PIF Extension - DCL Unwilling to help

[NaturalNine]

Hi All

Just a bit of info for those looking in the future to have an extension on their PIF Date

Ours was 7th January, emailed through to DCL yesterday to ask for a 7 day extension through to 14th January (To coincide with my pay dates) and they point blank refused to extend the PIF Date at all. I had made additional payments since the original deposit and only had a small balance remaining ($2k)

I asked for this to be escalated to a team leader, Got an email back from somebody else (Not sure if it was a team leader or just a standard assistant) and they again re-iterated that the booking would cancel at midnight on the 7th January, cancellation fees would be deducted and a refund of balance monies paid immediately returned.

Fortunately I had a back up source of funding in the interim, but still, especially over the expensive Christmas/New Year period, you'd think they would have been willing to extend it by a week for me.

There were a few reports on here from a while back of people having success in having the PIF extended, thought I'd best advise that it appears this is no longer the case

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi All

Just a bit of info for those looking in the future to have an extension on their PIF Date

Ours was 7th January, emailed through to DCL yesterday to ask for a 7 day extension through to 14th January (To coincide with my pay dates) and they point blank refused to extend the PIF Date at all. I had made additional payments since the original deposit and only had a small balance remaining ($2k)

I asked for this to be escalated to a team leader, Got an email back from somebody else (Not sure if it was a team leader or just a standard assistant) and they again re-iterated that the booking would cancel at midnight on the 7th January, cancellation fees would be deducted and a refund of balance monies paid immediately returned.

Fortunately I had a back up source of funding in the interim, but still, especially over the expensive Christmas/New Year period, you'd think they would have been willing to extend it by a week for me.

There were a few reports on here from a while back of people having success in having the PIF extended, thought I'd best advise that it appears this is no longer the case

I don't know that there was ever a standard PIF extension that could be requested.

I do know, rarely, DCL has granted an extension. I wouldn't think "because I don't get my pay check by then" is a good enough reason for an extension. Certainly you knew when your paydays are and when the PIF date is.

I know of very few cruise lines that give PIF extensions.

Sorry you have a problem with it.

 

[mmouse37]

I know the frustration. I escalated a cancellation refund all the way to the top and was denied. There were extenuating circumstances but in the long run Disney is a business and the rules are the rules.

Glad you had back up funds. Have a wonderful cruise.

MJ

 

[NaturalNine]

I do know, rarely, DCL has granted an extension. I wouldn't think "because I don't get my pay check by then" is a good enough reason for an extension.

Sorry you have a problem with it.

I wasn't even given an opportunity to discuss any reasons behind the request, just a point blank decline for extension. As frustrated as I am by Disney's unwillingness to be flexible on these things, my post is more advisory to others who may have felt Disney would offer flexibility and that they should plan to not receive it. So no need to apologise (Though unsure why you are apologising as a fellow customer of Disney?)

 

[squirk]

Fortunately I had a back up source of funding in the interim, but still, especially over the expensive Christmas/New Year period, you'd think they would have been willing to extend it by a week for me.

I apologize if I sound harsh, but why should they have been willing to extend it for you? Surely, you've known for a long time that the PIF was two weeks after Christmas, and had the opportunity to plan accordingly.

I mean, the holiday is expensive for everyone. Does that mean DCL should have been willing to grant everyone on your sailing a week’s extension on the PIF?

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Sorry it did not work out for you. I am not surprised at all, though. These type of dates seem quite firm. I wonder what the circumstances were for other DISers who were able to have theirs altered.

 

[NaturalNine]

Does that mean DCL should have been willing to grant everyone on your sailing a week’s extension on the PIF?

It would make business sense to give people a 7 day extension at 90 days from departure, especially when they're more than 50% paid up, it's not like they're going to walk away after paying that much $$ and if Disney cancelled it with zero flexibility, it could be enough to send the guest to a (cheaper) competitor such as RCC

Even taking the business sense out of it, other than making interest on everybody's $$, once somebody is committed by way of deposit, whether they get full payment at 90 days or 83 days surely would make absolutely no difference to them, but potentially, a lot of difference to the guest?

