Can someone please explain the upgrade thing?

[goodfaerie]

I keep hearing about it, but not sure if it's something you have to pay for--would some kind soul please explain it to me?

Thanks

GoodFaerie

 

[DisneyGator01]

There are two types of upgrades.. the one's you pay for, and the magical ones you are surprised with

Sometimes as a sailing date approaches, and if the ship is not fully booked, you can pay for an upgrade and can get a good deal on it. Let's say you book a CAT 8 Deluxe Ocean view, and call and they tell you, "Would you like to upgrade to a CAT 6, Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah for an extra $50 per person.. and you jump up and down and say HECK YEAH I WANT THAT UPGRADE). Sometimes you can get a good deal on an upgrade with you check in, it all depends on how booked the ship is, and which CAT's are still available at sailing.


Other times, they might overbook a Category and will need to upgrade people, so those are the free surprises.. or if a ship isn't that full, they will "upgrade" people to a different deck and higher category, just to balance out the numbers in the staterooms. That way they can close down entire sections of staterooms, rather then have odd ones empty here or there. I would assume that on DCL, it is more likely to get the free upgrade because of overbooking.. since I have been told that most DCL cruises sail at or near capacity.

Hope that helps. Best advice is to book the stateroom category you will be happy with, rather then counting on a a cheap or free upgrade. That way you aren't disapointed.

 

[goodfaerie]

Thanks for the info!

We booked Cat. 11--couldn't really afford more after having to pay for transportation to the airport and boarding our animals--yikes! We cruised Disney once before, and had cat 11 and it was fine. We were rarely in our stateroom except to sleep, shower and change clothes. So, if we get an upgrade, then yay for us! If not, I'll be just fine--you can find me on Deck 10. Hee hee!

GoodFaerie

 

[Dreamer04]

Great explaination, Shelley.

 

[jrabbit]

Never book a room that you won't be happy with and expect to get upgraded. You will most likely be disapointed. (How can you be disapointed while on the Magic or Wonder ). There seems to be a lot of talk about people getting upgraded - there are a lot of people repeating their stories for people with new questions about upgrades.

Someone said that you should book the cheepest room on the nicest ship and you will be happy. So if you are picking the Magic or Wonder, you have picked the nicest ships.

 

[AnnMorin]

Always buy the worst house in the best neighborhood, not the best house in the worst neighborhood! I totally agree, for our family DCL is the best "neighborhood"
It really is important to book what you will be happy with. Although there are people who are upgraded, in the grand scheme of things very very few people are. Thousands of people sail with DCL each week and only a handfull get upgraded. This is our forth cruise and we have never been upgraded, since we do not book a lower cabin I am very aware that we in all probablity will never be upgraded. Does this make me want to cruise on another line? No... I buy what I am happy with and that is "best house that we can afford in the best neighborhood"! I sometimes worry about people that seem to set themselves up for dissapointment, if you are not going to be happy in a cat. 11, don't reserve one simply because it say's gaurentee and you are hoping to be bumped up.. if you are not you will be soured for your entire trip.

 

[brack]

The free upgrade is like grace in religion ... it's an unmerited favor

 

[Jeanny]

Don't expect great expectations... reserve what you're comfortable with and if you happen to be a lucky one to be offered an upgraded, then congratulations. I never expect anything, that way I'm happy with what I've planned for.

 

[jgalecpa]

Ann,

Always buy the worst house in the best neighborhood, not the best house in the worst neighborhood!

I agree 100%. This really does apply to cruise ships.

Get the worst cabin on the best ship

I have lived by this rule for nearly 30 years.

You are buying ship, not the cabin. My brother got a magnificent room on a carnival ship. Nuff said.

I also agree that you should only pay for a room you will be comfortable with. I insist on a porthole, so I'll be down in Cat 9. But only to dress, sleep and Snuggle with DW.

It's just me, but for the money I would rather take fourCAT 9 cruises than three cat 4's.

Jim