Apology for absence

Dear loyal readers (all 7 of you),

Based on the last few months of absence (yes, months...) you could be forgiven for thinking that

1. I don't love you any more
2. Disney simply has no news worth sharing.

Obviously, neither of these is true.

1. I do still love you all, deeply, but have been preoccupied with booking lots of you to various Disney destinations, and the many other non-Disney places that I also send folk (as some people are weird enough that they don't want to travel to Disney every year)... and
2. Disney have made lots of recent announcements that I am itching - nay, aching - to tell you about.

Here's a sampler of the articles I'll be posting about today or tomorrow:

• New promotional codes at Disney World
• A long-overdue update on Aulani, Disney's resort in Hawaii, which is already open for business. 
• 2013 sailing itineraries are available for all the Disney Cruise ships.

And there'll probably be more. Watch this space...

Disney Cruise Line – Canadian Resident Offer

This is something that might appeal more to those from the West Coast, as it applies to the Mexican Riviera cruises out of Los Angeles... though we have had East Coast clients that did this cruise this year - and loved it...

Why not consider visiting California - maybe take in Disneyland in Anaheim at the beginning or end of your vacation and enjoy the Disney Wonder cruise ship down to the Pacific coast of Mexico. Go at the quieter time of year and enjoy excellent "Canadian Resident" discounts.


Offer Details

Canada residents can save 25% off prevailing rates on select Mexican Riviera sailings on the Disney Wonder from Jan. 8 - Feb. 26, 2012

• This offer is only available for Canada residents.
• This offer is valid for stateroom Categories 4A - 11B. Excludes category with restriction IGT, OGT and VGT

Sail dates: Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12, Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, 2012.

Booking code : CAN ( must be quoted at time of booking )

Contact me to take advantage of this offer... 613 594 5633 or alex@lttk.ca

Disney Dream Christening Today

Today is a special day for the Disney Cruise company. They are christening their latest ship... the Disney Dream

You can watch live from 10.30 AM at disneycruise.com/dream - there's quite a party going on, as I type...

They are re-broadcasting the christening ceremony at 11.20 EST too...



The Disney Dream's maiden voyage is one week from today - the 26th Jan 2011...

Launching a "Dream" - part 2...

There's a lot of new stuff at Castaway Cay. But it all went past too fast to really blog! Suffice it to say that they have added a lot more cool stuff to what was already most people's favourite port of call on any Disney Cruise...

Don't forget that you can only visit Castaway Cay on a Disney Cruise. My family and I can vouch for the fact that it is an awesome place!

You should check out this mini-site for more info - visitcastawaycay.com

Launching a "Dream" - part 1...

What we're going to hear about:

More availability. More itineraries. More Magic (of course!)

• Sneak peek at the new ship being built
• New stuff at Castaway Cay.
• New itinerary plans for the 4th ship, the "Disney Fantasy".

Let's start off with a really cool little video showing how the Disney Dream is coming along...

Building the "Dream" video

We just saw some cool pictures for stuff that has been finished already, as long as some of the other conceptual art.

Here are some of the cool new things that I haven't seen before:

• Virtual porthole in all inside staterooms - an industry first
• Enchanted art - art that "comes to life"
• Interactive playfloor (in kids club)
• Enchanted garden that changes from day to night

Looking good so far!

Here is a link to a mini-site exclusively about the Disney Dream. Check it out! 

 

Launching a Dream

Hello again, Disney Cruise Fans...

Just a bit of a heads-up. On 18th October starting at around noon EST I plan to "live-blog" the latest big Disney Cruise Line announcement. Oooooh!!!

Here's what we are going to be finding out about...

We’re counting down to the January 26, 2011, maiden voyage of the Disney Dream™, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line® fleet and we are excited to:
* Share a sneak peek of what’s going on in the shipyard in Germany
* Explore what’s new at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise
* Take an in-depth look at some key Disney Differences
* Announce the itinerary plans for our fourth ship, the Disney Fantasy™

 
Cool! "See" you on the 18th...
 

