Disney let the names of the new ships out of the bag tonight announcing the Disney Dream launching in 2011 and the Disney Fantasy launching in 2012. These ships are approximately 50% larger then the existing two ships, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.

Many things make the Disney Cruise Line unique. If you have cruised before, you will understand all of these items. If you haven’t cruised before, below are what I consider the most important difference between a Disney Cruise and ever other cruise line. Rotation Dining – On a Disney Cruise vacation, you change dining rooms each night. The three primary restaurants on the rotation are Parrot Cay, Animator’s Palette, and either Triton’s or Lumiere’s depending on which ship you are on. Your table mates and dining staff rotate with you. So you still get to share memories of your day with the people you dine with and your dining staff knows all of your special requests and dining requirements. Plus your surroundings change so you will never get bored of the same dining room. Palo – Palo is the over 18, adult only, restaurant on board both Disney ships. What is unique about Palo as compared to other “signature” restaurants on other ships is that you can make a reservation for Palo online in advance. Another unique Palo feature is on 7-night cruises, Palo also offers a wonderful adult only brunch and afternoon tea on sea days. Large Staterooms – The average staterooms onboard both the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder are by far the largest in the industry. The staterooms were designed with families in mind so you will find amble storage, bunk beds that only convert to beds at night and serve as a living space during the day, and privacy curtains that separate the main sleeping area from the living/sleeping area. The stateroom TV offers family friend programming as well as top notch movies. Stateroom Bathroom Design – Although most people would consider the bathroom to be part of the stateroom which is of course true, there are several unique factors to the stateroom bathrooms on the Disney ships that they get their own topic. Most cabins on board the Disney Ships have what is called a split bath design. The split bath is really two separate areas both with their own doors. The first room has a tub/shower and a sink. The second room has the commode and a second sink. The split bath allows for two people to get ready at the same time. Additionally, the fact that each stateroom has a bath tub is very unique. On most other cruise lines, you will not see a bath tub until you get into the higher category of stateroom or in suites. Variety of Food – Between the in-stateroom room service, to the food establishments by the pools, to the casual buffet restaurant (Topsiders or Beach Blanket), to the rotation dining restaurants, to Palo, you will find every conceivable type of food on board. Rest assured that the pickiest or most selective eater to the foodie in your group will find something they like. Start with a continental breakfast delivered to your room each morning, followed by brunch in one of the restaurants, followed by chicken tenders, nachos, pizza, wraps, and paninis by the pool or a four-course lunch in the dining room, followed by a cheese dish on your verandah before dinner, followed by dinner in your rotation dining room or the casual buffet, followed by the last evening snack/desert buffets or fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and milk in your cabin before bed, the dining options are endless. Now most cruise lines do offer the same abundance of food. What is unique to a Disney Cruise is the variety that appeals to children as well as the adults. Disney is also very good about working with food allergies as well. Complimentary Beverages – Disney Cruise Line is the only mass market cruise line to offer complimentary beverages including soda, milk, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate 24/7 at the beverage station located on deck nine aft of each ship. Other cruise lines will usually offer these beverages as complimentary only when dining in one of their dining rooms during meals. Entertainment - All major cruise lines offer high quality