Concierge Perks?

[dismiss]

I know some may feel this is a ridiculous question, but we have never been concierge before. What are the perks? What do you get in the lounge area?
Are any Specialty dining experiences included such as Palo? Thanks for all your info

 

[Trera]

Lots of great perks.

You get to reserve/book activities and excursions before anyone else, daily open bar during dining hours, access to the lounge area and sundeck, unlimited bottled water and canned sodas in your room, Concierge hosts will assist with bookings or changes to bookings throughout the cruise, small plates in the lounge throughout the day, coffee machine in the lounge for concierge use, some amount of free wifi, access to your stateroom typically upon boarding, free popcorn for the movies and shows, pillow menu to allow you to choose the pillow type you like, private for concierge only character meet and greet.....................and I am sure there are many more I am forgetting.

 

[disneywonderfun]

Quote to my wife after our first cruise in a Royal Suite on DCL: "Meh, I cannot imagine sailing concierge on Disney again unless I really want the cabin". After many sailings since, my opinion has mostly remained the same. The rationale is that the other cruise companies offer so much more than Disney for their "concierge" guests.

Here is a minor listing of perks offered by other cruise companies that Disney does not (at least what I recall) have or do well
- a nice area at the port while you wait for embarkation with food and activities. Disney's area at PC is very weak
- a designated area on their private island for concierge guests. So many other cruise companies do that, not Disney
- preferred or reserved seating for shows
- priority escort through customs, I returned to PC on another cruiseline and was literally walked through a side passage to the customs agent
- a dedicated restaurant for concierge guests

I am sure there are many, many more that escape me at this moment.

Mostly, the concierge experience on DCL gets you access to a lounge with food that could otherwise be found at Cabanas and a complimentary happy hour. Oh, and some priority scheduling for a few things. Not much else. That is why I put a major premium on the cabin. I will only pay for concierge on DCL if I am in the cabin that I want to be in.

DWF

 

[RamblingMad]

You’re not midship, so you get to feel the ship more.

 

[JWG]

You’re not midship, so you get to feel the ship more.

Not wrong...

 

[Cheburashka]

I know some may feel this is a ridiculous question, but we have never been concierge before. What are the perks? What do you get in the lounge area?
Are any Specialty dining experiences included such as Palo? Thanks for all your info

The biggest perk is getting to book experiences and activities before others, so you have the best shot at getting things like a cabana on Castaway Cay (although it isn't guaranteed).

 

[OpieDoodle]

Other than the open bar and lounge area there isn't a huge perk for us but it all depends on what you want. Now Disney customer service sets them apart from everyone else but you really get that regardless of where you book.

You can book things earlier which is nice especially if you're super set on something like a cabana at Castaway but between that and the lounge area that's the big differences. Now the Wish does have some pretty cool concierge rooms.

 

[meg8182000]

I've never sailed on other ships in concierge so can't compare and I also don't have children so can't comment too much on that but I really do enjoy the experience when lucky enough to sail concierge. A couple of other things that I like is that on the first day, you are first to board (after the B2B guest) and you go to the lounge (they have 3 dedicated hosts - not sure about the Wish as it has double the suites) and there they go over your reservations with you. On hand, they've had reps from Palo's, Remy (if the Dream/Fantasy) and the Spa to book reservations for you. We've been able to switch times for dining without any trouble. If there was a beverage tasting that I didn't realize they had prior and it was sold out, they've been able to get me in. On the first day, they had a private lunch for concierge guests in one of the MDR's that wasn't open to the rest of the guest so not so hectic. Throughout the cruise, if you ever have any questions or issues, you go to the lounge and speak to a host so you never have to stand in the what can be long lines at the Guest Services/Port Adventures Desk. They can even assist you with booking your next cruise.

 

[Clojel]

I echo all of the perks others have mentioned and just want to add -in case you are a "drinker" - that the happy hour is actually a happy FIVE hours. You can get a free drink in the lounge between 5 pm and 10 pm. So DH and I would go in before dinner, grab a drink, take it down with us to the MDR, and then after dinner, we'd go back up and grab a cocktail (or 2) to enjoy that evening.

I have heard a lot of people say that concierge on DCL doesn't have nearly as many perks as other ships - I can't speak to that b/c I've only sailed DCL - but I will say that we absolutely LOVE DCL concierge and will never cruise any other way

 

[petrola]

The biggest perk for my DH is having someplace to go without a crowd. He likes having the private concierge deck and also the lounge. He is not big on "large ship" cruises so this is the only way I can get him to go on a Disney cruise.

 

[Clojel]

The biggest perk for my DH is having someplace to go without a crowd. He likes having the private concierge deck and also the lounge. He is not big on "large ship" cruises so this is the only way I can get him to go on a Disney cruise.

Yes! same for us....DH was not a buyer on going on a DCL cruise b/c he hates crowds, waiting, etc.... that's why we went concierge....and now he's hooked!!

