Rebooking and getting same room #?

[Makayna]

What are the chances if you rebook a cruise on board of getting the same room number? We researched all the different rooms in our category and chose the one that we wanted and then called DCL to put a "do not move" on the room so that we were ensured of getting that room. Now, if we rebook, I understand that sometimes, people don't get their same rooms. The roughly $150 that we could save if we rebooked wouldn't necessarily be worth it if we ended up in a loud room with an obstructed view, etc...

So how would one go about trying to get the same room? And what are the chances that this could actually happen? TIA!

 

[Disneyholic]

What are the chances if you rebook a cruise on board of getting the same room number? Depends on how close you are to the cruise when you book it. The further out the better chance.We researched all the different rooms in our category and chose the one that we wanted and then called DCL to put a "do not move" on the room so that we were ensured of getting that room. Now, if we rebook, I understand that sometimes, people don't get their same rooms. The roughly $150 that we could save if we rebooked wouldn't necessarily be worth it if we ended up in a loud room with an obstructed view, etc...

So how would one go about trying to get the same room? And what are the chances that this could actually happen? TIA!

We were on the Dream May 29, 2011 cruise & rebooked onboard for the Fantasy August 25, 2012 cruise. we really liked the room we had on the Dream and asked if he could look it up and see if it was available. We had 6578 and at first he told us that 6078 was available. I wanted portside so I asked him again to check 6578 and then he said that was also available, so we booked it.

Both times I booked onboard the cruises were 18 & 15 months from the next cruise. When we booked onboard the Magic for the Dream I asked for 6580, but it wasn't available but 6578 was. The first cruise we booked through AAA and I was able to pick my cabin then, too. It all depends on availability and flexibility. Good Luck!

 

[Makayna]

We were on the Dream May 29, 2011 cruise & rebooked onboard for the Fantasy August 25, 2012 cruise. we really liked the room we had on the Dream and asked if he could look it up and see if it was available. We had 6578 and at first he told us that 6078 was available. I wanted portside so I asked him again to check 6578 and then he said that was also available, so we booked it.

Both times I booked onboard the cruises were 18 & 15 months from the next cruise. When we booked onboard the Magic for the Dream I asked for 6580, but it wasn't available but 6578 was. The first cruise we booked through AAA and I was able to pick my cabin then, too. It all depends on availability and flexibility. Good Luck!

Well, what I mean is, the room we have booked for THAT cruise is the room that we want to make sure that we still get. THIS cruise, we're GTY and don't HAVE a room number yet. Plus, it's a different ship. What I mean is, for our cruise next year (the one we want to rebook), we have a room assignment. And I researched the rooms before selecting one, so I got the exact room that I wanted. But if we rebook, will I be able to book THAT room (given the fact that it's NOT available because we are in it). Does that make sense?!

Oh, and it'll be 12 months out, if that makes a difference.

 

[lbgraves]

Whenever we have done this onboard there hasn't been an issue getting the same room.

 

[Makayna]

Whenever we have done this onboard there hasn't been an issue getting the same room.

Thank you!!!

 

[Disneyholic]

Well, what I mean is, the room we have booked for THAT cruise is the room that we want to make sure that we still get. THIS cruise, we're GTY and don't HAVE a room number yet. Plus, it's a different ship. What I mean is, for our cruise next year (the one we want to rebook), we have a room assignment. And I researched the rooms before selecting one, so I got the exact room that I wanted. But if we rebook, will I be able to book THAT room (given the fact that it's NOT available because we are in it). Does that make sense?!

Oh, and it'll be 12 months out, if that makes a difference.

What you are talking about is RESHOPPING a cruise you have already booked when you go to the booking desk. That is different from what you originally asked. I was answering about rebooking. You may want to change the title to Reshopping.

 

[Makayna]

What you are talking about is RESHOPPING a cruise you have already booked when you go to the booking desk. That is different from what you originally asked. I was answering about rebooking.

OK, now I am confused.

What's the difference?!

 

[Disneyholic]

OK, now I am confused.

What's the difference?!

Rebooking is when you don't have a cruise booked yet and want to book onboard. Reshopping is when you have a cruise booked and have it the way you want it but want to get the 10% discount and onboard credit from onboard booking.

 

[Makayna]

Rebooking is when you don't have a cruise booked yet and want to book onboard. Reshopping is when you have a cruise booked and have it the way you want it but want to get the 10% discount and onboard credit from onboard booking.

To me, booking on board is booking a cruise that you have not yet booked. Rebooking is booking a cruise again that you already have booked. Hence, the "re."

 

[lbgraves]

Nope, that's what is referred to as reshopping. The important thing is that you have a cruise booked. If the price goes up more than the 10% before your first cruise and you can reshop it, then you have still saved money.

 

[Disneyholic]

To me, booking on board is booking a cruise that you have not yet booked. Rebooking is booking a cruise again that you already have booked. Hence, the "re."

To me and others on this board rebooking is when you are on the current cruise and are REbooking the next cruise. Others posters on these boards talk of REshopping an already booked cruise onboard to get a better price. Booking is what you do when you book your first cruise or if you don't book your next cruise onboard and then do it at a later date. That is why I was confused with your first post and why you are confused with my way of thinking.

 

[Makayna]

I'd like to know what others think should be the right terms.

 

[nate4761]

I'd like to know what others think should be the right terms.

Initially, I thought I could go either way on this and use the terms interchangeably. However, with a little more research, I have come to the conclusion that while neither term is ideal, rebook is closer to being correct. It also has the distinction of being a real word, as opposed to retail jargon.

