NEW policy re transfer to TA

So what does this mean for people who booked the first day that prices were released for 2014 and have not yet transferred them over?
 
So what does this mean for people who booked the first day that prices were released for 2014 and have not yet transferred them over?
It means there is no grace period if you are over 30 days. Also, Disney pays a lower commission to a travel agency on a transferred reservation than they do if booked through that agency!
 
Candleinthewind said:
It means there is no grace period if you are over 30 days. Also, Disney pays a lower commission to a travel agency on a transferred reservation than they do if booked through that agency!

But the policy just came out today. How can they penalize you for violating a policy that didnt exist?
 
Can I still book myself on-line and get a DCL OBC and then transfer to DU and get their OBC? If so, does that have to be done w/i 30 days?

The 30-day question has already been answered:

I just did some searching on Google and found this -- on the Disney web site.

You can transfer your reservation to a travel agent as long as the voyage fare portion of your cruise has not been paid and the request is received within 30 days of your reservation being created. Please contact your travel agent to assist you in completing the necessary authorization form to transfer your booking.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/booking-reservations/travel-agent-authorization/

Is the DCL OBC for booking online? If so, then I think it should stack with the DU OBC, but someone from DU would know for sure.
 


But... that's their job?

Yes, but if I'm not sure what I want, and I want to think about it and maybe change the room or the dates... I would rather not bother a TA until I'm fairly certain about what it is I want. And I am not ever close to being certain when I am booking on board.

I completely understand this. When the 2013 dates were released I planned to book a June cruise. That's what I would have told a TA to get us. The prices for June were shocking so I looked at March and was surprised by the glitch over the spring break cruises so snapped them up. We wouldn't be crusing this year if it hadn't been for that and I could have missed out if I didn't have control of my reservation that time. I did transfer to a TA for the 2014 dates, but still feel like I am bugging them with all the possibilities and if a cat 8 costs X book a cat 10 instead.

I've had similar things. Sometimes a TA is busy and can't get to me for a few hours (or days) and if I see a room I want at the right price I want to snap it up quickly. Once I did transfer it, I had to call the TA to have her check on certain things. I use the same TA each time (it's not a matter of shopping around) but I guess Disney doesn't want to deal with this anymore.
 
As far as DCL is concerned, you can book on line and transfer to a TA. The on line booking credit remains in place. What you get from the TA for transferring is between you and the TA.

AND...if your TA knows what they are doing, they can get you the same on line credit by booking for you that you can get for on line bookings. There is NOTHING that I'm aware of that you can get by booking on your own that a TA can't get for you.. That doesn't mean that every TA out there knows how to do it, but they can do it.

I do realize that a TA who doesn't know what they are doing is a pain, and WAY more trouble than they are worth. But a good TA is equally worth his/he weight in gold. My suggestion is that you find someone that you like to work with, who knows their stuff, has appropriate training and experience, etc. and let them handle your bookings. That way, the TA gets their full commission for the booking and you get all the possible benefits.
 
But the policy just came out today. How can they penalize you for violating a policy that didnt exist?

This will cause problems for them I am sure. There will be people who have no idea this happened as well as many in your situation. I am sure DCL will be getting an earful over at least the next few months...more reason to write them!

I am with most others in wanting to switch over to a TA after I have my intended ressie taken care of from a dummy date, especially if it was one that I wanted to move over on an opening day booking. People will have to decide what is worth more to them. Seems everyone will be losing out, from the TAs to the customers. Oh, wait, DCL. Guess they will be gaining on this one. Wonder if they will pass this off to the customers...:rolleyes2
 


So as I understand it, even if I completely change my reservation again (original onboard booking in 2011) I can't transfer it to my TA? There is no "grandfather" clause then?

I'm not contesting what DCL is doing, just want to make sure I understand the policy.
 
i'm a bit confused so here's what I normally do, let me know if you think it is still the same.....
I book when I see what I want, get the room I want and then rebook while on board which gives us the obc. I only do this if the price is similar but it usually is. while on board, I then tf it to the ta. so would I still be able to do this? they actually cancel the first booking and rebook on board right?
sorry if this is confusing, you would think I could understand a small change.
oh, as a ot, I have Disney pop ups on my fb as well and never saw the announcement. I just signed in and went to the dcl page and it doesn't show. how strange.....maybe they took it down?
 
Look at it from DCL's point of view.

Currently guests book through DCL, so DCL has to pay their staff to answer the phones and process the reservations. Just prior to pay in full customers now transfer their reservation to a Travel Agent, so DCL had to pay their staff for all the initial work, plus now a TA commission.

DCL is just saying if we are going to pay a travel agent a commission we need to make them do the work so we do not have to pay DCL staff too.

