July 28, 2007 - "Rome-ancing the Mouse Cruisers" -11 days! Part 3

[danfromca]

So at this time there are 35 numbered staterooms available still on our cruise, reasonable chance of upgrades, as they are still selling CAT 12 GTY's, but do not have any availability so some must get an upgrade.

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while now. The pricing has been holding steady. Curiously, the room availability has been fairly steady as well - I did some more research by experimenting with the site on a distant (Nov 2008 off-peak) cruise.

It turns out that the list of rooms it displays is just their view of "the best" available staterooms. There's a checkbox below that allows you to check the availability of any other stateroom.

So the 35 numbered staterooms available actually represents a minimum number of available staterooms. The actual number may be greater.

Regarding the category 12 - I don't think they EVER show exact staterooms on the web. On the Nov 2008 cruise it just showed GTY for category 12.

The real question at this point, given that so many people downgraded to category 12, is what strategy do they use when upgrading? Do they upgrade as many people as possible to the best categories available (risking leaving all the category 12 cabins empty), or do they upgrade people as little as possible, leaving the category 12 cabins full?

And what criteria do they use on the upgrading? We know they consider number of people (in that anyone with 4 in a cabin must be upgraded to category 11 at least). But do they consider when you placed the reservation? How many times you've sailed? Whether you have future bookings? Whether you're planning to bring your own toilet paper aboard or expecting to sneak theirs off the ship for excursions?

Does anyone have any insight regarding the mysterious workings of the gnomes of inventory control?

 

[Sandaneli]

One question and will check here again later - the pictures you guys are all posting, are they coming directly from a digital camera?

(Don't make fun of me - a first grader knows more about this than I do )

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while now. The pricing has been holding steady. Curiously, the room availability has been fairly steady as well - I did some more research by experimenting with the site on a distant (Nov 2008 off-peak) cruise.

It turns out that the list of rooms it displays is just their view of "the best" available staterooms. There's a checkbox below that allows you to check the availability of any other stateroom.

So the 35 numbered staterooms available actually represents a minimum number of available staterooms. The actual number may be greater.

Regarding the category 12 - I don't think they EVER show exact staterooms on the web. On the Nov 2008 cruise it just showed GTY for category 12.

The real question at this point, given that so many people downgraded to category 12, is what strategy do they use when upgrading? Do they upgrade as many people as possible to the best categories available (risking leaving all the category 12 cabins empty), or do they upgrade people as little as possible, leaving the category 12 cabins full?

And what criteria do they use on the upgrading? We know they consider number of people (in that anyone with 4 in a cabin must be upgraded to category 11 at least). But do they consider when you placed the reservation? How many times you've sailed? Whether you have future bookings? Whether you're planning to bring your own toilet paper aboard or expecting to sneak theirs off the ship for excursions?

Does anyone have any insight regarding the mysterious workings of the gnomes of inventory control?

I have been keeping track as well and find it interesting that there are always cat 9, 10, 11, and 12 listed as available. But on any given day there may also be cat 5 or 6. It's been 5 for a few days but today 5 is not available but 6 shows availability.

THis doesn't make any sense to me but I'm just a cruiser not an inventory gnome.

I hope the TP issue is not a criteria for who gets what upgrade

I'm the original poster for the "great Med Cruise prices" on the Disney Cruiseline Forum. I'm not sure if that look upon that as favorable since so many people downgraded but at the same time many new people booked because of it. Some people say DCL monitors this. I'll let you know how it goes when I get a room assignment.

Sandra

 

[danfromca]

I have been keeping track as well and find it interesting that there are always cat 9, 10, 11, and 12 listed as available. But on any given day there may also be cat 5 or 6. It's been 5 for a few days but today 5 is not available but 6 shows availability.

THis doesn't make any sense to me but I'm just a cruiser not an inventory gnome.

I hope the TP issue is not a criteria for who gets what upgrade

I'm the original poster for the "great Med Cruise prices" on the Disney Cruiseline Forum. I'm not sure if that look upon that as favorable since so many people downgraded but at the same time many new people booked because of it. Some people say DCL monitors this. I'll let you know how it goes when I get a room assignment.

Sandra

Right, I also noted that the category 4's are gone. I suspect when a category completely vanishes that is, indeed, a sign that it has sold out completely.

