what does "concierge" actually get you?

[justmestace]

I don't understand all this talk of showing off. How and to who are you "showing off"? Do you wear a tee shirt that says, I AM STAYING IN A CONCIERGE ROOM? Aren't the only people that would know you are staying in a concierge room the people that are staying there themselves?

Please don't take my posts personally. I wasn't directing my thoughts and feelings at other people. I was just saying what I'd come around to thinking as I get older.

I'd said back there somewhere, that we'd always traveled with a large group of friends...so I guess if I was trying to impress anyone (other than my own inner demons) it would be them.
And when you sit in the concierge waiting area in the port terminal, and enter before everyone else, it's kind of a dead giveaway from the get-go, don't you think?

On some cruise lines, the key card is a totally different color, too.
I was heading up to our room in the Courtyard on NCL, and you have to use the key in the elevator to get there. A little boy on the elevator asked his dad why they didn't have a "special key" to go up there.....and I told him "That's where they send the people who don't eat all their vegetables at dinner. You don't want to go there." And the dad said "I won't eat my vegetables!"

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

although early entry would also work.
anything to avoid that stampede, which is scaring me to death just to think about how i'm going to negotiate it with my mobile challenged mom and sister, and nearly blind mother who won't be able to see anything if we throw in the towel and sit in the balcony.

Why not try getting there early and asking if you can get your Mom & sister seated before the crowds come in?

Seems like a solution that would work for anyone with the same limitations.

You might want to rethink your tone though - many of us are well aware that you feel you paid far too much and should be entitled to far more than you're getting - but that slighted/entitled tone coming through never encourages folks to help out.

I'm guessing if you set your sites on making sure you get the best you possibly can out of this cruise - for both yourself and your family! - and ask nicely for extra assistance you may need or extra benefits you may feel are warranted, you just might come away realizing that your initial belief that it was worth what you were paying when you booked was correct.

 

[chateau]

I don't understand all this talk of showing off. How and to who are you "showing off"? Do you wear a tee shirt that says, I AM STAYING IN A CONCIERGE ROOM? Aren't the only people that would know you are staying in a concierge room the people that are staying there themselves?

No t-shirt (heavens no), my formal dress is embroidered "We are in the concierge suite"! Guess where?




Of course, I'm kidding!

 

[DreamGirl90]

any normal VIP service includes not having to wait in a pack of people and to be assured of not having to rush in like cattle.

and disney does know this, because that's what they do for VIPs at WDW - help them avoid that situation..

But DCL doesn't.

We sail in a Concierge suite on DCL and expect certain extra attention and amenities, sure, but we DON'T consider ourselves in the same category as celebrity VIPs, so we don't expect THAT kind of treatment! So far, we've been happy with DCL Concierge service.

 

[love280mickey]

Why not try getting there early and asking if you can get your Mom & sister seated before the crowds come in?

Seems like a solution that would work for anyone with the same limitations.

You might want to rethink your tone though - many of us are well aware that you feel you paid far too much and should be entitled to far more than you're getting - but that slighted/entitled tone coming through never encourages folks to help out.

I'm guessing if you set your sites on making sure you get the best you possibly can out of this cruise - for both yourself and your family! - and ask nicely for extra assistance you may need or extra benefits you may feel are warranted, you just might come away realizing that your initial belief that it was worth what you were paying when you booked was correct.

I know I'm getting a little more round as I age, but cattle? not fair to go there!

 

[FJS961]

They refer to 'high profile' guest whom I believe are celebrities or big wigs like Bob Iger, Karl Holtz.

With all due respect, anyone plunking down 30k to sail for a week on DCL should be treated like royalty IMHO

 

[DVCNuts]

We are looking forward to our first concierge cruise. We booked it to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It is a special treat. Disney figured out a long time ago that there will always be guests willing to pay extra for an extra magic experience. Who are we to judge?

I am mainly curious to see what it's like. We are looking forward to a nicer room, a little more privacy, and happy hour. And booking the cabana early definitely factored in. Just 2 more cruises to Platinum, and we won't need concierge for that.

 

[love280mickey]

They refer to 'high profile' guest whom I believe are celebrities or big wigs like Bob Iger, Karl Holtz.

With all due respect, anyone plunking down 30k to sail for a week on DCL should be treated like royalty IMHO

or maybe get their meds checked?

Really, 30K?

well, whatever floats their boat, so to speak.

I'm the OP here and was really just looking for the added benefits, didn't mean for this to turn into any us vs them thread. As I've stated before, it's not for me or my family, but I'm happy for anyone else that uses it and enjoys it, no matter their reasons.

I'll still go on my cruise and enjoy my family and make happy memories, no matters! Just wishin' it would come sooner!

edit: Wow, Ok, I really had NO idea anyone was paying this kind of money for a cruise. Just went online and saw prices for the Royal Suite at 27K, might've been for Thanksgiving. That's a lotta turkey! I hope everyone gets their perceived/reality money's worth!

