Booking on board

[Jsme]

We have done this before and considering doing it again in a few weeks.
Last time our TA just took over the booking no big deal. Well now I am no longer using her. I am using where I can find the best deal.

I know when I book on the ship the price will be qutie a bit higher. I wonder if the TA will be willing to give me the same price as they have it on-line for? Does that make sense? I just wonder if they would up hold their pricings on-line with a take over booking.

 

[jel0511]

Most agencies that have MUCH lower pricing than DCL usually get those rates by reserving group space. You can not get a group space price and retain the 10% off and on board credit, you'd have to give those up. If you do book on-board and see a price that is lower, than grab it. Most agencies that do offer group space, usually offer a discount to on-board bookings that are transferred to them, usually $50 - $200 off depending on the price of the cruise. Usually that works out to be a better deal, but sometimes their group space pricing is better and it's worth to cancel the on-board booking and book with their group space.

 

[ivanova]

some TAs also "rebate" part of their commission (salary) back to you in order to reduce the cost of the cruise and entice you to transfer your booking from DCL to them. In those instances you would be able to retain the shipboard credit, since a group fare is not involved.

 

[Jsme]

Which do you think would be better to do.
1. Go ahead and book the 7 day with the great rates I am finding now
OR
2. Book onboard and then have a TA take over?

 

[lbgraves]

We just went thru the same thing. We booked now and saved almost $1000 with the group booking rate. We don't cruise for another five months so I know that the price will go up by then. If we booked onboard right now we would only have saved $330 + the $200 stateroom credit. If we waited, we would be paying more, and honestly would probably be questioning seriously if we were going to cancel that booking & wait another year. IF you book now & when you go on board the price is less, then you can book it then & cancel the first booking with your TA. You don't lose out that way.

 

[Jsme]

I am just horrible on decisions. We actually have a 4 day cruise planned for 11/5/06. It took me a couple of days to talk DH into that. Now I am wanting to change it from a 4 day to a 7 day. I was surprised when he agreed to do the longer cruise. I explained that I would rather do a 7 day cruise then a 4 day and I also promised to get two rooms. He reminded me we had planned on doing WDW a few days with the 4 day cruise and I looked at him and reminded him of our blisters we got in June from walking around WDW. He smiled and agreed the cruise looks more fun.

So now I need to figure out what to do. I guess I need to go ahead and cancel my 4
day and then fidn the pricing I want for a 7 day. I am going to call AAA and see what they can give me first. I have three prices form on-line TA's that I am more than happy with. Womder how long it takes to get our $800 from our 4 day cruise. I used my Disney Visa and I will use it for the other deposit as well.

 

[jel0511]

If your first cruise isn't booked through a TA, you just call DCL and have them ammend the reservation to the 7 night and just pay the additional deposit, probably $200. THEN you can shop your reservation around to see who will give you the best price. You can then have the reservation transferred to that TA. Now, if you've already booked through a TA, you can still ammend it through them but you can't shop it around anymore. Otherwise, you'll have to wait to retrieve the deposit, usually about 2 - 3 weeks with DCL.