Sure, it is to save DCL money, but it is better than reducing TA commissions which would be another way to reduce their reservation expense .
 
mkmommy said:
Look at it from DCL's point of view.

Currently guests book through DCL, so DCL has to pay their staff to answer the phones and process the reservations. Just prior to pay in full customers now transfer their reservation to a Travel Agent, so DCL had to pay their staff for all the initial work, plus now a TA commission.

DCL is just saying if we are going to pay a travel agent a commission we need to make them do the work so we do not have to pay DCL staff too.

Sure, it is to save DCL money, but it is better than reducing TA commissions which would be another way to reduce their reservation expense .

I just don't see how they can't give people 30 days from today. That would be horrible.
 
Does anyone know if this applies to Costco as well? Some do not transfer reservations to Costco until a little prior to the PIF date.
 
DisneyDream2B said:
Does anyone know if this applies to Costco as well? Some do not transfer reservations to Costco until a little prior to the PIF date.

Wondering the same thing....
 
Look at it from DCL's point of view.

Currently guests book through DCL, so DCL has to pay their staff to answer the phones and process the reservations. Just prior to pay in full customers now transfer their reservation to a Travel Agent, so DCL had to pay their staff for all the initial work, plus now a TA commission.

DCL is just saying if we are going to pay a travel agent a commission we need to make them do the work so we do not have to pay DCL staff too.

Sure, it is to save DCL money, but it is better than reducing TA commissions which would be another way to reduce their reservation expense .

This really isn't changing this, except that it has to be done within 30 days. Guests can still book through DCL (staff has to do the initial work) then transfer. It it just going to change how people do their dummy bookings for the most part. They already reduce the TA commission if it is a transfer. I think this is more to get people to commit to either them or a TA. How many people booked their first cruise through DCL's website, came on the DIS and found they could get more OBC by simply transferring to a TA?

It isn't just with DCL either. Remember when not too long ago TAs could offer a discount on the cruise and people could compare that way? DCL is just searching for a way to keep more of the initial cost themselves, and I am sure others lines have either already done so, or will soon follow, just like the discounting. Heck, OBC isn't what it used to be either! I used to want to become a TA, but it seems they have to struggle more and more to make it worthwhile for them and their customers.
 
It applies to all TAs. DCL can basically do what they want. They changed the OBC effective immediately when they make that change. There was no -- you have a week to move your dummy date to the cruise date you really want to keep that $275 OBC for golds and $350 OBC for platinums. It was effective immediately. One day I am expecting DCL to say that you can no longer move an OBB and keep the benefits attached to it. They own the ships and they can change the rules whenever they want.
 
It applies to all TAs. DCL can basically do what they want. They changed the OBC effective immediately when they make that change. There was no -- you have a week to move your dummy date to the cruise date you really want to keep that $275 OBC for golds and $350 OBC for platinums. It was effective immediately. One day I am expecting DCL to say that you can no longer move an OBB and keep the benefits attached to it. They own the ships and they can change the rules whenever they want.

Shhhhhhh, don't say that!!!:scared1:
 
i'm a bit confused so here's what I normally do, let me know if you think it is still the same.....
I book when I see what I want, get the room I want and then rebook while on board which gives us the obc. I only do this if the price is similar but it usually is. while on board, I then tf it to the ta. so would I still be able to do this? they actually cancel the first booking and rebook on board right?
sorry if this is confusing, you would think I could understand a small change.
oh, as a ot, I have Disney pop ups on my fb as well and never saw the announcement. I just signed in and went to the dcl page and it doesn't show. how strange.....maybe they took it down?


If the price isn't better with the OBB, then you are stuck with the original booking and if it is 30 days past when you booked, you wouldn't be able to transfer it.

The news didn't appear on a DCL FB page. It was announced by individual TAs.
 
I wonder how this is going to change the behaviors of people who are looking to gain additional OBC or Costco Gift Cards when transferring to an agent who is offering additional perks?

DCL may have caught onto these people and are saying enough especially when there call center people are doing most of the work and then have to pay a TA commission on top of it.
 
Look at it from DCL's point of view.

Currently guests book through DCL, so DCL has to pay their staff to answer the phones and process the reservations. Just prior to pay in full customers now transfer their reservation to a Travel Agent, so DCL had to pay their staff for all the initial work, plus now a TA commission.

DCL is just saying if we are going to pay a travel agent a commission we need to make them do the work so we do not have to pay DCL staff too.

Sure, it is to save DCL money, but it is better than reducing TA commissions which would be another way to reduce their reservation expense .

All of that will still happen, there's just a time limit to it for each individual booking.


Does anyone know if this applies to Costco as well? Some do not transfer reservations to Costco until a little prior to the PIF date.

Costco Travel is just a travel agent.
 

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