HELP!! Final payment due tonight, DCL is closed, and I need to make a change.

[riggins]

So final payment is due by midnight. After waiting until the last minute for a family member to decide whether or not to go, I need to drop 2 people from my reservation. DCL is closed for the night and of course, the website can't handle this kind of change well. Here's the scoop:

ORIGINAL RESERVATION:
Guest 1: $2247
Guest 2: $2247
Guest 3: $2163
Guest 4: $2058

After dropping Guest 2 and and Guest 4:
Guest 1: $2247
Guest 2 (formerly Guest 3): $2597 (which is the price if I booked today)
Then there is a line at the bottom called "Penalties" for $387.10 with no explanation.

I know Guest 2 is showing the higher price because it thinks I'm adding someone new, but I have no idea what the Penalty is for. Given the increase in the Guest 2 price and the mystery penalty, the total is higher than if I booked new today.

Since final payment is at midnight, should I just pay the new, higher total and trust that DCL can straighten it out in the morning when I call?? Or would you not pay it and risk having to pay the higher price?

Thanks for your advice!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So final payment is due by midnight. After waiting until the last minute for a family member to decide whether or not to go, I need to drop 2 people from my reservation. DCL is closed for the night and of course, the website can't handle this kind of change well. Here's the scoop:

ORIGINAL RESERVATION:
Guest 1: $2247
Guest 2: $2247
Guest 3: $2163
Guest 4: $2058

After dropping Guest 2 and and Guest 4:
Guest 1: $2247
Guest 2 (formerly Guest 3): $2597 (which is the price if I booked today)
Then there is a line at the bottom called "Penalties" for $387.10 with no explanation.

I know Guest 2 is showing the higher price because it thinks I'm adding someone new, but I have no idea what the Penalty is for. Given the increase in the Guest 2 price and the mystery penalty, the total is higher than if I booked new today.

Since final payment is at midnight, should I just pay the new, higher total and trust that DCL can straighten it out in the morning when I call?? Or would you not pay it and risk having to pay the higher price?

Thanks for your advice!!

Unfortunately, it sounds like something you probably should have looked into fixing before the last minute.

I'd suggest a call to DCL as soon as they are open (eastern time) and asking your questions.

Hope all works out.

 

[holula]

Is it a Concierge room? If so, the penalty will be the deposit for that guest. It's non-refundable for each passenger (we ran into that once before).

I can't help you with DCL being closed, but I would probably pay online so you don't lose your reservation.

 

[Donna3271]

Argh... I would pay and hope to get it credited in the morning. The whole reservation will most likely be cancelled if you do not pay in full.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Argh... I would pay and hope to get it credited in the morning. The whole reservation will most likely be cancelled if you do not pay in full.

This sounds like the best plan. However, after the PIF date, there may be penalties involved with cancelling some people. But, at least, the reservation could be salvaged and not forfeited.

 

[riggins]

I think I have the mystery penalty charge figured out. It's not a concierge room, but it is a holiday sailing. When I booked the cruise originally, you could cancel without penalty up to 90 days in advance. Since then, they've changed the policy to 105 days in advance. So I'm hoping this is just a case of the website not being smart enough to know the difference.

Hopefully, I'll have success in the morning with getting both the penalty and the increased cost refunded. I went ahead and paid in full, so my fingers are crossed. Thanks to everyone for your advice tonight!!

 

[MickeyMeCrazy]

@riggins Were you able to get it taken care of? I sure hope so! I would've been sick over it last night. I hate when I can't fix problems right away!

 

[riggins]

Hi guys! I called first thing in the morning and explained my dilemma. As I expected, the $387 Penalty was for cancelling 2 people within 105 days of a Holiday sailing. When I originally booked the room in January, the policy was 90 days. But in July, I added 2 more people to the cabin and didn't realize that by doing so, it converted me to the new 105-day policy. Fortunately, DCL refunded me that money without any issues.

But I wasn't able to get them to change the rate increase when Guest #3 became Guest #2. She said that even though my original Guest #2 was $2247, that the 2nd passenger price when I added guest #3 in July had gone up to $2597 so that's what I had to pay. I argued that I should be allowed to do a name change and keep the same rate, but she said it wasn't a name change if the person was already booked in the cabin. I was really frustrated because there are 5 of us sharing two cabins and I could have easily just changed that name to someone in the other cabin and saved myself $350. But since I waited until the last minute to deal with it, I feel like I didn't have the opportunity to be creative. Honestly, I'm kind of sick about it, but I'm trying not to think too much about it so it doesn't fester and sour my vacation.

Thanks again for all of your advice!

 

[Quellman]

Hi guys! I called first thing in the morning and explained my dilemma. As I expected, the $387 Penalty was for cancelling 2 people within 105 days of a Holiday sailing. When I originally booked the room in January, the policy was 90 days. But in July, I added 2 more people to the cabin and didn't realize that by doing so, it converted me to the new 105-day policy. Fortunately, DCL refunded me that money without any issues.

But I wasn't able to get them to change the rate increase when Guest #3 became Guest #2. She said that even though my original Guest #2 was $2247, that the 2nd passenger price when I added guest #3 in July had gone up to $2597 so that's what I had to pay. I argued that I should be allowed to do a name change and keep the same rate, but she said it wasn't a name change if the person was already booked in the cabin. I was really frustrated because there are 5 of us sharing two cabins and I could have easily just changed that name to someone in the other cabin and saved myself $350. But since I waited until the last minute to deal with it, I feel like I didn't have the opportunity to be creative. Honestly, I'm kind of sick about it, but I'm trying not to think too much about it so it doesn't fester and sour my vacation.

Thanks again for all of your advice!

Sorry it didn't work out just as you had planned, but close to it. Have a great trip.

 

[holula]

At least you got the $387 refunded.