DCL to get rid of Placeholder Booking Perks?

[Poppins2000]

Found this on the DIS "Beginning today, Disney Cruise Line will be making changes to the offer that guests receive when booking a future cruise onboard through the Vacation Planning Desk.

The new offer will no longer include any onboard credit to spend during the future cruise.

Guests booking categories 4A to 11C will still receive a discount of 10% off the future cruise and those guests booking a cruise of 7-nights or longer will still get 50% off of the required deposit.
As before, some block out dates to apply do the onboard booking offer."

So sad....

 

[DisneYE]

I really hope people do not take this out on the crew by either removing the automatic gratuity or not tipping extra if they deserve it. They have nothing to do with the decision Disney has made. We have always looked at the onboard credit for our gratuity then add extra to the tip envelope. We will still tip the same amounts as in the past maybe just not shop as much in the gift shops.
To my wife and I loosing $200 on board credit is not the end of the world it just means we might not freely spend as much as in the past.

I'm with you on this.
unfortunately most ppl whining about losing the OBC WILL take some kind of 'reprisal' vs DCL just out of spite...and gratuities are the first on the list. It's sad but some ppl are just mean.

 

[cgolf]

There will always be plenty of people wanting to take a Disney vacation if the prices are reasonable, so I don't think that scenario holds water. When/if they really "need us", they'll lower prices/offer big discounts, and the crowds will be back.

For some that will be true. For us, we have been pleased with the other options we have found, I have read on here others feel similar, and it would take equal to lower prices compared to other lines we sail to get us back on DCL. We went from DCL or bust to free agents.

IMO Disney has overestimated the power of their brand. I think they will find in the end they have less loyalty than they thought, especially with how they treat return customers.

The new ships may be an exception. It would be cool to say we have sailed all DCL owned ships.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I will miss them. They are a nice perk and they did count towards what I calculated my cruise would cost. In the end, though, when you're on the ship, I doubt I'd change anything. I will still spend what I wanted to spend and I will be shocked and give a hard swallow when I get my bill, before paying it with a smile.

But next time I want to book something, that's money I know I can't count on and will take that into account as to when I will go and what else I will do. For us, with 2 rooms, that money would pay for a WDW party night before the cruise or even the upcharge to stay at a deluxe at WDW vs just a local PC hotel. So it matters. It just might not be apparent where it's going to matter.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

For some that will be true. For us, we have been pleased with the other options we have found, I have read on here others feel similar, and it would take equal to lower prices compared to other lines we sail to get us back on DCL. We went from DCL or bust to free agents.

IMO Disney has overestimated the power of their brand. I think they will find in the end they have less loyalty than they thought, especially with how they treat return customers.

The new ships may be an exception. It would be cool to say we have sailed all DCL owned ships.

I agree, some people won't be back or will cruise DCL less often, but I don't think that will hurt Disney.

 

[cgolf]

I agree, some people won't be back or will cruise DCL less often, but I don't think that will hurt Disney.

I think Shmoo posted something about the parks attendance being down this summer. I think Disney could run into issues some day. In the last ten years stores and companies that we thought were mainstays like Disney are going away. If a company overreaches long term it could sink them, even Disney.

 

[MillauFr]

I guess I don't understand how this is taking anything away? I've never gotten more than a 10% discount for booking onboard.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I think Shmoo posted something about the parks attendance being down this summer. I think Disney could run into issues some day. In the last ten years stores and companies that we thought were mainstays like Disney are going away. If a company overreaches long term it could sink them, even Disney.

Disney won't sink because all they'll have to do is adjust prices to get people to flock back.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

edited to remove bad info

 

[MillauFr]

I said that Disney will have no problem attracting customers when prices are reasonable, not that every disaffected former customer would go back to them.

I think the prices for the parks and cruises are reasonable now. I don't want Disney to lower them. I would prefer they keep increasing prices.

 

[Happy99]

Do you book Concierge? Concierge bookings onboard only get the 10% discount.

All other bookings had an Onboard Credit applied to onboard bookings.

