We need to vent - no flames please.

[TChrist05]

Hello fellow cruisers....my DW and I need to vent a little. We are booked on the 12/1 sailing of the Fantasy. This cruise will be our 30th on DCL so obviously we are Platinum cruisers. We were origionally booked in a category 11 but last January I changed it to a category 9A but at that time their was no availability in that category so we had to take GTY. We finally received our room assignment last week and were assigned 7006 - which is all the way forward on the ship and a category 9D. Let me state that we have never gotten an upgrade on any of our cruises--not once. I spoke with DCL because we were assigned the 9D and we had a 9A GTY. Was told that they could assign any stateroom in a category 9, which I did not think was correct. I sent an e-mail to DCL guest reservations and received an e-mail back from Wilma stating the rules of GTY and if I wanted to upgrade I could at the port for an additional charge. In addition, I stated my opinion of how DCL has continually taken things away from the Platinum cruisers and how I feel that after all the cruises we have taken, not once have we ever gotten an upgrade. I responded back to her telling her I feel that when I read on our Disboards how people have cruised once or twice and then get an upgrade, what does that say to the people who have sailed many times with them. I received a call this morning from a supervisor on DCL who wanted to let me know how they value us and he has heard the same complaint from other Platinum cruisers but as a matter of policy DCL does not give our upgrades to anyone unless the room category they booked is not available. I chose not to have a debate with him on this policy although I suggested they look at it and maybe change it. My DW and I enjoy our experience on each and every cruise and I have always said I don't care where I sleep as long as we are on the ship. I just think that they should try to occasionally reward people who have sailed so many times--and I know their are many people who have sailed many more times than us. Obviously this is my opinion and I am sure so agree with me and some disagree--but even the supermarket rewards people who shop frequently with little bonuses.
Thanks for listening.

 

[wildel1021]

Well said

 

[luv2cruisedisney]

No Flame here

I hope you feel better now that you have made a few phone calls and posted here.

I am sending some pixie dust that you and the DW fall into the upgrade pile this time ( hopefully the supervisor makes it happen)

 

[jlemieu1]

At 30th cruises there can't be too many more that have cruised DCL than you.
Just a thought, Disney should invest a little bit more money in their customer loyality program. Speaking from the airline software industry, there are loyality programs that work for them. Now several European rail services are using the airline software system.

ps. I'm betting your reservation has a special note on it now, pixie dust might be coming.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Hello fellow cruisers....my DW and I need to vent a little. We are booked on the 12/1 sailing of the Fantasy. This cruise will be our 30th on DCL so obviously we are Platinum cruisers. We were origionally booked in a category 11 but last January I changed it to a category 9A but at that time their was no availability in that category so we had to take GTY. We finally received our room assignment last week and were assigned 7006 - which is all the way forward on the ship and a category 9D. Let me state that we have never gotten an upgrade on any of our cruises--not once. I spoke with DCL because we were assigned the 9D and we had a 9A GTY. Was told that they could assign any stateroom in a category 9, which I did not think was correct. I sent an e-mail to DCL guest reservations and received an e-mail back from Wilma stating the rules of GTY and if I wanted to upgrade I could at the port for an additional charge. In addition, I stated my opinion of how DCL has continually taken things away from the Platinum cruisers and how I feel that after all the cruises we have taken, not once have we ever gotten an upgrade. I responded back to her telling her I feel that when I read on our Disboards how people have cruised once or twice and then get an upgrade, what does that say to the people who have sailed many times with them. I received a call this morning from a supervisor on DCL who wanted to let me know how they value us and he has heard the same complaint from other Platinum cruisers but as a matter of policy DCL does not give our upgrades to anyone unless the room category they booked is not available. I chose not to have a debate with him on this policy although I suggested they look at it and maybe change it. My DW and I enjoy our experience on each and every cruise and I have always said I don't care where I sleep as long as we are on the ship. I just think that they should try to occasionally reward people who have sailed so many times--and I know their are many people who have sailed many more times than us. Obviously this is my opinion and I am sure so agree with me and some disagree--but even the supermarket rewards people who shop frequently with little bonuses.
Thanks for listening.

