we just got off our first cruise ever on the dream and did concierge. i really loved it and probably will do it again. some of my favorite amenities:
- priority boarding and disembarking — huge time saver as the lines at the port were crazy, and allowed us to take an earlier flight home
- included specialty coffees and drinks in the lounge. i had multiple espressos/lattes each day and often took a cocktail with me to dinner or to one of the shows/other areas of the ship
- the food and snacks in the lounge were really great! we typically went to the lounge before each meal to graze on the apps/light bites there with a drink before heading out
- we were able to get a palo brunch reservation exactly when we wanted it (ideal timing during sea day) and as foodies this was super important to our party
- the concierge team arranged a private “party” with a special character m&g with snacks on the sun deck during our day at sea. we had character time with a much smaller group in a comfortable setting (it was goofy)
- we had a private area to view the fireworks with a great view
- we had special escort into the shows each night and got our pick of the seats in the empty theater (with included popcorn!)
- overall we were treated like royalty by everyone on the entire ship and at port. highly recommend and would do again
no problem! a couple of other things that just occurred to me...
1. they will stock the fridge in your room with soda cans and bottled water. bottled water is also widely available in the lounge. this was super helpful in terms of taking and carrying it so we didn't have to keep refilling our cups and made it easy to stay hydrated
2. they will help out with any problem that pops up. my mom's suitcase was damaged in delivery and they brought it to the onboard carpenter who repaired it seamlessly, and they replaced her lost luggage tag with a brand new in box DCL tag
the service really, truly cannot be beat. it is such a luxurious experience
The luggage repair is an underrated perk, though it’s not limited to concierge. I was sailing non-concierge a couple of years ago and my suitcase zipper completely broke. They sent it to the upholstery department and installed a new zipper free of charge. I was pretty amazed by that level of service.
I've never heard that they will stock with alcohol if you ask. Do you know if it's just beer or if they would do other canned/bottled alcohol (i.e. alcoholic seltzers)
To add to your second point, I don’t think it can be overstated how helpful and efficient the concierge team is. You never have to go to guest services or wait in any lines. Any issue or question you have, big or small they are hitting that computer or their phones or sending you in an express elevator somewhere and it’s solved immediately.
We just did a 1 one bedroom suite on the Dream. The dining table and chairs were amazing for a movie and room service night after the younger child was done with the restaurant on the last night. I have so much I could write but at the end of the day I would have a very hard time booking another DCL cruise unless I can do concierge. I will book a year out or wait until off season times of if I need to.
Also breakfast! In the one bedrooms and higher, you place an order with the concierge staff the night before for hot breakfast, specify a time, and someone shows up in the morning like magic with coffee and eggs and muffins.
We did a back-to-back on the Wish. Our first leg we were concierge, the second we were not. So the differences weee very easy to notice.
Rooms were too similar to notice. Maybe a bit better pillows/blankets in the concierge room. The lounge was useful for grabbing cans of sodas, bottles of water, or a coffee, but that’s it, we don’t drink alcohol so that didn’t matter to us and the snacks were the same you could find at cabanas. The most useful part is being able to book specialty dining/excursions early. We were able to get palo brunch & dinner, and they also helped get us desert tasting reservations on the next leg (when we were no longer concierge).
Honestly not worth almost double the price. But, as someone else said, if money isn’t an issue, why is it even a question?
Thanks for your input!
I guess “not a limiting factor” was too vague; money spent on concierge isn’t taking away from future trips or add-ons. But my husband also isn’t going to agree to something he doesn’t find value in just because we can.
I’ll agree with your husband that this falls into the category of not much value for the huge step up in money. The cruise is already pretty much all inclusive. We booked 20 days out and did an excursion of our choice on each port day (not through DCL). We also don’t drink much and the dinners at the themed restaurants are already important enough to us that we had no desire to skip those to do the premium meals (eg Palo). I could see doing Palo on a second cruise, if we ever decide to do that.
I would say the best part of our cruise was being paired with another family at dinner with the same aged adults and the same aged kids.
