Open End Bookings - Only 30 Days to Change After Selecting

[frequent traveler]

Just thought I would pass along something I learned last week. Perhaps most of you already know this and I was just clueless, but when you take advantage of the 15% on board booking discount and book a "to be selected cruise" - once you select the cruise, you may only change it during the initial 30 day period following selection. While you can change/cancel after that up to 180 days out for only $50 - you lose the 15% discount.

 

This policy is not stated any where on the confirmation you get when you "select" your cruise and when I questioned the policy saying I never heard of it - I was referred to the "on board booking request". The language there is "Standard cancellation policies shall apply after the 30-days and the Onboard Booking Savings shall be non-transferrable." The lawyer in me feels that isn't very clear - I interpreted non-transferrable to mean to transfer to any person (if I wanted to substitute DD for ZQ Vol, etc) especially with the $50 change/cancel fee continuing to be applicable up to the 180 day mark.

 

However, since I've posted on this board that you could change your selection (I know I "rolled forward" a crossing from 2009 to 2010 and kept the 15% on board discount) I wanted to publicize this SD policy.

 

When I protested, SD waived the application of the policy and allowed us to use the discount when we had to change from a Med to Caribbean voyage in 2011, but made it very clear that if we had to change again we would not be allowed to use the BtB discount.

 

FT

[knotheadusc]

Thanks for that information. We're hoping to finally select the cruise we booked onboard, but we have a move coming up. Now we'll make sure we're very certain before we book.

[mimito4]

FT, thanks for the heads up. We, too, did an open booking, and like you, I didn't read it to mean this.

 

I'm relieved they waived the application of this unclear policy for you, one of their biggest cheerleaders. Otherwise, I would have had to destroy my freshly minted fan club card. Seriously.

 

It is on my to-do list to call Miami with a few questions, but in anticipation, perhaps you all know the answers already:

 

1. All other cruise lines I've been with give an on-board booking discount in addition to a past cruisers type club discount. This was never brought up? Does a past cruisers discount exist?

 

2. What if the price drops after you book your trip? Does SD make good on it or give you shipboard credit, etc.?

 

3. I didn't have my TA's info (because I changed since I booked this voyage that we were just on), and so I told them not to give my old agent credit; rather I wanted to give it to my new agent. Michael indicated that all I had to do was let them know after I returned home. Has this been your experience? Our booking papers don't indicate this anywhere.

 

4. As you know, if you book an "open" booking, you give them $2500 of your hard-earned dollars to hold, whereas if you book a specific voyage, I think it's 25% of the total cost. If you change your booking to a specific one within 30 days, do they adjust the deposit?

[frequent traveler]

FT, thanks for the heads up. We, too, did an open booking, and like you, I didn't read it to mean this.

 

I'm relieved they waived the application of this unclear policy for you, one of their biggest cheerleaders. Otherwise, I would have had to destroy my freshly minted fan club card. Seriously.

 

It is on my to-do list to call Miami with a few questions, but in anticipation, perhaps you all know the answers already:

 

1. All other cruise lines I've been with give an on-board booking discount in addition to a past cruisers type club discount. This was never brought up? Does a past cruisers discount exist?

 

2. What if the price drops after you book your trip? Does SD make good on it or give you shipboard credit, etc.?

 

3. I didn't have my TA's info (because I changed since I booked this voyage that we were just on), and so I told them not to give my old agent credit; rather I wanted to give it to my new agent. Michael indicated that all I had to do was let them know after I returned home. Has this been your experience? Our booking papers don't indicate this anywhere.

 

4. As you know, if you book an "open" booking, you give them $2500 of your hard-earned dollars to hold, whereas if you book a specific voyage, I think it's 25% of the total cost. If you change your booking to a specific one within 30 days, do they adjust the deposit?

 

 

Answers (as far as I know)

 

1. No Discounts for Repeat Guests. I specifically inquired last week when booking a 2nd cabin for our adult children whether a discount was available (their 1st SD sailing was last December) and was told - no "promotions" available at this time.

 

2. If you are within the window for cancellation/changes and want to pay the $50.00 per passenger change fee, you can cancel and rebook at the lower rate and. We did this last year and saved a substantial amount on a BtB in the Med. However, if the price goes down $100, SD does not adjust your amount or give you a credit (at least not in our experience). In our experience - while the price might drop temporarily for a week or so, it goes back up. We've never been on one where there's a last minute drop to fill capacity, so no experience there.

 

3. We don't use a TA for SD anymore -- but long ago, I did make an on board booking myself and then transfer it to a TA - was no problem, just e-mail SD reservations or call them and give them the TA information. Since your TA can be a source for other referrals - they are more than happy to work with whoever you tell them.

 

4. Don't have any experience with "adjusting" the deposit. I've never made the change within the 30 days - I was ok with them to keeping the extra, since it means I will pay less at the end (I buy cancel for any reason travel insurance that would cover loss of deposit for any reason).

