Unable to keep cabin to be used by another family.....

[MMG]

Hi there!

Just wondering if anyone has had this problem.....

I booked 2 cabins for the July 2, 2005 West Coast DCL cruise -- this was booked through Costco Travel. Our friends are unable to go now, and I asked my sister if she wanted to take the cabin. Well, I called Costco Travel to see if I can just change the reservation under my sister's name, but when Costco called Disney, they told them that we can't do that. The reservation will have to be cancelled and the cabin goes back to inventory. I tried calling again to see if that cabin is still available, but there were no more 4 passenger cabins available! So the rep. said that I should call again around April 12, when people need to pay the final payment. Usually there are cancellations, and I might get a chance to get a 4 pass. cabin.

Just a little bummed because it would be so fun if my sister and her family can go. My brother and few other friends are already going, so I know they'll be missing out if they don't join us.

Has anyone experienced this? Do you know if there's a chance for me to get a cabin if I call during that time?

Thanks!
Maryanne

 

[jel0511]

It's possible. The reason the cabin didn't become available after your friends cancelled was because DCL usually overbooks the ship. They probably assigned that cabin to a family who was in guarantee status, and they will allocate all the cancelled cabins to those families first before they offer any more to the general public. Also, that cabin will be sold at full rates, and not any discounted rate. DCL never allowed the lead name on any reservation to be changed, so the fact that they wouldnt' just change the reservation doesn't suprise me. You can keep calling and call DCL directly. You can ask them if they have a waitlist available for the category/categories you'd be interested in booking. This would be your best bet in trying to snag a cabin when one becomes available.

 

[MMG]

Thanks Lori for the information. I never knew that DCL overbooks their cruises.

Oh well, I'll just keep trying. I'll cross my fingers and hope that my sister will be able to join us, even if the cabin is not on the same deck.

Thanks again!

 

[mmouse37]

Even if the cruise wasn't full, DCL does not allow you change the lead name on the reservation, ever....it must be cancelled and then rebooked.

That is why I feel bad when some DIS'ers post that they are giving up a cabin and ask if anyone would like it...they really can't do that. The cabin will be released back into inventory and sold at the current rates.

Same things with airline tickets....they will not let you just change names on a ticket. It is pretty much an cruise industry standard and not just DCL.