How to Book a Discounted Stateroom on Disney Cruise Line
Is a Disney Cruise Line vacation calling your name? Would you like to know how to get the best rates for that vacation? If so, I’m here to share some secrets on getting the most bang for your buck for your next Disney Cruise.
While Disney Cruise Line staterooms never go “on sale,” there a few insider tricks to booking your stateroom with a discount. The first way to get the best rate on your Disney Cruise is to book early. Rates are historically among the least expensive right when they are released. Fares for early 2020 were just announced in September for the first part of 2020. So, if you are looking to sail from January 2020 to May 2020, now is the time to put that deposit down!
The second way to save on your Disney Cruise is a bit more complicated but totally worth it for the savings. From time to time Disney releases “guaranteed staterooms” when staterooms are not filled shortly before a cruise’s scheduled departure date. These are also known as “last minute sailing” discounts. They show up on the Disney Cruise Line website with the codes IGT, OGT or VGT. IGT stands for Inside Stateroom Guarantee, Oceanview Stateroom Guarantee, and Verandah Stateroom Guarantee.
So, what does this all mean exactly? Glad you asked! When you book a guaranteed stateroom, Disney Cruise Line is guaranteeing you either an inside, oceanview, or verandah stateroom. The catch is you cannot select your stateroom when you book as it will be assigned to you on embarkation day. If you are one who is particular where your stateroom is located on a ship and what deck you will be on, this probably wouldn’t be a great option to choose.
Another caveat of booking a guaranteed stateroom is that it must be paid in full at the time of booking and it is non-refundable. However, since most of these discounted staterooms are offered close to the sail date, they would have to be paid in full anyway.
Here is a complete list of restrictions when booking a guaranteed stateroom:
When booking this restricted-fare category stateroom,
please note the following:
- New bookings only. Existing reservations cannot be modified to these new categories.
- You are reserving a stateroom within the selected stateroom type: Inside, Oceanview or Verandah. Most Verandah staterooms include a private verandah with a clear plexiglass wall; some may include a solid white wall depending upon location. A limited number of Oceanview and Verandah staterooms may include a partially obstructed view.
- Disney Cruise Line will assign your specific stateroom at a later time, based on remaining availability.
Specific stateroom requests will not be accommodated. - Full payment is required at the time of booking for all Guests and is non-refundable.
- Sail date and stateroom category changes are not permitted.
- The stateroom offer cannot be combined with any other discounted or promotional offer.
- Full legal names of all Guests are required at time of booking and no name changes are allowed.
The last way to save on your Disney Cruise is if you are active or retired military, a Florida resident, or even a Canadian resident. When it gets closer to a sail date, Disney releases around 50 staterooms per sailing that are discounted just for active or retired members of the military and Florida residents. Currently, there is also a discount available on select sailings for Canadian residents.
If you’re determined to lock in one of these fares, consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, like myself, who will be up to speed on what sailings are currently offering these discounts. I am also happy to say that there are a few of these discounts staterooms for this year’s Very Merrytime sailings and other cruises into 2019!
Who’s excited to save on their next Disney Cruise Line vacation? Let us know in the comments below!
For a free, no-obligation quote and a competitive onboard credit when you book, fill out the form below or send an email to Holly@MickeyTravels.com for a FREE, no-obligation quote. As an agent with MickeyTravels (a Platinum Earmarked Agency), I will be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to nabbing those hard-to-get dining and FastPass reservations. I work with all Disney Destinations. Best of all, my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch via email at Holly@MickeyTravels.com or calling 954.401.9577. Also, make sure to CLICK HERE to follow along with my Facebook page for all things Disney and giveaways!
Image Credit: Disney