Disappointed Platinum Member

[lanejudy]

Tangent- how did you get sons girlfriend in cabin by herselfb if 19? They would not let us book our 19 year old without an over 21 (although they told us we could switch once on board).

A 19 yr old should be ok as lead on a reservation as long as there is nobody under 18 booking into the same cabin. Unless something has changed, passengers age 18-19-20 can be booked into a stateroom with others of similar age. Minors (under age 18) must be booked into a stateroom with someone age 21 or older. The exception is if the minor(s) is a child of the young adult under 21.


OP, I'm not sure if your complaint refers to online check-in or checking-in at the terminal for embarkation. If online, go ahead with your advanced check-in date; have the others check-in on the appropriate (gold, newbie) date and try for the same activities you have booked. If you are concerned about adult dining, they can almost always work that out especially since it sounds like you aren't a large party. If your complaint is in reference to actual embarkation day, I honestly wouldn't worry about it. You can always ask if the other cabin could check-in and board with you, but as others have pointed out as long as they have an early PAT it's literally a matter of a minutes between Platinum boarding and regular boarding numbers. While I can understand your frustration, I wouldn't stress over it.

Enjoy your cruises!

 

[Heard02]

Wonder if it is a new rule? We are platinum and have traveled with others who aren't and we all boarded together.
And if its a Norway cruise, that terminal is so cramped anyway that I am not sure it would matter about an arrival time? (could be wrong)

Anyhow, I am sure you will enjoy your cruises!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Wonder if it is a new rule? We are platinum and have traveled with others who aren't and we all boarded together.
And if its a Norway cruise, that terminal is so cramped anyway that I am not sure it would matter about an arrival time? (could be wrong)

Anyhow, I am sure you will enjoy your cruises!

Generally, you are supposed to board when your boarding number is called. Some groups feel that they should be able to board all together once the lowest boarding number is called for their group. DCL requests that those groups with different boarding numbers, who wish to board together, do so when the highest number in their group is called.

Boarding may or may not be an issue (see justacruiser's post), but the question seems to be why can't all the rooms (that OP paid for) check in at the Platinum/Concierge desk in the terminal. OR why can't OP do the online check in for all rooms he paid for (so that they can get the earliest boarding) when his Platinum window opens.

 

[jane01jp]

The real issue is this:

There are very few platinum priveleges. Early boarding is one of them, but there are lots of strings attached.

From a customer satisfaction viewpoint, Disney would be better-served by not even offering the early boarding, if they are not willing to do it for everyone with me.

I am also platinum on American Airlines. When I travel, even though my family are not platinum, they have priority boarding with me. And, I can take them into the airline club at the airport, even though they are not members.

I love Disney. I have been to WDW and DL too many times to count, as well as to DL Paris.

I would like to see them improve on their normally excellent service, so that they don't become more like every other business out there.

It may seem like Disney can do nothing wrong if we look through rose-colored glasses. But, they've missed the boat on this one (pun intended).

 

[GatorMomInNC]

The real issue is this:

There are very few platinum priveleges. Early boarding is one of them, but there are lots of strings attached.

From a customer satisfaction viewpoint, Disney would be better-served by not even offering the early boarding, if they are not willing to do it for everyone with me.

I am also platinum on American Airlines. When I travel, even though my family are not platinum, they have priority boarding with me. And, I can take them into the airline club at the airport, even though they are not members.

I love Disney. I have been to WDW and DL too many times to count, as well as to DL Paris.

I would like to see them improve on their normally excellent service, so that they don't become more like every other business out there.

It may seem like Disney can do nothing wrong if we look through rose-colored glasses. But, they've missed the boat on this one (pun intended).

Man, I wish I knew this! My husband is platinum on American and we just flew cross country with him and didn't take advantage of this.

Op.. What if you got a concierge room to share? The room is larger and the sleeping spaces are a little more separate, and I would guess (hope) that the price for three would be close to the cost for 2 rooms (one with the single supplement).

 

[jane01jp]

By the way, the first person (Ryan) that I spoke to on the phone was polite. He put me in touch with his supervisor (Sue), who was kind of snarky, in my opinion.

I asked why they had this policy. She said: "It would be unfair to other platinum members if you had a large group of, like, 16 people with you that you wanted to have check in under platinum."

