Upgrades possible?

[tambo3]

Booked 2 cabins, Cat 10 Guaranteed. Past cruiser with Disney. WHat are my chances of being upgrades on a January 8th cruise? Can I request it at embarkation? Would love to just have a porthole but price was prohibitive this time....any hints or ideas?

What is a Cat 10 like? Can 2 adults and 1 kid in each cabin make do or is it very cramped?

 

[RickW]

The chances of a free upgrade are very small. If you ask at the port for an upgrade, they will likely say one of two things:
1. Nothing is available
or
2. Sure you can upgrade, it will cost $XXX.

On the room size, the rooms for Cat 5-10 are all the same size, so if you are cramped in a cat 10, you would be equally cramped in anything less than a Cat 4.

 

[crisi]

I think someone once crunched the data on the boards and came up with 3% of cruisers get upgraded.

 

[westjones]

We have been on 5 cruises and have never been upgraded. Sometimes on this board it seems like it happens alot, but that hasn't been the case for our family.

I am just happy if I get one of the secret porthole rooms. It is like getting a free upgrade (paying for a cat. 10, but getting a window). We also discovered that we really like the 5th floor! So it works out great for us.

DJ

 

[Rence]

Sometimes on this board it seems like it happens alot, but that hasn't been the case for our family.

It only seems like it happens a lot because everytime someone on the board gets upgraded they post it, because it is a special event.

If everone who cruised and did not get upgraded posted "Just cruised and did not get upgraded", it would seem like an extremely rare occurance.

Based on everything I have read ones chances of getting upgraded are about as good as anyone else's. Booking early, late, paying early, paying late, booking on points, multiple cabins etc. all do not seem to make a difference. Upgrades appearl to be totally random.

 

[tambo3]

Thanks for the honest replies. My TA talked me into paying extra for the Cat 10 over the Cat 11 for possible upgrades and where we were on Cat 11 assigned cabins next door to each other, I am now Cat 10 "to be assigned" later...hopefully on the same floor. At least. we have additional 120 sq. Glad to not wish for an upgrade and be dissapointed!

 

[tvguy]

Always book what you want, don't hope for an upgrade.
We booked category 10, and the week before got upgraded to category 6. We moved from deck 2 to deck 7 and gained a veranda, otherwise the rooms were identical.
Was it nice? YES. Would I pay $1500 it would have cost me to get the verandah, NO. We did spend more time in the cabin because of the verandah, so missed more stuff on the ship. Never found time to swim on board.
My wife and I have been on 6 cruises, she insists on a porthole, while I could deal with an inside. DCL was the only line to upgrade us, and the only line we had a verandah on.

Only downside to an upgrade is, we got our cabin assignment when we booked, 11 months in advance. We did all our homework based on being in that cabin on deck 2. So some of that homework was a was of time, because everything we planned was based on going up xxx number of decks, and except for Topsiders and the Pools, almost everything on deck 7 starts with going DOWN xxx decks.

 

[tambo3]

I read that Cat 10 were on Decks 1, 2 and 5....are the lower decks better for motion sickness??

 

[Rainbowsteph]

Boy after reading these posts, I feel lucky to have been upgraded both times we've cruised with Disney. Both times we've reserved cat 12 gty and the first time (3 night cruise) we were upgraded to a cat 9 with a huge porthole!! Didn't realize at the time that it was a really great upgrade...
For our upcoming cruise we have been upgraded from gty cat. 12 to 10. I'm happy because of the split bath.
Guess I'll think twice before booking a cat 12 gty again!
I'm not usually the lucky type....

 

[westjones]

The GTY thing does seem to help. Friends of ours booked a Cat. 11 GTY on our cruise in September (we booked a Cat. 10 Secret Porthole room). They were upgraded to a Cat. 10, so they were able to enjoy the split bath. On the same cruise other friends booked 2 Cat. 11 room near us (so they picked their room). They were not upgraded.

So I do think the GTY thing helps.

DJ

 

[Rainbowsteph]

Yes, our TA said that a gty room was the best way to get an upgrade. This time I am a bit worried with our assigned room, so maybe an upgrade isn't always worth it if you get rotten ship location.
Oh well...hopefully the split bath will make up for the noisy room!!! Think positive, right?!

 

[AspiringCindy]

We did the Disney 4 day cruise in 2000 and booked cat 10 because we couldn't spring for the extra expenses...but at the dock, we inquired about upgrading and we upgraded to Cat. 6 for just $200 total!

 

[Rainbowsteph]

WOW!!! That sounds like a great deal! I wonder if that opportunity presents itself very often?

 

[DVCajun]

What's "gty?"

 

[Rainbowsteph]

When you book a certain category stateroom as a guarantee, say cat 9 gty, you are guaranteed to have a cat 9 room with the possibility of being upgraded to a higher category stateroom. When you book a cat 9 stateroom and you book an actual stateroom (say 2021 for example...), you aren't as likely to get an upgrade (or at least that is what my TA told me). Of course by booking a "gty" you are taking a chance that the room you are actually assigned will be in a location you are thrilled with, but perhaps the upgrade (if you do get one) will make it all worth it!
Hope that makes sense, and that I have my facts straight...

 

[Rainbowsteph]

Ok...reading over my reply I realize it doesn't make that much sense (why don't I read them over before I post???)
Maybe someone else can give a more understandable answer...I better get off to bed!