I knew it was coming, thus I had backup funds ready to cover it, but rather than dip into my savings I would've just preferred to pay it from general cash flow when my pay comes in a week after the PIF date. I genuinely figured Disney would have no issues (Especially considering how flexible they are with park package bookings)

 

[Karin1984]

Good it worked out, but I am not surprised they are strict in these things. Imagine they did that for everyone.

Even when you paid more than 50% or not, Christmas and NYE are well known in advance and shouldnt be a reason to pay later.

If you had paid over 50% and your booking got cancelled, Disney can sell the room again for 100% or more. Thats how money is made. And I can imagine that people do walk away even when they have paid 50%, because they save money by not going. Yes they lost money as well, but still not as much if they did go on the cruise.

 

[squirk]

It would make business sense to give people a 7 day extension at 90 days from departure, especially when they're more than 50% paid up, it's not like they're going to walk away after paying that much $$ and if Disney cancelled it with zero flexibility, it could be enough to send the guest to a (cheaper) competitor such as RCC

What would the “good business sense” be to granting those extensions? DCL is booking near to full on most sailings with the PIF policies they’ve had in place for many years. For a niche, arguably overpriced boutique cruise line, they seem to be doing just fine against RCCL.

Further, I am sure you can see the slippery slope that would put DCL on - let’s grant somebody a 7-day extension for no other reason than the expensive Christmas holiday season. And then someone else comes along and says “I don’t get my next paycheck until January 15th”, or “I’m a commission-based employee and don’t get my big paycheck until January 31st”. Should those people be accommodated?

Or for a PIF due the third week of December, what if someone calls up and says “It sure was an expensive Haunnakah season this year. Can I have a 10-day extension until I get my next paycheck on Dec. 31?” Should that person get a break?

“My 20th wedding anniversary fell two weeks before my PIF was due. I just bought a huge gift for my wife. Could I have an extra week until I get paid again?” Should they be accommodated?

And if people are struggling to meet their normal PIF, having had months, if not years, to budget accordingly, and have absolutely no other resources to dip into - what are the odds that they will suddenly be able to come up with the money in a week? I’d argue “pretty small”.

You can just see people calling DCL back and saying “My paycheck was delayed. Could I have just one more week, please?”

“C’mon - what’s seven more days to a company like Disney?”
“C’mon - what’s ten more days to a company like Disney?”
“C’mon - what’s two more weeks to a company like Disney?”

And so on and so on.

@NaturalNine, you might be an exception to the rule, since you had a backup plan, but I don’t think the drop-out rate at PIF is as small as you think. And DCL needs time to re-sell those rooms and plan logistics accordingly.

 

[hcox31]

My PIF date was 2 weeks before Christmas. I didn’t even think to call and ask for an extension when my payday was one day after the PIF date.

Glad you had the back up to pay your balance but you can’t assume and be upset when a bajillion dollar company says no to a policy and deadline.

 

[Sytrace]

Hi All

Just a bit of info for those looking in the future to have an extension on their PIF Date

Ours was 7th January, emailed through to DCL yesterday to ask for a 7 day extension through to 14th January (To coincide with my pay dates) and they point blank refused to extend the PIF Date at all. I had made additional payments since the original deposit and only had a small balance remaining ($2k)

I asked for this to be escalated to a team leader, Got an email back from somebody else (Not sure if it was a team leader or just a standard assistant) and they again re-iterated that the booking would cancel at midnight on the 7th January, cancellation fees would be deducted and a refund of balance monies paid immediately returned.

Fortunately I had a back up source of funding in the interim, but still, especially over the expensive Christmas/New Year period, you'd think they would have been willing to extend it by a week for me.

