Why do you sail concierge?

[Chandra C]

I can barely afford the cheapest rates to take a DCL cruise, so it will probably never happen, but just curious. It is so much more expensive to sail concierge. What perks do you get? Is it really worth the extra cost?

 

[MunFam]

This is a great question. The "perks" of concierge are listed all over these boards...but I am also curious about the WHY...I am a financially cautious traveler, so I am always seeking the best deal at the best location...so an "upgrade" like a balcony or concierge is just out of my travel vocabulary. I like to save as much money as possible so we can travel as much as possible...we typically travel on leisure 5-9 weeks per year and maintain careers in full time positions in the corporate world.

 

[LAX]

I can't afford it either, but I think it's probably for similar reasons that some people fly first class on airplanes, stay at the Four Seasons on land vacations, etc.

LAX

 

[Mushu's Twin]

First off I'd like to say that I'm very blessed with the way that we get to travel and we don't take it for granted, but always sail concierge with DCL. Concierge isn't for everyone, even people who could easily afford it, it's more just about personal opinion. The biggest perk is the concierge service. Not only do you get onboard concierge crew members to cater to your every wish, you have shoreside concierge pre-cruise. They do everything from planning your port adventures to making sure you get the exact table you want inside the MDRs. Both platinum and concierge members are available to book port adventures, specialty dining, and onboard activities 120 days prior to sailing, but concierge guests are contacted 125 days prior asking what they want by shoreside concierge, and they put it in an online system that will automatically book all concierge guests into their activities at midnight 120 days prior. Then you wake up to an email saying everything that was booked for you. We have never not had a shore excursion/activity/dining time not successfully booked. Sailing concierge is a sure fire way to obtaining a cabana on Castaway Cay. All ships now have a concierge lounge which is a major perk. The private lounge is especially nice for my family, because when we travel we normally have 3-4 staterooms and the lounge serves as a great location we can all meet that is close to the room. There's also snacks, hors d'oeuvres, and drinks available throughout the day for free. You can even take as much back to your room as you want including bottled water and canned sodas. Concierge crew members will tell you not to order a water package since you do get as much as you want for free. There's also two nightly concierge receptions with free beer, wine, and spirits. There's one for each dinner time, but you can always go to both. My step sister and I's favorite drink is a malibu and coke, and they never have it on the first night, but we always ask for one and he goes and gets a bottle and then makes sure to have it every night after. The sundeck is my mother's favorite perk, mainly because she doesn't like having to wake up early and fighting for deck chairs. Priority boarding and departure is also a nice perk. Also if you have a port where tendering is required, concierge guests will be escorted down by their concierge team with no need to wait for a tender time/ticket. Other quick perks are: Free bagged air popped popcorn if you're going to see a show/movie or just want popcorn, exclusive character meet and greet (usually pluto, goofy, or minnie), complimentary gifts, Down Duvets in Concierge master bedrooms, pillow menu program, plush robes and slippers in staterooms, Media Library located in the Concierge Lounge, this library features an extensive selection of music CDs, DVDs, video games and board games for your family to enjoy in the comfort of your suite, and Complimentary WiFi Internet Service (up to 100mb). If you have any specific questions about any of these perks please ask. Also in my opinion, the concierge team has a low turnover in the means of the crew members. We've sailed with a majority of the concierge team before, and they do such a great job of remembering us.

 

[phinz]

I realized how much I love cruising Concierge on our last cruise. I made a pass through the lounge to collect my father, who was cruising with us, for dinner, as he was just hanging out in the lounge eating a snack. We got to the room and started changing for dinner. I heard a knock at the door and when I answered it, Kemisha was waiting there with a double Makers Mark for me, which had been my drink of choice at happy hour every night. I hadn't asked for it, but she took the time to get a drink for me and bring it to the room. I was very grateful and extremely impressed.

