Missing Onboard Booking

[ajo]

While onboard a few weeks ago, we booked a placeholder cruise. The line at the desk was quite long, so a CM came by and helped us fill out the form and then took it from us when we were done (I made a note of her name and country because I was a little worried about just turning in the form). I've since returned home and haven't received any confirmation about the placeholder. I checked with our TA (who we listed on the form) and she called DCL and was told that no placeholder exists.

I called DCL and they confirmed they don't have the placeholder in their system. After consulting with a supervisor, I was told to email DCL guest communications. That was Friday. No response. Has this happened to anyone else? Any ideas about what I should do next? I'm starting to get pretty frustrated.

 

[Bear3412]

Unfortunately this occurs often.

You appear to have all the appropriate info to get this fixed though, unlike most in your position.

Good luck

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I emailed the DCL guest communications about an excursion issue on our last cruise (end of May). I received a response exactly one week after emailing. I was happy with the result. I think you just need to give it more time. With the information that you have I doubt you'll have an issue with them honoring it. I wonder if your TA would have better luck though? Isn't that kind of their job if they want the booking?

 

[Sytrace]

This might seem like a silly question as you have a lot of information for Disney to work with, but do you have your last cabin statement from your cruise showing that the $250.00 deposit was paid on your booking? They would be able to track the information that way and get it squared away quickly.

I would give it until Friday and then have your TA contact them though.

 

[ajo]

This might seem like a silly question as you have a lot of information for Disney to work with, but do you have your last cabin statement from your cruise showing that the $250.00 deposit was paid on your booking? They would be able to track the information that way and get it squared away quickly.

I would give it until Friday and then have your TA contact them though.

It wasn't on my bill when we got off the ship. I didn't think anything of it because when I booked onboard before, they charged the credit card on file directly, not the room account.

 

[Bear3412]

Do they charge the room CC for OBB?

They never did in the past. They want CC on the spot IRRC.

That's why they don't. No receipt, no bennies.

 

[Sytrace]

Hmmm.. we have done it both ways before with having them put it on our cabin (which was paid or with the card on file) and where we have to just put the deposit directly onto the card itself.
I was kind of hoping that there was a paper trail to make it easier.

I am sure that they will get back with you after they speak with the CM who took your information and can find your information sheet. I know you must be frustrated though. I think ship to shoreside takes a few days to catch up with communications and then they will want to find out what happened to your info. I would definitely get your TA on it though as I am sure she wants to get it handled for you as quickly as possible.

 

[Sytrace]

Do they charge the room CC for OBB?

They never did in the past. They want CC on the spot IRRC.

That's why they don't. No receipt, no bennies.

I could have sworn they charged it to the cabin a couple of times... we have booked onboard from the beginning, but maybe I am confused about the payment.

 

[Bear3412]

.. but maybe I am confused about the payment.

Our I am.

ETA; Regarding the OBB agents aboard, at the Future Cruise Desk;

Each and every OBB agent would do and say different things for years.
The different agents aboard would say different things. I always thought it was part of the Disney entertainment. lol
No one knew what was protocol, even the officers. It was amusing at the time.
Often they did perfectly satisfying the pax. More often times they completely screwed them over. Many lost their OBB once they left ship.

Many others "accidentally" lost their TA OBC due to technicalities.

And good luck transferring to a TA.

So I'm not surprised to this day 4 years after our first and last OBB, questions are still asked.

I'll admit some of that is banter, but it all happened, and still does.

ETA; I have know idea the current rules fwiw.

JMHO

Point is, Don't leave the Future Cruise Sales Desk without a printout.

 

[ajo]

Hmmm.. we have done it both ways before with having them put it on our cabin (which was paid or with the card on file) and where we have to just put the deposit directly onto the card itself.
I was kind of hoping that there was a paper trail to make it easier.

I am sure that they will get back with you after they speak with the CM who took your information and can find your information sheet. I know you must be frustrated though. I think ship to shoreside takes a few days to catch up with communications and then they will want to find out what happened to your info. I would definitely get your TA on it though as I am sure she wants to get it handled for you as quickly as possible.

I'll get in touch with our TA again. But my lesson is learned - I'll wait in line to book the placeholder in person. No more forms for me!

