Castaway Club premium gifts

[TracyL]

I'm a Silver Castaway Club member now, and I went on two DCL cruises this year. Both times, I got the lovely and fabulous club backpack with the nifty little keychain and some snacks in it. On the first cruise, I was silver but my companion was a first-timer. On the second cruise, my companion was also silver.

So here's my question: do you get the same exact gift four times until you hit gold status, or was this a fluke because of my weird situation?

[GMRO]

Good question...

Wife and I have just completed our 5th. 2nd cruise we got the older gifts. Past 3 cruises we got the "newer" gifts...backpack as you say with keychain and snacks. Though this past May's trip the snacks were less in the backpack.

Looking forward to GOLD!!! Then you get 10% on ship merchandise which matches our Disney Visa discounts we get at parks. DCL don't offer the Visa discount...but at GOLD you get it.

Interested to hear if GOLD Castaway stateroom gifts are different.

THANKS!

[Christine]

Oooooooo I wanna be good too! What is that- 10 cruises?

[GMRO]

Gold is at 5...actually you get the perks during your 6th cruise. So you have to sail the 5th and return.

Typical Disney...right? You can drink at 21...not on your 22nd b-day. You can drive at 16...not on your 17th.

But with Disney...your 5th...simply lines you up for the 6th!!!! So why not just say 6 is GOLD? I think you can board the ship upon check in as well and there are special events on a few decks while on-board. Guessing drink parties, for GOLD and Plat members. Sort of like a welcoming party/reception. I do not think you get to sit in the private concierge area in the port terminal. Prolly at Platinum. BUT maybe on the cruise you can sit on the upper deck area that is closed off for concierge? Not sure on that one… While shopping on the Dream this past May we spoke with some kewl CM's who were in the shops. One AM we were the only ones in there. I made a joke at how they don't accept the Disney Visa discount. And the CM replied right, sorry...but at GOLD level we do match the 10% discounts on merchandise that your card offers. So that was like music to our Mickey ears!!!

I'm sure it's the same at 10 cruises...you need to have sailed 10 times...and on 11th you are Platinum! That gets concierge treatment as I hear.

We have our goals set on GOLD! "Austin Powers GOLDMEMBER VOICE...I love GGGOOOOLLDDD!" LOL

It will be here fast enough. Don't want to WISH our good times away as we plan for it. To us the DCL is our favorite part of the Disney experience. Sure we like the parks…but we LOVE the cruises!

[Christine]

We have our goals set on GOLD! "Austin Powers GOLDMEMBER VOICE...I love GGGOOOOLLDDD!"!

Hahahaha! I JUST watched this! When I read this I could picture him peeling his skin! Lol!

Well I'm closer than I thought- we sail #4 July 2014. Need two more!
'Cause 4+2 = 5 (Disney math!)

[GMRO]

Good question...

Wife and I have just completed our 5th. 2nd cruise we got the older gifts. Past 3 cruises we got the "newer" gifts...

YEA...ooops...darn Disney-math got me confused and I carried an additional "one".

I mean "STUPID-disney-math"!!! LOL

Past "2" cruises we go the "newer" gifts. Nice thing is now we both have our DCL backpacks. Makes it nice when I ride the bike to work and I can put my stuff in the backpack in the touring pack.

Funny, I said after our first cruise...I just wanna hit GOLD then we can take a break and spend more time on land like we did before we cruised.

BUT few more DCL voyages and I've got the cruise curse...I WANNA CRUISE MORE! We seem to get more enjoyment on the DCL. So I see us still voyaging after we reach GOLD. It's just too much fun and very relaxing. Something about being in the middle of the ocean chil-axing with great service, entertainment and of course the great adult beverages.

Christine, do you like the "bon-voyage" drinks? AKA - Miami Vice? Those are our favorites. "Side by Side" meaning when they pour them from the 2 pitchers they evenly pour them so your drink glass is 1/2 white - pinacolada <sp>and 1/2 red daiquiri. Not like pudding cups where they take the easy way out and just make it like a layered cake. This past Dream cruise every time I came up to the Currents Bar the 2 tenders would say "side-by-side" my brother!!! Loved that...

