Dreams Unlimited or book while onboard?

[eeyoresmom]

What's your advice? We are sailing this month on the Wonder (4 day) and if we like it may book a 7 day for 2006.What has been your experience??? TIA

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

What's your advice? We are sailing this month on the Wonder (4 day) and if we like it may book a 7 day for 2006.What has been your experience??? TIA

"Dreams Unlimited or book while onboard?"

The answer is "both!" Book onboard to get the onboard booking incentive (typically a discount and a stateroom credit). Then transfer your reservation to Dreams Unlimited for the Dreams rebate. In fact, the DCL agent onboard the ship can transfer the reservation to Dreams Unlimited for you.

 

[mark & sandra]

I second that, except, I'd ask DCL to hold your reservation and once you return home you can check all other TA's for rebates. Pick whichever one has the best deal. It's easy to switch from DCL to any other TA, but almost impossible to switch to another TA once you've chosen...Mark

 

[Dcanoli]

Okay, I keep reading about rebooking once on-board ship...now, I have a few questions...

We are sailing on 1/30, and I was wondering...when do you rebook (i.e., beginning, end, etc.) and do you have to put your deposit down when you rebook?

 

[mark & sandra]

There is a cast member who sits at a table near the main entrance balcony (I think it's deck 4) She has her hours posted on the table. The crowds get bigger near the end of the cruise. You will be expected to leave a deposit then for your reservation. Some people save money by only booking 1 person, but that can backfire on you. Disney can make you pay a newer, more expensive rate, when you decide to add the others to your reservation, and they can reach their maximum capacity for children and npt allow you to add any at all. Your money is 100% refundable up to 90 days prior to sailing...Mark

 

[crisi]

The "rebook" desk is open almost all the time. Lines are long on sea days at the end of the cruise. Its often a walk up early in the cruise or while people are at port.

You'll need the deposit ($250 a person?) You can put it on your credit card. If you don't have that with you when you stop by, they will be happy to look up the credit card you have on record for the cruise and use that. You'll need sail dates, but DCL is easy to switch if you change. We booked on board and wanted 2006 before it was released. They let us book 2005 and moved it. Finally, cabin category (and maybe number).

 

[Dcanoli]

Thanks, Mark...I doubt my husband will go for spending another $1,000 so soon, but I like to have all my information up front before I "hit" him with anything new (ain't that just like a wife)!!!

Thanks again!

 

[mark & sandra]

You will lose out on any incentives if you don't book onboard. You 'll lose a 200.00 stateroom credit, a 10% booking discount and an additional rebate you can get by switching your reservation to another Travel Agent. You might want to rebook and then think about it. You can always cancel but you can't always rebook while onboard...Mark

 

[Dcanoli]

I know that, and you know that...but getting my husband to know that...well, that's a completely different story! LOL...

 

[firsttimemom]

If you have a disney visa, you have 6 months before you have to pay the deposit. Just a thought...

Liz

 

[Dcanoli]

How do you figure? Won't it just show up like any other charge?

 

[mark & sandra]

Well IF and just IF he decides to rebook, he'll love the fact that you saved him so much. Get him to rebook immediately and then you have the whole cruise to decide and cancel. Sneaky yes, but well worth the effort. I plan on rebooking while onboard next week and then deciding if we really want to go. You can book the furthest out they have available and then change your dates when new dates become available. So you're really planning a cruise 2 years from now. At todays prices!! At worst you'll have a 1000.00 bill to manage, or you'll cancel before you leave the ship...Mark

ps- Last year we booked an extra room and offered it to family members and friends at our reduced price. We had till 60 days out for them to decide or we could have cancelled the room. We found out that keeping the extra room was cheaper then putting all 4 into 1 room, go figure.

 

[TJGorman]

Book while on board! We didn't think we would go on another Disney cruise so we didn't book on board. As you can see, we were wrong and could have used the $200 credit towards the spa, excursion, etc. We won't be making that mistake again. We are saving an extra $1,000 so that we can book while on board.

 

[eeyoresmom]

OK since we want to book 2 staterooms for our family of 6,will we get $200 per stateroom? And what is the dreams rebate?

 

[dzneprincess]

Just an fyi, my DH was reluctant to rebook onboard on our recent Nov cruise. I talked him into it, and now our May 06 cruise hows nearly doubled in price. In less than 2 months. I told him since I saved him basically the price of another cruise, that I get another one out of it.

 

[dzneprincess]

Yes it is $200 per stateroom. It sure was nice to have $400 waiting for me on my account when we boarded in Nov. Alsp try Dana at www.micdan.com she has always come in lower than anyone for me.

 

[The LK 4]

Regarding Disney Visa, you will have 6 months to pay off your cruise deposit, provided you don't put other items on the charge, I believe.

 

[mark & sandra]

OK since we want to book 2 staterooms for our family of 6,will we get $200 per stateroom? And what is the dreams rebate?

We used AllSeasons www.allseastravel.com and we received an additional 300.00 in rebates. 200.00 for cat #6 and 100 for cat #11. Add that to 400.00 stateroom credit and 10% off booking discount...mark

 

[TammyC]

Maybe I don't quite understand this whole thing.. but why would DCL allow a ressie to be transferred to a TA which would cause them to pay a commission for a cruise which they did all the initial booking work for?

 

[mark & sandra]

TammyC- I'm not sure why, but it's done that way and the woman who works the desk even suggests you assign your rebooking to your previous TA. Maybe there's more to it then just commissions. The TA's might forfeit their usual commission for a smaller one or none at all to get the bookings that qualify them for even bigger volume discounts. As far as doing all the work, remember it was the initial TA's work that put them onboard in the first place...Mark