How to Find Cheap Disney Cruises

Disney Cruise Line offers a premium product, but compared to other cruise lines, it also charges a premium price for many sailings. You can minimize the impact on your wallet if you know how to find the cheapest Disney cruises and how to receive special deals, credits and upgrades. Learn how to sail in the cheapest season, how to get the most stateroom for your money and how to find out if you are eligible for special rates, discounts and credits.

Instructions

1. Travel in the off-season. The price for a Disney cruise fluctuates based on the season. Holidays and times when kids are on summer vacation command a premium price. Disney cruises during hurricane season or the winter are traditionally less expensive. If at all possible, sail during one of the discounted seasons. If you have children in school, see if their teachers will allow them to do a project in return for missing the class time.

2. Be aware of special deals. For example, for a long time Disney Visa has offered an onboard credit to cardholders who book a Disney cruise. Disney Cruise Line sometimes runs its own specials, such as a small stateroom credit or only having to pay half of the usual deposit amount. If you are a good vacation planner, you can find these specials on your own with a little online research. Otherwise, find a travel agent who has a lot of knowledge about Disney cruises. You can find such agents via a quick Internet search or find recommendations on Disney-related online forums or cruise-related message boards.

3. Choose a travel agent who gives a stateroom credit. Besides knowing about special deals, many travel agents selling Disney cruises will offer you a stateroom credit based on the total price of your cruise. When you sail, they will place a credit on your account that you can use for anything you buy on board. The amount of these credits can vary widely, so shop around online and look for recommendations on Disney and cruise forums to find the most generous amount.

4. Use a military or Florida resident discount. If you're an active-duty military person or if you live in Florida and have identification to prove your residency, you may be eligible for special discounts. Florida resident and military discounts typically aren't announced until a few months before the cruise date, and they're not offered on every sailing. To use them, you have to be able to sail on short notice. You can also book your preferred date at the regular rate, and if an applicable discount is announced later, you can call Disney Cruise Line and get a credit for the difference. Many of the better travel agencies will automatically watch for these discounts and apply them to your reservation, but Disney Cruise Line will not do it automatically for direct bookings.

5. Know the "secret" rooms that give you more for your money. The Disney Magic and Wonder cruise ships both have six staterooms that are sold as inside rooms but that actually have an obstructed view porthole. These rooms are 5020, 5022, 5024, 5520, 5522 and 5524. If you choose one, you will be paying a category 10 price but receiving a room that is almost the equivalent of the more expensive category 9.

   There are also four staterooms that are sold as navigator verandahs but that have more open verandahs. These rooms are 7120, 7620, 6134 and 6634. You pay for a category 7 room but you get a category 6 style verandah.

   These rooms book fast, so if you want one you need to book as early as possible. You can call Disney Cruise Line and request these specific rooms for yourself or your travel agent can do it for you.

6. Take advantage of early booking savings. Even if you can only sail in the most expensive season, you can save a little money by booking as early as possible. As time goes on and more people book, the price of your cruise will go up. When you book early, you lock in the lowest price. It's extremely rare for a Disney Cruise to go down in price, but if that happens, call and ask for a credit for the difference.

7. If a category 12 room is available and you have a party of four, you are guaranteed to get an upgrade if you book it. True category 12 staterooms on the Disney Magic and Wonder only hold three people. On certain sailings, parties of four can book category 12, and they will receive an upgrade of at least one category (category 11 or better).

Tips & Warnings

• Unlike many other cruise lines that sell deeply discounted cruises at the last minute, Disney Cruise Line typically doesn't offer last-minute discounts to the public. Instead, they may offer Florida resident and military discounts or special deals for Cast Members.

• If you sail during hurricane season or during the winter and your embarkation/debarkation port and/or ports of call have to change due to the weather, you will not receive a credit or be reimbursed.

• Remember that there is a tradeoff for sailing in the cheaper seasons. When you're sailing during hurricane season, you run the risk of bad weather and a rocky trip. If you're prone to sea sickness, the savings might not be worth the risk. Hurricanes and storms can also cause a cruise ship's itinerary to change so you need to be flexible. In the worst case, your Disney's cruise's embarkation or disembarkation might be moved from Port Canaveral to Fort Lauderdale or another port, or even canceled entirely. This is rare, but be aware of the possibility and weigh it against the savings.

• By sailing in the winter, you risk cold weather that might make swimming and beach time uncomfortable. This depends on where you live; a person from New York or Chicago might be happy swimming on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, when the temperatures are in the 70s, while a Floridian or someone from Arizona might think that's too cold.

• The winter months also carry the highest risk of the Magic and Wonder not being able to dock at Castaway Cay. Cold fronts can cause wind and waves that prevent safe docking, and you won't be compensated with a discount if you miss your visit to the private island. Missing Castaway Cay is rare, but be aware that it's most likely during the inexpensive months.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Mouse Savers: Disney Cruise Line Discounts and Advice