entertainment. What sets Disney Cruise Lines entertainment apart is it’s ALL family friendly. Everything is kept at a “D” rating for Disney. Although the entertainment in the adult only clubs in the evening may have a little more adult humor, it rarely goes beyond anything you wouldn’t mind seeing with your grandmother. Disney Characters - It’s a Disney cruise after all, of course there will be Disney Characters onboard! Characters appear daily at specific times and locations. It is up to you to go and see them or not. On 7-night cruises, you can even enjoy a character breakfast one morning. Children’s Clubs – By far, Disney has the very best children’s programming at sea. Other cruise lines have great children’s programs but no one can compete with Disney in this area. Children’s programs start at age 3 and run through age 17. There are four unique areas on board the ship, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Ocean Quest, and Aloft/The Stack for the various age groups so the 14 years old are not hanging out with the 4 year olds. Another unique feature about the children’s clubs is that parents of every child under the age of 11 receives a beeper to be used the length of the cruise. So if your child happens to be in one of the clubs and wants to see you or is ready to be picked up, all he or she does is notifies a counselor and the counselor will beep you. Additionally, Disney is one of the only cruise ships to offer infant and toddler care for children up to the age of 3 at Flounder’s Reef Nursery. There is a nominal fee for this service and reservations are required. No Casino - That’s right; the Disney ships do not have casinos of any kind. Now for some this may be disappointing but for most, it is a welcome feature. The only gambling offered on the ship is the daily bingo game. If you do enjoy gambling, there is usually at least one port on each itinerary that does have casinos so you can still enjoy some casino time! Exclusive Adult Areas – Although Disney certainly caters to families and children, they also knew that adults needed places of their own where they could go and no children would be allowed. Both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder have an adult only pool area with its own jacuzzis and pool bar. Within the pool area is Quiet Cove Café, an adult only specialty cafe with cigars, coffee drinks and pastries. Just forward of the pool area is Vista Spa, the adult only spa which offers a wide range of facilities and services. On deck 3 forward there is Beat Street and Route 66 the after 9pm adult only entertainment area. For those special romantic evenings, there is Palo. the adult only signature Italian restaurant. While at Castaway Cay, adults can escape to a separate adults-only stretch of beach called Serenity Bay. Each of these spaces are designed just for adults and Disney does a good job of keeping the little ones entertained in their own specific areas so that adults can truly enjoy some adults-only quality time. Castaway Cay – Disney’s own private island that repeat guests call paradise. Many cruise lines offer a beach day but Castaway Cay was built from the sand up to be used exclusively by Disney Cruise guests. The Disney ships pull right up to a birth on the island so there is no need for tendering. The beach is divided into sections for water sports, a separate section for families, another area for teens, and finally a special area separate from all of the other beaches for adults only. The children’s programming continues on the island so parents can still have some time alone maybe to have beach side cabana massages if they choose. Land and Sea Vacation Packages – Port Canaveral is just over an hours ride from Walt Disney World making it very convenient to get the best of both worlds, a Land and Sea Vacation. A Disney Cruise Land and Sea Vacation includes a stay at Walt Disney World followed by a 3 or 4 night Disney Cruise. Disney combines the two trips into one to make things more convenient like the ability to check in at your hotel and be automatically checked in for your cruise or having seamless transportation from the airport to your hotel, from your hotel to the port, and then from the port back to the airport.

