As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I have 2 questions that have probably been answered a million times, but I can't find them?
1)If I booked at GTY Cat 12 cabin and they assigned me a cabin number the very next day- do you think there still might be an opportunity for an upgrade before I get to the ship?
2) Can upgrades be made at the port for a nominal fee?
I would have booked an ocean view room, but the price was $1700 more- in fact a Cat 11 was $1300 more! Yikes. Either way I will be happy just to go, especially knowing I got a super deal last minute.
I've been upgraded in the past, but I booked a couple years in advance. Thanks!
Last edited by Belle*; 06-22-2010 at 09:23 AM..
Reason: podcast06232010
There is always the possibility of an upgrade, but I certainly wouldn't expect it. There is also the possibility of upgrading at the port for less than it would cost to upgrade in advance, but again, it's just a possibility. You can check when you arrive at the port. Arriving early would help -- if there's nothing you want available when you arrive, you can keep checking in case, for example, someone with an oceanview upgrades to a verandah and makes the oceanview available.
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I agree with the above posts that if you don't arrive early any upgrades available will be gone quick.
You could try calling a few days ahead and seeing if they still have availability on board. If all rooms are full (like on the cruise I did in January) then you will know there is very little chance for an upgrade.
I answered this question on the podcast the other day so I guess I should do it here too!
The longer you wait to get your stateroom number, the more likely an upgrade. So if you already were assigned a stateroom, the chance of a free upgrade is less. Could still happen though!
Upgrades at the port depend on how full the ship is. We have upgraded for a great price ($250 to go from a Cat 9 to a Cat 5) once years ago but since then every time we have checked it has been full price. If you are hoping for an upgrade, the earlier you get to the port the better. (Keeping in mind they won't let you in until 10:30.)
Last October, my mom and I upgraded at the port for our 3-day sailing on the Wonder. We went from a cat 12 to a cat 4 for $580. I was pleased with that. We were very fortunate in that it was the last verandah available (I know this only because seconds after we walked up right around 12:30ish a family walked up looking for a verandah and all that was left for them to upgrade to were oceanview staterooms).
We've upgraded 3 times at the port to suites. The cost is generally cheaper if you upgrade at the port instead of in advance but DCL marketing dept. has occasionally call people in advance offering a reduced price upgrade in advance which is generally as good of a price as a port upgrade.
If you book GTY, you room assignment can change up until you check in at the port, but they generally don't downgrade you once you've been given an upgrade (but they have in some situations.)
Availability of upgrades varies on time of year and availability of other offers like kids sail free, FL rates, Military rates, TA offers etc. designed to fill the ship. As someone mentioned, check a week and then a few days in advance of your cruise to see if there are any rooms available that you are interested in. If they offer you a great price, you may be able to book in advance and save the effort of trying for an upgarde at the port. If not, you at least know what's available, and can decide if it's worth it to get to the port early or not. For one cruise we knew that there was a Cat 1 and a Cat 2 available 2 days before, and got to the port early to get the Cat 1. For our last cruise, which was a Kids sail free cruise, we knew the ship was full and didn't even bother trying for an upgrade, enjoying a leisurely breakfast instead.
Thanks for the info. We have only done one cruise and just booked the room we wanted. At Disney though it is a different story. We stayed at Old Key West and they upgraded us and we didn't even ask.
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We've upgraded 3 times at the port to suites. The cost is generally cheaper if you upgrade at the port instead of in advance but DCL marketing dept. has occasionally call people in advance offering a reduced price upgrade in advance which is generally as good of a price as a port upgrade.
If you book GTY, you room assignment can change up until you check in at the port, but they generally don't downgrade you once you've been given an upgrade (but they have in some situations.)
Availability of upgrades varies on time of year and availability of other offers like kids sail free, FL rates, Military rates, TA offers etc. designed to fill the ship. As someone mentioned, check a week and then a few days in advance of your cruise to see if there are any rooms available that you are interested in. If they offer you a great price, you may be able to book in advance and save the effort of trying for an upgarde at the port. If not, you at least know what's available, and can decide if it's worth it to get to the port early or not. For one cruise we knew that there was a Cat 1 and a Cat 2 available 2 days before, and got to the port early to get the Cat 1. For our last cruise, which was a Kids sail free cruise, we knew the ship was full and didn't even bother trying for an upgrade, enjoying a leisurely breakfast instead.
I'm curious to what time of the year & which cruise that you did when you have been able to upgrade to a suite? I think I would like a suite but I just can't justify the extra cost now.
I'm really hoping I can upgrade at the port since I was assigned a Cat 12 room the day after I booked a Cat 12 GTY. The only reason I did was because it was $1600 less than a Cat. 11. The Cat 9 price was out the door! I get really sea-sick, so I'm hoping I didn't make a mistake by being impulsive- seeing a great deal at the last minute and booking it!
When I look on Travelocity- it looks like the ship I'm sailing on is pretty full. In addition, we paid upfront for DLC transfers from WDW, so I know we won't be arriving to the port early.
With all this said- I'm super happy to be taking a Disney Cruise and I don't plan to live in my cabin! I can't wait to have a wonderful time!
I'm curious to what time of the year & which cruise that you did when you have been able to upgrade to a suite? I think I would like a suite but I just can't justify the extra cost now.
We upgraded to suites during the first 2 weeks of December (12/3/05, 12/6/08, 12/12/09)
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlynk
I'm really hoping I can upgrade at the port since I was assigned a Cat 12 room the day after I booked a Cat 12 GTY. The only reason I did was because it was $1600 less than a Cat. 11. The Cat 9 price was out the door! I get really sea-sick, so I'm hoping I didn't make a mistake by being impulsive- seeing a great deal at the last minute and booking it!
When I look on Travelocity- it looks like the ship I'm sailing on is pretty full. In addition, we paid upfront for DLC transfers from WDW, so I know we won't be arriving to the port early.
With all this said- I'm super happy to be taking a Disney Cruise and I don't plan to live in my cabin! I can't wait to have a wonderful time!
I'm assuming that you confirmed that your room number is a Cat 12 room, since your reservation will always say Cat 12 even if you've been upgraded.
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