Upgrading cabins

[BLTOH]

Ok i have read the other threads on upgrading at the port and I understand this. My question is if I was to ask for an upgrade and take an upgrade does that change any of our OBC thru disney visa if i was to put the upgrade price on the visa at time of paying? Right now we have 2 cat 5's books and like to upgrade to a cat 4 i think it is. not sure what price difference it would be for that. but was thinking i would ask at time of cruise instead of trying to upgrade before hand. just afraid of loosing our OBC's as we are planning on using those on the trip.

 

[jilljill]

ARe your cat. 5's connecting cabins? If they are I wouldn't do an upgrade at the port to a cat. 4. You would be losing a lot of space and 1 bathroom if you are able to upgrade.
Plus, they will only give you credit for 1 cabin for the upgrade. So you would end up with a cat. 5, which you probably won't use or just use to store our luggage, and then you will have the cat. 4. Also, those 2 cabins would be on different decks and may not be near each other.

Upgrading at the port would have no effect on the OBC's you should be receiving since that is determined beforehand.

 

[kcashner]

I'm with Jill---2 cat 5s are MUCH better than one cat 4. You have double the closets, bathrooms, TVs, etc. in the 2 cat 5s. A single cat 4 is a little bigger than a single cat 5, but not much.

Upgrading at the port does not affect OBC at all.

 

[BLTOH]

no they aren't connecting rooms. one is at one end of the ship the other is at the other end. it is just an option. I think my parents would be more comfortable rooming with us as we have cruised before and they have never cruised and are not even sure what to expect. i emailed my TA to ask about it and she said i could modify my current ressie and gave me the prices. might check the price comparison and see. as far as the bathroom and all none of us are bathroom hogs when getting ready so no big deal there. will just have to mull over it and talk to my parents and get their input.

 

[mmouse37]

I would so much rather have the 2 cabins than one Cat 4.....if anything I would try to upgrade to a Cat 3 which could give you much more room and concierge service. 4 adults is one cabin is definitely doable but 2 cabins would be so much more comfortable.

MJ

 

[BLTOH]

What is the price range of a cat 3 compared to cat 4? we will actually have 4 adults and one child (8) so 5 of us total. i was thinking if anything if we upgraded at port for the cat 4 for the one and we found all of us being cramped then we could split up and use the midship cat 5. i don't know..darn it why can't these choices be easier to make..

 

[jilljill]

Port upgrades vary by length of sailing. My brother upgraded at the port from a cat. 7 to a cat. 3 for $1750 for a 7 day sailing - this was earlier this month. The price was the same for cat. 5-7 to upgrade to the cat. 3.

 

[BLTOH]

Port upgrades vary by length of sailing. My brother upgraded at the port from a cat. 7 to a cat. 3 for $1750 for a 7 day sailing - this was earlier this month. The price was the same for cat. 5-7 to upgrade to the cat. 3.

not bad for an upgrade but what is actual booking price of a cat3 if you was to book one right from the get go? heck even a cat 2? I don't want to spend too much more if i do this. we are doing the july 5,2011 alaska cruise. 7 nt


I did compare prices of the two cat 5 to the one cat 4 and we could actually save almost $350 dollars by switching now or we can just let it ride and play our luck at the port. will continue to mull and think.. which disney gave prices for cat 2 and 3 online. maybe i will call disney or email TA and ask.

 

[mmouse37]

not bad for an upgrade but what is actual booking price of a cat3 if you was to book one right from the get go? heck even a cat 2? I don't want to spend too much more if i do this. we are doing the july 5,2011 alaska cruise. 7 nt


I did compare prices of the two cat 5 to the one cat 4 and we could actually save almost $350 dollars by switching now or we can just let it ride and play our luck at the port. will continue to mull and think.. which disney gave prices for cat 2 and 3 online. maybe i will call disney or email TA and ask.

Actual booking prices for the Cat 3's and Cat 2's are very expensive...upgrading at the port to one of those cabins is usually MUCH cheaper than booking from get go. Suite prices are not listed at the website...you will have call DCL to get a price...or your TA so they can call.

MJ

 

[jilljill]

not bad for an upgrade but what is actual booking price of a cat3 if you was to book one right from the get go? heck even a cat 2? I don't want to spend too much more if i do this. we are doing the july 5,2011 alaska cruise. 7 nt


I did compare prices of the two cat 5 to the one cat 4 and we could actually save almost $350 dollars by switching now or we can just let it ride and play our luck at the port. will continue to mull and think.. which disney gave prices for cat 2 and 3 online. maybe i will call disney or email TA and ask.

My brother priced a cat. 3 about a month before sailing, since he booked so late, and for 2 people it would have been about $7800. which was roughly $4000. more than he paid for the cruise.


I had my TA price a cat. T (which is the old cat. 3) for our 8/9/11 Alaska sailing and the price for 3 people was $11,243.89 . I'll save the $6300. price difference for the sailing and enjoy our cat. 7.
That price was day 1 pricing. I'm not sure how much the suite prices changes after bookings open.


Have you checked to see if you can get connecting cabins in either a cat. 6 or cat. 7 or even if any connecting cabins have opened up in a cat. 5? If you are just looking at booking the cat. 4 so you are all in 1 cabin, I'd check connecting cabins in a lower verandah category and you might be able to lower your cruise cost a bit. The cabins are the same size, it's just the location that determines the category and price.

