DCL Placeholder cost increase

[Evil Queen 2]

I don't know if this as already been posted but the cost of a placeholder reservation has increased to $250.00 per reservation. I just returned from a cruise and while making my reservations the agent said the price had just increased from $200.00.

I told her that I didn't know if they care about the comments or not but I really wish that they would change the 24 month use it or lose it policy. Since we no longer book actually dates what does it matter if we wait longer to use since all we have done is put down $250 toward the cost of whatever cruise we pick later. She said that they have had lots of comments about the 24 month policy and would be happy to pass along my comments.

 

[mmouse37]

Someone posted about the new placeholder cost earlier in the week. I guess it was just a matter of time until they increased it.

MJ

 

[kiford]

Since we no longer book actually dates what does it matter if we wait longer to use since all we have done is put down $250 toward the cost of whatever cruise we pick later.

Do you not also get a discount on the price of the future cruise? If so, I'd imagine that they don't want to have to guarantee discounts forever so they have to put some limits on it.

 

[Racer X]

$250 is still less than 10% of the cruise down payment in most cases. They just recently increased the expire dates from 18 to 24 mos. It's for those who would like to cruise again in that time frame. Period. If you don't want to, don't give them your money. Plain and simple. Not sure why people feel the need to argue about company policies... it is what it is. Use it or not.

 

[MrPTato]

Going on our first cruise in May. If we book a place holder and either decided to not cruise in 24 months or book a a cruise and cancel for whatever reason, do we lose the entire $250?

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Going on our first cruise in May. If we book a place holder and either decided to not cruise in 24 months or book a a cruise and cancel for whatever reason, do we lose the entire $250?

No you don't lose the $250 as long as you cancel before the paid in full date. It's a great deal to book it if you think you may cruise again. It also takes less than 5 minutes to do while on board. I think it actually took us about 2 minutes, we have them our name, verified our email address, they asked if we wanted the deposit on the credit card we had for our on board account and we were done.

Now we just have to wait for the June itineraries so we can book something, (hopefully the Magic finally).

ETA: I should point out that if you put the deposit towards a concierge room different rules apply to your deposit amount, I don't pay attention to those rules because I'll never be sailing concierge.

 

[donalorow]

It's for those who would like to cruise again in that time frame.

 

[jahber]

Do you not also get a discount on the price of the future cruise? If so, I'd imagine that they don't want to have to guarantee discounts forever so they have to put some limits on it.

They don't HAVE to set limits. I imagine the reason many people are surprised or upset by this is because up until 2 years ago, there was no time limit on when you could use your dummy cruise. Then they went from no limit to 18 months. And when people complained, they revised it to 24 months. It's just one more perk that people have lost in the last couple of years (because many, many DCL cruisers don't cruise exactly every 24 months).

 

[John VN]

DW and I sailed the first/second DVC Member's Cruise. First cruise was great as was the second, BUT, after the second cruise there were posts complaining about the perks not being what people had expected. Expectations were for more items and higher value. ????????

$50.00 increase?????, can understand the increase, can not understand complaining about it. Same with the time limit.

 

[n2mm]

If I want to book a cabin for us and one for my daughter and family, can I get two placeholders for the two cabins even if my daughter is not cruising with us when we purchase it? I didn't know about this feature on my last cruise so didn't do it. But we are thinking of going on a last minute cruise in February. So if I buy two placeholders, that's my limit right? The placeholder cruise would be for October 2016, but not sure of the date yet?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If I want to book a cabin for us and one for my daughter and family, can I get two placeholders for the two cabins even if my daughter is not cruising with us when we purchase it? I didn't know about this feature on my last cruise so didn't do it. But we are thinking of going on a last minute cruise in February. So if I buy two placeholders, that's my limit right? The placeholder cruise would be for October 2016, but not sure of the date yet?

You can reserve up to 2 rooms on the same future cruise and get the perks for both rooms. You can book additional rooms for that cruise, but they will no get the perks. And, if when you actually select your cruise date, you split what cruise each room is booking, only the room that you are in will get the perks.

 

[CM Dad]

You can reserve up to 2 rooms on the same future cruise and get the perks for both rooms. You can book additional rooms for that cruise, but they will no get the perks. And, if when you actually select your cruise date, you split what cruise each room is booking, only the room that you are in will get the perks.

Can you book the 2 staterooms for 2 different families that are not on the current cruise? Or does someone that is cruising need to be named on at least one of the reservations? My wife would like to do a family cruise in fall 2017 and we will need 5 staterooms for us, our kids and our grandkids. The 2 of us are doing B2B cruises in January. I was wondering if we could get the OBB benefits for 4 staterooms on those w cruises?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can you book the 2 staterooms for 2 different families that are not on the current cruise? Or does someone that is cruising need to be named on at least one of the reservations? My wife would like to do a family cruise in fall 2017 and we will need 5 staterooms for us, our kids and our grandkids. The 2 of us are doing B2B cruises in January. I was wondering if we could get the OBB benefits for 4 staterooms on those w cruises?