So here are some of the major things that make a Disney Cruise unique. There are many, many different cruise lines and cruise vacations out there. Take the time to research your options or find a good travel agent who specializes in cruises before making any decisions. There is a perfect cruise out there for you, and it certainly might be a Disney Cruise! Bon Voyage!!

Want to know how to get your Disney Cruise off to a great start? You just need to know the ins and outs of the boarding process. Here are several pointers to help you make the most of the first day of your cruise. The Disney Cruise Line Terminal is located in Port Canaveral, Florida and you can arrive anytime after the previous cruise passengers have disembarked. Sometime between 9:30am and 10:00am is the earliest you should arrive. However, you must be on board no later than 4:00pm. I recommend that you plan to arrive at the port early (by 10am) if you wish to be one of the first on board the ship. Reasons to be first on board the ship include making any changes to your dining rotations, changing or adding Palo reservations (it is always best to book your Palo reservations online as early as you possibly can for the best availability), changing or adding any spa reservations, getting the kids checked into the kids’ clubs prior to boarding, or you just want to start your vacation as early as possible. If none of the previous apply, you’re probably better off waiting to arrive after 1:00pm to let the early crowds dissipate. If you are driving to the port (by means of your own car, a rental car, or car service), you will be asked to present a photo ID to enter the drop off area. If you are parking, it is best to drop off your luggage first and then park your car. There are porters available to take your luggage. They do not work for Disney Cruise Line and will be expecting a gratuity. A good rule of thumb is one dollar per piece of luggage they take from you. Be sure you have already affixed your Disney Cruise Line luggage tags before you give your luggage to the porter. The luggage tag is the way that your luggage will find its way to your cabin. If you are arriving via the Disney Cruise Line bus transportation, your luggage will have already been taken care of for you. Before entering the terminal, each adult must show photo ID. Once inside the terminal, you will pass through a security screening much like airport screening. Your carry-on luggage will go through an x-ray machine and you will walk through a metal detector. Once through security, you will be asked to move upstairs to the second level of the terminal via the stairs, escalator, or elevator. As you enter the second level of the terminal, go directly to check-in. You will receive a card with a number on it. The number indicates what group you will be in for boarding. Obviously the earlier you arrive, the lower your boarding number. On our last cruise, we arrived at the port around 10:15 and were in group number 3. Only one person from each cabin needs to go through the check-in line. Everyone else can find a comfy spot on the couches by the TVs, explore the ship model in the middle of the terminal, or have their pictures taken with the various characters that wander about. (Character pictures usually begin around 11:00am in the terminal.) When checking in, you will be asked for proof of citizenship for each person in your cabin. You will also be asked if anyone in your party has shown any flu or cold symptoms in the past 48 hours. Disney is VERY careful and proactive about keeping, should we say, sick germs off of their ships. Once your check-in is complete, you will be given a Key to the World Card for each person in your cabin. If you have sailed with Disney before, aka: a Castaway Club Member, you will also receive a Castaway Club lanyard and card holder for each person. Your dining rotation will appear on your Key to the World Card. Ask the cast member checking you in how to decipher the code. A good reminder here is that you can greatly speed up your check-in process by completing the required cruise documents online before you leave for your cruise. Parking at Port Canaveral is now $15 per day. If you plan to arrive the day before your cruise (which I strongly recommend), you may want to consider staying at a local resort that offers free parking and complimentary shuttle service to and from the port. On a 7-night cruise, the free parking alone will save you $105. Lunch is served on board at both Parrot Cay and Topsider Buffet. The buffet lunch is the same in both locations. The choice is yours. We prefer Parrot Cay because it is indoors and air conditioned; purely a personal choice. At Topsiders, you have your choice of eating indoors, or outside. Lunch is served in Parrot Cay until 2:15pm and at Topsiders until 3:30pm. The pools are open. Be sure to pack a swim suit to take advantage of some pool time while everyone else is still boarding. On our last trip, our daughter asked if she could wear her swimsuit onto the ship under her clothes to save time having to change later. Your cabin will be ready by 1:30pm. If you arrived to the port early, your luggage may start to be delivered by then as well. Don’t be concerned if not all of your luggage pieces arrive at the same time. Luggage is delivered throughout the day until 6:30pm. Usually the earlier you arrive, the earlier your luggage makes it to your cabin. When you get to you cabin, you will find several things waiting for you. These would include that day’s Navigator so you can see what is happening the rest of the day, your dining tickets which show you your dining time and restaurant rotation (be sure to read your dining tickets as our rotation on the tickets were different than the rotation on our Key to the World Card on our last cruise), any shore excursions that you pre-purchased through Disney, any stateroom gifts that you may have ordered, and a gift from the cruise line if you are a Castaway Club member. At 4:00pm there is a mandatory muster drill. Around 3:45pm, you should head to your cabin, put on your life jackets, and follow the directions on the back of your door to find your muster station. The drill lasts about 15 minutes so by 4:15, you’ll be heading back to your cabin with everyone else. 4:30pm is the Adventures Away sail away party at the Goofy Pool, mid-ship on deck 9. If you would like to get a table for the party, be sure to have someone from your party head to the Goofy pool as soon as the muster drill is over and you have returned your life jacket to your cabin. One person can hold a table while the rest of you party arrives. If you or your children would like to be seen on the big Ariel Vision above the pool, be sure to make your way front and center on the dance floor. Another great vantage point for the party, if you know you won’t be dancing on the dance floor, is around the railings on deck 10. One last thing about the Adventures Away party, servers will be walking around with trays of tropical drinks. The drinks are not complimentary and come in a souvenir glass which is an extra charge. Drinks are available in regular glasses as well; all you have to do is ask for one. I see a lot of souvenir glasses left behind because people don’t realize that they have paid for them and the glasses are theirs to keep. Don’t pay for the glass unless you intend to take it home. The ship will castoff at 5:00pm to the wonderful ship’s horn tooting “When You Wish Upon a Star.” The horn is pretty loud so you may not want to be standing under the forward funnel when the horn goes off. Enjoy the moment as your sail away and wave good-bye to the rest of the world.

