Any rumor when 2014 dates come out?

[disneydreaming92701]

I believe it is 10% of a regular deposit if I remember correctly

 

[NancyIL]

I believe it is 10% of a regular deposit if I remember correctly

The onboard booking deposit is 10% of the pre-tax cruise price. That's half of the normal deposit.

 

[DionneEvette]

Good Afternoon all. Just wondering how much do I have to pay to book a dummy cruise? For example, my up and coming cruise I booked online. I paid about $580 deposit on a 5night cruise (1adult 3children). Would I need about that much to book a dummy cruise? Thanks in advance.

I also forgot to ask, what kind of discount do they give you if you book onboard?

 

[mmouse37]

I also forgot to ask, what kind of discount do they give you if you book onboard?

The perks of booking onboard are 10% deposit (instead of 20%), 10% discount off cruise fare (not off taxes and fees) and an OBC...which I believe is $100 for cruises under 7 days and $200 for cruises over 7 days.

MJ

 

[DionneEvette]

The perks of booking onboard are 10% deposit (instead of 20%), 10% discount off cruise fare (not off taxes and fees) and an OBC...which I believe is $100 for cruises under 7 days and $200 for cruises over 7 days.

MJ

Thank you for explaining.

 

[peterpan47]

Wish I did. When we were on board the Magic in August, they would only let us do one booking for the discount. So, I booked our cruise for next August. I wanted a dummy booking as well - wasn't allowed. Anyone else experience this?

I've always had a spare "dummy" cruise in my back pocket since our second cruise. Had to use the spare this last summer when we had to cancel after the PIF date and we still wanted to do the cruise - just a few weeks later.

They had limited the booking process just a few days before our last cruise, but we were still able to book two cruises. A TA also told us that if we had wanted to book more, we could have booked another because my daughter and I have different home addresses. As I understand it, the cruise is listed under the primary contact person's address, and if two people have different addresses, you can book one for each.

 

[smeecanada]

They had limited the booking process just a few days before our last cruise, but we were still able to book two cruises. A TA also told us that if we had wanted to book more, we could have booked another because my daughter and I have different home addresses. As I understand it, the cruise is listed under the primary contact person's address, and if two people have different addresses, you can book one for each.

Don't have that option - we all live at the same address. Still bummed, I couldn't book an actual cruise and a dummy one. You think they would want our money.

 

[peterpan47]

Don't have that option - we all live at the same address. Still bummed, I couldn't book an actual cruise and a dummy one. You think they would want our money.

They told us that the reason they were limiting them now is that people would book cruises onboard for their friends who weren't there and much of the time the extra bookings would cancel. They said it was getting difficult to manage stateroom availability when so many people who weren't making their own reservations were cancelling.

It would have made more sense to me to limit the cruises that were at different addresses than the ones that were at the same address. A lot of things they do really don't make sense to me.

We did set up a dummy cruise though, and they knew it was a dummy cruise. They booked us into a special CAT for dummy cruises so it didn't mess up the room availability for people who really planned for that cruise. It's all very strange to me.

 

[disneydreaming92701]

I just can't wait to change my dummy date to a real cruise..... I can't help from checking multiple times a day for 2014 dates.

 

[2CME911]

We did set up a dummy cruise though, and they knew it was a dummy cruise. They booked us into a special CAT for dummy cruises so it didn't mess up the room availability for people who really planned for that cruise. It's all very strange to me.

Same thing with us last cruise. I think the CM taking my info called it a place holder reservation, and she automatically booked us into the lowest category on the latest Dream cruise that was available that day to calculate the deposit. I think it's a good thing they went to this arrangement...it seems more open and honest when everyone knows its a reservation that will be moved some day, and my assumption is that this type of booking would not have the effect of driving up prices unecessarily. Is that accurate?

 

[2CME911]

I just can't wait to change my dummy date to a real cruise..... I can't help from checking multiple times a day for 2014 dates.

I know exactly what you mean! It's driving me crazy as well as tying up the Internet with all this checking...and rechecking...and triple checking. Getting old.

 

[peterpan47]

Same thing with us last cruise. I think the CM taking my info called it a place holder reservation, and she automatically booked us into the lowest category on the latest Dream cruise that was available that day to calculate the deposit. I think it's a good thing they went to this arrangement...it seems more open and honest when everyone knows its a reservation that will be moved some day, and my assumption is that this type of booking would not have the effect of driving up prices unecessarily. Is that accurate?

I agree. I think it is more fair and more reasonable all around. I do think that it would be OK for the to allow at least two bookings, though. Limiting to one seems a little harsh (and probably not too smart)

 

[chateau]

They said it was getting difficult to manage stateroom availability when so many people who weren't making their own reservations were cancelling. We did set up a dummy cruise though, and they knew it was a dummy cruise. They booked us into a special CAT for dummy cruises so it didn't mess up the room availability for people who really planned for that cruise. It's all very strange to me.

