Travel Agent & Placeholder

[SleepyDeb]

We're on the Treasurer in a few weeks for our 5th Disney cruise and are going to book a placeholder. I know you can tell them who your TA is. We've been using the same TA (not DU) for years and they'd been great. The last 3 cruises they've been awful and I want to try DU for the next one. Can I tell DCL that we'll be using DU, and not create confusion at DU since they won't know who the heck we are? Well, maybe our name is somewhere in their system bc I did get a quote from them once.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/placeholder-and-travel-agent.3937301/
Post #6 @lanejudy states that “The options are assign the TA who booked the current cruise (if one did) or have no TA assigned. You can then transfer it to a TA within 30 days of the date the placeholder was booked.”

 

[DonaldDunk]

I’ve done this with my last few placeholders, you basically just book it without a travel agent. DU has a super easy way to transfer it over to them. It was very easy and fast and they kept me updated during the entire process. You can’t change travel agents once you name one (and the default will be the one you booked the current cruise with). So it’s very important to book without a travel agent if you want to switch. I hope this helps

 

[RedHead0186]

IIRC, they don't actually ask who your TA is. They ask if you want to use the same travel professional (agent) that you used to book the cruise you're currently on. So, as others suggested, say "no" to that question, buy the placeholder without assigning it to a TA, then transfer it to DU/a DU agent as soon as you get back (within 30 days of purchase of the placeholder).

 

[Sleepyluke]

Not to add confusion, but I thought if you are with a current TA, it automatically assigns to them now that you don't go to a desk and talk to a person. I don't remember ever seeing an option on the app to take them off, but could have been there. And isn't a transfer less commission/incentive to travelers than an initial booking? So need to get a DU name before you book it?

If I am wrong, someone please tell me and I will delete.

 

[RedHead0186]

Not to add confusion, but I thought if you are with a current TA, it automatically assigns to them now that you don't go to a desk and talk to a person. I don't remember ever seeing an option on the app to take them off, but could have been there. And isn't a transfer less commission/incentive to travelers than an initial booking? So need to get a DU name before you book it?

If I am wrong, someone please tell me and I will delete.

It's not automatic. When you go to book in the app it will ask if you want to assign to the same TA that booked the cruise you are currently on. But you can say "no" and buy on your own (you can't name a different TA, you'd have to buy on your own and then transfer to a new TA).

Placeholders are considered transfer bookings regardless of whether you assign them to a TA right away or buy on your own.