We have learned how to turn our embarkation or boarding day into a full first day of our vacation and you can too by following these suggestions. Sit back and relax knowing the ins and outs of your first day. Bon Voyage!

A Disney Cruise is by far the best cruise vacation for families. Everyone of every age finds a special kind of magic created just for them on a Disney Cruise. Young cruisers are off to the most spectacular kids’ area afloat, where they can party with pirates and play with Disney Princesses. Teens get their own private club, parties, activities and more. While adults escape to exclusive areas whether it’s a pampering spa treatment, dancing to the music at a cool club or enjoying a romantic dinner. Everyone can enjoy their very own cruise; then, gather together to share the most magical moments of all, family time. Let’s explore some of the highlights of a Disney Cruise:

• Entertainment – You will get to choose from Broadway-quality musicals to intimate lounge shows, family movies and dance parties, a thrilling on-deck pirate party and dazzling fireworks. Disney provides the highest levels of entertainment for the whole family! Entertainment onboard is outstanding and is very family friendly. There is a section of the ship reserved for adults so the later shows here are a bit more colorful than the family version earlier in the evening but are always in good taste and the performers keep the shows at a “D” for Disney rating. But where Disney outshines every other cruise line is in their children’s programming. Disney has set aside nearly half a deck just for the kids’ clubs and their trained counselors are top notch. The children’s programming runs typically from 9am until 12am giving mom and dad some time for themselves. Another popular feature of the children’s program are the beepers that each family receives. If your child is in one of the children’s programs and is ready to be picked up or just wants you to stop by to say hi, he or she just lets one of the counselors know and they will page you. No more worrying if your child is ok or needs you.
• Staterooms – Your home away from home. When the ship designers planned the Disney Cruise ships, they had families in mind. The ships were specifically built for family enjoyment. Each room has elegant Disney details and thoughtful amenities, most including a convenient bath and a half. Most cabins sleep 3 or 4 while the Family Staterooms can sleep 5.
• Dining – Dining on a cruise is usually one of the highlights and that is certainly true on a Disney Cruise. Sample the flavors of the world with Disney Cruise dining. Enjoy a wide range of delectable delights for the whole family. Gather together to share stories of your day as you “rotate” at dinnertime through three uniquely themed restaurants with distinctive cuisine – staffed with your personal servers who accompany you throughout your cruise and cater to your every taste. The variety of food served onboard the Disney ships mean everyone, even your most “selective” eater will be happy.
• Destinations – The ports you visit on your cruise are often just as important as the ship that takes you there and Disney has done its homework in finding the most family friendly destinations on the planet. On a Disney Cruise, you can snorkel in the Bahamas, visit ruins in Cozumel, or shop in St. Thomas. Enjoy shore excursions for families, kids or adults only. And there’s one destination that’s just for our Guests – Castaway Cay, Disney’s exclusive private island paradise. New for 2010, the Disney Magic will be sailing to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean as well.
• Itineraries – Disney Cruise Line offers itineraries to fit every family’s needs, wants, and budgets. Disney offers a variety of itineraries from a 3- or 4-night cruise to the Bahamas to a 7-night cruise in the eastern or western Caribbean and new announced 11 and 12 day European cruises. Most cruises include a stop in Castaway Cay.
• Land and Sea – Want to visit Walt Disney World and take a cruise. No problem! Disney Cruise offers a Land and Sea Package that is perfect. A Land and Sea Disney vacation includes almost all your vacation costs. Hotel accommodations and staterooms, onboard food and snacks, Disney Theme Park tickets, entertainment, and an amazing assortment of activities for adults and children are all part of the package price. Choose from 3 or 4 days at the Walt Disney World Resort and 3 or 4 days on a Disney Bahamian cruise. Sail through the beautiful Caribbean to exciting Nassau, Bahamas and Disney’s exclusive tropical island paradise Castaway Cay.

A Disney Cruise certainly lives up to the Disney reputation for being family friendly. From the purposefully designed staterooms, to the outstanding children’s programming, to the world-class entertainment, every detail has been decided upon with family in mind.

