This announcement, just in from Mousesavers.com, courtesy of live reporting from Sue Pisaturo from Small World Vacations:

Special itineraries have been announced for the Disney Magic between 5/12/07 and 9/1/07!

As I have been predicting, the President of Disney Cruise Line, Tom McAlpin, announced that they will be sailing to the Mediterranean for the first time in Summer 2007:

5/12/07-5/26/07- Repositioning cruise from Port Canaveral to Europe
5/26/07-8/18/07 - Alternating 10-night and 11-night cruises to Rome, Naples, Florence, French Riviera
8/18/07-9/1/07 - Repositioning cruise from Europe to Port Canaveral

A very special "Thank You" to Sue Pisaturo of Small World Vacations (http://www.wdwvacations.com), who attended Disney Cruise Line's press event on March 21 and reported on it LIVE to bring us the information as early as possible!

If you want to book one of the special itinerary Summer 2007 cruises on the Disney Magic, here is how the process will work:

Beginning March 28, Disney Cruise Line will begin processing the waitlist requests that have already been taken, in the order they were received. The waitlist has been closed for several weeks. Guests (or their travel agents) will be contacted as each request is processed to let them know they have cleared the waitlist, at which time their cruise will be reserved and a confirmation issued. This will continue through April 3.

If you are not already on Disney's waitlist, Disney will open the remaining staterooms to the public on April 4, after existing waiting list requests have been filled. Disney has stated that there will be some availablility left in stateroom categories 4-12 when they open bookings.

I expect these itineraries to generate huge interest and high prices. There is a strong possibility that demand will far exceed supply and the cruises will fill up rapidly. (This happened with the special itineraries in 2005.) If you aren't able to get a cabin on April 4, don't despair. It's possible some will open up later. In 2005 it turned out there were duplicate bookings that eventually were cancelled, plus many people gave up the staterooms they were holding when the time came to make final payment.

Disney has stated that there will be some availablility left in stateroom categories 4-12 when they open bookings.

This portion of the announcement concerns me greatly. There may be some availability left???? I have some serious questions about the way this whole thing has been handled.

1) How friggin' long is this wait list?

and

2) How could they possibly take a wait list for itineraries that until this morning didn't exist?

If I get left out in the cold and don't get the itinerary DH and I want, someone's going to hear about it... and I can't promise to be nice about it.

Cruise lines can and do take a wait list for upcoming itineraries, before they are announced, and have been doing so for some time. We do not know how long the wait list is, and do not know how many people will drop off from the wait list as it is being processed (due to dates, lack of specific cabins, itineraries, pricing, etc)

Karin, are you currently on a wait list for Summer 2007? (I'm guessing not, due to the wording of your message) If you are not, there may be availability on 4/4, and instead of getting worried in advance, I would contact your Travel Agent directly and get on their wait list (if they have one; some will and some won't), or plan on getting up and online with DCL right as they open that morning, but be prepared for a long hold time as lines will be flooded that morning. Openings will also become available as other Guests find they are unable to make the cruise. I would also expect (as what can typically happen) that many of the bookings for the first day will roll over as Guests realize they have champagne tastes and beer budgets. I know I did that with the Christmas 2007 cruise, personally.

Sue and Mousesavers.com have updated the Ports of Call:

5/12/07-5/26/07- Itinerary for Repositioning Cruise from Port Canaveral to Europe

* Saturday - Port Canaveral
* Sunday - Castaway Cay
* Monday - At Sea
* Tuesday - At Sea
* Wednesday - At Sea
* Thursday - At Sea
* Friday - At Sea
* Saturday - At Sea
* Sunday - Tenerife, Canary Islands
* Monday - At Sea
* Tuesday - Cadiz, Spain (Seville)
* Wednesday - Gibralter, UK
* Thursday - At Sea
* Friday - Barcelona, Spain
* Saturday - Debark in Barcelona

5/26/07-8/18/07 - Itineraries for Alternating 10-night and 11-night cruises in the Mediterranean

10-Night Itinerary:

* Wednesday - Barcelona, Spain
* Thursday - At Sea
* Friday - Palermo, Italy
* Saturday - Naples, Italy (Pompeii)
* Sunday - Olbia, Sardinia
* Monday - Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome)
* Tuesday - La Spezia, Italy
* Wednesday - Marseilles, France
* Thursday - Villefranche, France
* Friday - At Sea
* Saturday - Debark in Barcelona

11-Night Itinerary:

* Saturday - Barcelona, Spain
* Sunday - At Sea
* Monday - Palermo, Italy
* Tuesday - Naples, Italy (Pompeii)
* Wednesday - Olbia, Sardinia
* Thursday - Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome)
* Friday - At Sea
* Saturday - La Spezia, Italy
* Sunday - Marseilles, France
* Monday - Villefranche, France
* Tuesday - At Sea
* Wednesday - Debark in Barcelona

8/18/07-9/1/07 - Repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Port Canaveral (reverses eastbound repo cruise)

I actually have to second Karin's frustration with this. I placed several calls over the last six months to DCL about the '07 schedules, and was told explicitly that there was no wait list. When we were on the Wonder for the Thanksgiving cruise, I was told the same thing - I just had to wait until spring for the announcement.

