Book Early or Onboard and Dummy Dates! Need Help!

[welovetocamp]

Ok, so I am not so great at searching this site and could use some help. We are cruising this coming April 2012 and would also like to cruise April 2013. I have read the rumored realease dates for 2013 being Oct. Is it better to book in Oct. or wait and book onboard in April. What is the benefit of booking onboard? And is a dummy date just a made up date. For example if we want to travel in 2014 and those dates are not out we can book a fake cruise for sometime in 2013 and bump in back? Do you just bump in back when the rates come out? Help please!!!

 

[mmouse37]

Ok, so I am not so great at searching this site and could use some help. We are cruising this coming April 2012 and would also like to cruise April 2013. I have read the rumored realease dates for 2013 being Oct. Is it better to book in Oct. or wait and book onboard in April. What is the benefit of booking onboard? And is a dummy date just a made up date. For example if we want to travel in 2014 and those dates are not out we can book a fake cruise for sometime in 2013 and bump in back? Do you just bump in back when the rates come out? Help please!!!

Honestly, book the first day the rates come out. You can always "reshop" the cruise onboard to see if it is a better deal or not.

The benefits of booking onboard are a 10% discount and an OBC depending on the length of the cruise you are booking.

MJ

 

[Samantha_Mommy]

I am in the same spot as you, I have a cruise booked and we will sail in April 2012 (a b2b cruise - 12 nights!) but I have read all over these forums the rumors of it coming out this October. It might just be rumors, guesses and hopes.... everytime I've called DCL they said that most likely it will be April 2012. The reservation people have no clue of the final date it being released. I don't know what Disney waits for? They know all their ports they are going to...alot of cruiselines have already posted their 2013 dates. This past year April 2011 I was on the Dream the dates for 2012 came out then. Who knows maybe I'm wrong, if it does come out in October I will book the Fantasy for 2013 immediately to get the date I want. If not, then I will just wait my time until it comes. Nobody knows when and everyone on here has been guessing. Unless your the person who works for DCL and you get to plan the dates for 2013, that's the only person who knows - God I wish I knew them!

 

[twindaddy]

Honestly, book the first day the rates come out. You can always "reshop" the cruise onboard to see if it is a better deal or not.

The benefits of booking onboard are a 10% discount and an OBC depending on the length of the cruise you are booking.

MJ

If you book when the dates are released, through dreams unlimited, and you get onboard and the prices are the same (or even more, for that matter), can you re-do the ressie on board to get the OBC and 10% off?

 

[mmouse37]

If you book when the dates are released, through dreams unlimited, and you get onboard and the prices are the same (or even more, for that matter), can you re-do the ressie on board to get the OBC and 10% off?

Yes, it does not matter if you book through a TA or DCL directly. Just let the onboard booking agent know you want to keep it with the TA and let DU know you are doing this as well....I think they may have to call and let DCL know that you are going to be reshopping a cruise.

Maybe send DU an email and see how they want you to handle it.

MJ

 

[twindaddy]

Yes, it does not matter if you book through a TA or DCL directly. Just let the onboard booking agent know you want to keep it with the TA and let DU know you are doing this as well....I think they may have to call and let DCL know that you are going to be reshopping a cruise.

Maybe send DU an email and see how they want you to handle it.

MJ

Perfect answer to my question, thank you! The only difference pre-booking yourself and then reshopping onboard this the differenc in deposit, right?

 

[mmouse37]

Perfect answer to my question, thank you! The only difference pre-booking yourself and then reshopping onboard this the differenc in deposit, right?

The deposit is 50% less than if you booked on land.

I just saw this response in another thread and thought it may pertain to what you are about reshopping onboard....this may be more along the lines of what will happen onboard.

I agree. Book now so you know you have what you want. Then, once onboard, they can pull up your future cruise (if not thru a TA) and re-shop it. They'll tell you new price and OBCs. You have nothing to lose except early dining if it's sold out. But you can be waitlisted and early dining would have sold out anyway if you waited to book onboard.

If you are booked thru a TA, no problem. Book a new res onboard at the same category you want. You will have to pay another deposit on your cc but once you get home, have your TA move the original cabin choice to your new cruise res #. Then cancel the old one and you'll get 1st deposit credited back to your cc usually before the bill comes for the duplicate deposit. (Though the onboard deposit is half of land-booked dep.)
If you use a TA, be sure to name him/her while onboard to get max OBCs.



MJ

 

[twindaddy]

The deposit is 50% less than if you booked on land.

I just saw this response in another thread and thought it may pertain to what you are about reshopping onboard....this may be more along the lines of what will happen onboard.

I agree. Book now so you know you have what you want. Then, once onboard, they can pull up your future cruise (if not thru a TA) and re-shop it. They'll tell you new price and OBCs. You have nothing to lose except early dining if it's sold out. But you can be waitlisted and early dining would have sold out anyway if you waited to book onboard.

If you are booked thru a TA, no problem. Book a new res onboard at the same category you want. You will have to pay another deposit on your cc but once you get home, have your TA move the original cabin choice to your new cruise res #. Then cancel the old one and you'll get 1st deposit credited back to your cc usually before the bill comes for the duplicate deposit. (Though the onboard deposit is half of land-booked dep.)
If you use a TA, be sure to name him/her while onboard to get max OBCs.



MJ

Not sure if I should post this here or in the other thread, but do you loose your deposit or insurance from the first cruise booked?

I will likely book when 2013 dates are released through DU, then try to reshop onboard. If the prices onboard are better, I book a new ressie and assign DU, then get home and cancel the old ressie and move the cabin selected to the new ressie, what do I loose here? Nothing? Any cancellation fee or anything?