Book DCL cruise through....?

[dabecs]

Who do you book your DCL cruises through?

Does it matter, is booking through Disney directly any more expensive?

Any other benefits to booking through a travel agent?

Thanks

 

[WanderlustNZ]

From my experience it is not more expensive to book directly with DCL, but you have a much smaller chance of getting any on board credit.

I booked directly with DCL when I saw both the cabin and dinner time I wanted were available. I didn't want to look for a TA and risk my cabin disappearing in the process.
I've actually been quite happy with my booking. It's been really easy to make payments and additions to my booking whenever I want.

However, there was a stage where I looked at transferring my booking to a US Disney specialist to get the OBC. Disney have made it harder to do this and my OBC was going to be considerably less than had I booked with the TA right from he start. I emailed the TA a few other questions about their handling of WDW reservations and I wasn't at all impressed by their generic uninformative responses. (Basically, reading between the lines, they said 'Sign your booking over to us and then we'll take time to answer your questions properly). They also took ages to get back to me. I couldn't shake the feeling that approx $100 of OBC wasn't worth loosing control over my booking and risking the potential frustration of bad service.

So sorry, this doesn't really answer your question, other than to point out that if you want to use a TA, don't book with Disney first. You'll get less OBC.

 

[taylor3297]

From my experience it is not more expensive to book directly with DCL, but you have a much smaller chance of getting any on board credit.

I booked directly with DCL when I saw both the cabin and dinner time I wanted were available. I didn't want to look for a TA and risk my cabin disappearing in the process.
I've actually been quite happy with my booking. It's been really easy to make payments and additions to my booking whenever I want.

However, there was a stage where I looked at transferring my booking to a US Disney specialist to get the OBC. Disney have made it harder to do this and my OBC was going to be considerably less than had I booked with the TA right from he start. I emailed the TA a few other questions about their handling of WDW reservations and I wasn't at all impressed by their generic uninformative responses. (Basically, reading between the lines, they said 'Sign your booking over to us and then we'll take time to answer your questions properly). They also took ages to get back to me. I couldn't shake the feeling that approx $100 of OBC wasn't worth loosing control over my booking and risking the potential frustration of bad service.

So sorry, this doesn't really answer your question, other than to point out that if you want to use a TA, don't book with Disney first. You'll get less OBC.

This depends on the TA you use. The TA I use bases OBC given according to the price of the cruise. With this TA it doesn't matter if you transfer a cruise booked with DCL first then transferred.

The cost of the cruise should be the same whether booking with DCL or a good TA. If you book with DCL then decide to transfer to a TA, you have 30 days from the date of booking to transfer.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

This depends on the TA you use. The TA I use bases OBC given according to the price of the cruise. With this TA it doesn't matter if you transfer a cruise booked with DCL first then transferred.

The cost of the cruise should be the same whether booking with DCL or a good TA. If you book with DCL then decide to transfer to a TA, you have 30 days from the date of booking to transfer.

Sorry, I could be wrong. All I know is that the TA I enquired with (one of the major, more well-known ones) used to offer the same obc whether you transferred the booking or booked direct with them. But they explained that recent policy changes by Disney make this transfer now quite difficult. They can't offer the same obc anymore as they need to recoup some of the costs of making the transfer.
If there are TAs out there still offering the same obc, they must be slightly more out of pocket because of it.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I booked with DCL but will use a TA next time for the OBC if I can give up control of the ressie
I am looking at cruise compete basically you put in your cruise and then TAs send quotes the only thing that varies between them is how much OBC you get it was recommended on the cruise board.

 

[dabecs]

thanks for the replies!

Wanderlust - Getting a good dinner seating is hugely important! No way my ids would make the late seating.

Taylor3297 - thanks, some n board credit would be a bonus!

WAMUMof4 - I have just submitted a request through CruiseCompete - will let you know how it goes

Dreams Unlimited offer $200 OBC for up to$5k or $250 for over $5k (the cruise I am looking at will be just under or just over $5k) - so that would be an extra bit of cash in my pocket if I book through them rather than Disney directly.

 

[dabecs]

First quote is back - it is $50 less than through Disney direct and the OBC is $350

The category I wanted seems to be sold out so will have to take a lesser category (which is a shame but means I will be looking at spending about $4500 rather than $5k so saving some $$).

 

[hjd0411]

That sounds good! I booked mine for last year through Dreams Unlimited, mainly for the OBC. We got $250 total OBC which was pretty good, I thought. I didn't get much "service", but I didn't ask them to do very much anyway!
I guess you just go with your gut feeling - if you feel that it is a good price, then go for it!
Happy booking and planning!!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

First quote is back - it is $50 less than through Disney direct and the OBC is $350

The category I wanted seems to be sold out so will have to take a lesser category (which is a shame but means I will be looking at spending about $4500 rather than $5k so saving some $$).

it takes a few days to get them all.

 

[Marlea98]

I can tell you a travel agent you should never go through though

I think we'll do a dummy booking for a future cruise when we sail in December and decide later on if I want to give it to a travel agent later or not.

 

[shushh]

We book ours through an American TA, both for the OBC and also for them to continually check for discounts that apply to us.

Each time we're onboard, we book a dummy cruise. This can be done "via your TA" even though you're organising it onboard. Just give them your TA's details. That's what we did and got the OBC from Disney as well the OBC from our TA as well as the onboard booking discount. All adds up. We just keep pushing the date back which our TA does, until a cruise that we like comes along. Then its a matter of moving the reservation across.

 

[dabecs]

We book ours through an American TA, both for the OBC and also for them to continually check for discounts that apply to us.

Each time we're onboard, we book a dummy cruise. This can be done "via your TA" even though you're organising it onboard. Just give them your TA's details. That's what we did and got the OBC from Disney as well the OBC from our TA as well as the onboard booking discount. All adds up. We just keep pushing the date back which our TA does, until a cruise that we like comes along. Then its a matter of moving the reservation across.

Can you pm me your TA please Shussh, thanks I didn't know that you could book a dummy cruise on board, great idea to make the most of the discounts and OBC