I mentioned that this was a far-fetched, non-compelling argument, and asked if I could have someone else call me. She said that someone else would call me within 24 hours, but that they wouldn't do anything about it either.

I'm really not looking for anything out of them, other than the benefits that they advertise.

When I check in, I will ask for the 1st-time cruiser lanyard (since that is where I am checking in). I will proudly wear it to the Gold/Platinum members' reception.

 

[jane01jp]

Man, I wish I knew this! My husband is platinum on American and we just flew cross country with him and didn't take advantage of this.

Op.. What if you got a concierge room to share? The room is larger and the sleeping spaces are a little more separate, and I would guess (hope) that the price for three would be close to the cost for 2 rooms (one with the single supplement).

Gatormom, for the Fantasy cruise, we wanted a separate space for my son's girlfriend so that she would have some privacy. For the Norwegian cruise, we are pricing alternative accommodations, and will likely change from two cabins to one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

By the way, the first person (Ryan) that I spoke to on the phone was polite. He put me in touch with his supervisor (Sue), who was kind of snarky, in my opinion.

I asked why they had this policy. She said: "It would be unfair to other platinum members if you had a large group of, like, 16 people with you that you wanted to have check in under platinum."

I mentioned that this was a far-fetched, non-compelling argument, and asked if I could have someone else call me. She said that someone else would call me within 24 hours, but that they wouldn't do anything about it either.

I'm really not looking for anything out of them, other than the benefits that they advertise.

When I check in, I will ask for the 1st-time cruiser lanyard (since that is where I am checking in). I will proudly wear it to the Gold/Platinum members' reception.

Well, the "benefits" are not clearly described as to specifically who's eligible for what, but, since on the website it says that the returning gift is one per stateroom, based on highest level within the room, and the Palo dinner is Available to Platinum Castaway member and Guests staying in member's stateroom I'd think that any perks derived from being Platinum would apply only to the room that has the Platinum level member in it. Not additional rooms.

As to that scenario being "far-fetched" not so much. There are many instances of Concierge people wanting to include their non-Concierge friends/family in other non-Concierge rooms in their perks. Same for Platinum people who ask "Can I bring my non-Platinum guests in other rooms onboard with me during Platinum boarding?" And some of those groups are pretty large.

There is no "1st-time cruiser lanyard". You don't get lanyards until the second time you cruise.

 

[jane01jp]

Well, the "benefits" are not clearly described as to specifically who's eligible for what, but, since on the website it says that the returning gift is one per stateroom, based on highest level within the room, and the Palo dinner is Available to Platinum Castaway member and Guests staying in member's stateroom I'd think that any perks derived from being Platinum would apply only to the room that has the Platinum level member in it. Not additional rooms.

As to that scenario being "far-fetched" not so much. There are many instances of Concierge people wanting to include their non-Concierge friends/family in other non-Concierge rooms in their perks. Same for Platinum people who ask "Can I bring my non-Platinum guests in other rooms onboard with me during Platinum boarding?" And some of those groups are pretty large.

There is no "1st-time cruiser lanyard". You don't get lanyards until the second time you cruise.

Princess, (sigh) I guess you are right. We won't be able to get a first-time cruiser lanyard.

I would think my immediate family would be able to board with me on my Norwegian cruise, since it is just my nuclear family, including my 17-year old daughter, in the adjoining room. You even said, earlier in the thread, that would be the case.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Princess, (sigh) I guess you are right. We won't be able to get a first-time cruiser lanyard.

I would think my immediate family would be able to board with me on my Norwegian cruise, since it is just my nuclear family, including my 17-year old daughter, in the adjoining room. You even said, earlier in the thread, that would be the case.

I said, I believe that's what DCL would allow. Mostly because lots of families will split up in two rooms like that.

 

[jane01jp]

Princess, (sigh) I guess you are right. We won't be able to get a first-time cruiser lanyard.

I would think my immediate family would be able to board with me on my Norwegian cruise, since it is just my nuclear family, including my 17-year old daughter, in the adjoining room. You even said, earlier in the thread, that would be the case.

I should have said my Disney Magic cruise to the Norwegian Fjords.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I should have said my Disney Magic cruise to the Norwegian Fjords.

I got it.

