What's the point of a dummy date?

[dskib]

Hey all -

We're planning to cruise in 2 years - April/May 2013. Obviously, it's too early to book it, but I keep reading about people who book early with a dummy date and then change the reservation.

What is the reason that one would do this? I'm obviously missing something!

Thanks,
Deb

 

[wisegal]

I beleive that people book dummy dates when they are onboard the ship inorder to lock in a rate as well as the "perks" that go along with rebooking onboard ( on board credit, lower deposit, discounted price). I have not cruised yet so I am not sure but this is my understanding.

Nicole

 

[KristiMc]

When you are on-board you get a discount (10% and OBC) if you book a new cruise before you disembark. Many people do not know when they are going to cruise again, so they will book a "dummy cruise" to take advantage of the on-board booking and then will bump the date out to a doable cruise.

 

[jetskigrl]

Unless I am missing something too, I believe this is only useful when you are booking your next cruise while on one of the ships. By rebooking on board, you receive the 10% discount, OBC and only have to put down 1/2 of the deposit at the time of booking.

People will book "dummy dates" to guarantee the discounts and then move the cruise when they know the actual dates that they want (since the discount will still be good even if you move the cruise date).

I don't think there is any benefit to booking a dummy date otherwise.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

People tend to book a "dummy date" when they are on the ship. If they book a "dummy date" for a sailing that has not yet come available; they get 10% off the cruise plus $200 Ship Board Credit aka (SBC). The On-board booking discount is transferable from one reservation to the next. Now you only get 10% off the cost of what the current cost is of the trip you transfer it to. So if you are on the Magic this week and plan on sailing the Fantasy in 2013, then you book another cruise for let's say January of 2012. You pay the deposit of that January booking and when 2013 becomes available, you transfer the booking and your discount transfers! So you get 10% off the 2013 cruise and your SBC. Now Disney does "warn you" that the discount is whatever "current discount being offered on the ship"; but I have not seen it change in all of these years, so do not let that scare you. I hope this explains.

 

[orum]

So, does it make sense to book an inexpensive cruise really far out to make the deposit as low as possible?

I am thinking about doing this during our cruise to Alaska in July.

Also, what is the refundable-ness of the deposit if we decide to cancel altogether later?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

So, does it make sense to book an inexpensive cruise really far out to make the deposit as low as possible?

I am thinking about doing this during our cruise to Alaska in July.

Also, what is the refundable-ness of the deposit if we decide to cancel altogether later?

Thanks,
Dan

Yes! I do my research before leaving home to know what the cheapest 3 nt cruise is, usually in early Dec, late Jan, or early Feb.

Except for booking suites, all deposits are 100% refundable as long as cancellation occurs before final payment due date. After that, penalties apply. Most cruisers don't cancel a cruise with an onboard perk attached, just move to a later date. Cancelling also cancels the onboard perks attached. Then you can't get them back until you're onboard again.

 

[orum]

Yes! I do my research before leaving home to know what the cheapest 3 nt cruise is, usually in early Dec, late Jan, or early Feb.

Except for booking suites, all deposits are 100% refundable as long as cancellation occurs before final payment due date. After that, penalties apply. Most cruisers don't cancel a cruise with an onboard perk attached, just move to a later date. Cancelling also cancels the onboard perks attached. Then you can't get them back until you're onboard again.

I don't see the downside of booking one then, even if you end up not wanting to cruise. I was just looking for "the catch".

I guess you have the deposit sitting somewhere while you decide, but it wouldn't be earning much interest right now anyway.

Thanks for the info!
Dan

 

[woody73]

I don't see the downside of booking one then, even if you end up not wanting to cruise. I was just looking for "the catch".

Just make sure you do something (such as move the sailing date or cancel the cruise) before the penalty dates, otherwise you could lose your deposit.

Woody

 

[disney1990]

I am kicking myself for not booking 2 dummy dates (DH & me) when we were on last cruise. I used the one dummy for our upcoming 3 night Dream cruise, but I then have a 7 night Eastern booked next year and won't get the onboard credit or the 10% discount. :-(

I wish there were some way to move my discount to the 7 night cruise and still keep the 3 night cruise intact.

 

[insureman]

The key is to book the lowest price cruise on board (less out of pocket for the down payment). We did that last Feb. , we "dummy" booked a 3 day in January 2012 and then moved in just recently to a 7 day Magic in Feb.. All OBC and discounts applied to the new cruise date.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I wish I had known about dummy dates when we were on the Wonder in January. We could have saved $800 on our Hawaii cruise next year.

 

[AJA55]

Ok…I’m a bit confused.

The 10% savings is on the amount for the cruise that you pick?

Wait here is my real question. I know that I’m going to cruise in April of 2013 for 7 nights.

I book and put a down payment on a 3 night 2012 cruise while on my 2011 cruise because the down payment will be less than a 7 night deposit. The 10% is based on the price of the 3 night? When I transfer to the 2013 date will I get the 10% off the 7 night price?

Would it not be best/frugal for me to book a 7 night cruise thus getting the discount for a 7 night price?

This clear as mud?

Oh and thanks for the help!

