We need to vent - no flames please.

[Timmbco]

The issue here has nothing to do with Platinum status. It is outrageous that you booked a 9A guarantee and given a 9D. Not acceptable at all. This is not a matter of upgrading either. You just want what you booked.
I have stayed in that stateroom 7006 and didn't like it at all because the porthole has an obstructed view and that matters to me. ( It is a huge room and some people will love the space)
I would book a 9A because those rooms have awesome portholes but never a C or D.
Your complaint needs to be about your downgrade, not your status.
I have been on 12 Disney cruises and had several upgrades along the way but never expect one or feel I deserve one.

Also they told you they only upgrade if your type cabin is not available-that is not true.

 

[kcashner]

I can understand the *gt rates being lower than what others have paid for regular bookings. The *GTs have restrictions which not all people will find acceptable. However, I too have a problem with those bookings being upgraded before "full fare" bookings. It just seems there is something amiss in the system. But then, I felt the same way about CM, TA, etc. rates.


DCL has downgraded the higher CC levels so much that I don't think it is worth doing an onboard booking unless I'm looking at something like a holiday cruise. If there is an "off season" cruise that I'm thinking about, I KNOW I can probably get a better deal with the *GT.

 

[castaway3]

There is no way if you booked a 9a can they give you a 9d...they are only allowed to go up from your original booked room...now if you just booked a gty. cat. 9 then you are at the luck of the draw. I just spoke to a CM at DCL about the same thing and they can only upgrade you UP not down. I would call back. Good luck.

 

[maria-fan-22]

Are you 100% SURE that you booked at Category 9A GTY and not just a Category 9GTY? If you booked just a category 9 then they can put you in any category 9 room.

The upgrades are based upon when booking were don't and what rooms they would like to fill... You should NEVER expect an upgrade or feel entitled to one... they should be 100% surprise and pixie dust.

I would be sure to double check all of your documents before you call DCL again.

 

[darkwing818]

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.

Totally agree with this post. The OPs issue should not be clouded with "who or who doesn't get upgrades". This issue should have been directed to a supervisor while on the initial call. Only once, where I had an issue with DCL, that couldn't be resolved with a CM; I asked for a supervisor while on the call. When we talked, I explained my issue & we both worked it out (i was correct). If we had not resolved the issue, I would have asked for her manager. Rarely do I use E-mail for things like this. But I do take notes & names just in case. Hope it works out for the OP.

 

[MySecondHome]

I do agree with the opinion that the more cruises you attend the better the perks should be.
My next cruise I will turn Platinum (yay me)!

Regarding the type of room, I realized several cruises ago that I rarely spend any time in my room...and could care less if I have a view or balcony.

When I book I always choose what I jokingly call "the bilge" and make it GTY.
I have no idea why, but about 80% of the time I am upgraded. My last cruise in October was one of my "bilge-GTY" rooms and it turned into a verandah. Not sure why. This is a nice surprise, but personally I would love to see a discount on excursions or bigger discount with shopping!

Sent from my iPod touch using DISBoards

 

[lbgraves]

I have not read anything past your post, but I agree with you that if you paid for a 9A GTY that you should receive nothing less than a 9A. The cost of a 9D would have been less, so that makes no sense whatsoever. Do you happen to have the breakdown of the costs at the time you made your reservation? Checking the DCL site I only see 9Bs listed. The price now is likely more than what you would have paid, but this will show on your reservation if you go to change stateroom. What would probably make me grumble is the VGT rate, but that is something different. Too bad you would lose so much if you canceled at this point or you could switch to that.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

To book a 9A and get a 9D doesn't sound right and I'd be upset to. I hope they fix this for you.

For full disclosure I am a first time cruiser, but have requested no upgrade as I love the room I've booked. Personally, I like the fact that upgrades aren't dependent on how many cruises you have done. Everyone's circumstances are different, and for all we know a first time cruiser may have saved for years and years and gone without a lot just to afford one cruise. Likewise, regular Disney cruises might not be an option for some customers (myself included) if they need to spend thousands and thousands of dollars and hours and hours on a plane, just to get to the cruise in the first place. I like that these people have just as much chance of getting the pixie dust as someone in the privileged position of being able to afford to cruise 3 times a year.

In saying that, I do believe that loyalty should be rewarded. After 30+ cruises, I'd practically be expecting a free cruise (seriously). A downgrade after all that loyalty would certainly feel like a kick in the face. I hope a note has been added to your reservation and some special treatment is coming your way.

 

[MND]

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.

And how healthy is the airline industry?

