The MAGIC is Back!!! ~ WBTA 2014 ~ Come & join the fun!

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Jumping in and adding welcomes to all our new cruisers.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

hi we are joining you on this cruise I'm undecided whether to book now or risk it and hope a verandah becomes available DH really wants a verandah the rest of us just want to be on the ship
Does anyone want to speculate whether there will be any cancellations leading up to the PIF date?
3 of our 4 children are sailing with us they will be 17,15 & 13 when we sail we are also booked on the cruise before this

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Hey Danae - I'll get excited with you!!!!! So glad you will be going once again - look forward to seeing you!!!

Thanks!!

Hi Everyone!
We are joining you all for this cruise - Yippee!
There's me (Sallie) DH Gary #6596
Friends Jane & Bob #6594
My parents John & Eileen #6600
My bro Mike #6602

We are planning to get to Barcelona Friday morning so would love to join you at the Hard Rock Friday evening.

We have been on 4 Disney Cruises (myself & DH) mum & dad are cruise veterans but Mike has never been before, Jane & Bob did a week on the
Fantasy with us last year.

Welcome!!

hi we are joining you on this cruise I'm undecided whether to book now or risk it and hope a verandah becomes available DH really wants a verandah the rest of us just want to be on the ship
Does anyone want to speculate whether there will be any cancellations leading up to the PIF date?
3 of our 4 children are sailing with us they will be 17,15 & 13 when we sail we are also booked on the cruise before this

I would book now to be safe, then keep and eye out for cancellations so you can switch to a Verandah.

I think there will be cancellations, because I heard that for a while DCL was offering 20% off on repo cruises when you booked on board (sadly, I didn't get this deal). Some people may have booked the deal, but may not keep the cruise when they see the cost of the flights.

 

[vakamalua]

Finally, checking back in to say 'Hi.'

We are just off the Magic. Went with friends (four adults) on the 5-day Western--sea day, Cozumel, sea day, Castaway Cay. Be happy to answer any questions about the 'new' ship, service, etc.

Now we need to start planning flights and hotels for this trip, although we have two weeks in Morocco in March first.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Finally, checking back in to say 'Hi.'

We are just off the Magic. Went with friends (four adults) on the 5-day Western--sea day, Cozumel, sea day, Castaway Cay. Be happy to answer any questions about the 'new' ship, service, etc.

Now we need to start planning flights and hotels for this trip, although we have two weeks in Morocco in March first.

How was the Aquadunk?

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I would book now to be safe, then keep and eye out for cancellations so you can switch to a Verandah.

I think there will be cancellations, because I heard that for a while DCL was offering 20% off on repo cruises when you booked on board (sadly, I didn't get this deal). Some people may have booked the deal, but may not keep the cruise when they see the cost of the flights.

Thanks

We booked today 2 inside 10b cabins 1 was on DVC points so I'm happy it's done now and if we can upgrade because something becomes available good and well but we are coming from way to far to risk not getting on the ship flights are already booked

 

[annichan]

I heard that for a while DCL was offering 20% off on repo cruises when you booked on board (sadly, I didn't get this deal). Some people may have booked the deal, but may not keep the cruise when they see the cost of the flights.

We saw that deal when we were on the WBPC in May, and I took a closer look at it - it was valid for lots of repo cruises, but this WBTA was not one of them. That's when I figured that this cruise was obviously very much in demand

 

[vakamalua]

How was the Aquadunk?

The four of us adults didn't ride it, but here are my observations:

--You stand with arms crossed over chest (like a mummy) and the trap door opens beneath you.
--The ride to the bottom seems to go very quickly.
--It extends quite a way over the side of the ship (especially noticeable looking up when in port).
--The landing platform takes up quite a bit of the walkway on deck 10 (especially noticeable during Pirate Night).
--There never seemed to be more than a handful of people in line. The majority of the children on our cruise were preschool and young school age--too young for this ride.
--We had rough seas and very high winds one of the days at sea and it was closed all day.

 

[*Flower*]

My DH and a friend of ours rode it on our 2 nighter in October, and he said that it was fun! His was the second to the last run because the Pirates show was getting ready to start.

He's ready to do it again....

 

[lilpooh108]

The four of us adults didn't ride it, but here are my observations:

--You stand with arms crossed over chest (like a mummy) and the trap door opens beneath you.
--The ride to the bottom seems to go very quickly.
--It extends quite a way over the side of the ship (especially noticeable looking up when in port).
--The landing platform takes up quite a bit of the walkway on deck 10 (especially noticeable during Pirate Night).
--There never seemed to be more than a handful of people in line. The majority of the children on our cruise were preschool and young school age--too young for this ride.
--We had rough seas and very high winds one of the days at sea and it was closed all day.

That sounds so fun! A few questions...

