Having a friend book on board?

[m&mfamily]

Hi! I have a friend leaving on the Dream on Sunday. I'm thinking of asking her to book a dummy cruise for me. Can she just book it for 1 person at the cheapest time and I change it to fit my family? Does that mean I would need to give her my credit card number or can I give her a check? Also, does my travel agent information have to be added when it's booked or can she take over the reservation after its booked?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi! I have a friend leaving on the Dream on Sunday. I'm thinking of asking her to book a dummy cruise for me. Can she just book it for 1 person at the cheapest time and I change it to fit my family? Does that mean I would need to give her my credit card number or can I give her a check? Also, does my travel agent information have to be added when it's booked or can she take over the reservation after its booked?

Thanks in advance!

I think that the person making the booking has to remain on the booking. I could be wrong.

I found this on another thread:

Effective 03/04/2012

When booking onboard, you are allowed to book 2 reservations per household that will receive the 10% discount, 50% deposit reduction and onboard credit (based on Castaway Club level). They must be for the same sail date. You will not be allowed to book these for someone not on the sailing and that is not in your household.

Disney Cruise Line will allow you to book more than the 2 reservations for future sailings but they will not have the 50% deposit reduction or 10% Discount. They will have an onboard credit (based on Castaway Club level). There is nothing stating these have to be in the same household so this basically replaces the Friends & Family certificate without giving additional 30 days after sailing to book.

Effective 3/03/2012

The Friends & Family certificates are no longer available.

 

[swimfly]

Hi! I have a friend leaving on the Dream on Sunday. I'm thinking of asking her to book a dummy cruise for me. Can she just book it for 1 person at the cheapest time and I change it to fit my family? Does that mean I would need to give her my credit card number or can I give her a check? Also, does my travel agent information have to be added when it's booked or can she take over the reservation after its booked?

Thanks in advance!

Going to follow bc I'm interested in the response. When we rebooked on board the Dream in April I was able to book 2 rooms for my family (DH, DD, & Me) and my parents but was told I couldn't just book for my parents. Interested in seasoned cruisers responses.

 

[silence]

You can book two rooms per address when on board, but they have to be the same date. I have no experience with changing a dummy date and whether they would require both be booked for same cruise.

We booked for our family in 2012 and just finished that cruise with them. We booked two dummy date rooms on board last week that we hope to use in 2015.

 

[lanejudy]

I believe DCL does allow a passenger to do an OBB that includes another family, but I don't know if they are allowed to ONLY do an OBB for that other family - maybe only if the friend is booking 1 stateroom for themselves on the same cruise (max 2 staterooms on the same cruise date). They will need your credit card (not sure if a check is accepted) and it's best to name the TA at the time of booking. With 2 staterooms booked, both must remain on the future same cruise date or the OBB will be lost. So one of the primary questions...does this friend intend to do an OBB for their own use?

 

[su_A_ve]

The person making the OBB must travel at the same time. Either in the same stateroom, or in additional staterooms.

Bookings of more than 2 stateroom will not qualify for 10% deposit nor 10% discount. They would only get the OBC

 

[Four Swampers]

The person making the OBB must travel at the same time. Either in the same stateroom, or in additional staterooms.

Bookings of more than 2 stateroom will not qualify for 10% deposit nor 10% discount. They would only get the OBC

Well, the person making an OBB can book it for a future date for someone else and not be traveling, but then you do not get the 10% discount nor 10% deposit. The future traveler would get the OBC, just as you mention when you point out how booking works for more than 2 staterooms.

For example, my wife was on a cruise on the Wonder in February. She did not need an OBB, as we already had our next cruise lined up. She made an OBB for her cousin, who was not traveling with her. That was the only OBB she did: just one stateroom on a future cruise for her cousin and his family. She would not be on the reservation at all. Cousin got the OBC, but nothing else.

 

[lbgraves]

I think that the person making the booking has to remain on the booking. I could be wrong.

I found this on another thread:

Effective 03/04/2012

When booking onboard, you are allowed to book 2 reservations per household that will receive the 10% discount, 50% deposit reduction and onboard credit (based on Castaway Club level). They must be for the same sail date. You will not be allowed to book these for someone not on the sailing and that is not in your household.

Disney Cruise Line will allow you to book more than the 2 reservations for future sailings but they will not have the 50% deposit reduction or 10% Discount. They will have an onboard credit (based on Castaway Club level). There is nothing stating these have to be in the same household so this basically replaces the Friends & Family certificate without giving additional 30 days after sailing to book.

Effective 3/03/2012

The Friends & Family certificates are no longer available.

This information was posted incorrectly by TAs when the policy first changed. I typed out the exact wording in the booklet they give out onboard when we got back from the MV.

"Offer valid for Categories 4-11 only. Offer not valid for concierge level categories, 2-night cruises, IGT, OGT and VGT Categories with Restrictions, or Disney Fantasy maiden voyage. All staterooms must be booked and deposit paid while onboard. Special cruises have seperate cancellation and deposit policies. Other discounts do not apply. This offer is limited to two staterooms on one future cruise date [per household sailing]. Any additional staterooms on the date booked onboard will only recieve the onboard credit portion of the offer. Additional sail dates can be booked onboard at the current prevailing rates. See disneycruise.com for applicable terms and conditions."

There is nothing in this saying that the people have to be on the ship to have the reservation made in their name. Someone from the MV posted that they were able to book two rooms for other people on one sail date and none of them were on the cruise at the time. She was told that isn't the policy. As you can see, the wording in the booklet is different from what has been posted previously. Another person posted on the thread that they also were able to book two rooms for people who were not on the cruise with them at the time.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2910556

 

[silence]

In April 2012, we had 2 rooms, with 3 adults from 2 diff addresses.

We booked on board for 4 rooms (2 per address), same sail date, for May 2013. Now, we didn't put a Castaway member in each room, so for 2 rooms, we got all benefits. For the other 2 rooms, we got the 10% discount and 10% deposit, but no OBC.

Just our experience.

 

[lbgraves]

It seems that the CMs who do the OBBs make up their own rules. Since some have been able to book for others not onboard with full benefits, it would seem that the system does allow for this. There are reports of both getting the OBC AND getting the 10% discount but no OBC for rooms without CC members in them. As long as DCL reps are inconsistent with implementing this, there are going to be conflicting reports.