Any way to extend on board discount past 24 months?

[Mom & Popcorn]

Hello. We cruised last year and paid the deposit for a discount on our next cruise but have not booked anything to this point. Ideally with our future general schedules we would like to take our next cruise that would be 1-2 months past the 24 month window. Does anyone know if the sail by date is set in stone or could there be some wiggle room? Thanks.

 

[clten]

No wiggle room. People have reported not being able to get an exception when they were missing the 24 month mark by days, so doubt there would be any way they would extend it by months. Sorry.

 

[lorimay]

Me, me.... I missed by days and nope, they wouldn't give it to me.
I thought, well maybe since I'm a platinum cruiser they will let it slip by, nope, no way, no how.

 

[Otimon]

As I understand it though, your deposit for a placeholder will be returned to you if unused.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

It could be worse. A few years ago they changed it to 18 months. We were one of the families bitten by that. We had another cruise within 24 months of the one we were on, but not 18 months so we did not book on board (so no discount). Then they changed it back before our next cruise! Ugghhh!!!!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Can you take a quick cruise in between to use the placeholder and then be able to make a new one? Like a 3 day cruise?

 

[DCLDVC1]

As I understand it though, your deposit for a placeholder will be returned to you if unused.

Yes. It will cancel automatically and be refunded to the original form of payment.

 

[CamColt]

I was looking at booking the week after mine expired and unfortunately, my travel agent said it can't be done.

 

[scgustafson]

The two-year window is strictly enforced, and as pointed out before, it is much more generous than the original 18-months. If DCL started giving exceptions, even for a day, where would it end? At least, you get a refund of the original deposit amount.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Can you take a quick cruise in between to use the placeholder and then be able to make a new one? Like a 3 day cruise?

This is the best suggestion ever!

 

[insureman]

Can you take a quick cruise in between to use the placeholder and then be able to make a new one? Like a 3 day cruise?

I'm pretty sure this will cost more than the place holder discount unless you're using Disney math.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I'm pretty sure this will cost more than the place holder discount unless you're using Disney math.

Well that depends. If you're planning a big trip with two full rooms and just need the placeholders extended, a quick trip for 2 in an inside might work out to the savings. And you'd get the quick trip.

 

[CM Dad]

The two-year window is strictly enforced, and as pointed out before, it is much more generous than the original 18-months. If DCL started giving exceptions, even for a day, where would it end? At least, you get a refund of the original deposit amount.

18 months was not the "original". When we first rebooked onboard, there was no time limit for taking the cruise. And you had different benefits depending on your Castaway Club level.

 

[lanejudy]

18 months was not the "original". When we first rebooked onboard, there was no time limit for taking the cruise. And you had different benefits depending on your Castaway Club level.

This is correct. OBB has been through a few iterations from "original." With regards to the window for use -- there didn't used to be official "placeholder" bookings; an OBB was open-ended, and people would book a "dummy" cruise then just keep pushing that out to a future date. DCL then instituted the "placeholders" which negated the need for dummy bookings, and initially instituted an 18-month window for use of the placeholder. The placeholder window was then extended to 24 months maybe a couple of years ago.

But the answer remains... the 24-month window is non-negotiable and strictly enforced. Right down to the day, which is why it is often recommended to book a placeholder late in your cruise.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[scgustafson]

18 months was not the "original". When we first rebooked onboard, there was no time limit for taking the cruise. And you had different benefits depending on your Castaway Club level.

I was purely talking about placeholders (officially named as such with a set $200 [now $250] deposit), and not the original "placeholder" or dummy reservations to make use of the onboard booking benefits for when you did not know when exactly you wanted to sail or the itineraries had not been released.

 

[Garyjames220]

Last year I cancelled my place holder

However about a month after I said is there anyway of getting my place holder back and after speaking to a supervisor they did and I noticed the dates on the place holder was another two years on it from the day I spoke to the supervisor. So got an extra year or so on it

Don’t think that happens often though

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Last year I cancelled my place holder

However about a month after I said is there anyway of getting my place holder back and after speaking to a supervisor they did and I noticed the dates on the place holder was another two years on it from the day I spoke to the supervisor. So got an extra year or so on it

Don’t think that happens often though

 

[insureman]

Well that depends. If you're planning a big trip with two full rooms and just need the placeholders extended, a quick trip for 2 in an inside might work out to the savings. And you'd get the quick trip.

Like I said, Disney math.

 

[scgustafson]

Last year I cancelled my place holder

However about a month after I said is there anyway of getting my place holder back and after speaking to a supervisor they did and I noticed the dates on the place holder was another two years on it from the day I spoke to the supervisor. So got an extra year or so on it

Don’t think that happens often though

You were most definitely pixie-dusted.

 

[lorimay]

Last year I cancelled my place holder

However about a month after I said is there anyway of getting my place holder back and after speaking to a supervisor they did and I noticed the dates on the place holder was another two years on it from the day I spoke to the supervisor. So got an extra year or so on it

Don’t think that happens often though

WOW!
Good for you!