The Mouse wouldn't take my money....

[Karlzmom]

We shopped concurrently booked 2016 wonder cruise and rebooked for OBB but was turned away when I tried to set up a deposit/hold for 2017. Guess I misunderstood that I am only allowed to book one future trip. Never-ending the Mouse would let me walk away with monetarily in my pocket....especially when he has the chance to lock me in mentally to spending my vacation with him for the next two years.

Guess ill have to book opening day and then reshop...hoping the price doesn't rise much between the opening bell and late August....or maybe ill just find a deal I like on another line. We are already "cheating" on DCL in 2016 so maybe ill find the money better spent elsewhere. Pity, as I likely wouldn't have looked elsewhere if I could have just committed already...

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We shopped concurrently booked 2016 wonder cruise and rebooked for OBB but was turned away when I tried to set up a deposit/hold for 2017. Guess I misunderstood that I am only allowed to book one future trip. Never-ending the Mouse would let me walk away with monetarily in my pocket....especially when he has the chance to lock me in mentally to spending my vacation with him for the next two years.

Guess ill have to book opening day and then reshop...hoping the price doesn't rise much between the opening bell and late August....or maybe ill just find a deal I like on another line. We are already "cheating" on DCL in 2016 so maybe ill find the money better spent elsewhere. Pity, as I likely wouldn't have looked elsewhere if I could have just committed already...

You are allowed to book two staterooms on the same future cruise or one stateroom for a B2B cruise with the OBB benefits. But you cannot book two separate cruises that are not B2B with the OBB discount.

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry you were caught unawares. PP is correct. You reshopped your 2016 Wonder cruise to an OBB; that was your one allowed onboard booking with full discounts. Therefore they didn't allow you to also book a placeholder, which by definition carries full discounts once applied to a specific sail date. Another option might have been to book the placeholder for full discounts on a future (2017) cruise, and leave the 2016 Wonder cruise as already booked (without discounts).

You CAN book multiple cruises onboard, however only 1 date will receive the full OBB benefits. I believe additional dates will get just OBC. If you book a specific date, you cannot also make a placeholder reservation.

Enjoy your cruises!

 

[Karlzmom]

I caught that I was wrong....& I get that its "policy" just questioning WHY they would turn away a psychological commitment from a paying customer. Yes, the 2d OBB would be at a discounted rate, but they would all but guarantee a return sailing. Not many businesses will turn back a nearly 2 year deposit and a virtual lock on the future vacation dollars from a customer sitting in front of them. Instead, I was told I couldn't book again (no mention of booking for only OBC) - must have been an error, but likely wouldn't have enticed me....

Instead, I will hold my money, wait of opening day, see if I "like" the prices compared to others and potentially go somewhere else. Some may say no-big-deal there are others who will book instead, but how many business operate on the principle of not retaining established clients? Also, every past cruiser who tries another line is exposed to the competitor's product in addition to not being dollars in the DCL till. Wonder what % decide that a perfectly acceptable vacation can be had elsewhere....again, this scenario does not seem to fall inline with the concept of client retention. So, curious WHY they take the position of only 1 ressie for OBB. It's not like I could somehow sell the reservation or otherwise profit beyond having already settled where my money will go for the foreseeable future.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I caught that I was wrong....& I get that its "policy" just questioning WHY they would turn away a psychological commitment from a paying customer. Yes, the 2d OBB would be at a discounted rate, but they would all but guarantee a return sailing. Not many businesses will turn back a nearly 2 year deposit and a virtual lock on the future vacation dollars from a customer sitting in front of them. Instead, I was told I couldn't book again (no mention of booking for only OBC) - must have been an error, but likely wouldn't have enticed me....

Instead, I will hold my money, wait of opening day, see if I "like" the prices compared to others and potentially go somewhere else. Some may say no-big-deal there are others who will book instead, but how many business operate on the principle of not retaining established clients? Also, every past cruiser who tries another line is exposed to the competitor's product in addition to not being dollars in the DCL till. Wonder what % decide that a perfectly acceptable vacation can be had elsewhere....again, this scenario does not seem to fall inline with the concept of client retention. So, curious WHY they take the position of only 1 ressie for OBB. It's not like I could somehow sell the reservation or otherwise profit beyond having already settled where my money will go for the foreseeable future.

Yes, it lacks logic that Disney doesn't want to lock future bookings down with more than 1 OBB. (I *think* NCL allows up to 4 future booking certificates.) Just like so many things, Disney feels like they don't have to do that to fill their ships. Guest retention isn't something they feel needs to be a big concern right now. They're booking up just fine without making any additional concessions. Not that I agree with this on any level but that pretty much sums it up. It's not pretty or nice. They take the position of limiting return cruisers to just 1 OBB because they can.

 

[TChrist05]

-Disney customer service states "There is Magic in the Disney brand". They are not worried about you booking for 2017 since they know they will have someone in the stateroom--and it does not have to be you. We have sailed 36 times on Disney and they could not care if we do a 37th. Magical.

 

[bumbershoot]

Guess ill have to book opening day and then reshop...hoping the price doesn't rise much between the opening bell and late August

I thought that when you reshopped you still get the price structure from when you booked?

but how many business operate on the principle of not retaining established clients?

There's one that I know of. Disney. They know that people, no matter what they say, will likely be back, OR there will be others. Think about the fact that there is NO frequent stayer program at WDW or DLR.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

-Disney customer service states "There is Magic in the Disney brand". They are not worried about you booking for 2017 since they know they will have someone in the stateroom--and it does not have to be you. We have sailed 36 times on Disney and they could not care if we do a 37th. Magical.

There's your magic! Don't ya feel it???? J/K!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I thought that when you reshopped you still get the price structure from when you booked?



