"Open Booking" question

[Babie]

Hopefully someone can give me the information I'm looking for.

I'm on the Grand in April and again in December. I haven't booked my December cruise yet. Would it be worthwhile to wait until my April cruise, buy an open booking, then when I get home book December? What about booking December while onboard (probably losing any dincounted rates I can find from my favorite agents etc, right?) or what would get me the best discounts and OBC etc?

I believe there's onboard credit given when using an open booking for a cruise. How much is it? Could we combine 2 open bookings for the same cruise and same cabin? Would we get double OBC?

Any information would be appreciated. I picked up one of the information papers in December, but cannot find it.

Thanx a ton!

LES!

[Flyer]

Easy choice...Wait until you are on board and book then. If you qualify for the Early Booking Discount you will receive it. That way you will receive the on board credit and firm up what you want. After you return home you can change the booking to your favorite TA and take advantage of any discounts they might offer.

 

OR, you can book an open booking on board and wait until you get home to visit your TA to book. Same low deposit and same on board credit. A win win either way.

 

I'm not sure of your question about the double booking but, I booked a cruise for DW and me and also an Open booking for both of us. We are credited with $100 pp for our booked cruise and will receive another on board credit when we book the second one. I guess that is a double booking. The amount depends on the cabin you book. ie; inside balconey etc.

 

Have fun! :)

[Toto2Kansas]

Yes, definitely wait until you get that open booking. You can either book while onboard and then transfer the booking after you get home to a TA that has discounted pricing or change the booking later to a different sailing.

You will receive a reduced deposit on the booking $100 pp and a shipboard credit according the the days of the future cruise and the cabin booked.

 

You do not get double shipboard credit for combining bookings though so that would not be worth your while.

[DebraK]

This doesn't exactly answer your question, but I did an open booking that I then applied to cruise A. I booked a second cruise and since cruise A was being paid for by someone else (long story) I switched my open booking from cruise A to cruise B. It seems like Princess is pretty open to switching the open booking, but it was all done through my TA and perhaps that's why it seems easy :) What I would be cautious about is your timing for booking the December cruise. If you have a particular deck/cabin/holiday sailing you want, I wouldn't wait until the April cruise to get an open booking and then book the December cruise. I'd be worried that what I wanted wouldn't exist.

[geoherb]

It depends on what date your December cruise is. If you want to go for Christmas or New Year's, you should book as soon as possible. I'd rather get the type of cabin and location I want than the cruise credit. Plus prices may go up, as the holiday cruises can sell out early.

 

You can't combine two open bookings to get a double credit.

 

When we booked onboard the Star Princess for the Grand, it was easy to switch the booking over to a TA when we were ready. We had left the booking with Princess at first until we were certain we could get off from work for that week.

[beachlovergirl]

Future Cruise Length...........................Shipboard Credit

7 - 9 days...................................$25 pp inside; $50 pp outside

10 - 15 days................................$75 pp inside; $100 pp outside

16+ days.....................................$125 pp inside; $150 pp outside

 

We just booked the 10 day panama canal cruise on the Coral, so we got a total of $200 shipboard credits. Another plus, the reduced deposit of $100 pp!

 

:D

[kryos]

Easy choice...Wait until you are on board and book then. If you qualify for the Early Booking Discount you will receive it. That way you will receive the on board credit and firm up what you want. After you return home you can change the booking to your favorite TA and take advantage of any discounts they might offer.

In fact, you can give the credit to your favorite TA right onboard. Then, even if there are some discounts you weren't initially given, your TA can follow-up for them once he/she receives notice of the booking.

 

You can do an open booking, but if you're sure of the cruise you want to book, why not just book it onboard. This way you'll have a better chance of getting your desired cabin, etc. The deposit amount is the same ($100.00/per person) regardless of whether you book your desired cruise, or do an open booking. Personally, the only advantage I see to doing the open booking is just to lock in the right to the lower $100.00 deposit when you don't know when you want to sail. You can convert an open booking to a set sailing anytime within four years.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[trixie54]

Is it still true that you can get a full refund of a Future Cruise booking if you don't end up using it in 4 yrs.? Thanks!

[Toto2Kansas]

trixie, YES, you can still receive a full refund if you don't use the future booking within the time limit. You would need to call Princess if you didn't plan to use it, as far as I know it is not automatically refunded to your credit card if the time limit expires.