Placeholder advice needed

[Snowwhyt]

I have a placeholder that I purchased in July of 2016. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it and would end up asking for the deposit back. Well still doesn't look like I can find a week that's in the budget and fits in our calendar.
So here's what I need to know;
1) What does the email look like for confirmation? I just can't find the darn thing, maybe deleted it.
2) If I don't have paperwork saved, and cant find an email but they called to confirm after a charge card hold was cleared, do you think I'll have a problem?
3) Since I'm looking at a black out date and will get nothing extra for my deposit, can I use the $??? on a VG or GV (guaranteed veranda room)?
4) I won't use it other than this so is there something else I should consider?

Thank you in advance most knowledgeable board. You've helped me in a great many debacle.
The "My pre-paid room is now 4 cots in a conference room" of 2014.
Or the "I forgot my passports on the plane, now I'm in Vancouver and can't get on the ship" of 2016.
You guys are great!

 

[dcassetta]

I have a placeholder that I purchased in July of 2016. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it and would end up asking for the deposit back. Well still doesn't look like I can find a week that's in the budget and fits in our calendar.
So here's what I need to know;
1) What does the email look like for confirmation? I just can't find the darn thing, maybe deleted it.
2) If I don't have paperwork saved, and cant find an email but they called to confirm after a charge card hold was cleared, do you think I'll have a problem?
3) Since I'm looking at a black out date and will get nothing extra for my deposit, can I use the $??? on a VG or GV (guaranteed veranda room)?
4) I won't use it other than this so is there something else I should consider?

Thank you in advance most knowledgeable board. You've helped me in a great many debacle.
The "My pre-paid room is now 4 cots in a conference room" of 2014.
Or the "I forgot my passports on the plane, now I'm in Vancouver and can't get on the ship" of 2016.
You guys are great!

I would guess they would be able to look up your reservation by your name, and perhaps the credit card number used, even if you have misplaced the confirmation number.

If by guarantee you mean one of the cruise options where you can choose the category of room, but not your specific room, yes you would be able to use your place order for that. If you mean a special discounted GT rate, no you cannot apply a placeholder for that.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have a placeholder that I purchased in July of 2016. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it and would end up asking for the deposit back. Well still doesn't look like I can find a week that's in the budget and fits in our calendar.
So here's what I need to know;
1) What does the email look like for confirmation? I just can't find the darn thing, maybe deleted it.
2) If I don't have paperwork saved, and cant find an email but they called to confirm after a charge card hold was cleared, do you think I'll have a problem?
3) Since I'm looking at a black out date and will get nothing extra for my deposit, can I use the $??? on a VG or GV (guaranteed veranda room)?
4) I won't use it other than this so is there something else I should consider?

Thank you in advance most knowledgeable board. You've helped me in a great many debacle.
The "My pre-paid room is now 4 cots in a conference room" of 2014.
Or the "I forgot my passports on the plane, now I'm in Vancouver and can't get on the ship" of 2016.
You guys are great!

You can check your Castaway Club membership and see a placeholder, I believe. It should be "in the system" you don't need a confirmation of it to cancel it.

Onboard booking perks are not applicable to last minute *GT reservations.

You can just let the onboard booking deposit expire. Then DCL will refund the money automatically.

 

[Snowwhyt]

So I can’t use the money from a placeholder on a GT and relinquish my benefits? I must wait for it to expire?
Am I able to use the funds on a blackout date with no benefits?
Seems like I’m being punished because I have to travel during holidays but I promised by giving my payment that I’d only travel during a non peek time. I’m okay loosing the benefits because of blackout, but loss of opportunity to book during a holiday seems quite unfair.

 

[Shanti]

I have no experience with placeholders, but don't see why Disney wouldn't let you apply the money towards a depsosit on a blackout cruise. You wouldn't get the 10% discount, but you will likely still be able to make the deposit.

Disney in my experience is really good about refunds & keeping records of transactions. If you call them, they will likely resolve this for you easily, either by letting you apply your placeholder money toward a blackout cruise (with the understanding that you will get no discount), or by refunding your placeholder money.

 

[lds0191]

You should be able to use your placeholder for a block-out date. You would not get the 10% discount you would still get shipboard credit. The following is from a 2017-2018 onboard booking form I found online. It looks like the official form used by the cruise line. It also states placeholders can not be used for *GT rates.

