Hoping to upgrade at the port for the first, any tips on strategy for early arrival?

[Fladis32]

We are hoping to take a mid-Sept cruise with a good number of open concierge rooms (so far). We are hoping so much to upgrade at the port. We are trying to figure out the best possible strategy to be successful. The last time we took the bus from the port, we noticed that many people were already in the terminal. No fair Should we Uber to the port instead? Where does the line (or lines) form to enter? Just how early should we arrive? Does anyone check your port arrival time on a log or something? We do realize that we could be waiting a long time, but not too concerned about that. Any thoughts are appreciated. Btw, we are quite happy with our current room, just hoping it works out.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We are hoping to take a mid-Sept cruise with a good number of open concierge rooms (so far). We are hoping so much to upgrade at the port. We are trying to figure out the best possible strategy to be successful. The last time we took the bus from the port, we noticed that many people were already in the terminal. No fair Should we Uber to the port instead? Where does the line (or lines) form to enter? Just how early should we arrive? Does anyone check your port arrival time on a log or something? We do realize that we could be waiting a long time, but not too concerned about that. Any thoughts are appreciated. Btw, we are quite happy with our current room, just hoping it works out.

The best strategy would be to try to be on the first bus from MCO to the port. The first bus often arrives slightly before the terminal officially opens. The last time we were on that bus, they went ahead and let us into the terminal ahead of anyone arriving by car. We were towards the front of that bus and were either the 4th family entering the terminal.

 

[Trera]

The best strategy would be to try to be on the first bus from MCO to the port. The first bus often arrives slightly before the terminal officially opens. The last time we were on that bus, they went ahead and let us into the terminal ahead of anyone arriving by car. We were towards the front of that bus and were either the 4th family entering the terminal.

Keep in mind the B2B cruisers are the first ones in the port that can check in and upgrade. We have gotten upgrades 2 times upgrading as a B2B cruisers.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I’ve never tried to upgrade but I thought I read that you pay the same price you would have paid if you had reserved the room to begin with. In other words you simply pay the difference. Is that wrong? If it’s right and there are rooms available then I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just change your room category before you get to the port. Just wondering what I’m missing,

 

[Fladis32]

We have friends who paid much less to upgrade at the port than they would have paid doing it prior to cruise.

Also, the airport bus is no longer the first at the port. They changed their policy recently and leave a little later. They said that too many people were complaining about “sitting around at the port with nothing to do”.

I think we will just arrive super early and line up in the garage.

 

[Trera]

I think we will just arrive super early and line up in the garage.

That is the only real way. There will be a line forming by 9 am based on our experience of getting to the port early for upgrades. The bridge line supposedly gets let into the port earlier than the line down at ground level.

 

[dhutchin12]

We did this on one cruise. We took the first bus from MCO to the port. We were there very very early to get in line first or close to first. We got seats at the front of the bus and entered the terminal as the 2nd family. We checked in quickly, walked immediately over to the supervisor's desk, and were able to upgrade our room. Good luck!

 

[katellynne]

We have friends who paid much less to upgrade at the port than they would have paid doing it prior to cruise.

Also, the airport bus is no longer the first at the port. They changed their policy recently and leave a little later. They said that too many people were complaining about “sitting around at the port with nothing to do”.

I think we will just arrive super early and line up in the garage.

yes to the airport bus no longer being first. If it was there first you would be able to enter before the garage line. but we were unpleasantly surprised to see the first bus leave really late from MCO on our recent cruise. in the past we have stayed at MCO at the Hyatt Regency and then taken the bus and been among the first in the terminal. but this time the lines were HUGE and they seemed in no hurry to get anyone to the port. It may have just been our cruise but next time I will do private transport to ensure early arrival. we missed not only the chance to upgrade/change rooms but also were too late to take advantage of platinum boarding. its not necessary but I have always boarded as early as possible and this time couldn't and it felt rushed and behind all day!

 

[MomOTwins]

I can't say I'm too surprised by this development. The fact that resort buses arrive so late struck me as an attempt at crowd control in the terminal. It was only a matter of time before they did that with the airline buses too. Pretty much every blog post you read about embarkation includes a bit about how crowded the terminal is and how you'd better be prepared to sit around and wait a lot.

 

[Marc D]

I’ve never tried to upgrade but I thought I read that you pay the same price you would have paid if you had reserved the room to begin with. In other words you simply pay the difference. Is that wrong? If it’s right and there are rooms available then I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just change your room category before you get to the port. Just wondering what I’m missing,

When you upgrade online, you pay the difference per person between what you paid and what you would have paid for the new room on the day you booked. When you upgrade at port, you pay a flat fee based on the category you booked and the new category. While the upgrade grid is specific to every cruise, it usually amounts to significant savings compared to upgrading before the cruise is closed, especially if there are many guests in the room.

 

[mmouse37]

When you upgrade online, you pay the difference per person between what you paid and what you would have paid for the new room on the day you booked. When you upgrade at port, you pay a flat fee based on the category you booked and the new category. While the upgrade grid is specific to every cruise, it usually amounts to significant savings compared to upgrading before the cruise is closed, especially if there are many guests in the room.

Good explanation!!!

MJ

 

[Trera]

Sometimes upgrading right when the port opens may not be the best plan.

for example, if you are trying to upgrade from a deck 5 ocean view to a deck 8 veranda............that veranda room may not open up until/if someone in a deck 8 veranda upgrades say to a concierge.

If the room type you want is available right when you get to the desk first thing, then obviously this scenario doesn't apply.