Now to be told that there was a mystical waitlist. My travel agent has had my request for months and has been able to do nothing.

I am looking at the formal Press Release right now, and it says "Bookings for these special and very limited itineraries are scheduled to open on April 4, giving interested guests time to plan with their families and friends. Starting rates for the Mediterranean 10- and 11-night itineraries range from $2,399 to $3,499 and are based on double occupancy." Nothing about the ship possibly already being booked out for dates because of a non-existant waitlist.

The cruise may also not be sold out - speculative words are a most excellent marketing tool in driving demand. I have a Guest who just reported back to me that she was convinced it was going to Alaska, and has bowed out due to the itinerary. She wasn't on the DCL wait list, but on my own.

Disney Cruise stopped taking an internal wait list a while back; perhaps this is due to the possibility of things getting out of hand with speculative bookings, and they want to be sure to have inventory available on 4/4.

In any case, I realize you're upset, and wanted to note that venting frustration directly at Disney would accomplish more than venting on an open forum, so I have the contact DCL page for you here: Disney Cruise Line contact page (https://secure.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/general/contactUs?name=ContactUsPage)

I would be interested in any feedback you receive.

Disney Cruise Line Announces First-Ever Mediterranean Cruises
with calls in Spain, Italy and France

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (March 21, 2006) – For the first time, Disney Cruise Line is adding European flair to its itinerary offerings, repositioning the Disney Magic for the summer of 2007 to the Port of Barcelona in Spain and offering alternating 10-night and 11-night Mediterranean cruise vacations to Europe.

“Our guests have told us they would love to take a European vacation, but all of the planning and logistics can be daunting. These special sailings will offer a hassle-free way to experience the beauty and culture of Europe combined with the fun of a Disney cruise,” said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin at an announcement event at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort this morning.

With eight European ports of call, which provide gateways to familiar cities such as Florence, Rome, Pisa and Cannes, these new Mediterranean itineraries present the family vacation of a lifetime.

“The flexibility and mobility of Disney Cruise Line allow us to offer guests a new way to explore other parts of the world while enjoying a world-class cruise experience,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo. “Disney Cruise Line is a model for the way we are expanding our family vacation business worldwide by offering new experiences the whole family can enjoy.”

The four 11-night itineraries depart on Saturdays: May 26, June 16, July 7 and July 28; while the four 10-night itineraries depart on Wednesdays: June 6, June 27, July 18 and Aug. 8. Both itineraries will depart from Barcelona for the summer.

Special 2007 Mediterranean Cruises to Europe

10-Night Itinerary
Wednesday… Barcelona, Spain (embarkation)
Thursday… At Sea
Friday… Palermo, Sicily
Saturday… Naples, Italy (Pompeii)
Sunday… Olbia, Sardinia
Monday… Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome)
Tuesday… La Spezia, Italy (Florence & Pisa)
Wednesday… Marseille, France
Thursday… Villefranche, France
Friday… At Sea
Saturday… Barcelona, Spain (debarkation)

11-Night Itinerary
Saturday… Barcelona, Spain (embarkation)
Sunday… At Sea
Monday… Palermo, Sicily
Tuesday… Naples, Italy (Pompeii)
Wednesday… Olbia, Sardinia
Thursday… Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome)
Friday… At Sea
Saturday… La Spezia, Italy (Florence & Pisa)
Sunday… Marseille, France
Monday… Villefranche, France
Tuesday… At Sea
Wednesday… Barcelona, Spain (debarkation)

In addition to the Mediterranean cruises, two 14-night trans-Atlantic sailings bookend the 10- and 11-night adventures with the eastbound itinerary departing from Port Canaveral, Fla., May 12, and the westbound starting from the Port of Barcelona, Aug. 18.

Bookings for these special and very limited itineraries are scheduled to open on April 4, giving interested guests time to plan with their families and friends. Starting rates for the Mediterranean 10- and 11-night itineraries range from $2,399 to $3,499 and are based on double occupancy.

