Conference koolit::disney

    I am taking my family down in April, on this plan.  I have done
    alot of research and been to WDW about 8 times and this trip looks
    to be very special.  I have not heard one complaint from anyone
    who has taken the Cruise.  I'm glad to hear you had a great time.
    

    re.41.1
    
    I think it was a fantastic plan, on the cruise you are treated like
    royalty, I never seen such fantastic service in my life...you will
    be amazed and truly pleased.
    
    p.s. Bring your appatite.....forget about the diet, the food is
    incredible  (-:   
    
    Bon Voyage!
    
    Lynne S.

    Well first off HELLO everyone! now on with the note....
    
    In Oct of 1986 my child bride and myself had the pleasure of going
    on the Premier Cruise from port canaveral. It was a very "hectic"
    trip (not because of the cruise but rather the freaking airlines!)
    Once we finally got on the cruise we had a fantastic trip! We met
    another couple on thier h-moon also and we partied with them etc.
    As far as the Las vegas type show in Naussa I.M.H.O. it was nice
    but nothing like a real Vegas or Atlantic City show, don't get me
    wrong it was a fun night out. Before the show you can play in the
    casino and that was really fun! My favorite place the cruise went
    to was the private island that Premier owns, this was heaven on
    earth. I mean this place was like no other I had ever been on earth
    before!! We had a blast snorkeling and eating out doors. But the
    best part was cuddleing up on a swing made for two, hanging from
    palm trees 20 or so feet from the ocean!! Best nap I ever took!!
    Let me not forget the best part of this trip...sitting in the jacuzzi
    in the back of the boat drinking Bahama Mama's!!
    Then came Walt Disney World! (who could ask for anything else!)
    the couple we had met were staying at a hotel very close to ours.
    So we went together (they had never been before) we only went two
    days because we saw it all in two days! (crowds were extremly low!)
    The longest we had to wait in two days was 5 minutes! The trip cost
    approx 1,500 for 2 that included a 86 toyota camry, hotel, cruise
    and airfare. I would strongly recomend this trip to anyone thinking
    of taking a cruise, it's not top of the line but for the money you
    can't beat it!  Tim
    another couple on th

    
    I have a question for those of you who have taken this cruise.
    It sounds great and reasonably priced, however do the prices quoted
    in this note reflect the airfare to/from FLA?
    
    Vin

    As I said in my reply Airfare was included in the package deal.
    This makes it really worth going on.....Go ahead Go and enjoy!!!

    F.Y.I. Heard this advertised this morning on WBZ (boston station)
    radio for starting @ $595.00 per person....

    It all depends on the deal that you get.  We checked into the
    cruise/DWD combo back in November/December and if we wanted the
    deal that was offered by Premier Cruise (offered free hotel in WDW
    if booked 6 months in advance), the price did not include airfair.
    However, if you took the one that was offered by the travel agent
    (Crimson Travel), I believe that it did include the airfair.
    (But after comparing the prices of the two packages to determine
    how much it would cost for our family of 4, we opted just for Disney
    World for 1 week...we save almost $1K by not going on the cruise.)
    
    Jean

    Hi,
    
    My hubby and I are planning to go again a year from October of '89,
    because we had such a wonderful time.  There is a new star ship
    called the Majestic which takes you to four Abacos Out Islands,
    it is called the Abacodabra Cruise and sounds like a blast.
    
    Lynne S.

    My family and I just returned from this OUTSTANDING cruise.  I had
    one of the best experiences on a Vacation.  We stayed on the S.S.
    Oceanic, and paid more to stay in a better room.  I'm glad we did.
    Although you do not spend alot of time in the room's it worth the
    extra $ to be comfortable.  The weather was in the high 80's, the
    ocean water was warm, and the trips to Nassua and to Salt Cay were
    done first class.  There is more to do on this cruise than you can
    imange.  The kids have there own activity area's which are supervised
    by Youth Directors very well.  The food, activities, and company
    onboard the ship were great.  I suggest this family vacation to
    all.  You get the Magic of WDW, and the excitement of a Ocean Cruise,
    not to mention the weather of the Bahama's!  There really is True
    Magic Aboard this Cruise Vacation.

RE:  .9

>    My family and I just returned from this OUTSTANDING cruise.  I had
>    one of the best experiences on a Vacation.  We stayed on the S.S.
>    Oceanic, and paid more to stay in a better room.  I'm glad we did.
              ...
>    There really is True Magic Aboard this Cruise Vacation.


Glad to hear you had such a wonderful time on the S.S. Oceanic.  This is
off-track, but you reminded me of DECworld '87.  Having to work DECworld
for 3+ weeks, I was eventually moved onto the Oceanic.  Immediately after
DECworld, my husband and I took a much needed after-DECworld vacation.  
Imagine my surprise when we eventually got to WDW only to find within Epcot
a model of the Oceanic on display (don't remember where).  At that time, it
just brought back chills.....  It was not what I wanted to see after having
to stay on it for two weeks for business.  I wouldn't mind going on a cruise
on it now, though, under vacation conditions....  8^)

