Can someone explain Dummy Cruises to me?

[Crisi83]

Okay, we are getting ready to go on our first DCL trip in a week. I sort of know about the idea of booking on board for a discount, but am not quite sure how it all works.

First - how much should I expect to pay for a downpayment? I know it says 10% and searching around upcoming cruises it looks like the cheapest I could get is around 2500, so should I expect I'd be paying $250 for a dummy cruise down payment? I wouldn't probably be able to get any cheaper then that?

Second - I am planning to take this next trip with a friend, right now there would be two adults and three kids so we could all share a room, but I am trying to get pregnant so it is highly likely that by the time we'd take this cruise (looking at 2017), there will be too many of us for one room. In order to get all the discounts, would I have to book two rooms as our dummy, or could I add a second room later and still receive discounts and OBO?

Any questions I'm not thinking of asking or other advice? I really want to know going into this cruise how much I might need to put on my credit card to hold this future cruise, so I can plan ahead.

Thanks!

 

[GooniesAndy]

No need for dummy cruises any more. You just pay $200 to get a reservation number with no cruise attached. When you decide what you want you transfer to a date using that number. I would think you'd need to book two rooms to get the discount on both.

 

[gismo1554]

The new way they do it is you put down a $200 deposit (I think this might be per person or per room I'm not sure as travel solo) and this is then valid on any cruise for the next 2 years from the date you book. Its also refundable if you cna't find a cruise to use it on from what I've heard. You therefore don't need to worry about dummy cruises any more you just book a placeholder and it works but hopefully someone with experience will confirm this.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

The responses are correct ( outside of currently released cruises).

 

[DahliaRW]

The new way they do it is you put down a $200 deposit (I think this might be per person or per room I'm not sure as travel solo) and this is then valid on any cruise for the next 2 years from the date you book. Its also refundable if you cna't find a cruise to use it on from what I've heard. You therefore don't need to worry about dummy cruises any more you just book a placeholder and it works but hopefully someone with experience will confirm this.

Yes, that. It's per cabin, you can book up to 2 cabins. Totally refundable if you cancel (not sure exactly how far in advance, but I would do it as soon as you're sure you won't use it).

 

[SillyInventor]

If you know which (released) cruise you want you can book the specific cruise as before and have all OBB benefits applied to that cruise. The cancelation policy will be applicable and you pay the required deposit for the cruise.

If you don't know which cruise you will book next or the dates you want to cruise haven't been released you can book a general placeholder for a flat fee of $200 per stateroom. i think you will have to specify all the names on the reservation, but not sure about that.
For 2 staterooms you will have to book 2 placeholders and pay a $400 deposit. Additional staterooms can be booked, but they will not receive the 10% discount, just the OBC.

When new cruise dates have been released and you have decided on the cruise you wish you just change the placeholder into your actual cruise. This must be within 24 months of the day of booking the placeholder. The two placeholders must remain together. You cannot move one to a cruise and the second to another.

As no cruise date has been specified (and neither concierge or not) the placeholder downpayment is fully refundable at any moment. If you do not use it within the 24 months you can still apply it to a future cruise, but you will of course loose all OBB benefits.

Have a great cruise and if you are so lucky to become pregnant, please note the restrictions for future mom's and young babies to cruise to avoid disappointment.

 

[TestingH2O]

Hmmm. I hadn't thought about the names. If we ended up adding or dropping someone from an OBB, how would that work? Would adding mean paying a higher rate for the person we add?

 

[SillyInventor]

Not sure about how the names work with a placeholder, but at least one adult name must remain on the booking, so just in case it's better to have more than one name on the booking.
With booked cruises with OBB it works the same as other reservations: dropping a name is at no cost until PIF. After that cancelation fees apply. Adding a name is at the rate of the day you add minus the 10% discount (if applicable).

 

[Garyjames220]

Can someone tell me -

- what happens if the 24 months expire can you still use it

- am I able to place more that $200 dollars on a place holder or is it a set Amount

- and finally if they see I have a cruise booked can I get the place holder over the phone or does it need to be on ship only as I would liked to of booked it now

 

[Garyjames220]

Also where abouts on the ship does this get booked ?

