Dummy cruises...i still don't understand.

[ThePicketts]

WHat is a dummy cruise?
What are the +'s?
What are the -'s?
Someone please just 'splain it to me.

 

[Texas Disney Fan]

It is when you are onboard and rebook a cruise but you don't have an exact date in mind. That way you secure the rebooking discount and obc that you receive. You then change the date of your cruise later (after you are off the ship but before the penalty time frame) to a time you really want.

 

[Silverfox97]

The positives:

10% down (instead of 20%)
On board credit (that you can combine with the credit from your travel agent)

Negatives? None, because as long as you move it (which can be done indefinitely) & you don't head into the penalty phase, you can always cancel & receive your initial deposit back.

We currently have 2 dummy dates in Dec 2013 that we plan on moving to 2014. Both of our 2013 cruises were booked opening day - our TA moved our dummy dates to them, so we got 10% off opening day prices

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Va-NanaTink]

The only "negative" if you want to call it one, if you book onboard for a 7-night cruise, then switch it to a 3-or 4 night cruise, you will not get the same onboard credit you got when you originally booked. Now, your onboard credit will be whatever it would have been if you booked that cruise originally.
People were booking 7 nights, getting the $200 credit then moving them to a 3 or 4 night cruise where they would have only gotten a $100 or $150 credit. The $200 stayed with them. DCL has now closed that little loophole.

 

[Bonniec]

What if you book a cheaper room but then later upgrade to concierge?

 

[ThePicketts]

Very good answers!

 

[NancyIL]

One negative is that you have to book a specific cruise date - which starts the clock running for purposes of buying trip insurance. You also have to keep moving the date - if there are no cruises of interest. I wish DCL would allow people to pay a $100 pp deposit for a non-specific cruise, as other cruise lines do.

Now that DCL has been offering a lot of non-refundable guarantee rates (IGT/OGT/VGT) that aren't combinable with the onboard booking discount and onboard credit- I am less likely to book another cruise onboard.

 

[ibouncetoo]

The only "negative" if you want to call it one, if you book onboard for a 7-night cruise, then switch it to a 3-or 4 night cruise, you will not get the same onboard credit you got when you originally booked. Now, your onboard credit will be whatever it would have been if you booked that cruise originally.
People were booking 7 nights, getting the $200 credit then moving them to a 3 or 4 night cruise where they would have only gotten a $100 or $150 credit. The $200 stayed with them. DCL has now closed that little loophole.

Prior to the change this spring, your OBC was based on your Castaway Club level and the LENGTH of the cruise you ended up taking (ranging from $100 to $350). Back then booking a 7 day dummy was more expensive (deposit) than booking a 3 day, which is what you should always book for a dummey, so that your deposit is lower.

Now the OBC is just based on length of cruise, and that amount will be deteremined on whatever cruise length you actually take (not what length you booked as a dummy).

.

 

[Bonniec]

Prior to the change this spring, your OBC was based on your Castaway Club level and the LENGTH of the cruise you ended up taking (ranging from $100 to $350). Back then booking a 7 day dummy was more expensive (deposit) than booking a 3 day, which is what you should always book for a dummey, so that your deposit is lower.

Now the OBC is just based on length of cruise, and that amount will be deteremined on whatever cruise length you actually take (not what length you booked as a dummy).

.

So if you book a dummy 3 day and then upgrade to 7 day or higher level rooms, your OBC will adjust higher too?

 

[NancyIL]

So if you book a dummy 3 day and then upgrade to 7 day or higher level rooms, your OBC will adjust higher too?

Yes. You asked about upgrading to concierge. I don't think the 10% discount applies to concierge cabins, but I don't know if those are eligible for onboard credit.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Now the OBC is just based on length of cruise, and that amount will be deteremined on whatever cruise length you actually take (not what length you booked as a dummy).

.

This is back to how it used to be. I had a dummy date from 2008 and this is how it was done then. OBC was based on the cruise you actually took.

 

[AlexandNessa]

What if you book a cheaper room but then later upgrade to concierge?

We do this all the time. Your deposit increases to 20% of the trip total, there is no 10% discount off your cruise fare, you keep your OBC. The OBC is your only incentive to rebook concierge onboard. Because concierge deposits are nonrefundable, we always book a regular room so we can cancel instead of having to move the date.

 

[Bonniec]

Are the OBCs that good to make it worth booking? Im pretty sure we are going to stick with concierge everytime.

 

[NancyIL]

Are the OBCs that good to make it worth booking? Im pretty sure we are going to stick with concierge everytime.

The onboard credits are $100 and $200 per cabin - with the latter for 7 nights and longer.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Are the OBCs that good to make it worth booking? Im pretty sure we are going to stick with concierge everytime.

They used to be a lot better for gold and platinum. Now everyone gets the same 200$ for 7+ nights. So really not that worth it. We just canceled a dummy cruise.

 

[Pretty Poly]

Right now I have 5 night bahamas booked in February of next year, but I was thinking of changing it around. I'm going on a last minute 3-day in September with a friend who got a FL res rate. Now.. could I rebook the one I already have and change it to a 7-day on the fantasy and get the on-board discount?

 

[Illini_Fan]

Can we book two dummy dates when we are on-board our next cruise? One under my name and one under my wife's?

 

[ibouncetoo]

They used to be a lot better for gold and platinum. Now everyone gets the same 200$ for 7+ nights. So really not that worth it. We just canceled a dummy cruise.

Yep, I'll be enjoying my last 'juicy' OBC this December, for a dummy I had moved to this date BEFORE the changes this spring. So I'll be getting a $350 OBC for my 7 day cruise (platinum). The other dummy reservation I hold right now will only be $200 for 7+ day cruise. Dummys are still worth having for the 10% discount and lower deposit, and $200 will still cover my tips, an adult beverage and a speciality coffee each day.

.