How does onboard booking another cruise work?

[FSU Girl]

I've never booked a cruise while currently on a cruise so I'm not really sure how it works. I have a cruise in December and I'm planning on taking another cruise summer 2019. Would I be able to book something for that date range? I don't think specifics on cruises will be out yet for what I want. I'm looking to do a European cruise. Would I have to book a placeholder cruise instead of something specific? What is the benefit of booking while on the cruise? Do you get a percentage off? I'm not 100% I'm going to go with a Disney cruise since they are rather expensive in Europe, would I be able to cancel this booking and get my money back if we decide to go with another cruise line?

 

[MichelleCanada]

We have only cruised once. We liked it so much that we booked our next one while one board. They take $250 that you can apply to any Disney Cruise within 24 months. It is completely refundable. It reduces the amount that you have to put down as a deposit when you finally select your cruise and you get an on board credit for your next cruise. We got home and then waited 4 months until the cruise we want was released and we were able to book.

Hope that helps.

 

[Dug720]

If the itineraries are not out yet, you would book a place-holder. NOT a cruise but basically an undated reservation. As long as you don’t book a specific date in Concierge you can get a refund.

Advantage is - as long as it’s not a blackout date - 10% off the cruise rate, deposit of 10% on the cruise you book (you would pay the difference between that and the $250 “place-holder”) as the European ones are all 7 nights or more, and $200 OBC since the European ones are 7 nights or longer.

Oh, and the 10% discount (and possible deposit) does not apply to Concierge.

 

[FSU Girl]

If the itineraries are not out yet, you would book a place-holder. NOT a cruise but basically an undated reservation. As long as you don’t book a specific date in Concierge you can get a refund.

Advantage is - as long as it’s not a blackout date - 10% off the cruise rate, deposit of 10% on the cruise you book (you would pay the difference between that and the $250 “place-holder”) as the European ones are all 7 nights or more, and $200 OBC since the European ones are 7 nights or longer.

Oh, and the 10% discount (and possible deposit) does not apply to Concierge.

What cruises are typically blackout dates? The 10% off would be great for the Europe cruises it would take the price down to something manageable. Since it would just be a placeholder would I need to call to book the cruise I want when it comes out?

 

[Dug720]

What cruises are typically blackout dates? The 10% off would be great for the Europe cruises it would take the price down to something manageable. Since it would just be a placeholder would I need to call to book the cruise I want when it comes out?

It varies. But if it is a unique itinerary, chances are it may be blacked out. I haven’t looked seriously at DCL for Europe because I want to go other places that RCCL goes with their Radiance Class ships.

And yes. You would need to call (or have your TA call if you’re one who believes in TAs) to convert the “placeholder” to an actual cruise. (As I understand it. I pretty much always know when I want to cruise when I do an OBB. Exception may well be in Feb as I am committed to Celebrity Edge for Feb Break 2019.)

 

[FSU Girl]

It varies. But if it is a unique itinerary, chances are it may be blacked out. I haven’t looked seriously at DCL for Europe because I want to go other places that RCCL goes with their Radiance Class ships.

And yes. You would need to call (or have your TA call if you’re one who believes in TAs) to convert the “placeholder” to an actual cruise.

So when I call to book would they tell me all the ones that are blacked out? I've never used a TA so I'll be booking it myself. Are Europe itineraries considered unique?

 

[Dug720]

So when I call to book would they tell me all the ones that are blacked out? I've never used a TA so I'll be booking it myself. Are Europe itineraries considered unique?

I’m pretty sure the website will say the blackout dates. If not, disneycruiselineblog.com will list them.

If you are talking one that is your standard RT Barcelona (or similar) probably not. If you are talking one that is only once or twice during the season, possibly. Again, I have never paid attention to those as I am not interested in the itineraries (don’t want to go to Russia, don’t want to go to Turkey, etc. Last summer I wanted Venice and all around Italy - Brilliance of the Seas fit that. This coming summer I wanted JUST Greece, and Jewel of the Seas fills that.

