Anyone else from WBPC cruise dealing with DCL jerking you around w 40% offer

[o&smom]

Been on the phone with Costco/Disney about applying the 40% offer to cruise for next Spring. We confirmed with officer onboard about applying it to cruise booked right before start of WBPC cruise for cruise next April. They said Disney would be able to do that. We were number 215 in line to speak with the onboard person, so that never happened in two days. Disney Cruise Line will NOT apply it and they are saying that the 40% needs to go toward a NEW booking which clearly is NOT stated in the letter we were given and has been posted on Disney cruise line blog in full.

 

[smmco]

So cancel and make a new booking.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Disney Cruise Line will NOT apply it and they are saying that the 40% needs to go toward a NEW booking which clearly is NOT stated in the letter we were given

I looked up that letter. It says:
we will provide you a 40% discount toward any current open future sailings, which can be combined with the standard onboard offer as long as you take advantage of the onboard offer before you disembark. Pleas call our Contact Center to apply the additional 40% discount after you have returned home, as our onboard sales team will not be able to do so.

I believe that indicates on a new booking, not a booking that already exists. Yes, the term "new bookings only" isn't there, but, typically, offers like this are only available on new bookings.

 

[smmco]

The cast members on board are very limited in what they can do. The can’t modify existing bookings or apply any discounts except the onboard offers. I read the letter as you can get 10% plus an additional 40%. Wouldn’t you want this for an additional cruise since you already have an onboard offer?

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

So cancel and make a new booking.

Right, I would do this.

 

[spiders]

There are very few people who this discount applies to. They’re probably just not familiar with everything involved yet because there are so few people and you’re trying to do something next April. They can’t even get this April figured out yet.

Relax. I’m sure you’ll be okay but let the dust settle a bit.

 

[o&smom]

Right, I would do this.

We have the old $200 attached to that onboard booking and do not want to waste it.

 

[o&smom]

I looked up that letter. It says:
we will provide you a 40% discount toward any current open future sailings, which can be combined with the standard onboard offer as long as you take advantage of the onboard offer before you disembark. Pleas call our Contact Center to apply the additional 40% discount after you have returned home, as our onboard sales team will not be able to do so.

I believe that indicates on a new booking, not a booking that already exists. Yes, the term "new bookings only" isn't there, but, typically, offers like this are only available on new bookings.

Discussed with officer on board who was helping answer questions for onboard booking desk that was beyond packed. Told our exact situation to her and that was her answer. In order for something to be something it needs to say it. The letter never said new booking just current open sailings which ours is and we took the time to get clarification from an officer dealing with the bookings.

 

[o&smom]

So cancel and make a new booking.

Old $200 onboard credit attached. Do not want to lose and was told we would not.

 

[o&smom]

The cast members on board are very limited in what they can do. The can’t modify existing bookings or apply any discounts except the onboard offers. I read the letter as you can get 10% plus an additional 40%. Wouldn’t you want this for an additional cruise since you already have an onboard offer?

Husband does not have extra vacation time beyond what we already have planned before end of current open booking seasons.

 

[BartmanLA]

Actually the wording of the letter states "towards any current open booking" what that means isn't a booking you've made but bookings that are OPEN and available to be booked in the future, it is meant to apply to bookings that DCL currently has listed on their site (current open bookings) since they've removed many itineraries due to the shut down those aren't available anymore, but other future ones are... so those are the "Current Open Bookings" they're referring too, NOT bookings you have "open" in your portfolio for a future cruise. AT least that's my interpretation of the letter.

 

[disdel]

Just my humble opinion, but the right thing to do is honor that 40% on your booking. To me, it should represent more of a compensation for the disrupted cruise rather than an incentive to book another.

In any case, honoring it is what earns THEM your goodwill, as well as that of all you share your story with.

Based on some of the poor decisions I read about in the Adventures By Disney thread, ABD is making it harder for us to commit the significant $ to them. Our PIF for an early September Danube cruise is in about 4 weeks, as of now we'd just forfeit a lot in deposit money. We are cancelling, but if they eased up some of the restrictions, we wouldn't be seriously considering using a different provider for the future.

To O&Smom, let us know how this customer service issue turns out.

 

[lanejudy]

We confirmed with officer onboard about applying it to cruise booked right before start of WBPC cruise for cruise next April.

If you just booked the April 2021 cruise right before your WBPC, has it really increased significantly in price? I know there has been a lot of rebooking in the past couple of weeks, but I find it hard to believe the price increased enough to negate the highly generous 40%. I would push out the old OBC with the $200, and rebook the April 2021 cruise with your 40% offer. Or do the math to see which offer is better -- I've got to think that getting 40% off is likely worth much more than a $200 OBC. It's very rare that DCL allows stacking of discounts, and I see they are allowing the 40% offer to be stacked with an OBB booked on the WBPC, but I wouldn't expect it to extend to combining with other OBBs. I'm sorry the officer onboard gave incorrect information; I suspect there was confusion and she didn't fully understand that your OBB was not booked on your WBPC but earlier.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MomOTwins]

If you just booked the April 2021 cruise right before your WBPC, has it really increased significantly in price? I know there has been a lot of rebooking in the past couple of weeks, but I find it hard to believe the price increased enough to negate the highly generous 40%. I would push out the old OBC with the $200, and rebook the April 2021 cruise with your 40% offer. Or do the math to see which offer is better -- I've got to think that getting 40% off is likely worth much more than a $200 OBC. It's very rare that DCL allows stacking of discounts, and I see they are allowing the 40% offer to be stacked with an OBB booked on the WBPC, but I wouldn't expect it to extend to combining with other OBBs. I'm sorry the officer onboard gave incorrect information; I suspect there was confusion and she didn't fully understand that your OBB was not booked on your WBPC but earlier.

