Why book with DCL?

[dawne577]

I have never seen DCL offer a better price than certain TA's , so besides being able to call Disney about specific questions what is the advantage of booking directly with them?

 

[WCMouse]

I like to book with them so that if anything does go wrong I can get a hold of or find the people responsible ASAP. If there is a problem when we get to the ship or hotel, I know who I need to talk to and can always find them... I know that others have great TA's thus that is just great...

 

[CGC33A]

Several reasons: I don't feel as funny with making lots of requests/changes to my ressie with someone different each time (versus "oh, what does she want now?!). If I find a better rate later, it is easy to change - transfer the ressie to a TA who offers the new rate/promotion (TA's won't/don't like to give up a booking & somethimes it is not nice to ask them to do this). & 3, if you want to cancel, there is no fee (outside of the 60 day point). Many TAs assess a fee for cancellation

 

[ThreeCircles]

I've booked three of my four cruises directly through DCL and would not go with a TA in the future. Although I've checked on pricing with many different TAs, they have never done better than Disney directly.

 

[Tandyc]

Three Circles- Love the new pix!

 

[ThreeCircles]

Thanks Tandyc!

 

[OurDogCisco]

Originally posted by dawne577
I have never seen DCL offer a better price than certain TA's

When I booked my trip 17 months, the day the reservations opened for my cruise, no TA beat my price. I priced around and nobody could beat it. So, I really thinks it depends on when you book. I just pick whoever gives you the cheapest price. And, in this case, it was Disney.... Personally, I like making own travel arrangements... I always seem to find the cheaper deal, etc...

 

[wayneg]

We could have saved $200 using TA but I couldn't find one that accepted online bookings. Maybe I didn't look hard enough but they all gave quotes online but final booking was telephone only and being in UK it was hassle (our travel agents here will not sell DCL without airfare and hotel package).
Our 1st cruise last year booked direct and got a very good upgrade a few weeks before we sailed.
Our 2nd cruise this Oct asked nicely for a secret porthole cabin and got it, TA told us none available.
Is it possible they try to look after people that book direct a little bit more?
Wayne

 

[kcashner]

We have cruised on the Magic 10 times. I started out booking thru local TA, then thru DCL directly. Now I re-book while on board, then transfer the ressie to a discount agent. My discount agent saves me 7% off of the lowest quote I can get from DCL (for the same booking) and I keep all the perks of re-booking while on board. These perks differ from time to time, but are always better than anything you can get on land. In fact, the one time when the gal on board (Donna) gave me a worse quote than I'd seen on line, I called DCL as soon as I got back, and they changed my reservation to the price I'd see, keeping the on-board credit for re-booking on board.

Once I had everything perfect (in writing), I transferred it to a discount agent for another savings.

Another advantage...A good agent will continue to monitor any price reductions and take advantage of them for you. IF Disney reduces the price of your cruise (it does happen although normally they increase), DCL will match the lower rate for you, but only if you request the reduction. So...if you book thru DCL, they will not contact you and tell you that the price has gone down, but if you call them and tell them that you saw it, they will honor the reduction. A good agent will track the rates regularly and get the lower rate for you. For example, occasionally Sept/Oct or January cruises are reduced if they are very underbooked. If my Sept cruise rate is reduced, my TA will contact DCL for me and get the reduction with no effort on my part. My local agent will call them for me IF I track the rates and note the reduction. DCL will not tell me, but will honor the reduction if I booked thru them and I contact them.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I know I'm taking a risk w/TA's great deals by not booking w/them, but I'm one who wants to deal directly with DCL, an airline, hotel, etc. (I actually was a TA, and an airline ticket agent for many years.) Should problems arise, there's not the hassle of dealing w/a middle person.

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

On our last cruise (RCL) we booked 27 people w/ an online agency that I've used many times. I would never book another cruise unless it is directly with the cruiseline. When something goes wrong the TA says is the cruiselines fault. The cruiseline says it the TAs fault. The only one who get impacted is the customer.

If I deal directly with DCL, I know who's fault it is. We booked out cruise in May directly w/ DCL. We could have saved $75 with Dreams unlimited. It's a small price to pay for piece of mind.

 

[PURTYPAT1]

kcashner
DIS Veteran

Registered: Dec 2003
Location:
Posts: 1181
We have cruised on the Magic 10 times. I started out booking thru local TA, then thru DCL directly. Now I re-book while on board, then transfer the ressie to a discount agent. My discount agent saves me 7% off of the lowest quote I can get from DCL (for the same booking) and I keep all the perks of re-booking while on board. These perks differ from time to time, but are always better than anything you can get on land. In fact, the one time when the gal on board (Donna) gave me a worse quote than I'd seen on line, I called DCL as soon as I got back, and they changed my reservation to the price I'd see, keeping the on-board credit for re-booking on board.

Once I had everything perfect (in writing), I transferred it to a discount agent for another savings.

Another advantage...A good agent will continue to monitor any price reductions and take advantage of them for you. IF Disney reduces the price of your cruise (it does happen although normally they increase), DCL will match the lower rate for you, but only if you request the reduction. So...if you book thru DCL, they will not contact you and tell you that the price has gone down, but if you call them and tell them that you saw it, they will honor the reduction. A good agent will track the rates regularly and get the lower rate for you. For example, occasionally Sept/Oct or January cruises are reduced if they are very underbooked. If my Sept cruise rate is reduced, my TA will contact DCL for me and get the reduction with no effort on my part. My local agent will call them for me IF I track the rates and note the reduction. DCL will not tell me, but will honor the reduction if I booked thru them and I contact them.

----------------------------------------------------
kcashner

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION,

"HOW" DO YOU BOOK WITH DCL THEN TRANSFER THE RESSIE TO A
DISCOUNT AGENT?

WHICH DISCOUNT AGENT DO YOU USE?

THIS IS MY FIRST CRUISE WITH MY FAMILY, I PLAN TO REBOOK, FOR NEXT YEAR. I BOOKED THRU TRAVELOTIY.

THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT TIPS!!!!!!!!!

PATRICIA