Benefits of Concierge?

[Bsmitty]

I'm a newbie...so forgive this probably very ignorant question...

I was reading through the port upgrades thread & the possibility of potential upgrades to concierge. So my question is; what are the benefits of concierge vs regular staterooms, other than the obvious difference in square footage of rooms? Are there extras included? The significant difference in price has got to be more than just the space, I'm thinking. But I can't find details about it on Disney's website.

 

[dragynally]

I'm a newbie...so forgive this probably very ignorant question...

I was reading through the port upgrades thread & the possibility of potential upgrades to concierge. So my question is; what are the benefits of concierge vs regular staterooms, other than the obvious difference in square footage of rooms? Are there extras included? The significant difference in price has got to be more than just the space, I'm thinking. But I can't find details about it on Disney's website.

Concierge gets its own lounge. You get a special host who books everything for you. You get first dibs on online booking of excursions and other extras

 

[Trera]

The room type V is not any bigger of a room than a family verandah room.

Other benefits would be as follows:

1. Pillow menu for selecting different pillows
2. seperate check in and waiting area
3. first to board (except for back to back cruisers)
4. happy hour free drinks in the evening
5. free popcorn for movies
6. snacks and food throughout the day
7. unlimited bottled water and canned sodas
8. special character greeting
9. access to Cabana bookings on Castaway Cay

Those are the few that come to mind. I am sure others can complete the list.

 

[AquaDame]

I was able to email the concierge team and have them move us to main dining when it was not available on the website (I kept checking for a couple weeks then figured I would give just asking a shot). I also requested our own table and they said concierge always has their own table in the MDRs. We're sailing concierge for the first time in one of the "new" cat v rooms on the Wonder in January so its all new to me too!

 

[1Winston]

The kids club, spa and all your bookings are done by the concierge team, they come to you vs waiting in line ups. You also get to book your excursions etc before the other cruisers except platinum who I believe also get to book at 120 days out. The concierge team is amazing.

 

[jlemieu1]

A free wifi package - I forget which one, the Cat R gets unlimited
express departure - they will take you to head of the line
MDR dining in cabin for Cat T,S and R
Hot breakfast room services
You can do the Shutter's service in the lounge versus waiting in line

 

[RedM94]

I was able to email the concierge team and have them move us to main dining when it was not available on the website (I kept checking for a couple weeks then figured I would give just asking a shot). I also requested our own table and they said concierge always has their own table in the MDRs. We're sailing concierge for the first time in one of the "new" cat v rooms on the Wonder in January so its all new to me too!

@AquaDame We Are also sailing on the Wonder Jan 2018 and saw the concierge cat v rooms today. Not sure if I want to spend the extra cash. Out of curiosity, Can you tell me how the room price today compares to when they were first released?

 

[AquaDame]

@AquaDame We Are also sailing on the Wonder Jan 2018 and saw the concierge cat v rooms today. Not sure if I want to spend the extra cash. Out of curiosity, Can you tell me how the room price today compares to when they were first released?

Sure! For us (2 adults) it has gone up $280 in total. We are on the Jan 28th cruise.

 

[RedM94]

Sure! For us (2 adults) it has gone up $280 in total. We are on the Jan 28th cruise.

We are book on the same cruise then! Not sure if we will upgrade at this point.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

express departure - they will take you to head of the line

But, the "head of the line" they take you to is the head of the line departing the ship. Correct? Not the head of the line for customs/immigration.

 

[AquaDame]

We are book on the same cruise then! Not sure if we will upgrade at this point.

I don't blame you... it is almost double! I was booked solo on the following cruise for a B2B that my husband doesn't have time for... in the end I decided I'd rather spend the money to make the part he can go on more enjoyable and go home with him. Or at least that is how I rationalized it...

 

[phinz]

But, the "head of the line" they take you to is the head of the line departing the ship. Correct? Not the head of the line for customs/immigration.

Correct. You have a separate line to depart/check out at the little stand DCL employees run, but it's a free-for-all after that point. You get to stand in line now with everybody else. We've experienced it several different ways, with less services each time. First time it was front of line then escorted by an officer down to Customs, where you picked up a porter and were escorted to the front of the Customs line. After that we were escorted to the front of the line then go down, pick up a porter and get into a porter-specific line to go through customs. This last time it was as I stated at the beginning of this paragraph.

 

[jlemieu1]

But, the "head of the line" they take you to is the head of the line departing the ship. Correct? Not the head of the line for customs/immigration.

You are correct the head of the ship departure line. Not the head of the customs line. But since you could be the first off the ship there really shouldn't be any lines yet.

 

[Trera]

They basically take you to where you scan your KTTW card and you then head down the escalator.

 

[kaseyC]

You are correct the head of the ship departure line. Not the head of the customs line. But since you could be the first off the ship there really shouldn't be any lines yet.

But if you choose not to be one of the first off, you can be stuck in a really long line. A few cruise lines offer an escort to the customs line for their Concierge guests. With the premium charged for DCL concierge, escorted priority debarking through customs could easily be offered. Its a perk that would have great value to their guests and really cost them little.

 

[phinz]

But if you choose not to be one of the first off, you can be stuck in a really long line. A few cruise lines offer an escort to the customs line for their Concierge guests. With the premium charged for DCL concierge, escorted priority debarking through customs could easily be offered. Its a perk that would have great value to their guests and really cost them little.

I was told by one of the hosts (I don't remember which) that the reason they stopped escorting Concierge guests to the front of the line was that a previous Concierge guest got hateful with one of the Customs officials so Customs said that there was to be no priority treatment. Take that with whatever grain of seasoning you prefer, but I'm just passing on what my wife and I were told. We were also told by a long-time porter that the reason there isn't a porter-specific line anymore is because people who chose not to grab a porter were getting angry about there being a separate porter-assisted line.

 

[kaseyC]

I was told by one of the hosts (I don't remember which) that the reason they stopped escorting Concierge guests to the front of the line was that a previous Concierge guest got hateful with one of the Customs officials so Customs said that there was to be no priority treatment. Take that with whatever grain of seasoning you prefer, but I'm just passing on what my wife and I were told. We were also told by a long-time porter that the reason there isn't a porter-specific line anymore is because people who chose not to grab a porter were getting angry about there being a separate porter-assisted line.

If that's the reason, that's a shame one guest ruined it for everyone.

 

[phinz]

If that's the reason, that's a shame one guest ruined it for everyone.

Unfortunately it's the way of the world. I've seen far too many benefits and perks taken away in all parts of my life because of that proverbial one bad apple.

 

[Trera]

Unfortunately it's the way of the world. I've seen far too many benefits and perks taken away in all parts of my life because of that proverbial one bad apple.

agree on this with you!

 

[AquaDame]

Unfortunately it's the way of the world. I've seen far too many benefits and perks taken away in all parts of my life because of that proverbial one bad apple.

I'm not sure how one thing led to another... that cruiser would have been just as rude from a regular line you'd think? It's awful the way some people choose to treat others.