Not happy with cabin change

[sadiwest]

Had a weird feeling today and checked our reservation. Sure enough our cabin has been changed. Same category one deck higher.
The thing is, being experienced cruisers, I choose cabins for their placement on the ship (not under the pool deck, clubs, restaurants, etc). Now, we're under Cabanas (or something), it seems, on deck 10.
I'm on hold but really not happy about the change. I get that they probably had guarantees to assign, but...

 

[randumb0]

Did you book a specific room?

 

[sadiwest]

Did you book a specific room?

Yes. I did not book a guarantee. I chose that cabin on the phone with the rep.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes. I did not book a guarantee. I chose that cabin on the phone with the rep.

Although it's not a guarantee, it's a good idea to have "DO NOT UPGRADE/CHANGE" on a reservation when you make it.

It may not have to do with guarantee assignments, there could be an issue with you room that has to be fixed. Or someone "more important" wants that room.

 

[Doingitagain]

How long before you cruise?

 

[sadiwest]

Although it's not a guarantee, it's a good idea to have "DO NOT UPGRADE/CHANGE" on a reservation when you make it.

It may not have to do with guarantee assignments, there could be an issue with you room that has to be fixed. Or someone "more important" wants that room.

First time on DCL but I've been on around 17 cruises across multiple lines. I've never been moved to the same category elsewhere. If asked, I would have downgraded to stay on the same deck.
I don't feel it's good practice to move peole without asking. Yield management, or whoever makes up the pricing, could have found a better way to handle a cabin change or assignment for a booked guarantee.
It may seem extreme, but I've got a light sleeping husband and tween daughter. I chose the position of the cabin with intent. Not to mention this is a 4 times postponed trip that includes a vow renewal. I really don't want to contend with being under the pool/buffet.

 

[sadiwest]

How long before you cruise?

3 weeks. I'm on hold but expectations are low. I just want back where we were.

 

[Doingitagain]

3 weeks. I'm on hold but expectations are low. I just want back where we were.

That takes away the possibility of it being a maintenance issue. I wonder if someone was trying to get rooms close together.

Doesn’t seem right because you are in same category. I definitely would push to get moved from under Cabanas, the chair scraping is obnoxious starting very early in the morning and at all hours when they clean. Push for a higher category if they can’t get your original room for you.

 

[sadiwest]

That takes away the possibility of it being a maintenance issue. I wonder if someone was trying to get rooms close together.

Doesn’t seem right because you are in same category. I definitely would push to get moved from under Cabanas, the chair scraping is obnoxious starting very early in the morning and at all hours when they clean. Push for a higher category if they can’t get your original room for you.

Absolutely. I down even mind a downgrade to a lower deck but I specifically steer clear of any deck above us being a public place.
It's one of the biggest considerations of our cabin choice (plus inside vs outside).
And when I say downgrade, I of course mean give me the difference back in OBC considering how long ago I booked this.

 

[randumb0]

How did your call go?

 

[Doingitagain]

How did your call go?

I am sure OP is still on hold

 

[sadiwest]

How did your call go?

Just hung up. 3 hours total...2.75 of which were on hold.
CM had me hold for a supervisor, but then came back and fixed it herself. Original cabin not available (and it wasn't a connecting cabin), but she gave me the same category, further aft.
I'm glad we're back under cabins and not public spaces, I've always preferred mid-ship but aft gets me on board, same category, on the deck I wanted.
The rest will be fine. CM said there were no notes in the reservation about the change. No reason for it.

Edited to add: I had sent an email at the 2.5 hour mark. I actually feel bad for these folks who are working past the normal 10pm est. I asked her how long past 10 they have to take calls, she said "as long as there are calls in queue.
I couldn't be mean to her...I just wanted what we had. I didn't ask for upgrades on the phone, but certainly mentioned it in my email.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm glad we're back under cabins and not public spaces,

Not to rain on your parade, but we've been in rooms under the pool deck, over/under lounges, theaters, as well as between staterooms (above and below), and the noisiest room we've had was the one with staterooms above/below/and around us.

 

[sadiwest]

Not to rain on your parade, but we've been in rooms under the pool deck, over/under lounges, theaters, as well as between staterooms (above and below), and the noisiest room we've had was the one with staterooms above/below/and around us.

Yes that can absolutely happen, but historically our experience is that's not the case. We've been in hotels where kids are screaming up and down the hallways all night.
Our goal is to do our best to avoid it... Can't guarantee it'll work.

