Ahoy Ben!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am so excited that you sailed by with your question about securing a placeholder while onboard a Disney Cruise Line ship! I am assuming that you already have a Disney Cruise Line vacation on the calendar and that is SO EXCITING!! And, if it is your first Disney Cruise Line vacation, you will very soon find out why you will want to book another Disney Cruise Line vacation…they just can’t be beat!
A Disney Cruise Line vacation my family’s favorite way to travel! With so many destinations and
itineraries to choose from, you can see so much while having the most magical time! We love being able to wake up each day in a new and exciting location, but only unpack our suitcases once! So much is already
included with your reservation that we have found it to be the best way for our family to travel and we always have at least one placeholder ready to go when we need another trip on the “Mickey Boat”! A placeholder is essentially that – it holds your place on a future Disney Cruise Line vacation without you having to commit to a voyage date! Currently, a placeholder can be booked for $250 while onboard and you have 24-months to set sail! That means you can book your placeholder and then get home, look at your calendar and explore the other itineraries and then call Disney Cruise Line at (800) 951-3532 or your travel agent and lock in your reservation. And, the $250 deposit that you have already paid will go towards your reservation! Additionally, currently they are offering that if you book a placeholder while onboard, then you will receive a $200 onboard credit on that future cruise for voyages seven-nights or longer or a $100 onboard credit for voyages less than seven-nights. And…best thing is that if you get home, realize that you won’t be able to make it back to sea within those 24-months, the placeholder deposit is fully refundable!
Now, if you do know exactly when and where you want to set sail next, it’s always advantageous to book that reservation while onboard! To book a specific voyage, you will pay a reduced deposit, and receive that onboard credit for the future cruise AND you will get the best rate. I have found that rates only increase as the voyage gets closer so booking as far out as possible is best! But, again, this reservation can also be moved if something comes up before the final “pay in full” date or it can be fully refunded as well!
So, really, in my opinion there is absolutely no reason NOT to book a placeholder or future voyage while onboard! To do so, all you need to do is drop by the Future Cruise Desk onboard and fill out a form, drop it in the box and they will charge the credit card you have on file! There are also Cast Members there that can help you price your next vacation if you want to go ahead and book a specific sailing!
I cannot wait to hEAR where you will be headed next!
Stephanie