VGT - good, bad, ugly?

[Ladybugx87]

We found a great VGT rate for the Wonder. We’ve never done VGT before and can’t decide on if we should go for it. What’s the bad / downsides I might not know?

 

[Mommb]

VGT fares are non-refundable and non-changeable, meaning you cannot change the date or the passenger names after you book.

You will be assigned a veranda room, but it may be anywhere on the ship, and you may not get the room number until shortly before the cruise.

That’s about it on the possible downsides, as I understand it. If you are sure you want to take that cruise and don’t care about a particular room location, booking VGT is a fine way to save money.

 

[Cheburashka]

What’s the bad / downsides I might not know?

Imo the biggest risk is being assigned a handicapped stateroom, which has happened to me twice when I've booked GT. Handicapped staterooms have an unusual shape, usually bigger, but that also means the TV can be harder to see from the bed or sofa, etc. The bathroom will also have no tub, just a shower with no lip, so the whole floor gets wet every time you shower.

 

[cvjw]

Or get assigned a terrible cabin over the night club. That is what just happened to us. The reviews said it was a terrible cabin, to avoid it like the plague. We ended up canceling the cruise with the covid exposure policy. We weren’t going to spend $10,000 and be miserable.

But, the other time we did a VGT, we got a terrific cabin.

 

[Ladybugx87]

Or get assigned a terrible cabin over the night club. That is what just happened to us. The reviews said it was a terrible cabin, to avoid it like the plague. We ended up canceling the cruise with the covid exposure policy. We weren’t going to spend $10,000 and be miserable.

But, the other time we did a VGT, we got a terrific cabin.

Thanks - this does sound like worst case scenario for us too. The non VGT rates for the cruise I’m looking at are 40% more and I just can’t decide if it’s worth the gamble.

 

[Karin1984]

If a cruise isnt sold out and you do end up in a terrible room, you could try and get it changed once on board?

 

[braysmommy]

We've done it once and have VGT booked for October. We did get assigned a HA cabin but the wrap around verandah made up for no split bathroom and we loved the extra SF in cabin. The savings for us is worth the gamble!

 

[cvjw]

If a cruise isnt sold out and you do end up in a terrible room, you could try and get it changed once on board?

We thought about doing that last month. But the VGT cabin was $7500 plus all the extra money for excursions, tips, palo, wine package, drinks, etc. If we got to the port and they said no upgrades, our cruise would have been miserable and super expensive. And long - it was the 9 night southern on the fantasy. That is a long time to go without sleep due to the noise from the night club under your cabin.

We couldn’t risk it and cancelled.

 

[Cheburashka]

Thanks - this does sound like worst case scenario for us too. The non VGT rates for the cruise I’m looking at are 40% more and I just can’t decide if it’s worth the gamble.

Personally I'd go for it. I'm booked VGT for my upcoming Thanksgiving cruise. It's a lot of money to save. I've also had some perfectly good GT cabins.

Most DCL cabins are not going to be so loud that they keep a normal person from sleeping- that's a real rarity and imo not a reason to not book GT unless you're super cautious (the type who flies in 3 days before the cruise, etc.) You're much more likely to get a handicapped cabin than a terribly noisy cabin, because there are more of them and it seems they like to unload the unbooked ones on GT reservations, but still, you're more likely to get a non-handicapped cabin than a handicapped one, and some people like them because they're so spacious. There are plenty of cabins where you'll hear some deck chair movement above occasionally, or some other intermittent noises, but unless you're the type who has to sleep in a mausoleum not to be disturbed, it shouldn't ruin your vacation.

 

[DCLMP]

Just got a assigned a 4E deck 5 the same room for our B2b on the Dream. I'm happy with that. I'm looking forward to the large balcony. I would say 90% of my 28 cruises I've never picked my room. I've been OK with all of them.

 

[MomOTwins]

If a cruise isnt sold out and you do end up in a terrible room, you could try and get it changed once on board?

You can do a paid port upgrade. Your room will valued as the cheapest verandah category, so you'd have to pay the difference to upgrade to whatever category is available. But still likely a lot less expensive than paying the full rate. Again, assuming port upgrades are available.

 

[Karin1984]

No, what I meant is actually on board. Not before. If there is an issue with your room and you cannot possibly stay there, they can try to move you, if rooms are available. I have seen it happen due to a plumbing issue.

Of course it is a risk, but if you cannot cancel anymore after they have assigned your room, like if you are not assigned till the very last moment. I would definitely try it.

 

[DCLMP]

Thanks - this does sound like worst case scenario for us too. The non VGT rates for the cruise I’m looking at are 40% more and I just can’t decide if it’s worth the gamble.

I would never have sailed 28 times on DCL if we weren’t flexible and booked discounted cruises. The 2500 dollars I saved booking an IGT on our European cruise last month paid for the VGT B2b on the Dream next month. I’ve never understood why picking your own room on a cruise ship is worth thousands or even hundreds of dollars. Would you pay thousands more to choose your room at WDW?

It’s doubtful with capacity being low you’ll end up in a handicapped room. I’ve never been assigned one of those I probably wouldn’t mind though the rooms are bigger. You are much more likely to end up in one of the higher more expensive categories because the cheaper verandahs rooms sell out first.

 

[Cheburashka]

I’ve never understood why picking your own room on a cruise ship is worth thousands or even hundreds of dollars. Would you pay thousands more to choose your room at WDW?

