Won a cruise! Unlimited Funds! Help me book

Aimza

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Hi everyone, It's crazy but I won a Disney cruise from work and they are paying for everything that we can book at the start of the reservation. I'm finding it difficult to know what to pick. So far I've narrowed it down to the Marvel cruise on Feb 15-20 on the Disney Magic. I'll be traveling with 2 other adults and a 5 year old boy and 2 year old girl.

Stops are one day in Grand Cayman and one day in Castaway Cay. I think we'll do a dolphin encounter, stingray, tubes, snorkel and bikes and also book the white house beach. However, I have some questions

Can we do both the dolphin encounter and white house beach with lunch in the same day at Grand Cayman?

Is there an alcohol package I can book?

Is there any 5 person Verandah room midship that is better than another?

Can I book a pack and play or crib at reservation time?

What else can I book now? I'm so excited and this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I don't want to mess it up.

Thank you so much!
 
Some of your questions I can't answer. I want to let you know that activities like your port excursions, the tubes, bikes, and snorkeling equipment aren't booked when you book the cruise. You will book the cruise and then 75 days before the cruise(if this is your first cruise) you will book everything else. I mention this because you may want to make sure whether or not you have to pay for these since they are booked at a later time. In addition to the things you have mentioned, you may want to book some nursery time for the 2yr old(it's an additional fee, the club for the 5yr old is free). You can purchase bottles of water and there's various wine/beer packages that you can also buy, plus room decorations. You should be able to buy those when you book the cruise.
 
You will book the cruise and then 75 days before the cruise(if this is your first cruise) you will book everything else. I mention this because you may want to make sure whether or not you have to pay for these since they are booked at a later time.
Of course, the way around that would be to book a cruise within 75 days. Or 120 days, if allowed to book Concierge.

At time OP could book pretty much anything, subject to availability.
 


Definitly concierge. And not sure what your scheduling looks like but, if money was not really an issue, I would shoot for a PC or TA cruise because of the number of days. Secondary choice would be Alaska.
 
Wow, congratulations. Have you looked for a cruise with a 2 bedroom concierge room? You said you have other adults, so if expenses don't matter, go with that.

Anyone know if they can include tips in their purchase?

Also, have DCL book your transfers to port, your airfare (unless the prize allows you to book that separately) and your insurance. All this can be done when you book. I believe they will even be able to book a night in a hotel before the cruise, since you'll take the transfers.
 
Are you sure it is unlimited funds? I would think that any employer would put a max out on the prize value so you're going to want to check with them before spending money and then having them come to you and say, you owe this much.

Please remember that any amount that you are gifted with from this prize (whatever the employer pays) is going to be taxed to you so don't forget to account for it.
 


Are you limited to a 5 day? If not, I would book the absolute longest cruise possible! I'm not even sure I would care where it goes.

:)

I can book up to a 7 night but the timings don't work with the school schedule and my nephew is going to love the Marvel aspect of it. Also, I have a lot of pets and my father needs to watch them while we are away so unfortunately the 5 night works best for us.
 
Are you sure it is unlimited funds? I would think that any employer would put a max out on the prize value so you're going to want to check with them before spending money and then having them come to you and say, you owe this much.

Please remember that any amount that you are gifted with from this prize (whatever the employer pays) is going to be taxed to you so don't forget to account for it.
I'm absolutely sure that whatever I book at the time of reservation is included in the gift. However, whatever can't be booked at the time of booking will be on me. The guy who gave it to me said be sure to put in whatever upgrades, transfers, elephants, etc. that you can. :) Also, none of this is coming out of pocket when it's being reserved. The company is making all of the reservations for me, so money will not leave my pocket until I am on board and add things.

This prize is using free things that the company has so no tax charges will be coming my way. If anything, the company will be hit with the tax as they are the ones receiving the gift, but having me use it. Thank you for pointing that out though.
 
Wow, congratulations. Have you looked for a cruise with a 2 bedroom concierge room? You said you have other adults, so if expenses don't matter, go with that.

Anyone know if they can include tips in their purchase?

Also, have DCL book your transfers to port, your airfare (unless the prize allows you to book that separately) and your insurance. All this can be done when you book. I believe they will even be able to book a night in a hotel before the cruise, since you'll take the transfers.

Thank you! Unfortunately, the concierge room isn't available in my prize but I am supposed to book the largest Verandah room that sleeps 5 people. Too bad, right! LOL

I'll ask about the tips. That's a great idea.

I think I can definitely include the transfers and insurance. I'll look into the hotel.

Thank you!!!
 
I am going to be on that cruise! We are also traveling with 3 adults and 2 kids and we had to book 2 state rooms. One thought is will they let you roll night before hotel and transportation into the purchase price?
 
I am going to be on that cruise! We are also traveling with 3 adults and 2 kids and we had to book 2 state rooms. One thought is will they let you roll night before hotel and transportation into the purchase price?

Did you book the largest verandah room? That one allows me to book just one room. Yes, airfare and transfers are included :) I don't think we are going to do the night before hotel because we are limited on time, but thank you for the thought! See you on board !!!!
 
Did you book the largest verandah room? That one allows me to book just one room. Yes, airfare and transfers are included :) I don't think we are going to do the night before hotel because we are limited on time, but thank you for the thought! See you on board !!!!

Flying in day-of is risky at any time of the year, but ESPECIALLY in the winter. Always do whatever you can to get in at least the night before. It would be horrible to miss this gift because of something preventing that flight from getting in that day/on time.
 
Congratulations on the prize!

In addition to needing to be within your booking window for the port adventures, they don't actually get charged to your account until the day of the port adventure. I would ask if they could add an 'on board credit' to your account upon booking--and then that could be used to pay your port adventures, alcohol, etc. Maybe give them an estimate of the costs of the port adventures you want to do.

Disney doesn't really have alcohol packages. There are a couple of things you can buy as onboard gifts for the cruise, but the cruise needs to be booked first--a wine package (buying a certain # of bottles) or a 6pk of beer package.

You will likely only be able to do 1 DCL port adventure/port--they require 2 hrs between the end of one and the start of the next. The exception would be Castaway Cay--you could book 1 port adventure as well as the equipment rental with no issue.

Enjoy your cruise!
 

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