I agree with you completely 100%!!!
I hope they do something to make this a little bit better for you


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

 

[mr.b]

Read you're post, and wish you the best of luck. Hope the DCL upgrades you. We are heading out on our 12th DCL cruise, and we bow in awe to you're 30 cruises.

 

[diane648]

I changed it to a category 9A but at that time their was no availability in that category so we had to take GTY.

If your confirmation shows you booked a 9A GTY, I'd argue the point that a 9D assignment is not acceptable. The language on the website indicates that you'll receive a 9A room if you select a 9A GTY - it does not say that you could receive a lesser category room. I realize many time people in GTY status receive upgrades, but this is the first I've ever heard of someone receiving an assignment that is a lesser category than they booked (which I believe is an error).

Good luck - hope it all works out!

 

[kcashner]

Totally agree.

I was really irritated on the 2010 trans-Atlantic to find that one of my dinner tablemates was on her second DCL cruise (first being 10 years before and having cruised many other lines in between--she was totally confused as to how DCL did many things). We had essentially the same booking except that mine had a rebooking on board discount and the ship had MANY unsold cabins. Bottom line, she got upgraded (inside to oceanview) and I did not. My point is not that I am somehow entitled to an upgrade, but that if there is one to be given, perhaps the loyalty of 20+ cruises at that time should count more than someone on their second cruise. I also let my TA know what I thought of the situation.

Don't know if it made any difference, but on my next cruise, I was upgraded.

I understand that DCL hands out upgrades when they to fit their needs, but totally agree that previous cruises should be one of the factors used to determine who gets the pixie dust. I was told that DCL feels they are more likely to "upsell" silver CC members on their next cruise by showing them how nice the oceanview or verandah cabins are while they feel that platinums probably have already experienced these at some point and are making a conscious choice to purchase a less costly cabin. Yeah, well....in my example above, we were both paying the single supplement--that probably had a lot to do with choosing to not buy a more costly cabin!

Now...do I understand that you booked and paid for a 9A and they gave you a 9D and tried to tell you that is OK??? no way! At least they owe you the price difference between a 9A and a 9D. They are not the same category!

 

[MagicMe]

I know it seems minor and I've loved all my cruises but it is frustrating to see new cruisers getting upgraded when I've been on 7 cruises (I know just a gold member). My last cruise I booked when the Fantasy started booking (FEB11) and new cruises that booked within a couple of months (QTY status) were getting upgrades sometimes 2 and 3 levels. I'm happy for them but I agree that they could check and upgrade frequent cruisers before upgrading new cruisers. Or at least upgrade someone that booked 20 months before the cruise instead of someone that booked 6 months before the cruise.

When they need upgrades to open up cabin spaces, they should upgrade those early bookings or long time cruisers and not the most recent.

AND, now with the IGT,OGT and VGT rates it's even worse. If I had waited to book on my September cruise, I could have booked a verandah room for $150 more than I paid for my inside room (and that's with my 10% discount!!)!!!

Yeah I'm beginning to think I'm better off waiting until last minute. They really should find a way to treat their repeat cruisers better especially when you've got that many cruises!!

 

[jessrose18]

booking a 9a gty you paid more than people booking a 9d gty i would be upset.....

 

[Zandy595]

While I agree that no one should be given a lower category than they booked, I don't believe anyone is entitled to an upgrade, no matter how many cruises they've been on. Upgrades are just the luck of the draw. I've never gotten one and don't ever expect to. When I hear about someone getting an upgrade and they've been on fewer cruises than I have, I don't get upset, I'm happy for them.

 

[phred52]

OP, I'd be upset, too. For being assigned a cabin LOWER than what I'd paid for. That's just not right.

I also agree with you regarding pixie dust upgrades. Disney should rethink however it is they assign those.

I wonder if you call and talk with a supervisor and ask him/her to explain how it is possible to be assigned to a lower category than you purchased ... maybe that person will "get it" .... and make it right.

 

[holula]

There is no way DCL should be assigning a room LOWER than what you paid for. If they have zero other rooms available on the ship, the least they could do is refund the price difference between the categories. The GTY thing does read that you will be assigned a room in that category, just have no say into where in that category.

DCL should definite rethink their upgrade policy. Reward loyalty (by CC status or days sailed or something!) rather than do it magically.

