Booking strategy using refundable deposit “place holder” bookings? 🤔

[Ken the cruiser]

I have to say the 20% markup for bookings with a refundable deposit really annoys us. But I think we might have a workaround strategy and are looking for your thoughts.
 

To use this strategy, you have to have previously booked an itinerary onboard with a (non-suite) refundable deposit of $100 pp as far out as possible. This allows you an extended period of time, up to the final payment of that “place holder” booking, to find a more intriguing itinerary down the road. 
 

Now once you find that ideal itinerary, you contact your CVP/TA to change the itinerary of the “place holder” booking to that of the new “ideal” itinerary AND change its deposit status from having a refundable deposit to a nonrefundable one. This way if you subsequently have to cancel this newly altered “nonrefundable deposit” booking, you only lose $200.

 

Do you think this strategy will work? 
 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[mahdnc]

8 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I have to say the 20% markup for bookings with a refundable deposit really annoys us. But I think we might have a workaround strategy and are looking for your thoughts.
 

To use this strategy, you have to have previously booked an itinerary onboard with a (non-suite) refundable deposit of $100 pp as far out as possible. This allows you an extended period of time, up to the final payment of that “place holder” booking, to find a more intriguing itinerary down the road. 
 

Now once you find that ideal itinerary, you contact your CVP/TA to change the itinerary of the “place holder” booking to that of the new “ideal” itinerary AND change its deposit status from having a refundable deposit to a nonrefundable one. This way if you subsequently have to cancel this newly altered “nonrefundable deposit” booking, you only lose $200.

 

Do you think this strategy will work? 
 

 

I think it should work however it appears that the OBC bonus for booking on board will be forfeited based on other posts that I have come across recently.

Edited August 25, 2023 by mahdnc

[Ken the cruiser]

10 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

I think it should work however it appears that the onboard booking bonus will be forfeited based on other posts that I have come across recently.

I’m not sure why that would be the case as the onboard booking credit is tied to a “regular” refundable deposit booking created onboard. I might understand if you booked the cruise using their new Future Cruise promotion where the associated OBC disappears if you don’t book a cruise within its predetermined time period. But I haven’t heard it disappearing if you change the itinerary on a regular booking with a refundable deposit. 
 

Something to definitely confirm before we actually implementing our strategy. 👌
 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[mahdnc]

3 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I’m not sure why that would be the case as the onboard booking credit is tied to a “regular” refundable deposit booking created onboard. I might understand if you booked the cruise using their new Future Cruise promotion where the associated OBC disappears if you don’t book a cruise within its predetermined time period. But I haven’t heard it disappearing if you change the itinerary on a regular booking with a refundable deposit. 
 

Something to definitely confirm before we actually implementing our strategy. 👌
 

 

There have been several posts that report the loss of the onboard booking OBC that was triggered by having the reservation re-priced.

[mahdnc]

 

[Jeremiah1212]

Group rates…problem solved. 

[Ken the cruiser]

16 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

Group rates…problem solved. 

I don’t know what you mean. Do you get $100 pp deposits on nonrefundable group rate bookings, and do you get to pick your specific cabin number as we only book B2B cruises.

 

FWIW we also usually book a cruise when they are first released and are usually about the same rate as those a TA might offer in a “group rate” offering.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

11 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

I just read through that short thread and the only folks who lost the OBC, specifically associated with booking onboard, were those that had NRD bookings. 

[mahdnc]

7 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I just read through that short thread and the only folks who lost the OBC, specifically associated with booking onboard, were those that had NRD bookings. 

good point.  Sorry I did not notice that.

[Jeremiah1212]

21 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I don’t know what you mean. Do you get $100 pp deposits on nonrefundable group rate bookings, and do you get to pick your specific cabin number as we only book B2B cruises.

 

FWIW we also usually book a cruise when they are first released and are usually about the same rate as those a TA might offer in a “group rate” offering.

 

Group rates (and Group X - which are discounted group rates) are typically cheaper than booking direct, All Included by default, refundable for no additional cost and almost always come with extra OBC. The normal deposit rates are required but you don't have to play games to ultimately lose $200. You pick your cabin just like normal. 

[Ken the cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

Group rates (and Group X - which are discounted group rates) are typically cheaper than booking direct, All Included by default, refundable for no additional cost and almost always come with extra OBC. The normal deposit rates are required but you don't have to play games to ultimately lose $200. You pick your cabin just like normal. 

Just to be clear, we could contact our TA during the first week an X itinerary is a available to book on the X website, and if they participate in the Group X program, we could book a Prime Aqua (A1) cabin through them with a refundable deposit for the same or cheaper price than an A1 cabin with a nonrefundable deposit advertised on the X website? 

[Jeremiah1212]

15 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just to be clear, we could contact our TA during the first week an X itinerary is a available to book on the X website, and if they participate in the Group X program, we could book a Prime Aqua (A1) cabin through them with a refundable deposit for the same or cheaper price than an A1 cabin with a nonrefundable deposit advertised on the X website? 

 

They have to be willing to setup or already have a group and you may have to have a little flexibility, but yes. I just looked at one.