Needless to say a quick trip to SEARS upon our first cruise we got 2 blenders to make the drinks at home so we can rapid mix'em.

Miss it already and it was under 2 months ago.

[Christine]

I do love the Miami vice cocktails- BUT--- I'm a total girl. When the cove pool bartenders see me coming, it's "whole blender no salt, right princess?"

But yes, Miami vices are delish! I just have to have my

And I hear ya- DH, DD, and I are totally addicted to DCL!
Have you ever tried Disney's vero beach resort ? It's a great and similar alternative when you just can't pull off a cruise.

We are hooked as well. It may be our undoing and ruin ( ) but what a way to go!!

[GMRO]

I do love the Miami vice cocktails- BUT--- I'm a total girl. When the cove pool bartenders see me coming, it's "whole blender no salt, right princess?"

But yes, Miami vices are delish! I just have to have my

And I hear ya- DH, DD, and I are totally addicted to DCL!
Have you ever tried Disney's vero beach resort ? It's a great and similar alternative when you just can't pull off a cruise.

We are hooked as well. It may be our undoing and ruin ( ) but what a way to go!!

DW never thought I'd like to cruise. Our first was a 3 day on the Wonder. I have a high level of entertainment requirement - I admit. Was not sure I could be on a ship that long so we tried a short cruise in case I got bored. 1/2 day into the cruise...I think we just left port and I said - man did we screw up. WE SHOULD HAVE BOOKED A LONGER CRUISE! Got the curse bad! I'm super happy she loves the DCL as much as I do.

Never been to Vero. Will have to google it and check it out.

We enjoy the frozen in PA. YUP, they are very good too. We've had them on Castaway Cay - made by request. Not sure what the norm is. But I do enjoy the "brain-freeze" from them!!!

THANKS for the info!

[Christine]

Same here- I thought of be or claustrophobic :crowded; but I couldn't have been happier to find out how much I love cruising. I told DH- "I was MADE to do this!"

[waymickey]

I too love to crusie and I thought I would hate it. But now i prefer it over the parks. No real lines, no FP, and castaway cay is awesome. I can't wait to hit gold level. do they still give out the gold lanyards?? I want one

[GMRO]

I too love to crusie and I thought I would hate it. But now i prefer it over the parks. No real lines, no FP, and castaway cay is awesome. I can't wait to hit gold level. do they still give out the gold lanyards?? I want one

KEWL! I agree, WE enjoy the DCL a bit more these days vs. the parks.

I do think they still provide the GOLD lanyards. This past MAY we got more Silvers ones...and we did see folks in line with GOLD ones. SO we can only HOPE they continue this TILL WE ALL GET GOLD!!!

LOL

[DisneyDudet]

I am gold, and you do get more perks! One of the nicest ones is that you can book your excursions and PAT earlier (concierge and platinum get it first). It is nice if you are on a popular cruise and want to get to the terminal early (and thus on the ship asap) or really want to do Palo or Remy. You also get a reception with the officers (and maybe the main mouse himself), plus you get the regular Castaway Club gift (whatever it is at the time), plus a few extras like stationary and a nice leather (real?) journal with pin. The discount is nice, especially for big purchases. I believe they will do the lanyards forever!

The Castaway Club gift evolves over time, usually every few years. The innards of the gift/bag can change from sailing to sailing, from what I hear, depending on what they have available.

My cruise in October will be my 7th cruise (and my honeymoon)! My fiancé has NEVER been on a cruise, so I am hoping he becomes addicted too (I've created a Disney Parks addict already)!

[GMRO]

Thanks for the great info! Looking forward GOLD even more now!!!

Hope your future DH will become a DCL junkie too!

[Kenny1113]

Does each cast away club member in stateroom get a gift or is it one per stateroom regardless of how many castaway members there are?

[GMRO]

One per stateroom. Wife and I are both at the same level and we got ONE of the backpacks with the goodies inside per return trips. So first year she got it and next year I got it. Now we both have them. And the keychains inside as well. Only one per bag so now we both have those too.

[Kenny1113]

Thanks