As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
After reading many posts and doing some research I've decided to go on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas (in lieu of another WDW trip) with my grand daughter and hopefully daughter-in-law during next year's Easter Break. I realize that's not the best time to travel but at her age (she'll be 13) we cannot take her out of school for a week.
Is it more cost effective to go through the Disney web site, some other cruise web site, or AAA, we are AAA members.
Is it better to book it sooner then later?
We don't need a room with a balcony because I only want to sleep or clean up in the room.
How much extra should I plan for regarding the stops in the Bahamas and Castaway Key? I ask these questions because our trips to WDW are few and far between due to finances. I know this is not going to be a cheap vacation but I would like to save where I can.
I think that's all I have for now.
Thanking you in advance for your time and good advice!
SW+7
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Is it more cost effective to go through the Disney web site, some other cruise web site, or AAA, we are AAA members.
DCL does not allow TAs to discount cruise fares, so the fare should be the same. DCL's website includes taxes and port fees, so make sure the TA is quoting a full price as well. That said, you may find that a TA offers an onboard credit or other "perk" for using them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SW+7
Is it better to book it sooner then later?
Cruises are priced on a tiered system. Meaning, the more staterooms are booked, the higher the fare. So sooner will get your lower fares. There are often last minute discounts, but for spring break I wouldn't count on that. I suggest you book now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SW+7
We don't need a room with a balcony because I only want to sleep or clean up in the room.
Interior rooms are just a nice as verandah rooms. Another option is oceanview. DCL has a high inventory of verandah rooms, and depending on which ship, you may find that the interior staterooms have increased in price above a verandah. So make sure you do your research. As a note... except for the Wonder, all ships now have a queen size bed. If nobody wants to share a bed, you'll have to make sure you book a stateroom that will hold 4 passengers (not all do). The Wonder still has the option of 2 twins or using them together as a queen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SW+7
How much extra should I plan for regarding the stops in the Bahamas and Castaway Key? I ask these questions because our trips to WDW are few and far between due to finances. I know this is not going to be a cheap vacation but I would like to save where I can.
Tips are $12 per person per night. That's the only definite (and even that can be adjusted if you so choose).
Port excursions costs can really vary. I'd suggest checking out the DCL website and a Passporters Guide to Cruising to get an idea of the various port excursions offered.
Other additional costs include adult dining, spa services, alcoholic and specialty drinks(coffees, smoothies, etc.), Bingo, souvenirs, photos, the arcade, room service tips (bring some cash), tips for porters (also cash), tips for excursion leaders (cash).
It is possible to do a cruise and come off with no additional spending, assuming you have pre-paid tips. Or it's possible to have a $1000 bill at the end of a 3-night cruise. All depends on your spending habits and choices.
Thank you Lanejudy for your response, it helped! I can't say when my DGD spring break is in 2015, as soon as I find out I'll book.
While looking at the DCL web-site I noticed there's an $800. difference between the Fantasy and Magic, is that due to where they stop? Any recommendations on which ship to choose? One leaves on a Saturday, the other a Sunday.
I hope her spring break is not the week of Easter, I could save quite a bit of money if it's not!
Thank you again for your time and insight. There's a lot of information to absorb (mind boggling!)
SW+7
Thank you Lanejudy for your response, it helped! I can't say when my DGD spring break is in 2015, as soon as I find out I'll book.
While looking at the DCL web-site I noticed there's an $800. difference between the Fantasy and Magic, is that due to where they stop? Any recommendations on which ship to choose? One leaves on a Saturday, the other a Sunday.
I hope her spring break is not the week of Easter, I could save quite a bit of money if it's not!
Thank you again for your time and insight. There's a lot of information to absorb (mind boggling!)
SW+7
The Eastern Caribbean Disney Fantasy sailings will have 3 at sea days. The Western Caribbean on the Disney Magic will have two at sea days.
As mentioned above the rates go up as the ship is booked up. So the Fantasy may be higher for the dates you were looking at because more people have already booked that sailing. Based on supply and demand the rates go up.
More people may book the larger newer ship first but I think the classic Disney Magic is a great option so don't rule it out. It is smaller so it is easier to get around. Plus it has recently gone through a huge re-imagination process. My younger son actually prefers the clubs on the Disney Magic. We just sailed on the Magic and the Dream over the holidays. He was thrilled with the new changes in the clubs on the Magic. Also the deposit is refundable as long as you cancel within the policy.
If you spring break is on Easter the rates will go up to a premium rate. You may want to book it now so the rate does not go higher if there is a chance it will fall on Easter. You can always change the date and your deposit will move with it as long as you change it 76 days in advance.
