NEW policy re transfer to TA

[Candleinthewind]

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.

This applies to ALL TA transfers.

 

[Candleinthewind]

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.

DCL is following all of the other lines leads. Carnival transfer is 30 days. Royal Caribbean's and Celebrity's is 60 days. It has been floated to reduce all transferred reservation commissions to 5% versus the 10% they are paying now. In the next five years, the mass market lines (which includes DCL) will no longer be paying travel agent commissions.

 

[neg58]

But the policy just came out today. How can they penalize you for violating a policy that didnt exist?

What penalty? Disney never promised you anything for transferring or not transferring to a TA. Disney hasn't broken any promise to you.

You have the right to cancel and rebook with the TA to get OBC or whatever is being offered, but then you'd lose the 'contract' you have with Disney for whatever is in your current booking.

Nancy

 

[FJS961]

DCL announced today that reservations can only be transferred to a TA within 30 days of making the reservation.

This is probably an attempt to limit guests making a reservation and then shopping around for the best TA perks after all the "work" on the reservation has been completed by DCL. I guess the lesson is that guests should do their homework and book thru the TA initially. There is no change in onboard bookings as far as I know, beyond the new 30 day rule.

Thanks for alerting us to this change in policy

 

[su_A_ve]

Just confirmed with DCL that this policy change is now in affect.

If this is something you are not happy about send an email to dcl.guest.communications@disney.com - they claim that they want happy guests so if they make a policy change that doesn't make you happy let them know.

That address is no good - bounces back with user unknown...

 

[Kelsie]

That address is no good - bounces back with user unknown...

dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

[su_A_ve]

It sucks specially when you book small cruises. For me, I would only get maybe $50 with DU. Instead I would wait until 'Disney month' at AAA and transfer the res then. I would get typically a $100 GC and the AAA package. Done it for years with WDW, where you don't get any commission anyway, but I would get the diamond lot parking and a gift card.

But good AAA agents don't last - they get transferred to better positions once they are good and you are back to square one. Also, I will have a Costco by the end of the year and more than likely will be using them.

I booked a dummy cruise on board last August. At the time, the TA I had was a disaster - I was better off doing everything myself. But I'm looking at sailing on Dec 2014.

So I will book another dummy one next week and will put down AAA. Then if Dec. 2014 come out, I'll see who is faster - TA or me (online).

That makes me wonder - can I have two reservations for the same cruise?

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

That makes me wonder - can I have two reservations for the same cruise?

Yup. We booked 2 dummy dates when we sailed in Dec '11. Future Cruise CM put us on the same cruise for both.

 

[ranidayz]

What penalty? Disney never promised you anything for transferring or not transferring to a TA. Disney hasn't broken any promise to you.

You have the right to cancel and rebook with the TA to get OBC or whatever is being offered, but then you'd lose the 'contract' you have with Disney for whatever is in your current booking.

Nancy

All I'm saying is that if you've already had your ressy for more than 30 days and the policy wasn't there before, they should give you 30 days from the date the new policy is printed to make arrangements.

 

[DahliaRW]

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?

Book directly with DU. They got me the OBC for booking online with DCL and the DU OBC. If you book through DCL and then transfer you get a reduced OBC from DU and end up with less.

 

[ga9497]

DCL is following all of the other lines leads. Carnival transfer is 30 days. Royal Caribbean's and Celebrity's is 60 days. It has been floated to reduce all transferred reservation commissions to 5% versus the 10% they are paying now. In the next five years, the mass market lines (which includes DCL) will no longer be paying travel agent commissions.

A cruise line tried that already a few years ago and guess what, they went out of business because NO travel agent was recommending them or selling them. On the TA end you should see all the emails the cruise lines are sending to keep TA's booking their product

 

[carmie3377]

Ugh, I have an OBB I was about to transfer to DVC :-(. Would really like the 10% discount in points.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[mytripsandraces]

I haven't read the entire thread, so I'm sorry if this has been asked already. Are cruises that have already booked grandfathered in? I didn't get my 10% discount for rebooking on board, but haven't had a chance to contact DCL about it. I was going to transfer it when I was fixing it, because they didn't note a TA on the reservation.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

I haven't read the entire thread, so I'm sorry if this has been asked already. Are cruises that have already booked grandfathered in? I didn't get my 10% discount for rebooking on board, but haven't had a chance to contact DCL about it. I was going to transfer it when I was fixing it, because they didn't note a TA on the reservation.

As of right now, no there is apparently no grandfathering.

 

[WebmasterJohn]

That address is no good - bounces back with user unknown...

So sorry - I had a typo in the original post - dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

 

[cwdefouw]

Ugh, I have an OBB I was about to transfer to DVC :-(. Would really like the 10% discount in points.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Can you do this? And what would be the benefit? It was my understanding (provided by DVC) that the only way to get the discount on the points was to book directly through DVC within three days of getting off the ship. Was told there was no way to book on board then have it converted to points. Since you wouldn't get 10% off in cash and you don't get to keep any OBC, I guess I don't see why you would book OBB anyway. Help me understand if this is possible and what the benefit would be.

 

[lilpooh108]

Ugh, I have an OBB I was about to transfer to DVC :-(. Would really like the 10% discount in points.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Oh man! I forgot that this would also apply to DVC taking over a cruise.

DANG IT!

 

[Betsy82]

It is my understanding, from the email, that it's 30 days from the date a confirmation is generated. So even if you don't place the deposit until 7 days later, those 7 days count in the 30.

I also don't believe there is any grandfathering. But there is nothing official on that.

 

[Candleinthewind]

A cruise line tried that already a few years ago and guess what, they went out of business because NO travel agent was recommending them or selling them. On the TA end you should see all the emails the cruise lines are sending to keep TA's booking their product

It has been 12 years since the demise of that cruise line. Part of the demise of that line was sped up by 9/11, however the internet and ease of direct booking have continued. One line in particular has done everything it can to cut out the travel agent and many agencies no longer support, recommend or sell that line.

 

[lilpooh108]

Can you do this? And what would be the benefit? It was my understanding (provided by DVC) that the only way to get the discount on the points was to book directly through DVC within three days of getting off the ship. Was told there was no way to book on board then have it converted to points. Since you wouldn't get 10% off in cash and you don't get to keep any OBC, I guess I don't see why you would book OBB anyway. Help me understand if this is possible and what the benefit would be.

DVC MS frequently gives wrong information. You are always better off asking DVC questions in the DVC boards, getting multiple confirmation of that answer, then call DVC MS until you get someone who will give you the right answer. Alot of their newer MS (especially after Aulani came online) are not educated about DVC point bookings.

DVC takes over DCL bookings and if there is a 10% Onboard offer attached to it, they give you a prenegotiated discount point rate. The advantage of holding a dummy booking is that you don't have to book 3 days after you get off the ship.

We've done the take over route twice now (once in 2011, and once for our upcoming cruise).

The extra time to decide gives us the ability to confirm our plans before booking w/DVC, which charges heftier penalties than DCL.

Unless DVC recently changed its policy... if so, it would have already been posted in the DVC boards (which it has not, and I check those daily).