free upgrade ocean view to balcony?

[mariab]

Has anyone ever booked a ocean view and ask for an upgrade to balcony at check in and received it?

 

[lanejudy]

Pixie-dust upgrades may occur, but not by asking.

If you ask for an upgrade at check-in, they will assume you wish to pay for one and direct you to the supervisor's desk where you can check the cost to upgrade (if available, an upgrade at the port will be discounted vs upgrading before the cruise).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[JohnDS]

Has anyone ever booked a ocean view and ask for an upgrade to balcony at check in and received it?

What kind of ocean view are you in? Our 8C ocean view was a highlight on the Fantasy, I wouldn't have wanted to upgrade.

 

[tinkerone]

we received a free up grade from ocean view to veranda and it was one of the really really big verandas. we did not, however, get it at the port, it was given before we left. about 4 weeks before if i remember correctly. haven't heard of it happening lately to anyone though.

 

[MouseMomx2]

As others have said, random upgrades do occur, but they are less frequent now that DCL has introduced their GTY rates. You can ask for an upgrade at the port but it will not be free. You will pay less than you would if you upgraded now, but there will still be some cost.

 

[krlilienthal]

On our very first cruise on the Wonder we had booked a ocean view but when we checked in at the port we were informed we had be upgraded to a verandah. They knew what they were doing cause on our second cruise we booked a Oceanview and did not get upgraded and missed the verandah so much I just automatically just book a verandah room now

 

[mtchurchmonica]

On our very first cruise on the Wonder we had booked a ocean view but when we checked in at the port we were informed we had be upgraded to a verandah. They knew what they were doing cause on our second cruise we booked a Oceanview and did not get upgraded and missed the verandah so much I just automatically just book a verandah room now

Same here. On our first cruise, we booked two adjacent oceanview rooms that DCL upgraded to connecting balcony rooms. Nice surprise, but it definitely spoiled us.

 

[mmouse37]

Has anyone ever booked a ocean view and ask for an upgrade to balcony at check in and received it?

Here is a blurb I post when trying to explain upgrades.....

If you call DCL and "ask" for an upgrade DCL will assume you are willing to pay for that upgrade....but when DCL upgrades you on their own there is no cost to you.

DCL really does not upgrade out of the kindness of their hearts, well, maybe they do sometimes!!! But, in reality, they upgrade based on their inventory requirements for any given cruise. There is really no rhyme or reason or set pattern....it does not matter if you booked your cruise early or last minute, booked GTY status or got an assigned cabin, are a return cruiser or first timer, had a TA book it or booked on your own, paid off cruise early or at the due date, had one stateroom booked or many, had adjoining cabins or connecting cabins, booked onboard or from home, booked via phone or on the web, booked directly at the DCL site or with DCL on the phone, used DVC points or cash or reward dollars, yadda, yadda, yadda, etc.....none of these things matter in regards to DCL upgrading a cabin. Believe me, if there was a secret formula, the people on this board would have figured it out already!!! LOL!!!

You would find out if you were upgraded by checking on your reservation at the DCL site and seeing a change in cabin number if you were assigned a cabin. Or, if you were GTY status you would see if a cabin number was assigned. You can check the deck plan to see if it was an upgrade or not. If you booked with a TA they may call you if they noticed you were upgraded. Note....the category you booked will ALWAYS STILL SHOW on your reservation but the way to tell if you were upgraded is by checking the cabin number on a deck plan.

I like this website...

http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/Main/CL-Disney.php

or you can find the deck plans on this Dis here....

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-deckplans.htm

Sometimes DCL will contact you and offer you a paid upgrade at a lower price than if you booked it yourself....and sometimes there is availability the day of sailing to upgrade at the port at a significant discount. You would do this at the desk after you check in. You would head to the supervisor's desk and inquire about a paid upgrade. They have a chart (no one here has it) and they price the upgrade based on their chart but it is cheaper than upgrading ahead of time.

On the flip side...if you picked a cabin in an area of the ship that you like and you don't want to be upgraded then call DCL or your TA and tell them to put a DO NOT MOVE notation on your reservation. Some people pick a specific cabin that they want and don't want to be moved, even as an upgrade.

MJ

 

[mariab]

Thanks everyone...we have not cruised without a balcony in years but was looking at a (MTO discounted) one that only had oceanview available. I just know I would really miss it now :/

 

[cruisingtwins]

Maybe you can get a payed upgrade at port.

 

[jrabbit]

Thanks everyone...we have not cruised without a balcony in years but was looking at a (MTO discounted) one that only had oceanview available. I just know I would really miss it now :/

Yeah BUT ... 'tis better to be on the ship than not to be on the ship at all!!

 

[thethreechunks]

This is probably a long shot but what if you are booked in a Family Oceanview with Verandah, would they upgrade you to Concierge Family Oceanview with a verandah?