Mike

To the OP, I hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

[Happy99]

Question for the OP

Did you book the cruise before the category 9 rooms were re-categorized? If this was the case then maybe the 9D was what you originally booked and not the 9A that it was changed due to the re-categorization

Not sure when you booked but this could explain why you were given a 9D. If not I would keep fighting this by email and calling and keep escalating the call.

 

[Weedy]

You need to ask for information in writing the rules for GTY. I don't think they can downgrade you.

 

[MKRuns 26]

Are you 100% SURE that you booked at Category 9A GTY and not just a Category 9GTY? If you booked just a category 9 then they can put you in any category 9 room.

The upgrades are based upon when booking were don't and what rooms they would like to fill... You should NEVER expect an upgrade or feel entitled to one... they should be 100% surprise and pixie dust.

I would be sure to double check all of your documents before you call DCL again.

Well said.

OP double check if you booked 9GTY not a 9A GTY. If you did book the 9GTY then DCL didn’t slight you. DCL is just fallowing their booking policies for the category you paid for. Good luck.

 

[Happy99]

You need to ask for information in writing the rules for GTY. I don't think they can downgrade you.

on Disney's website here is what is says when I pull up a category that is on a guarantee status

"Sorry, there are no Category 11B staterooms available for selection at this time. You may either change the stateroom category or accept a guarantee (GTY) stateroom. Selecting "Choose Guaranty" guarantees the ship, sailing date and rate. A Category 11B stateroom will be assigned by the time documents are received. Selecting "Choose Guaranty" does not guarantee the stateroom will be on a particular deck or, for multiple staterooms, that the staterooms will be located near each other"

 

[lbgraves]

The OP revised his reservation in January. The stateroom categories were changed when the reservations for the Dream were released over two years ago, so there would have been the different categories of 9A - 9D available at the time the OP made his original reservation.

 

[quickcat]

I think you are right and really should not have got a room that is less than what you paid for. I would be upset too. It seems like you just wasted that extra money now.
Hope you get pixie dust your way!!

 

[Happy99]

I may not be looking at this correctly and if I am I am sure someone will correct me but isn't the room # 7006 the larger corner room which means it is a bigger room than say the 9A next door which is 7008?

Looking at the deck plan the category 9A rooms at the back of the ship are handicap accessible rooms only. All the other 9A rooms are at the very front of the ship

Deck 8 8008 and 8506 which are one door down from 9D
Deck 7 7008 and 7506 which are one door down fro 9D
Deck 6 6008 and 6506 which are one door down from 9A

Yes they should have been given 9A if that is what they booked a GTY in but Disney may think that is an upgrade since room 7006 is larger than 7008 or at least it looks that way from the deck plan

As far as location all the category 9D, C and 9A are in the same are of the ships other than the handicap ones, being all the way forward is where they would be anyway

 

[DMMarla07860]

My dad and I have cruised 17 times and we have got upgraded at least 3 times(I think, maybe only twice I can't remember for sure). I have no problem with newer cruisers getting upgraded. If they do great, heck if anyone gets upgraded great. I take it as it comes, but if they down graded you I hope you get it fixed and at least in 9A

 

[jlemieu1]

And how healthy is the airline industry?

Not to drag this off topic again, legacy carriers are not doing well because legacy cost but low cost carriers are doing very well.

 

[fredgirls]

on Disney's website here is what is says when I pull up a category that is on a guarantee status

"Sorry, there are no Category 11B staterooms available for selection at this time. You may either change the stateroom category or accept a guarantee (GTY) stateroom. Selecting "Choose Guaranty" guarantees the ship, sailing date and rate. A Category 11B stateroom will be assigned by the time documents are received. Selecting "Choose Guaranty" does not guarantee the stateroom will be on a particular deck or, for multiple staterooms, that the staterooms will be located near each other"

This is what made me curious. Noticed it on my GTY booking this week. It states, as above ,'guarantees the ship, sailing date and rate'. It doesn't actually say the category/ sub-category is guaranteed, just the rate. Could this be a loophole?

 

[jlwhitney]

I may not be looking at this correctly and if I am I am sure someone will correct me but isn't the room # 7006 the larger corner room which means it is a bigger room than say the 9A next door which is 7008?

Looking at the deck plan the category 9A rooms at the back of the ship are handicap accessible rooms only. All the other 9A rooms are at the very front of the ship

Deck 8 8008 and 8506 which are one door down from 9D
Deck 7 7008 and 7506 which are one door down fro 9D
Deck 6 6008 and 6506 which are one door down from 9A

Yes they should have been given 9A if that is what they booked a GTY in but Disney may think that is an upgrade since room 7006 is larger than 7008 or at least it looks that way from the deck plan

As far as location all the category 9D, C and 9A are in the same are of the ships other than the handicap ones, being all the way forward is where they would be anyway

Thats what I thought, the room is actually bigger.