First cruise

[Phonedave]

1) I am a die hard book it yourself kind of guy. Having said that, I have used Marie at KK to book two DCL trips, and will do so again in a hearbeat. Just makes the whole process a lot easierand less time comsuming (and it costs the same)

2) As someone else said, in Nassau haggle hard. I'm not sure what you are calling a "souvineer". You can get a $5 shell necklace, or a $50,000 Patek-Filippe watch, or just about anything in between. Nassau, like most Carribbean ports does a huge jewelery / watch business. The listed price is never the final price - drive that bargin.

-dave

 

[G00fyDad]

1)2) As someone else said, in Nassau haggle hard. I'm not sure what you are calling a "souvineer". You can get a $5 shell necklace, or a $50,000 Patek-Filippe watch, or just about anything in between. Nassau, like most Carribbean ports does a huge jewelery / watch business. The listed price is never the final price - drive that bargin.

Oh, I can haggle. I really hate to sound like the cliche' tourist but mainly when I talk about souvenirs I mean the little trinkets and such. The handmade necklaces and stuff.

I can personally vouch for Tammy/KK here. She is incredibly knowledgable. I swear she's not paying me to say any of this either. Tammy has cruised a LOT with Disney and been able to successfully organize multi-family groups on cruises. I didn't just choose her randomly to handle our first cruise last year. I knew I'd have a bazillion questions and she was on top of every one of them quickly. Even with a busy family & her own adventures, it never takes long to hear back if you need something. Heck, we got our GTY room assignment the day before she was sailing on the Fantasy and it was as bad as bad could get (beneath a night club!). I shot her an email asking about upgrading and the next morning while she was on the bus going to the port we were speaking on the phone getting the credit card info straight. THEN, once Tammy was home from her cruise, she checked things over again and found that DCL had a glitch in their system that made the price of my upgrade look like less than it was. I was going to need to pay more money. Instead of me sitting on the phone fighting to get them to honor the upgrade price initially generated, Tammy was on it, handled things perfectly, and got them to honor that original amount. If I wasn't already convinced that having a kick-butt TA was da bomb, I certainly am now! :wave:

Well since I am going to be booking the two sections separate (8 days in the park then 4 days on the cruise) I will absolutely book the cruise with Kingdom Konsultants. Who knows, if that goes well then I may use KK for my entire next trip.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Well since I am going to be booking the two sections separate (8 days in the park then 4 days on the cruise) I will absolutely book the cruise with Kingdom Konsultants. Who knows, if that goes well then I may use KK for my entire next trip.

:sohappy: You won't be disappointed.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Well since I am going to be booking the two sections separate (8 days in the park then 4 days on the cruise) I will absolutely book the cruise with Kingdom Konsultants. Who knows, if that goes well then I may use KK for my entire next trip.

At first I was only really looking to book the cruise w/KK because that was the part I knew little to nothing about. Then I figured why not hand over the resort reservations, too, so they get the commission? They get the same discounts for me that I do (I booked last September w/a pin code). It doesn't cost anything more to book thru them. Instead of Disney Travel Co. getting that buck I redirected it to fellow Disney fans like me which made me feel like I was sorta paying it forward in a way. Seems silly but sometimes it's the little things that make ya feel like you did something good for someone else. I handled all the dining and such which is where I was still able to satisfy my need to hang onto some of the planning. The fact that I knew Tammy before booking with her, that I *know* several of the KK family here on the boards makes it all the sweeter for me. With all the emails, chatter, exchanges, help, etc. (because I talk waaaay too much) I feel like I've also gained a great friend with all this. Just a positive experience all the way around. Can't say it enough. Disney fans helping Disney fans produces some great stuff. :wave:

 

[G00fyDad]

