I never leave a Disney cruise without booking a placeholder. Not once. It's the easiest, lowest-risk way I know to save on your next sailing, and most first-time cruisers have never heard of it.
What is a placeholder?
A placeholder is a future cruise deposit you can only buy while you're on board a Disney ship. You don't pick a sailing yet. You're simply paying a small deposit per stateroom to lock in a guaranteed discount on a future cruise.
That deposit guarantees a discount on your next eligible sailing, and on select itineraries Disney has been adding even bigger savings on top of it. Disney has also started allowing placeholders on many concierge staterooms, which almost never go on promo otherwise. That's a big deal. The current deposit, the discount and the fine print are on Disney's own terms, which change from time to time; ask me and I'll tell you what applies today.
How do I book one?
- While you're on board, open the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app.
- Look for the future cruise offer.
- Put down the deposit. It takes seconds.
You don't need to know where or when you want to sail next. That's the whole point.
Why is there no real risk?
- The deposit isn't extra money. It goes toward your next cruise when you use the placeholder.
- It lasts two years. You have plenty of time to decide.
- It's refundable. If you don't use it within the validity period, the deposit is refunded to the card you paid with.
In the worst case, you get your money back. In the best case, you save a lot.
A real example
Recently, some of my guests booked a placeholder on their cruise. When they got home, we used it on a seven-night Disney Treasure sailing for the following summer. The placeholder took a nice chunk off right away. Then Disney added an extra promotional discount to that sailing, and it applied to their booking automatically. Their total savings ended up in the thousands, all because they took a minute on board to tap a button.
I did the same thing myself. When a friend booked a Mediterranean cruise and I couldn't resist joining her, I had an unused placeholder from my last cruise. Instant discount.
A few things to know
- Some itineraries are excluded, but the vast majority qualify.
- A placeholder can usually be combined with a booking made through your travel advisor, so you still get my onboard credit when you book through me.
- Placeholders generally don't combine with certain other promotions, like some resident rates. When you have both, I do the math and use whichever saves you more.
Already have one?
If you have a placeholder sitting unused, or you're not sure whether you bought one, send me a message. I'll check, find the sailings where it saves you the most, and get you booked. And if your next cruise is even a glimmer of an idea, book it early: the placeholder discount comes off whatever the fare is on the day, and the fare only goes one way.