This was not the only example of above-and-beyond service for us in Concierge, as we've always had phenomenal experiences, but it was a clincher. We cruise both Concierge and non-Concierge, and we are fine with either, but when traveling Concierge I'm always reminded of why we do so.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

The way we can afford Concierge it is to take advantage of our Disney Visa and the 6 months interest free. Some of the reasons we go Concierge... the shoreside concierge and being able to get a SB cabana, the check-in at port (DH hates long lines), first on and our room being ready early. The hosts are great and go out of their way to be helpful. More space as the hallways are not narrow! We would not cruise any other way.

 

[bumbershoot]

We have been in a category V room twice because they are extra pretty, DH likes the snooty value of club level, and our first day cruise we wanted a place to call our own for family reasons.

I find very little value in it but dh is the worker bee and when I can make the snooty side happy I try to. But our first V room was a whole $300 more than the next lowest category room we already had booked and the second time the price was totally fine. Nowadays the increase is astonishing and they've added zero value, so.....

The drink delivery mentioned above could easily bug me as I am not a creature of habit (other than the dis) and I change things up.

 

[Bettyscruise]

I really like the ease of boarding, both in the manner and priority service. I enjoy the lounge and the goodies that go with it. On the big ships I prefer the exclusivity of the cabin location and the calm and quiet that goes with it. The chances of securing a cabana on C.C. increase greatly and we like cabanas. We don't travel or vacation a great deal but when we do our goal is to enjoy some luxury that makes the experience notable.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

We like being certain that we will get every excursion, spa appointment, specialty dining reservation, and a cabana on CC without question. We also like having easy access to the concierge staff to make changes to reservations on board quickly and easily. The snacks and drinks in the lounge are convenient and a favorite of our kids. With 5 people, we also need either the space of the suite or two staterooms, so the suite is a good option for us. And given our inability to predict when we will show up at port, the special boarding area helps, too.

We also only vacation once a year due to career demands, so we tend to maximize that one trip.

 

[cruiser21]

This is a great question. The "perks" of concierge are listed all over these boards...but I am also curious about the WHY...I am a financially cautious traveler, so I am always seeking the best deal at the best location...so an "upgrade" like a balcony or concierge is just out of my travel vocabulary. I like to save as much money as possible so we can travel as much as possible...we typically travel on leisure 5-9 weeks per year and maintain careers in full time positions in the corporate world.

I'm a lot like you. Although someday I would like to try concierge on NCL or Royal. I could never afford it on DCL, but it's definitely on my bucket list to do on another cruiseline.

 

[Trera]

Its wonderful and we would do it every time if we didn't cruise so often. Sometimes we just book a regular room knowing that is better than no cruise at all.

 

[phinz]

The drink delivery mentioned above could easily bug me as I am not a creature of habit (other than the dis) and I change things up.

The funny thing is, I had decided to not have a drink before dinner that day, but it was nice that I was thought of enough for her to take the time to bring one to me.

 

[Trera]

Glen on our Wonder cruise in February heard us talking about how they took the grape pizza off the Palo brunch menu and how we always enjoyed having that.......................when they brought our Palo dinner to our room the next night, we were surprised with a grape pizza freshly made as an appetizer for our in suite dining.

I think the Hosts do a great job and we are never disappointed.

 

[SuperDry]

when they brought our Palo dinner to our room the next night.

That's an important perk that was mentioned only in passing above: enhanced room service. The Royal suites can get Palo delivered for dinner at no extra charge, and both the Royals and the 1+ Bedrooms get any of the MDR menus delivered for dinner. Also, hot breakfast is available as well, IIRC.

 

[Trera]

That's an important perk that was mentioned only in passing above: enhanced room service. The Royal suites can get Palo delivered for dinner at no extra charge, and both the Royals and the 1+ Bedrooms get any of the MDR menus delivered for dinner. Also, hot breakfast is available as well, IIRC.

Correct. We only have stayed in the Royal once and I think we probably didn't use it to its potential as we never had breakfast delivered.