Enjoy your cruise!

Exactly—$200 is not worth passing up 40% off.

The same has been true for the current 125% off credit for cancelled cruises—it is only for new bookings—they want the booking to be at current rates, not opening day ones for people who booked something ages ago. Yes it would be nice to stack discount upon discount, plus but that’s not what DCL is offering.

I wouldn’t stress to much, it’s still an awesome deal.

 

[o&smom]

Actually the wording of the letter states "towards any current open booking" what that means isn't a booking you've made but bookings that are OPEN and available to be booked in the future, it is meant to apply to bookings that DCL currently has listed on their site (current open bookings) since they've removed many itineraries due to the shut down those aren't available anymore, but other future ones are... so those are the "Current Open Bookings" they're referring too, NOT bookings you have "open" in your portfolio for a future cruise. AT least that's my interpretation of the letter.

Again, while we were still on the ship as # 215 in line to meet with the booking person onboard, there was an officer who was assisting with questions so that people did not have to talk to the desk and could wait until they left the ship. The officer onboard said that it would apply since that booking is in the future ( next April). We did not just assume and are now frustrated, we made sure to clarify. We had just booked it right before the cruise, on opening day for summer 2021. It is to celebrate our DS’s graduation, but Fantasy end of June was $4000 MORE for exact same room and itin. It is now a pregraduation cruise. You should be able to trust info given by the people who are actually there in the situation there with you, especially at officer level who would have been in the many meetings they were having regarding this whole ordeal. It’s not like I asked a WDW bus driver.

 

[o&smom]

If you just booked the April 2021 cruise right before your WBPC, has it really increased significantly in price? I know there has been a lot of rebooking in the past couple of weeks, but I find it hard to believe the price increased enough to negate the highly generous 40%. I would push out the old OBC with the $200, and rebook the April 2021 cruise with your 40% offer. Or do the math to see which offer is better -- I've got to think that getting 40% off is likely worth much more than a $200 OBC. It's very rare that DCL allows stacking of discounts, and I see they are allowing the 40% offer to be stacked with an OBB booked on the WBPC, but I wouldn't expect it to extend to combining with other OBBs. I'm sorry the officer onboard gave incorrect information; I suspect there was confusion and she didn't fully understand that your OBB was not booked on your WBPC but earlier.

Enjoy your cruise!

We cannot push the old OBC out past current open bookings. It expires in July 2021. We are not trying to save even more money. We are actually upgrading to something we would NEVER pay for. We are transferring it to a much higher category on the ship and actually spending a small amt more

 

[o&smom]

Just my humble opinion, but the right thing to do is honor that 40% on your booking. To me, it should represent more of a compensation for the disrupted cruise rather than an incentive to book another.

In any case, honoring it is what earns THEM your goodwill, as well as that of all you share your story with.

Based on some of the poor decisions I read about in the Adventures By Disney thread, ABD is making it harder for us to commit the significant $ to them. Our PIF for an early September Danube cruise is in about 4 weeks, as of now we'd just forfeit a lot in deposit money. We are cancelling, but if they eased up some of the restrictions, we wouldn't be seriously considering using a different provider for the future.

To O&Smom, let us know how this customer service issue turns out.

That is our frustration. We were offered something because of drastic changes to our cruise. Disney should not take something away that we earned by doing the things to get it in the first place. Especially, since we talked to someone while still ON THE SHIP to make sure that it would actually apply in this situation.

 

[MillauFr]

#215? Wow. Just another example on why they should modify their systems so you can make all changes online without talking to a live person.

 

[BartmanLA]

Again, while we were still on the ship as # 215 in line to meet with the booking person onboard, there was an officer who was assisting with questions so that people did not have to talk to the desk and could wait until they left the ship. The officer onboard said that it would apply since that booking is in the future ( next April). We did not just assume and are now frustrated, we made sure to clarify. We had just booked it right before the cruise, on opening day for summer 2021. It is to celebrate our DS’s graduation, but Fantasy end of June was $4000 MORE for exact same room and itin. It is now a pregraduation cruise. You should be able to trust info given by the people who are actually there in the situation there with you, especially at officer level who would have been in the many meetings they were having regarding this whole ordeal. It’s not like I asked a WDW bus driver.

Honestly, asking a ship's officer about "bookings" is like asking that WDW bus driver, his interpretation is subjective and you can't really expect it to have any impact on what DCL tells you. He read the letter and interpreted it as you did, but if you look at it from DCL's viewpoint they're talking about people booking NEW cruises, this was never intended to give folks that already booked itineraries the opportunity to change that booking and piggy back a discount that was never meant to be applied to pre-exisisting bookings in the first place. That's all I'm saying, your view is you're being cheated, but DCL doesn't see it that way because how this new discount is being offered.

 

[lanejudy]

there was an officer who was assisting with questions so that people did not have to talk to the desk and could wait until they left the ship.

Just curious... if the person you spoke with onboard had answered differently, what would you have done? What would have been your options if you had received a different response onboard? I'm not seeing as how getting wrong info onboard really has huge impact here. Yes, it would be nice to double-up and keep the $200 OBC. Receiving misinformation isn't right, but it doesn't mean anything was taken away.

Enjoy your future cruise and congrats to your son!