Help help! Rebook on board question

[StuartMI]

All:

I'm in desperate need of help and I'm wondering those that HAVE rebooked on board if you could shed some light on this.

Let me explain:

My friends, DW, and myself are looking at a July 2006 cruise on the magic. There are a total of 7 adults and 4 children. Here's how we want the rooms layed out:

Room 1 - Category 9 : Adult 1, Child 1, Child 2 - CONNECTING WITH
Room 2 - Category 9 : Adult 2, Child 3

Room 3 - Category 9 : Adult 3, Adult 4, Child 4 - CONNECTING WITH
Room 4 - Category 9 : Adult 5

Room 5 - Category 9 : DW and Myself ( Adults 6 and 7)

Now, I got the quote from DCL and then a subsequent quote from Costco which was MUCH cheaper. What I'm wondering is this, though. If I wait to book all of these until DW and I are sailing on the wonder next month, what are the probability of the rooms that I want being taken? I'm guessing connecting rooms are popular, but I have no idea.

What the DCL rep suggested was to guarantee it with her on the phone and get the rooms, then, if it's cheaper on board, rebook it, pay the deposit AGAIN, and then cancel the old ressie and get the refund or transfer the deposits to the new ressie.

What I want is a) to have the final booking done with Costco so I can take advantage of their huge savings, and b) get the 10% on board booking discount and the $200 on board credit per stateroom.

So, I'm wondering, is this even possible? What path should I take to do this? What I'm guessing I should be doing is:

* Book the rooms I want now with DCL and lay out the deposit
* Rebook on board, confirm the prices are cheaper, and then get the on-board credits and 10% discount confirmed
* Get home from the cruise next month and cancel reservation #1 and switch the rooms from ressie #1 to ressie #2 if there aren't any connectors left.
* Then call costco and get them to take over the reservation.

Does this sound right? Will I forfeit any on-board credits or discounts if I let costco take it over?

Suggestions?

 

[6griswolds]

We all ready booked for 2006 with DCL. What do you mean by on-board credits and rebooking?

Thanks

 

[mark & sandra]

StuartMI- Rebooking onboard does have some rewards and limitations. If you rebook while onboard you will receive both a disc. (my 7 day cruise disc. was 10%) and a stateroom credit PER stateroom.(my stateroom credit was 200.00 for each room) I think these 2 extra savings might be better then Costco's initial booking quote.

You are limited to a couple of conditions. The LEAD person(first name) on the room reservation cannot change or the ressie is void. If you book the room and have Uncle Charley as the lead, he must go or you forfeit your disc. and stateroom credit. You can book the rooms that will hold all your quests and only pay the deposit for 1 in each room to hold it, but you will pay the prevailing rate when you decide to add those people onto the ressie.

As an additional savings after you book with DCL onboard you can then transfer your ressie to another TA who might offer you a rebate to switch to them. DreamsUnlimited and AllSeasons have offered this in the past.(An additional savings of 350.00 for me).

Mark

 

[dclwdwlover]

Can I ask for clarification on just one thing, please? I'm a little bit in the dark on this: When you say 'switch' the reservations & 're-book on board' - you do mean that the staterooms are changing to entirely new rooms, correct? They don't let you just apply the discounts when you're on board, right? In other words, you're taking a chance that all of the types of staterooms that you want are still available when you get on board, correct?

Hope my confusion doesn't cause even more confusion.

 

[mark & sandra]

By rebook onboard I mean to "rebook another cruise" not to rebook an old ressie you have. Since you are onboard and are making a new ressie for a later cruise you are rebooking a future cruise. If you are redoing a ressie you already have you'll have to rebook a new room and then cancel your old ressie. DCL allows you to switch your ressie to another TA (sometimes the TA that you orig. booked with) pretty painlessly. All TA's will accept the transfer. You cannot, however, switch your ressie from one TA to another. Call it professional ethics. If I were rebooking onboard, I'd let DCL keep my ressie and then search for a TA that will give me a rebate to switch. If you do decide to switch then, you'd keep your room, disc., and stateroom credit...Mark

 

[6griswolds]

So I could transfer my ressie to a TA and keep my same room? Is there any disadvantage to switching a ressie to a TA?

Thanks

 

[StuartMI]

Alright..

It sounds like my play then is to definitely book the 5 rooms that we need on board and take whatever rate Disney is offering us as well as stateroom credits.

From there, I will transfer my reservation after returning home to the agent that can provide the most additional savings. You all have confirmed for me that I would still maintain the $200 per stateroom onboard credit -- that was one of the major things I was worried about.

So now I'm left with two questions:

a) What are the chances that the two SETS of connecting rooms that we want on deck 2 will be gone? Remember, we want two sets of adjoining rooms (i.e. 4 of them) and then one more Cat 9 smooshed in between the two connectors. I'm just worried all the connectors will be sold out in the next month.

b) I want to book all of this in my friends' name. We DEFINITELY will be travelling with them. So is it possible for DW and myself to book "Uncle Charley" as the lead name on the ressie, provide all of the other passengers names, and as long as DW and myself are included in the list we should be ok?

I think thats it. Any other concerns?

 

[mark & sandra]

Originally posted by 6griswolds
So I could transfer my ressie to a TA and keep my same room? Is there any disadvantage to switching a ressie to a TA?