I think it may have worked FOR them for a while, but then got a bit out of control..... if there were a few dummy's in Dec., no biggie, it'd just superficially drive up the rates a bit, but look at any cruise of 3 nights in Dec 2013, most insides are booked up. Anyone interested (and unaware that these fake bookings will vanish when 2014 dates come out) thinks "I'm not paying that, and I wanted the cheapest available, so it's not worth it" and they move on, never to check back again. Oopsies! Slightly inflated revenue from just a few dummies turns into MAJOR lost revenue from perspective new cruisers. back to Economics 101

 

[peterpan47]

I think it may have worked FOR them for a while, but then got a bit out of control..... if there were a few dummy's in Dec., no biggie, it'd just superficially drive up the rates a bit, but look at any cruise of 3 nights in Dec 2013, most insides are booked up. Anyone interested (and unaware that these fake bookings will vanish when 2014 dates come out) thinks "I'm not paying that, and I wanted the cheapest available, so it's not worth it" and they move on, never to check back again. Oopsies! Slightly inflated revenue from just a few dummies turns into MAJOR lost revenue from perspective new cruisers. back to Economics 101

Yes, we were told that was why they changed the policy, because it was becoming unmanageable in exactly that way. They started booking dummy cruises specifically, I am sure, in an effort to make the situation more manageable. They should be able to determine how well the new process works and make adjustments accordingly. I suppose that even though they are specifically booking dummy cruises, some people will not tell the CM that is what they want to do, and their booking will look legit even if it isn't.

They will do what they do, and since we don't have a lot of input, it's something we will just take as it comes. I'm sure I'll keep going on cruises and make it work for me regardless of what they do, since if I don't get my regular doses of Disney, I go through terrible withdrawal pains

 

[NancyIL]

Yes, we were told that was why they changed the policy, because it was becoming unmanageable in exactly that way. They started booking dummy cruises specifically, I am sure, in an effort to make the situation more manageable. They should be able to determine how well the new process works and make adjustments accordingly. I suppose that even though they are specifically booking dummy cruises, some people will not tell the CM that is what they want to do, and their booking will look legit even if it isn't.

They will do what they do, and since we don't have a lot of input, it's something we will just take as it comes. I'm sure I'll keep going on cruises and make it work for me regardless of what they do, since if I don't get my regular doses of Disney, I go through terrible withdrawal pains

DCL could solve the problem of dummy bookings if they would do as other cruise lines do - and let people pay a $100 pp deposit for an unspecified future cruise. I have them on 4 other cruise lines, and none offer a discount for onboard bookings; just a reduced deposit and onboard credit.

 

[lbgraves]

If DCL limited OBBs to those who are actually ON the cruise, they could allow them to book more than one date. IMO that would help to stop the over booking that messes up the inventory. It's for returning cruisers, just like the CC membership benefits -- for what they are worth now. Too many people book so that first time cruisers can get those benefits as well. It's no wonder why they have been decreased.

 

[peterpan47]

DCL could solve the problem of dummy bookings if they would do as other cruise lines do - and let people pay a $100 pp deposit for an unspecified future cruise. I have them on 4 other cruise lines, and none offer a discount for onboard bookings; just a reduced deposit and onboard credit.

Yes, I noticed that when I was checking into Royal Caribbean and their perks. We have sailed with them once before, and I noticed they don't offer nearly as many perks as Disney does. I kind of like the Disney plan even though it is still evolving.

 

[peterpan47]

If DCL limited OBBs to those who are actually ON the cruise, they could allow them to book more than one date. IMO that would help to stop the over booking that messes up the inventory. It's for returning cruisers, just like the CC membership benefits -- for what they are worth now. Too many people book so that first time cruisers can get those benefits as well. It's no wonder why they have been decreased.

I understand what you are saying. I didn't even know you could book for someone else until we asked our TA to book a cruise for us one time and she happened to be on a cruise when she did it. We were very surprised to discover that we had onboard credits and a discount, because we weren't expecting it at all. We've never booked for anyone else, but I guess lots of people do it.

 

[smeecanada]

If DCL limited OBBs to those who are actually ON the cruise, they could allow them to book more than one date. IMO that would help to stop the over booking that messes up the inventory. It's for returning cruisers, just like the CC membership benefits -- for what they are worth now. Too many people book so that first time cruisers can get those benefits as well. It's no wonder why they have been decreased.

Still don't see why a repeat cruiser is being limited to one rebooking onboard. I wasn't booking for another family, just our family. I wanted an actual cruise booking and a DUMMY one. Was only allowed to do one.

If people are booking for other people and that is causing problems. Then stop that, instead of penalizing everyone.

 

[ILoveWD]

I just read this on another thread here.

Look at the Disney Wonder Sept. 28th 2013 itinerary map.

Falmouth, Jamaica is a stop. Costa Maya is not listed on the map.

The printed itinerary still shows Costa Maya.

Maybe we are close to hearing about the 2014 routes.