 

on waving the policy -- I don't believe it was anything special. SD is a business and like any business, they have their policies - but in our experience, they always try to treat their customers fairly and "right." I may not agree with some of their decisions (don't get me going on paying for the Internet on a daily basis when it does work). It doesn't matter whether you are a first time or a repeat guest. SD will do their best to make it right (within reason, some guests have no reason!). I can't ask for better than that - and the day SD stops is the day I take our $ elsewhere (hopefully never!).

 

FT

[Jim Avery]

We have never done the open booking for the same reason, $2,500 on the card for up to a year. Also, our schedules mean we usually only know what our plans are a few months out. We have always received some past passenger discounts as well as other perks.

J

[mimito4]

We have never done the open booking for the same reason, $2,500 on the card for up to a year. Also, our schedules mean we usually only know what our plans are a few months out. We have always received some past passenger discounts as well as other perks.

J

 

Again, thanks guys for your always prompt and valuable info.

 

I decided since I knew with certainty that we wanted to take a future SD trip, letting them keep that money for a 15% discount felt OK to me. I mean, I don't know if anything that is paying a 15% return these days.

 

But Jim, here you are saying that you have received past passenger discount, and this seems appropriate since every other cruise lines does it, along with an on-board booking incentive. Could you elaborate? I don't mean actual dollars amount. . .just is there or is there not a "SeaDream Club" with benefits that one belongs to after having sailed at least once?

 

I will say that the 15% discount is the most generous I've seen, so perhaps they take that into account?

 

We have a particular (heartbreaking) issue that always looms large for us whenever we consider the future. Some CC friends already know this, and at the risk of being dramatic, I don't mind saying it again and again, because she can use all the positive thoughts, prayers, chants, anything anyone is willing to offer up. Our 39 year old kind, loving teacher daughter was diagnosed 18 months ago with an aggressive inoperable brain tumor (an anaplastic astrocytoma). She has been doing well for the most part with chemo/radiation, but her prognosis is grim. Travel insurance aside, as you might imagine, it's ever present when thinking of planning ahead.

[Jim Avery]

We have received a 10% discount for past passenger though 5% is the norm. Never hurts to ask as there are sometimes other discounts available but not necessarily published. Additionally, past passengers usually get a discount coupon for the spa as well as the boutique. Well worth it. We really feel for you guys with your daughter We went through a very similar event with our Son. Doing ok at present but the pressure is always there. Actually lost one of our Fathers when we had just departed Tenerife on QM2. 5 days to the next port. Missed the funeral. Extended travel does come with some unanticipated risks. You can see all the club benefits at the SeaDream website. Click on SeaDream Club. Certain voyages have even further discounts. They do usually take good care of us but I see Frequent Travelers point as I read it the same way she did. Seems a bit nit pickey to drop the discount and add $50 charges. Who cares, what is the difference? Anyway, they are all good, some just gooder than others.:D:eek: (a Southernism)

J.

[WesW]

T, more prayers and special wishes from Atlanta especially for Jen's robust health and putting Jospehine to sleep for a long, long time.

[DisneyJen]

Sending prayers and pixie dust to you, Teresa, and your daughter. ~*~*~*~

 

DJ's DH and my situation, in terms of the onboard booking and schedule, is such that we take advantage of the 15-percent onboard booking for a dedicated sailing instead of the open booking. We usually have some idea of what DJ's DH's travel schedule looks like (certain trips and meetings happen during certain quarters/months) so we select a date and make our deposit. We know that we can, as long as we are more than 180 days out, move that date for a $50 change fee. The fare then adjusts accordingly (up or down).

 

In my opinion, the only major weakness in SD's product is a lack of an aggressive loyalty program. For example, free internet after so many days, onboard credit (no coupons) and incentives for discounted/free cruising (on some lines like Seabourn you earn a free cruise after so many nights).

 

The spa credit and wine credit are nice but the marketing person in me says that these are incentives to get us to spend money in areas that aren't included in the fare. I can tell you that every cruise we use the spa credit and the wine credit ... much to DJ's DH's chagrin.:p

 

From our experience, SD has always stepped up to the plate in terms of "fairness" and compensation when changes occur because of their scheduling. For instance, the Fall '10 Crossing was supposed to originate in Barcelona. A couple of months before the scheduled sailing SD notified us that the trip would start a two days later and from another port. SD gave us these options:

 

1. Move our sailing for no penalty and with a discount on the new sailing.

 

2. Take the sailing with a prorated fare (because of fewer days), prorated fees, and reimbursement for changes to hotel and airfare (there was a ceiling but I can't recall off the top of my head).

 

Needless to say we took option 2. We emailed our hotel and air charges to SD in Miami and received a check within a week.

 

Interestingly, we assigned our upcoming booking to a new-to-us travel agent instead of the agency I work with from time to time. SD called DJ's DH to make sure the he "really, really wanted" to change the assignment since our past cruises have been assigned to this particular agency. DJ's DH confirmed the change and SD's response was ... "But of course."

[mimito4]

Feels like I'm always saying this. . .but again, thanks so much to all you very, very nice folks who are always most helpful. I didn't even know the "club" section existed on the web site. Thanks for pointing it out to me. Very helpful.

 

And thanks for all your kind wishes for my Jen, too. ((((hugs)))) Jim.

 

Wes, you're the best. Thank you, friend.