Full Vaccination Required Ages 5+ Starting 1/13/22

[rgrovr]

So I called concierge today to cancel my Aug 2022 cruise and without even giving a reason why, the rep immediately goes into how the vaccine requirement is to be re-evaluated in May of 2022 and cancellations may be done then for summer cruises without penalty if the vaccine requirement were to persist.

I'd rather cancel now and get the $5k in concierge downpayment back as I cannot fathom a scenario where Disney goes back on this requirement 4 months after putting it in place. I don't begrudge them for the decision, but you shouldnt be able to hold folks money hostage for over 2 years time with constantly changing conditions of sailing.

They are obviously getting a large amount of calls on this issue. It was 30min wait time to have the first call answered and another 20minutes now waiting on an escalation.

 

[xiphoid76]

We canceled our cruise in February as well now Talking to the DCL rep she was super nice and said everyone is canceling. We know that is hyperbole but we asked her how many bookings have happened and she said none. Again, hyperbole but this might be devastating for DCL. They may need to cancel some cruises or just operate 2 ships for the time being before things get back to a little more normal. It is not sustainable now.

 

[Kwami]

So I called concierge today to cancel my Aug 2022 cruise and without even giving a reason why, the rep immediately goes into how the vaccine requirement is to be re-evaluated in May of 2022 and cancellations may be done then for summer cruises without penalty if the vaccine requirement were to persist.

I'd rather cancel now and get the $5k in concierge downpayment back as I cannot fathom a scenario where Disney goes back on this requirement 4 months after putting it in place. I don't begrudge them for the decision, but you shouldnt be able to hold folks money hostage for over 2 years time with constantly changing conditions of sailing.

You've had numerous chances to get your money back over the last two years. Disney hasn't been holding it hostage. And they can hardly be blamed for the changing circumstances.

 

[BadPinkTink]

So I called concierge today to cancel my Aug 2022 cruise and without even giving a reason why, the rep immediately goes into how the vaccine requirement is to be re-evaluated in May of 2022 and cancellations may be done then for summer cruises without penalty if the vaccine requirement were to persist.

That makes sense as The Magic transatlantic is scheduled to depart Florida on May 8 and things may have to be changed or updated for the summer 2022 European cruises

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'd rather cancel now and get the $5k in concierge down payment back

Concierge deposits are non-refundable. Except for the special circumstances that DCL has put forth. Like the "the vaccine requirement is to be re-evaluated in May of 2022 and cancellations may be done then for summer cruises without penalty if the vaccine requirement were to persist. " the CM mentioned.

 

[PezRuth]

This makes us much more willing to sail. We are supposed to be on the Magic in June in Greece. Not sure if that will happen just due to the sailing. We are starting to look into a cruise for April. Our kids both got their first shot yesterday.

 

[rgrovr]

No, our original reservation was started in 2019 before the pandemic started. When the cruise stoppage occurred, the hope that cruising would return and not crush the industry was why we were willing to hold and wait for 2020. Since Concierge reservations have always included a cancellation penalty or a penalty-free move to another reservation during the pandemic, we moved from 2021 to a 2022 sailing. With the conditions of sailing changing again, penalty-free cancellations should be the norm but Disney is trying to have it both ways by holding onto money until a time they deem comfortable dealing with them. They made the announcement, they then have to manage the consequences (good or bad).

 

[Sleepyluke]

I am not sure the normal numbers, but if DCL goes to 5 plus being fully vaxxed, do the numbers support being over 95% vaxxed for a mask optional, semi pre covid experience like many of the adult only lines have been doing? Does the under 5 crowd typically make up more than 5% of the population?

 

[tvguy]

They are obviously getting a large amount of calls on this issue. It was 30min wait time to have the first call answered and another 20minutes now waiting on an escalation.

Sounds like they AREN'T getting a lot of calls. Only a 30 minute wait to have a call answered by Disney is much much faster than before the pandemic.

 

[hockeymom944]

We cancelled 2 cruises for 2022 a couple of weeks ago because I figured this was the direction they were going. Got my deposit money back and don’t plan on giving it back to DCL anytime soon. Mandates, testing, and ever changing rules make a cruise vacation undesirable to my family. For the money of one of our cruises, I booked an 8 night vacation in Jackson Hole, WY and a week at WDW. I am finally excited about making plans again.

