Not Buying It

[ajs123]

I have to say that I am not buying the Disney Cruise Line line on how they prioritize requests for concierge requests for cabanas. This was our second cruise attempting to get a cabana having sent the e-mail within 1-2 seconds of the eligible time. My guess is that the priority is higher cost rooms, followed by status, and then time of request submission. We are platinum in the lowest level concierge. I wish they would be honest rather than create the impression it is first come first serve. The good news is that I will have $620 for other things.

 

[ShaneDJ]

I have to say that I am not buying the Disney Cruise Line line on how they prioritize requests for concierge requests for cabanas. This was our second cruise attempting to get a cabana having sent the e-mail within 1-2 seconds of the eligible time. My guess is that the priority is higher cost rooms, followed by status, and then time of request submission. We are platinum in the lowest level concierge.

What ship were you on?

 

[emchen]

What ship were you on?

Is the hypothesis that fewer concierge rooms = better shot? I would totally "get on board" with that hypothesis.

[ETA: Our one experience in concierge was on the Treasure earlier this year...didn't get a cabana ]

 

[jimmymc]

Is the hypothesis that fewer concierge rooms = better shot? I would totally "get on board" with that hypothesis.

[ETA: Our one experience in concierge was on the Treasure earlier this year...didn't get a cabana ]

Yes, the Wish class ships seem to have more concierge cabana requests than availability.

 

[Liastaob]

Is the hypothesis that fewer concierge rooms = better shot? I would totally "get on board" with that hypothesis.

[ETA: Our one experience in concierge was on the Treasure earlier this year...didn't get a cabana ]

Same here (loved the lounge and sun deck, though). We’re going to try the Fantasy next year, maybe the odds will be better.

 

[RedHead0186]

There are way more cabanas than concierge staterooms, especially on the newer ships. For example, the Wish has 76 concierge rooms and Lookout Cay has 31 cabanas. That means over half of the concierge rooms won't get a cabana (assuming everyone wanted one).

I have heard anecdotally that the higher-level concierge rooms get precedent for cabanas, but I've never heard that confirmed anywhere, just scuttle butt.

Everyone is sending their email at exactly the same time-so DCL isn't looking at seconds, they're looking at milliseconds to put these emails in order. And even if you sent it only one or two second past midnight, that doesn't mean it was received then

 

[dreamer17555]

If your Fantasy cruise is going to Castaway you have a much better chance of a cabana there.

They are adding 30 cabanas to the 27 they have. With only 60 concierge rooms on the Fantasy (and many in that awful deck 10 location) the odd for a Castaway cabana are highly in your favor.

I am certain higher category rooms do matter but I also doubt castaway status does. I think they do look at split seconds once they get to the general concierge rooms.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

If your Fantasy cruise is going to Castaway you have a much better chance of a cabana there.

They are adding 30 cabanas to the 27 they have. With only 60 concierge rooms on the Fantasy (and many in that awful deck 10 location) the odd for a Castaway cabana are highly in your favor.

I am certain higher category rooms do matter but I also doubt castaway status does. I think they do look at split seconds once they get to the general concierge rooms.

agree- if you are in one of the suites, and you want the cabana, you will get the cabana

 

[Marthasor]

Just another reason I prefer sailing on the smaller, older ships particularly when visiting the DCL islands - less crowds, more chance of a cabana (or even no reason to get one because so many lounges will be empty!). We sailed in a verandah concierge stateroom on the Wish and I felt like we were completely ignored - the staff seemed overwhelmed and completely disinterested in getting to know us. Such a different experience from sailing concierge on the Dream, Fantasy, Magic (haven't sailed on the Wonder). If you are sailing on one of the newer ships, I'm not surprised you didn't get a cabana.

