On-board booking rates...are the a good deal, and are they common?

[calhous2]

When we were on the Wonder in November, DCL was offering what were described as really good rates for 7-night Spring or Fall Magic cruises if resevations were made before debarkation. The DCL sales representative we talked with said the on-board offers are common, but that the rate being offered at that particular time was lower than they'd done in the past.
We made our reservations for November '02 and checked with our TA when we got back to see how good the on-board rate might really have been. Sure enough, our TA confirmed that the rate we had secured was quite a bit lower than she could have got us with an early booking discount.

I'm hoping that we'll get a similar offer this November so I can schedule a Western trip in '03....but I'm wondering if these on-board rates are done all the time? Was my good fortune perhaps just the result of a down travel industry this past fall? For those multi-time cruisers....do you take advantage of the on-board rates, or is there generally no difference between the on-board rate and what you can get from other sources?

Thanks for you input.

[duskysmom]

bump

[Michelle]

Hi calhous! The onboard booking offer just started this past October, and from what we understand from DCL it will be continued this year but that is not confirmed. Right now the onboard offer only includes selected cruise dates in 2002, so if it is offered in November hopefully the 2003 cruises will be included as well. :)