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

    My husband and I are considering taking our 8 (then 9) year old
    on this trip next Feb-May timeframe.  It all sounds great.  My question
    is this.  Does only having 4 days - assuming you only take the
    3 day cruise - allow you enough time to tour Disney World, itself?
     And, of this 7 day trip, how much of the first and last days are
    usable?  Are they mostly spent traveling or preparing to?  I guess
    I am concerned that 3 or 4 days would not be enough time to see
    WDW, itself.  Originally, My husband and I were planning for just
    the 2 of us to take our first cruise, and it quickly changed over
    to a family vacation.  I was hoping to be able to make deffinate
    plans in the next month or two, so as to take advantage of getting
    a hotel on site for reserving 6 months in advance.  I was planning
    on using American Express Personal Travel through Digital.  DOes
    anyone have any experience with them.  Will I be able to do as well
    using this agency or should I try outside.
    
    thanks
     

    Four days seems to be the minimum to really *DO* Walt Disney World,
    depending on the season of course.  If you can avoid school vacation
    weeks, February - May is not too bad.  (Don't forget that schools in
    different states are off at different times, and college spring break
    falls somewhere in there too.)  Perhaps you can upgrade your package
    by adding extra nights at WDW.
    
    You can book the Premier Cruise Lines package directly through the
    Magic Kingdom Club Travel Center.  Call (800) 334-4017.  MKC members
    get a 10% discount on this package.  (See note 2 for MKC details.)
    I expect you have to book through them to get the discount. 

    I just returned from taking the 4 day cruise, but can help you with
    the 3 day. The ship leaves at 4 p.m. on Friday and returns at 9
    a.m. on Monday morning.  The ship will clear customs and you should
    be off the ship by 10:30 a.m.  WDW is a 45 minute easy drive and
    since the check in times are not until 3 p.m. you will have time
    to drop off your bags and hit the streets of the Magic Kingdom!
    I do not think there is ever enough time to see everyting in WDW,
    but 4 days will do it justice.  I would suggest that if you can
    do WDW first and then the cruise I think it would be a bit more
    relaxing.  This is what my family did, and made both experiences
    wonderful.  There really is magic aboard the Cruise!

    When we took the cruise/Disney package in Nov, 1987, the 10% discount
    through the MKC was only on the 3 night cruise/4 night Disney
    combination.  We thought that the majority of the money spent on the
    package went toward the cruise, so we took the 4 night cruise/3 day
    disney package with on-site hotel.  So we would have 3 full days at
    Disney, we added on another night to our Disney stay.  This was hard to
    coordinate because the on-site hotel was not known until about a month
    before we sailed.
    
    After we booked the package, we made a reservation and held it with a
    credit card at the Sheraton Lakeside (no cash involved).  We figured
    that we would just stay there the one evening and go to EPCOT the next
    day and check into our on-site hotel the next evening.  When we
    received the on-site hotel, we called the MKC and were able to book the
    extra night at the same hotel, with the standard answer that they could
    not guarantee that we would receive the same room for both the extra
    night and the cruise reservation.  As it worked out, we had the same
    room, even had adjoining rooms with my in-laws, for the 4 nights. Our
    travel agent, AAA in Nashua, N.H., was unable to make these extra
    arrangements for us, so we did all of the work required, including
    extending the car rentals the additional day.  This may have changed
    because when we went Premier was just starting to offer on-site hotels.
    
    We thought doing Disney first was advantageous, just from the point of
    view that we were rested to start our vacation and really wanted to see
    all we could at Disney.  We are not late night people, but I'll admit
    on the cruise we took in the evening shows, went to 3 of the midnight
    buffets, and were up for the early breakfast seating.  Needless to say,
    by the end of the cruise we needed a few days to recover. Also, after
    docking we had some time to visit the space center before our late
    afternoon flight.
    
    Our kids were 10 and 8 then.  On the first day, we left them with the
    childrens counselor for a few hours, but they really didn't like it. 
    The activities were more of a babysitting variety.  The older kids had
    some organized activities.  Oops forgot to mention we were on the
    ROYALE.
    
    anything else I can answer for you, just ask.
    
    peter

    This is a reply to an earlier note in reference to children and
    what age to bring them. In May of 89 I brought my daughter to WDW
    who was not even 2 yet. She still remembers getting a kiss from
    Goofy , riding Dumbo, and the character breakfast at FW. So I would
    say it dosen't matter. I'm planning a trip for next year and for
    everyone who says wait until she's older we can go then also.
                                                Toby

    Toby,
    
    I guess it depends on the child and what you want to get out of your
    visit.
    
    I thought about going down when the kids were 5 and 7 but didn't think
    that they'd appreciate EPCOT.
    
    I think those ages are great for TMK. Also, the fatigue factor must be
    considered. How many young children will be patient enough to wait in
    line for 45 to 90 minutes?
    
    Again, it depends upon the child and the attitude going in. I don't
    think anyone can tell anyone when the best age is to take their child.
    They must decide that for themselves.
    
    It may not matter for those who frequent WDW every few years or so. For
    others who may not visit that frequently, a tougher decision has to be
    made.
    
    Mike_who_leaves_in_109_days_16_hours_and_54_minutes
    

    I'm looking into this vacation for April of 1991.  It looks great, and
    the price sure is right, but what I'm wondering is if a group of four,
    twenty-two year old girls are going to enjoy this?  Basically, is it 
    kiddie-oriented?
    
    I've read all the previous replies here, but the trip reports are from 
    a while back.  Anyone taken this trip recently that could give me a 
    little insight?  Also, which is better:  The Nassau cruise or the Abacos
    Islands cruise?
    
