Forgive me if this is posted elsewhere but I didn’t see it:
Disney Cruise Line revised their eligibility requirements for Castaway Club membership. Effective immediately, Castaway Club members must book or sail on at least one eligible cruise within 5 years of their last Disney voyage.
If you don’t book within that 5-year period, you lose status and have to start over.
Thankfully I have only been on one cruise and it was like 2 months ago, so this will not impact me for a long time, if ever. But I imagine some people who have lapsed are going to be pissed.
I didn’t post it or see it anywhere yet either, but it just seems like DCL is just in a very giving mood this holiday season. [I don’t have a snark animal, but pretend there’s one here].
They literally have no other details except an addition to their terms & conditions that to stay active you must book or embark (two very different actions) a cruise in the 5 year period and DCL may (but is not required to) extend a grace period up to their discretion (if they can find you in the system when you call perhaps??).
But no word on if it starts today automatically or if some sort of purge will happen at some point in the next 5 years starting from today?? And very good question on, what about the Covid shutdown, does that count or not? Who knows. If DCL does, they certainly haven’t clarified.
This also doesn’t affect me because our first (and second) cruise were last year and for now, we’re going on Feb next year so the counter has at least 5+ years for us. My take is they should’ve grandfathered in everyone already at a certain status. At least the Platinum (10 cruises). Maybe even Gold (5 cruises) and just started everyone else from scratch.
I feel like this should be your snarkimal…instead of lolabear…koalabear But, much like a Patronus - it comes from the heart - and you should only cast the snarkimal that speaks to you
Now, to get back on track with the topic at hand. I would be furious if this happened to the statuses on my earned cruises (I have not yet cruised DCL).
But it says book or sail…so could you just book and then cancel before the deposit loss to retain your status?
I’ve done Disney cruises in 2021, 2022, and 2023. I have a placeholder booked but no date on the horizon. It may not be within 5 years. I think it’s ridiculous that you’d lose your status if you don’t book within 5 years. It costs Disney nothing to let you keep the status and be able to have what you earned to be able to book early. Well, I guess it does cost them a few or pennies for the bag and lanyards you get in your room (insert snark fish here), but with what you pay to cruise, that’s nothing. This change really bothers me.
My first cruise was 2001 and when we went on our next one in 2014(!) they treated us like we were old friends at the check in. Even gave more of my kids the CC lanyard when they hadnt been born yet for our first cruise.
I feel like this should be your snarkimal…instead of lolabear…koalabear 
But, much like a Patronus - it comes from the heart - and you should only cast the snarkimal that speaks to you 