Upgrading to concierge before sailing...please help!

[Parkerpirates]

I have been on the wait list for a concierge room for over a year now and one became available. I would be upgrading from a 5C to 00T. I booked on opening day and obviously prices have increased since then on all rooms. When I booked my 5C on opening day the one bedroom suites were around 8,000 and now the prevailing rate is 9800. Would i qualify for the rates that were offered on the day I initially booked for the one bedroom or do I pay prevailing rates since I am upgrading from a non concierge room? I have to have an answer by tomorrow morning, so as much advice as you have would be appreciated!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have been on the wait list for a concierge room for over a year now and one became available. I would be upgrading from a 5C to 00T. I booked on opening day and obviously prices have increased since then on all rooms. When I booked my 5C on opening day the one bedroom suites were around 8,000 and now the prevailing rate is 9800. Would i qualify for the rates that were offered on the day I initially booked for the one bedroom or do I pay prevailing rates since I am upgrading from a non concierge room? I have to have an answer by tomorrow morning, so as much advice as you have would be appreciated!

As long as you are remaining on the same cruise, you can upgrade your room category at the rates they were on your original booking date.

That's the way it's always been and I don't think there's any difference in that policy if you're going, say, from a 9B to a 5A vs upgrading directly to Concierge.

 

[Parkerpirates]

As long as you are remaining on the same cruise, you can upgrade your room category at the rates they were on your original booking date.

That's what I've always thought, and in fact, we did on our 2014 cruise....but I've called two different people now and both say when upgrading to concierge from a non concierge we will pay the prevailing rate, which is 1800 more than the opening day prices! I'm at a loss at what to do now?!? Maybe call someone else and see what they say?

Do you know if this is quoted in the policies anywhere that would give me some place to point them to?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That's what I've always thought, and in fact, we did on our 2014 cruise....but I've called two different people now and both say when upgrading to concierge from a non concierge we will pay the prevailing rate, which is 1800 more than the opening day prices! I'm at a loss at what to do now?!? Maybe call someone else and see what they say?

Do you know if this is quoted in the policies anywhere that would give me some place to point them to?

I'd probably ask to speak to a supervisor and ask them to point out where it says in the policy that upgrading to Concierge is different than a "regular" upgrade.

I don't know that it's actually written down anywhere that upgrades on a prevailing reservation will be charged at the original booking date prices, I just know that's the way it's always been done (well, at least as long as I've been on the DIS anyway).

 

[jahber]

Let us know what happens! I also assumed concierge would be the same as any other category. When did you put your name on the wait list? Was it right when you booked? I'm just curious, because if a room had been available then, you WOULD have booked. So it's not like they are losing out on money or anything. I hope they do right by you and you have so much fun!

 

[Parkerpirates]

Let us know what happens! I also assumed concierge would be the same as any other category. When did you put your name on the wait list? Was it right when you booked? I'm just curious, because if a room had been available then, you WOULD have booked. So it's not like they are losing out on money or anything. I hope they do right by you and you have so much fun!

So...after calling 4 times, I got the same answer from everyone who asked their supervisor. The last CM finally explained that anytime you are offered a concierge room on the wait list you pay prevailing rates. If a concierge room that was available without the wait list was there I would pay the rates that the room was going for on the day I booked. The wait list changes that. Supply and demand, I suppose. They'll sell it to someone at the higher price. But not me. I'm not paying $1800 more for prevailing rates (and $4500 more than my current 5C room) for a room that's already waaaay past the 120 day mark (therefore my chances of booking the special perks before the general public are gone, including a cabana). Especially on the Wonder, with no concierge lounge!

 

[jahber]

So...after calling 4 times, I got the same answer from everyone who asked their supervisor. The last CM finally explained that anytime you are offered a concierge room on the wait list you pay prevailing rates. If a concierge room that was available without the wait list was there I would pay the rates that the room was going for on the day I booked. The wait list changes that. Supply and demand, I suppose. They'll sell it to someone at the higher price. But not me. I'm not paying $1800 more for prevailing rates (and $4500 more than my current 5C room) for a room that's already waaaay past the 120 day mark (therefore my chances of booking the special perks before the general public are gone, including a cabana). Especially on the Wonder, with no concierge lounge!