    The hotel that goes along with the cabin category we would book is the
    Caribbean Beach Resort.  I read all the replies in that note and it
    sounds like a great place.  
    
    I usually play vacation coordinator, and pick the vacation, but they're
    a little unsure about this one (Carnival Jubliee April of '89 and
    Cancun in March of '90 were fine with them).  I guess what I'd like is
    info that'll really get everyone excited about it.  I don't need any
    convincing:  All you have to do is mention Disney and I'm game!
    
    Thanks Very Much,
    Stephanie                                         

    
    	We booked an April 91 vaca through a travel agent using the Premier
    package. We got our confirmation for the trip with a major SURPRISE.
    They (Premier) hit  us with a surcharge of $100 per night for the three
    extra nights we booked at Disney World.
    
    	(When you book the cruise/Disney stay you can book extra night at
    	 Disney if you want. We booked the extra's at Fort Wilderness to
    	 extend our vacation a few days. The flyers etc give the rates for
         these.)
    
    	Nowhere in the flyers, Cruise book, etc. does it mention a
    difference in price based on time of year other than for the Cruise
    pacakge itself. They said that because it is spring vacation time there
    is a surcharge of $100 per night.
    
    	Has anyone using Premier ever encountered this?
    
    	Looking for info...
    
    	Steve

>>       <<< Note 41.18 by WMOIS::GREENO "The yawn of anticipation" >>>
>>                              -< Surcharge? >-
>>
>>  	We booked an April 91 vaca through a travel agent using the Premier
>>  package. We got our confirmation for the trip with a major SURPRISE.
>>  They (Premier) hit  us with a surcharge of $100 per night for the three
>>  extra nights we booked at Disney World.
>>  
>>  	Nowhere in the flyers, Cruise book, etc. does it mention a
>>  difference in price based on time of year other than for the Cruise
>>  pacakge itself. They said that because it is spring vacation time there
>>  is a surcharge of $100 per night.

    
    On page 43 of the 1991 Premier Cruise And Disney Week brochure right
    here in front of me way down on the bottom in the fine print below the
    Extra Hotel Nights price list it says:
    
    	'A $50 surcharge per person, double occupancy applies for Vacation
         Kingdom resorts for the following voyage dates:  Feb.7-11, Feb.21-
    	 Mar.22, Apr.4-29, June 6-10, Dec.19-20, 1991.  Feb.6-10, Feb.20- 
         Apr.10, Apr.23-24, June 4-12, 1992.'
    
    
    Vinzenz
    

    Does anybody know what the opening hours of ``Premier's Cruise and Walt
    Disney World Week Reservations'' is?  I'm trying to book a cruise, but
    can't get a hold of them.
    
    The number I'm trying to reach is (407) 828-3329.  Since I'm calling
    from Germany I can't use their toll free number (800) 334-4017.  Those
    numbers only work inside the States.
    
    The (407) number was given to me by Claude Berube (thanks, Claude).  I
    have dialed that number at various times of the day during the last
    seven days and never received an answer.  I also called the main WDW
    number (407) 824-2222.  I verified with the person who answered that
    the (407) number I had was the correct one for Premier Reservations,
    but she didn't know why they didn't answer.
    
    Anybody around who's able to help?
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Vinzenz
    Munich, Germany
    
    

	Hi, funny you should ask that quaetion. We booked hotel reservations
	ad CBR for 3/26/92-4/5/92.... Yesterdat in the mail we received the
	latest :

		Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Guide and
		1191 Walt Disney World Resort Vacation Handbook


	In there the tool free number for the Premier Cruise Lines/
		Disney Week is  1-800-888-6759

	In the Handbook, for the Premier Cruises it says contact
	the Walt Disney Travel Company at (407)-828-3255

		Hope this Helps,

			Annie

	Sorry, when I reread that after I sent the previous message, I
	didn't realize how many typos there were... Must be something
	wrong with the Keyboard! :^)

			-Annie

    Vinzenz, have you tried 407 784 6110. It's definitely a Premier 
    Cruise number, I don't know whether they handle reservations, but 
    they should be able to point you in the right direction.
    
    Other than that, let the phone ring for a while. They don't have a 
    large staff, and the non-toll free phone is probably a dusty 
    little set tucked away in the corner. (You are allowing for the 
    time difference, aren't you! 8-)8-)
    
    Mike.

    Re: .21, .22, .23
    
    Thanks for your replies.
    
    After having talked to a zillion different numbers at WDW I finally got
    to talk to Sarah at (407) 828-8101, who was glad to take our booking
    for the Premier Cruise and Walt Disney World Week.  Well, actually my
    wife did the talking, since she's the native speaker.
    
    Now we're booked for the 4-night Abacodabra cruise, departing from Port
    Canaveral on Sep 1st, 1991.  Before the cruise we'll spend three nights
    at the CBR.  And before that we'll spend some more nights in the
    Orlando area off of Disney property.
    