Thanks

The main disadvantage is if you find another TA offering an even better deal, you won't be able to switch to them.(unless you first have them switch you back to DCL and then reswitch to the new TA, a lot of work)

StuartMI- Are you looking to book a 7 night cruise? The disc. and credit vary on shorter cruises.
a) How far out is the cruise you will want to rebook for.(from the time you'll be onboard? Since all inventory is controlled by DCL they "should" have the best selections of rooms available for people to choose from). How flexible on room location are you? If you couldn't get 5 rooms in a row but instead got 2 connecting and then a couple doors down got 2 more connecting and a stand alone, would that be a deal breaker? If so then book now and get your rooms. I'd wait, the deals could be good enough.
b) You will get the best rate locked in if you book "ALL" the guests while onboard. Remember that they now require a 350.00 per person deposit for each guest on the 7 night cruise. The balance is now due at 90 days out instead of 60 days out. You can book anyone into any room. Your credit card will be charged with the deposit and the lead name must stay the same in order to keep all rooms disc. and credits. If that lead person bows out the others in that room will be forced to start over...Mark

 

[StuartMI]

Mark/Sandra:

We're looking for a 7 night cruise in August of 2006.

I confirmed with DCL that the following rooms are open and would be perfect for us:

2094 which connects with 2096 and 2102 which connects with 2104. Then my wife and I would get 2100 which is in between those two. So, in a sense, the rooms that we want are key. Of course it doesn't need to be *THESE* rooms, however I dont want like two connectors at the bow, and then the other two on the other side at the stern, ya know?

So that being the case, what are you saying? Book now, and lay out the deposit and get all of the rooms locked up, then when I rebook on board to get the discounts and credits, can they cancel my first deposit and refund the cash and transfer over the room numbers to the new ressie?

What do you recommend?

 

[mark & sandra]

I don't think it would work that easily. In theory since you are rebooking from DCL to DCL they should just requalify your ressie. But be prepared for them to make you rebook first,(making all your deposits again)possibly NOT getting the same rooms and then having to wait a billing cycle or two to get your refund. From past experience with any large corp. I would hope for your easier scenario but be prepared to do the other one.

Another thing to consider, your rooms are right across from the laundry room. 2096 is directly across. Your room area will have heavy traffic and more noise then other areas on that deck...Mark

 

[StuartMI]

So what would be the best then? Wait till we're on board next month and cross our fingers that nothing is gone by then?

What would *you* do in my shoes?

 

[Grumbo]

In fact there are two Reeboks onboard.....
Oh hang on a second.
Geez guess I should have read more carefully.

Disregard,

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[StuartMI]

Smart a$$

 

[mousecrazy]

Originally posted by mark & sandra
Remember that they now require a 350.00 per person deposit for each guest on the 7 night cruise. The balance is now due at 90 days out instead of 60 days out.

I read on another board that the deposit is still $250 for a 7 night; $350 for anything longer. And the balance is due at 75 days; 90 for suites.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[mark & sandra]

mousecrazy- I've heard conflicting reports too. I would err on the side of caution and make sure I have enough money for the higher fees.

StuartMI- I'd wait. The deals are too good to pass up. If the deals stay as they have been in the past you'll save 10%(based on prices from www.allseastravel.com Thats a savings of 1700.00+, and 5 stateroom credits of 200.00 each is another 1000.00)Going by the rate on their site plus the credits you could save over 2700.00 by waiting. Plus another 500.00+ if a rebate to switch is available. I doubt that area of the ship will sell out quickly since it's in a less desirable location.

Are you quotes similar to those posted on AllSeasons site?...Mark

 

[StuartMI]

Okay,

I just got off the phone with DCL and tell me if THIS makes sense.

They said that since its *ONLY* DW and myself going on our cruise NEXT MONTH, that we would only be able to re-book a maximum of TWO rooms on board and have those discounts apply. They said it is not possible for us (being 2 people) to book 5 staterooms for people that have never cruised before and still have the discount and on-board credit apply to those rooms. Does that make sense?

 

[Grumbo]

Yes it does make sense.
One cabin per cruiser with the onboard 10% and the obc.
You'd have to list yourselves as the prime cabin "resident" in each room. You in one and DW in the other.
You can understand why they do this. Otherwise you'd get someone booking a dozen rooms and expecting 10% off and onboard credits for each room.

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[daisy112878]

The deposit is only $250 for seven nights. We just paid for a July 2006 cruise and it was $250 per person.

If I was you I would go ahead and book. I'm the nerve type and i would be so worried that we would not get our rooms. I haven't heard that you could only book two rooms while on board. But it makes sense.

 

[mark & sandra]

There are so many members here going on cruises soon. Go to the cruise meets board and check the dates for upcoming cruises. Ask someone to find out directly from Donna. They might even be kind enough to post your answer while onboard.

StuartMI- It's a shame that you lose out on the extra room savings because of the amount of people going. I know, you can take me and Grumbo along and we'll hold another 2 rooms for you. Grumbo, I get the couch, you get the pull down bed!!! Stuart, we'll be very quiet, you'll hardly know we're there...Mark

 

[Grumbo]

StuartMI- It's a shame that you lose out on the extra room savings because of the amount of people going. I know, you can take me and Grumbo along and we'll hold another 2 rooms for you. Grumbo, I get the couch, you get the pull down bed!!! Stuart, we'll be very quiet, you'll hardly know we're there...Mark

Hey sailor keep your distance!!!!!
I initially thought this was Sandra posting and thought how nice.
Be very careful Stuart. Mark tries this scam on all the cruise boards. He is always trying to get free cruises off of unsuspecting posters.
That said, my wife and I will accompany you Stuart and will hold two rooms for you. DW is claustrophobic though and requires at least a Category 6. Navigator Verandahs are too confining for her

Cheers,
Grumbo