 

[Presentation]

Keep in mind you are assuming there will be a port upgrade available to the room level you are seeking.

That is just a random thing. It means the room did not get booked or the people had to cancel.

If you are going for a port upgrade I recommend the following steps:

#1) Have all your paperwork filled out in advance to check in as fast as possible. Log into the DCL website, complete the forms, double check everything.

#2) Call Disney Cruise Line the day before you sail to see if a room in the category you want is available. You may as well get a upgrade quote from them at that time.

#3) Get to the port at about 9:30 AM. At this time the terminal will be closed so you will be standing in the area where the rental busses pick up / drop off people.

#4) One of you take the luggage you wish to check and go to the opening in the fence and give that luggage to a porter, remember to tip them.

#5) Stand by the walking entrance.

#6) As soon as they let you in, one of you run in, get thru security, get up those escelators, get in line to check in.

#7) As you are checking in tell the cast member you are going for a port upgrade so you are hoping to check in fast.

#8) As soon as you are checked in go to the desk all the way to the right. They will tell you what rooms are available and the upgrade cost. It will be ballpark 1/3rd to 1/4th the cost of what you were quoted in step 2.

#9) Take your pick, pay the difference.

#10) After you decided, what the heck, let’s go for the Roy O Disney suite and you are sitting in that roped off concierge area, relax and observe the cast members try to kick out all the non-concierge passengers trying to sit in the concierge only area. It’s a real hoot.

 

[BLTOH]

I had my TA price a cat. T (which is the old cat. 3) for our 8/9/11 Alaska sailing and the price for 3 people was $11,243.89 . I'll save the $6300. price difference for the sailing and enjoy our cat. 7.
That price was day 1 pricing. I'm not sure how much the suite prices changes after bookings open.
Have you checked to see if you can get connecting cabins in either a cat. 6 or cat. 7 or even if any connecting cabins have opened up in a cat. 5? If you are just looking at booking the cat. 4 so you are all in 1 cabin, I'd check connecting cabins in a lower verandah category and you might be able to lower your cruise cost a bit. The cabins are the same size, it's just the location that determines the category and price.

Nothing is available for connecting rooms i did check that. and the price you quote for cat 3 is cheaper then our two rooms together at cat 5. I am going to email my TA and ask how much a cat 3 will be and if any are even avaialable. After researching the cat 3 vs cat 4 i think we would do the cat 3

Presentation, that seems like alot of work for an upgrade to me. is it really worth the running around like a crazy person to do at port? do port upgrades go that fast at check in? is it really that popular of a thing to do? I ask as i never have thought to do that before.

 

[Presentation]

....Presentation, that seems like alot of work for an upgrade to me. is it really worth the.....

I cannot answer if it’s worth it for you.

View the Roy O Disney video in my signature and you will see it was worth it for us.

 

[jilljill]

Nothing is available for connecting rooms i did check that. and the price you quote for cat 3 is cheaper then our two rooms together at cat 5. I am going to email my TA and ask how much a cat 3 will be and if any are even avaialable. After researching the cat 3 vs cat 4 i think we would do the cat 3

Presentation, that seems like alot of work for an upgrade to me. is it really worth the running around like a crazy person to do at port? do port upgrades go that fast at check in? is it really that popular of a thing to do? I ask as i never have thought to do that before.

While the price I rec'd for the cat. 3 may be cheaper than what you are paying for 2 cat. 5's, keep in mind the cruise we have booked is one of the cheaper summer cruises so the price for a cat. 3, if available, will most likely be higher.


Since you are going on an AK cruise, it's hard to tell how upgrades (if even available) will be handled.
We arrived at the port last summer after 10:15 on 2 different cruises and we were able to upgrade to a cat. 3 both times. We did not get there at 9:30, since the port doesn't even open until 10am, and we didn't run around the terminal and race thru check in. The 2nd cruise it was just my DD & I and I had to park the car and we were still able to upgrade at about 10:35 or so. I think we were the 2nd people to upgrade for that sailing. But it all depends on who is sailing and what upgrades are available. In Jan. we were on a 3 day cruise that was totally sold out, no upgrades available at all.

 

[BLTOH]

well i emailed my TA and she said no Cat 3 is even available for our cruise. i did see a cat 4 that would work for us and i talked to my parents to se what they wanted to do so waiting to here back from them. alot of pros and cons to it. so will wait and see and mull over more of the other things that go along with it..lol

 

[Tinked]

well i emailed my TA and she said no Cat 3 is even available for our cruise. i did see a cat 4 that would work for us and i talked to my parents to se what they wanted to do so waiting to here back from them. alot of pros and cons to it. so will wait and see and mull over more of the other things that go along with it..lol

Have you considered taking an inside room across the hall from one of your rooms. Maybe that would work for you. Price doesn't seem to be the problem but this would put you closer than you are now..

 

[BLTOH]

Have you considered taking an inside room across the hall from one of your rooms. Maybe that would work for you. Price doesn't seem to be the problem but this would put you closer than you are now..

yes i did, but my parents definitely want a verandah stateroom.. plus when i did the original check to see what was available near us there was no inside staterooms available on our deck. my step mom has a tendency to get sea sick which is why they was wanting something midship to begin with. i have never cruised on the west coast so not sure how rough of waters it would even be and considering it looks like we will be fairly close to the coastline for alaska i dont know she would really have any issues myself.