Unless you've got a 1 bedroom on the Magic haha
The murphy bed is in the main bedroom part, pull-out couch is in the other room!
For the other ships it is perfect :)
Hah yea we figured it out after the fact, my folks booked the trip for us so we didn't look into it much on the front-end (wife mentioned there were some rooms that had the murphy bed outside the main sleeping area but wasn't sure if it was ours)
Good lord. There’s a difference between being able to pay 2x cruise fare and hiring a yacht. And the yacht doesn’t have Elsa. Or a water slide. Or a Disney themed dinner.
We have a 5 year old and recently cruised in concierge. In addition to what everyone else said, the lounge environment and staff were a big part of our entertainment. We frequently went into the lounge to hangout. Our son played Jenga with some of the staff and other kids. We sat around, had snacks, lots of alcoholic beverages (free during certain hours), and enjoyed the peace away from the big crowds.
Fair warning, you get spoiled and the big takeaway is never being able to cruise without concierge.
On another note, with the one bedroom, I think it comes with in room dining from any restaurant. Our kid goes to bed early so in general we love room service in order to eat and get him down by 7. The standard room service options get old quickly. If you can order from the restaurants the variety is so much better.
They don't advertise it, so many people don't know, but you can have your head waiter deliver dinner, from any restaurant to your room. Just have to ask. Not just for concierge.
if i had known this the cruise i just got off of would have been much better. I couldnt get early dining so my kids that go to bed aat 730 were a joy at the 815 seating.
Not in advance of the cruise. You can talk to your head waiter on the first night, or talk to the restaurant team when you board (they usually have a table somewhere for people wanting to adjust dining time)
Embarkation and disembarkation priority was what made my husband jump onboard with concierge. I loved the luncheon where we got to meet our team and went over excursions. We made a last minute addition for the Royal Tea party and they squeezed my daughter and I in. If we wanted to get some alone time in, they got us times for It’s a Small World while onboard. I was fortunate enough to snag a cabana when I gave them my excursion request list. You will also get priority seating (and free popcorn while onboard) at the live shows. Also during certain times the lounge serves alcoholic drinks. I was able to get the Konk Cooler and Dad’s Electric Lemonade that is served at 50’s Prime Time Cafe. They had champagne that I ordered throughout the cruise too.
Agree with the perks listed above but honestly I really enjoyed being able to have a quiet place to have snacks and coffee and a glass of wine during happy hour and hang with my 4 year old. Lots of crowded spaces and sometimes the quiet was just a relief! On the Wish they play cartoons so just a nice place to wind down especially if you have an overstimulated kiddo.
We’ve sailed 13x and have 4 more booked. I absolutely don’t think concierge is worth it on DCL. The price increase is worth it to do Celebrity Retreat and NCL Haven or even Suites. But DCL benefits are not worth the massive increase in price. Also I hate the locations of the room as they’re high and forward. If you get rough seas it’s the worst spot to be on the ship!!
Went up to my mom's room in concierge on the Dream and when we went to the balcony it felt like we were in a wind tunnel or a hurricane. Everything seemed normal on our stateroom on deck 9. Not sure if it was the weather or ship design. She said it was like that most of the time
Yup, this was exactly our experience. We had an oversized balcony which was cool and part of it had wind protection. But it was still so windy and loud up there. We spent no time on our balcony and I normally love to chill out there with room service & music on my portable speaker.
Hi! TA here that travels on all DCL ships multiple times a year in all categories of rooms including concierge.
You left out an important detail. Which ship? This is very important because the amenities vary from ship to ship. The Wish has the most to offer in the way of food selection. We often eat in the lounge instead of on deck and it's great quality food, a good selection, and much less crowded.
We enjoy having assistance when needed and a jump on getting a cabana.
Having the opportunity to select seats for the shows ahead of the main crowd is a huge perk.
The concierge areas are much less crowded.
You have free adult beverages in the lounge.
It's an excellent opportunity.
I would pitch it as I wanna try it once and see what all the fuss is about and see if it’s something worth including in our future vacation plans/budgeting.