 

[ChrisM]

The biggest perk for my DH is having someplace to go without a crowd. He likes having the private concierge deck and also the lounge. He is not big on "large ship" cruises so this is the only way I can get him to go on a Disney cruise.

Absolutely true. Although with many more concierge rooms on the Wish, I'm guessing that won't be quite the same feel even with more dedicated concierge space.

I'd generally agree that the perks aren't really "worth it" but it's the best experience you're going to get on a Disney ship.

The food in the lounge is better than what's served in Cabanas, IMO. The free popcorn isn't much of a perk considering the popcorn has the same taste and texture as packing popcorn.

What was somewhat off-putting to me was that it's always felt like you either had to know what the perks were ahead of time or be very aggressive with the concierge hosts. If you're not a particularly demanding person by nature, you're not going to get many of the possible benefits.

The big miss to me is that there isn't a concierge area on Castaway Cay or that you aren't guaranteed cabana availability. We've always been able to get a cabana but I'd be really tweaked if we weren't able to get one.

 

[Sykes]

The biggest perk is getting to book experiences and activities before others, so you have the best shot at getting things like a cabana on Castaway Cay (although it isn't guaranteed).

The big miss to me is that there isn't a concierge area on Castaway Cay or that you aren't guaranteed cabana availability. We've always been able to get a cabana but I'd be really tweaked if we weren't able to get one.

heh, this is actually my biggest frustration with booking Concierge with Disney vs. equivalent classes on other lines. I hate being forced to book everything way in advance. (Heck, a fair amount of time if I'm booking off or shoulder season I'm booking the entire trip within 120 days of departure.) On RCCL, while I have the option of booking in advance, they hold back a lot of reservations so I can be much more spontaneous and the Royal Genie will just make it happen. On Disney they do hold back some reservations and Concierges can often work some magic, but the 125-day midnight scrum for cabanas is kind of silly to me.

Having said that, I do love the quiet lounge and the snacks and drinks.

 

[dismiss]

I echo all of the perks others have mentioned and just want to add -in case you are a "drinker" - that the happy hour is actually a happy FIVE hours. You can get a free drink in the lounge between 5 pm and 10 pm. So DH and I would go in before dinner, grab a drink, take it down with us to the MDR, and then after dinner, we'd go back up and grab a cocktail (or 2) to enjoy that evening.

I have heard a lot of people say that concierge on DCL doesn't have nearly as many perks as other ships - I can't speak to that b/c I've only sailed DCL - but I will say that we absolutely LOVE DCL concierge and will never cruise any other way

Since we are 4 adults, that may help make up the price difference

 

[dismiss]

With mor

Absolutely true. Although with many more concierge rooms on the Wish, I'm guessing that won't be quite the same feel even with more dedicated concierge space.

I'd generally agree that the perks aren't really "worth it" but it's the best experience you're going to get on a Disney ship.

The food in the lounge is better than what's served in Cabanas, IMO. The free popcorn isn't much of a perk considering the popcorn has the same taste and texture as packing popcorn.

What was somewhat off-putting to me was that it's always felt like you either had to know what the perks were ahead of time or be very aggressive with the concierge hosts. If you're not a particularly demanding person by nature, you're not going to get many of the possible benefits.

The big miss to me is that there isn't a concierge area on Castaway Cay or that you aren't guaranteed cabana availability. We've always been able to get a cabana but I'd be really tweaked if we weren't able to get one.

With more concierge rooms on the wish, Cabanas might be harder to get. They may need to build more Cabanas

 

[Maisie78]

What was somewhat off-putting to me was that it's always felt like you either had to know what the perks were ahead of time or be very aggressive with the concierge hosts. If you're not a particularly demanding person by nature, you're not going to get many of the possible benefits.

I am another person who booked concierge for this first time for the Wish (This will be DCL #8). For my family, the reason I booked it was the (comparatively) small difference in price between a regular veranda and concierge compared to what I've typically seen for the Dream/Fantasy. (In fact, I checked the Dream 4 night concierge out of Miami for similar dates and the Dream was more the $1,000 more than the Wish on Gold opening day).

I'm new to posting but have read the Boards off and on for years. I'm not expecting much out of concierge other than the lounge and making things a little easier. That said, this post caught my attention. I am not at all a demanding person and feel uncomfortable asking for things if I would be seen as pushy. Which leads me to ask - what other things should I be asking for that haven't been mentioned in this thread? Thanks!

 

[ChrisM]

I am another person who booked concierge for this first time for the Wish (This will be DCL #8). For my family, the reason I booked it was the (comparatively) small difference in price between a regular veranda and concierge compared to what I've typically seen for the Dream/Fantasy. (In fact, I checked the Dream 4 night concierge out of Miami for similar dates and the Dream was more the $1,000 more than the Wish on Gold opening day).

I'm new to posting but have read the Boards off and on for years. I'm not expecting much out of concierge other than the lounge and making things a little easier. That said, this post caught my attention. I am not at all a demanding person and feel uncomfortable asking for things if I would be seen as pushy. Which leads me to ask - what other things should I be asking for that haven't been mentioned in this thread? Thanks!