 

[TP3]

Had a weird feeling today and checked our reservation. Sure enough our cabin has been changed. Same category one deck higher.
The thing is, being experienced cruisers, I choose cabins for their placement on the ship (not under the pool deck, clubs, restaurants, etc). Now, we're under Cabanas (or something), it seems, on deck 10.
I'm on hold but really not happy about the change. I get that they probably had guarantees to assign, but...

This happened to us. We sailed on the Fantasy that left March 5, 2022. We chose our stateroom on deck 9 and were reassigned to the same category room on deck 10 under Cabanas. We did not want to have to deal with the potential noise and had our travel agent find out why we were moved. She told us our stateroom was moved by the Revenue Management team but her contact at DCL was unsure why. She was able to move us back down to deck 9 but about 10 rooms down from our original stateroom. When we got on board, we were talking to our stateroom host about it. If I remember correctly, I think he said it was due to staffing? They were leaving blocks of rooms empty, our original room and the rooms around it seemed to be empty.

 

[sadiwest]

This happened to us. We sailed on the Fantasy that left March 5, 2022. We chose our stateroom on deck 9 and were reassigned to the same category room on deck 10 under Cabanas. We did not want to have to deal with the potential noise and had our travel agent find out why we were moved. She told us our stateroom was moved by the Revenue Management team but her contact at DCL was unsure why. She was able to move us back down to deck 9 but about 10 rooms down from our original stateroom. When we got on board, we were talking to our stateroom host about it. If I remember correctly, I think he said it was due to staffing? They were leaving blocks of rooms empty, our original room and the rooms around it seemed to be empty.

I get that, too, but I do wish they'd asked. I'd rather move to an oceanview or something on the same deck (we have a family verandah) than be a deck up.
If someone even gave an explanation, I would have understood....it just felt like it was a sneaky quiet thing.

 

[LAX]

Just hung up. 3 hours total...2.75 of which were on hold.
CM had me hold for a supervisor, but then came back and fixed it herself. Original cabin not available (and it wasn't a connecting cabin), but she gave me the same category, further aft.
I'm glad we're back under cabins and not public spaces, I've always preferred mid-ship but aft gets me on board, same category, on the deck I wanted.
The rest will be fine. CM said there were no notes in the reservation about the change. No reason for it.

Edited to add: I had sent an email at the 2.5 hour mark. I actually feel bad for these folks who are working past the normal 10pm est. I asked her how long past 10 they have to take calls, she said "as long as there are calls in queue.
I couldn't be mean to her...I just wanted what we had. I didn't ask for upgrades on the phone, but certainly mentioned it in my email.

If it were me, I would check to see if the original cabin is occupied after boarding. If that cabin is occupied by someone, I would demand an explanation and compensation.

LAX

 

[TP3]

I get that, too, but I do wish they'd asked. I'd rather move to an oceanview or something on the same deck (we have a family verandah) than be a deck up.
If someone even gave an explanation, I would have understood....it just felt like it was a sneaky quiet thing.

We felt the same way. I just happened to log in one day and with no notification or explanation we had a different room. I think we've been on two cruises where we have been below the pool deck and every morning and evening we could hear them moving the deck chairs so we just like to avoid being under that. Being so close to your cruise, you might receive your luggage tags with the incorrect room printed on them like we did. I called DCL and was on hold for a couple hours so just in case you are concerned about it I can save you some time! She told me we could cross off the incorrect room and write in the correct one if we wanted but not to worry, the correct room will be associated to the barcode on the luggage tags. I hope you have a fantastic cruise!

 

[Cheburashka]

If it were me, I would check to see if the original cabin is occupied after boarding. If that cabin is occupied by someone, I would demand an explanation and compensation.

LAX

It's definitely a bait & switch if there wasn't some urgent reason. Not all same-category cabins are created equal. That's why some cruisers book early: to get specific cabins they want.

 

[Rob1872]

If it were me, I would check to see if the original cabin is occupied after boarding. If that cabin is occupied by someone, I would demand an explanation and compensation.

LAX

A sad commentary on our society. "I'd demand compensation".

You would demand compensation based on what?? Please show me in your cruise contract where it says that God and Mickey Mouse have signed a blood oath that you will only get the cabin that you requested in your reservation.

Same for people who think that DCL owes them a new cruise if a port is missed due to weather, etc.

You may not agree with a reason to be moved, and it is in Disney's best interest to minimize disruptions to people's reservations, but at the end of the day it is Disney who is making the decision. If offering up an explanation would open me to a bunch of aggressive people like you questioning me, I'd probably just keep silent about it also.