Which suggests that we cruisers divide into three general groups:

1. "We want the best" group, doesn't care about the money, and would take a category 1 if they could get it every time.
2. "We want where we want" group, likes specific cabins, or wants a feature like a veranda, or connected cabins, or needs to sleep 5 - any of which makes it worth while to pay the fare to get it.
3. "We want to be on the boat" group, knows that there really aren't any "Bad" cabins on the ship - as if you read the reviews you'll see that any cabin that has one or two bad reviews will also have a few positive ones that can't figure out what the other people were complaining about.

This cruise I'm definitely a #3, though I've been #2 in the past. Someday maybe I'll be in #1

As for DCL monitoring the board - that wouldn't surprise me. But to suggest that they have someone matching DIS names with reservations - well, it's certainly possible, but I doubt it's worth their while.

 

[disneymagic316]

Hi everyone! The bridal shower this past weekend was a success. Everything worked out beautifully. I can finally relax and try and catch up with all I've missed here.

The family pictures posted are great. I need to have my DD help me post a picure.

Welcome to all the new cruisers.

 

[MrsG]

Hi everyone! The bridal shower this past weekend was a success. Everything worked out beautifully. I can finally relax and try and catch up with all I've missed here.

The family pictures posted are great. I need to have my DD help me post a picure.

Welcome to all the new cruisers.

Great news Wendy! I'm sure everyone had a nice time! The thread has certainly been busy. But the burning question is about toilet paper. Are you a "roller"?

Maryann

 

[MrsG]

Right, I also noted that the category 4's are gone. I suspect when a category completely vanishes that is, indeed, a sign that it has sold out completely.

Which suggests that we cruisers divide into three general groups:

1. "We want the best" group, doesn't care about the money, and would take a category 1 if they could get it every time.
2. "We want where we want" group, likes specific cabins, or wants a feature like a veranda, or connected cabins, or needs to sleep 5 - any of which makes it worth while to pay the fare to get it.
3. "We want to be on the boat" group, knows that there really aren't any "Bad" cabins on the ship - as if you read the reviews you'll see that any cabin that has one or two bad reviews will also have a few positive ones that can't figure out what the other people were complaining about.

This cruise I'm definitely a #3, though I've been #2 in the past. Someday maybe I'll be in #1

As for DCL monitoring the board - that wouldn't surprise me. But to suggest that they have someone matching DIS names with reservations - well, it's certainly possible, but I doubt it's worth their while.

Dan,
Do you think they always keep a few rooms empty in case of problems where people have to be relocated - plumbing/flooding issues, etc. Maybe their reserve is part of the number.

Maryann

 

[AnnaS]

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while now. The pricing has been holding steady. Curiously, the room availability has been fairly steady as well - I did some more research by experimenting with the site on a distant (Nov 2008 off-peak) cruise.

It turns out that the list of rooms it displays is just their view of "the best" available staterooms. There's a checkbox below that allows you to check the availability of any other stateroom.

So the 35 numbered staterooms available actually represents a minimum number of available staterooms. The actual number may be greater.

Regarding the category 12 - I don't think they EVER show exact staterooms on the web. On the Nov 2008 cruise it just showed GTY for category 12.

The real question at this point, given that so many people downgraded to category 12, is what strategy do they use when upgrading? Do they upgrade as many people as possible to the best categories available (risking leaving all the category 12 cabins empty), or do they upgrade people as little as possible, leaving the category 12 cabins full?

And what criteria do they use on the upgrading? We know they consider number of people (in that anyone with 4 in a cabin must be upgraded to category 11 at least). But do they consider when you placed the reservation? How many times you've sailed? Whether you have future bookings? Whether you're planning to bring your own toilet paper aboard or expecting to sneak theirs off the ship for excursions?

Does anyone have any insight regarding the mysterious workings of the gnomes of inventory control?

I would love to know their criteria also. If you have more than one stateroom/reservation - does that decrease your chance? If you are linked to other staterooms - does that decrease your chance? What if you request a specific cabin? - if that is the case, there is no chance my sons (or dh and I) will get an upgrade.

 

[AnnaS]

Great news Wendy! I'm sure everyone had a nice time! The thread has certainly been busy. But the burning question is about toilet paper. Are you a "roller"?

Maryann

Wendy better catch up and start reading some blogs - someone else on an excursion to Capri (they took the boat over) said that the boat had a bathroom but no paper

Wendy -

we will be waiting for an answer - will you be rolling?

 

[MrsG]

Anna,

Did you get a tag? It's cute.

Maryann

 

[MrsG]

Sandra,

How did the meeting for your son go this AM. Hoping everything went well.

