Can you no longer choose a specific cabin online?

MouseinMelbourne

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Back in the day....

You used to be able to put a specific cabin number that you wanted when booking online. Am I crazy, or is that no longer an option? You have to call DCL to reserve if you want a specific cabin? Why would they take away that functionality? What’s the logic? Seems like it made more work for them.

Or someone tell me I am blind and where to find this hidden capability. Please? :flower1:
 
If the cabin you want doesn't show up, then yes, you have to call. If you're trying to book something so you have it (ie: on opening day), take what they are showing as available and then call to switch rooms. I'm always able to get a room I want, but it has never yet been one they "suggest" to me. They certainly don't show you all the availability like they did a few years ago. I expect it's so they can control the rooms they want booked first, as it's always the same ones that show up until they are filled. They know, for example, that people love the Starboard side, so it doesn't show up on the web, even on opening day. They don't have to 'advertise' it.
 
If the cabin you want doesn't show up, then yes, you have to call. If you're trying to book something so you have it (ie: on opening day), take what they are showing as available and then call to switch rooms. I'm always able to get a room I want, but it has never yet been one they "suggest" to me. They certainly don't show you all the availability like they did a few years ago. I expect it's so they can control the rooms they want booked first, as it's always the same ones that show up until they are filled. They know, for example, that people love the Starboard side, so it doesn't show up on the web, even on opening day. They don't have to 'advertise' it.


Huh. I had no idea! I have two booked, one from a looooong time ago and the second I just grabbed anything under the FL Resident discount. Thank you for this info. I’m awaiting opening day for Christmas 2020 and don’t want to hesitate. Which I would have done without this info! lol So, your suggestion is to grab any room in the category I want and then call to switch? Kind of a pain, but that’s ok, I’ll do it.
 
Huh. I had no idea! I have two booked, one from a looooong time ago and the second I just grabbed anything under the FL Resident discount. Thank you for this info. I’m awaiting opening day for Christmas 2020 and don’t want to hesitate. Which I would have done without this info! lol So, your suggestion is to grab any room in the category I want and then call to switch? Kind of a pain, but that’s ok, I’ll do it.
If you're on a cruise that could book up quickly and go up in price, then yeah, grab what you can. (Hawaii, for example), but if you're on a cruise that's likely to not even change price for several weeks, you can afford to just phone to make your booking.

Others here might have some strategies they use. We go through Costco, so I'm calling anyway.
 


Yes, it definitely appears that the web site has a significant preference for port side rooms, particularly when looking at opening day availability. We have a small number of preferred rooms, mid-ship, non-connecting, near the elevator lobby. Frequently only see the port side rooms and have to ask about starboard availability when calling to book. I’m usually using a placeholder, so I need to call in any case, but use the web site to get an idea about pricing while waiting on hold to do my booking.
 
I had no idea that the website only showed some of the rooms available. Thanks for the info! These boards are great!

I thought i had noticed that when I booked my July 2020 cruise on silver opening day. The room I wanted wasn't available, so I got one near it. I went back a little later, days or weeks, and the one I wanted was available. They were the same cat and price. Interesting. I thought maybe it had been held back for a TA or group or something.
 


I thought i had noticed that when I booked my July 2020 cruise on silver opening day. The room I wanted wasn't available, so I got one near it. I went back a little later, days or weeks, and the one I wanted was available. They were the same cat and price. Interesting. I thought maybe it had been held back for a TA or group or something.

It is quite possible that someone Platinum or Gold put it on hold on THEIR opening day and then it released after 72 hours.
 
The web site reservation system is now built on top of an API which limits display of available rooms to 8 in any given category for a given deck and section of the ship (forward / mid / aft). If there are 8 or fewer rooms available, it shows full availability, but if you see 8, it does not mean that those are the only rooms you can pick. However, you can't verify that any longer without calling in.
 

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