Disney Wonder Dry Dock Scheduled for Late January 2014

Disney Cruise Line sent out emails this morning announcing the the [Disney_Wonder]’s dry dock by canceling two Miami sailings in late January 2014. While the email states this is due to unplanned maintenance which could be attributed to a small fire on the second to last Alaskan cruise, the reality is that the Disney Wonder will be due for an out of water inspection by September 2014. The Disney Wonder will reposition from Galveston, sail her first two sailings from Miami, and then will be taken out of service for a period of 10 days. As a result, the following sailings aboard the Disney Wonder have been cancelled and are no longer available:

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Wonder – Itinerary C from Miami, FL
Miami, FL • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay

  • January 19, 2014

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Wonder – Itinerary B from Miami, FL
Miami, FL • At Sea • Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea

  • January 24, 2014

In addition to a full refund of the voyage fare, they will also receive a 25% discount on a future Caribbean or Bahamian sailing up to 7-nights in length taken within one year of their original voyage and excluding holiday sail dates.

According to the email from Disney Cruise Line refunds will automatically be returned to the original form of payment. DCL sincerely hopes that another sailing meets guests’ and invites you to contact them at 1-866-325-3905 by September 27, 2013, to explore alternate sail dates and utilize the future cruise discount. Guests on these sailings with independent flight arrangements may submit any flight change fees via e-mail to DCL.Guest.Communications@disneycruise.com for consideration.

DCL Email Wonder Cx Sailings 2014 Dry Dock

Coincidentally, the January 24th sailing was recently part of Disney Cruise Line’s special offers on Miami sailings.

The short 10-day dry dock for the Disney Wonder versus a major reimagination like her sister, the Disney Magic appears to be a direct result of the delay in the completing of the Panama Canal expansion project. If the Disney Wonder would be reimagined like here sister ship, she would not be able to sail to Alaska in 2015. With the Disney Wonder reimagination being pushed this would be a good indication that the Disney Wonder may very well return to Alaska in 2015. It has not been announced where the Disney Wonder will undergo her dry dock, but with her positioning in PortMiami both Freeport, Bahamas, and Norfolk, Virginia are plausible candidates.

33 Replies to “Disney Wonder Dry Dock Scheduled for Late January 2014”

  1. Vanessa

    Very annoyed! This is real proof of The Wonder requiring a dry-dock. And in order to make all of their cruisers happy that DCL has already truly disappointed with changing original travel plans on a re-imaginered Magic, to The Wonder…… I would think that the absolute ‘Least’ DCL could do is re-imagine The Wonder as well. Truly disappointed in DCL

    Reply
  2. MJ

    My husband and I have tried for over 90 minutes to talk to a rep to reschedule. Let alone the 3 hours we’ve exhausted trying to recalculate rental car, air (we already paid for) and hotel. Extremely disappointed and frustrated. I even had to contact a separate place to find out if they will refund our air we paid for (which is “being evaluated”). Even Carnival had the decency to issue full refunds, 25% off, and reimbursement for any nonrefundable travel costs, during a recent cancellation. So disappointed in Disney right now.

    Reply
    1. Jen

      They should at least do change fees which it sounds like they are considering, but full refund of air I think is a bit much. Wouldn’t travel insurance cover nonrefundable expenses that DCL isn’t reimbursing? I believe so. If people are doing cruises these days, Disney or not, w/o TI, that’s individual’s mistake.

      Reply
  3. Vanessa

    I understand what you are saying Scott – however, I am speaking of a booked vacation on The Magic that was later changed to The Wonder. Only DCL can rearrange their ships and itineraries. That is what I am speaking of. Therefore the frustration still remains.

    Reply
  4. Rob

    How does the completion of the Panama Canal expansion project impact the Wonder? Is it hindered from getting to the appropriate dry-dock?

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      The reimagination that is underway on the Disney Magic includes the addition of a ducktail that effectively lengthens the ship. If the Wonder gets the same overhaul and ducktail she would be too long and not be able to sail through the current locks in Panama. If she cannot sail the Panama Canal she would not be able to sail Alaskan cruises in 2015.

      Reply
      1. Vanessa

        All the more reason why DCL should never have cancelled/switched ships on cruisers who had booked a New Years Eve cruise (or any other cruises) on The Magic with the intentions of a fully redone ship. The New Years Eve cruise in Dec 2014 that I’m speaking of is going to Bahamas. It certainly put a damper on ringing in the New Year.

        Reply
        1. Meghatron

          The Magic is getting everything redone right now, including the ducktail, and will have out of drydock for over a year by December 2014. I have no idea what the Wonder’s inability to be “reimagined” until the Panama Canal locks are finished has to do with the Magic next winter. There is plenty of time to switch itineraries.

          Reply
  5. Heather

    Sorry for all the passengers having to re-book. Frustrating for sure. I’m curious though if this will be the only dry dock the Wonder does now? I know there was speculation of a fall (Oct) dry dock a month ago. I was half expecting our cruise in Oct. to get canceled due to dry dock – wondering if that is not a concern now?

    Reply
  6. Gigglyjoe

    Maybe the wonder will switch with the magic and go to Europe and get reimagined there. Maybe in may, so that people still get a ‘new’ ship.

    Reply
  7. Happyjimmy

    Maybe the wonder will sail Northern Europe/Baltic. The magic will do caribbean with the fantasy and the dream will sail from Barcelona. Before the Northern Europe sailings, the wonder will have a month long drydock in 2015. Then it would sail 2 sailings from Barcelona, before the dream comes, have one with the dream, and then reposition to Copenhagen, sailing 7,9, 5, & 14 night Baltic cruises.