 

[wdrl]

I agree with PrincessShmoo. I have been on several cruises on other cruise lines where groups occupying multiple cabins have tried to use the highest level loyalty benefits just because one per in their group has those benefits. In most cases, the determining factor for these loyalty benefits is based on whether the passenger occupies the same stateroom as the loyalty member.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Princess, because, in one case, I'm married to them, and the other is my daughter.

We got two adjoining cabins for our upcoming Norwegian fjords cruise. We are considering dropping one of the cabins and all staying in the same cabin.

Then, we will all be able to get platinum check in. We will save several thousand dollars, but be cramped. Disney will lose the second booking and have to replace it.

So, the only way non-platinum members can get platinum check in is for me to spend less on the trip.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm reading this as you saying you would rather be inconvenienced and all stay in 1 cabin for a week long cruise and get to board up to 60 minutes earlier and get checked in the through the platinum desk?

Isn't that kind of cutting off your nose to spite your face?

 

[ASchwa]

Generally, you are supposed to board when your boarding number is called. Some groups feel that they should be able to board all together once the lowest boarding number is called for their group. DCL requests that those groups with different boarding numbers, who wish to board together, do so when the highest number in their group is called.

Boarding may or may not be an issue (see justacruiser's post), but the question seems to be why can't all the rooms (that OP paid for) check in at the Platinum/Concierge desk in the terminal. OR why can't OP do the online check in for all rooms he paid for (so that they can get the earliest boarding) when his Platinum window opens.

I thought that even if one person pays for a trip, the two cabins are treated as different reservations and the status for each cabin it is considered by the person with the highest castaway level. Even if they were linked before boarding the status is the highest on the reservation and not who sleeps where. I figure his wife could walk on with him, even if she is in a different room, but the others would probably not be able to,except for the one who is slated to be in his cabin. Anyway, the Norway cruise isn't selling well for that date, that one is my next cruise, Concierge isn't sold out. The price for the same room that I have hasn't gone up a lot since I booked the day after opening day.

 

[jane01jp]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm reading this as you saying you would rather be inconvenienced and all stay in 1 cabin for a week long cruise and get to board up to 60 minutes earlier and get checked in the through the platinum desk?

Isn't that kind of cutting off your nose to spite your face?

I guess it might be. I would be saving a few thousand dollars. But, we would be cramped. The point is, Disney's policy is not customer-friendly and has made me at least think about it.

 

[jane01jp]

I agree with PrincessShmoo. I have been on several cruises on other cruise lines where groups occupying multiple cabins have tried to use the highest level loyalty benefits just because one per in their group has those benefits. In most cases, the determining factor for these loyalty benefits is based on whether the passenger occupies the same stateroom as the loyalty member.

I guess that's one way to look at it. Rules are rules, even if a nuclear family must be split up to follow them.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I guess it might be. I would be saving a few thousand dollars. But, we would be cramped. The point is, Disney's policy is not customer-friendly and has made me at least think about it.

Our first 3 cruises were all in 2 connecting insides (family of 4), our most recent we decided we'd try all 4 of us in a Cat 4 verandah. At the end of the cruise we decided from here on out we're going back to connecting insides.

I hope everything works out and you enjoy your cruises.

 

[jane01jp]

Our first 3 cruises were all in 2 connecting insides (family of 4), our most recent we decided we'd try all 4 of us in a Cat 4 verandah. At the end of the cruise we decided from here on out we're going back to connecting insides.

I hope everything works out and you enjoy your cruises.

Thanks! I am hopeful that we will.

 

[tinkerone]

my feeling is that this is a very small issue. I don't even bother to check in at platinum because its at the back of the building. I can pretty much walk right up to the counter when I go through the first timers line, I actually did this in October as the cc line was busy. as I say I don't bother walking to the back. we were given a #2 which I think I would have received anyways. they were boarding 1 through 10 so we walked right on. the only thing I see a platinum person getting is a 'special' room to sit in which I don't see as special at all. theres nothing else is there? I've sat there a few times and I have never seen anything else. am I missing something?

last October we booked, and paid for, three cabins. ourselves and our two grown childrens cabin. we all boarded together, dh and I could have been on a few minutes earlier than them but it was worth it to me to be with my family. I would never have expected that they could slip in with us just because our cabins are linked. all our numbers were pretty close so we all got to get on together anyways.
its just not a big enough perk to worry about, in my mind. i'm sure it is for some but don't sweat the small stuff.