Important placeholder tip

[Niceorange]

Hi all, new poster but longtime reader. Also a gold CC member who booked cruise 7 this morning for April 2020 on the Fantasy. This will be our third Fantasy cruise on the Mass school vacation week on an every other year cycle - 2016, 2018, 2020. This next cruise leaves 4/18, but on my last cruise 4/14/18 - 4/21/18, I thought I'd get a jump on my next placeholdes and took care of it on Tuesday, 4/17. Not thinking about it I was shocked when I called this morning and the CM told me that mine and DWs placeholders were expired for the next one. Long story short the CM made some calls and got a one day exception to the 24 month rule, but I know now that long lines be damned, I'm booking as late as possible!

Having always assumed the eligibility was based on cruise date, not actual future desk visit date, I thought I'd share this tip for any of you who cruise on an every other year schedule.

Kevin

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi all, new poster but longtime reader. Also a gold CC member who booked cruise 7 this morning for April 2020 on the Fantasy. This will be our third Fantasy cruise on the Mass school vacation week on an every other year cycle - 2016, 2018, 2020. This next cruise leaves 4/18, but on my last cruise 4/14/18 - 4/21/18, I thought I'd get a jump on my next placeholdes and took care of it on Tuesday, 4/17. Not thinking about it I was shocked when I called this morning and the CM told me that mine and DWs placeholders were expired for the next one. Long story short the CM made some calls and got a one day exception to the 24 month rule, but I know now that long lines be damned, I'm booking as late as possible!

Having always assumed the eligibility was based on cruise date, not actual future desk visit date, I thought I'd share this tip for any of you who cruise on an every other year schedule.

Kevin

It's always been known that the countdown begins on the date the placeholder is booked, not the actual dates of the cruise you're on. But, if you were thinking that it was, wouldn't it have expired sooner (if they were using the beginning of the cruise date)?

 

[Shanti]

It's always been known that the countdown begins on the date the placeholder is booked, not the actual dates of the cruise you're on. But, if you were thinking that it was, wouldn't it have expired sooner (if they were using the beginning of the cruise date)?

I think the OP meant that he assumed that the last day of the cruise would count.

 

[Shanti]

Hi all, new poster but longtime reader. Also a gold CC member who booked cruise 7 this morning for April 2020 on the Fantasy. This will be our third Fantasy cruise on the Mass school vacation week on an every other year cycle - 2016, 2018, 2020. This next cruise leaves 4/18, but on my last cruise 4/14/18 - 4/21/18, I thought I'd get a jump on my next placeholdes and took care of it on Tuesday, 4/17. Not thinking about it I was shocked when I called this morning and the CM told me that mine and DWs placeholders were expired for the next one. Long story short the CM made some calls and got a one day exception to the 24 month rule, but I know now that long lines be damned, I'm booking as late as possible!

Having always assumed the eligibility was based on cruise date, not actual future desk visit date, I thought I'd share this tip for any of you who cruise on an every other year schedule.

Kevin

Yes, that's a good reminder for everyone. I got caught that way once, too. It really should just default to the last day of your cruise. That would be great customer service, but they choose not to...

 

[mmmears]

I think the OP meant that he assumed that the last day of the cruise would count.

Yep. I didn't realize this and booked a placeholder on day 3 of a 10 night cruise. Frankly it's a silly rule. They are making it so the desk is empty for 9 days and then gets slammed on the last day. It should be based on the day the current cruise ends. Oh, well, live and learn.

 

[ashaism]

Good to know! Thanks for the heads up

 

[olafLover]

.

 

[Hey it's Kris]

Oh wow, thanks for this tip, I don't know that it would have occurred to me that the one or two days would matter so much.

 

[lilsonicfan]

It's b/c of this that I plan to book a placeholder on the last day of our 13 night cruise. (or fill out the form - though that makes me nervous).

 

[hnthomps]

We are on exactly this same cycle (though a different week for IL spring break!). We made it, just barely, with our 2020 cruise starting on our final eligible day. It worked out, but we were a bit worried! We absolutely assumed it was 2 years from end of the cruise we booked on and just got lucky.

 

[MonaMN]

We are doing the same thing and squeaked in with a day to spare on our placeholder!

 

[lorimay]

Yes, I have learned my lesson, from now on we put in our placeholder on the last day of every cruise.