Concierge traveling with non-concierge recent experiences?

[Trera]

As someone pointed out earlier, Disney cruise explicitly says that concierge may book things for up to four additional staterooms. How is that fudging the rules? There are no rules saying that concierge guests may not share a cabana with non-concierge guests. And the things I mentioned were things that my parents never asked for, expected, etc. The concierge staff just openly offered that up - take drinks back to your stateroom for your daughter, bring your granddaughter to the meet and greet. The guests themselves should not be responsible for having to "follow rules" when the concierge staff is explicitly telling them they are free to do x,y,z.

I hear what you are saying but having stayed in concierge ourselves and having had discussions with the concierge hosts.............they are under extreme pressure to provide 100% excellent reviews on the surveys and it seems that if they can bend the rules a bit and let grandma come to a meet and greet, then they are willing to do that for the sake of making the concierge guest happy.

I am not saying that it is the guest's fault, but it seems to be more commonly happening due to them wanting their guests happy.

 

[cadien]

But then an even larger number of concierge guests put on the reviews that they're unhappy about the service being diluted.

 

[Mflowers92]

I agree that it is a slippery slope, but I think there also seems to be some animosity on here against things that are not even breaking rules (I.e. concierge guests booking dining in advance but adding their non concierge party members). As someone said before, if this were not the case, that forces concierge guests to LOSE their perks if they want to do anything with non concierge guests. Is that fair? You can only get your benefits if everyone else in your party books concierge?
I can see that there’s a big range of things that can happen here, with the example I gave earlier of the concierge staff telling my parents one couple brought their entire extended family who were all not concierge into the lounge, but is it really worth getting so in a huff if the concierge staff insist a couple bring their toddler granddaughter to a meet and greet? The experience is tarnished by having a blue carded toddler in the room?
I’ve stayed concierge on most cruises I have been on thus far, and I don’t think I’ve ever paid any attention to which guests were or weren’t concierge.

 

[Chirple]

Disclaimer: I have not sailed in concierge, and I probably will not ever (can’t afford it).

From what I can see, there seems to be a division between what is acceptable and what is not regarding concierge benefits extended to non-concierge guests. I could be way off base in my thinking, but it seems:

Okay
Concierge guests including non-concierge staterooms (up to 4) when making upcharge dining plans.

Concierge guests including non-concierge guests in their cabanas. (I don’t believe this is based on shipboard accommodations but rather timing of the booking.)

Not Okay
Non-concierge guests spending time in the concierge-only areas.

Concierge guests removing items from the concierge lounge to share with non-concierge guests. When @serenitynow (love that name, by the way) mentioned available food around the ship, that should not stop valid concierge guests from enjoying their snacks and beverages from their lounge; they can take those and enjoy them with non-concierge guests, who have ample opportunity to enjoy snacks and beverages from other locations on the ship. Yes, it might sound silly since you are already removing food and drinks from the lounge.

Taking up offers made by concierge hosts towards non-concierge guests. Their goal is to make the guests happy, but it doesn’t mean that every offer should be accepted. I know there are times in my regular life where I will turn something down if I wasn’t entitled to it. Taking one small child into the lounge can lead to two small children, three small children, etc., if the offer is not declined.


Again, I might be off base here; but I do see a distinct line.

 

[jlemieu1]

I agree that it is a slippery slope, but I think there also seems to be some animosity on here against things that are not even breaking rules (I.e. concierge guests booking dining in advance but adding their non concierge party members). As someone said before, if this were not the case, that forces concierge guests to LOSE their perks if they want to do anything with non concierge guests. Is that fair? You can only get your benefits if everyone else in your party books concierge?
I can see that there’s a big range of things that can happen here, with the example I gave earlier of the concierge staff telling my parents one couple brought their entire extended family who were all not concierge into the lounge, but is it really worth getting so in a huff if the concierge staff insist a couple bring their toddler granddaughter to a meet and greet? The experience is tarnished by having a blue carded toddler in the room?
I’ve stayed concierge on most cruises I have been on thus far, and I don’t think I’ve ever paid any attention to which guests were or weren’t concierge.

It kind of boils down to what the onboard concierge staff is willing to do. I agree with the dinning and also shore excursion should be able to be linked together. Then they will remember you are linked and let the possible pixie dust happen. I was pleasantly surprised with what they offered without me asking for a single thing. Maybe it didn't hurt I already sailed concierge 5 times before this sailing and my other party was just 2 people.

