Booking on board question!

[lovetotravel06]

Hey all…

 

Hate to ask such a lame question but here goes..

 

Concerning on board booking… Can anyone explain the benefits in a nutshell please?

 

Also, what's the difference between putting down $100 each for "anytime booking" (I think that's what it's called). Put down the $100 now (on board) and decide when you want to sail later.

 

What's the difference between having a "set date" booking on board and doing the "book later" on board?

 

Educate the uneducated please? lol

[Clarea]

Hey all…

 

Hate to ask such a lame question but here goes..

 

Concerning on board booking… Can anyone explain the benefits in a nutshell please?

 

Also, what's the difference between putting down $100 each for "anytime booking" (I think that's what it's called). Put down the $100 now (on board) and decide when you want to sail later.

 

What's the difference between having a "set date" booking on board and doing the "book later" on board?

 

Educate the uneducated please? lol

The difference is you can either pick a specific cruise and book it, or purchase an open booking and assign the cruise later. The benefits (reduced deposit and on board credit) are identical.

 

The advantage of picking a specific cruise is that it's fully refundable. You can also change to another ship or sail date. However, it takes longer to do this, and you usually must make an appointment with the Future Cruise Consultant.

 

The advantage of the open booking is it can be done by filling out a form, so it takes less time. The open booking can also be transferred to another person, once, before it has been assigned to a cruise. The disadvantage is that the money you put down on an open booking is non-refundable.

 

One other difference which may or may not be important. If you like to transfer bookings to a travel agent, then there's a significant difference. Booking a specific cruise starts a 60 day timer during which you can transfer the booking to a travel agent. When you have an open booking, the 60 day timer does not start until you first assign it to a specific cruise. So you could potentially transfer the open booking to an agent years later.

Edited December 15, 2013 by clarea

[NorbertsNiece]

You also get OBC attached to an open booking.

 

[lovetotravel06]

Excellent answer/s. I was trying hard to figure out why it was such a big deal to pick a specific cruise over an open booking! lol I even asked the agent on board, "what is the advantage to booking specific over open"?! They didn't have an answer! lol

 

With the lines, appointments, people studying over different options, etc (taking a lot of time in my opinion) I thought there must be some magical advantage to getting that specifc cruise/cabin locked in. To me it appears a big advantage over open booking is just not so! lol

 

Had me befuddled. :D

 

I went with open booking. Seems like that will work just fine for me! :)

 

Thanks again!