Disney offers cruise discount

Jason · June 17, 2006

Florida residents can save 30 percent in July, August

Disney Cruise Line is offering a 30 percent Florida resident discount for cruises aboard the Wonder during July and August from Port Canaveral.

The Wonder sails three-night cruises from its home port of Port Canaveral to Nassau, Bahamas, and to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. It sails to the same ports of call on its four-night cruises, but there's an extra day at sea.

With the discount and based on double-occupancy, the price of a three-day Bahamas cruise will be $499 per person. The four-day cruise will cost $649 per person, based on double-occupancy.

The Florida resident offer is good on cruises from July 2 through Aug. 27.

"Everybody dreams about going on Disney, and, very often, they cannot because of the rates," said Geraldine Blanchard, president of Global Tours & Travel of Melbourne. "Disney is being a good neighbor that gives a good price, so more families can go on vacation. It's a first-class service they'll be able to enjoy."

The discount has the potential to "bring a lot of Florida residents here who will discover our area, if they haven't been here before," said Rob Varley, executive director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. "It could turn into 'room nights' for us. Say you're coming from Miami. People may want to get here a day ahead to avoid any potential problem on the road."

The Wonder carried 271,040 passengers from Port Canaveral last year, the most of any multiday cruise ship based there that year.

Source: Donna Balancia, Florida Today