Concierge do not get the 10% discount on rebooks, they only got the onboard offer. What seems to be happening, at least how I interpreted, is the two are no longer combinable. If you book concierge you are getting the onboard credit since you don't receive the 10%. Seems this is staying.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Concierge do not get the 10% discount on rebooks, they only got the onboard offer. What seems to be happening, at least how I interpreted, is the two are no longer combinable. If you book concierge you are getting the onboard credit since you don't receive the 10%. Seems this is staying.

By "onboard offer" you mean the onboard credit?

OK, sorry, I knew Concierge only got one of the perks, I thought it was the discount.

So, Concierge still gets the OBC but no one else does. Seems to me that Concierge wouldn't really need that particular incentive.

 

[NancyIL]

It's a bit of a moving target, at least for RCCL where we have done it. Usually anywhere from 30-50% off second guest, discounted deposit, some form of OBC, and sometimes they throw in a freebie like drink package or some upcharge dining.

I have never seen a Royal Caribbean cruise offered at full price, as they are ALWAYS having some sort of sale...even on opening day! To get the best price on RCI - you need to book the non-refundable deposit rate. I have 6 upcoming RCI cruises in the next 14 months, and none were booked onboard. I just don't find their OBC (for my cheap inside cabins) to be enough of an incentive.

 

[tink1970]

It is disappointing that they keep dropping perks. It is also disappointing, if it is true, that concierge still gets it. I have moved on to Viking where everyone is treated equal. I thought the day of the Titanic was over.

Um, not quite accurate. Viking allows their passengers to schedule shore excursions, spa, and non MDR reservations solely based on cabin category, so that's pretty much a class system, actually much more so than DCL, which does have some loyalty benefits.

I guess I'm one of those who thinks while disappointing, the removal of the OBC isn't large enough to impact a booking as the 10% off discount. It really depends on the cruises that are being booked, I think.

 

[NancyIL]

I think the prices for the parks and cruises are reasonable now. I don't want Disney to lower them. I would prefer they keep increasing prices.

Seriously?!?!?!? Is your last name "Gates"?

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Um, not quite accurate. Viking allows their passengers to schedule shore excursions, spa, and non MDR reservations solely based on cabin category, so that's pretty much a class system, actually much more so than DCL, which does have some loyalty benefits.

I understand what you are saying on the excursion booking but I don't have a problem with it. Once onboard we are all treated the same no matter what category we are booked in. There is not a section for just the suites guests. We share the entire ship.

 

[MillauFr]

Seriously?!?!?!? Is your last name "Gates"?

Yes. Crowding is a much bigger concern to me than price. The more the raise prices the less crowded the parks will be. I wish they would also get rid of the annual passes that allow you to visit as many times as you want. This just encourages people to go more often. I wish they would move a variable points system based on demand. You could buy various amounts of points per year but it would reduce the number of visits.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Yes. Crowding is a much bigger concern to me than price. The more the raise prices the less crowded the parks will be. I wish they would also get rid of the annual passes that allow you to visit as many times as you want. This just encourages people to go more often. I wish they would move a variable points system based on demand. You could buy various amounts of points per year but it would reduce the number of visits.

It saddens me to think that you would want higher prices. Their prices already are too high for many families that would love or deserve to go. I understand over crowding and who does like it but to charge higher prices would price out many, many families. That truly breaks my heart. It shouldn't just be for the rich.

 

[tink1970]

I understand what you are saying on the excursion booking but I don't have a problem with it. Once onboard we are all treated the same no matter what category we are booked in. There is not a section for just the suites guests. We share the entire ship.

That is very truel

 

[MillauFr]

It saddens me to think that you would want higher prices. Their prices already are too high for many families that would love or deserve to go. I understand over crowding and who doesn't like it but to charge higher prices would price out many, many families. That truly breaks my heart. It shouldn't just be for the rich.

By instituting a variable pricing model it will allow families to chose to visit during lower demand periods. The current pricing model is broken at Disneyland. This Summer the park was deserted. If Disney had a variable pricing model they could lower prices in real time which would allowed many price sensitive customers to visit. Instead the parks were deserted and crowds were very light.