 

[hanscarlet]

We're not sure, we're doing it for the first time in May but I have booked the exact same cruise for 2018 as concierge and I booked it because the process of getting a cabana and just experience at the 125 day mark was really nice. Also there was a bump out verandah possible again so I snagged the verandah. If we don't think it's worth it this time in 2017 then we'll apply the 2018 concierge deposit to a different cruise. I have gone back and forth on this, it's literally $4k more than just a normal non concierge verandah room on the fantasy and so I really don't see how it can be worth it... however I have lost $400 since prices were released on opening day (my 2018 room went up and I have been contemplating the 2018 booking since opening day) and I was looking at the last bump out verandah opportunity so I jumped on it. We also really like main seating and sitting at the cool tables and such so we'll see. I don't know, I have the 2017 cruise paid so I don't really have to think about it but it does concern me whether this $4k additional will be worth it for our 2018 trip. We can't take a lot of time off during the year so we try and make the best of it when we can because we have demanding jobs.

 

[bumbershoot]

Also there was a bump out verandah possible again so I snagged the verandah. If we don't think it's worth it this time in 2017 then we'll apply the 2018 concierge deposit to a different cruise. I have gone back and forth on this, it's literally $4k more than just a normal non concierge verandah room on the fantasy and so I really don't see how it can be worth it...

If you love being in the verandah and will take advantage of it, you'll like the bumpout. For me, I felt stifled. I already feel like staying concierge shackles me to the lounge and the room (and this is booking V at really good rates!), and the same feeling the one time we had a cabana. I don't visit the whole ship very much when we have concierge, and ultimately that bugs me. So when I realized that to take advantage of the big verandah meant spending time on it (which I didn't really get until I was sailing), I didn't love that.

Turns out I'm fine with a normal sized verandah.

So you'll learn what you like or don't like and you'll make the most of that extra money. You have a plan. It'll be good.

We also really like main seating and sitting at the cool tables and such so we'll see.

Ok, again, category V so I'm sure we didn't get the most awesome tables, but the only "cool" table we got in two V sailings was the enchanted garden booth. And it was not fun to sit at. Even with the three of us it was crowded and i found on another sailing that it was more fun to watch the changes from afar rather than be in the middle of it.

And there's that step down that we forgot about by the time we were done with dinner. Yikes!

So beware.

 

[jlemieu1]

My 2 cents as a concierge cruiser only. Like OP I am blessed to be able to afford to cruise concierge. We go on the vacation to relax and be away from crowds. We find concierge lounge and sun deck the best way to get away. Also the hand on service by the concierge staff with the pre-planning and on board can't be beat.

Also my work limits the amount of longer vacation I can take so basically I use the largest portion of my budget on my yearly cruise. I can only take one big vacation a year. But I do keep my cost down by doing the following. Cruise in Nov, Dec, Jan (1/2 price of summer ones). We are kid less(We can get into a Cat V for the price of a Cat 4 with 4 people). We also get another 10% percent off with TA and other discounts.

 

[kaseyC]

That's an important perk that was mentioned only in passing above: enhanced room service. The Royal suites can get Palo delivered for dinner at no extra charge, and both the Royals and the 1+ Bedrooms get any of the MDR menus delivered for dinner. Also, hot breakfast is available as well, IIRC.

The 2 bedroom Cat. S on the classics can also have Palo delivered.

 

[hanscarlet]

If you love being in the verandah and will take advantage of it, you'll like the bumpout. For me, I felt stifled. I already feel like staying concierge shackles me to the lounge and the room (and this is booking V at really good rates!), and the same feeling the one time we had a cabana. I don't visit the whole ship very much when we have concierge, and ultimately that bugs me. So when I realized that to take advantage of the big verandah meant spending time on it (which I didn't really get until I was sailing), I didn't love that.

Turns out I'm fine with a normal sized verandah.

So you'll learn what you like or don't like and you'll make the most of that extra money. You have a plan. It'll be good.



Ok, again, category V so I'm sure we didn't get the most awesome tables, but the only "cool" table we got in two V sailings was the enchanted garden booth. And it was not fun to sit at. Even with the three of us it was crowded and i found on another sailing that it was more fun to watch the changes from afar rather than be in the middle of it.

And there's that step down that we forgot about by the time we were done with dinner. Yikes!

So beware.

yes actually I've read mixed reviews on the tea cup booths at EG, so much so that we aren't doing one on leg 2 of our B2b incase we hate it but requested it for leg 1