If you booked a date you definitely want while onboard...

[Dug720]

...definitely call them and have them put a notation that you DO want that cruise and it is not a dummy booking!

After @lbgraves posted the notification she'd gotten from her TA that they would be converting onboard bookings to the new $200 placeholder system and refunding differences, it wasn't overly clear if that was the travel agency doing it or DCL.

I know I want my 4/23/16 cruise, so I decided to err on the side of caution and call DCL to let them know it was not a dummy booking but that I fully intend to sail on that cruise. The agent said they had just gotten notification of this turning them from bookings to the generic $200 thing today and put a big note on my reservation that it is NOT a dummy booking and it IS the date I want.

I don't know if there's a coding system they've used when someone has booked a dummy reservation and only those will be converted or if it's anything booked on board, but if you know you want a specific date you booked on board, I'd give them a call and have it noted on that reservation.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

...definitely call them and have them put a notation that you DO want that cruise and it is not a dummy booking!

After @lbgraves posted the notification she'd gotten from her TA that they would be converting onboard bookings to the new $200 placeholder system and refunding differences, it wasn't overly clear if that was the travel agency doing it or DCL.

I know I want my 4/23 cruise, so I decided to err on the side of caution and call DCL to let them know it was not a dummy booking but that I fully intend to sail on that cruise. The agent said they had just gotten notification of this turning them from bookings to the generic $200 thing today and put a big note on my reservation that it is NOT a dummy booking and it IS the date I want.

I don't know if there's a coding system they've used when someone has booked a dummy reservation and only those will be converted or if it's anything booked on board, but if you know you want a specific date you booked on board, I'd give them a call and have it noted on that reservation.

Thanks for the research. Hopefully, everyone effected hears this.

 

[Dug720]

Thanks for the research. Hopefully, everyone effected hears this.

You're welcome!

And yes! I would hope that everyone who booked on board would get an email communicating the change and asking them to call to confirm the date if it's a for sure date before randomly converting the reservations. But I don't know if they have a way that onboard bookings get coded so they know - I would imagine so if they are planning to convert them though.

I didn't ask while I was on the phone, but a change like this (converting already booked reservations to the new system) would seem to indicate that they may not do specific bookings onboard any more but just this $200 down for a placeholder reservation number. Which kinda stinks for people like me who know when we want to cruise (my changing to the end of April was not initially planned - it just happened when I overthought some things and investigated options for April).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You're welcome!

And yes! I would hope that everyone who booked on board would get an email communicating the change and asking them to call to confirm the date if it's a for sure date before randomly converting the reservations. But I don't know if they have a way that onboard bookings get coded so they know - I would imagine so if they are planning to convert them though.

I didn't ask while I was on the phone, but a change like this (converting already booked reservations to the new system) would seem to indicate that they may not do specific bookings onboard any more but just this $200 down for a placeholder reservation number. Which kinda stinks for people like me who know when we want to cruise (my changing to the end of April was not initially planned - it just happened when I overthought some things and investigated options for April).

Well, maybe they're just doing a purge right now (switching everyone to the placeholder reservations) and then from, say, April 30 (or some other random date) any bookings can be specific and not be changed.

 

[Dug720]

Maybe so.

In the other thread someone indicated that they as an individual got the email and that there apparently have been set dates and codes used for dummy bookings. Since I haven't gotten an email yet, maybe it's only going to those people?

I feel better having been proactive just in case though.

 

[Bree]

I have gotten nothing from my TA and I have an OBB. nothing from DCL either.

 

[Dug720]

I have gotten nothing from my TA and I have an OBB. nothing from DCL either.

I don't use TAs and I got nothing yet either, but considering others on here HAVE - both from TAs and individually - I decided to be proactive. I'd hate to get closer to my booking (and therefore PIF) date and discover that I somehow missed a communication and the cruise was not in fact booked and was more expensive plus I lost my selected cabin.

The rep I spoke with was super nice and he said he didn't know for sure that they were going to convert all of them or if the dummy dates are coded some way, but he said he would be doing exactly what I was if he was booked on a cruise he knew he wanted.

If you're comfortable not doing anything, that's fine. But I'm more comfortable having made the call. It didn't take that long, and at least I know I've done what I can to prevent them randomly changing it.

 

[mose2000]

We booked a dummy date while onboard on March 20. We let the agent know it was just a placeholder while we waited for Summer 2016 dates to be released, and he put us on the 4/27/16 Wonder cruise. He said that's where they put all the placeholder bookings because it was the furthest out and the cheapest. Maybe that's how they know which are dummy dates? Of course, if that's the cruise you really want, you'd still have a problem!

 

[Dug720]

We booked a dummy date while onboard on March 20. We let the agent know it was just a placeholder while we waited for Summer 2016 dates to be released, and he put us on the 4/27/16 Wonder cruise. He said that's where they put all the placeholder bookings because it was the furthest out and the cheapest. Maybe that's how they know which are dummy dates? Of course, if that's the cruise you really want, you'd still have a problem!

My booked cruise is 4/23 on the Fantasy. VERY glad I called to have the "Guest wants this booking! Do not change!" put on my reservation since it's so close to what apparently they were using for the dummy bookings.

