How are the opportunities to rebook onboard presented?

[DVCajun]

Do you have to seek them out or are they hard to miss? I'm just trying to figure out how DH can be manipulated.

 

[PoohJen]

There's not alot of obvious promotion. There will be an ad in the Navigator. Basically, there is a travel (re-booking) desk on deck 4 overlooking the Atrium. The agent's hours will be posted in the Navigator - note, there were some long lines at her station, especially toward the end of the week!

Hmmm, how to manipulate DH....maybe lead him to the agent while he's still swaying from a post-spa massage high... Good Luck!

 

[crisi]

I think there is also a flyer left in your room. Just a one page deal.

What I did was mention that "if we liked the cruise, the best deal to be had was by rebooking onboard and we should probably think about that." I did this long before the cruise. So then, when we were having a great time, we strolled by the empty reservation station and my husband said "we might as well rebook."

 

[leahvonleah]

When rebooking on board, are the cost saving benefits more than pricing with another TA? How far in advance are the booking currently?
Thanks.

 

[faireygod mother]

We were on the Halloween cruise and rebooked for 11/06. Not only is there a 10% discount, but there is 200.00 on board credit. Let me tell you that came in handy with Shore excursions. It just about paid for them on our 7 night cruise.

 

[sweet angel]

We were on the 11/11/04 Wonder and rebooked for 11/06 as well. The 10% discount is very helpful and I love the idea of $200 stateroom credit. Once I got home, I tranferred over to Dreams and got an additional $100 rebate.

 

[WMILLER86]

We rebooked onboard. The later in the week, the longer the lines. They don't have to hard sell it. The ship sells itself!
The price was better than we could get before the cruise. Plus the $200 per cabin room credit will be great. That is for a 7 night. It is less for 3 and 4 night.
I almost added another person(child) to our booking onboard, but decided to wait and make sure. So the rate I paid this week was 10% higher than had I added her when I made my res onboard. Cost me $80 by waiting. I guess I am saying it is easier to cancel later if you change your mind.

I then moved my res to DU and got another credit from them.


Willie

 

[jel0511]

There is no hardsell on board, and you can actually completely ignore the area if you're not looking. Danielle is VERY nice, and won't try to do anything to push you into anything. It is definately better to book on board than to wait until after. We rebooked for 2005 and 2006 on board, and it definately paid. We use All-Seasons Travel and I checked their prices before leaving. We're saving about $400 off their prices by booking on board, and we get the $200 credit. You only get a $100 room credit for the 3 or 4 night, and a $400 credit for the 7 day land/sea. If you're at all considering cruising again, book on board!! Even if you're thinking of 2007, book for a 2006 date and then change it once 2007 dates are released, you still keep the 10% off and the $200 room credit this way.

For the person asking, DCL is now booking cruises through the end of 2006.

 

[mark & sandra]

jel0511- We booked onboard as did you, but did you know you can then transfer your booking to AllSeasons and they will give you an additional discount for doing so. I received an additional 250.00 when I switched over. I kept my 10% discount and my stateroom credit...Mark

 

[missmulan]

i regret not booking onboard as i just got off the eastern several days ago (sigh)....i wonder what kind of specials "castaway club" members get from here on end...

if a friend of mine is sailing soon, can i ask them to book for me?

i'm bummed about not booking onboard.

 

[mmouse37]

Unfortunately CC members really get no discounts at all. We have been CC members from the beginning of DCL's existence and although in the introductory literature it stated that Cc members would be offered special deals, etc....I have never, ever received anything that reduced my price....other than what they offer onboard.

In the beginning years of DCL they did have give you the opportunity to book another cruise within a few months and sail within 18 months to receive the $200.00 onboard credit....I thought this was better than the system now as many people realize after they leave the ship that they should have booked....the other way gave you about 60 days to make a decision!!!

MJ

 

[faireygod mother]

We booked for family members that were not on the ship and they received the onboard credit. SO a friend can book for you and pay your deposit. They just need all your info, like DOB and address. It would also be helpful if you let them know the cat and room you desire. Good luck
Dee

 

[lkohawaii]

There is no hardsell on board, and you can actually completely ignore the area if you're not looking. Danielle is VERY nice, and won't try to do anything to push you into anything. It is definately better to book on board than to wait until after. We rebooked for 2005 and 2006 on board, and it definately paid. We use All-Seasons Travel and I checked their prices before leaving. We're saving about $400 off their prices by booking on board, and we get the $200 credit. You only get a $100 room credit for the 3 or 4 night, and a $400 credit for the 7 day land/sea. If you're at all considering cruising again, book on board!! Even if you're thinking of 2007, book for a 2006 date and then change it once 2007 dates are released, you still keep the 10% off and the $200 room credit this way.

For the person asking, DCL is now booking cruises through the end of 2006.

Let me see if I understand this right. If I'm sailing summer 2005 and won't be returning to WDW until 2007. Can I book onboard for 2006 and then change to 2007? Will the price hold if I change to a TA once off the ship?

 

[jel0511]

jel0511- We booked onboard as did you, but did you know you can then transfer your booking to AllSeasons and they will give you an additional discount for doing so. I received an additional 250.00 when I switched over. I kept my 10% discount and my stateroom credit...Mark

Thanks Mark, I already transferred my reservations to All Seasons and did get their additional rebate!!!

 

[jel0511]

Let me see if I understand this right. If I'm sailing summer 2005 and won't be returning to WDW until 2007. Can I book onboard for 2006 and then change to 2007? Will the price hold if I change to a TA once off the ship?

What you do is book for a 2006 sailing and change it to a 2007 sailing date once they are announced. Your price does not hold though. You are still entitled to the 10% off current rates and still receive the $200 on board credit. Each sailing usually prices out slightly differently. We ended up moving one of our dates that we booked on board by 2 weeks. That sailing is $200 more than the sailing we had booked. You always qualify for the 10% discount, but it's on prevailing rates, so keep that in mind.

 

[leahvonleah]

So, you can rebook onboard and then transfer to DU or All Seasons? How does that work?
We are looking for a 2007 sail date-from what I have read, we would just reserve a 2006 sailing date and then switch when they release 2007 dates?

 

[crisi]

We booked on board in Feb of 2004. We wanted to cruise again in October 2006. That wasn't being sold yet. We booked for October 2005, got the 10% discount, the $200 stateroom credit, and moved our reservation to DU for the additional rebate. When 2006 dates opened up, we rebooked, kept the 10% discount, stateroom credit and rebate, and saved another couple hundred dollars by booking when the ship was nearly empty.

 

[jel0511]

So, you can rebook onboard and then transfer to DU or All Seasons? How does that work?
We are looking for a 2007 sail date-from what I have read, we would just reserve a 2006 sailing date and then switch when they release 2007 dates?

Yes you can. If you've booked the cruise you're currently on with either DU, All Seasons, or any TA for that matter, Danielle (or the on-board booking CM) will see that. They'll ask you if you want to retain the same TA as before, if you want to book with another TA, just say you don't want to transfer your reservation at this time. When you get home, call the TA you want to transfer your reservation to, and they'll take care of everything for you. I booked my 11/6/04 cruise with All Seasons, and when I rebooked for 2005 and 2006, Danielle could see that my reservation was booked with All Seasons and asked me if I wanted to keep the same TA. I said yes, and when I returned home, I contacted All Seasons to let them know I had rebooked on board. They took care of everything to get the reservation into their system, and I received a rebate from them on top of my 10% off savings and my $200 on board credit.

If you want a 2007 cruise, you should book a 2006 date and keep checking for the 2007 dates to be released. Once they are, contact your TA and let them know you want to change your booking to a 2007 date. You'll retain your 10% off and $200 on board credit, it will just be off current rates, so you might end up with a slightly lower price, or a slightly higher price, depending on how that particular sailing is pricing. Remember you will be required to put down a $250 per person ($500 if booking a suite) on board to secure your reservation and the onboard deals.

 

[tap & dap]

The last seven day cruise we took had an actual presentation in one of the lounges where they went over the specials and had literature and then you could book at the presentation.

May be something they only do on the 7 day as there is more time.

 

[leahvonleah]

Thanks. We will keep all of this in mind in January on our 7 day Eastern!!!