Pretty much anything you might have a question about or a request for - always go to a concierge host first. Even for something like laundry/dry cleaning - don't dial the number on the services card by your phone - call the concierge.

Unless it has something to do with your room itself or the contents thereof (questions/concerns/requests for these should be directed to your stateroom host), for absolutely anything else (your itinerary, ship activities, etc) - talk to a concierge host.

Check in can be a bit wonky depending on how it's currently being handled and am not sure exactly how it is being done now. The "old" way was you boarded the ship, went to the concierge lounge, and had a sit down with a concierge host to confirm your itinerary and get the standard meet and greet and an update as to your room availability status. Then they started offering a concierge sit down lunch immediately upon boarding, with the previously mentioned lounge meeting right afterwards (I presume to help spread out the crush of people at the smallish lounge space). Then I heard they started doing the concierge host meeting and itinerary review at the sit down lunch (or later at the lounge if you skipped the lunch).

I found the lounge host meeting and itinerary review to be pretty unsatisfactory, particularly for new concierge guests. There is no line, no instructions as to what to do, and there are only a few hosts and they are invariably busy. So unless you happened to amble into the lounge when one was free, you basically had to interrupt another guest's meeting to let them know you were there and needed a visit from them. Not ideal. The lunch meeting is a waaaaaay better setup but they weren't doing that yet the last time we sailed.

Also, you get priority disembarkation as a concierge perk - the concierge hosts will gather small groups together, block off an elevator, and take you straight down to the boat exit where you can leave via a separate line from the non-concierge passengers. Sounds great, but again, you need to be somewhat aggressive in contacting the (often somewhat harried) concierge hosts to find out timing and make sure they know you're ready to be part of a disembarkation group. If you're a wallflower you're going to wait. Again, not totally ideal.

 

[Maisie78]

Pretty much anything you might have a question about or a request for - always go to a concierge host first. Even for something like laundry/dry cleaning - don't dial the number on the services card by your phone - call the concierge.

Unless it has something to do with your room itself or the contents thereof (questions/concerns/requests for these should be directed to your stateroom host), for absolutely anything else (your itinerary, ship activities, etc) - talk to a concierge host.

Check in can be a bit wonky depending on how it's currently being handled and am not sure exactly how it is being done now. The "old" way was you boarded the ship, went to the concierge lounge, and had a sit down with a concierge host to confirm your itinerary and get the standard meet and greet and an update as to your room availability status. Then they started offering a concierge sit down lunch immediately upon boarding, with the previously mentioned lounge meeting right afterwards (I presume to help spread out the crush of people at the smallish lounge space). Then I heard they started doing the concierge host meeting and itinerary review at the sit down lunch (or later at the lounge if you skipped the lunch).

I found the lounge host meeting and itinerary review to be pretty unsatisfactory, particularly for new concierge guests. There is no line, no instructions as to what to do, and there are only a few hosts and they are invariably busy. So unless you happened to amble into the lounge when one was free, you basically had to interrupt another guest's meeting to let them know you were there and needed a visit from them. Not ideal. The lunch meeting is a waaaaaay better setup but they weren't doing that yet the last time we sailed.

Also, you get priority disembarkation as a concierge perk - the concierge hosts will gather small groups together, block off an elevator, and take you straight down to the boat exit where you can leave via a separate line from the non-concierge passengers. Sounds great, but again, you need to be somewhat aggressive in contacting the (often somewhat harried) concierge hosts to find out timing and make sure they know you're ready to be part of a disembarkation group. If you're a wallflower you're going to wait. Again, not totally ideal.

Thank you. I appreciate the helpful response.

 

[Cheburashka]

I'll add that you're guaranteed to get a private table if sailing concierge. They'll also try to meet your requests for one of the restaurants (such as "near the talking Nemo in Animator's Palate" or "teacup table at Enchanted Garden"). They can't necessarily meet all the requests because it's a rotation & your table will have a certain number, but they'll at least try to meet one request.

 

[DisneyMusicMan]

We did Concierge on the Wonder out of San Diego years back when the minimum room was a 1BR suite. The up charge was minimal, so it was worth a try. I agree with one of the earlier posters, I don’t the perks “amount” to a whole lot (in terms of dollars). If you account for the cost of the free alcohol, the free popcorn, etc, it’s not worth it. The lounge is nice, but how often are you there?

There were some other things, though. They helped us get an extra seat at one of the tastings that had “sold out”. And they randomly sent chocolates and Martinelli’s cider to our room for the kids when we did the chocolate and liquor tasting. Also, they helped worked out a Port Adventure snafu to save us time. They really are your agents on the cruise. We didn’t get the cabana benefit, as we were out of San Diego.

I don’t think it’s worth a crazy (~2x or more depending on the cabin type) price differential over a Cat 4/5, but if it’s small enough, then it’s fun to feel a little special. The early bookings on the Wish saw a small differential, and I’m assuming that’s why the Cat 1, 2, and 3’s are almost gone.