    Now I have a few more questions, which somebody who's taken a Premier
    cruise before, should be able to answer.  I understand that the package
    includes a free ticket to the Kennedy Space Center, as well as tickets
    to Walt Disney World.  With three nights at the CBR, what type of WDW
    tickets comes with the package?  Is it a three-days/all-parks
    admission?  And is it good only on the days staying at CBR or can it be
    used on days outside the Premier_Cruise_and_Disney_Week time frame as
    well?  Same question applies to the Kennedy- Space Center admission.
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Vinzenz  (who hasn't figured out the number of days to count down, yet)
                                             

    This reply is to the noter that wanted to know if this Cruise was
    "kiddie orientated"...I would definatly say no. It is a blast for any
    age and when we went on our honeymoon, there was a variety of all ages,
    I would say about 50 honeymoon couples were at the party given for all
    honeymooners on board. As far as a singles cruise.....nope, better try
    a cruiseline that deals with singles.
    
    Lynne :-)

    
        I heard on CNN yesterday that there was a fire onboard the 
      Majestic, which is one of Premier's ships.  They said the fire
      started in an auxiliary engine room and that the passengers were
      sent to a life boat stations but, the fire was put out by the crew
      without having to evacuate the passengers.  The ship is being towed
      back to Port Canaveral.  I feel sorry for the passengers.  Can you
      imagine having something like this happen to spoil your summer
      vacation, atleast noone was hurt.
    
    
                                  -Rob
    
    

Has anyone ever done the combination WWW/bahamas cruise?  Notice several 
packages exist.  Which is best?  

    Sorry to inject a somber tone into this fun-filled note, but I and 
    the other family who travelled with us are at loggerheads with 
    Premier, and could use some information to help us out.
    
    Our two families were on the Majestic back in June, when it had 
    the fire in the engine room.
    
    Although Premier reps came on board as soon as it docked, handing 
    out compensation checks, in our case they only represented about 
    2/3 of the total cost of the cruise, whereas other passengers 
    seemed to get full refunds.
    
    We sent in additional claims through our travel agent, covering 
    expenses incurred, and compensation for 'distress, trauma and 
    whatever' plus loss of vacation time.
    
    Nothing has materialised as yet, despite eventually talking 
    directly to our 'personal claims assessor' at Premier. We've had 
    the full spectrum of 'not received, misfiled, mislaid, on holiday, 
    on maternity leave' type excuses, but still no decision one way or 
    the other.
    
    Being isolated in the UK, can anybody supply any information that 
    might be of use to us. Examples :--
    
    What was the outcome of the investigation? Was the cause of the 
    fire found, and who was felt to be to blame?
    
    What levels of compensation have been paid so far?
    
    Any other passengers from that cruise that I can get in touch 
    with?
    
    Any stories in the Orlando Sentinel?
    
    Any other info that might help.
    
    The reason we want to push it is because we recently met another 
    Brit who did the cruise in August, and when he was asking about 
    the fire, one of the Cruise Directors told him that everyone had 
    had a full refund, plus a generous compensation payment. If it's 
    true, we're missing out. If it's a false statement that Premier 
    are putting around, then it needs stamping on.
    
    Thanks for any help.
    
    Mike B.

We are planning on going to WDW and on the Disney Cruise aboard the
Big Red Boat.  Have any of you noters ever taken the cruise, if so
would you share info on your experience?

Thanks,

Bob

    If you look in Note 237, starting at .22, you will find some of my 
    trip report relating to our cruise in '91. I'm not sure it's what 
    you really want to read, though.
    
    With hindsight, my personal opinion is that Premier is not the 
    best cruise line to go for. If you are interested in getting the 
    best cruise for your money, then RCCL wins hands down.
    Premier boats are all quite old and small (Rumour only..all three 
    of them had a fire of some sort during the 90-91 period.), and 
    don't offer the vast range of activities that bigger lines do.
    
    If they hadn't struck a deal to get the Disney/Cruise package, I 
    don't think they'd get much custom, and the Disney Magic was not 
    that evident during our trip. I think we saw characters for about 
    5 mins at each of the evening meals, and that was it!
    
    However, if you can do the package cheaper than booking the 
    individual parts, then go for it. We did enjoy the cruise for what 
    it was, and the Abocos Islands were delightfully unspoilt.
    
    You could also look in the Cruise Conference for more info.
    
    Mike B.

We took the Premier Cruise to the Abacas 4/2/92- 4/5/92

It wasn't quite what I expected; then again I am not sure what I
really expected. Anyhow; here's the details.....

4/2/92

    We checked out of Dixie Landings and caught Mears back to the Airport.
We arrived back about 11:45. Headed down to the Premier Bus. They were already
booked till the 1pm bus. So we hung around. A couple of people didn't return
in time to catch the 12:00noon bus so we got on; our luggase would come on the
next bus.

    We arrive at Port Canaveral just about 1pm. Walk in; immediately get our
cabin/cruise info and were allowed to board. The majority of the people
boarding were not US Citizens.... We got on and found our cabin. Small
but ok. We had plenty of time to tour the ship; before it sailed.

No mistaking this ship is SMALL!!!!! It is about 1/3 the size of most
of the ships cruising the Caribbean and holds almost the same number
of people. One ship we were interested in from NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines)
is a 41,000 ton ship and holds 1250 passengers double occupancy. The
Majestic is a 17,000 tons ship and had over 1000 passengers on it.
There is no such thing as walking on one level (on deck) from the bow to
the stern. There was a small deck at the bow; you had to cross under the
cabaret to get to this one; the pool had some tables around it and
then there was a deck below the pool area with some more chairs on it.

