New DCL Policy re name changes on ressie

[kcashner]

I thought you'd like to know....We have booked a DCL cruise for my teen daughter and myself with a week at WDW first. DD was told a month ago that she has to clean her bedroom and bathroom before the trip or she isn't going. You'd think that she would have learned last time when she lost a day at WDW for not being packed and ready on time! However, this time, there will be no "going one day later." She will either be ready on time or won't travel.

So....I called DCL today to ask what is the latest I can change a name on the ressie. The lead name (me) will stay the same, but I will add a friend instead of DD. There's no problem making the change 5 days ahead, BUT in addition to the $35 change fee (which I knew about), they have a new policy that I will have to pay the "current rate" for the new person's ressie. In other words, I lose the early booking credit. GRRRRRR.

Maybe I'm unreasonable, but this bothers me. I bought passage for 2, and 2 people would be travelling. Oh well, maybe DD will clean her room and pack!

 

[antmaril]

Wow, you're tough!!

 

[disneybride96]

Originally posted by antmaril
Wow, you're tough!!

Tough! Good for you!

 

[tecdavidt]

I also think you are doing the right thing. Have a rule and consequences, if that rule is broken then stick to it. Kathy

 

[DVCajun]

yeah, it doesn't seem fair that they're charging you a different rate for the 2nd person just because they have a different name. Sounds like a hose job to me.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

I really hope for your wallet's sake that your daughter does what she is supposed to!

I am really surprised at this change. We had to change a name 2 weeks prior to cruising last December because of a family illness. Yikes! That's astronomical!

 

[lookingforward]

If I clean her room can I come??????

Seriously, I understand about the room cleaning. I have a 14 and 11 year old and it is difficult to get them to do it. I am sure she will clean up and I hope you both enjoy your trip!

 

[SandraLee]

I think the point was the charge for the changing the name. I guess they are doing the same as the airlines -- even though you buy and own the ticket, you can't 'give' it to anyone else.

I wonder if Donna is aware of these changes. She specifically said to not worry about the people -- except for the primary. And, I always thought additional passengers went in at the tier you originally booked -- not the prevailing rate.

It looks like DCL is really preventing any changes to the reservation after it is made.

 

[CPM]

I think that's teh most rediculous thing I've ever heard of!
Nothing but a name change and Disney wants to make money off of it. Figures
I hope your DD cleans her room!!

 

[georgina]

Does your DD know it will cost that much to change names? When I was a teen, I would have not cleaned my room just to spite my mom! She was very controlling, and being messy was my chosen way of rebelling. I'm not in any way implying that your situation is similar, but I'm still messy and my 14 yo DD is actually much neater than me!

 

[flexsmom]

Since this is the way airlines have handled ticketing for a long time, I'm not really surprised. Another benefit to DCL associated with reducing the ease of changing a reservation may be that their passenger lists stabilize earlier - since no one makes last minute changes. These days I believe cruise lines are submitting their passenger manifests for a security review long before any ship sets sail. Having a high cost to change a name/person reduces the number of last minute security checks they have to do and/or wait on.

 

[Grumbo]

I understand why they have done this.
Just look at everyone after the repositioning cruises were searching for ways to exchange cabins to friends/relatives/fellow Dis members in order to retain the low fares.
If it is switched, or a new person is added because of a problem that was unavoidable etc I can understand the desire to retain the original fare but the switches that so many have attempted to do have caused this to happen.
DCL should make a very firm announcement though as there have been so many differing messages from them in the past over this.
I'm sure its not popular, but understandable imho.

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[GritsGirl]

Many of the BOs (Born Organized) will NOT understand my post at all and this may sound way too dramatic for a DIS message board.