 

[Mflowers92]

I personally think it just puts a weird onus on the guest to expect them to turn down offers made by the concierge hosts. Disney offers tons of pixie dust upgrades, etc random things that nobody is entitled to for any reason. Should people always turn them down because they aren't entitled to it? If someone randomly gets a pixie dust room upgrade, they shouldn't accept it because they aren't entitled to it because they didn't pay for it?
I'm pretty sure in the case of the grand-daughter being allowed into the meet & greet, my parents declined, declined, declined, but the concierge hosts insisted they bring her, so they did. If something is being randomly offered to you without you asking it, I don't think you should be scolded and berated for taking it. Just my two cents.

 

[Dug720]

There is a difference between it being offered (which apparently this was) and people who ask/demand.

The problem comes in thanks to the internet and boards like this, they are more and more likely to hear “I read online that these people got to do this. So we want that too.” and too often more. And it snowballs out of control so that random pixie dusting gets more and more uncommon and some things are eliminated. (Being able to drop off items to be signed is a prime example. They did it, probably for a special situation and then that person shared about it and others started doing it and talking about it online and they put a limit on the number of items. But more and more people were doing it to the point that it would have essentially been a full-time job and then some and they eliminated it.)

 

[Chirple]

I personally think it just puts a weird onus on the guest to expect them to turn down offers made by the concierge hosts. Disney offers tons of pixie dust upgrades, etc random things that nobody is entitled to for any reason. Should people always turn them down because they aren't entitled to it? If someone randomly gets a pixie dust room upgrade, they shouldn't accept it because they aren't entitled to it because they didn't pay for it?
I'm pretty sure in the case of the grand-daughter being allowed into the meet & greet, my parents declined, declined, declined, but the concierge hosts insisted they bring her, so they did. If something is being randomly offered to you without you asking it, I don't think you should be scolded and berated for taking it. Just my two cents.

I would love some pixie dust on a cruise, but I would not expect to be gifted concierge benefits if I did not pay for them. What is the frequency of a free concierge stateroom upgrade from non-concierge? Non-to-non seems to happen a little more.

As @Dug720 said, the internet has changed some of these pixie dust occurrences into expectations until everyone gets cut off.

 

[MomOTwins]

I think what is underpinning this is that the cost of concierge has gotten so ridiculously high (I've seen prices of up to $50,000 for a single cruise!) that DCL basically lets those guests do whatever they want. I wouldn't be surprised if the concierge hosts are given some sort of directive along the lines of "your wish is my command" and to bend over backward and be creative in thinking up ways to make those guests feel they are getting an extraordinary level of service, because in all honesty, there is no way some drinks and snacks, a sundeck, and early reservations is worth the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars that is cost of the upgrade.

 

[undertheradar]

I think what is underpinning this is that the cost of concierge has gotten so ridiculously high (I've seen prices of up to $50,000 for a single cruise!) that DCL basically lets those guests do whatever they want. I wouldn't be surprised if the concierge hosts are given some sort of directive along the lines of "your wish is my command" and to bend over backward and be creative in thinking up ways to make those guests feel they are getting an extraordinary level of service, because in all honesty, there is no way some drinks and snacks, a sundeck, and early reservations is worth the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars that is cost of the upgrade.

If only this were true. There are plenty of concierge guests making over the top requests for every sailing. We sail concierge and were amazed at the requests that guests were trying on the Wonder. There is an element of entitlement that just needs to be addressed by DCL. It is not fair to put the pressure on the onboard concierge staff to allow or nix the insane guest requests. If you are in a Cat. V, you do not have in room MDR dining . Don't ask to have it served in the lounge, your specific room type does not include that particular benefit.

It all boils down to more and more guests requesting more benefits that they are not entitled to. As long as people continue to stretch the limits, there will be guests claiming that they were extended benefits that they should not have received.

Those of us who book suites are paying for much more than MomOTwins idea of what we are paying for. Perhaps you should compare the square footage and specific areas included when comparing a Royal to a standard stateroom.

 

[Expatriat]

I think everyone should be entitled to exactly what the detailed description of their category states they are entitled to. If a special request falls within the boundaries of DCL's description of that category's benefits and it is within their power to grant it, I'm all for it. Allowing non-Concierge guests to visit you in your own cabin or suite is perfectly acceptable. That is your own private space. Linked dining reservations or sharing a cabana where you have paid for that number of occupants is also acceptable. Inviting any non-Concierge passenger to any exclusively Concierge area including the lounge, private sun deck or any Concierge events or even hinting to the CL team about your "unfortunately they can't join us" friend or family member so the team will go against policy to try to keep you happy is just plain wrong, in my opinion. You should get what you pay for, and sometimes some extra pixie dust, but that pixie dust should not include giving Concierge perks and benefits to NON-Concierge guests, be it one or twenty, child or adult. Enjoy your cruise at the level for which you paid. Let your non-Concierge friends or family enjoy the level for which they paid. It's all good.