We have the early seating for dinner; thats ok; we asked for non-smoking;
had to wait till 3pm to see the Maitre'd to see how close to smoking it was
so we could change it.... Turns out the entire first seating except one
table had requested non-smoking! Shouldn't have been so excited.

They had a buffet set up in the cafe on the upper decks. Very little
seating; but had 1/2 the outside tables marked non-smoking; and half
the inside (6, total of 12) tables marked non-smoking. We ate lunch
here; then toured the ship. One tiny pool; there is one movie theatre;
one cabaret and one club, and the casino. Thats it for "public areas"
except for the deck areas. The pool was empty and remained that way
most of the time; maybe due to rought weather?

We signed up for snorkeling.... Time to set sail. We had the lifeboat
drill; then had to go to dinner; so by the time we were done eating
it was dark and there were no lights visible. We went to the orientation
after dinner. Sorry; the cruise director sounded like a used car salesman.
and I think that they must think that everyone is deaf! Everything in the
Club Universe was "max" sound....

The club Universe was sort of divided down the middle smoking/non-smoking
but there really wasn't much ventilation; so it really didn't matter.
They really encouraged the casino and bingo and things like that.

We went out on deck for awhile then I headed for the cabin while Stan
went and saw the movie. 

The ship placed ashtrays everywhere; including in the cabin isles. NO
VENTILATION, and people walked up and down them smoking cigars, pipes,
cigarettes... NO consideration for anyone else on the ship. Walk out
of your cabin and be prepared to inhale cigar smoke :^(. I think they could
have at least restricted the smoking in the cabin isles...

Oh yes; due to weather; there was a possibility that we might end up
going to Nassau instead of th Abacas. It appeared that the weather would
clear up so we went to the Abacas.

4/3 I'm up early; about 5am; wanting to catch the sunrise. It's raining;
and I think I shocked some of the crew; they apparently are not used to
early risers on this cruise. The ship was late dropping anchor; as
they had to wait for the visibilty to improve. We went to breakfast;

The captain said it doesn't look like the weather is going to change much.
So we have the following choices:

    1. Stay on ship - hide in your cabin
                    - sit in the Club Universe or Cabaret and inhale smoke
                    - or watch the day time kids movies being played in the
                      theatre.
                      
    2. Get off the ship and go to the Great Guana Cay (island) where Premiers
        private beach is; and huddle under the seting area with a ton
        of people
        
    3. Tour the islands in the rain.
    
So we packed up our ponchos (the only ones on the tour that did) and
set out for Green Turtle Cay. A small island; the tender was late;
because the ship was late; and we had 1 hr and 15 min. on the island.
Not enough time to explore and it was raining. Went back to the ship
had lunch; then took another tender to Man-o-war Cay. Again it was
rainy; the island was small; and 1 1/2 hrs is not enough time to
really explore it.... Back to the ship got ready for dinner and then
I went to the cabin and Stan went and watched the movie. The Bucanneer
Bash from teh island was held on the ship... WAy too noisy... Sound
outside travels and is absorbed or dissapates; in the club lounge
it just bounced off the walls; to the point where it made the ears
hurt.

After dinner dessert they brought us out a cake for our Anniversary.
We would have skipped dessert had we known. Also everyone else at the
table probably would have.

4/4 I'm up early again; the weather still hasn't cleared; sigh; but we
are heading to Great Guana Cay; hopefully the weather will improve. We
are supposed to try snorkeling.... We got the first tender over; it
is clearing up. We get snorkeling gear and head for the other end of the
island. The cuyrrent is strong and we give it a try for awhile and then
give up:

    WARNING: They only have so many snorkeling sets; they will sell
    pkgs till they max out the snorkeling sets. They promise that they
    have snorkeling gear for everone who signs up... Welll yes they have
    snorkeling gear; if you don't pick your's up early in the day; you
    will get whats left. As I was turning ours in some people were just
    getting theirs; and they didn't have the correct size; but they had
    snorkeling gear.. .and were told to head out to the snorkeling area
    and wait for someone leaving that has the size they needed..
    
    They had an excellent barbeque Buffet lunch on the island. We
    saw dolphins; rays; etc... This was fun
    
  we had to return to the ship by 4:30; and it set sail. We skipped the
  captains cocktail party and dinner and choose to watch the ship
  sail out of the abacas and to watch the sun set. We had the whole front
  deck to ourselves.
  
4/5 Up had breakfast and then waited to disembark after the ship docked.
  Couldn't have been more glad to get back to the airport.
  
  
  
Overall:

    The ship is extremely small and old, and they cram alot of people on it.
    
    The rainy weather didn't help
    
    The smoke everywhere didn't help - then again if it hadn't been rainy
    everyone wouldn't have been couped up on the ship; and MAYBE there
    wouldn't have been so much smoke.
    
    The line up to buy snorkeling pkgs here at this time; line up to get
    tender tickets at this time; line up to catch your tender at this time;
    line up to get back on the tender at this time; catch a tender only on the
    hour to Great Guana Cay; catch a tender only on the 1/2 hour back to the
    ship; Was a pain; very rigid. I think if some one was going to WDW and
    the cruise; they should do the cruise first; then enjoy WDW on their own
    time and at their own pace. 
    
    The pool on the ship only had water in it on 4/4 and it was already empty
    by 4pm.
    
