Placeholder Cruise advantages?

[jack87891]

I want to make sure I understand the advantage of the placeholder cruise. I think it's

- low upfront deposit- is it only $250 instead of the % of the cruise total?
- you still get the OBB based on the length of the cruise once you select

But,
- the actual price of the cruise you choose isn't determined until the date you choose the cruise- (as opposed to the date you book the placeholder cruise). The longer you wait to book, the greater the chance the price will rise

Thanks for the answers

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I want to make sure I understand the advantage of the placeholder cruise. I think it's

- low upfront deposit- is it only $250 instead of the % of the cruise total?
- you still get the OBB based on the length of the cruise once you select

But,
- the actual price of the cruise you choose isn't determined until the date you choose the cruise- (as opposed to the date you book the placeholder cruise). The longer you wait to book, the greater the chance the price will rise

Thanks for the answers

Yes, the 10% off is off whatever the price is for the specific cruise you book, when you book it. Not what the price was on that cruise when you put the placeholder deposit down.

Yes, $250. But you pay the additional deposit amount (up to the 10% of cruise cost) at the time you select the actual cruise, if it's greater.

Yes, the OBC is based on the length of the cruise you select.

 

[CM Dad]

- the actual price of the cruise you choose isn't determined until the date you choose the cruise- (as opposed to the date you book the placeholder cruise). The longer you wait to book, the greater the chance the price will rise

You should probably only book a placeholder if you don't know when you want to cruise, or if the cruises for the dates you want have not yet been released. If you know the specific cruise, go ahead and book that with the 10% down to lock in the current price. If you do book a placeholder, once you decide on a specific cruise you should go ahead and switch the placeholder to that cruise to lock in the price, in case it rises in the future.

 

[lorimay]

We put a placeholder on a cruise back in September and decided when we wanted to use it last month and booked.
With the 10% off, we paid pretty close to what the opening day prices were listed at.

 

[NancyIL]

Yes, the 10% off is off whatever the price is for the specific cruise you book, when you book it. Not what the price was on that cruise when you put the placeholder deposit down.

Yes, $250. But you pay the additional deposit amount (up to the 10% of cruise cost) at the time you select the actual cruise, if it's greater.

Yes, the OBC is based on the length of the cruise you select.

What I like about unspecified onboard bookings on other cruise lines is that your deposit (usually $100 pp) is ALL you pay until the final payment.

The only real advantage of DCL's change to allow a placeholder booking instead of a definite date - is that the former doesn't trigger the trip insurance clock for pre-existing conditions.

 

[llqool]

The only real advantage of DCL's change to allow a placeholder booking instead of a definite date - is that the former doesn't trigger the trip insurance clock for pre-existing conditions.

That's a great point...I didn't think of that!