 

2/25/24 Celebrity Ascent in a C2 cabin:

Celebrity's price = $6,057 for All Included and a refundable deposit. No OBC. Refundable deposit is adding $969. 

Group rate = $3,752.20 All Included, refundable and $570 in OBC. 

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Jeremiah1212

[Ken the cruiser]

18 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

They have to be willing to setup or already have a group and you may have to have a little flexibility, but yes. I just looked at one.

 

2/25/24 Celebrity Ascent in a C2 cabin:

Celebrity's price = $6,057 for All Included and a refundable deposit. No OBC. 

Group rate = $3,752.20 All Included, refundable and $570 in OBC. 

 

This is very interesting, so I hope you don’t mind me asking a few more questions.
 

When you say “willing to setup or already have a group”, are you meaning the TA has reserved a certain number of cabins in various categories on a particular itinerary that a group of their clients, say 20 or more, have expressed an interest in booking?

 

When you say a “little flexible”, I’m taking that to mean regarding one of the specific itineraries a TA has setup a group for.

 

I also imagine the OBC you referenced is that which is provided to the client for booking the cruise with them?

 

This is very helpful. I’ve got a call into our TA now, and it will be interesting to see if she knows anything about these group rates. Obviously she either doesn’t or the travel agency at least didn’t have group rates available for the 3 very popular X cruises we recently booked through them.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[ISABELLA]

1 hour ago, mahdnc said:

 

There have been several posts that report the loss of the onboard booking OBC that was triggered by having the reservation re-priced.

In order to keep your " booking on board OBC" you need to transfer that booking # (not canceling) to another preferred booking. 

[mahdnc]

5 minutes ago, ISABELLA said:

In order to keep your " booking on board OBC" you need to transfer that booking # (not canceling) to another preferred booking. 

 

Yes, transfer is better than cancel/rebook

[Jeremiah1212]

14 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

This is very interesting, so I hope you don’t mind me asking a few more questions.
 

When you say “willing to setup or already have a group”, are you meaning the TA has reserved a certain number of cabins in various categories on a particular itinerary that a group of their clients, say 20 or more, have expressed an interest in booking?

 

When you say a “little flexible”, I’m taking that to mean regarding one of the specific itineraries a TA has setup a group for.

 

I also imagine the OBC you referenced is that which is provided to the client for booking the cruise with them?

 

This is very helpful. I’ve got a call into our TA now, and it will be interesting to see if she knows anything about these group rates. Obviously she either doesn’t or the travel agency at least didn’t have group rates available for the 3 very popular X cruises we recently booked through them.

 

It costs the TA money to offer group space. In this case they are just holding inventory at a specific price. They may have a combination of cabins to offer within that allotted inventory. There are incentives for TA's to sell groups which is where a lot of the OBC comes from. It's best to give them a call. If they know, they know. If they don't, it's potentially costing you thousands in missed savings. 

[Ken the cruiser]

5 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

It costs the TA money to offer group space. In this case they are just holding inventory at a specific price. They may have a combination of cabins to offer within that allotted inventory. There are incentives for TA's to sell groups which is where a lot of the OBC comes from. It's best to give them a call. If they know, they know. If they don't, it's potentially costing you thousands in missed savings. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge regarding this “group” issue! We now have a new aspect to research with our TA in our ever expanding wonderful world of cruising! 😁

[DUTRAVEL]

I have booked onboard and then received a group rate from my TA. Usually when this happens, I have had to pay the full deposit to get the group rate (e.g. I paid $200 onboard and then had to pay another $700). No big deal though, since the deposit is refundable.

[wrk2cruise]

I've used this strategy for several years and was able to move a "place holder" sailing to a NRD just a couple of weeks ago without losing my onboard booking OBC.  My TA did say that one agent he spoke with was claiming that was the case so he went back to his normal TA contacts and successfully did the move.   It did get complicated at the first attempt at the move was to a price I didn't agree to (the promo changed overnight), so the TA had to contact resolutions to put the sailing back to the original placeholder.   Then 2 days later the promo re-appeared and I agreed to move it (I think he wasn't too happy but I give him a bunch of business).   Through all that my onboard booking bonus was retained.

 

I know one of the posters who had the issue with it being lost due to a repricing so I believe it.  They are now using my TA as I referred them but the booking they had issues with was with a different TA.

Edited August 25, 2023 by wrk2cruise

[Ken the cruiser]

15 minutes ago, DUTRAVEL said:

I have booked onboard and then received a group rate from my TA. Usually when this happens, I have had to pay the full deposit to get the group rate (e.g. I paid $200 onboard and then had to pay another $700). No big deal though, since the deposit is refundable.

If I might ask, how did you know that the particular cruise you booked onboard was a cruise that your TA had an established Group for?

[DUTRAVEL]

4 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

If I might ask, how did you know that the particular cruise you booked onboard was a cruise that your TA had an established Group for?

I actually didn't know - its hit or miss, sometimes I have been lucky and they have had a group rate. 

[MCARAB1]

I have booked with an agent and she places a 3 day hold on the cabin/cruise with out a deposit and then I have time before paying a$250 deposit with nothing else until final payment