Just book Concierge!!! What tips can you offer to get the most out of the experience

So excited!!! Just book concierge on the Dream for the sailing after the 2016 marathon weekend. Just a family stateroom though...not a crazy suite. We have some friends that are staying in a suite. That was part of the reason we book concierge as well because I read you can't really have guest in the lounge or other area. First time sailing in concierge...I'm afraid after sailing concierge that I will never want to be in a regular room.

Now I'm just on the lookout for a last minute fl resident deal for a sailing this summer on the Fantasy.

What are the things to take advantage of in concierge to really get the most out of the extra cost?

OK, it's not that you can't "really" have a guest in concierge areas. It is that you can't. Period. The "public" concierge areas of the sundeck and lounge are for concierge guests ONLY. You may have all the guests you want in the private area of your own cabin.

Have your read a description of what's included with concierge? That lists most of the perks available.

Basically, you should hear from shoreside concierge a few days before the 120 day reservation point asking about any requests/needs. They may try to convince you that you can do your own bookings on line, but you can also have them do it. Palo, Remy, excursions, spa. Do you have a preferred dinner rotation? As concierge, you will be seated at a table by yourselves unless you let them know that you want to sit with your friends. Some people would rather make their own reservations to know they got times that they wanted. Want a Cabana? Have then get it for you...otherwise, it is less likely to be available. If you are doing a cabana with your friends in the suite, have the suite people get it for you--they are higher up on the food chain.

On board--robes and slippers in the room as well as extra toiletries (you don't get to keep the robe). A lithograph to take home. Photo viewing in your area. Concierge reception on boarding. Happy hours every day with complimentary beverages of all sorts (that means free alcohol and smoothies). Munchies in the lounge. A special reception with a "special friend" appearance.

When you board, you'll go over your schedule with the concierge to be sure that you have everything you want/need. He/she can also provide tickets to any event (Frozen characters, princess gathering) as well as paid events (Princess Royal Tea, tastings).

Bottom line, you never stand in line with the rest of us at Guest Services or Port Adventures--you just tell the concierge what you need.

Castaway Cay--anyone mobility challenged? They'll get golf cart transportation to wherever they need to go...like just once when leaving the ship. At tender ports (which you don't have), you get priority tender tickets.

Last day--you can have breakfast in your room and have a slightly later mandated departure than the rest of us.

You can read the whole list on the DCL web site...but it isn't really the "whole" list if you catch my drift.

Wow...thank you.

Your first sentence is exactly why we booked it. I don't want to be a rule breaker and we had so much fun this year with your connecting cabins.

I think in the end it will be a great experience and worth the extra cost.

Be sure to go to the reserved sun deck. Nothing beats relaxing in clam shell chair with a cool drink. Also just a wee perk, if you go to the Disney movies downstairs, you can pick up a bag of popcorn in the lounge to take with you.

First off, we did the conceirge on the Wonder, so it is a different thing entirely. We were able to book the 2 bdr suite for 4 adults at a decent price. We, too, thought that we would not want to ever sail any way other than with concierge. But, when it comes down to the perks for the price, we thought going on multiple vacations was worth not sailing concierge.

We are pretty low maintenance ppl, we like to dine at the MDR's, Palo (or Remy on the new ships), and in general have very few requests. It was nice to have breakfast in our room one morning and on debarkation day, but is this worth 3x the verandah cost? Not in my opinion. The service (Love Rodrigo!) was amazing. We never needed to remember anything, it was all told to us and reminders given and that was really nice. As in, we all thought we all need a Rodrigo in our lives! Lol.

Free drinks - the unlimited bottled water was nice, but for 4 of us, what is this, maybe a savings of $100? Few free alcoholic beverages, again, maybe $100 - $200. Treats in the room, ehhh, we almost never ate ours because we were go go going.

So here is where I think that the concierge is worth it, do you want first chance at booking something and HAVE to have it? Do you need dinner served in your room because of little one's schedule, and some classes get Palo. Are you on a cruise that you really just want to get back to the ship and hole up? Want priority boarding/tendering/debarking? Great, there are some things that you cannot put a price on!

Overall, if the price for one of these rooms ever falls below the down payment on a house, I would do it again. If not, for our group, it is not worth the extra money, but that is my opinion and my budget.

If funds were unlimited, heck yeah, I would do it every time. Just because, it does make you feel a little special.

Also, I would like to try on one of the newer ships, to get the full benefit of the lounge and the sun deck!

Hope you have fun! There are not many tips to getting the most out of it.

Use the lounge, don't hesitate to ask for anything, PIF and then book at 120 days out (let the concierge team know at day 125) and have a blast!

Did you see that the 2 bedroom suite for 5 people on the British Isles cruise is $68000? And someone reserved both of them at that price.

I thought that DCL needed a dose of reality, but if someone is willing to pay that, maybe I'm the one who needs the reality check. Or another cruise line.

Did you see that the 2 bedroom suite for 5 people on the British Isles cruise is $68000? And someone reserved both of them at that price.

 

I thought that DCL needed a dose of reality' date=' but if someone is willing to pay that, maybe I'm the one who needs the reality check. Or another cruise line.[/quote']

 

First of all, I just want to say that as a newb/never-cruised poster, I've really appreciated all your informative posts (to myself and to others). If you do jump to another line, I'll be interested to see your feedback.

 

Secondly...yeah. I'm what I guess you would call nouveau middle class (heh), and I breezily upgraded a recent four-nighter in off season to concierge. Then I saw the British Isles prices that outstripped, for example, the value of my cars. Back to planet earth for me.

First of all, I just want to say that as a newb/never-cruised poster, I've really appreciated all your informative posts (to myself and to others). If you do jump to another line, I'll be interested to see your feedback.

 

Secondly...yeah. I'm what I guess you would call nouveau middle class (heh), and I breezily upgraded a recent four-nighter in off season to concierge. Then I saw the British Isles prices that outstripped, for example, the value of my cars. Back to planet earth for me.

I currently have some DCL booked. But if prices continue at these levels, I won't be booking any more. And that's sad because my family really likes the Magic. And thanks for the first paragraph.:)