First of all, THANKS for giving her the past month to work on the room even if she hasn't done it (I don't know how much time in addition to that she has been given because I am not sure when you leave). Here goes my weirdness.......Does she know HOW to clean the room...........that is SO OBVIOUS to a BO, but I was a MESSY and I didn't have a CLUE!! I didn't know to ask: Do I love this item? Is this junk? Do I need this? Let's group like items. Can this bless someone else more than me? Things that are very natural to many were a total mystery to me. It was a constant battle and I would rage and cry and isolate because I was so overwhelmed.........after all it was JUST CLEANING A ROOM, what idiot couldn't do that?!?! ME! Please make sure she has the mental tools she needs. I was considered lazy, selfish, etc., but in reality, I really didn't know where to start.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Okay weird part over......now to the other part of the post.....

We booked onboard in November 2003 for a 7 day in April 2005--------5 staterooms for 10 adults. Since we were paying all of the deposits, we put ONE adult in each of the 5 staterooms. A couple of months ago when we went to add a couple of the other people, we found out about this new policy (I think it started the beginning of May or June). Not all of the DCL reservation people even knew about the change at the time. A very nice supervisor got on the phone (we didn't ask for a supervisor, we just got lucky) and she honored the original price and manually entered it for the second person for each stateroom and at that time we paid the other 5 deposits. But if we add a 3rd or 4th person to any of the rooms, we were clearly told they would be at the going rate since they were not booked earlier. Just sharing our experience.

Grits

 

[alicecr]

Thank you for posting this as I will be faced with a name change on res shortly. If this was my situation I think the time I would be spending with my child would be a memory to last a lifetime for both of us. The thought of losing this because of an unclean room would not ever enter my mind. If it were me I would be planning for this trip and worry about the room later.

 

[goofysgirl]

Is there anywhere Disney is posting all these new policies? They need to make a broad announcement so we may intelligently book further passages.

As for cleaning the room.......I personally would sit in a pile of junk if it meant that my girls were with me and we were able to share precious time together. My 16 year old is a senior..going to college next year and then plans on staying in Florida and teaching there along with a little side job of Disney!!! I'm sure I will miss her messy room each and every day.

 

[pdarrah]

Hi GritsGirl - Not so weird ... I was also a "Messy" and can remember my mother working with me on my room and explaining about organizing, grouping items, deciding if I really need it, etc. My DS5 seems to have the same malady! I have started working with him (it didn't seem worth it when he was younger - his attention span wasn't long enough for the explanations!) on "how to pick-up". He is always overwhelmed and I have found if I just have him start with one thing (i.e. just pick up all the crayons) it really helps. We are getting to the point where if I direct him through a couple of things (crayons, tinkertoys, train pieces...) then he figures it out and decides on the next items himself. Once all the "stuff" is picked up, then we go through all the arts & crafts projects together to decide which ones he _really_ wants to keep.

Anyway, sorry for typing so much - just wanted to agree with you that some people just don't "get it" on HOW to get started cleaning up a room!

Pamela

 

[DVCajun]

Sounds like we have a couple of Flybabies on the board.

 

[CGC33A]

I wonder how DCL would handle a "TBA" now instead of a person's name. I used that once to hold a space when I was not sure who was going & have a ressie now with the same thing. Wonder if I will be subjected to price changes? & when is the last day I can commit to a name?

 

[zippeedee]

I'm so glad this was posted. I asked twice before booking in May to be sure I could change the second person's name, and was told it was just a $35 fee as long as I changed it before paying my full payment. I am taking my neighbor, who is 12. She has been warned repeatedly that if her grades are not where they should be by first report card, she should practice waving and saying "Goodbye Jeff" to her older brother who will be going in her place. I think the threat is actually enough to keep her working at her capacity, but at least I know my threat will pretty much be an empty one at this point.
Thanks for the update.
Patti

 

[ivanova]

Originally posted by CGC33A
I wonder how DCL would handle a "TBA" now instead of a person's name. I used that once to hold a space when I was not sure who was going & have a ressie now with the same thing. Wonder if I will be subjected to price changes? & when is the last day I can commit to a name?

We have the same situation. For the Aug repo cruise next year we had someone going, but hadn't lined up a roommate by the time we had to book on May 5th. So her roomies is "TBA." We have now identified who "TBA" will be and since we were not told at the time of booking on May 5th that changing TBA to a name would cost extra, we'll fight them tooth & nail for every cent.