Ahoy, Maribel!
Welcome aboard planDisney! As a fellow service member, thank you and your family for your service. I’m always on the lookout for military rates myself, because when they line up just right, they can make planning that next sailing feel like striking gold in Scrooge McDuck’s vault.
The great news is that, in addition to active duty and retired military members, 100% Permanently Disabled Veterans
with a military ID that shows their disability status do qualify for the current military offers. That ID is key, because when you arrive at the cruise terminal, the friendly Cast Member assisting with check-in will ask to see it as part of the verification process. If someone
books under a military rate but does not meet the eligibility requirements at check-in, they may be required to pay the difference between the military rate and the current prevailing rate. It’s always better to know those details ahead of time so there are no surprises on embarkation day.
One thing I always like to share with fellow military families is that these rates are never guaranteed to be offered for every sailing. They tend to pop up like hidden Mickeys, sometimes when you expect them and sometimes when you don’t. Most commonly, they show up about two to six months before the sail date, but that timeline can shift earlier or later depending on availability.
This timing can matter quite a bit if you have your heart set on specific
Port Adventures or onboard activities. My crew and I are sailing next month on a cruise we booked months ago, and Disney just released a really strong military rate for that same sailing. While it was tempting to wish we had waited, I’m honestly glad we didn’t. One of the Port Adventures we really wanted
filled up quickly, and if we had waited for the military rate to appear, we likely would have missed out on that experience.
I hope this helps clear up who qualifies for the military rates and gives you a better idea of how they typically work. With
a little planning and a watchful eye, those military offers can be a fantastic way to make an already memorable vacation even sweeter.
Sea ya real soon as springtime magic carries us from one adventure to the next,
Dustin