My family’s one-way cruise (also known as a repositioning cruise) will begin in Galveston, Texas, and end in San Juan, Puerto Rico. By booking through a Disney travel agent, we were able to take a six-night cruise for the same price as some of the four- and five-night cruisetours also available at the time of booking.
Take advantage of the onboard booking option
The sooner you book, the better. Generally, a year in advance is a good guideline, as holiday cruises can sell out quickly. Not only will the prices be lower, but there are more options to choose from when you book your stateroom (cabin). That gives you a better shot at getting an interior stateroom, which is generally more affordable than booking a room with an ocean view.
If you’re good at planning ahead, you may want to take advantage of onboard booking options and reserve a spot on a future cruise. You can save up to 10% on your next sailing by paying a USD$250 deposit, suggests Goldberg. You have two years from the time of booking to redeem, and if you ultimately don’t end up booking, your deposit is automatically refunded, she says.
The best time of the year to go on a Disney cruise
Disney’s Christmas and Halloween cruises are typically the most expensive of what’s offered. If you’re looking for the best value and willing to forego a holiday cruise, Goldberg says the end of summer, early fall, first weeks of January, and first week of February are generally cheaper.
If you’re sailing out of one of the Florida ports, booking for mid-August to mid-October comes with the risk of travelling during peak hurricane season. However, those sailings tend to be cheaper. If you decide to take that risk, consider getting travel insurance, in case Mother Nature isn’t on your side.
Save on foreign exchange fees
Disney vacations are charged in U.S. dollars, making them costlier for Canadians, after factoring in the exchange rate. When using a Canadian credit card, you may also have to pay foreign transaction (forex) fees—which typically cost an extra 2.5% of the purchase price—unless you have a no foreign transaction fee credit card.
If getting a new credit card isn’t an option for you, Goldberg suggests to purchase Disney gift cards to save on forex fees. Gift cards are available at major retail stores, such as Costco, Walmart, Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart (or Pharmaprix, if you live in Quebec). And you can use those GCs to book your trip and make purchases on the ship. By buying gift cards in Canadian dollars, you’ll still have to pay the U.S. exchange rate, but you’ll save on forex fees.
Choi agrees with this strategy. He says getting the gift cards from a grocery store also allows you to earn some loyalty points. The American Express Cobalt, for example, gives you five Amex Membership Rewards (MR) points per $1 spent at grocery stores.
Sandy Yong
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