Do you know the name of the 4th Disney Cruise ship?

It will called the "Disney Fantasy".

Now you know.

You're welcome!

New Disney Cruise Line mini-site

Just for Kids DCL mini-site

Welcome back, Disney fans...

Here's a quick update about a really cool little mini-website that Disney Cruises have just launched, showcasing all there is to do for kids (of all ages) on the Disney Cruise Line ships.



Featuring a number of videos and info on many of the aspects of the kids programming, you can explore what's on offer for kids, tweens, teens, and the littlest cruisers...  


Check out the site at http://www.justforkidsdcl.com/

Final piece of the new "Disney Dream" cruise ship now in place!

The exterior of the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream is now complete! Interior fitting out continues, with lots of cool innovations... especially interesting to me is the industry-first "virtual porthole" for inside staterooms! 

To learn more about the Disney Dream, be sure to check out the interactive Web site
it's really cool!
 

The following article's source - DisneyTravelAgents.com

 

The final building block for the newest Disney Cruise Line® ship, the Disney Dream™, is now in place at the Meyer Werft shipyard, signaling completion of a major milestone in the ship's overall construction. The final block was a 260-ton portion of the ship's bow, complete with the signature Disney Cruise Line golden filigree. With all 80 building blocks for the Disney Dream now in place, the focus shifts to outfitting the interiors spaces that include the whimsical, Disney-infused children's spaces, dynamically chic adult nightclubs, spectacular restaurants and elaborate theatres.
The Disney Dream will expand the one-of-a-kind family experience you will enjoy while on a Disney Cruise Line vacation. Some of the highlights:

• The ship will feature a first-of-its-kind water coaster, AquaDuck, which will send Guests racing above and around the upper decks of the ship.
• Animator's Palate restaurant will magically transform into an undersea wonderland with live, impromptu interactions with Crush, the animated sea turtle from Disney•Pixar's "Finding Nemo."
• Elaborately themed children's spaces will immerse kids in their favorite Disney stories and feature some of today's most innovative technology.
• A nighttime entertainment district just for adults will be filled with sophisticated, trendy, fanciful and fun-filled venues.
• Inside staterooms will have a "special" view thanks to a cruise-industry first, the Virtual Porthole

The Disney Dream is scheduled to set sail on its maiden voyage Jan. 26, 2011. It will sail alternating three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. During summer 2011, the ship will sail four- and five-night itineraries with two stops at Castaway Cay.

Last time I tried to book a client on the maiden voyage of the Disney Dream it was sold out, but there are still dates with availability in the months that follow. Come, be one of the first cruisers on what promises to be the newest, bestsest, family cruise ship afloat! Give me a shout! alex @ lttk.ca

Come take a virtual tour of Disney's Private Island

One of the definite highlights of my family's Disney Cruise vacation was the day we spent on Disney Cruise Line's private island, Castaway Cay.

To give you a bit more of an idea of what you might expect to see there when you take one of their awesome cruises (all Caribbean and Bahamian cruises spend at least one day here), Disney have created a new "mini-website" with various virtual tours of the island.


It's a fun way to see the beaches, attractions, kids activities and more. If you want to see the whole thing, click on the "Grand Tour" link for a 10 minute video treat...

New Shorter Options for Holiday Cruises with Disney Cruise Lines...

While I am not an enthusiastic advocate of Disney vacations at Christmas/New Year (particularly at Walt Disney World, due to the larger-than-usual crowds and higher-than-usual prices), cruising with Disney Cruise Line at that time only has one of those minor drawbacks. (The ships usually sail at full capacity anyway, so the crowds are not very different on a holiday sailing...)

Here's a new development from Disney Cruise Line that they recently announced to us...
 

Based on feedback from Guests, Disney Cruise Line® has modified its holiday sailing schedule, replacing a 10-night sailing on Dec. 29, 2010, with two 5-night sailings. This provides you new opportunities to help Clients celebrate the holidays at sea with sailings departing Dec. 29, 2010, and Jan. 3, 2011.

