Extremely upset with DCL!

[Shmoo here]

Apparently I'm inept at posting from my phone.

 

Well, I did it from my laptop, not a phone. ;)

 

I just saved it in paint and then downloaded it to tinypic and posted it here.

[katiel12]

Based on those dates, I don't think the OP will be happy on the cruise that sails on September 5th either. I hope she didn't change to that one.

[Shmoo here]

Based on those dates, I don't think the OP will be happy on the cruise that sails on September 5th either. I hope she didn't change to that one.

 

I believe they posted that they switched to the cruise just prior to their original one.

 

Personally, I think extending Halloween into September is a bit too much. October is enough.

 

Some of us like just "regular" DCL cruises, without extras.

[katiel12]

I agree that it is a bit too much. The same with the Halloween and Christmas party in the parks. They start so early. Even if they waited until halfway through September, I think it would be enough. But, as long as the public wants it, they will keep doing it.

[katiel12]

And if she switched to the one just prior, that would be September 5th. I don't think that fixes her problem! I hope they moved it back to the August 29th sailing.

[moki'smommy]

The sell out the NSSHP every time...so makes sense to continue to offer it. I had a couple of 23 year old guests last year. They felt it was the best event of their WDW vacation.

 

And yes, I suspect OP will be most unhappy with this announcement.

Edited June 22, 2015 by moki'smommy

[mividajp]

Sorry for the confusion. We moved it to the cruise before the one we had with the same itinerarie. Which is technically 2 weeks before our originally scheduled cruise.

 

I also think it's kind of "Funny" that the Holiday dates are now announced. When I first spoke to a DCL rep to confirm that the sailing was a Halloween sailing he said they were probably not going to announce them until the end of July. Makes you wonder....

[moki'smommy]

Sorry for the confusion. We moved it to the cruise before the one we had with the same itinerarie. Which is technically 2 weeks before our originally scheduled cruise.

 

I also think it's kind of "Funny" that the Holiday dates are now announced. When I first spoke to a DCL rep to confirm that the sailing was a Halloween sailing he said they were probably not going to announce them until the end of July. Makes you wonder....

 

Some of them were announced on May 5, and were picked up in the Orlando newspaper article of May 7...not sure why they weren't ALL announced then. Perhaps they were waiting to see how bookings went.

 

In any event, I'm glad you are on a cruise that you are reasonably happy with....

[mividajp]

I've been moving up the managerial chain to try to get this resolved. It's been sad and disappointing that either DCL managers are kept out of certain loops or they outright lie.

I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt so I'm going to blame it on DCL not training their managers properly. The higher up the chain I go the more conflicting information I get. SMH:(

[BullDawg91]

At this point, what is your desired result? Are you canceling of yours is a HOTHS cruise?

[moki'smommy]

I've been moving up the managerial chain to try to get this resolved. It's been sad and disappointing that either DCL managers are kept out of certain loops or they outright lie.

I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt so I'm going to blame it on DCL not training their managers properly. The higher up the chain I go the more conflicting information I get. SMH:(

 

Your experience matches that of many others. The joke is that if you don't like the answer, call and a different CM will give you a different answer.

 

We were once at WDW with a cruise departing the next day and a hurricane approaching Port Canaveral. The information from DCL was different from that on the local TV stations and SOMEONE at DCL knew the correct info because they brought the Magic back into port a day early to miss the hurricane/port closing. But they kept telling us that our cruise would depart as scheduled....local TV was right. Honestly, they either don't know or they are given a script and they stick to it despite knowing it is a lie.

[mividajp]

Sorry BullDawg, I didn't completely understand your question. I want the end result to be that Disney gives me a verandah cabin without obstruction in any category, without charging me the difference between what we paid in April compared to what it is currently listed at. It's jumped quite a bit.

 

We had a 4C on our original cruise and we've been downgraded to 5D gty with a big up charge. I'm ok with the 5D gty, I just don't feel like it's right to charge us based on current cruise prices when we made our reservations in April.

 

If we called DCL right now and wanted to move from our 4C to a concierge than I feel they are justified in charging us the up fee based on current cruise rates. I'm also ok if they told me they didn't have any 4C cabins left and if I wanted to move to a 4A or 4B they charge me the up charge based on April prices. I'm also not asking for them to refund me the difference between the 4C and 5D category based on April prices. I'm just asking for a non-obstructed verandah on a DCL cruise without HOTH.

[katiel12]

It kinda stinks that they are charging you based on current rates. Sorry about that. I hope you eventually get the help you need. I do have to say that I am surprised you have to call. Your TA should be the one making these calls and working through the chain of command at DCL!

