New Placeholder Policy

[jetskigrl]

That's my understanding also. If the current cruise (the one you are making the booking on) was booked with a TA you have to use them or specify none. And then transfer it to whatever (other) TA you wish after you return home.

Is this a relatively recent change? I booked my Dream B2B (April 2011) with one TA and did an OBB for our April 2012 MR cruise with a different TA named. It was no problem at all. They just entered the new TA's name in the computer when they were creating the booking. But since that was a few years ago, things may have changed.

 

[lbgraves]

Is this a relatively recent change? I booked my Dream B2B (April 2011) with one TA and did an OBB for our April 2012 MR cruise with a different TA named. It was no problem at all. They just entered the new TA's name in the computer when they were creating the booking. But since that was a few years ago, things may have changed.

Yes, that policy changed last year.

 

[jetskigrl]

Yes, that policy changed last year.

Oh, so maybe it was done at the same time they changed the rules saying the transfer to a TA had to be done within 30 days.

That is so strange. I wonder what the reasoning was for making it so difficult to name a TA other than the one on the current cruise (when they had that functionality before).
What if the TA gives a reduced OBC for a transferred booking? Shoot, I would be pretty upset if I lost part of my OBC from the TA because I wasn't able to name them at the time of booking.

 

[closetmickey]

The date you book.

So there is a small incentive to waiting to book until the last day of your cruise (and dealing with the line)?

 

[lbgraves]

Oh, so maybe it was done at the same time they changed the rules saying the transfer to a TA had to be done within 30 days.

That is so strange. I wonder what the reasoning was for making it so difficult to name a TA other than the one on the current cruise (when they had that functionality before).
What if the TA gives a reduced OBC for a transferred booking? Shoot, I would be pretty upset if I lost part of my OBC from the TA because I wasn't able to name them at the time of booking.

No it was done at a different time. Some things posted at the time indicated that TAs complained to DCL that other TAs were poaching clients onboard. This was just DCL's answer to those complaints in order to make it a little more difficult for that to happen.

 

[CM Dad]

No it was done at a different time. Some things posted at the time indicated that TAs complained to DCL that other TAs were poaching clients onboard. This was just DCL's answer to those complaints in order to make it a little more difficult for that to happen.

I was told by the DCL on-board booking person that the restriction that keeps you from naming a different TA was added at the request of travel agents.

 

[jetskigrl]

No it was done at a different time. Some things posted at the time indicated that TAs complained to DCL that other TAs were poaching clients onboard. This was just DCL's answer to those complaints in order to make it a little more difficult for that to happen.

I was told by the DCL on-board booking person that the restriction that keeps you from naming a different TA was added at the request of travel agents.

Wow, I guess that reason does make sense - thanks for the explanation. It just still seems like a shame to me that customers that really want to change TA's have to either stay with an unwanted TA or risk having a reduced OBC by transferring the reservation later. But I guess if the customers aren't complaining about it, then at least DCL is doing something to protect the TAs from the ones on the ship trying to poach clients.

 

[Mommb]

A large part of the value of a travel agent is with assistance choosing and booking a cruise. Disney pays agencies so that they can provide that service.

When you rebook with your current agent, that agency is being rewarded for the service they have already provided. If you choose a new agency after you are booked, they may provide no service at all, or may be used only if you have changes or requests. Therefore, Disney pays them a lower commission, and some agencies that provide onboard credits or other benefits will reduce those benefits accordingly.

That makes sense to me. Disney could choose not to reimburse agencies for on-board bookings at all, on the logic that the agency didn't do anything to earn a commission for a cruise booked without them. Disney Cruise doesn't do that -- they simply say that if you don't use an agency for booking your new cruise, and didn't use them for your previous cruise, you need to transfer a reservation to them in order for them to get compensated for it.

 

[Kewz1]

I'm back with another question and seeking confirmation!

We're cruising this May on the Dream. We have decided to book the 5-day cruise on the Wonder for Feb 2016 while on board. Since it is a shorter cruise we will pay the 20% deposit but will get $100 OBC and 10% off final price. Is that correct?

If so, do we pay the deposit off the reduced fare?

Last question(s) - can we also book a room for my sister and her husband? Does my husband or I have to be booked into that room as well?

Thanks!
Kristen

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I'm back with another question and seeking confirmation!

We're cruising this May on the Dream. We have decided to book the 5-day cruise on the Wonder for Feb 2016 while on board. Since it is a shorter cruise we will pay the 20% deposit but will get $100 OBC and 10% off final price. Is that correct?

YES

If so, do we pay the deposit off the reduced fare?

You pay the set deposit amount and then the balance by PIF date.

Last question(s) - can we also book a room for my sister and her husband? Does my husband or I have to be booked into that room as well?
You in one and husband in other.
Thanks!
Kristen

Answer above.

 

[Dug720]

I'm back with another question and seeking confirmation!

We're cruising this May on the Dream. We have decided to book the 5-day cruise on the Wonder for Feb 2016 while on board. Since it is a shorter cruise we will pay the 20% deposit but will get $100 OBC and 10% off final price. Is that correct?

If so, do we pay the deposit off the reduced fare?

