Need help from booking/placeholder experts

[Debbru]

We have a cruise booked for 2019 (not booked with our placeholder). I now want to use that placeholder for that cruise. I assume I have to call DCL, cancel the current reservation (and get the deposit refunded), then make a new reservation using the placeholder (and pay any additional deposit).
But...
I plan to book the following cruise (which is a DVC member cruise) when they open for booking on 6/23. I've booked member cruises before and have spent an entire day on the phone (dialing, redialing, on hold etc. LOL) so I assume getting the same room for this B2B is not going to be easy.
So, my question is...can I change the placeholder room online. I plan to have that cruise reservation opened online while booking the member cruise. I will try to book a room on the member cruise that is also open on the first cruise so I can change to it, thus keeping the same room for the B2B.
Is it possible to change rooms (and probably category) online myself or will I have to try to get thru to DCL after booking the member cruise with DVC???
Thanks for any help.

 

[lanejudy]

A placeholder cannot be changed/booked online, you must call DCL.

As for changing your current cruise to use the placeholder -- check the prices. The placeholder (10%) will be applied against today's pricing; if you originally booked quite a while ago, and/or it's a popular cruise, it's possible today's pricing is considerably higher than when you originally booked - potentially negating the placeholder discount and OBC. Just a reminder to do the math before canceling the current reservation.

I don't have experience with DVC cruises, but I believe those must be booked through DVC. If you find that you need to change stateroom/category on the "regular" cruise, you should be able to do that online. Should being the operative word, as DCL's site is sometimes wonky.

Enjoy your cruises!

 

[Debbru]

Thank you.

 

[jetskigrl]

After you call and book the cruise with the placeholder over the phone you will be able to update the stateroom online later. The problem is that the website will only show you 8 available rooms in each category so you even if the room is available on both cruises, you might not be able to see that or change to that room online. Probably best to have DCL look for rooms available on both cruises and have them change it on the placeholder cruise at the same time.

 

[Debbru]

After you call and book the cruise with the placeholder over the phone you will be able to update the stateroom online later. The problem is that the website will only show you 8 available rooms in each category so you even if the room is available on both cruises, you might not be able to see that or change to that room online. Probably best to have DCL look for rooms available on both cruises and have them change it on the placeholder cruise at the same time.

I appreciate your response but the problem is that I will be on the phone with DVC to book the member cruise, not DCL. So I will have to have my placeholder cruise open online and try to have DVC book something on the member cruise that I can see as available on my placeholder. Otherwise I'm just guessing & hoping to call DCL after the DVC booking. The biggest problem is that it can take all day to get thru to book the member cruise so the available categories and rooms can dwindle to nothing.

 

[jetskigrl]

I appreciate your response but the problem is that I will be on the phone with DVC to book the member cruise, not DCL. So I will have to have my placeholder cruise open online and try to have DVC book something on the member cruise that I can see as available on my placeholder. Otherwise I'm just guessing & hoping to call DCL after the DVC booking. The biggest problem is that it can take all day to get thru to book the member cruise so the available categories and rooms can dwindle to nothing.

Oh shoot, that does make it way more difficult. But if you are on the phone with DVC, you will at least be able to see at least the 8 available rooms in each category online and can change rooms yourself if you happen to find the same room. But that will sure narrow down the likelihood of finding the same room on both cruises. Will you have any control over the DVC cruise once it is booked? Or will you have to call them to make any changes to that cruise?

 

[Debbru]

Nope - change fees charged for any changes & payment is due in full when booked. Oh well, the worst that can happen is changing rooms between cruises. At least we'll be on a B2B.