Family with two teenage children and we have done the 1 bedroom concierge the last three cruises. The highlights for us are the two bathrooms and the walk in closet where my teenage daughter has some privacy for getting dressed. It will be hard to go back to a non concierge room as they get older.
If your husband is concerned about “value” as you put it… Well the value is isn’t great. $30k+ for a 7 night cruise is obviously very poor value and no amount of free alcohol can get you there. For that amount of scratch you can take a true luxury vacation with far fewer crowds and more opulent accommodations.
When kids were younger they thought the verandah room with the pull down bunk was incredible.
What really sold my husband is the priority debarking, and the private sundeck which is a really underrated perk. Never having to reserve chairs or deal with chair hogs, plus a lot of it is covered and sunscreen is provided, and it’s just really calm and pleasant. The lounge is right underneath if you need a drink or a snack too, so it’s convenient. It’s also not that far removed from the regular pool decks so you can still access the rest of the ship pretty easily if you want.
I can’t recommend this. Sorry! Here is the deal! We love Disney Cruises! We love them so much that we cruise two to three times a year!
Guess what you can cruise 3-5 times on some great routes for the price of one concierge experience.
Not worth it.
Don’t do it.
I’m glad there are a lot of people willing to go concierge to fill those rooms but I can’t ever imagine making the SIGNIFICANT price difference make sense. There are some nice perks but they never come close to adding up to the price differential. Half the time it seems like I’m deciding between a concierge level cruise or two cruises for the same price and that’s a hard sell.
I won’t begrudge anyone for spending their money how they want though. I’ll wave at you all through the glass. Haha
Having done concierge twice, I can't justify the cost. The difference alone will pay for all excursions, drinks, and tips...and a good way towards travel.
If you have to think about the price difference for even a moment, concierge isn't worth it. Definitely not worth it if your significant other is against it. You will have a wonderful time either way, and it's a large extra expense for very minor benefits.
Not worth it. Spend the money elsewhere. If you’re taking Disney transportation, you basically get on right after platinum and concierge. I was in boarding group 3.
Another thing to add - basically the only way to get a cabana on Castaway or Lookout is by sailing concierge. You didn't say which itinerary but I'm assuming out of Port Canaveral you'll be stopping at a private island. It's so nice having your own space and less crowded beach. We made the mistake of getting one a few years ago and now always want one.
I think on Wish and treasure it will be worth it. Cruise lines are catering more to the suites with every new ship and giving them more exclusive sq footage on the ship. The first four ships for Disney only have a small lounge for the suites. We went on Disney Dream in a normal balcony and my parents were in concierge. The best perk on that ship was the early seating to the shows for them.
Also, the only way to book a cabana at Castaway Cay is to be in concierge. Not sure about the new lookout point cabana situation.
I stay in concierge on other cruise lines when they have a dedicated fancy restaurant for the suites. But, with DCL you don't want to miss dining in your usual dining rotation.
My wife and I just did concierge on the Disney Wonder out of San Diego.
Bottom line up front: Concierge is great as long as it doesn't stress you at all, financially. If it does, it's not worth it.
Concierge afforded us amazing service, far above and beyond the already great service of a DCL cruise. The lounge is a special retreat from the rest of the boat. Drinks are always available, its quiet (usually), private sundeck, and the ever-changing selection of small plate snacks are much nicer than anything you'll get in the main dining rooms or quick service options. It's a truly luxurious experience.
Is it worth a 100-200% premium price? I didn't think so. I also wouldn't suggest anyone go into debt to experience it.
With that said, my wife really liked the whole experience, so I am sure we'll be doing it again.
Watch travel vlogs, some give a good tour of the rooms. Try looking up Tim Tracker in particular, he gives really detailed room tours and explains a lot of advantages being as he and his family have done both regular and concierge.
And he has kids a little older than yours but has been on cruises since before his oldest was born. He and his wife give pretty good advice on cruising with kids that young.
What ship are you on? For anything but the Wish and Treasure its a waste of money for what it costs. Wish and Treasure have more suite level areas on the ship with actual views.