There's one that I know of. Disney. They know that people, no matter what they say, will likely be back, OR there will be others. Think about the fact that there is NO frequent stayer program at WDW or DLR.

I think when you reshop onboard the OBB can't be applied to an existing. They essentially have to cancel & rebook. That's why it's good to get the OBB quote first, compare to what you already have booked, and base your move on that. We booked the WBPC from May on opening day. The next cruise we were on we went to the Future Bookings desk and compared the current price with the discount to what we already had. If we'd have applied that the price would've been like $800 more. Nope! LOL!

I know WDW at least *used* to have the bounceback offers. Interesting thought, though. What if?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought that when you reshopped you still get the price structure from when you booked?

No, Onboard bookings are priced at the prevailing price. That's why most of us say, "book now" and reshop onboard. If the price hasn't risen too much, then rebooking onboard will be a money saver. But, if the price has risen significantly, it will negate any OBB discounts.

The only time that you keep the price you paid originally, is if you change categories. Then you will be charged whatever the price of that category was on the day you made the original reservation.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

You are allowed to book two staterooms on the same future cruise or one stateroom for a B2B cruise with the OBB benefits. But you cannot book two separate cruises that are not B2B with the OBB discount.

Actually, this seems to have changed recently as well. I was just off the Wonder from Alaska on August 31st. Tried to book B2B with 10% discount on both but they would only allow the 10% off one cruise only. I did not clarify about the $200 onboard credit or reduced deposit but I know at least with the 10% they would not allow. The agent told me it was something they were not supposed to be doing even previously and they have now stopped it completely. Such a bummer.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Actually, this seems to have changed recently as well. I was just off the Wonder from Alaska on August 31st. Tried to book B2B with 10% discount on both but they would only allow the 10% off one cruise only. I did not clarify about the $200 onboard credit or reduced deposit but I know at least with the 10% they would not allow. The agent told me it was something they were not supposed to be doing even previously and they have now stopped it completely. Such a bummer.

Yeah, well, the OBB restrictions do say "one future cruise". I guess since each leg of the B2B is a separate cruise it makes sense you can't do it. Now, if you're doing a B2B, you could book the first leg on one and the second leg on another.

 

[cgolf]

Actually, this seems to have changed recently as well. I was just off the Wonder from Alaska on August 31st. Tried to book B2B with 10% discount on both but they would only allow the 10% off one cruise only. I did not clarify about the $200 onboard credit or reduced deposit but I know at least with the 10% they would not allow. The agent told me it was something they were not supposed to be doing even previously and they have now stopped it completely. Such a bummer.

That sucks that they took that away too. We booked a B2B last January for next year and we got the 10% off on both. My wife was told this was it was a B2B and we wouldn't have gotten it had it been separate cruises. We got a screaming good deal this way paying about the same for nine nights next year as we did for seven this year on the same ship. I guess add this to the list of reasons not to rebook onboard.

 

[cgolf]

I think when you reshop onboard the OBB can't be applied to an existing. They essentially have to cancel & rebook. That's why it's good to get the OBB quote first, compare to what you already have booked, and base your move on that. We booked the WBPC from May on opening day. The next cruise we were on we went to the Future Bookings desk and compared the current price with the discount to what we already had. If we'd have applied that the price would've been like $800 more. Nope! LOL!

I know WDW at least *used* to have the bounceback offers. Interesting thought, though. What if?

I believe the only way to keep the original price structure is to go through your TA. When we had one person cancel out of our party, we toyed with downgrading from concierge and were a biitsurprised of the difference between what we would pay and what was listed online. It didn't matter in the end as we kept the room, but it was nice to know we had the option.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I believe the only way to keep the original price structure is to go through your TA. When we had one person cancel out of our party, we toyed with downgrading from concierge and were a biitsurprised of the difference between what we would pay and what was listed online. It didn't matter in the end as we kept the room, but it was nice to know we had the option.

If you change categories on the same cruise the price you pay is locked in the day you made the original booking.

 

[sambycat]

i'm so confused. you could not book 2 different cruises at the same time and were told that is not allowed or you are questioning not getting a discount on 2 separate cruises booked while onboard? i've read it like 4 times and i don't get it!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

i'm so confused. you could not book 2 different cruises at the same time and were told that is not allowed or you are questioning not getting a discount on 2 separate cruises booked while onboard? i've read it like 4 times and i don't get it!

It used to be, in spite of the "one" future cruise restriction, DCL would allow an Onboard Booking of a B2B cruise (2 separate cruises) with the OBB perks applied to both of them. Now, it seems they are holding to the "one future cruise" limit. So, if you book a B2B, you only get the OBB perks on the first cruise, but not the second.

 

[sambycat]

ok, it's the B2B factor! thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think when you reshop onboard the OBB can't be applied to an existing. They essentially have to cancel & rebook.

Huh. I thought that was the whole point of the reshop, to get the same rate and the benefits.

I know WDW at least *used* to have the bounceback offers. Interesting thought, though. What if?

OH sure, bouncebacks, yes. But a program like Hyatt or Hilton membership, or Starwood, etc. That's why we book through hotels.com when we're going outside of DVC for WDW stays (and when the price is right), because we get credit for that stay.

That's why most of us say, "book now" and reshop onboard. If the price hasn't risen too much, then rebooking onboard will be a money saver. But, if the price has risen significantly, it will negate any OBB discounts.

Huh, guess I never read "the rest of the story". Thought it was a done deal that you would get the same deal.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Huh, guess I never read "the rest of the story". Thought it was a done deal that you would get the same deal.

To quote the Onboard Booking flyer:

"10% off prevailing rates as quoted on disneycruise.com".