The Disney Magic is heading back to Europe! Disney Cruise Line just announced an unprecedented five-month season of Northern Europe and Mediterranean cruises aboard the Disney Magic in 2010. The sailings will run from late April through mid September. Itineraries will include four 12-night Northern Europe Capitals cruises sailing from Dover, England during June and July visiting: Oslo, Norway Copenhagen, Denmark Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany an overnight stay in St. Petersburg, Russia Helsinki, Finland (alternating sailings will visit Tallinn, Estonia) Stockholm, Sweden with four days at sea spread throughout the trip Book-ending the Northern Captials cruises, the Disney Magic will sail 10 and 11-nights cruises in the Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona, Spain departing in April, May, August and September 2010. These itineraries will include visits to: Valletta, Malta Tunis, Tunisia Naples, Italy Civitavecchia, Italy La Spezia, Italy Ajaccio, Corsica Villefranche, France with two or three days at sea depending on the length of the cruise

Special sailings will include two 14-night transatlantic repositioning cruise on April 10 and September 18 as well as a 7-night repositioning cruises between Barcelona and Dover on June 5 and an 8-night repositioning cruise between Dover and Barcelona on July 30.

The west-bound 14-night transatlantic repositioning cruise will visit:

• Castaway Cay
• Funchal (Madeira), Portugal
• Caiz, Spain
• Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Eight days at sea

The returning east-bound 14 night transatlantic sailing will visit:

• Gibraltar, united Kingdom
• Funchal (Madeira), Portugal
• St. Maarten
• Tortola
• Castaway Cay
• Eight days at sea

The 7-night Barcelona to Dover repositioning cruise will visit:

• Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Cadiz, Spain
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Three days at sea

The 8-night Dover to Barcelona repositioning cruise will visit:

• Cherbourg, France
• Vigo, Spain
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Cadiz, Spain
• Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Two days at sea

Not to be left out, the Disney Wonder will have a new itinerary for the summer of 2010. The Disney Wonder will sail 4 and 5-night cruises from Port Canaveral. The 4-night cruises will include visits to Nassau and Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. The 5-night cruises will include visits to Nassau and Castaway cay and either Key West or an additional stop at Castaway (which past callers call a double-dip cruise).

All of these cruises will be available to book starting Tuesday, October 14, 2008. Which one will you choose?

Disney Cruise Line Recognized as a Top Cruise Experience by Readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine

CELEBRATION, Fla., (Aug 5, 2008) — Disney Cruise Line continues to receive top honors in the cruise industry, most recently being recognized in Travel + Leisure magazine’s “2008 World’s Best” awards.

The “World’s Best” list, which is compiled annually, recognizes the best in travel for cities, hotels, islands, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, safari outfitters and car-rental agencies each year. This year,Disney Cruise Line ranked No. 3 in the “Large-Ship” cruise line category. The ranking was determined by readers asked to rate cruise lines on cabins, food, service, itineraries, destinations, activities and value.

Disney Cruise Line has moved up on the Travel + Leisure World’s Best awards list each year, besting all other “mass market” cruise lines and further confirming a niche position as the ultimate family cruise vacation – a concept it pioneered and continues to refine with specifically designed areas and activities for each member of the family allowing for both quality time together and wonderful individual experiences.

“We are delighted to be recognized in the Travel + Leisure magazine “2008 World’s Best” awards as one of the top three large-ship cruise lines and the highest ranked cruise line catering to the family market,” said Tom McAlpin, President of Disney Cruise Line. “This recognition further enhances our position as the best cruise line for an unparalleled family vacation and motivates us to continue to elevate the Disney Cruise Line experience even higher.”

Disney Cruise Line has received nearly 50 distinguished awards and honors since first setting sail in 1998. These awards have included all aspects of the operation from dining and entertainment to youth activities and spa facilities.

The Disney Cruise Line family focus allows families to reconnect, adults to recharge their batteries and kids to immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create. From a theater featuring live musical spectaculars to a luxurious spa for adults and nearly an entire deck dedicated to children’s activities, the Disney ships offer a unique vacation experience that every member of the family feels was created exclusively for them. Disney Cruise Line continues to grow by attracting passengers who say they would not have cruised if it had not been for the Disney brand.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888/325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

Media Contact
Jonathan Frontado
Public Relations Manager
Phone: 407-566-3687
Email: Jonathan.Frontado@disney.com

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder will be hosting a Disney Channel red-carpet, world-premiere event for the new Disney Channel “The Suite Life on Deck” spin-off of “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” show on the Disney Wonder cruise ship this August 28th through the 31st.