Wow! That really surprises me. I'm sorry

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The wait list changes that. Supply and demand, I suppose. They'll sell it to someone at the higher price. But not me.

You can always hope that you're the only one on the wait list (or the last one). And, since there's no one else they can offer it to, the room will show up as available. Then you can move your current reservation to that room at your original booking day prices.

Obviously, I'm an optimist.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

I'm curious as to whether or not any of the CM's actually tried modifying your reservation to see what pricing came up for the concierge room?
I had to modify a room on a previous cruise through a travel agent. I sat there for an HOUR with the travel agent who was on a phone to a CM to explain to them what I wanted to do (which was modify a room on the same sailing). Both of them kept telling me I would need to pay prevailing rates. I sat there and argued with them until my face turned blue. Then I told the CM to modify in their system and lo and behold it maintained the original pricing tiers. They were both surprised that the price the system was giving me was not the prevailing rate. Now, this WASN'T a change to a concierge room but I am wondering if the CMs were telling you this because it's what they thought or was it the price they actually got when they went into YOUR reservation and tried to modify the room. They can do that without confirming the modification so you don't actually lose your room unless you are happy with the price.

Lesson I learned: no more TAs.

 

[TimeAndTide]

I love me some concierge stateroom but the rules around them are really annoying at times. The OBB is of little benefit other than the onboard credit and sometimes a lower deposit. But no discount. And there are all the other double secret hidden rules apparently.

 

[Trera]

I love me some concierge stateroom but the rules around them are really annoying at times. The OBB is of little benefit other than the onboard credit and sometimes a lower deposit. But no discount. And there are all the other double secret hidden rules apparently.

Double secret rules?

 

[timrousbeastie]

I have been on the wait list for a concierge room for over a year now and one became available. I would be upgrading from a 5C to 00T. I booked on opening day and obviously prices have increased since then on all rooms. When I booked my 5C on opening day the one bedroom suites were around 8,000 and now the prevailing rate is 9800. Would i qualify for the rates that were offered on the day I initially booked for the one bedroom or do I pay prevailing rates since I am upgrading from a non concierge room? I have to have an answer by tomorrow morning, so as much advice as you have would be appreciated!

I think this policy is wrong and would be a little upset if I were in your position. DCL should either not have this wait list or offer the customers on it the same terms as those who might happen to see the listing online. I upgraded twice for our upcoming cruise, once from a 4A to a T and once from a 4A to a V. In both cases, I paid the rate of the concierge category at the time of my booking. That amounted to a very substantial savings over the prevailing rate at the time of the upgrade. I would have been frustrated if I had been on the wait list, declined the upgrade, and then seen another DISboard member post that they got it at a lower price the next day. But, as PrincessSmoo suggested, I would pass and then be on the lookout over the next few days to see if it shows up online.

 

[waggles02673]

So...after calling 4 times, I got the same answer from everyone who asked their supervisor. The last CM finally explained that anytime you are offered a concierge room on the wait list you pay prevailing rates. If a concierge room that was available without the wait list was there I would pay the rates that the room was going for on the day I booked. The wait list changes that. Supply and demand, I suppose. They'll sell it to someone at the higher price. But not me. I'm not paying $1800 more for prevailing rates (and $4500 more than my current 5C room) for a room that's already waaaay past the 120 day mark (therefore my chances of booking the special perks before the general public are gone, including a cabana). Especially on the Wonder, with no concierge lounge!

Just as an FYI we upgraded to a Concierge 1 bedroom for our Nov sailing on the Dream several weeks ago way past the 120 day mark and when we called shoreside concierge and inquired about getting a Cabana they had one of the ones they hold back for Concierge guests available. They set aside several for Concierge guests. I agree that paying that much for an upgrade would be out of the question for us.