We once got to the port around 1:30 and the supervisors desk was right next to the desk we were at checking in. I was talking with the check in person and noticed the sign at the supervisors desk said "no upgrades available today". By the time we got finished checking in, the supervisor took the sign down and I walked over and asked if there were upgrades available and she replied, "I have a 1 BR suite in concierge as the family booked there cancelled at the last minute". We gladly took it. I am assuming then someone took our deck 9 mid ship Veranda

 

[Marc D]

Sometimes upgrading right when the port opens may not be the best plan.

If the ship is not full and you are hoping to get a stateroom still available when the cruise closes 3 days before sailing, your best chance is to be first in the terminal.

If the ship is full and you are eyeing a cancellation stateroom, you just never know. If a cancellation is known by DCL a few days in advance, your best bet to get that room is to be there at terminal opening. If the same family cancels because they miss their day-of flight and can’t get another flight, it will probably open up after boarding began. Add to that the musical chair effect of successive upgrades and you could be eating lunch in Cabanas when that cheap 4E becomes available.

The only realistic way to approach upgrades is to book the room you are willing to sail in and see any upgrade as pixie dust, even if you pay for it.

 

[skfulkers]

We were pretty much in your same scenario in early June. Five concierge rooms still open when the 3-day blackout started online before arrival. We arrived at port at 8:45am and went to 3rd level of the parking garage. We were first in line and made friends with the cast member who was “staffing the area.” She made sure we stayed first in line when the garage line split into two on both sides of the entry doors.

We were first through security and beat the level 1 crowd, and went straight to check-in and then the upgrade desk. We got the upgrade room we wanted, and all 5 concierge rooms were still available from the black out 3 days earlier.

We received a significant discount from online upgrade price, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10K savings for a one-bedroom by upgrading at port.

So I would say go for it, just get to the terminal early to be the first ones in line.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Sometimes upgrading right when the port opens may not be the best plan.

for example, if you are trying to upgrade from a deck 5 ocean view to a deck 8 veranda............that veranda room may not open up until/if someone in a deck 8 veranda upgrades say to a concierge.

If the room type you want is available right when you get to the desk first thing, then obviously this scenario doesn't apply.

We once got to the port around 1:30 and the supervisors desk was right next to the desk we were at checking in. I was talking with the check in person and noticed the sign at the supervisors desk said "no upgrades available today". By the time we got finished checking in, the supervisor took the sign down and I walked over and asked if there were upgrades available and she replied, "I have a 1 BR suite in concierge as the family booked there cancelled at the last minute". We gladly took it. I am assuming then someone took our deck 9 mid ship Veranda

We are currently booked in a Deck 8 verandah (cat 4B), mostly because I wanted the murphy bed so neither of our college aged children would have to sleep on the berth bed. It sounds like I could save a lot of money by booking a Deck 5 oceanview, and upgrading at port to the Deck 8 Verandah if there is an open room.

So how can I find out the capacity of the ship? Our PIF date is next week and this has got me considering whether I should change rooms to a lower category with the hope of upgrading at port?

 

[Marc D]

So how can I find out the capacity of the ship? Our PIF date is next week and this has got me considering whether I should change rooms to a lower category with the hope of upgrading at port?

Try starting a new reservation with the proper number of guests. Sometimes, a stateroom will be available but the muster station will be full. You’ll only know if a room is truly available once the system allows you to see a specific cabin number.

For myself, I would never book a stateroom based on a possible upgrade. You’re chances of upgrading at port, even with staterooms still available, are subject to plenty of variables, known and unknown. You could easily be stuck in that 5E that, as I understand it, you do not want. I would never chance it for a possible cost saving.

 

[Trera]

Try starting a new reservation with the proper number of guests. Sometimes, a stateroom will be available but the muster station will be full. You’ll only know if a room is truly available once the system allows you to see a specific cabin number.

For myself, I would never book a stateroom based on a possible upgrade. You’re chances of upgrading at port, even with staterooms still available, are subject to plenty of variables, known and unknown. You could easily be stuck in that 5E that, as I understand it, you do not want. I would never chance it for a possible cost saving.

I agree with this thinking

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We are currently booked in a Deck 8 verandah (cat 4B), mostly because I wanted the murphy bed so neither of our college aged children would have to sleep on the berth bed. It sounds like I could save a lot of money by booking a Deck 5 oceanview, and upgrading at port to the Deck 8 Verandah if there is an open room.

So how can I find out the capacity of the ship? Our PIF date is next week and this has got me considering whether I should change rooms to a lower category with the hope of upgrading at port?

I would never book a lower category room than what I wanted based on wanting to upgrade at the port. I've been on 7 DCL cruises and the "no upgrades available" sign has been up when I checked in for every cruise except one.

 

[lanejudy]

We are currently booked in a Deck 8 verandah (cat 4B), mostly because I wanted the murphy bed so neither of our college aged children would have to sleep on the berth bed.

Not every 4B room has a murphy bed, so even if an upgrade is available at port, you might find you have to deal with the drop-down berth anyway. I would not give up a room that has the features you want, for the possibility of upgrading at port. Always book the category in which you will be happy cruising.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I can't say I'm too surprised by this development. The fact that resort buses arrive so late struck me as an attempt at crowd control in the terminal. It was only a matter of time before they did that with the airline buses too. Pretty much every blog post you read about embarkation includes a bit about how crowded the terminal is and how you'd better be prepared to sit around and wait a lot.

This is because people ignore their Port Arrival Times. These are scheduled for a reason. IMO, Disney should not let anyone even check-in before their PAT. That would put an end to the madhouse that occurs there.