At first I was only really looking to book the cruise w/KK because that was the part I knew little to nothing about. Then I figured why not hand over the resort reservations, too, so they get the commission? They get the same discounts for me that I do (I booked last September w/a pin code). It doesn't cost anything more to book thru them. Instead of Disney Travel Co. getting that buck I redirected it to fellow Disney fans like me which made me feel like I was sorta paying it forward in a way. Seems silly but sometimes it's the little things that make ya feel like you did something good for someone else. I handled all the dining and such which is where I was still able to satisfy my need to hang onto some of the planning. The fact that I knew Tammy before booking with her, that I *know* several of the KK family here on the boards makes it all the sweeter for me. With all the emails, chatter, exchanges, help, etc. (because I talk waaaay too much) I feel like I've also gained a great friend with all this. Just a positive experience all the way around. Can't say it enough. Disney fans helping Disney fans produces some great stuff. :wave:

I may eventually hand over control of the resort trips to KK but for now I am too much of a control freak. And it took a lot for me to go with AAA that time and after they did what they did I have refused to consider it since. But I am thinking about it. But for now I will book on my own. My family makes so many changes to a trip from the time we first start planning until nearly two months out from the tip that I would feel like an *** calling up a TA and making that many changes. No kidding. We already have our meals set for the next trip but they have changed three times already and will change numerous times again before the trip. I know that the TA doesn't have to handle those and that I can do it myself but any codes or discounts that come about need to be handled by the TA. I would be sweating bullets worrying on the morning of a discount release if the TA had called to make the change. That was my issue with AAA before. The lines opened at 7am EST and AAA did not get in the offices until 9:30am that morning and it was well after 12:30 before the change was (painfully on my part) made. I know KK would never do something like that but it would take some sort of major discount, separate from Disney's, to make me consider it at this point.

But I do plan on booking my cruise portion with them. Mainly because I have never taken a cruise before and have no clue what to do.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I just got back from my FIRST CRUISE as well...here's my opinion:

1) Do we have to do the parks before the cruise? Or can we cruise, then do the parks?
- i would recommend going before - the cruise is SO RELAXING you're not going to want to go to the parks after

2) Can we have a 3 day cruise and 7 or 8 days in the parks?
Yes! Disney loves this - they will certainly take your $$ :lol:

3) Are meals are included in the cruise portion of the price?
Yes - the food is FABULOUS!!!

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Thanks for that info. I've been wondering if I should go with booking the whole thing though DCL or doing it seperate. Looks like I'll be doing them seperate. Thanks again.

I HIGHLY recommend booking through Kindgom Konsultants - they're the best & they don't charge for their services :sohappy:


EDIT: I'm a control freak too - I understand where you're coming from

 

[stefan74]

When will I be able to make my cruise reservations if I am going September 2014? I know I can book rooms August 2013.

Thanks

 

[Disneyfalcon]

When will I be able to make my cruise reservations if I am going September 2014? I know I can book rooms August 2013.

Thanks

Probably this fall. It's hard to say for sure because the cruise line changes their release dates from year to year, but the fall is a good bet.

 

[harveyt0206]

Ok, I too have to throw my hat into this discussion and whole heartedly recommend using Tammy to book any part of your Disney vacation. I have no doubt that all of the KK folks are wonderful, but so far I have only had the pleasure of working with Tammy. I actually just booked my first cruise with her today and she has been nothing short of amazing to us. I sent her an email, told her what I was looking for and she was off and running. She has taken care of everything for us, including setting up all our transfers since we will be hitting the parks for a week after our cruise. I was really nervous about getting everything right since this is our first cruise, but Tammy addressed every concern and I feel perfect.

Seriously, trust Tammy to book your trip. It will leave you worry free. Promise! :wave::wave::wave:

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Ok, I too have to throw my hat into this discussion and whole heartedly recommend using Tammy to book any part of your Disney vacation. I have no doubt that all of the KK folks are wonderful, but so far I have only had the pleasure of working with Tammy. I actually just booked my first cruise with her today and she has been nothing short of amazing to us. I sent her an email, told her what I was looking for and she was off and running. She has taken care of everything for us, including setting up all our transfers since we will be hitting the parks for a week after our cruise. I was really nervous about getting everything right since this is our first cruise, but Tammy addressed every concern and I feel perfect.

Seriously, trust Tammy to book your trip. It will leave you worry free. Promise! :wave::wave::wave:

Tracy, that is so nice of you!