Guests interested in booking a Mediterranean cruise to Europe with Disney Cruise Line should call (888)-DCL-2500, visit www.disneycruise.com (http://www.disneycruise.com) or contact their travel agent.

Disney Cruise Line specifically designed its ships with areas and activities that appeal to the unique vacation needs of every member of the family. As a result, its vacations offer guests an unbelievable cruise experience not found anywhere else.

The ship features nearly an entire deck that is dedicated just to kids where they can enjoy fun, supervised activities designed for especially for different age groups. Additionally, an experienced staff cares for infants and toddlers at Flounder’s Reef Nursery, allowing parents the opportunity to explore ports of call or adult areas on the ship, such as a special pool, the spa, a nighttime entertainment district and a romantic dining experience.

The Walt Disney Theatre provides a magnificent showplace of state-of-the-art sound, lighting, staging and set design. The curtain is lifted after the sun drops and original Disney musicals, family-friendly variety acts and first-run films entertain all ages.

While sailing on a Disney cruise, guests also get to enjoy three different themed restaurants through the voyage. Guests travel from the casual elegance of Lumiere’s to the colorful, island-inspired Parrot Cay and Animator’s Palate, where Disney animation springs to life throughout their meal. Along the way, they enjoy the familiarity of having the same wait staff with them at each restaurant they visit. Adults may also opt to dine at Palo, an exquisite restaurant featuring sweeping views and northern Italian cuisine.

The 877 family-friendly staterooms aboard each Disney ship were designed to offer maximum comfort. Most feature an industry first – a bath-and-a-half with two separate areas; one offering a shower and sink, the other a sink and toilet

MousePlanets Brian Bennett was at the press event in Orlando this morning, and will report back later this morning. I've just posted the full press release in the Announcements forum, and copied it here.

AVP

In any case, I realize you're upset, and wanted to note that venting frustration directly at Disney would accomplish more than venting on an open forum, so I have the contact DCL page for you here: Disney Cruise Line contact page (https://secure.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/general/contactUs?name=ContactUsPage) I know you're trying to be helpful, but this is somewhat condescending. Tony and I have been actively trying to learn about this rumored itinerary since before we stepped on board the Disney Magic for the Panama Canal repo cruise nearly a year ago. For all that my internal sources were able to tell me what they knew (the officially-announced itinierary for the Mediteranean repo cruise is *exactly* what we'd heard it would be over 6 months ago), we couldn't get anywhere with the "public" face of DCL.

Believe me, we know how to contact DCL. We've talked to future sales representives on two different cruises, called Disney Cruise Line customer service many, many times and had our travel agent call. We booked placeholder cruises for 10 members of my husband's family, so we'd be ready to move our reservation dates the second the itinieraries opened up. If there was anyone more persistant in trying to get information or book a reservation on this cruise, I haven't met them - but for all that, at no point had anyone ever mentioned the existance of such a waiting list, much less offered to put us on it.

So yes, I'm sure Tony (and others) will be writing DCL to ask them about this super-secret waiting list for the even-more-secret itineraries, but I think it's also valid to discuss the issue here.

AVP

When it comes to availability, the trips are rather long - there will be fewer trips in the same summertime period. Therefore, space will be limited by the nature of the scheduling.

Keep in mind, I do understand your frustration and I hope that you are able to partake in your vacation of choice. But like was mentioned below, one of the greatest marketing methods is to give the impression that if you don't act now, you will loose the opportunity.

Please keep us posted as to what happens...

Disney has stated that there will be some availablility left in stateroom categories 4-12 when they open bookings.I just wanted to follow up on this comment and offer my speculation:

Since Disney seems to feel that categories 1-3 will be booked out by the time they open reservations to the rest of the world in April, I have to wonder if this "wait list" was comprised of people who had previously sailed in categories 1-3; ie, if it was something offered to "Concierge-level" Castaway Club members, and not those of us who sail in the lower categories....

If that's the case, then there should be plenty of Cat 7 staterooms open in April.

AVP

AVP - I'm wicked sorry it comes across as condescending. My intent was to help, not to hurt. I realize Guests are frustrated, and was hoping to offer the link not only to assist anyone vocalizing, but also to the many many Guests who read the forums who don't know what to do or how to contact Disney to voice their concerns.

You and Tony (and a bazillion others on MousePlanet! :D ) are clearly seasoned pros, and know the ins and outs of pretty much everything around Disney, but not everyone is at the level of expertise that you are at, so I apologize to sounding directly condescending to you AVP and to you, Tony, and offer the link to help those who might not be aware, or could be aware by doing a bit of searching, but appreciate a direct link for contact information. Again, please accept my apologies.

