but at the current price, I have no idea when or if we're going to do it again. It is a great experience, and I hope that they can keep it going for more Star Wars fans out there.

 

[iheartglaciers]

It sounds like they're really struggling to keep Galactic Starcruiser booked. So far, they've always had a new voyage every 2 days. However, starting with October 2023, they're reducing it to 2 voyages per week. That's nearly cut in half: 7 voyages in 2 weeks vs. 4 voyages in 2 weeks.

DW and I really enjoyed our trip on GS last year, but at the current price, I have no idea when or if we're going to do it again. It is a great experience, and I hope that they can keep it going for more Star Wars fans out there.

I’m crossing my fingers for a return guest discount! It seems like it would be a great way to fill voyages without offering a general discount.

I also hope they figure this out. The Imagineers did an amazing job and it would be a shame if they don’t do other immersive and different experiences because of this.

 

[squirk]

I loved it, but I honestly cannot believe Disney management thought this was a sustainable business model at the current price point.

I mean, what was their plan after the “affluent Star Wars nerd” demographic tapped out?

I wonder if the solution is to alternate between LARP cruises and (much cheaper) non-LARP cruises. I think more people would come if they could pay a lower price and just get the themed hotel, leaving the role play elements out of it.

Add a pool, laundry, food court, and transport to all four parks and the Springs, and make them available only for the non-LARP cruises. Yeah, that would break the immersive experience, but that’s the point - most people don’t want the full-on immersive experience and they sure as heck don’t want to pay out the nose for it, either.

For the LARP cruises, keep things the way they are right now (maybe a bit cheaper, especially for return guests), and just hide the non-LARP amenities described above.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636749323336548353

 

[SkyGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636749323336548353

They really don’t want to discount it for anyone but DVC, do they? I don’t really have an interest unless they change the era, but I could be tempted as a top level AP if they offered a significant discount.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

They really don’t want to discount it for anyone but DVC, do they? I don’t really have an interest unless they change the era, but I could be tempted as a top level AP if they offered a significant discount.

My opinion - other discount 'voyages' will come for other 'affinity groups'. At some point.....

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Logically, the next group to get discounted GS sailings ought to be those with APs.

But speaking about APs, the GS package includes one day at DHS, though you have to return to the Halcyon well before DHS closes. I feel a little bit ripped off that DW and I have APs, and our APs should have given us entry into DHS, but we still had to pay for the complete package that included a park day at DHS. That's effectively buying a day pass ticket unnecessarily.

Also, I made theme park reservations for us at DHS on the Batuu "shore excursion" day because that's what I'm used to when visiting WDW or DLR in this post-covid world; nearly every WDW webpage reminds you that a theme park reservation is required. And oddly, a couple of weeks before our GS sailing, Disney canceled our park reservations for that day. GS comes with its own special DHS theme park reservation ticket, and I guess they thought I was double dipping and preventing somebody else from making a reservation at DHS.

 

[squirk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1636749323336548353

I'm not even sure the 30% discount is going to make this a "good value" to anyone other than the hard-core fans.

When you factor in the discount, and factor out the included food and the DHS ticket, for two adults and a kid, you are still paying about $1400 per night for the hotel and the role-play experience.

I know the theming, the custom furnishings, the technology and the cast all come at a cost, but $1400/night is still a heavy lift.

But speaking about APs, the GS package includes one day at DHS, though you have to return to the Halcyon well before DHS closes. I feel a little bit ripped off that DW and I have APs, and our APs should have given us entry into DHS, but we still had to pay for the complete package that included a park day at DHS. That's effectively buying a day pass ticket unnecessarily.

How were you at all "ripped off"? You knew going in when you made your reservation that the DHS ticket was part of the base package, and not a la carte.

 

[beldred]

Logically, the next group to get discounted GS sailings ought to be those with APs.

But speaking about APs, the GS package includes one day at DHS, though you have to return to the Halcyon well before DHS closes. I feel a little bit ripped off that DW and I have APs, and our APs should have given us entry into DHS, but we still had to pay for the complete package that included a park day at DHS. That's effectively buying a day pass ticket unnecessarily.

