Stateroom hopping after booking

[dtrain]

After booking our latest cruise a month ago, I decided to start checking stateroom availability several times a day because I wasn't 100% sure on the choice we made. I have found a more desirable room location in our category open up sporadically and quickly switched to claim that room online. So far I have jockeyed my way twice this month to much better real estate at the same price. I never thought to do this in the past because I assumed rooms didn't change up so frequently, but during this month long obsession I've witnessed at least a dozen previously sold rooms in our category quickly open up and then get claimed. Anyone else play this game?

 

[RedSox68]

No, because I always get the specific room I want. I've done it on other cruise lines to move up to suites because their prices do not range the way DCL's do and you get better deals. On DCL, if I get the room I want (location and type) at an affordable price, I feel I've won

 

[KalamityJane]

After booking our latest cruise a month ago, I decided to start checking stateroom availability several times a day because I wasn't 100% sure on the choice we made. I have found a more desirable room location in our category open up sporadically and quickly switched to claim that room online. So far I have jockeyed my way twice this month to much better real estate at the same price. I never thought to do this in the past because I assumed rooms didn't change up so frequently, but during this month long obsession I've witnessed at least a dozen previously sold rooms in our category quickly open up and then get claimed. Anyone else play this game?

Yep! Usually if I am hunting connecting secret porthole rooms.

 

[cgolf]

We did once on the inaugural Hawaii cruise which was sold out to nab the cheapest inside GTY category we could get. We managed to do it and save a few hundred dollars. On our upcoming cruise we did have our TA switch our room for us, we were in an area where insides were 3 wide, to a different room on the same floor when my wife noticed one was open. The only other cruise I can think of doing it was our second Fantasy trip where we wanted to try and snag a bump out Cat V veranda for the second year in a row, unfortunately it didn't happen. So I guess 3 out of 14 cruises we watched for a better room, I guess it all depended on what whether we were able to get our first choice on the original booking or not.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

I have a spreadsheet where I have been tracking the total numbers of rooms that are still available on our cruise. We are perfectly happy with the room that we have I'm just doing it out of sheer curiosity (or maybe anticipation)

 

[FigmentSpark]

How do you check how many rooms are available when DCL doesn't show you all that available?

 

[Floridatinaherb]

How do you check how many rooms are available when DCL doesn't show you all that available?

It's not always an percentage, especially when rooms go to GTY status. I just do it to see how the capacity varies after each PIF date window. Today was the PIF for concierge on my sailing and there were 3 suites and 1 verandah room that are available to book now that were not there the day before. And Oceanview has been sold out for a while now without even guarantee rooms. So even though they don't show all that are available it is probably pretty close, at least for what I am using the data for.

 

[CamColt]

I usually book on opening day and choose the room I want. We recent had to change our 8/19 cruise to 8/5 and the room and category I wanted (7A) was not available. I was not happy with what we ended up with (7684) but it was the least expensive veranda option on an already greatly increased price so I went with it. I have been checking almost daily for a 7A to open up and it did today...the exact room I had booked on the 8/20 cruise before I changed dates. With the help of my awesome Dreams Unlimited agent we were able to secure it and save me a few bucks in the process.

My lesson of the day is perseverance pays off!

 

[Shanti]

After booking our latest cruise a month ago, I decided to start checking stateroom availability several times a day because I wasn't 100% sure on the choice we made. I have found a more desirable room location in our category open up sporadically and quickly switched to claim that room online. So far I have jockeyed my way twice this month to much better real estate at the same price. I never thought to do this in the past because I assumed rooms didn't change up so frequently, but during this month long obsession I've witnessed at least a dozen previously sold rooms in our category quickly open up and then get claimed. Anyone else play this game?

I'll answer after seeing if the deck 7 forward room I've researched has become available.

 

[Dug720]

I've been known to change around a few times. Though after last time when I changed from my beloved 9000 to 9512 and decided I wanted to go back to 9000 only to find it at GTY status and then myself "upgraded" (not so much in my mind) to a deck 5 balcony (way too low and far back for my liking), once I'm booked into that room, from now on I'm DONE moving.

Now, my resort reservations on the other hand... My reservation probably feels abandoned as I've kept my reservation at AoA for four days now!

This is why I could never use a TA. I'd drive her/him batty with my changes.

 

[bcwife76]

Yes! You are not alone lol!

 

[tigerlily2009]

I miss the old system that let you type in the room number to see if it was available. Is there any way around this except calling to check?

 

[JuliaVA]

I didn't know it was possible to switch staterooms! Do you just do it through your reservation? We're a family of 5 and couldn't get one stateroom. I see there are interconnecting ones available now but when we booked there were not. Could we switch?
We've never cruised before so we are a bit clueless! How do you know if you're getting a stateroom as nice as what you've already got? Dont want to downgrade! Thanks for your help

 

[Neptune's Fork]

I didn't know it was possible to switch staterooms! Do you just do it through your reservation? We're a family of 5 and couldn't get one stateroom. I see there are interconnecting ones available now but when we booked there were not. Could we switch?
We've never cruised before so we are a bit clueless! How do you know if you're getting a stateroom as nice as what you've already got? Dont want to downgrade! Thanks for your help

If you call DCL they can take care of that.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've witnessed at least a dozen previously sold rooms in our category quickly open up

Those rooms may not have actually been "sold". If someone puts a hold on a room, it's off the available list for 3 days. If the person doing the hold doesn't pay the deposit at that time, it shows back up as available.

Also, when looking on the DCL website for rooms, they will generally only show you 6-8 room within a category as being available. There are often other rooms available, but you won't see them.

 

[maria's_mommy]

Yes! I think we changed our room 4 times on our last cruise I flat out told travel agent when we booked I'm bad about watching and changing and if that was going to be a problem to let me know up front. She never once acted aggravated with us.

 

[skiergirl4]

I didn't realize that the DCL site only shows you 6-8 rooms to choose from. We will be booking our first Disney cruise once the summer 2018 dates open up. I'm planning to book through Costco. If I book with them over the phone, will I be able to tell the agent my top room choices so that he/she can choose one from my list? Will they be able to see more than just a few of the available rooms?

TIA!

 

[Bear3412]

.... I'm planning to book through Costco.

If I book with them over the phone, will I be able to tell the agent my top room choices so that he/she can choose one from my list?

Will they be able to see more than just a few of the available rooms?

Yes

Yes

 

[texasgingerbread]

Me! I'm still trying to move several of our crew but with adjoining rooms it's super hard! Hope at PIF date things open up.

 

[seacruise]

No, we usually have pretty specific requirements for connecting rooms, locations, etc. so once I book the cabins I want there isn't really any looking back.