 

[MommyMeNDisney]

Just wanted to add...

Once you switch your placeholder to an actual cruise date, the remaining 10% deposit is due for that cruise.

For example, you put a $200 deposit down for a placeholder. Then, you switch it to a cruise that costs $5,000. You will have to pay the remaining $300 at that time to satisfy your deposit that's 10% of the cruise price.

 

[MommyMeNDisney]

Also where abouts on the ship does this get booked ?

There's an onboard sales area. On the Dream, I believe it's on deck 4. They also have cards in your stateroom regarding future bookings. You can fill out the card and turn it in, so you don't have to stand in line (like I did for a long time on the last day).

 

[SillyInventor]

Can someone tell me -

- what happens if the 24 months expire can you still use it

- am I able to place more that $200 dollars on a place holder or is it a set Amount

- and finally if they see I have a cruise booked can I get the place holder over the phone or does it need to be on ship only as I would liked to of booked it now

- After the 24 months you can use the $200 (per stateroom) for any future cruise, but you loose the OBB benefits.

- No, $200 per stateroom is a set amount.

- Don't really understand the third question. Placeholders can only be booked while onboard any of the DCL ships and cannot be purchased otherwise. Once you decide on your actual cruise you either change this online in your account on the DCL website or you call DCL and have the placeholder replaced by your actual cruise. The paid $200 will go against your deposit on the future cruise (20% for 6- nights, 10% for 7 nights or longer cruises). The remaining balance will be due directly.

Note: the placeholder thing replaces the "Dummy cruise" where several short cruises filled up with dummy OBB bookings only to be moved when new dates were released, leaving the Ship empty. This way no staterooms are kept from inventory and you as a future cruiser have maximum flexibility to enjoy the OBB benefits without worrying about the PIF date of your dummy cruise.

 

[SillyInventor]

Also where abouts on the ship does this get booked ?

The "Future cruise desk" is the place to go. Opening times of the desk will be published in your Personal Navigator. As an additional service you can also request (and book) a future cruise using the form provided in your stateroom, which can also be picked up the FCD. Just fill out the form with your credentials and the cruise you wish and within 24 hours the quote will be in your fish. You can then approve the quote and return it to the desk without even speaking to the Future cruise sales person.

Be warned that on the last day of your cruise this desk is always very busy, so if you want some time there to discuss your choice of future cruises go early in the cruise and have a quote before the last day.

 

[mmouse37]

You would book it at the return cruiser desk on Deck 4

MJ

 

[The Novice]

My wife says its any cruise I'm on.

 

[momof2n2]

Can someone explain what is the point of a dummy cruise? It doesn't lock you into a lower rate, does it? If as soon as you decide which cruise you want you have to pay the deposit, how do dummy cruises help? I'm genuine in my questions.

 

[SwimMom2]

In order to get the OBB discount for both staterooms, someone on your upcoming cruise must put their name on each reservation, up to 2 staterooms. So you can be in one room, your friend/ spouse/ partner in another (if he/she is on this cruise), and you can get 2 placeholders.

You will pay 200$ for a placeholder reservation, which will be added to your onboard account. DCL will email you a confirmation. When you choose a cruise, you call DCL, give them your confirmation number, pay the difference between the total deposit and the 200$ you already paid, and voila, you have a real reservation.

Onboard, it takes 2 minutes to do this. It is best to do this early. I found people in this queue to be quite testy. Also the cast members seemed not as happy as they are everywhere else. Best to get in, pay for your placeholder, and get out to enjoy your cruise.

 

[wcw57]

A dummy cruise is where my relatives have a family reunion......

 

[gismo1554]

Can someone explain what is the point of a dummy cruise? It doesn't lock you into a lower rate, does it? If as soon as you decide which cruise you want you have to pay the deposit, how do dummy cruises help? I'm genuine in my questions.

For me for example I am looking at a 2017 cruise and these haven't been released yet. By booking a placeholder cruise I can still get the Onboard booking benefits such as the reduced deposit and the onboard credit for my next cruise even though DCL have yet to release the dates.