What's a placeholder cruise?

[Shanti]

My son and I will go on our first cruise ever on New Year's Day. We're sailing on the Disney Magic out of Miami. I already have my eye on another cruise for late 2016, but don't want to book until I see if we both like this cruise. I've read that you can book onboard at a discount or at least reduced deposit, & have heard about a "placeholder cruise", but don't know the details. Could someone please fill me in on this?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My son and I will go on our first cruise ever on New Year's Day. We're sailing on the Disney Magic out of Miami. I already have my eye on another cruise for late 2016, but don't want to book until I see if we both like this cruise. I've read that you can book onboard at a discount or at least reduced deposit, & have heard about a "placeholder cruise", but don't know the details. Could someone please fill me in on this?

A placeholder is where you put down a $200 deposit for some future cruise. You don't select a specific cruise. And you have up to 24 months to actually take that cruise. When you select a specific cruise, you'll get a 10% reduction on the price of the cruise; 10% deposit (you pay the difference from the $200 initial deposit you paid to the actual deposit cost); and OnBoard Credit ($100 or $200 depending on the length of the cruise you book).

OR you can go ahead and book a specific cruise while onboard and receive the onboard booking perks.

 

[Shanti]

Thanks, Shmoo!