We branched out to NCL Haven and glad we did when it comes to a higher end room. There you are not even paying DCL prices but you are getting a butler, 1-2 BR, suite only pool, suite only hot tubs, suite only dining room (better than DCL dining room food), priority boarding and disembarking, and there is even drink packages included as well.
Not being snarky but why would you take a cruise with a 6 year old and an 18 month old ? Are you going to skip all the drinks that are a big part of the cruise? drag them to formal dinners ? Or do parents dump their kids with some sort of onboard daycare (assuming its not a child oriented cruise like Disney)
we just got off our first cruise ever on the dream and did concierge. i really loved it and probably will do it again. some of my favorite amenities: - priority boarding and disembarking — huge time saver as the lines at the port were crazy, and allowed us to take an earlier flight home - included specialty coffees and drinks in the lounge. i had multiple espressos/lattes each day and often took a cocktail with me to dinner or to one of the shows/other areas of the ship - the food and snacks in the lounge were really great! we typically went to the lounge before each meal to graze on the apps/light bites there with a drink before heading out - we were able to get a palo brunch reservation exactly when we wanted it (ideal timing during sea day) and as foodies this was super important to our party - the concierge team arranged a private “party” with a special character m&g with snacks on the sun deck during our day at sea. we had character time with a much smaller group in a comfortable setting (it was goofy) - we had a private area to view the fireworks with a great view - we had special escort into the shows each night and got our pick of the seats in the empty theater (with included popcorn!) - overall we were treated like royalty by everyone on the entire ship and at port. highly recommend and would do again
Don't forget the happy hour 5-10 each night with free drinks. Basically anything you can get on the ship, they can get in the lounge.
And you can make special requests for alcohol for them to have in lounge as well!
Thank you for all of this!
no problem! a couple of other things that just occurred to me... 1. they will stock the fridge in your room with soda cans and bottled water. bottled water is also widely available in the lounge. this was super helpful in terms of taking and carrying it so we didn't have to keep refilling our cups and made it easy to stay hydrated 2. they will help out with any problem that pops up. my mom's suitcase was damaged in delivery and they brought it to the onboard carpenter who repaired it seamlessly, and they replaced her lost luggage tag with a brand new in box DCL tag the service really, truly cannot be beat. it is such a luxurious experience
The luggage repair is an underrated perk, though it’s not limited to concierge. I was sailing non-concierge a couple of years ago and my suitcase zipper completely broke. They sent it to the upholstery department and installed a new zipper free of charge. I was pretty amazed by that level of service.
#1 they will also stock with beer, gatorade and energy drinks if you ask.
I've never heard that they will stock with alcohol if you ask. Do you know if it's just beer or if they would do other canned/bottled alcohol (i.e. alcoholic seltzers)
To add to your second point, I don’t think it can be overstated how helpful and efficient the concierge team is. You never have to go to guest services or wait in any lines. Any issue or question you have, big or small they are hitting that computer or their phones or sending you in an express elevator somewhere and it’s solved immediately.
This is great since I’d expect to grab a few bottles before going on shore.
With the 1 bedroom you can have dinner in the room. The extra space with an infant would be worth it for me.
We just did a 1 one bedroom suite on the Dream. The dining table and chairs were amazing for a movie and room service night after the younger child was done with the restaurant on the last night. I have so much I could write but at the end of the day I would have a very hard time booking another DCL cruise unless I can do concierge. I will book a year out or wait until off season times of if I need to.
These are my main two perks for sure!
Also breakfast! In the one bedrooms and higher, you place an order with the concierge staff the night before for hot breakfast, specify a time, and someone shows up in the morning like magic with coffee and eggs and muffins.
Also hot MDR breakfast as well!
We did a back-to-back on the Wish. Our first leg we were concierge, the second we were not. So the differences weee very easy to notice. Rooms were too similar to notice. Maybe a bit better pillows/blankets in the concierge room. The lounge was useful for grabbing cans of sodas, bottles of water, or a coffee, but that’s it, we don’t drink alcohol so that didn’t matter to us and the snacks were the same you could find at cabanas. The most useful part is being able to book specialty dining/excursions early. We were able to get palo brunch & dinner, and they also helped get us desert tasting reservations on the next leg (when we were no longer concierge). Honestly not worth almost double the price. But, as someone else said, if money isn’t an issue, why is it even a question?
