Questions about booking opening day

[Ariel 2021]

1. Is booking right at 8 AM on Oct 3rd necessary to get the best pricing or only for the best room selection? If I were to book online a few hours after the opening time would pricing most likely be the same?

2. Can you book through the Costco website on the first day cruises are available? If so what time do they usually open?

Thanks!

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

1. Is booking right at 8 AM on Oct 3rd necessary to get the best pricing or only for the best room selection?...

2. Can you book through the Costco website on the first day cruises are available?

1. This is really only an issue with the rare cruise types, such as cruises to Hawaii or Greece, or through the Panama Canal. Perhaps Alaska & other cruises in Europe, but not nearly to the extent of the others I mentioned. (You hear a lot about the importance of opening day on these boards because a disproportionate number of people on these boards are platinum DCL cruisers who like the unusual itineraries the best.) For DCL's standard Bahamian & Caribbean cruises, the prices tend to take much longer than a few hours or days to begin increasing, and those cruises' room availability doesn't disappear right away.

2. If you don't have a placeholder to use, you can book via DCL online on opening day, then transfer to Costco Travel within 30 days to get all of the Costco booking benefits.

 

[Corwin]

I'm looking at booking a Panama Canal cruise at some point (maybe Fall 2021). Is it possible to book online on opening day, and then immediately call DCL and switch the reservation to a placeholder?

 

[Ravenclaw78]

I'm looking at booking a Panama Canal cruise at some point (maybe Fall 2021). Is it possible to book online on opening day, and then immediately call DCL and switch the reservation to a placeholder?

No, online reservations cannot be converted to placeholders. You'll have to call and book the placeholder over the phone.

 

[Ravenclaw78]

1. Is booking right at 8 AM on Oct 3rd necessary to get the best pricing or only for the best room selection?

It really depends on the itinerary. If it's a generic Caribbean cruise, probably not necessary except maybe the ones over Spring Break. I can't remember whether there are any that stop twice at Castaway Cay in this batch, but those shoot up in price fast, and unique itineraries like the Panama Canal cruise will as well.

 

[tinkerone]

2. Can you book through the Costco website on the first day cruises are available? If so what time do they usually open?

Thanks!

You need to be signed into your account in order to do a booking if your early booking as Platinum, Gold or Silver and you can't do that on the Costco site. I'm wondering though, if you call through to Costco with your Castaway number if they can do it that way, calling directly to DCL. Of course that may take a while to complete if they are really busy.
Silly me, I went to look at prices yesterday on the DCL site and couldn't figure out why the new dates weren't showing. Tried several times but as I was not actually looking to book I just left it. Woke up this morning and thought dummy, you need to be signed in to get a booking. Once I actually signed in there they were. Some days my brain just does not work, lol.