If you are interested in booking one of these cruises, please contact us!

Kids Sail Free in Northern Europe - hurry though, sail dates are fast approaching!

Many of you know that two of our agents have sailed with Disney Cruise Lines. Their cruises are a family vacation experience like no other.

To be absolutely frank with you, probably the only downside to a Disney Cruise vacation is the fact that they tend to be on the expensive side. So, when your kids get to travel for free - it makes sense to check out how that might work for you...

This summer, for the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line sets sail on an enchanting 12-night cruise of Northern European Capitals, including Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and St. Petersburg, Russia. You can be part of this historic voyage - and save too - when you book this family-friendly offer.

To find out much more...

• Offer Details:
  Kids ages 17 and under can sail free* on select Northern European cruises departing June 12 and June 24, 2010, when traveling with two full-fare Guests in the same stateroom. This offer applies to stateroom Categories 8-11. Government Taxes and Fees not included. 
• Travel Window:
  June 12, 2010 (itinerary includes Helsinki, Finland)
  June 24, 2010 (itinerary includes Tallinn, Estonia) 
• Onboard Credit:
  You would receive a US $25 onboard credit when you book through us. 
• Additional Details:
  Verification of age is required within 48 hours of booking for children who will be 17 years old by the sail date.

For more info check out this flier (Adobe PDF).

Also, don't forget great rates are still available on select Mediterranean cruises departing in August and September 2010.

*Government Taxes and Fees and Port Adventures not included. This offer applies to new bookings only and is non-transferable. The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited. Other offers, discounts or onboard credits do not apply (including without limitation the Mediterranean Thank You Onboard Credit offer). Changes to the vacation date or category may result in a loss of any offer. Offer is only available to U.S. and Canada residents. See Disney Cruise Line website for applicable details and Terms and Conditions.
Ships' Registry: The Bahamas

Another deadline - October 29th - more live-blogging to come --- ooooooohhh....

Note for your diaries.

At 4.15 PM on October 29th Disney Cruise Line will be making a "big announcement" about their latest cruise ship the "Disney Dream". We suspect that we will finally find out where it will be sailing when comes into service in 2011.

My aim is to "live-blog" - YAY! - during the press release. I am sure you are all very excited...

Where are you?! Where are all my Disney Cruisers?

The deadline to start booking Disney Cruise Line's exciting new itineraries for 2011 came and went (it was September 28th) and I had ..... zero interest!!!

What happened people?!

Not interested in Alaska? Mediterranean? Panama Canal?



End of post

Disney Cruise announcment - live blog part 5

That's it!

But nothing about the new ship the "Disney Dream".... hmm.... must go searching...


I may be back...

Disney Cruise announcment - live blog part 4

A New Offering!

Castaway Club (previous cruisers on the Disney Cruise Line) will now have silver, gold and platinum levels, with enhanced benefits, based on number of sailings with Disney

• Silver - 1-4 sailings
• Gold - 5-9 sailings
• Platinum - 10 or more sailings

Benefits include

• Exclusive cruise terminal check-in
• Early booking for onboard experiences
• Special onboard activities and...
• the big one (maybe)...
• while these 2011 itineraries become available to the general public on September 28th 2009 (mark your diaries), GOLD and PLATINUM Castaway Club members can book from 21st September. That could be huge - especially for that Panama Canal Cruise...

Disney Cruise announcment - live blog part 3

The Disney Magic - what is it up to?

From Port Canaveral -

• 7 night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries in January to May, and 
• September to December.

And back by popular demand, it will reposition to

• the Mediterranean in the summer, for a season of 
• 10 and 11 night itineraries out of Barcelona, Spain.