Maryann

 

[AnnaS]

Anna,

Did you get a tag? It's cute.

Maryann

No, not that I know of. The one I have showing was posted a while ago.

 

[MrsG]

No, not that I know of. The one I have showing was posted a while ago.

Sorry, senior moment!

Maryann

 

[MrsG]

Wendy better catch up and start reading some blogs - someone else on an excursion to Capri (they took the boat over) said that the boat had a bathroom but no paper

Wendy -

we will be waiting for an answer - will you be rolling?

To roll or not to roll, that is the question........

 

[danfromca]

Dan,
Do you think they always keep a few rooms empty in case of problems where people have to be relocated - plumbing/flooding issues, etc. Maybe their reserve is part of the number.

Maryann

Logic would suggest that most cruises would have at least one or two cabins empty if only due to last minute cancellations due to illness, missing passports, etc. Whether they hold a cabin or two intentionally I couldn't say. I think they would, but who knows?

I would love to know their criteria also. If you have more than one stateroom/reservation - does that decrease your chance? If you are linked to other staterooms - does that decrease your chance? What if you request a specific cabin? - if that is the case, there is no chance my sons (or dh and I) will get an upgrade.

It's a safe bet that if you've requested a specific cabin, they won't move you without at least calling you first. I would also guess that once they've sent out your luggage tags, they won't change them without very good cause due to the increased chance of mistakes, lost luggage, etc.

I believe they do try to keep linked cabins near each other, but whether they succeed or not would depend on availability.

 

[kidcoos3]

bahahahahahah!

Way to go!!!

I'm at school meeting and I missed my pirate while winning an end of the year award!!

Congratulations!!

I'm not sure if we'll all be there at the same time.........how about at our meet on Sunday!

I agree - I think people will be arriving at all different times.

That might be a good idea Kyla.

If you get stuck with some extras, I'll help cover the cost. I really appreciate what you've done.

Hi everyone! The bridal shower this past weekend was a success. Everything worked out beautifully. I can finally relax and try and catch up with all I've missed here.

The family pictures posted are great. I need to have my DD help me post a picure.

Welcome to all the new cruisers.

Congrats on the shower. Tonite I am hosting a 16th birthday party. DH, DS 13 and DS 12 ditched me - actually I asked them to. Wish me luck!!

Dan,
Do you think they always keep a few rooms empty in case of problems where people have to be relocated - plumbing/flooding issues, etc. Maybe their reserve is part of the number.

Maryann

That would be great if they did!

I would love to know their criteria also. If you have more than one stateroom/reservation - does that decrease your chance? If you are linked to other staterooms - does that decrease your chance? What if you request a specific cabin? - if that is the case, there is no chance my sons (or dh and I) will get an upgrade.

On our first cruise (only one ) we booked two rooms - one inside and one outside - with a deck? More than a window, less than a deck, is that a deck? Anyway, when we checked in, they said that a mistake had been made or something was wrong with one of the rooms and to keep our rooms close together both were now outside rooms.
So, it was an upgrade, but they explained it as more of a way to fix a mistake.

 

[jlawall]

Congrats!

Thanks!

Congrats on the award!

Maryann

Thx, in case you're wondering, I am the "Croc Queen" at my school and I won an award for wearing them.......how many of our group has Crocs????

 

[jlawall]

It went quiet around here for a while.

I worked an extra 4 hours tonight........last day tomorrow!!!

 

[jlawall]

I love this!! Can you imagine walking in Rome someplace & a fellow DISer chasing you down for your TP But, I'm sure we'll all be prepared after this list.

No surprises for us!!!!!!!

 

[Pixie Dust II]

Mary Jo,

I haven't really begun packing yet, but I've started to pile a few things in the corner of our bedroom that I've been buying for the cruise. Once school ends, I'll get a little more organized. If I pack too early, I forget if I packed certain things and wind up unpacking and repacking. Just when I think I'm finished, DH gets involved and repacks again (he has great packing skills and can fit everything easily while I take up much more room). So, I've learned to be patient and just pile.

Maryann

I think it is a "man thing". Did you ever watch how they can load the suitcases in the trunk of the car when you are sure they will not fit!
DH can pack it like a jigsaw puzzle everytime, so I just sit back and watch! Why ruin a good thing??

 

[jlawall]

To roll or not to roll, that is the question........

To me the question is.........to bring or not to bring............I'm bringing....