Upgrade at port with DCL?

[act1980]

If so how much did you pay?

What did you upgrade from and to?

How long was your sailing?

 

[Cfabar1]

It can happen, but I am told it is much harder to do than it used to be…

 

[cvjw]

On our last 4 sailings on the fantasy, there was a sign out stating the ship was full, no upgrades. All sailings in the last 14 months.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

On a Wish 3 Night, we upgraded from Cat 11 to Cat 4A for $800 (2A sailing). This was the Dec 15 2023 Merrytime sailing

 

[act1980]

On a Wish 3 Night, we upgraded from Cat 11 to Cat 4A for $800 (2A sailing). This was the Dec 15 2023 Merrytime sailing

So that’s inside to verandah?

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

So that’s inside to verandah?

Yup

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

duplicate

 

[act1980]

Yup

Nice!

 

[AquaDame]

We've been on 13 cruises and not once were able to upgrade... they always say the ship is full. Someday maybe...

 

[auntlynne]

Ok - this won’t help with current life. Might make you cry.

2010 Med 11 nts. 2 adults. Paid $2k for 11C GTY. Upgrade at port $2800 to one-bedroom HA suite (humongous). (Price the day before was $15K). What a deal I got. We were B2B - so early dibs (I wasn’t first in line).

A woman came by, beelined to upgrade desk. Apparently planning on getting this cabin. She was so mad, she grabbed the “Upgrade” sign out of its stand, threw it on the floor, and stomped out if there.

My friend upgraded Cat 11 to verandah for ~ $795.

 

[NephieRN]

All my recent sailings have had the no upgrade signs out (9/22 Wish, 3/23 Magic, and 11/23 Dream). My most recent upgrade was in 2019 Galveston to San Juan on the wonder. Paid $600 to upgrade from a verandah guarantee to a 4a. They quoted us $1600 to upgrade to a regular concierge verandah room. The best upgrade we’ve ever had was in 2012 on the fantasy b2b. We had booked 4a rooms for both weeks and upgraded to concierge one bedroom suites for both sailings for $1300 per sailing. Sadly those days are loooooong gone.

 

[Cfabar1]

What is the typical cost now for concierge day of upgrades?

 

[NephieRN]

What is the typical cost now for concierge day of upgrades?

I recently saw on one of the concierge groups on Facebook that someone upgraded from a 4a to a concierge one bedroom suite on a 7 night fantasy sailing and it was $6k.

 

[Calantha]

I recently saw on one of the concierge groups on Facebook that someone upgraded from a 4a to a concierge one bedroom suite on a 7 night fantasy sailing and it was $6k.

So, I was dreaming of an upgrade on our B2B this summer, but now that we've booked the cruise in Europe, I need to save my pennies!

 

[MomOTwins]

I recently saw on one of the concierge groups on Facebook that someone upgraded from a 4a to a concierge one bedroom suite on a 7 night fantasy sailing and it was $6k.

That is about what we paid for a similar upgrade (from 4C to a 1 BR suite) a year ago. We were sailing with the disney plus kids sail free promo so it amounted to a discount of 60% off the concierge rack rate for that sailing. Had we paid full price for our original room without the disney plus discount, the port upgrade would have been more like 45% off. Either way, it would have been a good deal. Only way we’ll ever sail concierge is if we happen to get that lucky again.

For reference, the way we got to the port early was pure luck. We were taking a disney bus transport on what was supposed to be the first of several bus stops at other disney hotels, but the bus dispatch plans changed last minute and we ended up going straight to port, arriving just after 10am before any of the other buses. We had to wait outside the port as it wasn’t open yet but were literally the second family in the terminal when they started letting people in.

 

[indylaw99]

They only allow people into the terminal based on boarding groups, right? So concierge first and then whoever is lucky enough to get the earliest boarding groups (Disney transport and then Platinums?). If that is the case, do you just have to be in one of the first boarding groups to even have a chance of getting into the building early enough to get one?

There are 4 one-bedrooms still available for our Alaska cruise still for June. I've been watching them for months and they don't seem to be booking up. I'm crossing my fingers that they might still be available. Actually, I'd like someone in a regular concierge room to upgrade to the one-bedroom so that the smaller one becomes available. A girl can dream, right??? I mean, WONDER. lol

 

[Calantha]

If that is the case, do you just have to be in one of the first boarding groups to even have a chance of getting into the building early enough to get one?

Or on a back-to-back.

 

[lanejudy]

They only allow people into the terminal based on boarding groups

Based on reports, it may depend on the terminal (Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Vancouver, etc.). Generally, you shouldn't expect to be allowed into the terminal until your PAT (not boarding group). So those with an early PAT will have first shot at upgrades, unless boarding at a terminal that allows anyone to enter regardless of PAT.

It may depend on what type of upgrade you seek what is available "earliest" vs later. Someone seeking an upgrade from Verandah to Concierge may snag the only Concierge room available for upgrade, but it opens their Verandah room for someone later looking to upgrade from an Oceanview or Inside.

 

[cwis]

As far as I am concerned, the “no upgrades today; ship is full” sign could even be part of the terminal theming.

For what it's worth, I've asked on previous B2B cruises at Guest Services before debarking the first cruise, and, after “checking”, they “confirmed” that ”ship would be full and no availability for upgrades would be available.”