Is Concierge Deck worth it?

I'm just starting to research a DCL cruise. We've cruised many other lines, but never DCL. Starting to plan a trip with daughter/sil and grands, ages 5, 10 and 13. My friend loved concierge deck and perks. Could someone please give me more information and tell me if you think the perks are worth the almost double costs.

To me, it’s not worth the costs. Satellite falls always has plenty of open loungers for use and is adult only. You don’t need a tiny buffet with croissants and sodas 50 feet from your room for an extra 4k

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The real questions become which ship and how much is the extra space worth to you. IMHO, the concierge suites are better on the Magic and Wonder but the perks are better on the Fantasy. The concierge perks on DCL are not as good as they are on most other lines. They will bow and scrape and make your life easy, but life on a cruise ship isn't exactly hard anyhow. In my view, if you are doing it because you want the space, it may be worth it. For the perks.....too rich for my blood.

We recently received an upgrade to a suite on another cruise line. In addition to things like the ability to order MDR food served in the room and the munchies and beverages (nightly receptions, etc), priority boarding, etc., we also got unlimited complimentary laundry and dry cleaning, complimentary "length of cruise" passes to their equivalent of the rainforest, and some other nice goodies. Again, I wouldn't have paid what they charge for a suite, and it is a lot less than DCL charges.

I don't know exactly what cabin arrangements you are considering for your crew, but it sounds like you'll need at least 2 cabins. That will give you as many bathrooms, TV, etc. as you'd have in a suite.

Disney is already one of the most expensive of the mass market lines. Paying double that for the few benefits would not be something I would do. For the same money, I could book TWO cruises. I vote for two cruises. :)

I'd do concierge on another cruise line before I'd do it on DCL. The perks are simply not comparable, and DCL pricing is so high already.

I'd do concierge on another cruise line before I'd do it on DCL. The perks are simply not comparable, and DCL pricing is so high already.

Need a "like" button for this. We can do a longer cruise in a suite on other lines for less than a week in a balcony on DCL. For our upcoming cruise, DCL balcony was $10K for 7 nights. Princess suite booking (they don't have a concierge on all ships, but do have perks and designated line at passenger services) was $6K for 14 nights. It was a no brainer for us.

There's no way to compare "apples to apples" between lines, but overall, other lines have suites/concierge for far less, and IMHO the few perks on DCL do not justify the cost difference. However, DCL is doing exactly what they are supposed to do--the concierge cabins rarely are unbooked at full fare. They are making money for the shareholders by selling these cabins to those willing to pay the price.

i've been on DCL in both concierge and regular, and as everyone has said, you really don't need to be in concierge to enjoy the cruise.

If money is truly no object for you, and i know people like that, then by all means book concierge as the suites are certainly lovely.

But if you're not made of money, and would prefer to sail twice for the same money rather than 'waste' it on concierge, then i don't really think you'll miss anything.

But i can't choose for you.

i'll admit that i enjoyed the concierge suites i've stayed in.

And i enjoyed being put at the 'best' table in the main dining rooms.

But then again, i very much enjoyed our cruise in a regular balcony room. And i thought our table in the main dining room was very nice.

And our wait staff was very nice.

And you have the same activities.

i really didn't feel like i was missing out on anything by not being in concierge.

And we thought our regular balcony room was very nice.

But again, i can't decide for you how much money is too much and how much you enjoy or don't need those perks.

Each person is different. I have friends who wouldn't be caught dead in anything but concierge and the presidential suite in a hotel. And that's fine. That's what they enjoy, and so to them i would say absolutely go for a concierge suite.

But each person has to know what's right for them.

as everyone has already said, on DCL most of the difference is in the room itself.

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I will add my 2 cents! I have not sailed Disney before and just booked our first Disney cruise about 2 weeks ago for a 5 day cruise on Dream next June. This cruise is for my granddaughter who will be 7 next year.

I first booked an extended balcony on deck 5 that would be close to the kids club because I think she will probably spend a lot of time there. After researching these last few weeks I recently changed to a concierge balcony cabin for several thousand $$ more.

Several reasons, my granddaughter has her heart set on the princess tea, I’d like to get a cabana on Castaway Cay, book brunch reservations, etc and I learned first timers can only book these things 75 days in advance whereas concierge are the first to book and are pretty much guaranteed to get what they request.

I also like the perk of being on the ship first to hit the water slide, etc plus we have an 11:40 flight back home so can be first off the ship as well. My granddaughter will probably spend lots of time in the kids club so having the concierge retreat would also be a perk for my husband and I although there is also an adult pool area. Evening concierge happy hour will cover our alcohol needs so no additional money there, plus all the lattes my heart desires just down the hall.

Just saying I weighted all those things and made the decision to upgrade on this trip, but we are seeing this as our major vacation for the year and will most likely never sail Disney again.

I will add my 2 cents! I have not sailed Disney before and just booked our first Disney cruise about 2 weeks ago for a 5 day cruise on Dream next June. This cruise is for my granddaughter who will be 7 next year.

 

I first booked an extended balcony on deck 5 that would be close to the kids club because I think she will probably spend a lot of time there. After researching these last few weeks I recently changed to a concierge balcony cabin for several thousand $$ more.

