How would you reshop?

[TestingH2O]

We have a cruise booked for next summer. The current prices are the same as when we booked and there is availability in our category.

We plan to reshop with a placeholder on board.

Is it better to buy the placeholder outright and let our TA do the rebooking or should we have the agent on board do it? Does it even matter?

There is part of me that is nervous about asking a stranger on board to do it when we've had such a good experience with our TA.

 

[dcassetta]

We have a cruise booked for next summer. The current prices are the same as when we booked and there is availability in our category.

We plan to reshop with a placeholder on board.

Is it better to buy the placeholder outright and let our TA do the rebooking or should we have the agent on board do it? Does it even matter?

There is part of me that is nervous about asking a stranger on board to do it when we've had such a good experience with our TA.

I would not be concerned about working with the agent onboard. They do this all the time. Have them rebook will save you the extra deposit, and the "new" reservation can still be handled by your TA.

 

[ajo]

It won’t save you the new deposit if you book onboard regardless of whether it’s a placeholder or the rebooked reservation. Having done this before, you have to make your booking onboard and pay either the $250 for the placeholder or the deposit for the actual cruise and then cancel your existing reservation when you get home. You can’t move the deposit from your original booking to one you make onboard.

You can book the cruise onboard and have the same TA designated, so they can handle the reservation and you get whatever benefits the TA offers (although some TAs offer reduced benefits for cruises booked onboard).

 

[dcassetta]

It won’t save you the new deposit if you book onboard regardless of whether it’s a placeholder or the rebooked reservation. Having done this before, you have to make your booking onboard and pay either the $250 for the placeholder or the deposit for the actual cruise and then cancel your existing reservation when you get home. You can’t move the deposit from your original booking to one you make onboard.

You can book the cruise onboard and have the same TA designated, so they can handle the reservation and you get whatever benefits the TA offers (although some TAs offer reduced benefits for cruises booked onboard).

Thanks for sharing this. It was not my experience, but I haven't reshopped a cruise in a number of years.

 

[blabadie]

I have not done this before, but fwiw, I plan to reshop our 2019 British Isles cruise during our Merrytime Cruise this year if I can keep main dining and I can get a cabin I want (and save significant $ vs. original booking price). I booked through Dreams Unlimited but plan on having it all handled while onboard.

Related question to piggyback on this thread...my understanding is that since I used a TA, I wouldn't be able to keep my currently booked cabin if I reshop onboard since the TA wouldn't be able to cancel the original booking at the time of the reshop booking. Is this correct?

 

[MouseOfCards]

Agree with others - probably easiest to book onboard and pay the deposit, then transfer the new reservation to your TA, and have him/her cancel the original. This also guarantees you get the price quoted onboard.

However, as advised by our onboard rep, if you want to keep your originally reserved stateroom #, then you should get the placeholder and then transfer it to your TA.

 

[MouseOfCards]

I have not done this before, but fwiw, I plan to reshop our 2019 British Isles cruise during our Merrytime Cruise this year if I can keep main dining and I can get a cabin I want (and save significant $ vs. original booking price). I booked through Dreams Unlimited but plan on having it all handled while onboard.

Related question to piggyback on this thread...my understanding is that since I used a TA, I wouldn't be able to keep my currently booked cabin if I reshop onboard since the TA wouldn't be able to cancel the original booking at the time of the reshop booking. Is this correct?

As mentioned in my last post, if you want to keep your originally reserved stateroom #, then you should get the placeholder onboard and then transfer it to your TA. The rep onboard can tell you if this is cost effective.

 

[Disneypeach]

"Related question to piggyback on this thread...my understanding is that since I used a TA, I wouldn't be able to keep my currently booked cabin if I reshop onboard since the TA wouldn't be able to cancel the original booking at the time of the reshop booking. Is this correct?"[/QUOTE]

I reshopped onboard in April having the CM set things up when it turned out my cruise had dropped in price. She booked the "new" reservation and was able to put in my existing reservation cabin number. On the "old" reservation she assigned a "temporary" cabin number so that I didn't lose my cabin (was part of a B2B so didn't want to lose it). When I got home I called Costco (my TA) to have them arrange to move my deposit off the "old" reservation to the new one and then they cancelled the "old" reservation for me.

The CM (Logan) was wonderful...she'd clearly done this before and made it very easy for me.

 

[Disneypeach]

Just to be clear after re-reading what I wrote...I did have to pay a deposit on the new reservation and chose to have the original deposit simply moved after I got home...DCL wouldn't move it for me, TA had to make that request and cancel the old reservation...

probably could have had DCL refund that money thru my TA but I decided just to apply it to the new one since I'll have to pay eventually!

 

[TestingH2O]

Thanks for all the replies. While our category has availability, we do want to keep our current room. Because of that, if I understand correctly, we'd be better off having our TA do it since she would need to release the room. We can always email her as soon as we purchase the placeholder and maybe get it taken care of before wet even get home.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

When I reshopped my last cruise, I made a new reservation in the same category and paid the deposit onboard. When I got home, I called DCL (the same thing your TA would do) and I was able to transfer my original stateroom to my new reservation and transfer my original deposit as payment to my new reservation and then cancel the old reservation.

 

[Dug720]

When I reshopped my last cruise, I made a new reservation in the same category and paid the deposit onboard. When I got home, I called DCL (the same thing your TA would do) and I was able to transfer my original stateroom to my new reservation and transfer my original deposit as payment to my new reservation and then cancel the old reservation.

When I've done it before - before I used a TA - the future sales person was able to make the new reservation, cancel the old one, and get me into my selected cabin. I just put the refunded deposit right back on the "new" reservation once it hit (I'd probably used a gift card), so it was no problem. And it definitely saved me having to call and risk them messing things up on the phone.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

We just did this in April. The onboard agent booked us into a room as close to our existing reservation as possible (in case something went screwy and we missed the opportunity to be moved into our room of choice back home) and put my TA on the reservation. We paid the deposit on the new reservation. When we got home, I instructed my TA to cancel the prior reservation and move us into the prior room. She gave us the option of having the prior reservation deposit refunded, but we elected to apply it to the new reservation. Very easy and netted us about $400, so well worth it.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

When I've done it before - before I used a TA - the future sales person was able to make the new reservation, cancel the old one, and get me into my selected cabin. I just put the refunded deposit right back on the "new" reservation once it hit (I'd probably used a gift card), so it was no problem. And it definitely saved me having to call and risk them messing things up on the phone.

Yep, unfortunately, he couldn't or wouldn't do it for me. The last time I reshopped a cruise was 2014.

 

[ahain]

Yep, unfortunately, he couldn't or wouldn't do it for me. The last time I reshopped a cruise was 2014.

They can only do it for you if you didn't book your original cruise through a TA. If you used a TA, then you need to follow the procedure that PPs have detailed

 

[disneyfaninaz]

They can only do it for you if you didn't book your original cruise through a TA. If you used a TA, then you need to follow the procedure that PPs have detailed

I did not make the original reservation with a TA.