People do this all the time at WDW. A savannah view room at AKL can cost thousands more over the course of a week than a standard view room would cost, for example. Same thing for theme park view vs. garden view at monorail resorts. There is a big difference between different rooms within the oceanview category on the Dream class, in particular. You might get a room with a huge window, or you might get a handicapped room in the front corner of the ship that technically has a window but you can't see out of it, and it has no bathtub, etc. That happened to me once when booking OGT. Compare that to when I selected my oceanview room on the Fantasy and got a huge window and nice bathroom.

There is a lot more variability in room quality on cruises than at resorts, and people tend to spend more time in their staterooms on a cruise then when at the parks, which is why they provide Disney on Demand, room service, etc.

 

[DCLMP]

People do this all the time at WDW. A savannah view room at AKL costs thousands more over the course of a week than a standard room would cost, for example. There is a big difference between different rooms within the oceanview category on the Dream class, in particular. You might get a room with a huge window, or you might get a handicapped room in the front corner of the ship that technically has a window but you can't see out of it, and it has no bathtub, etc. That happened to me once when booking OGT. Compare that to when I selected my oceanview room on the Fantasy and got a huge window and nice bathroom.

There is a lot more variability in room quality on cruises than at resorts, and people tend to spend more time in their staterooms on a cruise then when at the parks, which is why there is more entertainment in the rooms (Disney on Demand), room service, etc.

You are picking a category at a hotel not the exact room or location. Booking a savannah room at AKL doesnt allow you to book a location in the hotel it just guarantees you a view of some savannah somewhere in the huge hotel. Disney hotels are so huge location can be very important. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. I’ve booked a garden view room at the yacht club and had beautiful view of the front garden and walkway coming in from Epcot. The last time stayed there I was in the backside of the hotel with a view of a bush. Both rooms were considered garden view, but one had a considerably better view and location.

I look at booking a GT rate the same. Sometimes you get something better than expected and sometimes less. At least at on a cruise your saving money taking a chance at WDW your not.


I would disagree you that people spend more time in their rooms on a cruise. I can’t imagine paying money to sit in my stateroom watching bad Disney movies.

 

[SueInBoston]

I plan on taking a chance on a VGT in Oct NY to Bermuda 5 nighter. Unlike previous cruises with kids where I had to make sure everything goes according to plan. This will be a quick get away and I don't plan to book until late Sept. I am going to set my expectations low that we will get a late PAT, may not get any Palo or Spa reservations, but we will be on a Disney cruise!!

 

[Cheburashka]

You are picking a category at a hotel not the exact room or location.

There are many bookable categories within the "verandah" category or "oceanview" category. When booking GT, you don't get to select the subcategory, so it isn't just about room location, it's also about the room subcategory. A 4A stateroom is itself different from a 5C, for example (bigger room, round tub with rainfall shower), and that is not the case for two savannah view staterooms at AKL that just happen to be in different locations. I described another example of the different subcategories when I described my oceanview booking experiences. And of course, if you're assigned a handicapped stateroom, the stateroom and its bathroom will be completely different. Not going to derail the thread with an argument so I'll stop responding. If you disagree, fine.

 

[DCLMP]

There are many bookable categories within the "verandah" category or "oceanview" category. When booking GT, you don't get to select the subcategory, so it isn't just about room location, it's also about the room subcategory. A 4A stateroom is itself different from a 5C, for example (bigger room, round tub with rainfall shower), and that is not the case for two savannah view staterooms at AKL that just happen to be in different locations. I described another example of the different subcategories when I described my oceanview booking experiences. And of course, if you're assigned a handicapped stateroom, the stateroom and its bathroom will be completely different. Not going to derail the thread with an argument so I'll stop responding. If you disagree, fine.

I wasn’t aware it was an argument? I would tell anyone booking a GT rate that they are getting a discount off the lowest subcategory of room type. If they get put in a higher sub category than they’ve gotten an upgrade.
If I book a OGT rate I would expect nothing more than a 2b. When they put me in a 8c I considered that a nice upgrade. I consider my VGT room in a 4E to be an upgrade too. It’s not my favorite location, but all I was guaranteed was a 7a or better.

 

[WDWAurora]

I’m considering this also. We just did our first cruise in a deluxe family oceanview. Aft room, so felt a good bit of vibration (and we were fine with it). So if I did a VGT and my main concerns are having a shower (don’t need a tub) and a place for all 4 of us to sleep, we are most likely fine it sounds like. I don’t love the possibility of noise from anywhere (chairs on deck moving, bar area, etc), but I’m thinking we would most likely be ok. Since we don’t have a ton of cruise experience and probably had a room with a higher level of motion, that may make this an easier gamble for us than for others who have clearer preferences. Right?

 

[DCLMP]

I’m considering this also. We just did our first cruise in a deluxe family oceanview. Aft room, so felt a good bit of vibration (and we were fine with it). So if I did a VGT and my main concerns are having a shower (don’t need a tub) and a place for all 4 of us to sleep, we are most likely fine it sounds like. I don’t love the possibility of noise from anywhere (chairs on deck moving, bar area, etc), but I’m thinking we would most likely be ok. Since we don’t have a ton of cruise experience and probably had a room with a higher level of motion, that may make this an easier gamble for us than for others who have clearer preferences. Right?

if a shower bed and balcony is all you need you are guaranteed that.