I think you're onto something with your speculations. At any rate, it's going to be really busy come April. :D

I attended today's media briefing. There isn't much to add to the news release, unfortunately.

I asked about the future of a 3rd/4th ship, but no one at DCL was willing to discuss it other than commenting that Disney was a large company with many revenue streams, so when it's the right time to build a new ship they will do so.

The Mediterranean ports-of-call and itinerary is definately designed around family travel. Avoiding some of the more typical (but adult-oriented) destinations in favor of kid-friendly locations is a priority.

Barcelona, Spain, will be the DCL's home port during the Summer '07 run. Add-ons that will include airfare and a few days at Disneyland Paris are expected to be made available eventually, but will not be available for booking on April 4th when the new cruises initially are offered for purchase.

I checked out the prices ... can we say ouch? Although it is cool that the Eastern crossing includes a stop at Castaway Cay.

Nothing about the ship possibly already being booked out for dates because of a non-existant waitlist.

Like it or not, the waitlist exists, and people are already being called from it. I know of more than a half-dozen people who have been contacted today.

You are not alone in being told it doesn't exist, because I've received a fair amount of correspondence from frustrated people who have made multiple calls to DCL about the new itineraries over the past several months and were never told they could waitlist. At this point I understand why Disney doesn't want to admit it ever took any names!

However, they did. Disney always has waitlists. Now, for most DCL sailings it's unnecessary to waitlist unless you want Cat 1-3. However, due to the popularity of special itineraries, it's not a bad idea to waitlist whenever there is the slightest hint of one in the offing. I had this info (about getting on the waitlist for rumored Summer 2007 itineraries) on my site months ago, actually. And it's very well-known to travel agencies that book a lot of cruises.

Here's how it works at DCL: you can be waitlisted by DCL's Inventory Control department for any future (but currently unbookable) cruise date. So for example, you can call Disney Cruise Line today and ask to be waitlisted for a certain cabin type for a 2008 cruise. However, you'll have to pick a specific sail date and take your chances on where they are going on that date and how much it will cost. You or your travel agent will be asked to fax in a written request to Inventory Control.

When the sailing for which you have waitlisted is about to open up for booking, Inventory Control will call you to confirm that you are still interested and collect a deposit from you. If it turns out DCL is going to Antarctica on the date you waitlisted for, and you are allergic to penguins, you can say "never mind" at that point.

Disney was taking waitlist requests for Summer 2007 Magic sailings up until pretty recently -- I believe it was just a few weeks ago. Anyone could fax and ask to be added, and believe me, lots of people have been on that list for months. However, as Mickeymac points out, it remains to be seen how many will actually ante up a deposit when they are get all the info on itineraries and cruise fares.

Disney has stated publicly that there WILL be cabins available on April 4 in Categories 4-12. I'm pretty sure the suites (Categories 1-3) are long gone. People waitlist for those literally YEARS in advance, without having the slightest idea where the ship is going or how much it will cost. (Cats 1-3 are usually sold out by waitlist even for ordinary itineraries.)

While the waitlist system is not well-publicized by DCL, it's how they have *always* handled things. There were people waitlisted for the Panama Canal cruises last year, for instance.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

I'm very excited about this announcement. My wife and I would love to cruise the Mediterranean for our 25th wedding anniversary in 2010, but we would also love a Disney land and sea vacation. Perhaps now we can do both with a Disney Mediterranean cruise and a few days at Disneyland Paris (such a package is apparently not yet available, but I'm hoping it will be by 2010). I'm hoping itineraries with ports of call in the Greek islands and Athens will be available by then as well.

I had this info (about getting on the waitlist for rumored Summer 2007 itineraries) on my site months ago, actually. And it's very well-known to travel agencies that book a lot of cruises.I am seriously not tryng to start anything, but I will tell you that, based on the information on your site, my travel agent did contact Disney to try to have Tony and I put on a wait list for the 2007 cruises back in November, and was told that there was no such thing.

Of course, DCL also told him this morning that all Mediteranean cruises had non-refundable deposits (something they later corrected), and that there WAS no wait list and that there WOULD be Cat 1-3 cabins available on April 4, so obviously even the travel agents get different stories.

AVP

Imagineer - that's quite a bit of planning! 2010 is a long ways away, and while it would be nice to see DCL returning there, it's anyone's guess where the ship will be then. At the current time, they only have two ships. Are you planning for summer 2007 or hoping for 2010?

I know 6 MousePadders who are trying to settle on a date for a Mediteranean cruise - are any other padders considering one of the '07 sailings?

