As you may know, we here at MouseMisers feel that one of the best ways to get a deal on a Disney Cruise is to book a new Disney Cruise while you are onboard. If you are on a Disney Cruise, there really isn’t any reason not to book another one, just in case. You can always move that reservation around and retain the discounts and credits after you get home.
Today, Disney Cruise Line announced changes to their onboard booking policy. Please be aware of them before you board so that you know what you qualify for:
- 10% off prevailing rates (as quoted on disneycruise.com)
- Up to US $200 onboard credit per stateroom (depends on length of cruise)
- Reduced deposit on sailings 7-nights or longer
With this change, those who book onboard must complete travel within 18 months in order to maintain these benefits. Guests who are unable to sail within this time period will have any current onboard booking benefits removed from their reservation. You can modify your sailing dates within this 18-month timeframe as long as these modifications are done outside of any applicable cancellation period.
This change will also apply to Disney Cruise Line Guests with an existing reservation made onboard; however, Guests with an existing reservation (made onboard prior to November 13, 2013) will have an additional six-month extension and will need to sail prior to Nov. 30, 2015 in order to keep their onboard booking benefits.
What do you think of this change?
It really is too bad that this 18-month sail date restriction was put into place. I understand Disney wants you to use your benefits within a certain time frame but 18 months is a pretty tight crunch for many of us. It doesn’t seem to be industry standard either as many seem to follow a 4 year window or no expiration at all.
So now it seems there are no benefits to onboard booking if you know your window for travel is 24 months, which is typically our window. If we don’t use onboard booking to make a reservation in the future, and I know we want to take the family on another cruise in 2 years, I have a feeling we’d take the opportunity to look at other options simply because we don’t already have a reservation.
Granted, for us, that’s further down the road; our next reservation is for 10/2014. I hope they reconsider this by then so that we can make use of onboard booking and continue to use Disney cruises for our family vacations.