 

[lbgraves]

Sorry I wasn't clear when I quoted from my TA's business page. It was an email she received from DCL regarding one of her client's reservations that was noted as a dummy booking. I had the same question about if old OBBs would be assumed to be a dummy or not but today has been too crazy to have a chance to look into it.

 

[Dug720]

Sorry I wasn't clear when I quoted from my TA's business page. It was an email she received from DCL regarding one of her client's reservations that was noted as a dummy booking. I had the same question about if old OBBs would be assumed to be a dummy or not but today has been too crazy to have a chance to look into it.

Not a problem!

The rep I spoke with wasn't really sure how they would know either - it sounded like one segment will be doing the conversion and the memo he had seen was along the lines of "brace yourself..." - he didn't use those words, but that was the gist. As I said, he was happy to put a note on my reservation that it was a for-real reservation and not a placeholder.

Given that at least one person who had a placeholder booked has received an email and your TA did on behalf of a client and I have not yet, I think they probably do have some way of coding it for those they know are. My concern was more that they would just make the assumption for all thinking some people may have just randomly picked a date not knowing they could have said "dummy cruise".

 

[JTBE]

Thank so much for providing this info. I read it last night then kind of freaked out. So I called DCL this morning and the cast member helping me said she put in a "desired date code" in my reservation and a note that I want to sail on my date. I changed my date from the original OBB, to a different date in January and I asked her if I needed to call to confirm that I wanted and she said that it was a good idea to do that and there is a desired date code that she can enter into my reservation. So thanks for the heads up I wouldn't have known this and totally been oblivious. I appreciate you and this forum sooooooo much.

 

[Dug720]

Thank so much for providing this info. I read it last night then kind of freaked out. So I called DCL this morning and the cast member helping me said she put in a "desired date code" in my reservation and a note that I want to sail on my date. I changed my date from the original OBB, to a different date in January and I asked her if I needed to call to confirm that I wanted and she said that it was a good idea to do that and there is a desired date code that she can enter into my reservation. So thanks for the heads up I wouldn't have known this and totally been oblivious. I appreciate you and this forum sooooooo much.

You're welcome!!

It just occurred to me that with today being April 1 and some people probably not seeing the email (which I have yet to receive, so I suspect they may indeed have a "placeholder" code they use) until today, DCL could have picked a better time to institute this...

 

[Trera]

We have never done a dummy booking...............we just book the next cruise we want while on board.

 

[Dug720]

We have never done a dummy booking...............we just book the next cruise we want while on board.

Me too. But it's worth a call to have it coded as such if you have one booked.

 

[Happy100]

OK I did an OBB in Jan-15 for a cruise in Apr-16. I didn't book it as a dummy. I booked the date I wanted. After reading this thread I am wondering if I need to call to communicate not to change my date. I am a bit confused on why they would change it to a place holder when it was never set up like that in the first place?

 

[Dug720]

OK I did an OBB in Jan-15 for a cruise in Apr-16. I didn't book it as a dummy. I booked the date I wanted. After reading this thread I am wondering if I need to call to communicate not to change my date. I am a bit confused on why they would change it to a place holder when it was never set up like that in the first place?

I want the date I have, and not knowing if they code the "dummy reservations" differently so they stand out as such, I opted to take a few minutes out of my day and call. It didn't take long (the hold wasn't even as long as the recording said it would be), and I was able to get assurance that my cruise is now marked as one I definitely want.

It is appearing that they did in fact code "dummy reservations" as such as it seems that only people who booked those are getting emails (I haven't...but I don't know if maybe mine got coded as "keep" before my email went out or if I just wasn't getting one), so your reservation may be fine.

Obviously only you know your comfort level with the knowledge that it *seems* that only those who said they wanted a dummy booking are getting them. If you're comfortable with not taking a little time to call, no one is holding a gun to your head to call. I was just offering up that the rep I spoke with indicated that my having called was a good idea.

 

[Happy100]

OK I just called and had them put a notation that we wanted this cruise and not to move to placeholder. I am with you, Dug720, I have no interest in wondering or worrying if they are going to convert my cruise into a placeholder status. The cost of this cruise has already gone up from when we booked.

Thanks!

 

[Dug720]

OK I just called and had them put a notation that we wanted this cruise and not to move to placeholder. I am with you, Dug720, I have no interest in wondering or worrying if they are going to convert my cruise into a placeholder status. The cost of this cruise has already gone up from when we booked.

Thanks!

You're welcome! I just wanted to pass along advice knowing I'd want it passed along to me if the situations were reversed. Especially when someone said they had been told that 4/27 was the date all the dummy cruises were booked onto. My Fantasy cruise is 4/23, but I didn't want to take ANY chances! I like the price and I love my cabin!

 

[papertraveller]

We booked onboard the Magic March 15 cruise. My dummy booking was the Wonder sailing noted above, and was marked as placeholder on the slip that I received from the onboard booking agent.
I received an email about this 'placeholder' booking advising me of the changes to the system. (And incidentally, I think it's a great idea that will no doubt clear up Disney's inventory management and understanding of who actually intends to sail on any given date.)
I have another reservation as well, which was an OBB that was transferred to another date. I did not get an email about that one. Presumably since I can't move it again, they don't need to advise.