Last question(s) - can we also book a room for my sister and her husband? Does my husband or I have to be booked into that room as well?

Thanks!
Kristen

Yes, the 20% deposit is based off the fare for the cruise you are booking. If you book on board and it's not a blackout date, it would be 20% of the reduced rate.

 

[dmunsil]

We're cruising this May on the Dream. We have decided to book the 5-day cruise on the Wonder for Feb 2016 while on board. Since it is a shorter cruise we will pay the 20% deposit but will get $100 OBC and 10% off final price. Is that correct?

Correct.

If so, do we pay the deposit off the reduced fare?

Yes.

Last question(s) - can we also book a room for my sister and her husband? Does my husband or I have to be booked into that room as well?

Yes you can, and you do not need to be booked in the second room. We've heard that some booking agents apparently insist that each room has to have one of you in it (though we've never had this happen), and in that case you'd just split you and your husband up into separate staterooms, with the extra passenger in each room being your sister (in yours) and your sister's husband (in your husband's). When you get home, just switch everyone back around to the correct arrangement. Since one of the original adults is staying in each room, you'll keep the discount. But realistically I doubt it'll come up.

You can actually book more than two rooms while onboard, but all of them after the first two just get the onboard credit. So if you know other people who might want to go, go ahead and book them. Free money is free money.

For best results, you'll want the other people's birthdates and full legal names. They can book your sister's room without those things, but it makes things smoother if you have them. And you may have difficulties getting them to accept your sister's credit card without her present, so in our experience it's best to just put the deposit on your credit card, and when you get back your sister or her travel agent can call Disney and have them put the deposit on her card and refund the deposit you paid on her room back to your card. That's what we did last time, and it went fine.

 

[lbgraves]

Last question(s) - can we also book a room for my sister and her husband? Does my husband or I have to be booked into that room as well?

Thanks!
Kristen

No, you don't need to book one of you in the 2nd room for the OBB to be made.

 

[Madame]

If you need 2 staterooms on your future cruise do you need to book 2 placeholders to get the 10% on each room or can you get the reduced rate on both rooms via one placeholder?

 

[dmunsil]

If you need 2 staterooms on your future cruise do you need to book 2 placeholders to get the 10% on each room or can you get the reduced rate on both rooms via one placeholder?

You need to book 2. The discount is per stateroom, and you can't extend it to another later.

 

[Kewz1]

Thank you for the replies to my questions!

Kristen

 

[dvcdisney]

No, you don't need to book one of you in the 2nd room for the OBB to be made.

Does it matter if the people that you want to book is not a Castaway Club member yet (so it would be their first cruise)?

I ask because when I booked my placeholder booking onboard, I had to put my husband in one stateroom and myself in the other so that my inlaws would get the obb. I was told that since they have not cruised yet, the only way they can get the obc and 10%off is if they are already a Castaway Club member. Was I told incorrect information?

I know some people say it's not a big deal, but I don't like the fact that we would need to go to GS to get extra "keys" for our staterooms so that each has access to either stateroom. What I actually don't like is that my husband is registered in another stateroom which may have a different muster station...and in the rare occasion that an emergency happens, he won't be with us.

 

[dmunsil]

Does it matter if the people that you want to book is not a Castaway Club member yet (so it would be their first cruise)?

I ask because when I booked my placeholder booking onboard, I had to put my husband in one stateroom and myself in the other so that my inlaws would get the obb. I was told that since they have not cruised yet, the only way they can get the obc and 10%off is if they are already a Castaway Club member. Was I told incorrect information?

I know some people say it's not a big deal, but I don't like the fact that we would need to go to GS to get extra "keys" for our staterooms so that each has access to either stateroom. What I actually don't like is that my husband is registered in another stateroom which may have a different muster station...and in the rare occasion that an emergency happens, he won't be with us.

You were told incorrect information. You can, if you like, rearrange things so you and your husband are registered in one room and your in-laws are in the other, as long as one adult from each room stays in place. So as long as you have one of your in-laws currently booked into room 2, and they stay in room 2, you can move yourself into room 1 and your other in-law into room 2.

 

[dvcdisney]

You were told incorrect information. You can, if you like, rearrange things so you and your husband are registered in one room and your in-laws are in the other, as long as one adult from each room stays in place. So as long as you have one of your in-laws currently booked into room 2, and they stay in room 2, you can move yourself into room 1 and your other in-law into room 2.

Thank you. I'll contact DCL. I hope it's not too late to change it.

 

[lanejudy]

Does it matter if the people that you want to book is not a Castaway Club member yet (so it would be their first cruise)?

I ask because when I booked my placeholder booking onboard, I had to put my husband in one stateroom and myself in the other so that my inlaws would get the obb. I was told that since they have not cruised yet, the only way they can get the obc and 10%off is if they are already a Castaway Club member. Was I told incorrect information?

As mentioned, no it's not required to have a CC member in each stateroom to receive the OBB benefits.
I'm guessing you were advised to do this so that each stateroom could receive the CC gift, which is one per stateroom based on highest CC status. It also gives your inlaws stateroom the same online check-in date as you.

Enjoy your cruise!