(1) How was the weather in November? We're going soon and I'd been wondering about both the weather in FL and the weather on Castaway Cay.

(2) Any "new" food/menu items from the new/refurbed restaurants (QS and TS)?

(3) Did the new Shutters copy the Dream/Fantasy's style of giving each family a portfolio rather than spreading out all the pictures for all to see?

Thanks!

 

[scottishwee35]

Hello

Welcome to new cruisers...

My teenagers will be 14 half and 17 next year...

Scottishwee35

 

[luvdamouse91]

We just booked this cruise on the Magic last week. We had so much fun on the 2010 WBTA. We are looking forward to sailing with friends again.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Welcome aboard!

 

[DLRPfan.be]

Hi everyone,

We also booked this cruise on our last cruise on the Wonder in Alaska.
So this means we will see a lot of friends back from all over the world! Looking forward to see Deborah and her family from Scotland again: it will be our 3rd cruise on the Magic togheter

 

[iamtinkerballa]

Hi everyone,

I need yall's opinion on using skyscanner to find your airline tickets....I've read some mixed reviews. I know they link you to a 3rd party to buy tickets but the prices are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than the airline websites, and I have to question WHY are they so much cheaper like that...
Have any of you had good/bad experiences with using skyscanner? I 'd like to hear, thanks.

 

[psmutny]

Just wanted to tell you that Rich and I are anxious to meet you on the cruise. It is 16 degrees where I am sitting right now so I'm doing a lot of cruise dreaming right now. Pam

 

[wayneg]

Hi everyone,

I need yall's opinion on using skyscanner to find your airline tickets....I've read some mixed reviews. I know they link you to a 3rd party to buy tickets but the prices are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than the airline websites, and I have to question WHY are they so much cheaper like that...
Have any of you had good/bad experiences with using skyscanner? I 'd like to hear, thanks.

Don't know if Skyscanner is different in the US to UK but here they are only a search engine, you don't buy tickets from them, they only direct you to ticket agents.
If they are the same have you actually clicked thru and tried to purchase? Skyscanner here in UK are one of the worst search engines for showing prices that are not actually there, you have to go right to the end to confirm the price is still live.

Why are agents cheaper? Its the way the system works, same as hotels. Our last trip, last month we stayed at the Extended Stay America LBV, direct with hotel $99+tax = $111/nt, I booked thru a UK agent at £30 ($48 incl tax) per nt.

After this cruise a one way flight home with Virgin Atlantic is $1,499pp. I can book thru an agent for $680pp or, for my Son because he is still at University $452. Brings price down from $4,497 to $1,812. Sill hope to use miles though.

 

[iamtinkerballa]

Don't know if Skyscanner is different in the US to UK but here they are only a search engine, you don't buy tickets from them, they only direct you to ticket agents.
If they are the same have you actually clicked thru and tried to purchase? Skyscanner here in UK are one of the worst search engines for showing prices that are not actually there, you have to go right to the end to confirm the price is still live.

Why are agents cheaper? Its the way the system works, same as hotels. Our last trip, last month we stayed at the Extended Stay America LBV, direct with hotel $99+tax = $111/nt, I booked thru a UK agent at £30 ($48 incl tax) per nt.

After this cruise a one way flight home with Virgin Atlantic is $1,499pp. I can book thru an agent for $680pp or, for my Son because he is still at University $452. Brings price down from $4,497 to $1,812. Sill hope to use miles though.

I haven't actually tried to purchase but the difference in price just raised a red flag for me and prompted me to question why such a huge difference in price. Price from Nashville to Barcelona on skyscanner (which took me to a website called Hop2) priced at $575 flying with AirFrance. Now, if I go to the AirFrance website they will charge me $3170 for the same flight?!

 

[wayneg]

I haven't actually tried to purchase but the difference in price just raised a red flag for me and prompted me to question why such a huge difference in price. Price from Nashville to Barcelona on skyscanner (which took me to a website called Hop2) priced at $575 flying with AirFrance. Now, if I go to the AirFrance website they will charge me $3170 for the same flight?!

$3,170 for 1 seat? that suggests an error direct with the AF website, It should be under $2,000 for a Business class ticket, no idea how they get over $3k for economy.

Never heard of Hop2 so just checked their prices for what I am looking for, similar prices to other sites for me, no bargains. Lowest is $536 for a direct seat from Orlando to Manchester UK. $575 is surely about right isn't it?

 

[squirrel]

I'm trying not to get too excited about this cruise as I may have to cancel.

I'm extremely allergic to cigarette smoke and with the changes on DCL, I'm not sure what it will be like up on deck. I've also heard that Europe is not like Canada/US and that worries me.

Is it as bad as what a friend has told me about people allowed to smoke in the hotels?