 

[emchen]

Just another reason I prefer sailing on the smaller, older ships particularly when visiting the DCL islands - less crowds, more chance of a cabana (or even no reason to get one because so many lounges will be empty!). We sailed in a verandah concierge stateroom on the Wish and I felt like we were completely ignored - the staff seemed overwhelmed and completely disinterested in getting to know us. Such a different experience from sailing concierge on the Dream, Fantasy, Magic (haven't sailed on the Wonder). If you are sailing on one of the newer ships, I'm not surprised you didn't get a cabana.

…on the Treasure, they were no where near that overwhelmed nor disinterested as you experienced (and we had the base concierge verandah cabin as well). I am sad to hear it and would be so disappointed if we had had the same experience. If you sailed during the first wave or before we did (several months after inaugural for Treasure), perhaps your feedback helped them improve!

 

[Cruising Girl]

Don't agree with this. I had two emails from the same computer programmed to send at midnight. One email is mine as a pearl in concierge. The other is my daighter-as a platinum in concierge. Both in lowest level concierge rooms. Hers went through first. She got the cabana for us. So pearl status didn't help any.

 

[Liastaob]

…on the Treasure, they were no where near that overwhelmed nor disinterested as you experienced (and we had the base concierge verandah cabin as well). I am sad to hear it and would be so disappointed if we had had the same experience. If you sailed during the first wave or before we did (several months after inaugural for Treasure), perhaps your feedback helped them improve!

Our concierge experience on the Treasure was excellent as well

 

[WB1971]

If your Fantasy cruise is going to Castaway you have a much better chance of a cabana there.

They are adding 30 cabanas to the 27 they have. With only 60 concierge rooms on the Fantasy (and many in that awful deck 10 location) the odd for a Castaway cabana are highly in your favor.

I am certain higher category rooms do matter but I also doubt castaway status does. I think they do look at split seconds once they get to the general concierge rooms.

Is 60 the concierge count after current drydock? Or is the room count not changing?

 

[dreamer17555]

Is 60 the concierge count after current drydock? Or is the room count not changing?

After dry dock. The Fantasy had 41 prior to dry dock

 

[ajs123]

Don't agree with this. I had two emails from the same computer programmed to send at midnight. One email is mine as a pearl in concierge. The other is my daighter-as a platinum in concierge. Both in lowest level concierge rooms. Hers went through first. She got the cabana for us. So pearl status didn't help any.

Thank you - good to know that they follow what they say.

 

[SL6827]

Was the changing of 19 staterooms on the Fantasy to Concierge a good or bad thing for guest?

 

[ShaneDJ]

Was the changing of 19 staterooms on the Fantasy to Concierge a good or bad thing for guest?

Deck 10 concierge staterooms on the Dream and Fantasy are not worth the cost because you are two decks below the Concierge Lounge.

For us, the “same floor” access to the Lounge is a primary reason we’ve booked the Deck 12 concierge rooms.

 

[dreamer17555]

Was the changing of 19 staterooms on the Fantasy to Concierge a good or bad thing for guest?

The Dream already did it.

Good- New updated Concierge lounge and more of a concierge sundeck

Bad- More concierge guests so harder to get cabanas and less attention from CMs, also the Deck 10 concierge room location is awful. Pool deck noise above as they set up and take down chairs, far from the lounge

 

[indylaw99]

I always wondered about that, but we had a 1 bedroom on the Wish as a B2B and got one for one cruise but not the other (both as Platinum... maybe even right before or when Pearl was rolled out?). We were even open to either family or adult beach because our "kids" were both just over 21.

 

[SL6827]

Deck 10 concierge staterooms on the Dream and Fantasy are not worth the cost because you are two decks below the Concierge Lounge.

For us, the “same floor” access to the Lounge is a primary reason we’ve booked the Deck 12 concierge rooms.

Once when I owned DVC I came across a CL studio that was released from maintenance and I was able to score it for a couple of nights, even though I didn't even own at AKL. It was pure luck. But I realized the difference in being on the lounge floor and other CL guest who were not. Being on the same floor was awesome.