AVP

... based on the information on your site, my travel agent did contact Disney to try to have Tony and I put on a wait list for the 2007 cruises back in November, and was told that there was no such thing.

I don't doubt you! Disney can be remarkably bad about getting the correct info to the front line (i.e. its phone agents). It is totally aggravating sometimes how the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

Probably the magic words to use are "Inventory Control," which I didn't mention on my site because I honestly didn't realize they were important. Assuming Disney continues using the waitlist system (and I have no reason to doubt it), next time something is in the offing you may want to ask your TA to get the fax # for that dept and fax in your request.

It is ridiculous that you and your TA were given bad info by Disney. In your place I'd be very unhappy. However, I doubt it will affect your booking outcome unless you want Cat 1-3. I really think a LOT of people on the waitlist will drop out as they are contacted, due to the price and/or because they don't like the itinerary. Lots of those folks were operating on wishful thinking, financially... quite a few wanted to go to Alaska... etc.

This time the itineraries and prices are available two weeks in advance and Disney is requiring big deposits, which will weed out a lot of "looky-loos" before April 4. If you remember, for the Panama/California cruises the prices and itineraries were released the same day the cruises were put on sale. Because of that timing, Inventory Control didn't start contacting the waitlist until the last minute (to avoid blowing the "secret"), so they had a ton of staterooms tied up for people who then changed their minds when they finally saw the price or itinerary. Also TAs were forced into holding a lot of cabins on the first day for clients who had expressed interest without knowing any details -- and then when they told the clients the prices, they weren't so interested after all. Some of those rooms didn't get put back into inventory until days or weeks later -- remember how rooms in previously unavailable categories kept popping up?

What a mess that was. Even so, I was not on the waitlist for the 2005 Panama Canal cruises and presumably you weren't either, yet we were able to get staterooms just fine, right? So I wouldn't sweat it.

Mary

I know 6 MousePadders who are trying to settle on a date for a Mediteranean cruise - are any other padders considering one of the '07 sailings?My fiance and I are just about decided on the May 12th eastbound repo. :D

What a mess that was. Even so, I was not on the waitlist for the 2005 Panama Canal cruises and presumably you weren't either, yet we were able to get staterooms just fine, right? So I wouldn't sweat it.It probably sounds like I'm freaking out here in California, but I'm really not. I'm not sweating it - I have absolutely no fear that we'll get a cabin for whatever cruise we decide on. I'm frustrated that DCL has so many communication issues, and you're not kidding about the "right hand / left hand" problems. But none of this has put me off my absolute desire to head for the Med with Disney, and now it's just a matter of getting friends and family to decide on an itinierary (or itinieraries, in some cases!)

It looks like Tony and I are going to be booking the first 11-night, and we're hoping that some of our friends are able to juggle work schedules to go with us. Tony's family is all over this trip - his grandmother and great-aunt are probably going to book BOTH the 1st repo AND the first 11-night, while his parents and assorted other relatives will probably join us for the 11-night.

Whatever we do, it's going to be a blast, and no matter what the land-side issues continue to be, nothing can match the DCL sea-crew.

AVP

My fiance and I are just about decided on the May 12th eastbound repo. :DReally? Tony and I wanted to do the repo soooooooooooo badly, but I just can't fall in love with this itinerary. I guess when you compare it to the Panama Cruise, 8 sea days and 4 new ports isn't much different, but this just seems like a weak itinierary compared to other cruise lines.

If it had been a transatlantic itinierary like Holland American runs, I would have been in big trouble trying to decide what to do. They do Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona in 16 days, stopping in Madeira, Lisbon, Seville, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Cartagena, and Mallorca along the way.


AVP

Tony and I wanted to do the repo soooooooooooo badly, but I just can't fall in love with this itinerary. I guess when you compare it to the Panama Cruise, 8 sea days and 4 new ports isn't much different...

I totally agree. We had expected we would do the first repo in 2007, after enjoying the Panama repo so much. But the itinerary just doesn't "grab" us, except for Cadiz.

I think the difference for me is that the other repo included the Panama Canal in addition to the few ports. So even though we didn't get off in Panama, the canal was a major additional attraction.

They could have added Bermuda or the Virgin Islands at the beginning of the repo. Most similar 14-night transatlantic cruises out of Florida do not have 6 nights in a row at sea. Many stop in Bermuda, then 4 nights at sea, then Portugal and then various Med ports.

We're leaning toward the same sailing you mentioned -- the first 11-night.

Mary

We're leaning toward the same sailing you mentioned -- the first 11-night.Which is begining to look like a Panama reunion... :D

AVP