Onboard booking incentive...dummy dates?

[Kelly867]

If you know the date you want to book, will they book the rooms for you while on board? We know the date for Feb 2013, and need 2 rooms, connecting. The 10% off is just too good to pass up, and the SBC is great as well, we were going to book both cruises (the Sept 2012 and Feb 2013) at the same time, but decided to wait and book our second onboard to get the benefits.

 

[lbgraves]

If there are rooms available to select, then you can do that. If the category is at GTY, you will not learn your actual room number until closer to the cruise date.

 

[mcd2745]

A couple of questions:

1) If I book a 3-night as a dummy date (to keep the deposit to a minimum) and then later change to a 7-nighter once we choose an actual date, do I get the increased onboard credit or do I only get the lesser credit for the 3-nighter?

2) If we name a TA (which would be DU), do you normally get both the onboard booking credit and the credit DU offers?

 

[luvmy2kids]

A couple of questions:

1) If I book a 3-night as a dummy date (to keep the deposit to a minimum) and then later change to a 7-nighter once we choose an actual date, do I get the increased onboard credit or do I only get the lesser credit for the 3-nighter?

2) If we name a TA (which would be DU), do you normally get both the onboard booking credit and the credit DU offers?

1...That is a good question... I was wondering the same thing..

2.. Also, just want to confirm (because with this cruise we just booked directly through DCL). We do not have a name or know any travel agents and are seriously thinking about going through DU, but again we do not know of any TA's... We are sailing in September and want to get the most out of our next cruise....

 

[mimmi]

A couple of questions:

1) If I book a 3-night as a dummy date (to keep the deposit to a minimum) and then later change to a 7-nighter once we choose an actual date, do I get the increased onboard credit or do I only get the lesser credit for the 3-nighter?

2) If we name a TA (which would be DU), do you normally get both the onboard booking credit and the credit DU offers?

Yes and yes.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Yes, and the OBC as well. This is the loophole that I think DCL should have stopped, not limiting the number of cruise dates that a legitimate CC member could book with the OBB benefits for their own personal use.

Is this correct about the OBC?

We have 5 cabins on the Dream next summer and one will not have a prior cruiser in it. My parents and I plan to re shop over the course of 3 cruises in September and October. It would be great if we could get the OBC for all 5 cabins. -- Suzanne

 

[lbgraves]

Is this correct about the OBC?

We have 5 cabins on the Dream next summer and one will not have a prior cruiser in it. My parents and I plan to re shop over the course of 3 cruises in September and October. It would be great if we could get the OBC for all 5 cabins. -- Suzanne

It is true for the two staterooms you are allowed to book for the same date per cruise you actually take. If you and your parents have two different addresses then you will each be able to rebook 2 of the rooms per cruise that you take. Keep in mind that the price of the cruise may have increased more than the amount of savings you would realize by reshopping them. There also must be a new room for you to book on the cruise to be able to reshop.

So you can reshop 2 rooms in September & your parents can reshop 2 rooms on your first cruise.
One of you can reshop the 5th room on the second cruise and the other can book 2 rooms on a different cruise date.
Both of you can book 2 rooms on a different cruise date.

 

[su_A_ve]

1...That is a good question... I was wondering the same thing..

2.. Also, just want to confirm (because with this cruise we just booked directly through DCL). We do not have a name or know any travel agents and are seriously thinking about going through DU, but again we do not know of any TA's... We are sailing in September and want to get the most out of our next cruise....

I have the same question... But I will contact DU now and get a name. I understand that if you don't give DCL the agent's name when making the dummy res, you won't get the full OBC from the TA. Ie, if you transfer a res from DCL to a TA now, they don't get the full credits, and therefore you don't get the full OBC. This is a fairly recent change.

What I don't know if you do need the actual TA name, or if the company is sufficient (ie DU).

 

[lanejudy]

If you know the date you want to book, will they book the rooms for you while on board? We know the date for Feb 2013, and need 2 rooms, connecting. The 10% off is just too good to pass up, and the SBC is great as well, we were going to book both cruises (the Sept 2012 and Feb 2013) at the same time, but decided to wait and book our second onboard to get the benefits.

The 10% off will be off the fare for the future cruise at the time you are onboard and doing the booking - which could be more than it is today; if prices increase more than 10% between now and when you cruise, you wouldn't actually recognize that savings. It's your decision to take that chance and wait to book the Feb. 2013 cruise when onboard in Sept. 2012. However, I believe you can "re-shop" if you make the Feb. 2013 reservation now and once onboard in Sept. you determine the OBB incentive would result in savings, you would just need to pay the deposit again (I don't think you can transfer the deposit from a regular booking to an OBB though it will be refunded - someone will correct me if I'm wrong on that). I'd suggest booking the future cruise now since you know the dates and want specific rooms (connecting), then re-shopping it onboard, but dependig on destination DCL fares haven't been increasing as steadily as they did in the past.

 

[Kebby]

can i ask another dumb question?

i am sailing the dream 3 day in sept. if on board, i want to book a dummy cruise and need two cabins, can i book a 3 day interior cabin(x2) to keep the deposit down, and then get double onboard credit?

then, if i change to a 7 day and switch one cabin to a veranda, do i have to pay an increase in deposit? do i get more onboard credits? do i still get 10% off the 7 day cruise?

 

[lanejudy]

As long as both staterooms remain reserved the same cruise dates, you can make changes to either/both rooms and retain the OBB incentives. If you change 1 stateroom to a different date, it will lose all OBB incentives.

If changing from a 3-day cruise to a 7-day cruise, or any other change, you will need to pay the difference in required minimum deposit (10% if booked onboard) at the time you make the change. The OBC will adjust to the OBC offer in place at the time you make the change (currently it would increase if changing a 3-night to a 7-night), but it will depend on what OBC amoung is offered for the cruise you want at the time you modify the reservation.

 

[CT Mom of 3]

Unfortunately, DCL has changed/updated the parameters of the rebook on board incentive.

I haven't rebooked onboard for any unannounced cruise periods, but I know that if you book a 'dummy' date and change it- although you might retain your 10% discount, you'll lose any OBC that was part of the rebook.

I'm sure that someone with more experience will be answering up shortly.

HTH....

I just booked a "dummy" cruise on the Fantasy a couple weeks ago. I booked the last cruise in December 13 and was told all onboard booking incentives will hold true when I re-book to an actual cruise.

 

[lbgraves]

I just booked a "dummy" cruise on the Fantasy a couple weeks ago. I booked the last cruise in December 13 and was told all onboard booking incentives will hold true when I re-book to an actual cruise.

You will actually get the current incentives that are being offered at the time, including the amount of OBC that is being given on the date you move your date.

 

[Mythreeboysandme]

What does 'DU' stand for? I'm new to these boards lol

 

[mimmi]

What does 'DU' stand for? I'm new to these boards lol

Dreams Unlimited, a travel agency and sponsor of the disboards.

 

[Mythreeboysandme]

Dreams Unlimited, a travel agency and sponsor of the disboards.

Thanks!

 

[debsters41]

In answer to a question by a pp, when you transfer a 3 night booking to a more expensive 7 night, you will have to pay more of a deposit, but it will still be only 10% of cruise fare. At least this was the case in February 2012. It was very nice having the 10% off the more expensive cruise