 

Several reasons, my granddaughter has her heart set on the princess tea, I’d like to get a cabana on Castaway Cay, book brunch reservations, etc and I learned first timers can only book these things 75 days in advance whereas concierge are the first to book and are pretty much guaranteed to get what they request.

 

I also like the perk of being on the ship first to hit the water slide, etc plus we have an 11:40 flight back home so can be first off the ship as well. My granddaughter will probably spend lots of time in the kids club so having the concierge retreat would also be a perk for my husband and I although there is also an adult pool area. Evening concierge happy hour will cover our alcohol needs so no additional money there, plus all the lattes my heart desires just down the hall.

 

Just saying I weighted all those things and made the decision to upgrade on this trip, but we are seeing this as our major vacation for the year and will most likely never sail Disney again.

all very good points!

so if you're interested in the things mentioned in this post, then concierge might be a good choice for you...

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I will add my 2 cents! I have not sailed Disney before and just booked our first Disney cruise about 2 weeks ago for a 5 day cruise on Dream next June. This cruise is for my granddaughter who will be 7 next year.

 

I first booked an extended balcony on deck 5 that would be close to the kids club because I think she will probably spend a lot of time there. After researching these last few weeks I recently changed to a concierge balcony cabin for several thousand $$ more.

 

Several reasons, my granddaughter has her heart set on the princess tea, I’d like to get a cabana on Castaway Cay, book brunch reservations, etc and I learned first timers can only book these things 75 days in advance whereas concierge are the first to book and are pretty much guaranteed to get what they request.

 

I also like the perk of being on the ship first to hit the water slide, etc plus we have an 11:40 flight back home so can be first off the ship as well. My granddaughter will probably spend lots of time in the kids club so having the concierge retreat would also be a perk for my husband and I although there is also an adult pool area. Evening concierge happy hour will cover our alcohol needs so no additional money there, plus all the lattes my heart desires just down the hall.

 

Just saying I weighted all those things and made the decision to upgrade on this trip, but we are seeing this as our major vacation for the year and will most likely never sail Disney again.

Yes, to all of this. DCL concierge will bend over backwards to make sure everything you want is booked. You get priority booking for everything - ticketed character meets, Palo/Remy (they even hold back tables for concierge guests), cabanas, Bibbidi Bobbidi, etc. Priority tendering in any port that requires a tender. A private table in the MDR's, a specific dining rotation, table location (like a teacup table in Enchanted Garden or a table close to Crush in Animator's Palate). A private escort on and off the ship so you don't have to wait in any lines. Coffee, alcohol, etc. It's totally worth it to us. It takes all of the stress out of any planning that needs to be done. And if you need anything while on the ship, the concierge staff will do anything they can to make it happen. I packed the wrong shoes for my husband to wear to Remy on our last cruise - they found shoes for him to wear.

I'm just starting to research a DCL cruise. We've cruised many other lines, but never DCL. Starting to plan a trip with daughter/sil and grands, ages 5, 10 and 13. My friend loved concierge deck and perks. Could someone please give me more information and tell me if you think the perks are worth the almost double costs.

I have booked both and would have to agree with all of the above comments. The main reason I book the concierge is for the very large cabins and priority booking. If you want a cabana this is probably the only way to get one. I have to say it was nice to be able to send an email to concierge with a list of what I wanted to book (cabana, tea party, etc.) and let them book it before it is opened up to everyone else. It was also nice to be escorted right onto the ship when I got to the cruise terminal and to have concierge available aboard ship to take care of anything and everything that I needed. With that said, spending the extra money (which is considerable) is a personal choice if you think it's worth it or night. All of my cruises on disney were amazing, whether it was concierge or not. You can't make a wrong choice... the cruise will be fabulous either way. Hope this helps.

Maryjo

I agree with all of the above. And I have friends who will only cruise in the Walt or Roy suite--if it isn't available, they won't do the cruise. OK, if that's what it takes to make them happy, go for it.

If getting every item on your list is critical to your child's happiness (and by extension, yours), probably the only way you'll get it all is by going concierge and by making sure that shoreside concierge knows what you want before the booking window opens.

On the other hand, we've only had one "bad" DCL cruise, regardless of cabin type....and that was because DCL hadn't yet figured out how to run a cruise line. They quickly got those issues fixed so the only question was whether a cruise would be good or great. OK, a couple were memorable for the problems......again, usually not something that DCL could have predicted or altered.

You’ve gotten everyone’s thoughts. The answer is just depends on what’s important to you. We have been on over 20 Disney cruises as well as more than 10 cruises on other lines. We have gotten concierge on crystal, princess and celebrity. It was worth it but it was just me and my husband and the cruise was still less than a Disney Cruise! And the rooms came with a private butler, free laundry and all drink inclusive plus early registration for excursions and free dinners in their equivalent of palo and remy.

On the other hand, on Disney, we take our disabled daughter, her best friend, share either a balcony or ocean view cabin and regardless of price, always enjoy it. Because were platinum we get first dibs in everything too so we’re just missing a slightly larger room, free lattes and free wine in the evening. None of that is important to us. And we would never want a cabana anyway on CC. So it would never be worth it to us.

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