 

[luvdisney24]

You will get 10% off the cruise fare regardless of the type of cruise you book. If the fare on a 3-Night Cruise is $1000, you will get 10% off of that ($100 savings). If you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise and that fare is $5000, you will get 10% off of that ($500 savings).

As for deposits, if you book a dummy date for a 3-Night Cruise and the deposit for example is $200. Then you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise in 2013. You will need to pay an addtional deposit amount at the time you make the change. Deposit amounts in general are 20% of the crusie fare. Deposit amounts of on board bookings are 10% of the cruise fare. A 7-night cruise is obviously more expensive than a 3-Night Cruise so the deposit amount will be higher.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[AJA55]

Tankx LUVDISNE24, it now makes sense! Looks like a good thing to do. Been trying to figure this out from posts for a few months!

 

[Kathymford]

You will get 10% off the cruise fare regardless of the type of cruise you book. If the fare on a 3-Night Cruise is $1000, you will get 10% off of that ($100 savings). If you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise and that fare is $5000, you will get 10% off of that ($500 savings).

As for deposits, if you book a dummy date for a 3-Night Cruise and the deposit for example is $200. Then you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise in 2013. You will need to pay an addtional deposit amount at the time you make the change. Deposit amounts in general are 20% of the crusie fare. Deposit amounts of on board bookings are 10% of the cruise fare. A 7-night cruise is obviously more expensive than a 3-Night Cruise so the deposit amount will be higher.

Hope that makes sense.

When you re-book for the new 7 night cruise, do you still only have to pay the 10% deposit? I realize it will still be more since it's a more expensive cruise, but will the total still only equal 10%?

 

[insureman]

When you re-book for the new 7 night cruise, do you still only have to pay the 10% deposit? I realize it will still be more since it's a more expensive cruise, but will the total still only equal 10%?

Yes, all the perks that you get booking on board transfer to your new booking date.

 

[luvdisney24]

The deposit is 10% regardless of what cruise you book on board.

 

[Deb in IA]

Ok…I’m a bit confused.

The 10% savings is on the amount for the cruise that you pick?

Wait here is my real question. I know that I’m going to cruise in April of 2013 for 7 nights.

I book and put a down payment on a 3 night 2012 cruise while on my 2011 cruise because the down payment will be less than a 7 night deposit. The 10% is based on the price of the 3 night? When I transfer to the 2013 date will I get the 10% off the 7 night price?

Would it not be best/frugal for me to book a 7 night cruise thus getting the discount for a 7 night price?

This clear as mud?

Oh and thanks for the help!

You will get 10% off the cruise fare regardless of the type of cruise you book. If the fare on a 3-Night Cruise is $1000, you will get 10% off of that ($100 savings). If you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise and that fare is $5000, you will get 10% off of that ($500 savings).

As for deposits, if you book a dummy date for a 3-Night Cruise and the deposit for example is $200. Then you transfer to a 7-Night Cruise in 2013. You will need to pay an addtional deposit amount at the time you make the change. Deposit amounts in general are 20% of the crusie fare. Deposit amounts of on board bookings are 10% of the cruise fare. A 7-night cruise is obviously more expensive than a 3-Night Cruise so the deposit amount will be higher.

Hope that makes sense.

When you re-book for the new 7 night cruise, do you still only have to pay the 10% deposit? I realize it will still be more since it's a more expensive cruise, but will the total still only equal 10%?

Yes, all the perks that you get booking on board transfer to your new booking date.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

I had a lot of these same questions!

Here's another one, if you on-board booking experts don't mind -

We will be on the August 2 - 7, 2011 Dream cruise.
We want to cruise again in summer of 2013, probably in early June or early August. We will not cruise in 2012.

So, to do this to get the on-board advantages - 10% off, 10% deposit - we should book a "dummy" 3-day (lower deposit) for 2012, since the itineraries are only avaiable to December, 2012.

For example, we could "dummy" book a 3-day, inside stateroom for December 13, 2012, for $1909 (the price listed on the Disney Cruise Line website) on board. We would only have to pay $190 deposit on board.

After October, 2011, when the 2013 intineraries come out, I can cancel the Dec 13 cruise and re-book for what we really want. I would still only pay 10% deposit, and get a 10% discount on the total cost of the cruise?

Is that how it works?

 

[KristiMc]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

I had a lot of these same questions!

Here's another one, if you on-board booking experts don't mind -

We will be on the August 2 - 7, 2011 Dream cruise.
We want to cruise again in summer of 2013, probably in early June or early August. We will not cruise in 2012.

So, to do this to get the on-board advantages - 10% off, 10% deposit - we should book a "dummy" 3-day (lower deposit) for 2012, since the itineraries are only avaiable to December, 2012.

For example, we could "dummy" book a 3-day, inside stateroom for December 13, 2012, for $1909 (the price listed on the Disney Cruise Line website) on board. We would only have to pay $190 deposit on board.

After October, 2011, when the 2013 intineraries come out, I can cancel the Dec 13 cruise and re-book for what we really want. I would still only pay 10% deposit, and get a 10% discount on the total cost of the cruise?

Is that how it works?

When the 2013 dates come out call DCL or your TA and tell them that you want to transfer your reservation to a new date. They will make the change and you will still have the same reservation number. If the cruise you transfer to is more expensive you will have to pay the difference in deposit at that time.