 

[reimero]

If you paid for a 9A GTY, they are (I believe) in breach of contract by giving you a lesser stateroom. Refer to the contract you agreed to when you moved to the 9A GTY. I would call back and make sure that they know this is full-fare, not restricted-fare. That's the difference.

 

[disdel]

At 30th cruises there can't be too many more that have cruised DCL than you.
Just a thought, Disney should invest a little bit more money in their customer loyality program. Speaking from the airline software industry, there are loyality programs that work for them. Now several European rail services are using the airline software system.ps. I'm betting your reservation has a special note on it now, pixie dust might be coming.

Total agreement here. Airline programs are skewed towards the "most loyal" , as they should be. Not as guaranteed as in the past due to fuller passenger loads, but skewed nonetheless. Willy-nilly "pixie dust" can be exciting, but not insurmountable with software. Then again, we've seen that "bells and whistles" rather than functionality seems to be DCL programmers forte'. But I digress. . . . . .

Totally agree.

I was really irritated on the 2010 trans-Atlantic to find that one of my dinner tablemates was on her second DCL cruise (first being 10 years before and having cruised many other lines in between--she was totally confused as to how DCL did many things). We had essentially the same booking except that mine had a rebooking on board discount and the ship had MANY unsold cabins. Bottom line, she got upgraded (inside to oceanview) and I did not. My point is not that I am somehow entitled to an upgrade, but that if there is one to be given, perhaps the loyalty of 20+ cruises at that time should count more than someone on their second cruise. I also let my TA know what I thought of the situation.

Don't know if it made any difference, but on my next cruise, I was upgraded.

I understand that DCL hands out upgrades when they to fit their needs, but totally agree that previous cruises should be one of the factors used to determine who gets the pixie dust. I was told that DCL feels they are more likely to "upsell" silver CC members on their next cruise by showing them how nice the oceanview or verandah cabins are while they feel that platinums probably have already experienced these at some point and are making a conscious choice to purchase a less costly cabin. Yeah, well....in my example above, we were both paying the single supplement--that probably had a lot to do with choosing to not buy a more costly cabin!

And we had the same experience as kcashner on the 2010 TA - we booked opening day prices for that cruise, our 4th on DCL, approx. $3700, 2Adults, for a midship verandah, deck 7. Our tablemates, 2Adults, booked their first cruise ever, DCL or otherwise, in the 90 day last minute window, paying about $600 pp for an inside, and were upgraded to , yep, you guessed, a verandah. Admittedly the TA is a special case due to load factors, and for us there wasn't much of any upgrade wiggle room. But as part of the overall customer service experience, which normally is stellar, DCL seems to make some strange decisions.

And my purpose in posting this is based on the belief that occasionally DCL DOES monitor forums such as the DisBoards, and the hope that our cumulative voice may get through.

 

[mikelan6]

Same exact thing happened to me. I booked in 2010 for a cruise December 2012. After I paid in full, they came out with VGT rates lower than what I paid for a category 9A. I called and expressed my feelings to DCL and got nothing.

Next time, I will book last minute like they are teaching us to do. Until DCL changes their policy, I won't be booking in advance.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello fellow cruisers....my DW and I need to vent a little. We are booked on the 12/1 sailing of the Fantasy. This cruise will be our 30th on DCL so obviously we are Platinum cruisers. We were origionally booked in a category 11 but last January I changed it to a category 9A but at that time their was no availability in that category so we had to take GTY. We finally received our room assignment last week and were assigned 7006 - which is all the way forward on the ship and a category 9D. Let me state that we have never gotten an upgrade on any of our cruises--not once. I spoke with DCL because we were assigned the 9D and we had a 9A GTY. Was told that they could assign any stateroom in a category 9, which I did not think was correct. I sent an e-mail to DCL guest reservations and received an e-mail back from Wilma stating the rules of GTY and if I wanted to upgrade I could at the port for an additional charge. In addition, I stated my opinion of how DCL has continually taken things away from the Platinum cruisers and how I feel that after all the cruises we have taken, not once have we ever gotten an upgrade. I responded back to her telling her I feel that when I read on our Disboards how people have cruised once or twice and then get an upgrade, what does that say to the people who have sailed many times with them. I received a call this morning from a supervisor on DCL who wanted to let me know how they value us and he has heard the same complaint from other Platinum cruisers but as a matter of policy DCL does not give our upgrades to anyone unless the room category they booked is not available. I chose not to have a debate with him on this policy although I suggested they look at it and maybe change it. My DW and I enjoy our experience on each and every cruise and I have always said I don't care where I sleep as long as we are on the ship. I just think that they should try to occasionally reward people who have sailed so many times--and I know their are many people who have sailed many more times than us. Obviously this is my opinion and I am sure so agree with me and some disagree--but even the supermarket rewards people who shop frequently with little bonuses.
Thanks for listening.

