Booking/deposit for future cruise

[luvocean9]

If we book or make a future cruise deposit while on ship, we can reserve for only $100. I think they match the $100 and give some future cruise credit. Very nice.

 

We are thinking about booking the Crown for Dec 2007. I know this sounds early, but Princess said it will be open to booking in April 2006. We want a particular cabin and there are only 2 of them, so we need to book early in April 2006. Meanwhile, we will be sailing Princess in May 2006 and could do the future cruise deposit thingy.

 

So, should we book in April and pay the required deposit and then cancel and rebook the same cabin on our May cruise? Has anyone done this and can it be done?

[mmsoko]

Simply, make a $100pp deposit on an open booking. Then when you're ready to book, call TA and tell them you have open booking DP.

 

You'll receive some onboard credit;$50-$100, depending on length of cruise.

 

The open booking is good for 4 years. Even if you decide not to book, your $100 deposit is refundable.

 

Seems like a win/win situation.

[wdonnieb]

I did this and then had to reschedule twice and as long as you do it before the final payment is due, they are happy to change your reservations and transfer your deposit.

[MichTraveler]

I ran out of future credits and wanted to book the Tahitian Princess a month before a scheduled cruise where I could do a new future booking. My TA said she could work it so I could get the OBC. So I booked the TP to lock in a cabin and price. Then the next month booked FCC on the cruise (more than 1 this time!), then called TA at the end of the cruise with the FCC number. She had the OBC and $100 applied to the TP. I didn't cancel and rebook, so I ended up paying the original deposit plus the $100 before final payment. But I mostly wanted the OBC.

[bjkTX]

I don't think so :-)

[DanJ]

I don't know if you can cancel an existing booking and rebook the same cruise while on board or not. You probably have to decide how bad you want one of those particular cabins. You could always take the chance they won't be booked when you cruise in May and do the future booking then. I mean, that is an awful long way out, so the odds are in your favour.

 

Of you could book it in April, book an open future booking on the cruise, come home and cancel the previous booking and assign the open future booking to that cruise, and hope the cabin doesn't get taken in the meantime.

[luvocean9]

I don't think so :-)

 

All I know is that we each had a $100 Future Cruise Deposit. When applied as the deposit to our upcoming Alaska cruise, we had $400 down, not $200 as I had expected. Maybe there was a promotion I was not aware of, but that deposit was doubled.:D

[luvocean9]

Thanks everybody for the advice. It sounds like it will not be a problem. I am going to book the cabin as soon as it is available, then buy the future booking while on the May cruise, then when I get home let Princess figure it out. They can transfer or cancel and rebook so I can have the reduced deposit and cruise credits.

 

I like to book early through Princess, then take advantage of any Princess promotions and later when the TA's have specials, move my booking to them. This worked out really great for me for the next cruise.

[DanJ]

Also, I'm not sure about how waitlisting works, or if it really exists, but if someone is waitlisted for your cabin, they may get it when you cancel your original booking, and before Princess gets your new booking. If the 2 cabins you are interested are "in demand" cabins, like those 2 AE mini-suites on Emerald deck, you might be taking a risk trying to cancel and rebook them just to get $50pp credit.

[luvocean9]

Good Point DanJ.