Rebook - The "to book again" definition may be somewhat ambiguous here. She certainly isn't booking the same cruise as her first cruise again. It is a different date, location, and ship. However, she is essentially having DCL staff cancel her reservation (an agreement between her and DCL for a cruise at a particular price) and then buying it back at a lower price. So it was booked, canceled and then booked again.

Certainly the second definition can be applied in this case. After all, the booking in question is being changed. She bought the cruise at one price and is changing her reservation (though not the date or room number) to get a better price.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rebook

Reshop - This is retail jargon for returning misplaced or returned merchandise to its correct location. For example, I see a pack of gum that seems like a good deal. At the register, I see an even better deal, so I (inconsiderately) put the original pack of gum down on the counter and select the one that is a better deal. This leaves the "reshopping" of the original pack of gum to an employee of the store who will return the gum to its correct location.

In this situation, she is not leaving her stateroom behind to be "reshopped" to the "shelves" (or should I say "decks") of available staterooms that future guests will be choosing from. It would be more like me taking the original pack of gum to the service desk and returning it, then buying the same pack of gum with a coupon.

http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/reshop/

That said, I think the term "renegotiate" is most applicable in this scenario

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/renegotiate

 

[mmouse37]

I think we are over thinking this.....

In terms of discussions on this board it has been commonly referred to as Rebooking when you book a new cruise while onboard a cruise and Reshopping a cruise if you have a cruise booked before you get onboard and are then trying to get said booked cruise with the 10% off and OBC.

Obviously there is no real right or wrong answer but for the sake of discussions I think it makes sense to use rebooking and reshopping. I see no reason to introduce new terms to confuse everyone.

MJ

 

[mickeyfan1]

From what I am reading: (Room $ and dates are made up)

1. You have booked a cruise for 2013 and you are in room 1086 for that cruise.
2. You go to the future cruise desk and talk to the rep, asking to check the price of the same cruise and that category of room.
3. Rep will advise you what the cruise fare is as of that time. If is less that what you paid, yay. If not, then keep what you have.

4. Now here is the fun part about rebooking an existing cruise that you have reshopped, and the fare is less. With whom did you book the cruise originally? If it was DCL, the rep can cancel that reservation and rebook it at the reduced rate and you will keep the same room. If you booked through a TA, you will need to place a new deposit on a different room in order to hold the lower rate and OBC. And NAME the TA for that booking. Once home, contact your TA and advise them what you have done, ask them to cancel your old reservation but to change the room number on the new reservation so that you keep the same room. As you have already paid a deposit on the first booking, you can have that amount transferred to the new booking, thus lowering the amount needed to be paid in full later. If you have a TA and you fail to name the TA when you rebook, it will cause a lot more issues, so make sure you do that. If you went through DCL, no worries.
5. Even tho you are going to be 12 months out, rates can and do go up. In May I deposited, through my TA the southbound repo from Vancouver to LA for 2012. 16 months in advance. The rates have already gone up, so even tho I will be on board in July next year, reshopping will not save me anything. So buyer beware.
6. No matter what, if you think you are ever going to cruise DCL again, rebook on board, Pick the cheapest room and the furthest out date, because the reduced deposit and OBC are not available once you get off the ship and you can push the date out until the right one is available.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

So, when the new dates and rates are released for 2013 (presumably next month or soon thereafter), that will most likely be the cheapest those rates will ever be, correct? We are doing the Eastern Caribbean on the Magic in December and would like to take advantage of the on board booking discount and on board credit for an Alaskan cruise in 2013. Which one will be better, or can I do both by booking the Alaskan cruise for 2013 when the rates are released in October/November and then transfering that reservation while on board to receive the on board incentives? Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[kcashner]

There is no way to know which will give you the best deal. SO....you book the cruises as soon as they come out. Then, you "reshop" the reservation while on board. If it is a better deal to book on board, you rebook then. If DCL holds your reservation, they can keep you in the same cabin and cancel the original ressie right then. If you use a TA (and I do recommend this), the onboard rebooking agent can't touch your original ressie--just book a new reservation while on board. Then when you get home, call the TA and ask her to "reconcile" the reservations so that you end up with the lower rate for onboard rebooking but still get the original cabin you chose.

 

[ldietiker]

There is no way to know which will give you the best deal. SO....you book the cruises as soon as they come out. Then, you "reshop" the reservation while on board. If it is a better deal to book on board, you rebook then. If DCL holds your reservation, they can keep you in the same cabin and cancel the original ressie right then. If you use a TA (and I do recommend this), the onboard rebooking agent can't touch your original ressie--just book a new reservation while on board. Then when you get home, call the TA and ask her to "reconcile" the reservations so that you end up with the lower rate for onboard rebooking but still get the original cabin you chose.

Thank you - this was very helpful!

 

[mmouse37]

You can find a good explanation of the reshopping process in the DCL FAQ sticky under "Reshopping a Cruise"

MJ

 

[purceller]

There is no way to know which will give you the best deal. SO....you book the cruises as soon as they come out. Then, you "reshop" the reservation while on board. If it is a better deal to book on board, you rebook then. If DCL holds your reservation, they can keep you in the same cabin and cancel the original ressie right then. If you use a TA (and I do recommend this), the onboard rebooking agent can't touch your original ressie--just book a new reservation while on board. Then when you get home, call the TA and ask her to "reconcile" the reservations so that you end up with the lower rate for onboard rebooking but still get the original cabin you chose.

Excellent explaination, thank you.

Eric