Booking while Onboard for someone not onboard:)

[clten]

Halls, I was thinking about what you said and I actually think it may be a benefit if you have your actual party split up. I don't know if this has changed, but in the past you were allowed to keep a cabin if the main member of the cabin was still cruising and then you can change the other people in the cabin. In the case of the OP if she has herself in one cabin and her DH in the other then IF the other family isn't able to go, she can still use that room for say another family to come with them.

Your thinking would be correct if they cancelled before any penalties set in. But I think HallsofVA was thinking more long range -- like what if something happens at the last minute thing and the family can't go? Then you are either stuck paying for the two cabins or paying penalties to move names around. I think that's why it was mentioned to weigh the benefits of having the CC in each room to whether you would travel with/without the other family. It may go smoothly, but if it goes bad right before sailing, you've made a messy situation messier.

 

[wfgamble]

Thanks so much, everyone. My question has been answered and then some

One important change from prior rebooking efforts - Leslie said they are no longer allowed to transfer funds from one reservation to another, so even though my friends had reservations already booked through DCL (as we've done on prior rebooking events), I had to quickly get his credit card information while onboard to pay the deposit. So please be aware of that change in policy and come prepared!

So, Halls, am I understanding this correctly : I need to bring my DB cc (credit card) info with me (which they will charge w/o the physical card) bc afterward, they will not add his cc to the room if I use my credit card to pay while onboard? I'm not sure I have this right. Thanks!

 

[HallsofVA]

Thanks so much, everyone. My question has been answered and then some

So, Halls, am I understanding this correctly : I need to bring my DB cc (credit card) info with me (which they will charge w/o the physical card) bc afterward, they will not add his cc to the room if I use my credit card to pay while onboard? I'm not sure I have this right. Thanks!

All you need is the credit card number and expiration date. My friend was able to email me his information and I was able to give it to the agent to apply to the reservations. Before this change, I found the easiest way to rebook for family and friends was to have them make a reservation directly with DCL prior to my cruise, and all I needed was their reservation number and DCL transferred everything else automatically and I didn't have to worry about their credit card information. Alas, that seems to have changed, at least that was the official policy as of last week's sailing!

Since you're booking for family, you could always pay using your card if that's how you want to do it, and work out the interfamily payments between yourself. That wasn't desirable for us, booking for others, but I would have done it if I couldn't get his information in time. There may even be a way to have your DB pay an amount equal to what you paid, and get your money refunded, but I'd asked about that once a long time ago and it seemed difficult if not impossible, so I stopped asking. But DCL has a very wacky policy of only refunding money back to where it was paid, so if their room was canceled, it would probably still be your cc that was refunded, even if your DB had paid you back for the deposit.

 

[wfgamble]

Thanks, Halls. I appreciate you taking the time to explain.

 

[lanejudy]

...so I can assure you I was within policy and no pixie dust permitted. Not sure where the guidance you posted came from, but that's different from other guidance I've seen posted which is silent about who you can book for....

My apologies, I certainly did not intend to offend you or imply anything negative about receiving pixie dust! And I definitely didn't intend it as questioning the validity of your experience.

As I originally noted, the information I posted was copied directly from the sticky at the top of the page; to be more specific, it is Post #2 in the *** DIS DCL FAQ - New Alphabetical Listing of DCL Information *** sticky at the top of the Cruise Line Forum here on DISboards, it's alphabetical so scroll down to the "O" section for Onboard Booking Discount. I'll try to post the link, but I've never done that before so hopefully it works. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2068966

Apparently there is different information out there, and I believe on an earlier thread a TA took credit for posting the info to the sticky I quoted, so I assumed it correct. Sounds like there may be some confusion or variations of the new onboard booking rules floating around. I stand by my statement that people shouldn't EXPECT the same experience, though hopefully so.