    The food was ok; but after eating at all the places in WDW for the past
    week it was not spectacular
    
    The times for tenders were very limited. I would have much prefered
    a nice early morning walk on the island before it got busy; or an
    early evening walk on the beach after most crowds had returned to the
    ship.

    They definitely push the BOOZE.  In describing the Islands this one
    has BOOZE; that one is a dry island etc. Even in the gift shop on the
    shop the attendant looked at us weird because we only bought
    T-shirts and didn't want booze.
    
    They pushed gambling; in particular bingo - where bingo cards were
    $10.00 each "waiting for ok to disembark"... They sure got alot more
    money then winning a cruise cost.
    
    
  The kids had a great time! We particularly enjoyed watching them on
  the beach, as pirates off searching for treasure: Swords UP "ARRRRRRGH"
  Swords DOWN "Yo Ho Yo HO a pirates life for me" and marching off to
  find treasure "We want treasure" "We want treasure"    
    
  I do have the schedules for all the days; the ships layout; details
  about the ships size; and info about the abacos as well as the
  walking tour maps (they survived getting a little soggy). And their
  programs etc. If anyone is considering this cruise I will be willing
  to lend it/discuss it with you...
  
  Being our first cruise; we learned alot of things to ask about before
  booking on another cruise.  


  Would we go on another cruise, a real cruise ship - Definitely YES!
  
  Would we go on Premiers cruise ship again - Absolutely NOT!
  
  
            - Annie
            

    Hi All,
    
    Well originally we were thinking of just going on the cruise alone but
    do to the difficulty of arranging babysitting we were considering
    taking our 4 and 7 year old daughters with us for the combo cruise and
    Disney package.  Do they really entertain them as well as they say they
    do?  
    
    In looking over the last trip report for the Premier Disney Cruise and
    seeing how unimpressed they were I figured I would try and get some
    other opinions also.  This would also be our first cruise.
    
    Thanks,
    Joe
    

    Although I have a bias against Premier following the fire and the 
    364 day battle to get compensation, I've tried to be as impartial 
    as possible!
    
    Negative. The "Big?" Red Boats tend to be smaller than other 
    Cruise Lines such as RCCL. Not a problem if the weather is decent 
    and you can get out on deck or onto the islands, but if the 
    weather is bad and everyone is trying to stay inside then I would 
    imagine that you would soon wish that everyone (including you) had 
    left the kids at home!
    	    The Disney element is not very obvious. Mickey and Minnie, 
    Goofy and Chip and Dale made appearences at meal times, but didn't 
    appear at any other times. They certainly didn't appear at any of 
    kid's activities that we saw.
    
    Positive. There were loads of activity sessions for kids. Our 
    daughter (8 at the time) joined in games, treasure hunts, general 
    exploring and made a couple of friends. She also thoroughly 
    enjoyed the mini water activity - collecting shells and specimens, 
    hand feeding dolphins etc, but that was an extra payment. She was 
    old enough for us to take her along to the evening events like the 
    Captain's Dinner and BBQ's on the islands, and she enjoyed them 
    probably more than we did. They tried to make each evening meal a 
    themed event, and all the dining room staff joined in some 
    relevant entertainment, which made the meals interesting. The 
    staff allocated to each table tried very hard to keep kids happy 
    (blob of ice cream on the nose, tiny portion of dessert with a 
    large portion hidden behind their backs - that sort of stuff).
    
    	    It was our first cruise too, so what do we know? But 
    talking to people afterwards, it looks like you would get better 
    value generally from other cruise lines, and the only selling 
    point is the fairly minimal connection with Disney. If you are 
    doing WDW afterwards, then it might be a thrill for the kids 
    seeing characters close up, but if you've done it first, then the 
    character's appearences are (relatively) pretty thin on the 
    ground.
    
    Personally I'd vote no to the cruise, and spend more time in WDW 
    (and thats after around 60 Disney Days over the past 3 years!).
    
    Mike B.

    I think last week's Sunday Nashua Telegraph had a review of a Disney
    cruise in the Travel section.  
    
    Geroge

    Thanks for the replies!  I guess my trepidation about taking one of the
    other cruise lines to their is whether they would be geared as much
    towards the kids.  I felt that since Premier would have a predominance
    of kids they would have more activities revolving around them then
    other cruise lines?  Of course seen as how we have never cruised before
    this is just an assumption..
    
    Joe
    

    If anyone has a copy of that review that was mentioned in the previous
    reply would it be possible for you to send it to me.  Since I am in New
    Jersey I would have difficulty getting a copy of that!
    
    To send it hardcopy it would go to Joseph McFadden at LYF, or you could
    fax it or whatever..
    
    Not that I am anxious of course....
    
    Thanks,
    Joe
    

    I can give you my impression of Premier after taking their three day 
    cruise a couple of years ago.  They do have an good childrens program
    but I think it basically stops there.  they do not have the food or
    service to compare with the two big lines RCCL and Carnival.  The real
    positive about Premier is that it is easy to book the cruise/Disney.
    The other lines don't have anything quite so easy. I would check into 
    RCCL, if you want a great cruise experience.  You can send me mail 
    with an specific questions.
    
                                       -Rob
    
    

I just got back from a combination WDW/Cruise vacation. (Trip report coming
this weekend.) 

We went on RCCL's Sovereign of the Seas.  For a classy service-oriented cruise,
go with RCCL or NCL, skip Premiere and Carnival... if you can shop for dates
and discounts you can find very good deals. 