 

[Sytrace]

We always go on the first sea day as soon as they open. lol Seems to be a lot less crowded then.

 

[Sytrace]

Our I am.

Doubtful, Bear 3412...you are pretty spot on with your information.

 

[Bear3412]

Doubtful, Bear 3412...you are pretty spot on with your information.

Thanks, but in this area I'll admit I am sketchy.

Times change whether you want them to or not.

Unfortunately DCL's FCD doesn't.

DCL is still messing up OBB credit. It's difficult to image it's an accident at this point after all these years. IMO

Someone should look into this with the FOIA. Just an opinion.

It's so obvious what is happening, I can't believe they haven't been sued.

 

[Bear3412]

I had to go search for the current benefits for booking aboard.

They have change a lot since we first sailed.
At least they moved to a "certificate" instead of a date that directly increased the price of short sailings IMO.
So that is great IMO.

This is for sailings of 7 days or more;
Pay $250 aboard, get $200 OBC and 10% off non CL rooms on sailings not blacked out. 2 years to sail prior to expiry.

No distinction of CC level like in the past.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

This is why we only participated once in the shenanigans.

Good luck to all.

 

[gismo1554]

Last year I had my booking sorted the way you described (handing in a piece of paper effectively) but when I got home found I had an email about the OBB not my TA. Turned out they had put me down as the person booking and as the TA for the trip! They were really good though and sorted it just took a while for DCL to get back to me. My TA was told (when she tried to sort it) that as it was me listed as TA I would have to sort it all out.

 

[clten]

The Future Cruise desk will ask you if you want to use the card you have on file for your cabin to pay your deposit. If you say yes, they bill the cc directly, they don't bill it to the cabin. Sometimes the way they ask is confusing whether it is going directly on the card or to the room. But the billing can't be through your onboard account as it most often is a refundable deposit and if they had to refund it, the couldn't credit your onboard account.

Anyway, here's what we do because we stopped getting print outs from the Future Cruise desk many years ago (don't know why, that seems like the simple part of the booking to me). You can access Disney websites onboard without paying to use the internet. (If you have an internet package, don't sign into it.) The day after I make the deposit, I pull up the DCL website, and then sign into the Castaway Club part. I bring up the page that lists my future cruise bookings. The cruise or placeholder should be listed there. If it is not, I have time to drop a note or talk to the Future cruise agent before the cruise is over (when it takes a lot more effort and jumping through hoops to fix the booking). Have been lucky so far that all the bookings were there and errors that were made were easily fixed once home (wrong names, wrong dates, wrong cabin category, etc.)

 

[joni4122]

Similar experience on the Wonder a couple of years ago. Every time we stopped by the OBB desk it was crowded, the man seemed overwhelmed, or the computers were down. Finally filled out the card and left it with him. When we got home, we found my credit card had been charged for the deposit but there was no reservation for us. Later discovered my credit card had been charged for another family's booking! I went the same route as you: called, then emailed information. As I recall, there was some lag time as the customer service department had to wait for communication from the ship. In the end, it got sorted out but it did take a supervisor override to ensure OBB credits since, by the time our placeholder was actually booked, we were not onboard!

 

[RedSox68]

I could have sworn they charged it to the cabin a couple of times... we have booked onboard from the beginning, but maybe I am confused about the payment.

We've never had them charge our room account for a future booking -- they always required a credit card for direct payment.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I had subpar service both times that I did OBB. My travel agent fixes everything when I get back. I'm not one who wants to spend my vacation time telling people how they need to do their jobs. The first time, I overheard the woman telling a passenger that you can't book and then change it later. This past time, when they sent the card back to my room with the wrong reservation listed, I just circled it and returned it, knowing I'd have my TA change it when I got home. I was going to have them fix it onboard, but I don't like to wait in line and whenever the guy was at the desk (which wasn't very often), someone was sitting there asking questions.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

On my last cruise, the booking system was down when I went to the OBB desk. The CM took down my information, that I wanted a placeholder, and asked if I wanted to use my cc on file. I said yes, and that was the end of it. I was a little nervous, but the placeholder was showing on my DCL account when I got home. I didn't even think to make note of the CM who took my information in case there was a problem. I'll have to do that next time just in case.