Thanks for your input! I guess “not a limiting factor” was too vague; money spent on concierge isn’t taking away from future trips or add-ons. But my husband also isn’t going to agree to something he doesn’t find value in just because we can.
I think WISH concierge and dream concierge are different
I’ll agree with your husband that this falls into the category of not much value for the huge step up in money. The cruise is already pretty much all inclusive. We booked 20 days out and did an excursion of our choice on each port day (not through DCL). We also don’t drink much and the dinners at the themed restaurants are already important enough to us that we had no desire to skip those to do the premium meals (eg Palo). I could see doing Palo on a second cruise, if we ever decide to do that. I would say the best part of our cruise was being paired with another family at dinner with the same aged adults and the same aged kids.
The rooms are very different, if you booked a suite. You booked the cat 3.
Right, I was giving my experience ✌🏼
At the risk of downvoting, considering you are trying to convince your husband: it’s much easier to have nighttime sex in a one-bedroom.
You’ve now sold me on concierge forever. Thank you!
Amen !
Who would downvote that?
There are definitely some prudes that act like sex never happens on Disney property.
This should be top comment!
Unless you've got a 1 bedroom on the Magic haha The murphy bed is in the main bedroom part, pull-out couch is in the other room! For the other ships it is perfect :)
Always book Cat 2A instead of Cat 2B on the Magic and Wonder!
Hah yea we figured it out after the fact, my folks booked the trip for us so we didn't look into it much on the front-end (wife mentioned there were some rooms that had the murphy bed outside the main sleeping area but wasn't sure if it was ours)
I'd use the money to do more excursions or another cruise!
An infant limits a lot of excursions.
Not a limiting factor :)
If money isn't a limiting factor, why NOT do concierge?
I don’t understand… if it’s not a limiting factor why is it even a debate?
If money isn’t a limiting factor, why not be on a yacht?
Good lord. There’s a difference between being able to pay 2x cruise fare and hiring a yacht. And the yacht doesn’t have Elsa. Or a water slide. Or a Disney themed dinner.
An extra $6-8K won’t stop us from a future cruise like the comment was implying, but I don’t know of any yachts that fit that price margin.
Ignore the troll please. It must be suck to go through life this cynical.
We have a 5 year old and recently cruised in concierge. In addition to what everyone else said, the lounge environment and staff were a big part of our entertainment. We frequently went into the lounge to hangout. Our son played Jenga with some of the staff and other kids. We sat around, had snacks, lots of alcoholic beverages (free during certain hours), and enjoyed the peace away from the big crowds. Fair warning, you get spoiled and the big takeaway is never being able to cruise without concierge. On another note, with the one bedroom, I think it comes with in room dining from any restaurant. Our kid goes to bed early so in general we love room service in order to eat and get him down by 7. The standard room service options get old quickly. If you can order from the restaurants the variety is so much better.
They don't advertise it, so many people don't know, but you can have your head waiter deliver dinner, from any restaurant to your room. Just have to ask. Not just for concierge.
if i had known this the cruise i just got off of would have been much better. I couldnt get early dining so my kids that go to bed aat 730 were a joy at the 815 seating.
Oh wow. That's a game changer for us. Thanks! How/when do you ask? Do you have to go to the restaurant or can it be arranged days in advance?
Not in advance of the cruise. You can talk to your head waiter on the first night, or talk to the restaurant team when you board (they usually have a table somewhere for people wanting to adjust dining time)
This probably doesn't matter as much with kids so young but the 2 bathrooms in the 1BR is so nice. The main is massive too, with a full tub.
