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Brought to you by...
John and Donna Gross "The Full Mickey - At a Discount!" The Wall Street Journal
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Beth, our travel agent, answers common questions about cruises: WHY IS CRUISING CONSIDERED SUCH A GREAT VACATION? * You get to see multiple destinations without packing and unpacking over and over again, spending countless hours driving or sitting in airports, or seeing more of a tour bus interior than the destinations themselves. In fact, many cruise fans think getting there is at least half the fun! * There's plenty to do no matter what your age or how much (or little) activity you're looking for. Newer ships have amazing, age-appropriate children's facilities that provide them with nearly nonstop fun - and while the kids are off playing you can go shopping, play in the casino, get a massage, read by the pool, work on your golf swing, go rock climbing or ice skating or surfing - all without leaving the ship! Whether you're looking for an active vacation or one that helps you recover from an overly active daily routine, cruising will work for you. * The pricing includes your accommodations, more food than you could eat in a year, activities for the whole family, and top-notch entertainment... An all-inclusive vacation for one price, so it's really easy to plan your budget - and the price may surprise you. You'd be mighty hard-pressed to duplicate a similar quality land-based vacation for even half the cost. I STILL DON'T THINK IT'S FOR ME * Claustrophobic? Not a problem. Today's new ships have as many as 700 cabins with balconies and a few hundred more with windows. These ships carry more people than the entire population of many small towns - sometimes over 5,000! They are literally floating cities. You won't feel closed in. * Mobility challenged? Just because mega-ships exist doesn't mean that you have to choose one for yourself. There are still plenty of smaller, more classic ships that provide wonderful cruising vacations. If the thought of walking the length of a few football fields to get to dinner sounds like anything but a fun time, you don't have to worry. There's a ship for you. * Hate regimentation? Some cruise lines pride themselves on providing a 'freestyle' experience: dine where you want, when you want, and with whom you want; take the kids to dinner with you or let the cruise staff take them to dinner so you can have a romantic meal for just Mom and Dad; check out the big Broadway-caliber musical tonight or when they do it again two nights from now - or both! * Get seasick? Today's new ships are a far cry from the old ships of yesterday. They are equipped with stabilizers that can minimize motion to the point that you almost can't tell the ship is moving much of the time. Over-the-counter medications are more than adequate for most people with motion sensitivity - and in a real pinch the ship's doctor can inject you with something stronger. Very few people encounter real problems with sea sickness, but a travel agent can tell you which areas and which times of year are likely to present rougher seas so that you can avoid them if it's still a concern for you. * Quiet, please! The only things you'll ever be forced to do are attend the 15-minute fire drill on the first day and leave the ship on the last day. Otherwise, if you want to sleep on your balcony or sit in the library the whole time that's just fine. And if you'd prefer not to see a single child for the whole length of your cruise, there are plenty of ships that cater to adults. WHY USE A TRAVEL AGENT? * There are dozens of ships to choose from, and hundreds of itineraries. To get the vacation of your dreams, you need to choose a cruise line, ship, and itinerary that will fit your expectations. You can't do that by reading online reviews and looking at pictures in brochures. You need the advice of someone who really knows cruising and can help you narrow down the field. * Travel agents that have earned the ACC, MCC, or ECC 'cruise counselor' designation have spent years attending classes, visiting ships, and taking cruises of varying lengths. Most have also completed specialist courses offered by individual cruise lines. Trained cruise counselors love cruising and they want to help you love it, too! * A travel agent works for YOU, not the cruise lines. * Most of the larger cruise lines now prohibit any agency from charging less for a cruise than it can be booked for directly with the line. That includes rebates in the form of gift cards, future travel credits, etc. so surfing the web is likely to reveal the same price over and over; but many agencies block cruise space that gets participants onboard credit, discounted fares, invitations to cocktail parties, free shore excursions - all sorts of things! What's more, clients of agencies that book a high volume with their chosen line often get higher priority on the free upgrade list... but don't confuse 'high volume agency' with the big name cruises brokers that you see every Sunday on the back of your newspaper's travel section or the mega travel sites online. Those companies have little influence over their clients' cruising decisions. Cruise lines know that, so they are more likely to upgrade clients of independent agents and local travel agencies as a thanks for steering clients their way. OK, I'M CURIOUS! If you want to know what kind of cruise deals might be out there for you, Affordable Disney members can log in for my contact info and email me... I'll go through the specials and see what I can find for you - no obligation."
For the "do's and don'ts on an Alaskan cruise" see: Cellular at Sea service allows guests aboard the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder to use their cell phones and wireless PDA. Kermit the Frog and the Muppets are now entertaining guests on 10- and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises.
Disney has purchased special wheelchairs for the Disney Cruise Lines that guests with disabilities can use on the beach at Castaway Cay.
Single parent.. To prove that you are your child's mother: It is wise to have a notarized letter from your child's father giving you permission to take her. Have her birth certificate as well.
Cruise and Disney World vacation... If you are visiting WDW for the first time, I recommend that you concentrate on the Disney parks and leave the cruise to another time. Of course, it really depends on how much energy you have and the amount of money you have to spend.
Economical accommodations near Port Canaveral... To find an affordable hotel near Disney's Port Canaveral, click here. Type in "cocoa beach, fl" in the destination box.
Refunds... Do not give up. Our members have gotten refunds and deals from Disney because they hung up and called again or kept after them. Please use the following address to contact Disney's principal executive offices:
The Walt Disney Company Their telephone number is 818/560-1000.
To order Disney Cruise Line Vacation Planning Information, click here.
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Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information contained on our site. Always check to be sure. The views and opinions expressed by others do not necessarily reflect the views of AffordableDisney.Com. Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other companies mentioned on our site and in our newsletter are registered trademarks of their respective companies. The use of these trademarks is for editorial reasons only. No endorsement by the Walt Disney Company or any other company is implied. |