Placeholder flexibility?

[sleepingbeauty17]

While onboard a June 25 - July 2 2016 Fantasy cruise my family booked a placeholder. We were aiming on using it in June of 2018, which I know is very close to the 2 year mark. My question though is how strict they are with the dates? We're trying to sync schedules with a big group and say there is a cruise that works for everyone the few days after the 25th like say the 30th (I only say the 30th because its the last Saturday in June of 2018, the one before that is the 23rd so it would work with the placeholder). Will Disney say no because it would be 5 days after the placeholder expired?

 

[Dug720]

From all I know they are strict. It must be within the window.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

While onboard a June 25 - July 2 2016 Fantasy cruise my family booked a placeholder. We were aiming on using it in June of 2018, which I know is very close to the 2 year mark. My question though is how strict they are with the dates? We're trying to sync schedules with a big group and say there is a cruise that works for everyone the few days after the 25th like say the 30th (I only say the 30th because its the last Saturday in June of 2018, the one before that is the 23rd so it would work with the placeholder). Will Disney say no because it would be 5 days after the placeholder expired?

Your placeholder must be applied to a cruise that starts within your 24 month period. No exceptions, even for "just a day or two". I'll just point out that your start date is the date you actually booked the placeholder, not the start date of the cruise you made the booking on.

You can use this calculator http://disneycruiselineblog.com/cruise-planning/onboard-booking-benefits-expiration-date-calculator/ to determine what the date is that you must start your next cruise.

 

[lorimay]

Yes, it has to be in that 24 month window.
We had a placeholder when they expired at 18 months in 2015, and the Hawaiian cruise we wanted was a week after the 18 month expiration date and they told me no, I HAD to sail before the exact 18 month mark.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

What day of your cruise did book your placeholder on? Your placeholder cruise must begin within 24 months of the day you booked the placeholder.

 

[hanscarlet]

yes this is why placeholder dates are so important and why I try and get mine the date that is closest to the end of the cruise... I believe if your departure date is within the window then it's fine but someone else can confirm this because I've also heard the return date has to be within the window as well... but I think it's just the departure/sail date has to be within the window of the date of your placeholder

 

[sleepingbeauty17]

What day of your cruise did book your placeholder on? Your placeholder cruise must begin within 24 months of the day you booked the placeholder.

That was actually my next question, we either booked it on the Thursday or Friday of the trip so either the June 30th or July 1st. Is that when the place holder begins rather than when you set sail? And is there a way to look up the date to be sure?

 

[KristiMc]

That was actually my next question, we either booked it on the Thursday or Friday of the trip so either the June 30th or July 1st. Is that when the place holder begins rather than when you set sail? And is there a way to look up the date to be sure?

Look at your confirmation. It should have the date that your next cruise has to start by.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I was under the impression the clock started on embarcation date regardless of when the deposit was actually made. I'm curious to find out DCLs actual response as our trips keep moving backwards by almost a week and it's getting earlier in the year than we care to sail.

 

[Aby]

The 24 month count begins on the day you actually book the placeholder. We learned this on one of our previous cruises - we thought we were being clever going to the OBB desk on the first day we could before the crowds started, and then realized that the next cruise we had planned would likely fall just outside of the two year window. We had to go back, cancel the placeholder, and then book it again on the last day of the cruise.

Aby

 

[PrincessShmoo]

yes this is why placeholder dates are so important and why I try and get mine the date that is closest to the end of the cruise... I believe if your departure date is within the window then it's fine but someone else can confirm this because I've also heard the return date has to be within the window as well... but I think it's just the departure/sail date has to be within the window of the date of your placeholder

It used to be that the entire future cruise had to be completed by the close of the 24 month window. But that's changed - the cruise has to start before the close of the window.

 

[hanscarlet]

It used to be that the entire future cruise had to be completed by the close of the 24 month window. But that's changed - the cruise has to start before the close of the window.

Thanks, so I wasn't crazy in thinking that and must have changed in the last year or so, I like the change, allows for more flexibility

 

[carmie3377]

I was under the impression the clock started on embarcation date regardless of when the deposit was actually made. I'm curious to find out DCLs actual response as our trips keep moving backwards by almost a week and it's getting earlier in the year than we care to sail.

As other have stated, the cruise must start 24 months from when placeholder was booked. This was in my confirmation from a placeholder I booked on our 5/15 EBTA....


Next time I will booked towards the end of my trip as we will just barely make the cutoff. We are hoping for the 2018 EBTA and due to the Magic's current schedule, looks like it will begin on 5/13/18

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks so much @carmie3377! When I booked out last placeholder it was before you could book and actual 'placeholder' so I had to chose a 'fake cruise' that I had no intention of ever taking.

When you received now is so much clearer than what I did! Thanks for sharing this information!!

 

[carmie3377]

Thanks so much @carmie3377! When I booked out last placeholder it was before you could book and actual 'placeholder' so I had to chose a 'fake cruise' that I had no intention of ever taking.

When you received now is so much clearer than what I did! Thanks for sharing this information!!

You are very welcome! Glad it helped