DCL Bounceback Offer; Good Value?

[WDWRook]

Howdy,

We leave this Sunday for our first Cruise; going on the Dream 4 night out of Port Canaveral. I read elsewhere that there is a Bounce back type offer if you book your next Cruise while on board. Assuming my family loves the trip, is this offer a good deal? Or, can you get better deals elsewhere?

Any idea what the offer is?

 

[fredandkell]

I assume you mean the 10% discount you get when booking onboard, and the reduced deposit for 7+ day cruises? If so, yes - those are excellent deals. DCL hardly ever goes on sale and the prices continue to rise every year.

 

[eva2015]

Never heard it referred to as Bounce Back but yes there is a deal when booking on board. If you know the dates you want to sail again, you can book it and get 10% off (some blackout dates) and an onboard credit of $100-200 depending on cruise length. If you don't know the dates you want to travel, you can book a placeholder- $250 deposit good for 24 months. When you decided on the dates, call and apply the placeholder to the actual cruise you want.

 

[lorimay]

Howdy,

We leave this Sunday for our first Cruise; going on the Dream 4 night out of Port Canaveral. I read elsewhere that there is a Bounce back type offer if you book your next Cruise while on board. Assuming my family loves the trip, is this offer a good deal? Or, can you get better deals elsewhere?

Any idea what the offer is?

You put "a placeholder" on cruise and must sail within 24 months of placing a hold on a cruise, the cost of a placeholder is $250.
If you find a cruise you want to take, you put 10% down (7 nights or longer) and you receive $200 room credit and 10% off the price of the cruise.

Placeholder $ is refundable of you decide not to sail.

 

[RX8]

And the 10% off is good at the travel agent you booked with. We had booked our cruise with Costco and when we were ready to book the next cruise we received 10% off of the Costco rate.

 

[lanejudy]

we received 10% off of the Costco rate

Just to point out "the Costco rate" is the same as booking direct through DCL. DCL doesn't allow TA's to discount the cruise fares. But yes, the 10% OBB discount can be used through a TA - you need to either name the TA when booking onboard or transfer within 30 days. Do not wait until you are ready to set a firm date for a placeholder.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[jstewartgt]

The bounceback offer is rare and is a deal DCL sends via mail after you finish a cruise for a discounted future cruise. I'm not sure it's any better than just booking while on board and again it seems to be rare if it even occurs any longer. Best bet is to at a minimum book a placeholder while on board to hold that discount/On Board Credit.

 

[keaster]

We booked a bounce back offer after our first 7-night cruise in Feb. 2009...it was for a 3 night bahamas cruise for $99/person (and yes, we booked it!). Man I miss those days lol!

 

[lorimay]

We booked a bounce back offer after our first 7-night cruise in Feb. 2009...it was for a 3 night bahamas cruise for $99/person (and yes, we booked it!). Man I miss those days lol!

In 2002, our first 7 night cruise on The Magic was $1400 total with a balcony for 2 adults & 2 kids. The good ole days!

 

[WDWRook]

Thanks all. Yes, you got what I was referring to. I didn't know what to call it. Is this onboard deal only good on 7+ night cruises? Regarding the TA, we didn't use a TA (well maybe Chase was our technical TA as we booked using Chase points). Can I transfer to any TA I want to use so long as I do it within 30 days? Besides the help, can the TA still give their customary on board credit on top of the DCL credit and 10% discount?

 

[jrabbit]

We booked a bounce back offer after our first 7-night cruise in Feb. 2009...it was for a 3 night bahamas cruise for $99/person (and yes, we booked it!). Man I miss those days lol!

Yes there are some "special circumstances" where DCL will make this type of offer. Usually the circumstance is NOT GOOD. In your example, the economy was still in the toilette because of the Financial Meltdown / Housing Crisis. We had this offer made to us after we sailed a few months after 9/11 (also NOT GOOD).