Here is the press release from http://www.dclnews.com:

It’s a “Suite Life” on the Disney Wonder with Disney Channel World-Premiere Event

CELEBRATION, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2008) – Disney Cruise Line will host a red-carpet, world-premiere event for the new Disney Channel original series “The Suite Life on Deck,” a spin-off of the Emmy-nominated “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” on the Disney Wonder cruise ship Aug. 28-31.

During this special premiere at sea, guests sailing will experience a Hollywood-style, red-carpet arrival of some of Disney Channel’s hottest stars, an exclusive sneak-peek of the first episode of “The Suite Life on Deck” and an opportunity to participate in a Question & Answer session with stars of the show. Cast members from “The Suite Life on Deck” scheduled to appear include Cole Sprouse (Cody Martin), Dylan Sprouse (Zack Martin), Brenda Song (London Tipton), Phill Lewis (Mr. Moseby) and Debby Ryan (Bailey Pickett). All events will take place on decks 9 and 10 of the Disney Wonder on Friday, Aug. 29, at the family-friendly Goofy Pool.

“The popularity of Disney Channel shows and stars are at an all-time high,” said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin. “We’re pleased to partner with Disney Channel for this world-premiere event and share some of the red-carpet excitement with our guests, showcasing that Disney difference only Disney Cruise Line can offer.”

“We’re thrilled to give “The Suite Life on Deck” a fabulous bon voyage celebration aboard the Disney Wonder. The cruise ship setting of the series made the Disney Wonder a great fit to host this event,” said Adam Sanderson, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing, Disney ABC Networks Group. A day after the world-premiere, and following a day of fun-and-sun on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay, another Disney Channel star will take the stage. Mitchel Musso, star of Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” and “Phineas and Ferb” will perform a mini-concert at the Goofy Pool. At the concert’s end, Musso will spend a few minutes answering questions from the audience.

This marks the first time Disney Cruise Line and Disney Channel have partnered together to develop a multi-day event. It should prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans of the Disney Channel sailing on the sold-out voyage.

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line offers three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Land/sea vacation packages that include a stay at Walt Disney World Resort are also available.

“The Suite Life on Deck” premieres on Disney Channel on Friday, September 26 at 8p.m. ET/PT. In this new live-action comedy series, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” teenage twins Zack and Cody Martin, and spoiled hotel heiress London Tipton, go aboard a luxury passenger cruise liner, the SS Tipton, owned by London’s father, as it cruises the world with tourists and students who attend classes at its Seven Seas High. To his delight, the dutiful Mr. Moseby is reassigned from the Tipton Hotel to be the cruise ship’s hotel manager, but is quickly deflated when he finds out that Zack, Cody and London are onboard too. Joining in the hijinks is London’s new roommate Bailey, a sweet, southern girl who has just left her small town roots to experience a whole new world.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 95 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 27 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit www.disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888/325-2500 or visit www.disneytravelagents.com.

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Media Contact
Jason Lasecki
Public Relations Director
Phone: 407-566-3687
Email: jason.lasecki@disney.com

There are many reasons to book your Disney Cruise early and this article looks at the top eight. While on the Disney Cruise I often try and strike up conversations with first time cruisers and ask them a few questions about how they booked their cruise, if they have made their Palo dinner reservations, and more. Most of the first time cruisers I talk to say they hadn’t made Palo or excursion reservations in advance because they weren’t aware that they needed to. To help my fellow Disney cruisers, especially the first time Disney cruisers, I am providing the following tips to help you get the maximum value out of your Disney Cruise. Being prepared and organized, with a solid plan upfront, will allow you to go on your Disney Cruise vacation feeling more relaxed and confident which will translate to more enjoyment for you and your entire family!