Last week there were only 8 children on the cruise ship, but there is an
all-day kids program that looked great. All the kids were having a blast.  One
time I spotted them on a hunt for crewpersons to tickle and then get their 
autographs.

Bill

Well,


We did it.

We decided this year not to get carried away with the traditional mounds of toys approach
to the holidays and instead paid for the four of us (wife, and two daughters 16&9)
to do the Big red Boat Cruise and Disney Tour during the week of Feb 1.

Any recent encounters, tips, warnings, comments etc,etc, will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance,

g

    
    
    
        We did the "Big Red Boat" back in Oct. of 89. We (My  Wife, 2 sons,
    who were 4 and 1 at the time, and me) did the 4 days on the ship and 3
    days in WDW. It was a lot of fun and there was plenty to do for my
    oldest son on the ship. 
    
        I guess the only negative that I could come up with would be the
    gratuities for the services on the ship. The guy who cleaned the cabin
    was well worth the money, our waiter was very good as well, but I was
    a little "irked" at the recommended amount for the head waiter. This
    guy did nothing but dress up in silly customers and walk around, while 
    bus boys and waiters "busted their butts".
    
        I know that's really "picking nits", but we had a great time and
    that's the only thing that I could think of on the down side. In fact
    we've talked about doing it again once the baby (we've got an eight
    month old little girl now, along with the boys) gets a little older.
    
        Hope you have as much fun as we did. If you'd like give me a call
    and I'd be happy to answer any questions.
    
    
         
                                               have a ball, Phil...

    Just thought I would pass this on if people had not heard.
    
    Premier Cruise Line's designation as Official Cruise Line of
    Disney World will expire on March 31, 1994. My understanding is
    Premier cruise line will still offer cruise packages that offer
    WDW stays. Probably the only real affect is you will not see the
    Disney characters during the cruise, they were not there much anyway
    as stated before. I included the note from the cruise notes
    file below. The date was also announced in Ocean and Cruise News.
    
    It is probably certain that another line will negotiate to be
    the official cruise line. Like DELTA is the official airline,
    remember when Eastern was. I would guess RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise
    Line) or Carnival. Carnival already services the 3/4 day cruise
    market from Port Canaveral with it's ship FANTASY, which probably
    holds more passengers than the whole Premier fleet and is also modern.
    Both RCCL and Carnival operate large nearly new ships on the 3/4 day
    cruise market out of Miami also.
    
    I've been to WDW a number of times, I went on the Premier Disney
    cruise with our 3 year old daughter in 88, and have been on 7
    other cruises all 7 nights each.
    
    My recommendation is for families to just stay at WDW or area for the
    full time. If you do a cruise then do a full week cruise some other
    time. When we took the Disney cruise we had 3 nights at Orlando, then 4
    night cruise then added on 2 more nights at Orlando. All of the
    traveling back and forth was a pain and took a way from the trip.
    
    					Harold C.
    
    ...................part of note from Cruise notes file.....................
    			    KOALA::CRUISE_TRAVEL
    
    
As of April 1st, 
Premier will no longer be the "official" cruise line for Disney.  
However, they will still offer vacation packages which include Disney.

Instead of Disney characters being on board, they will have Looney
Tune characters on board - Tweety Bird, Road Runner, Daffy Duck, Bugs
Bunny, etc.  Unlike Disney characters, the Looney Tune characters will
be employees of Premier Cruise Lines.  This means that the characters
will be visible throughout the cruise.  Disney characters belonged to
Disney and because of a union contract, the time spent in their costumes
were limited - so apparently, they were not always around to entertain.

Premier feels that without the "official" title, they can offer more 
for family vacationers.  They are no longer limited to Disney.  Starting
in 1994, Premier will also offer Universal Studios and Sea World as part
of their cruise package.

    This is an unofficial update on Disney's cruise connections.
    
    In the Feb. 94 Ocean and Cruise News the following article appeared.
    Taken without permission.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    ORLANDO - Word continues to circulate within the cruise industry that the
    Walt Disney Company will shortly announce plans to build two large
    cruise ships. Last year, Disney and Premier Cruise Line failed to reach
    an agreement to renew the contract that designated Premier as the
    "Official Cruise Line" of Walt Disney World. Current speculation is
    that the ships would be in the 2,000 passenger range.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    If this did occur it would interesting to see if someone was
    Designated to be official until the new ships were built, since that
    is no quick process. Premier's designation was to expire 31 March 94.
    NOte 41.41 describe the dropping of Premier.
    
    					Harold C.
    

Here's a little more on the Disney Cruise connection...

Travel News, a Travel Agent Industry Weekly, gave reports on the expiration
of Premier's agreement as noted in the previous two replies, but added
that negotations with Carnival, Royal Caribbean and one other cruise line
were held and all three walked away from Disney.  Sources said that Disney
wanted way too much money, in addition to the concerns over restrictions
on the use of Disney characters and their likenesses.  

I'd say that Disney now realizes that cruises is a big thing and wants to
own a piece of the action instead of just participate.

Bill A.

    The rumors about Disney entering the Cruise business continue, they
    were heightened recently when one of the former founders and executive
    of Premier Cruise Line was hired by Disney.
    
    From Ocean and Cruise News Mar 94.
    
