Price drops after 60-day date

[Keyser]

So, on my upcoming cruise, the last date to cancel for a full refund (60 day mark) was about 3 days ago. I just checked, and the cruise is currently showing Verandah rooms for significantly less (as in, about $1300 less) than we paid for the Oceanview room we have booked and paid for (and, there are no inside/oceanview rooms even showing right now). I'm guessing there were a bunch of cancellations at the deadline and so they've lowered the prices significantly to fill them.

Now, I know one option would be to cancel and rebook, but the penalty for cancelling is more than the savings we'd get, and I'm not sure it's worth it just for the upgrade to a verandah. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before, and if so, do you know if there's any way to somehow either get an upgrade in room or (better yet) get the difference in price back (ha! like I expect Disney to give us a refund!)?

While I know I'm still getting the cruise I wanted at the price I'd had agreed to, it is pretty annoying to be paying significantly more for a lower-category room than I could get right now (and, it's not like we are now last-minute or anything).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So, on my upcoming cruise, the last date to cancel for a full refund (60 day mark) was about 3 days ago. I just checked, and the cruise is currently showing Verandah rooms for significantly less (as in, about $1300 less) than we paid for the Oceanview room we have booked and paid for (and, there are no inside/oceanview rooms even showing right now). I'm guessing there were a bunch of cancellations at the deadline and so they've lowered the prices significantly to fill them.

Now, I know one option would be to cancel and rebook, but the penalty for cancelling is more than the savings we'd get, and I'm not sure it's worth it just for the upgrade to a verandah. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before, and if so, do you know if there's any way to somehow either get an upgrade in room or (better yet) get the difference in price back (ha! like I expect Disney to give us a refund!)?

While I know I'm still getting the cruise I wanted at the price I'd had agreed to, it is pretty annoying to be paying significantly more for a lower-category room than I could get right now (and, it's not like we are now last-minute or anything).

In the world of cruising, being within 60 days of a cruise is generally considered "last minute" (or used to be).

We cancelled and rebooked a couple of cruises several years ago, exchanging an oceanview for a verandah and still coming out ahead on the cost when *GT rates came out. That isn't always the case, as you know.

You certainly can give DCL a call and see if they'll make some sort of adjustment, but I doubt anything will be offered.

 

[DCLMP]

Like the previous poster said you can always ask. I personally wouldn't book any cruise in this day and age more than a month out. Cruise lines are going to struggle to fill the rooms with all the protocols and mandates. Cruises are probably going to be the only travel option where you can get a good deal. Anyone that's looked at hotel rates lately knows what I'm talking about.

 

[Cheburashka]

GT rates probably came out, and that happens occasionally. No, you can't change an existing reservation to GT. Having your self-selected stateroom has its benefits, so I recommend being satisfied with that. When you book GT you run the risk of getting a bad location and/or a handicapped-accessible stateroom with no bathtub & a weird room layout- it's better to choose your stateroom yourself.

 

[Intr3pid]

If your cruise qualifies for the 15-day cruise date flexibility and you know you will sail again before Sep 30, 2022, you could change this particular sailing to the one for next year - and book a brand new one for this December.

Otherwise, see if Disney can give you the reduced rate and convert the difference to an OBC.

 

[ari_lebron1203]

I didn’t do it within the 60 day mark but my cruise did offer florida resident discount making a deluxe verandah room a lot cheaper than my originally booked deluxe inside stateroom, I didn’t want to cancel and rebook as I had all my activities and reservations booked to that reservation. I called DCL (sat on hold for an hour) and just nicely asked if there was a way to upgrade my room while getting the better pricing. The woman I spoke to said it would be no big deal, I chose my new stateroom and got a refund for the difference straight to my card.

 

[lanejudy]

I assume what you are seeing is a "Guaranteed Verandah Stateroom with Restrictions" rate. More commonly referred to here as VGT (Verandah Guarantee). Yes, these are discounted rooms that usually appear after the final pay-in-full date. You would have to take the penalty for cancelling your current reservation. They will not give you this rate without incurring the penalty, and you will be subject to the restrictions if you cancel/rebook. The restrictions include PIF at booking (I don't know if they'll transfer the prior balance or need to refund), no changes, DCL assigns the stateroom.

I would look at what an upgrade to verandah might cost. It won't be the prevailing rate but rather the verandah rate at the time you booked, so it could be less than the penalty. Then decide if that $1300 penalty and the restrictions are worth upgrading. Be aware that anything you have already secured will be lost (early dining, port adventures, PAT).

Cruise pricing is variable -- there will almost always be people who paid less than you, as well as people who paid more than you.

 

[plutolovr]

I didn’t do it within the 60 day mark but my cruise did offer florida resident discount making a deluxe verandah room a lot cheaper than my originally booked deluxe inside stateroom, I didn’t want to cancel and rebook as I had all my activities and reservations booked to that reservation. I called DCL (sat on hold for an hour) and just nicely asked if there was a way to upgrade my room while getting the better pricing. The woman I spoke to said it would be no big deal, I chose my new stateroom and got a refund for the difference straight to my card.

Applying Florida resident rates is allowed.....changing from a standard rate to a GT (restricted rate), is not allowed. This would be a full cancel and rebook.