Guests making a booking on board must sail within 24 months after the date the original booking was made on board. Block-out dates for this offer apply; block-out dates receive the onboard credit and reduced deposit benefits, but do not receive the 10% discount off prevailing rates. The following block-out dates are valid as of the date of printing of this offer.

 

[Sytrace]

I have a placeholder that I purchased in July of 2016. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use it and would end up asking for the deposit back. Well still doesn't look like I can find a week that's in the budget and fits in our calendar.
So here's what I need to know;
1) What does the email look like for confirmation? I just can't find the darn thing, maybe deleted it.
2) If I don't have paperwork saved, and cant find an email but they called to confirm after a charge card hold was cleared, do you think I'll have a problem?
3) Since I'm looking at a black out date and will get nothing extra for my deposit, can I use the $??? on a VG or GV (guaranteed veranda room)?
4) I won't use it other than this so is there something else I should consider?

Thank you in advance most knowledgeable board. You've helped me in a great many debacle.
The "My pre-paid room is now 4 cots in a conference room" of 2014.
Or the "I forgot my passports on the plane, now I'm in Vancouver and can't get on the ship" of 2016.
You guys are great!

1. They can look up your reservation by your name.
3. No, you cannot use a placeholder on VGT or any other discounted rates.
4. I can't think of any other thing you could use it on, if your choice sail dates are blacked out and you can't use it on VGT or special rates.

 

[tigerchic89]

We used a placeholder toward a black out cruise date. we did not get the 10% discount price, but we did get the OBB booking credit. Of course the $250 deposit per stateroom was just applied and we paid the difference to hit the 10% required deposit to book

 

[CM Dad]

You can check your Castaway Club membership and see a placeholder, I believe. It should be "in the system" you don't need a confirmation of it to cancel it.

Can you do this? In the past you could see both past and future cruises listed in you Castaway Club area and this automatically included future reservations, including placeholders. Sometime in the last year or so, they seem to have "improved" the web site and now you have to go the the My Reservations link. Reservations have to be manually added there, and it does not accept placeholder reservation numbers. At least that was my experience the last time I tried.

 

[Snowwhyt]

As always your group has been the most helpful. I do have my placeholder applied and was given a $100 on board credit. I asked if I could use my placeholder on a GT and she said it was allowed. I hope it was because she is in her second week at the call center. I gave her all 5's and I gave the fact that I had to wait over 10 min a 4. But I assume that will not be her fault.

 

[Racer X]

According to DCL: Placeholder reservations DO NOT show up on your castaway club area or anywhere on line.

 

[LisaDSO]

Forgive my newbieness, but what is this placeholder?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Forgive my newbieness, but what is this placeholder?

You can put down $250 on a future cruise (date no specified) while onboard. You must use the onboard booking within 24 months of placing the deposit. And you get a reduction on the cruise price, Onboard credit, and (on some) reduced deposit (once you decide which cruise to apply it to).

 

[Racer X]

Hello newbieness -

When you take a cruise you have the option of booking a future cruise at a discount. Used to be that you had to actually pick a date, and most often would just pick some bogus date. Instead now you just book a "Placeholder" cruise for $250 which secures your future cruise discount. Usually its 10% off and either $100 or $200 Onboard credit depending on length. Remember however that you can't use the discount for a blackout date.

PS: Gotta be quick around here to beat the SHMOO!

 

[LisaDSO]

Oh wow, thanks!

Hello newbieness -

When you take a cruise you have the option of booking a future cruise at a discount. Used to be that you had to actually pick a date, and most often would just pick some bogus date. Instead now you just book a "Placeholder" cruise for $250 which secures your future cruise discount. Usually its 10% off and either $100 or $200 Onboard credit depending on length. Remember however that you can't use the discount for a blackout date.

PS: Gotta be quick around here to beat the SHMOO!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello newbieness -

When you take a cruise you have the option of booking a future cruise at a discount. Used to be that you had to actually pick a date, and most often would just pick some bogus date. Instead now you just book a "Placeholder" cruise for $250 which secures your future cruise discount. Usually its 10% off and either $100 or $200 Onboard credit depending on length. Remember however that you can't use the discount for a blackout date.

PS: Gotta be quick around here to beat the SHMOO!