Adjoining Rooms/Upgrade possibility question About This Page:

[hollypoast]

I am so excited that Disney will be cruising in Europe again in 2010 and I plan to book a cruise as soon as they become available.

We have a family of 5 so I plan to book two adjoining stateroom (which I assume will be cheaper than a suite). However, on our last Disney Cruise, when we were a family of 4 in one room, we enjoyed a two catogory upgrade. We booked a cat 12 and got a cat 10 room. (SWEET!)

It seems that if you want to be guaranteed adjoining rooms that you have to select room numbers which may then prevent Disney from upgrading you because they don't know if maybe for some reason you want that specific room.

So my question is..... Is there any way to book two adjoining rooms but leave the room number unassigned so that Disney can work their magic and suprise you with an upgrade, if available?

[Dave Marx]

There are rumors about possible 2010 itineraries. Some involve Europe, others involve other destinations, but no announcements have been made by Disney. Folks are hoping for an official announcement in October.

The way to get a "surprise" in this fashion is called booking a GTY (guarantee). GTY is not offered at all times. Generally, it happens as a particular category or the entire ship is close to filling, and DCL needs more flexibility in placing guests. The cruise line guarantees that you will get the category you reserved, or better. It's still a gamble, though. Plenty of people have gotten staterooms in exactly the category they paid for. Since GTYs are generally hard to come by far in advance, you may be surrendering early booking savings.

You can't specifically book adjoining rooms on a GTY though, you can only request it. To be assured of adjoining rooms or connecting rooms, you have to reserve specific stateroom numbers.

Note that adjoining rooms are simply next to each other. Connecting rooms have a door connecting the two rooms. I think what you really want is connecting rooms, since you look on it as an alternative to a suite. And yes, you're right, two connecting rooms us usually cheaper or even much cheaper than a suite.

[Colexis Mom]

Thanks for the info Dave.......I thought I missed an annoucement or something

[hollypoast]

Hey, how cool to get a response from the "big cheese" Thanks Dave! Love your guide... I am one of your loyal followers refering new Disney travelers to your guide every year.

Yes, I know that there has been no offical announcement but I found some convincing info on mousesavers so I am preparing to book hoping they are right. And yes, I meant connecting... bummed to hear that an upgrade won't be available for me. I guess I'll have to hope to lucky enough to find one of thoese secret porthole rooms.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by hollypoast

Hey, how cool to get a response from the "big cheese" Thanks Dave! Love your guide... I am one of your loyal followers refering new Disney travelers to your guide every year.

Yes, I know that there has been no offical announcement but I found some convincing info on mousesavers so I am preparing to book hoping they are right. And yes, I meant connecting... bummed to hear that an upgrade won't be available for me. I guess I'll have to hope to lucky enough to find one of thoese secret porthole rooms.

I don't think those are actually secret. I think the locations are listed on castawayclub.com and probably here, somewhere. Maybe a search in this forum for 'porthole'?

[marisag]

Just because you have connecting rooms with stateroom numbers does not mean there is no way you will be upgraded. I have had a few different clients get upgraded and retain their connecting rooms. Of course that is a rarity but it does happen.

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by emtpej

I don't think those are actually secret. I think the locations are listed on castawayclub.com and probably here, somewhere. Maybe a search in this forum for 'porthole'?

They're not a secret from travel agents, either. "Secret porthole room" is the name they've acquired, because it's something of an insider's secret. Of course, with the number of repeat cruisers and the amount of information sharing that goes on on the web... it's about as much of a "secret" as the DVC Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary was before last week.

DCL keeps these "secret" because there are too few of them. If they advertised them as "an outside stateroom at an inside stateroom price," everyone would want one, and nearly nobody would be able to get one. Heck, even as a "secret" they're darned hard to get.

[hollypoast]

Well, I'm an optimist so I'm going to try to get one anyway... I'll report back sometime in October if I get one. Thanks for all this info everyone.

[hollypoast]

If I do get one you may hear my screams of joy from Wisconsin all the way across the pond to MI.