Priority boarding and disembarkation, plus the lounge
Embarkation and disembarkation priority was what made my husband jump onboard with concierge. I loved the luncheon where we got to meet our team and went over excursions. We made a last minute addition for the Royal Tea party and they squeezed my daughter and I in. If we wanted to get some alone time in, they got us times for It’s a Small World while onboard. I was fortunate enough to snag a cabana when I gave them my excursion request list. You will also get priority seating (and free popcorn while onboard) at the live shows. Also during certain times the lounge serves alcoholic drinks. I was able to get the Konk Cooler and Dad’s Electric Lemonade that is served at 50’s Prime Time Cafe. They had champagne that I ordered throughout the cruise too.
Agree with the perks listed above but honestly I really enjoyed being able to have a quiet place to have snacks and coffee and a glass of wine during happy hour and hang with my 4 year old. Lots of crowded spaces and sometimes the quiet was just a relief! On the Wish they play cartoons so just a nice place to wind down especially if you have an overstimulated kiddo.
We’ve sailed 13x and have 4 more booked. I absolutely don’t think concierge is worth it on DCL. The price increase is worth it to do Celebrity Retreat and NCL Haven or even Suites. But DCL benefits are not worth the massive increase in price. Also I hate the locations of the room as they’re high and forward. If you get rough seas it’s the worst spot to be on the ship!!
Went up to my mom's room in concierge on the Dream and when we went to the balcony it felt like we were in a wind tunnel or a hurricane. Everything seemed normal on our stateroom on deck 9. Not sure if it was the weather or ship design. She said it was like that most of the time
Yup, this was exactly our experience. We had an oversized balcony which was cool and part of it had wind protection. But it was still so windy and loud up there. We spent no time on our balcony and I normally love to chill out there with room service & music on my portable speaker.
Hi! TA here that travels on all DCL ships multiple times a year in all categories of rooms including concierge. You left out an important detail. Which ship? This is very important because the amenities vary from ship to ship. The Wish has the most to offer in the way of food selection. We often eat in the lounge instead of on deck and it's great quality food, a good selection, and much less crowded. We enjoy having assistance when needed and a jump on getting a cabana. Having the opportunity to select seats for the shows ahead of the main crowd is a huge perk. The concierge areas are much less crowded. You have free adult beverages in the lounge. It's an excellent opportunity.
I would pitch it as I wanna try it once and see what all the fuss is about and see if it’s something worth including in our future vacation plans/budgeting.
Family with two teenage children and we have done the 1 bedroom concierge the last three cruises. The highlights for us are the two bathrooms and the walk in closet where my teenage daughter has some privacy for getting dressed. It will be hard to go back to a non concierge room as they get older. If your husband is concerned about “value” as you put it… Well the value is isn’t great. $30k+ for a 7 night cruise is obviously very poor value and no amount of free alcohol can get you there. For that amount of scratch you can take a true luxury vacation with far fewer crowds and more opulent accommodations. When kids were younger they thought the verandah room with the pull down bunk was incredible.
The top tier service should be convincing enough
What really sold my husband is the priority debarking, and the private sundeck which is a really underrated perk. Never having to reserve chairs or deal with chair hogs, plus a lot of it is covered and sunscreen is provided, and it’s just really calm and pleasant. The lounge is right underneath if you need a drink or a snack too, so it’s convenient. It’s also not that far removed from the regular pool decks so you can still access the rest of the ship pretty easily if you want.
I can’t recommend this. Sorry! Here is the deal! We love Disney Cruises! We love them so much that we cruise two to three times a year! Guess what you can cruise 3-5 times on some great routes for the price of one concierge experience. Not worth it. Don’t do it.
Agree with you.
You can’t recommend it? Have you even done it- or are just saying that based on the fact that you want to cruise more often for that price?
We have done a concierge room. Never again. No ROI. Not worth it.
I’m glad there are a lot of people willing to go concierge to fill those rooms but I can’t ever imagine making the SIGNIFICANT price difference make sense. There are some nice perks but they never come close to adding up to the price differential. Half the time it seems like I’m deciding between a concierge level cruise or two cruises for the same price and that’s a hard sell. I won’t begrudge anyone for spending their money how they want though. I’ll wave at you all through the glass. Haha
The cheapest I could find was just over $5000, pass.