I agree with PP about who gets the upgrades, let them fall where they may.

BUT, if I had a 9A GTY booking and was assigned a 9D, I'd be really upset, also.

IMO, I think the CM you talked to about this was wrong. And I'd pursue it. Either an assignment to the proper category, or refunding the difference in the cost, or OBC equal to the difference would work for me.

 

[over50visits]

A couple of thoughts.

One is to never begrudge someone else getting a good deal. It happens, be happy for them. It isn't unfair if DCL chooses to do something special for someone and not someone else. It happens.

Second is that Disney's Castaway Club seems really weak. Early boarding? Whatever. Free dinner at Palo? A $15 dinner after 10 cruises and many thousands of dollars? Whatever. Early booking of excursions? My cruise experience isn't lessened because I don't get one of the overpriced rub a dolphin tours (granted many people happily pay for that). Different color lanyard? Huh?

Third, though, is that the real world is a bit different, and many people have come to expect perks and special treatment from business they frequent. Businesses recognize that and capitalize on that need for people to feel special by making them feel special. Disney, surprisingly, is not doing that very well. On our 50th visit to WDW we told the reservationist that was our occasion, thinking perhaps we'd get something (flowers in the room, desert at a restaurant, something) but nothing. We, of course, should not have expected something special, but we were surprised they didn't even seem to care. I've spent tens of thousand of dollars cruising, got everything I paid for, but Disney should make an attempt to recognize the general public's need for getting more than they paid for after spending so much hard earned money.

Disney is doing fine, and their parks are crowded and the ships are full. As a business, they don't need to increase their spending to reward loyal guests, or even things that don't cost them a penny (such as an upgraded room). But I think they should, out of common courtesy if nothing else. 30 cruises? Disney should bend over backwards to treat you with special consideration.

 

[wiigirl]

Well said

Indeed!

 

[CarolAnnC]

Hello fellow cruisers....my DW and I need to vent a little. We are booked on the 12/1 sailing of the Fantasy. This cruise will be our 30th on DCL so obviously we are Platinum cruisers. We were origionally booked in a category 11 but last January I changed it to a category 9A but at that time their was no availability in that category so we had to take GTY. We finally received our room assignment last week and were assigned 7006 - which is all the way forward on the ship and a category 9D. Let me state that we have never gotten an upgrade on any of our cruises--not once. I spoke with DCL because we were assigned the 9D and we had a 9A GTY. Was told that they could assign any stateroom in a category 9, which I did not think was correct. I sent an e-mail to DCL guest reservations and received an e-mail back from Wilma stating the rules of GTY and if I wanted to upgrade I could at the port for an additional charge. In addition, I stated my opinion of how DCL has continually taken things away from the Platinum cruisers and how I feel that after all the cruises we have taken, not once have we ever gotten an upgrade. I responded back to her telling her I feel that when I read on our Disboards how people have cruised once or twice and then get an upgrade, what does that say to the people who have sailed many times with them. I received a call this morning from a supervisor on DCL who wanted to let me know how they value us and he has heard the same complaint from other Platinum cruisers but as a matter of policy DCL does not give our upgrades to anyone unless the room category they booked is not available. I chose not to have a debate with him on this policy although I suggested they look at it and maybe change it. My DW and I enjoy our experience on each and every cruise and I have always said I don't care where I sleep as long as we are on the ship. I just think that they should try to occasionally reward people who have sailed so many times--and I know their are many people who have sailed many more times than us. Obviously this is my opinion and I am sure so agree with me and some disagree--but even the supermarket rewards people who shop frequently with little bonuses.
Thanks for listening.

Did you book with a travel agent or DCL direct? Just wondering if you have spoken to the travel agent, if so?