 

[FJS961]

I agree the pricing has become insane. Everyone has their own comfort levels of what they feel is worth it or a value.

Whenever concierge threads come up the same things keep cropping up.

I hope folks wanted to know what 'you get' with concierge get a sense of it.

Another tip though ... If you can, sail during non peak times and all concierge cabins are about half as much.

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

or maybe get their meds checked?

 

[AlexandNessa]

Honestly, we sail concierge because DCL's suites have 2 bathrooms. Hubby and I do not share a bathroom at home, so it isn't exactly a perfect vacation if we have to share.

Anyway, what did concierge get us?

Concierge pre-cruise has on file for us that we prefer a table for just the two of us in the Dining Room. We enjoy meeting new people and have met some great friends through cruising. However, hubby and I never get to eat dinner together alone due to our 24x7 shifted work schedules, and this is "us time." Our request has always been granted.

You get sodas and bottled water in the room (1 BR) from concierge. We don't drink soda. The concierge swaps out our soda for more water.

Concierge swapped out a Palo reservation for us.

Concierge got us a schedule ahead of time for all alcohol tastings on the cruise, and got us tickets for one.

The concierge came to our cabana when we rang and asked for a beer bucket and she called it in for us.

For all these things, I am not sure where $50 pp/pd tip comes in. Those figures are insane, IMHO, and perhaps a bit of showing off, maybe? We tipped $5 pp/pd, and for what I described above, I didn't feel a bit guilty about that at all. Given the non-discounted crazy rate for the room to begin with, I expect a certain level of service. Then I put things into perspective:

On our 5-night cruise, the recommended tip for our server and stateroom hosts was $40 each. We always double our stateroom host's tip as he has twice the amount of space to take care of for us. Our DR server pre-ordered us a cheese plate every night, just knowing we love cheeses (we never asked him to do this). I take my Blue Moon with an extra orange, and every night, our server had a small plate of extra oranges on the plate. Our server knew we didn't care for chocolate, and just sent us the best non-chocolate dessert without us even ordering. Awesome server. Of course, he did not receive the standard tip. However, given the recommended tip was $40 for people we knew worked crazy hard for us ... did I feel bad giving the concierge $50? No way.

 

[Bonniec]

I still think it's a typo, the OP never came back and clarified. Either that or heard the wrong thing. $50 per cruise or $5 per person per day makes more sense.

 

[pdwimmer]

or maybe get their meds checked?

Really, 30K?

well, whatever floats their boat, so to speak.

I'm the OP here and was really just looking for the added benefits, didn't mean for this to turn into any us vs them thread. As I've stated before, it's not for me or my family, but I'm happy for anyone else that uses it and enjoys it, no matter their reasons.

I'll still go on my cruise and enjoy my family and make happy memories, no matters! Just wishin' it would come sooner!

edit: Wow, Ok, I really had NO idea anyone was paying this kind of money for a cruise. Just went online and saw prices for the Royal Suite at 27K, might've been for Thanksgiving. That's a lotta turkey! I hope everyone gets their perceived/reality money's worth!

I saw for a 7 day that it can get that expensive. Wow! We were on for a 4 night, 6 of us, and it was $8,000 for the Roy Suite. We booked a year in advance and sailed off season in February on the Dream. Luckily our in laws were able to come with so we could put one of our kids on their reservation. They were in the suite right next to ours and it was only $3000 for them with 2 adults and 1 child.

 

[disneyholic family]

Why not try getting there early and asking if you can get your Mom & sister seated before the crowds come in?

Seems like a solution that would work for anyone with the same limitations.

You might want to rethink your tone though - many of us are well aware that you feel you paid far too much and should be entitled to far more than you're getting - but that slighted/entitled tone coming through never encourages folks to help out.

I'm guessing if you set your sites on making sure you get the best you possibly can out of this cruise - for both yourself and your family! - and ask nicely for extra assistance you may need or extra benefits you may feel are warranted, you just might come away realizing that your initial belief that it was worth what you were paying when you booked was correct.

what do you mean get there early?
i've been told there is a mass or people already waiting at 30 minutes before the show.
do you think i should stand there for 30 minutes with them? while a mass of people builds up around us? and tramples us as they enter the theater in their mad dash to grab an entire row?
that's exactly what concierge is supposed to help you avoid.

i was making the comment that other concierge products in other cruise lines offer reserved seating and/or early entry (RCCL, NCL, etc)

DCL has a more expensive concierge product than either of those other two lines, yet they offer less for the price they charge.

avoiding the mass of people stampeding into the theater isn't a lot to ask.

 

[disneyholic family]

We sail in a Concierge suite on DCL and expect certain extra attention and amenities, sure, but we DON'T consider ourselves in the same category as celebrity VIPs, so we don't expect THAT kind of treatment! So far, we've been happy with DCL Concierge service.

not celebrities - anyone paying for VIP service gets exactly the same treatment, whether you're a celebrity or not.

i know people who only go to WDW using their VIP service.