But if you like your DCL cruise (99.9% sure that you will), booking a specific or placeholder cruise is a very good deal. Either way you have 2 years to take the cruise. If in the future (before the Pay In Full date) you will be able to cancel without any penalty and get a full refund. If you book a specific cruise, you are able to move it to a different one (again before the PIF date) without any penalty at current rates and the discount will still apply.

 

[lanejudy]

Is this onboard deal only good on 7+ night cruises?

The 10% discounted fare applies to all cruises. (well...maybe not the rare 2-night cruises)
Onboard Credit (OBC) of $200 for cruises 7+ nights, $100 for shorter cruises.
Reduced deposit (= 10% of fare) is only for cruises of 7 nights or longer. Shorter cruises require the standard 20% deposit.

Can I transfer to any TA I want to use so long as I do it within 30 days? Besides the help, can the TA still give their customary on board credit on top of the DCL credit and 10% discount?

Yes and yes.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks all. Yes, you got what I was referring to. I didn't know what to call it. Is this onboard deal only good on 7+ night cruises? Regarding the TA, we didn't use a TA (well maybe Chase was our technical TA as we booked using Chase points). Can I transfer to any TA I want to use so long as I do it within 30 days? Besides the help, can the TA still give their customary on board credit on top of the DCL credit and 10% discount?

When you book the placeholder, make sure you have Chase (or, more precisely, whoever Chase contracts with to handle reward point bookings) removed as the TA.

Otherwise, you'll have to go through the trouble of removing them after the fact, which could be annoying, at best.

TA's can give the onboard credit. You'll have to shop around to find the best deal. Make sure they know about the placeholder, in case it makes a difference to what they are willing to give you as incentive.

Costco is almost definitely going to be your best bet, even if you need to get a membership for this only (executive membership would be worth the extra cost).

Just transfer within 30 days of booking placeholder.

Also, if you do it towards end of cruise, it'll give you some extra days to use it, than if you book in the beginning of cruise.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Costco is almost definitely going to be your best bet, even if you need to get a membership for this only (executive membership would be worth the extra cost).

Except that you may need to keep membership, executive or otherwise, for 3 years to get the benefit

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Except that you may need to keep membership, executive or otherwise, for 3 years to get the benefit

Depends on the timing of things. 2 years of membership for us, booking 15 months in advance. Still worth it. Executive membership results in about 10% back.

Also should mention, the money back is Costco cash, which you may not be able to redeem for cash, but must be used in store or online.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Depends on the timing of things. 2 years of membership for us, booking 15 months in advance. Still worth it. Executive membership results in about 10% back.

I completely agree it's worthwhile - we would have executive membership even if we didn't cruise with DCL - Costco rocks!

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I completely agree it's worthwhile - we would have executive membership even if we didn't cruise with DCL - Costco rocks!

We actually got a Costco membership for our Disney cruise. Figured the cash back was worth it, even if we hardly went there.

Our first executive membership reward was over $100, and it's only been 9 months. And, we haven't taken the cruise yet, so it doesn't include that at all (though it does include a new washing machine and 6 pairs of prescription glasses).

 

[WDWRook]

I'll look into Costco. We are long time Sams Club members, but Costco is just as close. Is Chase listed as my travel agent since I used Chase points to book the cruise? I reserved the Placeholder but marked down that we did not use a TA. Chase did nothing except pay for the cruise, and then we did everything else on the DCL website.

 

[com_op_2000]

Howdy,

We leave this Sunday for our first Cruise; going on the Dream 4 night out of Port Canaveral. I read elsewhere that there is a Bounce back type offer if you book your next Cruise while on board. Assuming my family loves the trip, is this offer a good deal? Or, can you get better deals elsewhere?

Any idea what the offer is?

Are you sure it is this Sunday?
The 4 night out of PC this Sunday is on the Wonder - I am on it.
The next 4 night out of PC on the Dream is on Monday the 11th.

 

[mbjeni]

If I have a trip booked from our recent trip and want to transfer it to Costco, do I call Costco first to transfer it? I believe I have 30 days to do this right?