Concierge Lounge policy

[sexyrx]

We are sailing concierge on the Dream in a few weeks (so excited!). What is the policy on having family members not sailing concierge in the lounge if we are accompanying them there with us? Would love to have them join us for happy hour before dinner. TIA!

 

[wilkeliza]

Technically it is for those staying in concierge level rooms only. However just letting you know this is a hot button topic here as some will say ask the lounge CMs for permission and others will say absolutely not because it is for those paying for concierge not their guests as well.

 

[phinz]

No. The Concierge Lounge is for Concierge passenger use only. I've cruised non-Concierge before and waited outside the lounge while a friend went in to tell PJ I was there to say hello. Respect the Concierge exclusivity by keeping it exclusive. If one person does it then everybody may want to, and the lounge isn't big enough for everybody's family to hang out together.

Solution: Have everybody over to your room to gather. You can go get a drink during happy hour and take it with you.

 

[tink1970]

I have to chime in with those who say no. Part of the cruise fare for concierge is exclusive use of the lounge (please refer to multiple threads on "is concierge worth it" and "it is so expensive to cruise with Disney"), including alcoholic beverages and a bartender at certain times of the day. Only those who paid for such should receive such. Plus, it puts the concierge hosts in an awkward position to have to "police" the lounge.

 

[pezgirlroy]

I have to be honest, if I were paying Concierge level I would probably not be very happy if there were those in the lounge who did not pay for that perk. To me that is one of the best perks of Concierge level.

 

[undertheradar]

We are sailing concierge on the Dream in a few weeks (so excited!). What is the policy on having family members not sailing concierge in the lounge if we are accompanying them there with us? Would love to have them join us for happy hour before dinner. TIA!

I would say that if they want concierge perks, they should pay for concierge staterooms.

 

[sexyrx]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I am glad I asked first! I definitely see the point that the lounge should be reserved for concierge guests. I've booked a cabana, all adult dining reservations, meet and greets, and tastings for all of us so they've already benefited. We'll take pictures of the lounge and show them!

 

[Trera]

Have a fun cruise. Concierge makes it so easy and nice.

 

[CM Dad]

It may be possible, but I wouldn't count on it. I have only traveled once in concierge on the Wonder for my wife's 60th birthday. The two of us, plus our adult son were in the Walt suite. We were traveling with our three adult daughters and their husbands/kids or boyfriend in 3 non-concierge staterooms. I did not ask, but the concierge host offered to let them join us in some of the concierge happy hours. I think part of the reason they allowed this was that a bunch of concierge rooms were being renovated (new non-split beds, etc) so the had a relative light load in the lounge. I think this was the first cruise where the Wonder was trying nightly happy hour receptions in the Outlook Cafe.

 

[Dug720]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I am glad I asked first! I definitely see the point that the lounge should be reserved for concierge guests. I've booked a cabana, all adult dining reservations, meet and greets, and tastings for all of us so they've already benefited. We'll take pictures of the lounge and show them!

I think this is the best course of action.

While some say "Ask the hosts" IMHO that puts them in an awkward position as they want to make you happy, but they also want to keep everyone else happy and know that if they say yes to one person, that opens the barn door for everyone to ask. (And I feel that way about asking a CM to do anything that technically is not allowed - I have seen people first-hand ask things/make demands and then start screaming about "The guest is ALWAYS right" when they don't get what they want. It's not pretty. This was NOT on a cruise, btw.)

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

On our Feb. cruise a non concierge person was asked to leave even though they were with friends that were concierge. The lounge is small and I would hope people would follow the rules.

 

[cgolf]

I guess you could say we broke the rules once, but it was a unique situation and we had asked the hosts if we needed to do this in our room to avoid a kerfuffle. The situation was taking advantage of the perk of not waiting at the obb booking desk to book our rooms for the next year, for this they said my mom could come in the lounge to do that and then she left as soon as the booking was done.

If someone wants to call me out on that go right ahead, but we paid for the perk of not having to wait in line to rebook, I was for sure going to take advantage of a perk I paid for.

 

[undertheradar]

It may be possible, but I wouldn't count on it. I have only traveled once in concierge on the Wonder for my wife's 60th birthday. The two of us, plus our adult son were in the Walt suite. We were traveling with our three adult daughters and their husbands/kids or boyfriend in 3 non-concierge staterooms. I did not ask, but the concierge host offered to let them join us in some of the concierge happy hours. I think part of the reason they allowed this was that a bunch of concierge rooms were being renovated (new non-split beds, etc) so the had a relative light load in the lounge. I think this was the first cruise where the Wonder was trying nightly happy hour receptions in the Outlook Cafe.

We were informed about the Cat V staterooms being added to the classics in December. It was explained that there was enough need for additional space, that these were added to accommodate larger sailing parties.

Truth be told, I am not a fan of Cat V staterooms. Prefer that concierge be all Cat T and above, so it is all suites. That way, all of concierge has the MDR in suite option, as well as the hot breakfast option. Adding the additional staterooms to concierge will make a small lounge, even smaller.

 

[Trera]

We were informed about the Cat V staterooms being added to the classics in December. It was explained that there was enough need for additional space, that these were added to accommodate larger sailing parties.

Truth be told, I am not a fan of Cat V staterooms. Prefer that concierge be all Cat T and above, so it is all suites. That way, all of concierge has the MDR in suite option, as well as the hot breakfast option. Adding the additional staterooms to concierge will make a small lounge, even smaller.

The Wonder lounge is nice and big and is my favorite lounge of all the ships. I am not sure how the 10 additional rooms will impact it as it never really seems overly crowded except right when you board the ship and at some of the cocktail hours before dinner.

We heard the main reason that they did it was because a lot of people where booking the T and the connector room next to it and then having everyone use the lounge from both rooms. Not sure if it is true or not but it was definitely an issue according to some of the concierge hosts.

 

[cgolf]

We were informed about the Cat V staterooms being added to the classics in December. It was explained that there was enough need for additional space, that these were added to accommodate larger sailing parties.

Truth be told, I am not a fan of Cat V staterooms. Prefer that concierge be all Cat T and above, so it is all suites. That way, all of concierge has the MDR in suite option, as well as the hot breakfast option. Adding the additional staterooms to concierge will make a small lounge, even smaller.

Not sure that is possible on the Dream class with the location of the Cat V rooms. They would also have to decrease the cost of the Cat V rooms by a lot, since you are essentially paying for the lounge and other perks, the nicer decor really isn't worth all that much, and the location of the rooms isn't the greatest either.