[mividajp]

My TA gave up. She did spend two hours with DCL but she gave up and said it was DCL policy and there was nothing she could do about it. I may not get what I want but I'm not willing to give up after speaking to only one manager.

[Shmoo here]

My TA gave up. She did spend two hours with DCL but she gave up and said it was DCL policy and there was nothing she could do about it. I may not get what I want but I'm not willing to give up after speaking to only one manager.

 

Sorry, but in my opinion, you may be fighting a losing battle.

 

Look at it this way. If someone books a cruise, and then wants to switch that cruise for a different one on a different day(for any reason), they pay the difference (if any) in fares between the two. That's how Disney handles it.

 

The only time someone is "locked" into the prices in effect when they booked their cruise (on DCL) is if they want to make a room change on the same cruise, not moving to a different cruise.

[moki'smommy]

I don't think she will win this one, but I do think she has a legit point.

 

The one good thing is that with a 5 gty booked, she may be the fortunate one who sees an upgrade to what she originally booked. This MAY be noted on her reservation, but nothing will ever be said because it cannot be promised.

[grammi]

Is it possible your new dates would have been priced higher when you did your original booking? More popular dates will start out and continue to be higher priced than less popular travel dates. Just a thought.

[katiel12]

That is highly likely since the August sailing is before Labor day when many schools start back up.

[cruising forever]

Following...

[sytrace]

June , July and August sailings are typically more expensive due to school being out of session. The first week of September (Labor day) are up there as compared to the second week when they drop nicely. I don't think the prices were any different in April for the time that OP wants to go now. Tgey woukd be the same as if she booked now for the same trip on those dates. I am a TA and have been looking at prices in December since April and they have not changed at all either way. I hope they can work with her, but the dates she now wants to go are prime time pricing as compared to off season pricing of her original HOHS dates.

[Shmoo here]

Is it possible your new dates would have been priced higher when you did your original booking? More popular dates will start out and continue to be higher priced than less popular travel dates. Just a thought.

 

I looked it up. On the original cruise, a 4C on opening day was $1645 per person. After 2 increases it's currently $1750 per person.

 

A 4C on the 8/29 cruise started at $1680 pp. And after 4 increases is currently $2023 pp.

[katiel12]

The last price increase seems to have been in October of 2014, so the OP isn't paying more than should would have in April when she booked. Still, the whole situation can't be fun.

[Shmoo here]

The last price increase seems to have been in October of 2014, so the OP isn't paying more than should would have in April when she booked. Still, the whole situation can't be fun.

 

Right.

 

In April a 4C room on the 9/12 cruise was $1715 per person. While on the 8/29 cruise it was $2023 per person (that price increase was Oct 2014).

 

So the OP would have gotten the same price for the 8/29 cruise on the day they booked it, if it had been available.

 

A 5D in April was $1855 per person (and still is).

Edited June 24, 2015 by Shmoo here

[mividajp]

Schmoo, if you don't mind me asking, are you a DCL rep? I've been around and around with DCL at this point and was told only DCL reps have access to that info. It's good to know. I appreciate you putting it up there.

 

At this point I'm getting disillusioned with DCL. I'm getting so much misinformation. They tell me one thing, I go to confirm it, find out it's not "exactly" true, call them back to let them know what I've found out and they start back tracking. They didn't say "that", I misunderstood and then there's a brand new excuse. At this point, it is what it is, we'll go on this cruise and enjoy our time together as a family.

 

I will say that unless we are completely blown away by DCL, we probably won't book another DCL cruise. I would rather somebody just tell me straight up what's going on, even if it's "No, we won't do it because we don't want to and don't have to" than making up some fake excuse they think will placate me.

 

Thanks for everybody's response and help. I'm ready to go on the cruise and soak up some sun and sea air

[Shmoo here]

Schmoo, if you don't mind me asking, are you a DCL rep? I've been around and around with DCL at this point and was told only DCL reps have access to that info. It's good to know. I appreciate you putting it up there.

 

At this point I'm getting disillusioned with DCL. I'm getting so much misinformation. They tell me one thing, I go to confirm it, find out it's not "exactly" true, call them back to let them know what I've found out and they start back tracking. They didn't say "that", I misunderstood and then there's a brand new excuse. At this point, it is what it is, we'll go on this cruise and enjoy our time together as a family.

 

I will say that unless we are completely blown away by DCL, we probably won't book another DCL cruise. I would rather somebody just tell me straight up what's going on, even if it's "No, we won't do it because we don't want to and don't have to" than making up some fake excuse they think will placate me.

 

Thanks for everybody's response and help. I'm ready to go on the cruise and soak up some sun and sea air

 

No, I'm not a DCL rep. I got that information from cruise fish. You can find the prices of any given room on any given cruiseline, with subsequent price increases (if there were any) by date there.