    The Cruise business is very very competitive now, I think Disney
    will be in for a rude awakening if they think that their name is
    going to allow them to charge big bucks in this market. At 
    $200-$300 million dollars each for the size ships they are talking
    about, this could be another Euro Disney on the Seas.
    
    					Harold
    
    

   DISNEY TO CREATE NEW CRUISE LINE, HIRES RODNEY AS PRESIDENT 


  BURBANK, Calif., May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS)
announced today it will enter the cruise vacation business and has
appointed veteran cruise executive Arthur Rodney as president of the
Disney cruise venture.
  Rodney will oversee all Disney cruise development and operations,
including the design and construction of Disney's first ship.  The ship
could be launched as early as 1998, with a second to follow soon
thereafter.
  "Operating our own cruise line will allow us to bring a new dimension of
entertainment to our guests," said Disney Chairman Michael Eisner.  "We
are creating a distinctive Disney product, with recognized Disney quality
and service, in this popular and growing vacation segment.  We are also
delighted to welcome Art Rodney to the Disney team."
  Disney cruises will be offered as part of a unique one-week Disney
vacation experience.  The vacation will offer three or four days at sea --
with the balance of the week at Walt Disney World Resort, Fla. Special
transportation between Walt Disney World and the ships will also be part
of this integrated vacation offering.  Disney cruises will be
commissionable to travel agents.
  Shipboard activities featuring Disney characters will be designed by
Disney to serve families as well as offering segmented activities to cater
to all age-groups including adults.  Each ship will offer a variety of
Disney entertainment experiences.  Ports of call will include an exclusive
Disney private island experience for a day-long excursion.
  Disney ships will offer a number of exciting and unique programs and will
be custom-designed to cater to the needs and desires of families. The
ships will be in the "mega ship" category and will hold approximately
2,400 passengers.  Accommodations will include luxury staterooms, family
suites and traditional staterooms.
  With 24 years of experience in cruise line management, Rodney founded,
developed and built Crystal Cruises, where he has served as president
since its inception in 1987.  Before that he was president of Princess
Cruises.
  "Disney's entry into the cruise business accentuates the growing
importance of the industry," said Rodney.  "Disney's special talents will
enable us to offer an unforgettable and wonderful experience for our
guests."

    I wonder if the pools on the ship will look like the Mickey Mouse
    logo....   
    
    
    Barb

   CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES AND WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORTS SIGN AGREEMENT 


  MIAMI, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE: CCL) will
introduce a new Carnival Cruise & Walt Disney World Vacation program
providing seven-day cruise/land packages including stays at any of four
on-site Walt Disney World Resort properties, along with unlimited theme
park admissions, effective with sailings beginning July 3, 1994.
  "Working with Walt Disney World to combine 'Fun Ship' cruises with
on-site hotels, theme park admissions, character breakfasts -- all the
components of a Central Florida vacation that kids love -- gives us added
benefits in the family cruise market," said Bob Dickinson, president of
Carnival Cruise Lines. "But even beyond that, Disney has always
demonstrated universal appeal -- just as 'Fun Ship' cruises do -- so the
combination of the two presents an outstanding vacation choice," he
added.
  "We are pleased to be working with Carnival Cruise Lines and their fleet
of 'Fun Ships' on pre- and post-cruise packages which will incorporate the
Disney resorts and theme park admissions," said Randy Garfield, senior
vice president of sales and travel operations for Walt Disney World Co.
  Accommodations will be offered at Disney's Dixie Landings Resort,
Disney's Wilderness Lodge, the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Disney's
Contemporary Resort.
  The packages include unlimited admissions to the Walt Disney World Magic
Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney-MGM Studios, Pleasure Island and River Country, as
well as a character breakfast and rental car.
  The seven-day program, incorporating three- or four-day cruises aboard
Carnival's SuperLiner Fantasy from nearby Port Canaveral and three- or
four-day land stays, is expected to garner exceptionally strong response. 
For those with less time, five- and six-night packages will also be
offered.  Likewise, similar Carnival Cruise & Walt Disney World Vacations
combining seven-day Tropicale cruises from Tampa with land stays of two to
four nights beginning this fall, should also prove popular.    Carnival
cruises from Miami may also be combined with on-site Walt Disney World
land packages of two to four nights as part of the program.
  The seven-day Fantasy & Walt Disney World Vacations start at $1049 per
person including round-trip air fare.  Super Saver early booking discounts
of up to $400 per cabin will be offered making the price as low as $849
per person.  Additionally, reduced rates for the third, fourth and fifth
persons in a room will also be available.  The Carnival Cruise & Walt
Disney World packages supplement the line's existing Cruise & Orlando
program which will continue to be available offering seven-night packages
 combining a three- or four-day Fantasy cruise with land-stays of three or
four nights in Orlando.  Rental car and admission to area attractions are
also included with these packages.  Two-night on- site Walt Disney World
land packages, available in conjunction with any Carnival departure from
Port Canaveral, Tampa and Miami, start at $305 per person;  three nights
at $410 and four nights at $505.  All prices are based on double occupancy
and vary by property.  Five- and six-night Cruise & Orlando packages will
continue to be available, as well.
  The line will begin taking bookings for the new Carnival Cruise & Walt
Disney World Vacation packages on June 1, 1994.
  For additional information and reservations, contact your local travel
agent.