Also, I made theme park reservations for us at DHS on the Batuu "shore excursion" day because that's what I'm used to when visiting WDW or DLR in this post-covid world; nearly every WDW webpage reminds you that a theme park reservation is required. And oddly, a couple of weeks before our GS sailing, Disney canceled our park reservations for that day. GS comes with its own special DHS theme park reservation ticket, and I guess they thought I was double dipping and preventing somebody else from making a reservation at DHS.

You had no need to make a park reservation. Your AP was not being used. Which you obviously knew since you were aware a visit to Batuu was included in your package price. You don't ever tap in through a "normal" gate entry point. If you made a park reservation, you WERE preventing someone else from making one, should park passes have run out for that day.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

You had no need to make a park reservation. Your AP was not being used. Which you obviously knew since you were aware a visit to Batuu was included in your package price. You don't ever tap in through a "normal" gate entry point. If you made a park reservation, you WERE preventing someone else from making one, should park passes have run out for that day.

We were doing a WDW vacation in addition to GS. I made theme park reservations for every day of our trip. Why wouldn't I book DHS that day? Why didn't the system say that I was already reserved there because of GS? I wasn't trying to double dip on theme park reservations. Why doesn't the GS DHS theme park reservation show up in the same place as all your other theme park reservations? It wasn't until several months later that Disney emailed me that my theme park reservation was canceled (and with zero explanation for why!) that I investigated further and found the special "ticket" for GS DHS theme park reservation. In 20/20 hindsight, now I know to look in a completely different location for a theme park reservation.

My AP may not have been used, but it would have been perfectly valid for theme park admission that day.

 

[RunDisney Matriarch]

We did a three-generation family trip to the Starcruiser last week and for anyone reading this who is still on the fence, go! It was unbelievably good. My main concern was that for the price paid we would inevitably be disappointed. I was wrong. In fact, I would not be surprised to learn Disney was running this at cost hoping that the Starcruiser would generate other value (pre-/post-trips, publicity, etc.). Everything onboard was outstanding: the cast members (characters and others), the settings, the food, the missions. The only glitch was a few cast members in the outdoor boarding/departure area and even they weren't horrible -- just markedly poor in comparison to everyone else.

Thank you to all the other posters who had such great spoiler-free tips! I read all 130+ pages beforehand and it made the difference. Below are the tips which we found to be the most important for our trip:

1. Come excited, in some sort of costume, and ready to play at 12:45pm: GS goes by too fast so you want to be there before the 1pm check-in time. You don't need an elaborate costume, but wearing something on-theme will help you acclimate to your surroundings and give you points of connection with other passengers/cast members.

2. Book the smallest room you can that has enough beds: you will never be in your room except to shower and sleep. One of our rooms was a suite and while it was cool to look at for 10 minutes on Day One, we never used the space.

3. If you are technologically challenged, make sure you hang with people who are not: for some of us (possibly me), there were tasks which were intuitive to the digital natives that were not for me (parts of Bridge Training and some of the Batuu missions). Fellow passengers and cast members were happy to help so don't be afraid to ask.

4. Go everywhere, try everything: if there is a screen, go look at it. Hit buttons. Try doors. Scan things. Ask cast members for guidance/hints.

5. The $299 CSL portrait experience is still worth it: Obviously, reasonable minds can disagree, but even paying triple the original price we have amazing family photos (taken by a photographer and an assistant with a special lighting bar that are then sent out for retouching) and then we never worried again about getting photos and just enjoyed the voyage.

6. Your in-room droid will ask you if you want to hear a lullaby or a bedtime story: If you are at all fans of the original Star Wars films, ask for the story. Both nights -- they're different.

7. Bring swag to hand out: you've come this far with all of the planning so go one step farther and come up with something to give out to fellow passengers/cast members/guests on Batuu during the voyage. We brought Rebellion stickers, another passenger had plastic jewels from the dollar store that were "kyber crystals" we were asked to keep safe, others had Porg stickers, etc. It was such a fun way to connect with others during the story.

8. After the final activity on Night Two, stick around in the atrium to thank the cast members. They won't break character, but you'll figure out how to tell them what an amazing job they've done over the past two days that still works in the story. It's a great way to conclude the adventure and you won't believe how much they throw themselves into this and making sure you have a great time.

That's probably too much, but there are dozen other things I've typed over. It was a magical experience, even for Disney veterans.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

FYI

https://twitter.com/x/status/1640723004228354050