Disney Believe bookings opened with a bang, and anyone wondering whether guests were excited about another Wish-class ship got their answer pretty quickly. The inaugural sailing sold out before booking week was even over, and concierge staterooms disappeared in a matter of hours.
On this week’s DCL Show, Chris Vorobek and Elaine Edwards are looking at what happened during the first week of bookings, including some surprising prices and restrictions. They’re also tackling a completely different topic that’s been bothering them lately: how Disney Cruise Line guests treat the crew members who work so hard to make their vacations special.
Disney Believe Bookings Were a Big Deal
The Disney Believe’s five-night inaugural sailing departs December 18, 2027, and it didn’t take long for guests to fill the ship. According to Elaine, concierge staterooms sold out in approximately two hours, and the inaugural cruise was completely booked before the initial booking week ended.
Other sailings attracted plenty of interest, too, particularly the January 15 departure, which falls around the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend.
And those prices? They were something else.
A verandah stateroom for two adults on the inaugural sailing started at $7,134 during the Pearl Castaway Club booking window. Prices climbed as additional booking windows opened, and Elaine even watched one of the ship’s tower suites get booked for around $58,000.
Chris has always recommended booking early when you know exactly what you want, and the Disney Believe’s opening week certainly gave him another reason to stand by that advice.
Placeholder Discounts Come With Restrictions
Another surprise involved Disney Cruise Line’s onboard booking placeholders. Guests hoping to apply their existing placeholder discounts to the Disney Believe discovered that the earliest sailings were excluded.
Concierge accommodations also have additional restrictions during the ship’s inaugural season, something Elaine wasn’t expecting.
Chris and Elaine discuss how those restrictions affect guests hoping to save money, along with the advantages Pearl and Platinum Castaway Club members enjoyed during the early booking windows.
They also revisit something Elaine has been thinking about for a while: whether Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Club loyalty program could use an overhaul.
Is Disney Believe Different Enough?
Chris booked the inaugural sailing himself, so he’s certainly looking forward to seeing the ship in person. Still, he admits that some of Disney’s announcements left him wanting more.
While the new Encanto entertainment and Tangled experiences sound promising, several familiar Wish-class concepts are returning. Chris is particularly puzzled by Disney’s decision to bring the Haunted Mansion Parlor to a third ship.
Elaine offers another perspective, pointing out that guests who follow every announcement may notice those similarities more than someone experiencing a Disney cruise for the first time.
Both expect the Believe to be a beautiful ship, but they’re hoping Disney still has a few surprises to share.
A Little Courtesy Goes a Long Way
The conversation takes a turn when Elaine brings up a social media post that really got under her skin.
A guest had complained about their stateroom host doing things like organizing charging cords, moving children’s toys, and reminding the family about luggage deadlines. The guest then questioned whether those experiences justified giving the crew member a poor survey rating.
Elaine and Chris have some strong feelings about that.
They talk about how much work stateroom hosts and dining teams put into each sailing, why communicating your preferences matters, and how negative survey scores can affect crew members who may have done absolutely nothing wrong.
There’s a big difference between providing legitimate feedback and taking your frustration out on someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Watch this week’s DCL Show below for the full conversation, including more Disney Believe booking details and Chris and Elaine’s thoughts on treating crew members with the respect they deserve.
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The very first sailing of a new ship is the maiden voyage. The first group of sailings are the inaugural sailings (or inaugural season, which usually lasts several months).