I believe at least one person on the current cruise (the person booking the future cruise) must be on the reservation. And must remain on the reservation in order for the perks to be applied.

You can book 2 rooms for a future cruise per household on the current cruise. That is you and your wife (same address) can book 2 rooms (or put down 2 placeholder reservations) while on the first cruise of your B2B. And then you can do the same on the next cruise. 4 rooms total. As long as you both are on the future cruise those 4 rooms will get the onboard booking perks. If you need a 5th room, you can still book in onboard, but there will be no OBB perks attached to it.

 

[argomANIA]

I really don't understand the complaint about this...this amount is credited towards your balance. It's not like you're losing anything....or am i missing something?

 

[mab2012]

I really don't understand the complaint about this...this amount is credited towards your balance. It's not like you're losing anything....or am i missing something?

I didn't see a complaint about the deposit amount. OP wrote this:

I don't know if this as already been posted but the cost of a placeholder reservation has increased to $250.00 per reservation. I just returned from a cruise and while making my reservations the agent said the price had just increased from $200.00.

That's not a complaint, it's a statement of fact. If there was any complaining in the OP's post, it was over the reservation window, not the deposit amount. And even that might have been considered constructive feedback rather than a complaint.

 

[argomANIA]

I didn't see a complaint about the deposit amount. OP wrote this:



That's not a complaint, it's a statement of fact. If there was any complaining in the OP's post, it was over the reservation window, not the deposit amount. And even that might have been considered constructive feedback rather than a complaint.

You're right...I apologize. It's not in this thread...but I believe I saw it in the other one. Maybe not. I'm tried lol

 

[TiggerBouncy]

$250 is still less than 10% of the cruise down payment in most cases. They just recently increased the expire dates from 18 to 24 mos. It's for those who would like to cruise again in that time frame. Period. If you don't want to, don't give them your money. Plain and simple. Not sure why people feel the need to argue about company policies... it is what it is. Use it or not.

Not that it matters, but I don't think it is. Before the placeholder, they used to find us the cheapest cruise / room at the end of the booking period. That usually amounted to about $800-$900 for a 3 day room. 10% down was something like $80-$90 that I had to plop down for my placeholder.

frankly, I don't care. $250 works for me - it's less I have to come up with a year from now.

 

[Evil Queen 2]

I wasn't complaining about the cost of the placeholder just passing the information along. I paid for 2 placeholders putting DH and his dad in one; me and his mom in other one (this gives us some flexibility in case they aren't able to travel with us on a future cruise).

I fully expect to use it within the 24 month time limit but just don't understand why they feel the need to have a time limit when we aren't booking a certain cruise. I understand in the past that folks booking dummy dates could make a cruise appear more sold than it actually was.

 

[kiford]

They don't HAVE to set limits.

I fully expect to use it within the 24 month time limit but just don't understand why they feel the need to have a time limit when we aren't booking a certain cruise.

DCL has to carry the liability (i.e., discount) for up to 24 months when someone uses the OBB. As a business, they'd rather not have to guarantee a 10% discount for some indefinite time into the future. Knowing that you have to use it within 24 months allows them to estimate the amount that they'll have to give up for the discount and keep it to a reasonable amount. If they had an open window or a longer window, the discount could be much larger and/or they would have to keep it on their books for longer which creates a larger liability. That's not good for business or your financial statements. It's the same reason that a lot of companies which give loyalty points now expire them after a certain period of time if they aren't used.

 

[jahber]

DCL has to carry the liability (i.e., discount) for up to 24 months when someone uses the OBB. As a business, they'd rather not have to guarantee a 10% discount for some indefinite time into the future. Knowing that you have to use it within 24 months allows them to estimate the amount that they'll have to give up for the discount and keep it to a reasonable amount. If they had an open window or a longer window, the discount could be much larger and/or they would have to keep it on their books for longer which creates a larger liability. That's not good for business or your financial statements. It's the same reason that a lot of companies which give loyalty points now expire them after a certain period of time if they aren't used.

Yes, I understand how business works. My point was, previously they WERE willing to carry that liability. Indefinitely. So they have a choice. They don't have to limit it. They choose to now, which is yet another change to perks long-time cruisers have watched fade away. Of course it's their right to do so, but it's also our right to call them on it as a purely financial move as opposed to a customer-friendly move.