Booking Strategy---Placeholder vs Booking in Advance??

[SeanH]

We cruise this December, 2018

We'd also like to cruise in September 2019.

Would it be best to book now, and assure the lowest rates and get a Mid Ship room, which we prefer?

Or--

Should we wait until December 2018 to book the 2019 Fall Cruise, to get the extra Placeholder credit?

I'm concerned with availability of rooms....but a best price is important too!!!

Your thoughts?

Thanks
Sean

 

[UVAWahoo]

I would book what you want now. Then when you are on your December cruise, I would have them check rates for the Sept 2019 cruise and if the rate is better with the OBB discount, book it. Then cancel the other one. AND if at that time your desired rooms are not available or he price is actually greater, then book a different cruise with the OBB discount and look forward to 2 upcoming cruises. and you can always cancel before full payment date and get your full deposit back if you need to, but I am sure you'll come up with a reason to do 2 cruises .

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We cruise this December, 2018

We'd also like to cruise in September 2019.

Would it be best to book now, and assure the lowest rates and get a Mid Ship room, which we prefer?

Or--

Should we wait until December 2018 to book the 2019 Fall Cruise, to get the extra Placeholder credit?

I'm concerned with availability of rooms....but a best price is important too!!!

Your thoughts?

Thanks
Sean

Book it now. Then, once you're on your cruise, reshop it. If the price hasn't risen enough to negate the discount you get for an onboard booking (the discount is taken on the prevailing price when you book), you cancel the first reservation and book the onboard booking.

 

[Bonnie1222]

We were thinking the same thing.

We just booked a Very Merry for 2019 but had already used all our place holders for other cruises, so just took it at the first day price.

@PrincessShmoo I like your suggestion, but we got one of the coveted 8A rooms. If we do your idea, what do you think our chances are of cancelling the 1st and being able to grab the 8A room back when we rebook with the place holder? I'd hate to loose that room.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We were thinking the same thing.

We just booked a Very Merry for 2019 but had already used all our place holders for other cruises, so just took it at the first day price.

@PrincessShmoo I like your suggestion, but we got one of the coveted 8A rooms. If we do your idea, what do you think our chances are of cancelling the 1st and being able to grab the 8A room back when we rebook with the place holder? I'd hate to loose that room.

I have no idea what the chances are. I know there have been reports that some were able to rebook the same room.

Are you booking an actual reservation onboard? Or a placeholder? (they are two different things).

If you've booked the cruise you're going to do an onboard booking on through a TA, you will be asked if you want to use the same TA or no TA. I know some people (who use TAs), do an onboard booking of an actual room and then immediately contact their TA with the new reservation number to snatch up the room when it shows up in the inventory again.

 

[Disneypeach]

On my recent (April) cruise I reshopped a 2019 cruise I had booked on opening day. Price was about $400 less so the CM gave me a new reservation and was able to move my original cabin to it by selecting an unassigned cabin for my original reservation. So all I had to do when I got home was ask my TA (Costco) to cancel my original reservation with the "fake" cabin assigned. The CM made it all very easy for me...

 

[dvcdisney]

We are cruising this August and next July. Both cruises I have used a placeholder.

We recently booked a March cruise, but we were contemplating whether we should wait until August to book onboard, but decided against it and booked. I will look at the prices and if it's even available when my August cruise comes along, but I'm doubting it. Like you, I would like my preferred room and category and if I waited, it's likely be sold out.

I guess it depends on how popular that specific cruise is. But I would go with the first option of booking now to get the preferred category and room, as well as the price. Then check when you board to see if you would save by booking onboard.

 

[Bonnie1222]

@Disneypeach That sounds like a great idea. We've used up all our place holders on other cruises so we booked opening day to grab the best rate. Hopefully we will be as lucky as you were.