There were a few reports on here from a while back of people having success in having the PIF extended, thought I'd best advise that it appears this is no longer the case

The paid in full date is firm and stated at time of booking/deposit and anytime you make a payment towards the cruise. If exceptions are made they are made for extenuating circumstances and it is reviewed on a case by case basis. Glad it worked out that in fact you did have the savings to back you up until your paycheck the next week.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Don't forget that making an exception might actually mean making a change to the computer system to stop it from automatically cancelling. What seems like an easy thing from the customer perspective might actually be quite an expensive systems change (from the actual reservations system right through to the accounting system) just for one extension. While it may (or may not???) have been done in the past, the more integrated their systems are, the harder it is to make exceptions unless they've built in a contingency for it, which they probably haven't.

 

[Dug720]

The paid in full date is firm and stated at time of booking/deposit and anytime you make a payment towards the cruise. If exceptions are made they are made for extenuating circumstances and it is reviewed on a case by case basis. Glad it worked out that in fact you did have the savings to back you up until your paycheck the next week.

This. You know when you book what the final payment date is and should plan accordingly. I know a lot of people flip out over the few cents of interest they'll lose if they pay off early, but I prefer to pay ahead of time when I have money (like when we get a lump sum retro payment) so that it IS paid off and I don't have to worry about overspending on something like the holidays.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Hi All

Just a bit of info for those looking in the future to have an extension on their PIF Date

Ours was 7th January, emailed through to DCL yesterday to ask for a 7 day extension through to 14th January (To coincide with my pay dates) and they point blank refused to extend the PIF Date at all. I had made additional payments since the original deposit and only had a small balance remaining ($2k)

I asked for this to be escalated to a team leader, Got an email back from somebody else (Not sure if it was a team leader or just a standard assistant) and they again re-iterated that the booking would cancel at midnight on the 7th January, cancellation fees would be deducted and a refund of balance monies paid immediately returned.

Fortunately I had a back up source of funding in the interim, but still, especially over the expensive Christmas/New Year period, you'd think they would have been willing to extend it by a week for me.

There were a few reports on here from a while back of people having success in having the PIF extended, thought I'd best advise that it appears this is no longer the case

Well... I think they should have given it to you. I think it is short sighted and silly on their part, especially when you were so far in already. I have read of some other cruise lines doing this on a regular basis. I personally prefer for people to be treated as individuals and am not a fan of bureaucracy.

 

[xavier2001]

Just a tip, if you use your Chase Visa Disney card to pay it off you get 0% interest for 6 months on the purchase. I'm not one to ever carry a credit card balance, but in your situation it would have bought you the 2 weeks you needed until pay day. Its worth to have for situations like this.

 

[squirk]

Just a tip, if you use your Chase Visa Disney card to pay it off you get 0% interest for 6 months on the purchase. I'm not one to ever carry a credit card balance, but in your situation it would have bought you the 2 weeks you needed until pay day. Its worth to have for situations like this.

I’m not sure that offer applies in Australia?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Just a tip, if you use your Chase Visa Disney card to pay it off you get 0% interest for 6 months on the purchase. I'm not one to ever carry a credit card balance, but in your situation it would have bought you the 2 weeks you needed until pay day. Its worth to have for situations like this.

Wouldn’t putting it on a credit card have bought a few weeks anyway? If I charge something on my cc today, payment isn’t actually due until late January or February, depending on when the cc closing date is. Did the OP pay cash?

 

[squirk]

Wouldn’t putting it on a credit card have bought a few weeks anyway? If I charge something on my cc today, payment isn’t actually due until late January or February, depending on when the cc closing date is. Did the OP pay cash?

It sounds like he dipped into savings, so it would seem that he did, in fact, pay cash.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

It sounds like he dipped into savings, so it would seem that he did, in fact, pay cash.

I’ve never cruised before. My PIF date is coming up, assumed I’ll be paying by cc (and paying cc balance with savings accrued for the cruise) How would I pay in cash?

 

[squirk]

I’ve never cruised before. My PIF date is coming up, assumed I’ll be paying by cc (and paying cc balance with savings accrued for the cruise) How would I pay in cash?

Bank debit Visa card linked to your checking or savings account?