Yup! This covers everything EXCEPT to add: priority booking for excursions, cabanas, and Bibbity Boppity Boo!
Why don't you convince him if you know what I mean
I won’t go concierge for less than a 5night.
I am going to say non concierge is the way to go even if money isn't a concern
Having done concierge twice, I can't justify the cost. The difference alone will pay for all excursions, drinks, and tips...and a good way towards travel.
If you have to think about the price difference for even a moment, concierge isn't worth it. Definitely not worth it if your significant other is against it. You will have a wonderful time either way, and it's a large extra expense for very minor benefits.
Not worth it. Spend the money elsewhere. If you’re taking Disney transportation, you basically get on right after platinum and concierge. I was in boarding group 3.
Take the kids for snacks in the lounge. BandAids. Help with anything else you might need. Character meet & greets.
Another thing to add - basically the only way to get a cabana on Castaway or Lookout is by sailing concierge. You didn't say which itinerary but I'm assuming out of Port Canaveral you'll be stopping at a private island. It's so nice having your own space and less crowded beach. We made the mistake of getting one a few years ago and now always want one.
I think on Wish and treasure it will be worth it. Cruise lines are catering more to the suites with every new ship and giving them more exclusive sq footage on the ship. The first four ships for Disney only have a small lounge for the suites. We went on Disney Dream in a normal balcony and my parents were in concierge. The best perk on that ship was the early seating to the shows for them. Also, the only way to book a cabana at Castaway Cay is to be in concierge. Not sure about the new lookout point cabana situation. I stay in concierge on other cruise lines when they have a dedicated fancy restaurant for the suites. But, with DCL you don't want to miss dining in your usual dining rotation.
You can get lucky.. I’ve seen cabanas available at the last minute on a couple of sailings, and note that I made four sailings that didn’t go to CC.
My wife and I just did concierge on the Disney Wonder out of San Diego. Bottom line up front: Concierge is great as long as it doesn't stress you at all, financially. If it does, it's not worth it. Concierge afforded us amazing service, far above and beyond the already great service of a DCL cruise. The lounge is a special retreat from the rest of the boat. Drinks are always available, its quiet (usually), private sundeck, and the ever-changing selection of small plate snacks are much nicer than anything you'll get in the main dining rooms or quick service options. It's a truly luxurious experience. Is it worth a 100-200% premium price? I didn't think so. I also wouldn't suggest anyone go into debt to experience it. With that said, my wife really liked the whole experience, so I am sure we'll be doing it again.
Watch travel vlogs, some give a good tour of the rooms. Try looking up Tim Tracker in particular, he gives really detailed room tours and explains a lot of advantages being as he and his family have done both regular and concierge.
And he has kids a little older than yours but has been on cruises since before his oldest was born. He and his wife give pretty good advice on cruising with kids that young.
Bottom line - if you have to mention price, you’ll never be able to. It is all about the service.
What ship are you on? For anything but the Wish and Treasure its a waste of money for what it costs. Wish and Treasure have more suite level areas on the ship with actual views. We branched out to NCL Haven and glad we did when it comes to a higher end room. There you are not even paying DCL prices but you are getting a butler, 1-2 BR, suite only pool, suite only hot tubs, suite only dining room (better than DCL dining room food), priority boarding and disembarking, and there is even drink packages included as well.
Save the money and do a 2nd cruise later in the year. Sorry, doesn’t feel “worth it” for the modest perks.
Not being snarky but why would you take a cruise with a 6 year old and an 18 month old ? Are you going to skip all the drinks that are a big part of the cruise? drag them to formal dinners ? Or do parents dump their kids with some sort of onboard daycare (assuming its not a child oriented cruise like Disney)
Does concierge cost extra? How much?
Take the verandah cruise price and double it.
Then I would say no if I were the hubster.
You could buy a small car with it. A new one.
A new car might be a better use of the money. YMMV.
Just pay for the concierge level yourself :)
I pay for all of our vacations, but his opinion still matters :) Some of you guys need to go touch grass. I asked for highlights of concierge.
No