Free Suite Upgrade?

[RJMLAW]

We recently traveled on the Disney Fantasy ... we had booked a concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom with veranda. Prior to our embarkation we had asked our travel agent about upgraded to a 1-BR suite but the price difference was going to be in excess of $4000 so we quickly decided against it. However, when we went to check in at that the port, we were told that we were being moved and that it appeared to be to a 1 BR suite. Free of charge. The person at the Port had no idea why or how we were being moved but advised us not to ask questions. We asked a few people on the boat but nobody seemed to have any answers. Has this happened to anyone before? And does it happen often? Were we just picked randomly? I know I should just be grateful and not ask any questions, but I can't help being curious.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

FYI: We upgraded to 1 BDR at the port our last cruise and paid something like $300 per person (there were 4 or us).

 

[Dug720]

We recently traveled on the Disney Fantasy ... we had booked a concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom with veranda. Prior to our embarkation we had asked our travel agent about upgraded to a 1-BR suite but the price difference was going to be in excess of $4000 so we quickly decided against it. However, when we went to check in at that the port, we were told that we were being moved and that it appeared to be to a 1 BR suite. Free of charge. The person at the Port had no idea why or how we were being moved but advised us not to ask questions. We asked a few people on the boat but nobody seemed to have any answers. Has this happened to anyone before? And does it happen often? Were we just picked randomly? I know I should just be grateful and not ask any questions, but I can't help being curious.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

FYI: We upgraded to 1 BDR at the port our last cruise and paid something like $300 per person (there were 4 or us).

A few possibilities...

1) Someone who booked an Ocean View guaranty was put in your cabin and you were bumped up.

2) There was some kind os maintenance issue with your original cabin that could not be resolved, so you were bumped up.

3) An entertainer (not DCL...the extra ones) might have wanted to bring family and requested an ocean view cabin and you were bumped up.

4) Random pixie dust.

1, 3, and 4 would be random assignments...though if it was your first cruise there is a possibility that the bump up wasn't totally random but to hook you. A lot of people have the belief that once you sail concierge you never go back. I defy that "logic" and would honestly rather sail regular than concierge any day. (ETA: Sorry...I just saw the bit about you'd sailed it before, so it wouldn't have been to try and hook you. Or maybe it was...remind you of what you didn't book this time hoping to entice you to make that your category from now on.)

I select my cabins for specific reasons and would not be very happy if I got bumped up for anything other than reason number 2. My last DCL cruise I booked a GTY for the category I adore...deluxe family ocean view deck 9 because I toyed with a navigator's veranda and lost my favorite cabins - and I got bumped to one of the veranda cabins on Deck 5. I spent so much time out of that cabin because that is never a category I'd choose...I don't need the stupid extra veranda space, and it was MUCH more midship than I like. I'm one of the weird people who actually likes the motion while I'm on a cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We recently traveled on the Disney Fantasy ... we had booked a concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom with veranda. Prior to our embarkation we had asked our travel agent about upgraded to a 1-BR suite but the price difference was going to be in excess of $4000 so we quickly decided against it. However, when we went to check in at that the port, we were told that we were being moved and that it appeared to be to a 1 BR suite. Free of charge. The person at the Port had no idea why or how we were being moved but advised us not to ask questions. We asked a few people on the boat but nobody seemed to have any answers. Has this happened to anyone before? And does it happen often? Were we just picked randomly? I know I should just be grateful and not ask any questions, but I can't help being curious.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

FYI: We upgraded to 1 BDR at the port our last cruise and paid something like $300 per person (there were 4 or us).

Yes, people get "upgraded" on DCL. No rhyme or reason as to who or why. Most of the time it's because DCL may need your original room for some other purpose, or maintenace.

Of course, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. We booked a 7A room once and got a 4A. You never know.

It's called "pixie dust" upgrades.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Did you, by chance ever go by the room you had booked? I wondered if it looked lived in or perhaps if there was maintenance happening.

 

[RJMLAW]

A few possibilities...

1) Someone who booked an Ocean View guaranty was put in your cabin and you were bumped up.

2) There was some kind os maintenance issue with your original cabin that could not be resolved, so you were bumped up.

3) An entertainer (not DCL...the extra ones) might have wanted to bring family and requested an ocean view cabin and you were bumped up.

4) Random pixie dust.

1, 3, and 4 would be random assignments...though if it was your first cruise there is a possibility that the bump up wasn't totally random but to hook you. A lot of people have the belief that once you sail concierge you never go back. I defy that "logic" and would honestly rather sail regular than concierge any day. (ETA: Sorry...I just saw the bit about you'd sailed it before, so it wouldn't have been to try and hook you. Or maybe it was...remind you of what you didn't book this time hoping to entice you to make that your category from now on.)

I select my cabins for specific reasons and would not be very happy if I got bumped up for anything other than reason number 2. My last DCL cruise I booked a GTY for the category I adore...deluxe family ocean view deck 9 because I toyed with a navigator's veranda and lost my favorite cabins - and I got bumped to one of the veranda cabins on Deck 5. I spent so much time out of that cabin because that is never a category I'd choose...I don't need the stupid extra veranda space, and it was MUCH more midship than I like. I'm one of the weird people who actually likes the motion while I'm on a cruise.

Ah, thanks. We've sailed with Disney in the past and have done Concierge so it's probably wasn't to "hook us" as we're already hooked lol. It was probably one of the other reasons. Regardless, I guess I shouldn't complain.

 

[RJMLAW]

Did you, by chance ever go by the room you had booked? I wondered if it looked lived in or perhaps if there was maintenance happening.

No, we didn't. We should've though. We asked a few people but nobody seemed to have any idea including our Concierge team.

 

[RJMLAW]

Yes, people get "upgraded" on DCL. No rhyme or reason as to who or why. Most of the time it's because DCL may need your original room for some other purpose, or maintenace.

Of course, it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. We booked a 7A room once and got a 4A. You never know.

It's called "pixie dust" upgrades.

"Pixie Dust" upgrades ... I like that. I'll just go with that.