Placeholder or book now?

[Shacka1]

Hello everyone

I am looking at a cruise over Xmas week 2024, I will be on a cruise feb/march 2024 so I can book the placeholder then and save money

My concern with this being a holiday trip is that it will either be sold out or that the price will just go up from here?

The feb/march cruise is our first cruise so I’m unfamiliar with how things work and would appreciate advice!

 

[Mommb]

Your best option is to book the cruise you want now, then get a placeholder reservation on your 2024 cruise. After the cruise, you can check whether the cost of your holiday cruise has gone up by more than 10% (the amount you would save by applying the placeholder). You can also check whether the placeholder can be used for the holiday cruise — it may be a black-out date. If the holiday cruise hasn’t risen much in cost and isn’t a black-out date, you can cancel your booking and rebook by applying the placeholder. If the price of the holiday cruise has increased significantly, you can just keep the original booking and cancel the placeholder or use it for a different cruise.

 

[Shacka1]

Your best option is to book the cruise you want now, then get a placeholder reservation on your 2024 cruise. After the cruise, you can check whether the cost of your holiday cruise has gone up by more than 10% (the amount you would save by applying the placeholder). You can also check whether the placeholder can be used for the holiday cruise — it may be a black-out date. If the holiday cruise hasn’t risen much in cost and isn’t a black-out date, you can cancel your booking and rebook by applying the placeholder. If the price of the holiday cruise has increased significantly, you can just keep the original booking and cancel the placeholder or use it for a different cruise.

This was SO helpful! I just looked up the black out dates for the ship and the only date that is blacked out would be the date we sail back so I’m not sure if it would work, maybe I can just reach out and ask

 

[lanejudy]

This was SO helpful! I just looked up the black out dates for the ship and the only date that is blacked out would be the date we sail back so I’m not sure if it would work, maybe I can just reach out and ask

I think the block-out dates are listed as departure dates.

 

[Dug720]

It was so much easier when you had the option to book a specific sailing on board and not just the "placeholder" business.

 

[Shacka1]

Yes I’m hoping it will work out since it would be a decent savings (fingers crossed)

 

[Kevin Liu]

I'm surprised Xmas week isn't blacked out for placeholder - which ship is this for?

 

[Shacka1]

I'm surprised Xmas week isn't blacked out for placeholder - which ship is this for?

I’m looking at magic out of TX it’s probably because that’s the only one they have that week for that ship and the date that’s blacked out is 12/29 which would be the day we sail back, making it so I can’t use the placeholder. Someone had suggested those dates meaning the date you sail, if that’s the case I’ll be ok but I’m waiting to hear back from DCL to know for sure

 

[rainbowredpanda]

Hello everyone

I am looking at a cruise over Xmas week 2024, I will be on a cruise feb/march 2024 so I can book the placeholder then and save money

My concern with this being a holiday trip is that it will either be sold out or that the price will just go up from here?

The feb/march cruise is our first cruise so I’m unfamiliar with how things work and would appreciate advice!

I would book the cruise you want now. When you have a placeholder, you can see if it works out cheaper or not and then decide if you want to cancel the original booking or not. We have done this before without a problem.

 

[rainbowredpanda]

It was so much easier when you had the option to book a specific sailing on board and not just the "placeholder" business.

I think too many people booked cruises they had no intention of sailing on, blocking other guests from booking those sailings. We often put down a placeholder that we then changed months later.

 

[Flossbolna]

I think too many people booked cruises they had no intention of sailing on, blocking other guests from booking those sailings. We often put down a placeholder that we then changed months later.

Before they introduced the placeholder that was an issue. But before Covid you had the choice of placeholder or specific booking. But since they eliminated the person on the onboard booking desk it’s only placeholder. I think giving people a choice was much better as some people know what they want.

 

[Dug720]

Before they introduced the placeholder that was an issue. But before Covid you had the choice of placeholder or specific booking. But since they eliminated the person on the onboard booking desk it’s only placeholder. I think giving people a choice was much better as some people know what they want.

I think it had to make it easier on them as well as then it was only the people who booked certificates (they really aren't holding a place - the cruise you want could still sell out before you get through, so you're not truly holding a place) who were calling to convert that. NOW it's anyone who booked the certificate having to call or have their travel agent call to convert it.

It's certainly easy enough to do if you bother to put onboard booking people back on. Celebrity still has people and they still give you the option of booking an exact cruise or a future certificate. And it was pretty much always busy when I walked by. But maybe Disney has decided they'd rather make people sit on hold for forever to convert them to cruises.

 

[Shacka1]

I would book the cruise you want now. When you have a placeholder, you can see if it works out cheaper or not and then decide if you want to cancel the original booking or not. We have done this before without a problem.

Thank you!!! This is what I will do.

All of you are so helpful and kind, thank you

 

[lanejudy]

I’m looking at magic out of TX

These are the upcoming OBB/placeholder block-out dates for the Magic. That 12/29/2024 is a departure date and shouldn't impact any cruise the prior week:

Disney Magic Sailings

• November 18, 2023 - 7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise from San Diego
• June 6, 2024 - 3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale
• November 25, 2024 - 6-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston
• December 29, 2024 - 4-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston