Problems with Booking so far in advance

[NY Disney fan]

What kinds of problems have people had with booking a year or more in advance? How have you resolved it?

For example:

Pregnancies
Job changes
Deaths
Taking a baby on board when you originally booked for 2.

Would like to book our first cruise for 2007 but am nervous about doing it so far out especially since my DH and I plan to get pregnant & there may be a job change. Thanks in advance.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

You make the reservation and if an event happens that forces you to change plans, you change them. The only penelty you pay is that if you have to change sail dates, (then you have to pay the prevailing rate which can mean more expensive if the sail date is no longer in the distant future).

We've had to change reservations because of pregnancies, and we've also been able to make a reservation with one of the spots marked as "TBA" (that's when we made a reservation while we were pregnant, but the sail date wasn't going to be until after the baby arrived.).

One word of "warning". If you think you will change your plans because you become pregnant, you should consider waiting until you enter your second trimester before changing cruise plans. I know no one want to think about this type of possibility, but we ran into the issue of having a cruise booked, got pregnant, changed our sail date, had a miscarriage, and had to change it back.

 

[Rence]

The money you put down on the cruise is fully refundable up until the final payment is due as far as DCL is concerned.

Some travel agents my have a cancellation fee, but this should be disclosed up front. It might be a good idea to ask, I don't know how common this is, but I have heard of it.

 

[flexsmom]

Since you can cancel 60 days out with no penalty, and prices are best with the most advance booking possible, I'd go for it. If the job changes and you can't swing the trip, no problem, you can cancel. If you really think you may have a baby, then why not do the "TBD" name - I was pregnant when we rebooked with a TBD for our 4th party - have to pay a deposit, but you can just as easily cancel the third person from your party.

 

[tvguy]

No different than any other trip I guess. My wife and I cruised when she was 6 months pregnant with our now 18 year old son. I guess now that would be a no no with the cruise lines, but her doctor cleared her medically.
My mom cruises a lot, she's 82, and has older brothers and sisters. Her standing orders are, if someone dies, it can wait until she gets back. And if god forbid it's her......she doesn't want to get off the ship until the cruise is over!!!!!

 

[ivanova]

Since you can cancel 60 days out with no penalty, and prices are best with the most advance booking possible, I'd go for it.

It's actually 75-90 days out now, instead of 60 days (90 days if you book concierge level, 75 days out for all other categories).

 

[StuartMI]

The other problem, too, is that you have to wait so darn long!

If you're planning on the pregnancy thing, if possible, time it so you can either a) go before you hit the 24-week (I think?) cut-off from DCL or
b) go afterwards, if you're comfortable.

DW, and apparantly I have something to do with it too , plan to look at starting a family mid-next year. We're also planning a double-dip CC cruise from December of 2007. Of course, that will put her due in April of 2007 sometime and by the time December rolls around we should be sufficiently frazzled enough and comfortable enough to leave the little one with parents and get away for a much-needed week to ourselves.

 

[crisi]

The other problem, too, is that you have to wait so darn long!

If you're planning on the pregnancy thing, if possible, time it so you can either a) go before you hit the 24-week (I think?) cut-off from DCL or
b) go afterwards, if you're comfortable.

DW, and apparantly I have something to do with it too , plan to look at starting a family mid-next year. We're also planning a double-dip CC cruise from December of 2007. Of course, that will put her due in April of 2007 sometime and by the time December rolls around we should be sufficiently frazzled enough and comfortable enough to leave the little one with parents and get away for a much-needed week to ourselves.

I really hope it works that way for you. My DH and I started trying for our family in October of 1995. As a "mature potential mother" (I was over 30) we started looking for problems by that Spring. Our son was born in August of 1998, in Korea - and came home in March, 1999. My nephew is ten months old - they worked for nearly six years to get him (IVF baby).

In other words, don't plan cruises (vacations, going back for your MBA, whatever) around "planned" pregnancies. In addition to HooKooDooKu's sad story (I'm sorry for your loss, miscarriages are tough), babies don't always conceive on schedule. Don't assume you'll be fine as long as you make the 24 week cutoff - I know plenty of people who have been on bedrest by that point. As has been said, DCL refunds your money pretty close to the cruise time, and insurance will take care of some of the other kinds of "life's intrustions on vacation" - with a death, does it make any difference if you booked six months out or two years out?

 

[professorandmom]

I just had to rebook a double dip which I had orginally booked when the dates were released. Work related conflicts meant I had to move the cruise to July - yes, that little work conflict cost $1000...and added a month more to the wait...bummer
It is just what happens while we are waiting!
Barb

 

[dletz]

If you think there might be another on the trip it sounds like it is best to do a TBA for them. My understanding is if you book when rates open up, and then add someone on later, that person you add on is at the current rates the day you add them, not when you made your originall ressie. Therefore you could end up paying a lot more. I'm pretty sure you can remove someone without effecting your original price.

Donna

 

[princessmomma]

Can you add put TBA for an adult?

What happens if you cancel the TBA berth?

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

Too funny! I am having this dilema right now! I have a "girls trip" booked for Mother's Day 2006 for me and 2 friends (leaving husbands and kids at home!) but now I just found out I am expecting and due Jan 20, 2006!!! I am freaking out now because I am not sure if 3 months will be enough recovery time and if (emotionally) I will be able to leave my new baby and if my husband will be able to care for the new baby by himself I still haven't decided on what I am going to do.....

 

[shmoogrrrl]

What kinds of problems have people had with booking a year or more in advance? How have you resolved it?

For example:

Pregnancies
Job changes
Deaths
Taking a baby on board when you originally booked for 2.

Would like to book our first cruise for 2007 but am nervous about doing it so far out especially since my DH and I plan to get pregnant & there may be a job change. Thanks in advance.

We booked our October crusie the day it was available and, like you, we were trying to have another baby. Our original plan was to just add the baby if I got pregnant and if I didn't, to take a break for a few months once we reached the line where if we got pregnant after that time, the baby wouldbe too young and couldn't cruise. Of course, when that time came, I couldn't bring myself to take the break, so we kept trying and decided that we would reschedule the cruise if I got pregnant. Of course, that didn't happen either,sonow if I were to get pregnant, I'd be under the 24 week limit and able to cruise.

While that was a long paragraph, the point is that if you want to cruise, it is best to book as far in advance as possible and deal with issues as they come up!

Good luck with the baby thing, and if you do get pregnant,adding the baby should pretty easy!

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Too funny! I am having this dilema right now! I have a "girls trip" booked for Mother's Day 2006 for me and 2 friends (leaving husbands and kids at home!) but now I just found out I am expecting and due Jan 20, 2006!!! I am freaking out now because I am not sure if 3 months will be enough recovery time and if (emotionally) I will be able to leave my new baby and if my husband will be able to care for the new baby by himself I still haven't decided on what I am going to do.....

I bet you will be physically ready to go (assuming no strange problems) but it could be complicated to leave the baby if you plan to breastfeed! There are ways around that too, ofcourse, pumping and freezing milk for your husband to give the baby, etc.....Maybe you could bring the baby? Of course, if you don't intend to breastfeed, then that won't be a problem!

Is it is a short cruise? I might have been willing to leave my little one for a three night cruise, but probably not a week at that point. If you CAN go though, you probably should try. New Moms sometimes forget that they need a break!

 

[NY Disney fan]

Conrgratulations DisneyBride!!!!

 

[mickeyfan9194]

Congratulations Disneybride!!!!
So glad to hear that after all you and your hubby have been through. It was great meeting you on the February 5th Magic!
Deb & Kevin

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

Congratulations Disneybride!!!!
So glad to hear that after all you and your hubby have been through. It was great meeting you on the February 5th Magic!
Deb & Kevin

Thank you Deb and NY Disney Fan!!! We are very excited and I am still hoping to be able to go on our "girls trip" in May '06. It is for the 4 night Wonder so I might be able to swing it. I keep having dreams about the Palo and Castaway Cay!!!

 

[gabbysmom04]

I had a disney cruise planned for this September but had to cancel because of a surprise pregnancy. I will be too far along for the 22 or 24 week limit. We were able to cancel our cruise and get a full refund. Just this week I booked a cruise for December 2006. The funny thing is I am only five months pregnant so I could only book the cruise for my husband and one year old. I will have to add on our new baby after it is born and we know a birthdate. Good luck with your cruise plans.