 

[FSU Girl]

I’m pretty sure the website will say the blackout dates. If not, disneycruiselineblog.com will list them.

If you are talking one that is your standard RT Barcelona (or similar) probably not. If you are talking one that is only once or twice during the season, possibly. Again, I have never paid attention to those as I am not interested in the itineraries (don’t want to go to Russia, don’t want to go to Turkey, etc. Last summer I wanted Venice and all around Italy - Brilliance of the Seas fit that. This coming summer I wanted JUST Greece, and Jewel of the Seas fills that.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for the blackout dates. It sounds like a pretty good deal since I can get the deposit back if I change my mind.

 

[Dug720]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for the blackout dates. It sounds like a pretty good deal since I can get the deposit back if I change my mind.

Yep! Just don’t book Concierge and the deposit is refundable.

 

[FSU Girl]

Yep! Just don’t book Concierge and the deposit is refundable.

no worries there. they are like $20,000 a bit out of my price range lol

 

[Geomom]

Blackout dates are generally around holidays--Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve. All 2 nt cruises are also blacked out. Sometimes there are other cruises blacked out. In the past couple of years, none of the European cruises has been blacked out, before that it was cruises longer than 7 nts that were blacked out or unique itineraries. We are using the placeholder from our August 2016 Alaskan cruise for a Northern European cruise in August 2018--it got it down to our price range with the 10% off.

 

[Sling375]

Don't forget to "double dip" by booking your next cruise through Costco. You'll still receive the 10% discount, the $200 onboard credit PLUS you'll receive a Costco gift card (8% to the cost of the cruise).

 

[bobbiwoz]

Don't forget to "double dip" by booking your next cruise through Costco. You'll still receive the 10% discount, the $200 onboard credit PLUS you'll receive a Costco gift card (8% to the cost of the cruise).

Don’t you have to turn the placeholder to Costco within a certain time period?

 

[Billybob131]

We are in the same situation where our cruise is next week. We are thinking of getting the OBB for a future cruise. Does anyone know if you can take advantage of the discounts that DCL offers as well as the 10% discount. We are from canada and they sometimes have a 25% off discount for Canadian residents......would we be able to use both for the same booking?

Has anyone done this before? Thanks

 

[KristiMc]

Here is a list of the current list and past list of blacked out dates. http://disneycruiselineblog.com/cruise-planning/itineraries/onboard-booking-blockout-sailings/

 

[cyclenut]

I frequently forget the rules for OBB, but once you've booked that placeholder, the clock starts ticking. if you want to use a travel agent, you've got to give them the reservation number when you get back and transfer the cruise to them. We don't use a TA. The OBB has an expiration date (I think 18 months). You must sail before then or lose the benefit. Once you choose the cruise you want to sail and move your placeholder to that cruise, I think you are done. You used to be able to move your OBB a few times, but now they don't allow that.

I may have some of the specifics wrong so I'm hoping someone will correct me. I haven't kept track of the rules changes.

 

[KristiMc]

I frequently forget the rules for OBB, but once you've booked that placeholder, the clock starts ticking. if you want to use a travel agent, you've got to give them the reservation number when you get back and transfer the cruise to them. We don't use a TA. The OBB has an expiration date (I think 18 months). You must sail before then or lose the benefit. Once you choose the cruise you want to sail and move your placeholder to that cruise, I think you are done. You used to be able to move your OBB a few times, but now they don't allow that.

I may have some of the specifics wrong so I'm hoping someone will correct me. I haven't kept track of the rules changes.

You have 30 days to transfer the reservation/placeholder to a TA. For a placeholder, the actual cruise you take has to start within 24 months of the date you booked the placeholder. I believe you can still move a onboard booking to another cruise. You have to modify the reservation and switch to a new date. Don't cancel and rebook because that cancels the onboard booking and loses the benefits.