1. Get the lowest price. As a general rule, the farther out you book your Disney Cruise, the lower the price. Last minute specials are often enticing but usually come at a significant cost in flexibility, availability and schedule. Most people don’t understand that on a Disney Cruise, when the cabin inventory becomes available to book, it is at its lowest price, and as time goes on and as cabin inventory starts to become more scarce, the prices start inching up and up. This is especially true for any sailings during the prime summer months and holidays when most people are wanting to take their vacations. Then, once the prices are higher, if Disney decides that they want to fill the last few remaining cabins rather then letting them go empty, they will offer some incentive or discount but it is rarely, if ever, lower than the price you would have received if you had booked your cruise the moment the inventory for that cabin became available.

2. Create a payment plan. Booking your Disney Cruise early allows you time to work a payment plan into your existing budget, which means less stress and anxiety leading up to and during your vacation. Having the cruise paid for along with some spending money available when I board the ship allows me to relax and truly enjoy my vacation to its fullest. If you are interested in setting up a payment plan, here are some ideas:

• If you use online banking, set up a recurring payment to transfer money into your own savings account which will be used later to pay for your cruise
• Ask your travel agent to make a specific payment on your cruise each month or at designated intervals/dates
• Seek out 0% interest deals through the Disney VISA card

3. Pick a prime cabin. The Disney Cruise allows you to typically lock in a cabin assignment up to 18 months in advance of your departure date with a minimum deposit. Your overall experience may be completely different with a cabin located midship vs. a cabin located at the bow or stern. This is especially true for those who are sensitive to movement and are prone to sea sickness. There are online resources such as WDWInfo.com’s Room Reports around the internet that may help you in deciding which cabin category and location is best for your needs.

4. Get the dining time you want. Historically, first seating dining (5:45pm to 6:15pm) sells out first on all Disney Cruises. If having first seating dining is important to you, you must book early. Otherwise, once early dining is closed, you will have to take the late dining and try to change it once you board.

5. Special itineraries. For 2009 there are exciting new itineraries which are sure to sell out quickly. These include:

• 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruises with ports of call to St. Croix or Tortola
• One 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise that will visit Castaway Cay twice, affectionately known to Castaway Club Members (previous Disney cruisers) as a “double dip”

6. Special onboard reservations. On a Disney Cruise you are able to book several special onboard reservations in advance of your sailing date based on your cabin category and whether you are a Castaway Club member or not. You will want to book your special reservations as soon as you can based on your status. You will want to book your Palo dinner reservation as soon as you are eligible. If you forget to book your Palo dinner reservations in advance, Disney claims that they hold a few reservations for guests to book once they board the ship so you may want to try that approach. Additionally, early reservations can be made for shore excursions, spa appointments and the children’s programming including Flounders Reef Nursery.

Special onboard reservations may be booked at: (note: your final payment must be made before booking any special onboard reservations)

• 105 days prior to departure for Concierge Level Guests
• 90 days prior to departure for Castaway Club Members
• 75 days prior to departure for First-time Cruiser

7. More time to shop for airfare. For now the days of ultra-cheap discount fares are gone. We recently priced out round trip non-stop tickets from Washington National Airport to Orlando International Airport traveling in mid-July that came out around $400 per person. With three of us, that was going to be nearly $1200 and based on previous summer trips we were accustomed to only paying about $180 per person if not less. If air travel sticker shock has you down, you can always drive like we recently did. Our round trip mileage was 2250 miles. So, as an example, if your car only gets 25mpg, and you pay an average of $4.00/gallon for gasoline, then your total cost would be approximately $360.00 – about the same as a single round trip ticket to Florida but you will also have the added flexibility of being able to now bring your 50lbs+ suitcases without getting hit with a surcharge – just watch your back loading them into the car. By booking your cruise early, you will have time to watch the airfares and try to catch a deal when you can.

8. More time to plan. So you have decided to take a Disney Cruise, now what? Do you want early or late dinner seating? Which excursions and special events are you going to book? What night do we want to go to dinner at Palo’s? What day do we want to brunch at Palo’s? What day do we want to go to high tea at Palo’s? What will the family wear for Pirate’s night, Palo night dinner, the Captains Dinner, the Sail Away party, to the beach, to the pool, around the ship, etc.? Booking the cruise was the easy part! Having extra time to carefully plan your cruise will eliminate the stress and makes the planning more fun.

Bernadette Stark is a Certified Travel Agent and owner of Vacation Dreams Travel which specializes in Disney World and Disney Cruise Vacations.