The Final Word

I have often said that my vacation dollars were the last I’d cut from our budget in order to save or conserve. I need my escape, especially amid the stress of economically difficult times, but with the financial crisis quickly becoming global this feels more and more like a perspective I will need to reexamine…most likely in the near future.

Our family holidays have been priceless to who we are collectively. There is no doubt that the time we have spent together exploring the world with Disney has strengthened our bond and helped to define who we are as a family. Our memories are precious, and there have been Magical Moments along the way we will never forget! We actually mark our milestones, and the passage of time, by which trip we took in any given year or holiday season!

We have been so fortunate…

I don’t like to think about the need to rethink the frequency of our vacations, but it might be necessary should the current economic crisis at home and abroad continue down the path it is currently following.

The pricing for DCL’s 2010 itineraries is staggering, especially in light of all that is going on around us with regard to our money. Is the chance to sail the Mediterranean or Baltic with Mickey and Minnie worth the price Disney is asking? Absolutely! There is no finer vacation product available in any market at any price, but the timing might be off.

I’ve had calls and email from clients expressing an interest in booking one of these fabulous cruises, I even have a few who have committed, but by-in-large people are cautious and very apprehensive about spending such a large sum of money on a luxury vacation right now. I can’t blame them.

We, personally, could make a Northern European itinerary work for our family…even at Disney’s cost. However, we have opted for a Mediterranean sailing. It just seems more fiscally responsible right now not to spend the extra $3,000-$4,000 seeing the Baltic with Mickey—at least in 2010. My hope is that when the two new ships join Disney’s fleet the Baltic itinerary will be at least an occasional offering.

So…in 2010 our family will be discovering the Wonder of the Mediterranean aboard the Disney Magic. Italy, France, Malta, Corsica, and Tunisia. Not much of a sacrifice…