Booking Cruise Early or Wait?

[mich723]

I'm heading on my third Disney cruise in January, and next October I was looking at doing the Bermuda cruise out of New York.
I have been booking future cruises through the placeholder option on the ship. However, knowing about next October, should I book it now through a travel agent? Disney's website? Or should I wait until January and book it then? What is going to get me the best deal and OBC? Thanks for any help!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm heading on my third Disney cruise in January, and next October I was looking at doing the Bermuda cruise out of New York.
I have been booking future cruises through the placeholder option on the ship. However, knowing about next October, should I book it now through a travel agent? Disney's website? Or should I wait until January and book it then? What is going to get me the best deal and OBC? Thanks for any help!

The best method for getting the best price is to go ahead and book now. Then, on your cruise, "reshop" the cruise. Since the discounts for onboard bookings are taken on the prevailing price, it's possible the prices may have risen enough to negate any savings booking onboard. But, if they haven't, you can cancel the existing reservation and book it onboard and get the discounts and OBC. That way you've gotten the best price you can.

Travel agents often offer onboard credits, also, if you use them to book.

 

[MatthewC033]

B

I'm heading on my third Disney cruise in January, and next October I was looking at doing the Bermuda cruise out of New York.
I have been booking future cruises through the placeholder option on the ship. However, knowing about next October, should I book it now through a travel agent? Disney's website? Or should I wait until January and book it then? What is going to get me the best deal and OBC? Thanks for any help!

Book now if you have the placeholder. I think if it's 7 nights or longer you get 200 OBC and 10 percent off deposit and cruise. Correct? In the end book asap. It leaves more options available. I'm not 100 percent on the details so someone else should help with that.

 

[mich723]

B

Book now if you have the placeholder. I think if it's 7 nights or longer you get 200 OBC and 10 percent off deposit and cruise. Correct? In the end book asap. It leaves more options available. I'm not 100 percent on the details so someone else should help with that.

My placeholder I used for the cruise in January. Which is a 7 night and a $200 OBC. The one in October 2018 is a 5 night.
I'm probably going to book it sooner than later. I was curious if I could reserve a cruise and put that reserved cruise as a placeholder as well. Kind of double dip the savings if possible.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My placeholder I used for the cruise in January. Which is a 7 night and a $200 OBC. The one in October 2018 is a 5 night.
I'm probably going to book it sooner than later. I was curious if I could reserve a cruise and put that reserved cruise as a placeholder as well. Kind of double dip the savings if possible.

You can only use a placeholder for the second cruise, if you had 2 placeholders. That is, for 2 separate future cruises. Not a second room on the same cruise you've already booked.

You can't "use" a placeholder before you've given DCL the money for one.

 

[mich723]

You can only use a placeholder for the second cruise, if you had 2 placeholders. That is, for 2 separate future cruises. Not a second room on the same cruise you've already booked.

You can't "use" a placeholder before you've given DCL the money for one.

I only took out 1 placeholder on my last cruise. Can I use 2 placeholders? Or did I have to choose 2 placeholders when I was on my last cruise?
The one placeholder I have I got on a cruise this past December; I reserved to go on a cruise this upcoming January using that placeholder.
I found out later that Disney was sailing again from New York (which is nice since I can drive instead of fly), but that cruise is in October 2018. I don't want to lose the benefits of the cruise I booked for January as it's a longer cruise and higher OCB.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I only took out 1 placeholder on my last cruise. Can I use 2 placeholders? Or did I have to choose 2 placeholders when I was on my last cruise?
The one placeholder I have I got on a cruise this past December; I reserved to go on a cruise this upcoming January using that placeholder.
I found out later that Disney was sailing again from New York (which is nice since I can drive instead of fly), but that cruise is in October 2018. I don't want to lose the benefits of the cruise I booked for January as it's a longer cruise and higher OCB.

You had to book 2 placeholders on the last cruise for 2 rooms. Only problem, the 2 rooms have to be on the same future cruise. You can't book one room on one cruise and a second room on a different cruise. That, you can, but only one of the rooms will get the onboard booking perks.

If you book 2 placeholders, you'd put down $500 deposit to hold them. Then you select what cruise you want the two rooms on later (within 24 months of original deposit date).

 

[mich723]

You had to book 2 placeholders on the last cruise for 2 rooms. Only problem, the 2 rooms have to be on the same future cruise. You can't book one room on one cruise and a second room on a different cruise. That, you can, but only one of the rooms will get the onboard booking perks.

If you book 2 placeholders, you'd put down $500 deposit to hold them. Then you select what cruise you want the two rooms on later (within 24 months of original deposit date).

If I knew I was planning that, I would have booked two, but didn't. Looks like my best bet is booking early.
I've booked Disney vacations through Small World Vacations and that's been nice. I've seen advertisements for Dreams Unlimited as well for OBC with booking through them, so that might work.
Thanks for your help!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If I knew I was planning that, I would have booked two, but didn't. Looks like my best bet is booking early.
I've booked Disney vacations through Small World Vacations and that's been nice. I've seen advertisements for Dreams Unlimited as well for OBC with booking through them, so that might work.
Thanks for your help!

Just to clarify for me - you would have booked 2 placeholders on your past cruise? And then used one of them on your January cruise and the other for the October cruise? If so, you can't do that.

You can book 2 placeholders, but they have to be assigned to the same future cruise when "cashing" them in.

 

[mich723]

So I couldn't book two placeholders? I'd have to book two rooms on one future cruise and then could rearrange the booked rooms at a later date?
Well either way, it doesn't work out for me on that path as I only put $250 down for one room.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I couldn't book two placeholders? I'd have to book two rooms on one future cruise and then could rearrange the booked rooms at a later date?
Well either way, it doesn't work out for me on that path as I only put $250 down for one room.

No, to receive the onboard booking perks you can book up to 2 placeholders (or rooms). Those rooms and/or placeholders must be on the same future cruise. You can't split them up.

You can book additional rooms while onboard for a different future cruise than your getting the onboard booking perks on, but they will not receive the onboard booking perks.

You can book two rooms on the same future cruise, and move one of the rooms to a different future cruise, but it then would lose the onboard booking perks.

You can book 2 placeholders, and assign one of them to a future cruise, but you'd lose the second placeholder's onboard booking perks.

 

[mich723]

No, to receive the onboard booking perks you can book up to 2 placeholders (or rooms). Those rooms and/or placeholders must be on the same future cruise. You can't split them up.

You can book additional rooms while onboard for a different future cruise than your getting the onboard booking perks on, but they will not receive the onboard booking perks.

You can book two rooms on the same future cruise, and move one of the rooms to a different future cruise, but it then would lose the onboard booking perks.

You can book 2 placeholders, and assign one of them to a future cruise, but you'd lose the second placeholder's onboard booking perks.

Oh, I get it now! I was overthinking how it all worked.
The cruise I took this past December I had booked with a placeholder and loved it. Plans change though sometimes.