 

[mmouse37]

I assume what you are seeing is a "Guaranteed Verandah Stateroom with Restrictions" rate. More commonly referred to here as VGT (Verandah Guarantee). Yes, these are discounted rooms that usually appear after the final pay-in-full date. You would have to take the penalty for cancelling your current reservation. They will not give you this rate without incurring the penalty, and you will be subject to the restrictions if you cancel/rebook. The restrictions include PIF at booking (I don't know if they'll transfer the prior balance or need to refund), no changes, DCL assigns the stateroom.

I would look at what an upgrade to verandah might cost. It won't be the prevailing rate but rather the verandah rate at the time you booked, so it could be less than the penalty. Then decide if that $1300 penalty and the restrictions are worth upgrading. Be aware that anything you have already secured will be lost (early dining, port adventures, PAT).

Cruise pricing is variable -- there will almost always be people who paid less than you, as well as people who paid more than you.

Yep, just like on a flight you know there are people who paid way more for the same seat type and people who paid less. It is what it is.

 

[birdmom]

I don't know when you are sailing but there is a good chance you will end up with a different room anyways. We just got off the wonder and they had no one on deck two. We walked up and down the corridors looking at door decor and realized there was none on deck 2. I asked an employee and they said no guest were on that floor and it was being used for staff rooms.

 

[mmouse37]

I don't know when you are sailing but there is a good chance you will end up with a different room anyways. We just got off the wonder and they had no one on deck two. We walked up and down the corridors looking at door decor and realized there was none on deck 2. I asked an employee and they said no guest were on that floor and it was being used for staff rooms.

Thoughts are that Deck 2 is being used for quarantine rooms/staff as reported by a Dis member the other day who was moved from her original room to the quarantine room when her child was exposed to Covid in the kids club.

 

[Cheburashka]

Thoughts are that Deck 2 is being used for quarantine rooms/staff as reported by a Dis member the other day who was moved from her original room to the quarantine room when her child was exposed to Covid in the kids club.

Good to know that you don't need to worry about your stateroom type in case of quarantine. They'll move you anyway.

 

[Keyser]

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. Yes, this is for a VGT room that is at the low rate. I think it'd net cost about $550 more to cancel and rebook the VGT, which is kind of borderline for us as to whether it'd be worth it for a verandah. Choose-your-room Verandah options are still a good bit more than we paid for our oceanview, so that upgrade is not one we'd consider. As others have said, we'd be at the mercy of Disney as to location, etc., but, we might be anyway (we are on Deck 1 - don't know if they are using that deck or not, but maybe we'll get moved regardless). I guess it won't hurt to call, if I can find a time to be on hold for a while just to see if Disney has another option.

I am fine with it, but boy it was a shock to see the price for a higher category room drop that much right after the last-day-to-cancel deadline... I do have to remember that it is kind of last-minute from the cruise-line perspective , though it still feels a ways off for me...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I do have to remember that it is kind of last-minute from the cruise-line perspective , though it still feels a ways off for me...

Of course, there are those of us (who, me?) who book cruises 18-24 months out that 60 days almost seems like we're leaving tomorrow.

 

[cvjw]

So, on my upcoming cruise, the last date to cancel for a full refund (60 day mark) was about 3 days ago. I just checked, and the cruise is currently showing Verandah rooms for significantly less (as in, about $1300 less) than we paid for the Oceanview room we have booked and paid for (and, there are no inside/oceanview rooms even showing right now). I'm guessing there were a bunch of cancellations at the deadline and so they've lowered the prices significantly to fill them.

Now, I know one option would be to cancel and rebook, but the penalty for cancelling is more than the savings we'd get, and I'm not sure it's worth it just for the upgrade to a verandah. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before, and if so, do you know if there's any way to somehow either get an upgrade in room or (better yet) get the difference in price back (ha! like I expect Disney to give us a refund!)?

While I know I'm still getting the cruise I wanted at the price I'd had agreed to, it is pretty annoying to be paying significantly more for a lower-category room than I could get right now (and, it's not like we are now last-minute or anything).

This has happened on all 3 of the disney cruises we have been on so far this year. We ended up paying full price for each, and others paid much less and ended up with better rooms. Just the way it is sometimes. We did not let it spoil our vacations.

We have 2 more cruises in January on the dream. I checked last week and they both just went to guarantee cabins for less. I called today and they cancelled my original bookings and I booked the cheaper guarantee cabins. Saved $1100 by letting disney pick my cabins.

 

[mmouse37]

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. Yes, this is for a VGT room that is at the low rate. I think it'd net cost about $550 more to cancel and rebook the VGT, which is kind of borderline for us as to whether it'd be worth it for a verandah. Choose-your-room Verandah options are still a good bit more than we paid for our oceanview, so that upgrade is not one we'd consider. As others have said, we'd be at the mercy of Disney as to location, etc., but, we might be anyway (we are on Deck 1 - don't know if they are using that deck or not, but maybe we'll get moved regardless). I guess it won't hurt to call, if I can find a time to be on hold for a while just to see if Disney has another option.

I am fine with it, but boy it was a shock to see the price for a higher category room drop that much right after the last-day-to-cancel deadline... I do have to remember that it is kind of last-minute from the cruise-line perspective , though it still feels a ways off for me...

We saw the great VGT rates this Fall and booked the Dream 3 weeks out. We sailed Sept 27th and were very happy with our VGT assignment. We were assigned a fantastic mid ship 4C cabin on Deck 7. Cabin 7110