I've only used it once. I personally didn't like it as i prefer to wander around the parks, but it was perfect for taking my sister and mom there.

 

[FJS961]

I saw for a 7 day that it can get that expensive. Wow! We were on for a 4 night, 6 of us, and it was $8,000 for the Roy Suite. We booked a year in advance and sailed off season in February on the Dream. Luckily our in laws were able to come with so we could put one of our kids on their reservation. They were in the suite right next to ours and it was only $3000 for them with 2 adults and 1 child.

When the per diem on a Royal is 2K or less like it used to be, I could rationalize it. Also, on longer cruises the per diem used to go down and seemed like a better value (relatively speaking).

Staying at a nice resort with best rooms (i..e. oceanfront for example) can run easy 500/night and I would get connecting rooms for a family of 5. This does not include food or numerous other things. In comparison, doing a 1 BR suite on DCL at a 1K/night rate wouldn't be bad in comparison and meals / great entertainment included. The problem is the per diems, in peak times, has risen much higher. In some cases I have seen the per diem higher on a longer cruise compared to a shorter cruise.

Even not going concierge can be ridiculous. I have priced out 2 connecting Cat 4 rooms and saw it was almost 10K each - this is for Fantasy summer. The Cat T on same cruise is 20K and a Royal was a squish over 30K. That's when my cards get slammed on the table and I say, "I'm out!"

 

[disneyholic family]

When the per diem on a Royal is 2K or less like it used to be, I could rationalize it. Also, on longer cruises the per diem used to go down and seemed like a better value (relatively speaking).

Staying at a nice resort with best rooms (i..e. oceanfront for example) can run easy 500/night and I would get connecting rooms for a family of 5. This does not include food or numerous other things. In comparison, doing a 1 BR suite on DCL at a 1K/night rate wouldn't be bad in comparison and meals / great entertainment included. The problem is the per diems, in peak times, has risen much higher. In some cases I have seen the per diem higher on a longer cruise compared to a shorter cruise.

Even not going concierge can be ridiculous. I have priced out 2 connecting Cat 4 rooms and saw it was almost 10K each - this is for Fantasy summer. The Cat T on same cruise is 20K and a Royal was a squish over 30K. That's when my cards get slammed on the table and I say, "I'm out!"

20K for cat T? that is so insane considering what you don't get for it.

and 30K for the royal? for that money you can have your pick of the truly service oriented cruise lines...

 

[dclcruiser88]

what do you mean get there early?
i've been told there is a mass or people already waiting at 30 minutes before the show.
do you think i should stand there for 30 minutes with them? while a mass of people builds up around us? and tramples us as they enter the theater in their mad dash to grab an entire row?
that's exactly what concierge is supposed to help you avoid.

i was making the comment that other concierge products in other cruise lines offer reserved seating and/or early entry (RCCL, NCL, etc)

DCL has a more expensive concierge product than either of those other two lines, yet they offer less for the price they charge.

avoiding the mass of people stampeding into the theater isn't a lot to ask.

Who told you?
If your mom and sister have special needs then speak to GS.
They will arrange for them to be taken in to the theater and seated before the masses.
No need to stress!
As for DCL offering less perks IYO, you know that, so that is your choice to book to sail with them. You know what your booking and what your getting.

 

[disneyholic family]

Who told you?
If your mom and sister have special needs then speak to GS.
They will arrange for them to be taken in to the theater and seated before the masses.
No need to stress!
As for DCL offering less perks IYO, you know that, so that is your choice to book to sail with them. You know what your booking and what your getting.

i experienced it on the wonder and everyone i know who's been on the Dream says it's the same, but on steroids...

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

what do you mean get there early?
i've been told there is a mass or people already waiting at 30 minutes before the show.
do you think i should stand there for 30 minutes with them? while a mass of people builds up around us? and tramples us as they enter the theater in their mad dash to grab an entire row?

I've never never seen a mass of people waiting, dashing, or trampling, and I've been on the Dream three times and the Fantasy once.

If you have a family member with mobility issues and you are in concierge, why not ask the concierge staff if your party can be escorted to the concierge box seats before the doors open to others?

(I just remembered that these are available. We were not informed of them when we were cruising concierge in January - I learned about them on a ship tour in March! There's a video here of the Walt Disney Theater that shows them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogLbDC2_KE )

The bottom line is, you're paying $7000 for your cruise... you can either ruin it with incessant negativity and complaints and end up feeling like it was a total waste or you can start focusing on ways to maximize the experience for yourself and your family so that in the end you've had a great experience and don't feel that you've wasted your money.

As I responded to you before, you obviously felt this cruise was worth $7000 when you booked it. Try to get back into that mindset.

It's completely up to you.

Honestly though, as hard as I am trying not to, I am starting to get quite offended by your comments and attitude towards us non-concierge folk.

The fact that the rest of us are staying in Cat 4's and below does not mean we are an unruly mass who is going to trample anyone.