Hightlights:

10-night cruise departs on:
June 8, Jun 29th, Jul 20th, Aug 10, Aug 31st 2011

• Wed - Bacelona, Spain 
• Thu - at sea
• Fri - Valetta, Malta
• Sat - Tunis, Tunisia
• Sun - Naples, Italy
• Mon - Citavecchia (Rome), Italy
• Tue - La Spezia (Florence/Pisa), Italy
• Wed - Ajaccio, Corsica
• Thu - Villefranche (Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes), France
• Fri - at sea
• Sat - Barcelona, Spain
  

11-night cruise offers 5 sailing dates between May and Aug 2011, offering all the same ports as the 10 night cruise, with an additional day at sea.

There are two 14-night trans-Atlantic repositioning cruises
Port Canaveral to Barcelona (May 14th, 2011)

• 8 days at sea, 
• ports of call: Castaway Cay, Madiera (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Gibraltar (UK)
  

Barcelona to Port Canaveral (Sept 10, 2011)

• 8 days at sea, 
• ports of call: Gibraltar, Madeira, St. Maarten, Tortola, Castaway Cay
  

Disney Cruise announcment - live blog part 2

Disney Wonder continued

7 night Mexican Riviera

• 23rd Jan 2011 - April 2011 & September 25 - 18th December 2011
• Sun - Los Angeles
• Mon - at sea
• Tue - at sea
• Wed - Puerto Vallarta
• Thu - Mazatlan
• Fri - Cabo San Lucas
• Sat - at sea
• Sun - Los Angeles

To reposition:

15 night Panama Canal Crossing

• departing Jan 6th
• Port Canavarel, 
• Castaway Key, 
• Aruba, 
• Panama Canal, 
• Costa Rica,
• Manzanillo, 
• Puerto Vallarta, 
• Cabo San Lucas, 
• Port of Los Angeles.

This cruise includes 7 nights at sea.

As this will essentially be the last time (for who knows how long) that a Disney Crusie ship will transit the Panama Canal, I feel certain that there will be massive advanced interest in this cruise. Last time, this cruise sold out in TWO HOURS, so if you've always wanted to do this trip, then you are going to have to get prepared!

Disney Cruise announcment - live blog part 1

What's new for the Disney Wonder?

NEW! 7-night cruises from Vancouver to Alaska
Mexican Riviera and Panama Canal again

Alaska first...

• May 3rd - August 30th, 2011
• Tue - depart Vancouver
• Wed - at sea
• Thu - Tracy Arm Fjord
• Fri - Skagway
• Sat - Juneau
• Sun - Ketchikan
• Mon - at sea
• Tue - Vancouver

Tracy Arm Fjord - located in Tongass National Forest, glacial blue waters, breathtaking scenery including the iconic twin Sawyer Glaciers.



Skagway - still retains the feel of the gold rush - many shopkeepers wear period costumes...

Juneau - in the inside passage, is the only US state capital accessible only by ship or air, there are no roads in or out... there is plenty to see and do both in the city itself, or with visits to nearby Glacier Gardens of Mendenhall Glacier.

Ketchikan - the Disney Wonder docks right in the hear of the town. It is known as the salmon capital of the world, and is home to the Totem Heritage Center.

Who will want to cruise?

• Families, 
• multi-generation groups, 
• couples, 
• repeaters, 
• first timers to Alaska, 
• first time cruisers, and 
• "Disney Fans". 

(I challenge you to find anyone that ISN'T included in that list!)
There are also two repositioning cruises when the ship gets itself to and from Alaska... these are also sure to be popular, due to their unusual ports of call...

6 night 27th April 2011
day at sea, San Francisco (2 nights), day at sea, Victoria B.C., Vancouver.

5 night 20th Sept 2011
Vancouver, Victoria, 2 days at sea, Ensenada, Los Angeles

Disney Cruise announces 2011 itineraries

Well I blew it... due to a family mishap I was not able to be glued to my laptop at 12 noon today to hear Disney Cruise's big announcement live in order to be totally up-to-the-minute. Please, dear reader, forgive me!

The webinar/webcast was pre-recorded and so I am going to live-blog my viewing of the webinar - which is probably just as lame as it sounds...