 

[DCLMP]

So I called concierge today to cancel my Aug 2022 cruise and without even giving a reason why, the rep immediately goes into how the vaccine requirement is to be re-evaluated in May of 2022 and cancellations may be done then for summer cruises without penalty if the vaccine requirement were to persist.

I'd rather cancel now and get the $5k in concierge downpayment back as I cannot fathom a scenario where Disney goes back on this requirement 4 months after putting it in place. I don't begrudge them for the decision, but you shouldnt be able to hold folks money hostage for over 2 years time with constantly changing conditions of sailing.

They are obviously getting a large amount of calls on this issue. It was 30min wait time to have the first call answered and another 20minutes now waiting on an escalation.

I'm glad to hear DCL is offering refunds. Sorry, you had to escalate the call to get a refund. We are booked on a European cruise in July. I'm doubtful at this point the Magic will even go to Europe, but if they do I hope they offer flexible cancellations. Vaccines aside, there's a lot of hoops to jump through to travel internationally, and being that most of these cruises visit multiple countries with different covid mandates and protocols I'm not seeing how our cruise is going to be feasible. Hopefully, things will change by next Summer, but I'm not optimistic about the future.

 

[DCLMP]

Sounds like they AREN'T getting a lot of calls. Only a 30 minute wait to have a call answered by Disney is much much faster than before the pandemic.

I've called a handful of times in the last few months and have gotten right through.

 

[tvguy]

I've called a handful of times in the last few months and have gotten right through.

That is NOT the norm, pre-pandemic.

 

[mousefan73]

but this might be devastating for DCL. They may need to cancel some cruises or just operate 2 ships for the time being before things get back to a little more normal. It is not sustainable now.

I don't think so. The costs of being stuck in port are also significant and most costs are fixed. Cruises actually need a low load factor to break even. worse case they go to Europe and do UK and mainland sailings.. Like this past summer, those were highly restrictive and sold out.

 

[beckicnm]

During the early days of the cruise restart I chose Celebrity because they required vaccinations of those eligible while Disney did not. Aside from the potential health impacts, at the time going the 95% vaccinated route allowed them to sail with masks being optional and forego social distancing and some other mitigation measures--it felt like a totally normal cruise from the before-times (except better because it was less crowded). My main hope is that this change allows Disney to fully reopen the kids clubs and generally get things closer to normal.

I also went out of San Diego, because I did not want to deal with the drama and uncertainty of can they/can't they require vaccination in Florida....

 

[DCLMP]

That is NOT the norm, pre-pandemic.

I would expect DCL was a lot busier pre-pandemic.... obviously.

 

[tvguy]

I would expect DCL was a lot busier pre-pandemic.... obviously.

I'm not sure. Seems like from the posts here that instead of just calling to book a cruise, a lot of folks are calling multiple times to move cruises. On of the Vloggers I follow is a Travel Agent and he has been posting that getting through to any cruise line for Travel Agents has been a mess. He is spending a lot of time moving his clients cruises, and not making money, because Travel Agents don't get their commission until you actually take the cruise.

 

[DCLMP]

We canceled our cruise in February as well now Talking to the DCL rep she was super nice and said everyone is canceling. We know that is hyperbole but we asked her how many bookings have happened and she said none. Again, hyperbole but this might be devastating for DCL. They may need to cancel some cruises or just operate 2 ships for the time being before things get back to a little more normal. It is not sustainable now.

I don't expect cruise lines to be profitable again until all Covid mandates and protocols are gone. I think we all knew it was going to be a long road back for them.

 

[HiStitch626]

We canceled our cruise in February as well now Talking to the DCL rep she was super nice and said everyone is canceling. We know that is hyperbole but we asked her how many bookings have happened and she said none. Again, hyperbole but this might be devastating for DCL. They may need to cancel some cruises or just operate 2 ships for the time being before things get back to a little more normal. It is not sustainable now.

I am sorry you had to cancel your cruise. I can see from a CM perspective that it seems like all people are doing in canceling. But, I would guess part of that is because you have to call to cancel, but you do not have to call to book.

 

[rgrovr]

I've called a handful of times in the last few months and have gotten right through.

That was for Concierge. I've almost never waited for Concierge calls.