    Reply
  8. Sarah

    We’re booked on the Feb. 2nd cruise on the Wonder, and this situation is making me quite nervous as we JUST paid fully for our flight and our hotel in Miami. Should we be prepared for the dry dock to be extended and our cruise to be cancelled? Any suggestions as to how to best prepare in case anything else changes?

    Reply
  9. JJ

    I’m disgusted by Disney Cruise Line. We had a huge family trip planned and 25% off a future cruise doesn’t even begin to reimburse the time taken to plan this trip. Like many others, we simply can’t choose another time to go when you’re coordinating schedules with 30 people. Now I have to break it to my children that they won’t be seeing everything we have shown them. We also have non-refundable flights and I’m reading DCL will only “consider” reimbursing the flight change fees? Carnival has never done anything like this to us, and if there ever was an incident, they were always quick to compensate. DCL prides itself on being such a top-of-the-line cruise line but they obviously don’t care about their customers.

    Reply
    1. Heather Jones

      I agree that DCL obviously doesn’t care about is customers. 25% off a future cruise is no incentive at all to rebook with Disney. I am outraged. To rebook at this point would cost so much more than my original booking. Come on Disney. Think about the disappointed kids!!!

      Reply
  10. HCM

    Carnival has had so many PR nightmares recently, I’m surprised they haven’t offered more! It’s not a fair comparison. When was the last time you watched a Disney ship being towed to port? Or heard stories of the cabins being afloat in sewage? Let’s keep it in perspective folks! It’s disappointing to have travel plans thrown into turmoil. I’ve had it happen and hope the Wonder is back before my March cruise!

    Reply
  11. DJRA

    We were on the second to last Alaskan cruise, and we were sleeping when a “big bang” occurred. Our room was deck 8 aft. It was scary! There must have been substantial damage. My children were so upset, especially when the crew were called to their emergency stations. The Wonder needs this dry dock.

    Reply
  12. distrav45

    We were scheduled for this cruise, and about this “25%” off a future cruise. We were told we will receive a full refund, and a voucher for a future cruise that equals 25% of our original cruise fare, NOT 25% the cost of a future cruise. So for example, let’s say our cruise that was canceled costs $1000, we would receive a $250 voucher towards a future 7-day or less Caribbean cruise.

    We have sailed Disney 3 times, and have loved it. This trip we were taking the whole family (9 of us). We are SO disappointed in this. I feel 25% off of a future fare would be just (as a 7-day on the wonder is so much more than the canceled cruise).

    Reply
  13. Heather Jones

    We booked our January 2014 cruise in July 2013 and paid in full at that time. Because we booked so far in advance we got a good deal. To offer 25% off a different cruise still leaves us out of pocket. (never mind the additional fees for an airline fare increase – as Disney has only offered to reimbured the change fee, not the fare difference) The compensation offered doesn’t nearly meet Disney’s obligation to ensure we are not out of pocket. I would have thought they would ensure we are not out of pocket AND then offered some sort of compensation for the immense inconvenience. Why are they not offering a cabin on a future cruise (never mind costing at all)? Wouldn’t that be more fair?

    Reply
    1. A M

      It is interesting that there is no response to this very fair and reasonable proposal. DCL why not just offer a comparable cabin on another cruise? And whatever it costs to change the airfare to accommodate the new booking?

      Reply
    2. Heather Jones

      Well…… isn’t this interesting. I’ve just had an e-mail from DCL which says that ALL Canadians are being offered 20% off the cost of cruises! (ALL – so that includes people who have not had the turmoil of having a booked cruise cancelled…..)

      Reply
  14. Jules

    Omg!! We have just booked for the feb 02 sailing!! I sure hope that she’s back in the water by then!!! I can just imagine the disappointment this news has caused others!

    Reply
  15. Kiara McD

    I can’t believe Disney is not ensuring passengers are not financially penalized for the cancellation. We are on a very limited budget. We are now unable to take a Disney cruise this winter as the fares have gone so much (Disney has confirmed we cannot book another cruise for the same price we had paid – even with 25% off); AND they are refusing to reimburse airline costs. What good is flight to Miami if you have no-where to go once you arrive??? Because we will not get our airfare reimbursed, we can’t even plan a future holiday. Shame on you Disney!

    Reply
  16. Andrea

    I guess I’m somewhat confused, its important for the Wonder to undergo a repair since it experienced a small fire. I’m sure DCL didnt plan for this dry dock to occur at this time and I’m sure the delay in the canal wasnt planned. I guess that’s why it’s suggested to carry travelers insurance in case a problem arises and most airline will credit your account towards a future flight. I feel bad for those that have correlated multiple schedules and have to replan. I was hoping the Wonder could have experienced a total makeover like her sister ship. Wonder if they’ll upgrade the staterooms and dining?

    Reply
    1. Heather Jones

      Andrea – Trip Insurance covers a person when something personal happens outwith their control that necessitates them cancelling their trip. When the company offering the trip cancels the vacation it is THEIR responsibility (and frankly just good customer service) to ensure their customers are not out of pocket (most companies even offer something more to show their sorrow at inconveniencing their customer). Disney Cruise Line is falling way below the minimum one would expect. They are providing NO compensation for all the time and effort customers put forth planning a trip with them AND .. worse, they are ensuring their customers are out of pocket -in our case hundreds of dollars -with nothing to show for it. Money down the drain. It is very disappointing!

      Reply

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