Has anyone heard what's happening with 2004 Aug & Sept 7 day Eastern Cruise?

[westjones]

Just wondering if there has been any word at all about what is going to happen next year for the August and September Eastern cruises. They still don't have them available on the official DCL website.

DJ

 

[ducklite]

There are several weeks that the Magic will be in drydock in that period. We were originally trying to book Sept. 25 (?) and October 2 for our back to back, but the ship is not available for the Oct 2 sailing due to drydock.

Anne

 

[Señor Ferrari]

The Magic is scheduled to be in drydock from Sept. 27 to Oct. 11 of this year. I think what westjones is referring to is August and September, 2004, for which they are currently booking Western trips, but not the Eastern trips during the alternate weeks for these two months.

I asked my friend who works in DCL reservations, and all he knows (or is allowed to tell) is that they haven't released those dates for booking yet. My guess (my hope!) is that they are devising a different itinerary and might test it during those weeks. He said he would tell me when he hears something, and I'll be sure to post it if someone else has not already done so.

 

[alisbarc]

Maybe they are working on the next DVC members cruise.
That way they will not have to cancel anyone like they did this time.
ttfn

 

[westjones]

But there are 4 cruises blocked out during those dates, so I don't think it is just the DVC thing (but maybe one of the weeks would be).

Señor Ferrari, does your friend have any clues as to what this cruise might include? I am SO anxious to find out what the new itenary is going to be (OK, I am the type who hates to wait until Christmas morning to know what are in my presents!). This is going to fall at the same time as my daughter's birthday, and we had planned to skip their birthday that year for our cruise date and try the Christmas time cruise, but now DH and I are wondering if this new 'itenary' might be worth changing our plans back to cruising on their birthday and doing Christmas another year.

OK OK, I will just have to continue to wait! But GEESH! It is just 19 months away! They need to get on the ball!!!!!

DJ

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Señor Ferrari
The Magic is scheduled to be in drydock from Sept. 27 to Oct. 11 of this year. I think what westjones is referring to is August and September, 2004, for which they are currently booking Western trips, but not the Eastern trips during the alternate weeks for these two months.

Which is what I'm referring to--I've booked for 10/9/04 and 10/16/04, but what I had really wanted and couldn't get was 10/2/04 and 10/09/04 or 9/25/04 and 10/02/04. 09/25/04 was avilable, but 10/2/04 wasn't. 09/18/04 was also not aviable. So there's a week off, then a week on, then a week off, then it's all on. We chose the weeks we did as we wanted to fo back-to-backs. I don't think that European itinerary's for one week sailing out of Port Canaveral are feasible. I was told that one week it was drydocked, and the other week she couldn't get an answer, but a DVC members cruise makes sense.

Anne

 

[Señor Ferrari]

Originally posted by westjones
Señor Ferrari, does your friend have any clues as to what this cruise might include?

I suspect he knows more than he is telling me, but is keeping his cards close to the vest. I'm working on him. I haven't heard anything about a second drydocking of the ship. It would be unusual to have the ship out of service for two weeks in 2003 and then another week in 2004, especially having the second one scheduled in advance. They usually go to drydock every two years or so. I think the Magic was in drydock in December of 2001. Any time spent in drydock between these routine times is usually unscheduled. Celebrity's Infinity is currently headed for an unscheduled drydock due to a problem with the propulsion system.

Originally posted by ducklite
I don't think that European itinerary's for one week sailing out of Port Canaveral are feasible.

I'm pretty sure it takes a good 3-4 days to get across the Atlantic, and since the ship would have to be back at Port Canaveral in 7 days, like you, I doubt that this would happen.


It's been suggested that DCL was considering re-positioning the Magic to Europe in the summer of 2004, and has since decided against it. As a result, they do not have their spots reserved at the eastern ports for this period of time. I don't know if this is true or not, but it makes sense.

I'm hoping for some different Caribbean ports, such as St. Kitts, Antigua, San Juan, etc.

 

[ducklite]

I was told the itinerary would be the same as it has been for both my eastern and western leg. I'm not opposed to having a change made, as long as it doesn't include some dump like Nassau, St. Croix, Hispanola, or Kingston.

I'd be all for a day in St. Kitts or St. Bart. San Juan doesn't impress me.

Anne

 

[Euphscott]

I have absolutely no knowledge or information.

However, think along the DVc idea, perhaps there are some chartered cruises?

 

[westjones]

We are interested in the September 18th sailing (my twins' birthdays are on September 19th). That would be nice if the DVC cruise was that week (we are members). Sounds like this last cruise was really special.

Well, I will just have to 'wait and see'. Hope we hear something soon!
DJ

 

[westjones]

We are interested in the September 18th sailing (my twins' birthdays are on September 19th). That would be nice if the DVC cruise was that week (we are members). Sounds like this last cruise was really special.

Well, I will just have to 'wait and see'. Hope we hear something soon!
DJ

 

[Magic_Fan_Bruce]

Is it possible the Wonder will be in dry dock, and the Magic will be doing the 3 & 4 day cruise every other week to cover for it? If so, the 3 & 4 day cruises will not be available when the 7 days are.

 

[westjones]

I don't think that could explain the both August and September....but it is possible that while the magic is in dry dock they would do that. A couple years ago they did this (with a 3 day that went from Wed to Sat (we were on that cruise, it was fun because they went ahead and showed one of the 7 day 'shows' that isn't normally seen on a 3 day, and there were a couple other special things that they did for us while we were on the Magic for just 3 days).

DJ

 

[Señor Ferrari]

The last time the Wonder was in drydock, the Magic did take over the 3- and 4-day routes. However, a scheduled drydock should only take a couple of weeks. Two months is an awful long time to have a passenger ship out of service.