Castaway Cay Cabana Booking Disappointment

[we"reofftoneverland]

I had a very disappointing experience last night. We are platinum, 23 cruises with DCL. I went ahead and paid off our reservation early so I could grab a cabana on Serenity Bay for our Sept 15, 2108 Fantasy Cruise. At 11PM CST, I logged on to DCL web site and and all cabanas were already booked. I know concierge gets the vast majority of them, but every single one?

I was really hoping to get one for this cruise, its a celebration for DD graduating from law school this weekend and she wanted to go back to DCL after many cruises on NCL over the past few years. At this point, we are leaning towards canceling this cruise and sailing on NCL. for less than $600 per person, we can sail in The haven on Norwegian Getaway that same week.

Wow, go NCL. No brainer. DCL isn't going anywhere.

 

[tinkerone]

Also, if you have a group thread here or somewhere else, let them know you are looking for one. Several years ago we were sailing a B2B and was able to get a cabana for both weeks. We had never bothered with one before, never saw it as necessary, but this time we thought we would give it a go. It didn't take us long to realize that we really didn't want them for these sailings either so we let our group know we were going to release them. One of the cabins from those groups managed to scoop them up because they knew what time we were going to cancel them.

 

[Laughfreely]

I last sailed concierge mainly so I could get a cabana (SB)

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Hubby & I booked a guaranteed rate pretty close to sailing on a 4-night Dream that sailed last month. Of course when I booked there were things sold out including cabanas. I did the keep checking back game. Lo & behold, 4 days before sailing SB 23 opened up. I grabbed it. I’ve done the keep checking game for several cruises but this last time it worked out for me. Don’t give up on the checking particularly the few days before everything shuts down online pre-cruise. People will release things!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Also want to add, there’s other ways to also add some upticks to a Disney cruise. Hubby & I did Palo for dinner every night which was amaaaaazing! Some spa pampering. Remy brunch with pairings. Hubby got me bottles of my favorite champagne & favorite wine to enjoy at dinners. It was really very sweet & I enjoyed it a lot.

 

[IrishCowboy]

Sorry I wasn't clear, for only an additional $600 more per person than my current Disney Fantasy we can sail in the Haven that week on Norwegian Getaway

 

[natandscott]

We are gold and we got a cabana at 103 days out---so keep checking!

 

[Billinaz]

DCL does not hold back cabanas for later bookings. When they open (at 120 days) for Concierge/Platinum all cabanas (except the accessible one) are available.

DCL Concierge asks for emails for those concierge guests who want a cabana several days before that. They secure the cabanas before it is opened at 120 days. It is quite possible they will all be reserved before opening at 120 days.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

DCL Concierge asks for emails for those concierge guests who want a cabana several days before that. They secure the cabanas before it is opened at 120 days. It is quite possible they will all be reserved before opening at 120 days.

Technically, they open at 120 days for Concierge, also. Sending the concierge your requests at 125 days allows them to prioritize the concierge guests that want one. The theory is that in the split second that bookings open at 120 days, the concierge requests are handled first.

 

[TestingH2O]

Technically, they open at 120 days for Concierge, also. Sending the concierge your requests at 125 days allows them to prioritize the concierge guests that want one. The theory is that in the split second that bookings open at 120 days, the concierge requests are handled first.

Well, the language concierge uses is that they "schedule" the requests. That split second, I assume, is a computer somewhere activating the reservations that the employees have already entered manually.

 

[Billinaz]

Well, the language concierge uses is that they "schedule" the requests. That split second, I assume, is a computer somewhere activating the reservations that the employees have already entered manually.

Im thinking that they enter the reservations, then on day 120 cabana listings are visible to Concierge and Plats.

 

[vertigo235]

I check every 30 seconds for a cabana to become available, we have had really good success.

 

[Starwind]

We have had a cabana for 3 of our 5 DCL cruises. We check most days for availability and have gotten lucky twice.

Cruise 1 we got a SB cabana at 20 days out.

Cruise 5 we got a SB cabana at 67 days out.

Cruise 3 or 4 a couple in the cruise's FB group was sailing conceirge and had booked a FB cabana. They offered to share it, we took them up on the offer.

SW