Thank you, I didn't realize if I booked I could switch the date of travel, without a penalty, when I get a definite date for her spring break which probably won't be till August. After reading other post's and bits & pieces from varied sources I realize I need to budget for tips, excursions, and all the other things you mentioned, I am thinking this is probably anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 (yikes). I don't need to have alcohol but it would be nice to have a specialty drink or two, and try one 'adult' meal; in other words, I don't have to go crazy but I don't want to stand on the side lines either. I read (and I may be confused about this) but there are things to do on Castaway Cay that are extra.
I will continue to do my research and hopefully get this settled in the next two weeks.
Thank you both for your help.
SW+7
I read (and I may be confused about this) but there are things to do on Castaway Cay that are extra.
I will continue to do my research and hopefully get this settled in the next two weeks.
Thank you both for your help.
SW+7
Castaway Cay is one port where you don't have to spend anything extra to enjoy. You can do an excursion but you will have a great day just relaxing on the beach. Bike rentals and tube rental is currently $6.00 which is an inexpensive way to explore and relax. Lunch is included so you don't have to spend anything on food.
Thank you, I didn't realize if I booked I could switch the date of travel, without a penalty, when I get a definite date for her spring break which probably won't be till August. ...
You can change travel dates without penalty up until 75 days prior to the sail date. However, the fare will change -- whether it increases or decreases will depend on the date and how well that cruise has sold. So if you choose a "less common/less popular" spring break week, but need to switch to a date DCL had considered to be "more popular" -- the price will be higher to begin with. Also, depending on how long has elapsed since you first booked, it's possible the prices have increased in tiers (based on # of staterooms sold).
So you don't lock-in a fare if you end up changing the date. If there is a considerable difference between weeks you are considering, you might want to book the more expensive one (especially if it's Easter week), since that will likely increase faster because DCL has historically considered that week to be more popular. That way you aren't hit with a major budget bust if you change dates.
First of all, how wonderful for you to do something so nice for those you love.
Any DCL cruise is amazing. There are lots of things to consider as with any travel. I always book my cruises through DCL except for our AK cruise I used an agent. I don't think there are many discounts on any cruise these days, it's all about on board credits and the "perks" they can offer.
If you're thinking a 4 day Bahama cruise for you, your grand-daughter and future DIL, I think that would be great. Enough time but not too much. I'm guessing you've traveled together before but you never know how time together will go.
If you pick up a Frommer's or Fodor's travel guide, they both have independent, walking tours of Nassau that hit the highlights. You also can just get off the ship, meander the main drag, see the Straw Market and head back to ship. We've done that a couple of times and it's worked well for us. DDs, with the help of dad, haggled a bit on the fake Coach purses and all was well. They took their "bargains" to dinner that night
On Castaway Cay you can really just get off the ship and enjoy the day. It's simply beautiful and relaxing. You may consider the one hour bike rental. It's fun, inexpensive and can be done at any time while you're there.
The day at sea, just consult the Navigator for plenty to do or make that the day you splurge a bit on a girlie day with a spa or salon treatment. That might be the excitement because where else can you do that? Wander the ship and do a photo expedition, do the animated artwork tour, play shuffle board, hit the sports deck, get ice cream!
Bring a few beverages on board. We bring some on board with us; a 6 pack of water,a box of Capri Sun lemonade and some wine. Just enough to supplement but not enough to "weigh us down".
Decide if you'll purchase photos and how many. I'm always a sucker for the cruise pics and consider that my main souvenir.
Set the stage early for what you're including in the trip and what you're not. That can be a sticky subject but it's something that needs to be addressed before you're billed for something you didn't anticipate.
You'll make so many memories and your granddaughter and potential DIL should be very thankful for you.
__________________
We Luv WDW
Last edited by modisney; 01-27-2014 at 05:07 PM..
Reason: typo
something to keep in mind if you find a price for less than on the DCL website double check that it includes all port fees and taxes. Some sites do not quote that until later, DCL will always show you the full cost.
__________________
You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality.
- Walt Disney
I hear what you're saying about traveling with others. We, as a family, do 10 days at the beach every year. We're pretty good about not 'being joined at the hip' and look forward to our time together every year. This is my DIL, my DGDs mom, we get along fine. My DGD has had a rough go since birth, she had a horrible birth injury and has undergone 5 operations and loads of physical therapy, she's a fighter and never gives up. This would be a very extravagant Christmas & Birthday Combo gift. She'll be 14 when we travel and has asked about doing a Disney Cruise for the past 2 years.
SW+7
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Hybrid Mode
