Book cruise onboard to use as place holder

[Ken the cruiser]

A few years ago we would book a couple cruises onboard with refundable deposits to get the $300 OBC (or $200 if it was a transoceanic) added to them for booking onboard. Then later on down the road when we saw itineraries we really wanted to go on, we would switch those “place holder” bookings with the new itineraries while keeping the original booking numbers to maintain the onboard booking status. Does anyone know if you can still do that?

 

We’re currently onboard the Equinox and when we stopped by the Future Cruise office, the sales rep showed us this form where you can buy a future cruise request (?) for a minimal charge, but you had to book a cruise with it within 3 months which doesn’t work for us as the new spring-fall 2022 itineraries won’t come out until Nov.

 

When we asked about booking “space holder”  cruises (eg, with a sail date in Apr 2022), he gave us a weird look like you couldn’t do that. We’ve sent an email to our X PCC, but we’re curious if anyone still uses this “place holder” type of strategy?

Edited March 9, 2020 by Ken the cruiser

[andyfriend80]

We normally just book for a specific cruise and then change it later to the one we really want to do.  I've only done it with one but next time I'll do it with two.

[SusieV]

What are they offering right now to book onboard? Any good enticements?

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, SusieV said:

What are they offering right now to book onboard? Any good enticements?

Just the normal $300 OBC (or $200 if an transoceanic) along with whatever X promo is currently going on. 

[Mark.Jules]

Ken, who is the captain, CD, etc. onboard?

[DENIE]

We've booked future cruises the last three times we have sailed.  First, we booked for the perks, OBC, and low deposit.  The cruise agent aboard "assigned us" a cruise based on our areas of interest.  It was a 9-night ABC Island cruise.  She said we could always change it if we found something different, and could keep the perks.  We decided to keep it, and had a great time. 

 

While on THAT cruise, we wanted to book a 2020 Pacific Coastal cruise (round trip out of LA).  A specific cruise for 2020 did not show at that time, so we booked a 2019 cruise just to get the same OBC, perks, and low deposit.  Unfortunately Celebrity opted not to do 2020 Pacific Coastal s round trip from LA, so we changed to a November 2020 America's cruise on the Reflection.

 

Finally, while on our November 2019 Italy/Dalmation cruise, we wanted to book a 2021 Baltic Cruise (St. Petersburg, Russia), however again, we were too soon for that itinerary to be available.  So...our agent aboard booked us on a 2020 Baltic cruise and advised approximately when the 2021 itineraries would be available.  Within weeks, we saw the one we wanted and contacted our TA and made the change.

 

In each instance, we kept every perk/benefit and deposit that we originally got when booking on board.

[Ken the cruiser]

Thanks everyone for your insights! From what we’re reading it sounds like our strategy is a go, so we booked an Apr 2022 B2B “place holder” cruise which we may or may not go on depending on what we see later on in Nov. We got $250 OBC for an A2 cabin on a 15 day cruise and $200 OBC for an A2 cabin on a 10 day cruise.

[GastroGnome]

We do this all the time.  We try to have 2 or 3 cruises booked going forward then flip them or re-price them as time goes on. You should be able to keep the benefits of on board booking and it is less restrictive than the future cruise voucher thingy.  As UK nationals we don't get refundable deposits so we do risk that.  But at least X is assured of our loyalty!

[isdoo]

1 hour ago, GastroGnome said:

We do this all the time.  We try to have 2 or 3 cruises booked going forward then flip them or re-price them as time goes on. You should be able to keep the benefits of on board booking and it is less restrictive than the future cruise voucher thingy.  As UK nationals we don't get refundable deposits so we do risk that.  But at least X is assured of our loyalty!

We got 4 or 5 times the OBC by booking back in the UK than doing so on the ship. 

Seems like standard offering on board, whereas online there are far more offers.

Not sure I would ever bother booking onboard again. 

[groryjm]

1 hour ago, isdoo said:

We got 4 or 5 times the OBC by booking back in the UK than doing so on the ship. 

Seems like standard offering on board, whereas online there are far more offers.

Not sure I would ever bother booking onboard again. 

One of our cruises planned for 2021 was orrigionally booked on board as a place holder for 2020. I have flipped it and repriced it a couple of times since we booked last Oct and now the on same Itinerary in the  same time of month the following year. I have reduced the price by about £2K moved from a CS to an RS have got all four pemium perks and have over £1K in OBC. 

 

I could not have moved and repriced as easily had I booked in the UK. You get the extra OBC for booking on board in addition to that offered in the UK and if a better offer appears in the UK you can move to it still retaining the OBC for booking onboard. You really can't loose.  

[isdoo]

4 minutes ago, groryjm said:

One of our cruises planned for 2021 was orrigionally booked on board as a place holder for 2020. I have flipped it and repriced it a couple of times since we booked last Oct and now the on same Itinerary in the  same time of month the following year. I have reduced the price by about £2K moved from a CS to an RS have got all four pemium perks and have over £1K in OBC. 

 

I could not have moved and repriced as easily had I booked in the UK. You get the extra OBC for booking on board in addition to that offered in the UK and if a better offer appears in the UK you can move to it still retaining the OBC for booking onboard. You really can't loose.  

So the OBC onboard is in addition? Oh, didn't know that. 

[groryjm]

Oh and deposits are a bit cheaper than the UK (and a lot less for |US citizen)

 

It is worth having at least two place holders to make taking advantage of price drops easier

Edited March 10, 2020 by groryjm

[Harvey1976]

No wonder I cant find a cruise if people are booking "placeholders"

 

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Harvey1976 said:

No wonder I cant find a cruise if people are booking "placeholders"

 

Since we like to book a cruise if at all possible when they are first released, we have found each cruise line we sail with requires a unique booking strategy. In the case of X, it’s booking “place holder” cruises while on a cruise. With Princess and HAL it’s buying future cruise certificates. 

[phabric]

On the Reflection Feb 2020, I wanted an open booking where I have a FCD with no actual booked cruise since I have 2 cruises for the next 2 years until March 2022.  I want a cruise for fall 2022 or spring 2023 the itineraries will come out the fall of 2020.  He said that an opening is good for 90 days from taking it out.  He booked a refundable cruise  for the end March 2022 and I will transfer it to another when they come out.

Edited March 10, 2020 by phabric

[Oceangoer2]

12 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks everyone for your insights! From what we’re reading it sounds like our strategy is a go, so we booked an Apr 2022 B2B “place holder” cruise which we may or may not go on depending on what we see later on in Nov. We got $250 OBC for an A2 cabin on a 15 day cruise and $200 OBC for an A2 cabin on a 10 day cruise.

 

My experience recently, and before the corona virus situation.....As long as you keep the same confirmed booking number you can change.  If you book a non refundable and change the sail date or ship, you'll be charged a $100 pp penalty.  I changed sailing date/ship, had a NRD,  and kept the perks.

[gerelmx]

17 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

A few years ago we would book a couple cruises onboard with refundable deposits to get the $300 OBC (or $200 if it was a transoceanic) added to them for booking onboard.

Current promotion onboard bookings, extra OBC depends on the category and length of the cruise.

 

[Jim_Iain]

I've done the same as others.   I had a couple cruises that were maybe's then shifted to another cruise keeping the reservation number.   I kept all perks.   Only downside for me was that because I originally booked before June of 2019, I got rejected for the Stockholders credit.