41 DAYS TO GO . . .

     SUNDAY MARCH 13, 2011

     UPGRADES.  YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF THEM.  SOME PEOPLE PRACTICALLY DEPEND ON THEM.  OTHERS JUST CONSIDER THEM AS LIKELY TO COME ACROSS AS A UNICORN.  BELIEVE ME, COMING FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, THEY DO EXIST, AND SOMETIMES CAN BE JUST AS VALUABLE AS THAT LEPRECHAUN'S POT O' GOLD.
     ALL UPGRADES ARE BASED ON AVAILABILITY.  NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT, IT STILL COMES DOWN TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE OR NEED THE SPACE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMEONE A BIGGER AND/OR BETTER ROOM; WHETHER ON LAND OR ON THE OCEAN. 
     LIKE ANYTHING IN REFERENCE TO YOUR CRUISE, YOU CAN REQUEST AN UPGRADE AT ANY TIME ON YOUR RESERVATION.  NOW THAT OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T GUARANTEE YOU ANYTHING, BUT IN MOST CASES IT CAN'T HURT.  I SAY MOST BECAUSE, SOME EMPLOYEES MAY READ THAT REQUEST AND JUST THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET IT.  REMEMBER IT TAKES ALL KINDS.
     ANOTHER OPTION ON A DISNEY CRUISE IS TO BOOK A "GTY" STATEROOM.  YES, "GTY" MEANS GUARANTEE.  YOU ARE GUARANTEED A STATEROOM TYPE EQUAL TO WHAT YOU BOOKED OR PAID FOR.  THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T REQUEST OR RESERVE A PARTICULAR ROOM NUMBER, BASICALLY SAYING IT DIDN'T MATTER TO YOU, YOU MAY BE UPGRADED.  WHY?  LIKE ANY HOTEL OR CRUISE SHIP, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BOOK THE CHEAPEST ROOM POSSIBLE OR THE LOWEST PRICE ROOM FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THEIR PARTY.  SO INSTEAD OF TELLING PEOPLE, "NO, I'M SORRY, ALL WE HAVE IS THE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE ROOMS."  BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BOOK THOSE ROOMS FOR THE MOST PART AT THAT LOWER PRICE UNTIL THEY ARE SOLD OUT AND CHOOSE WHO TO UPGRADE INTO THE LARGER MORE EXPENSIVE ROOMS WITHOUT PAYING FOR THAT HIGHER RATE ROOM.  THUS YOU HAVE AN "UPGRADE".  THE LOGIC ON THE DISNEY CRUISE IN TAKE A "GTY" RESERVATION IS THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SACRIFICE A PARTICULAR DECK OR LOCATION ON THE SHIP FOR YOUR ROOM WITH THE HOPE OF BEING UPGRADED FOR YOUR SACRIFICE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SHIPS, THE DREAM IN PARTICULAR, ARE SELLING CONSTANTLY.
     WHAT HAS BECOME THE REAL PROBLEM WITH THIS SUPPOSED SACRIFICE IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF CRUISE SHIPS, PEOPLE ARE REFUSING UPGRADES.  BECAUSE THE DISNEY DREAM HAS THE NEW VIRTUAL PORTHOLES IN THEIR INSIDE STATEROOMS, FAMILIES WITH KIDS ARE SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO BE UPGRADED, FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR CHILDREN.  WHY WOULDN'T THAT HELP MORE FAMILIES GET THE UPGRADE THEY HAD HOPED FOR?  WELL SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO RESERVE THESE INSIDE STATEROOMS WITH THE "MAGICAL PORTHOLE" THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, INSIDE STATEROOMS ARE NOW SELLING FOR MORE THAN STATEROOMS WITH OCEAN VIEWS OR BALCONIES!  IT'S SIMPLE SUPPLY AND DEMAND.  MORE PEOPLE WANT THEM, SO THE PRICE GOES UP.  AND I WAS ONE.  I'M BIG ON VIEWS, AND WOULD HAVE LOVED A VERANDAH ON THE WATER, BUT I KNEW MY SON REALLY WANTED THAT VIRTUAL PORTHOLE WITH IT'S APPEARING ANIMATED CHARACTERS.  SO I SAID TO MY RESERVATIONIST, "I DON'T THINK I TAKE AN UPGRADE.  MY SON WOULD BE UPSET."  HER REPLY WAS, "YOU'D BE AMAZED HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT NOW."
     YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK IF ANY UPGRADES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE TERMINAL WHEN YOU CHECK IN AND AT GUEST SERVICES WHEN YOU'RE ON-BOARD, BUT ON SOLD OUT CRUISES, LIKE PRETTY MUCH EVERY DREAM SAILING, THERE'S NOWHERE TO UPGRADE YOU TO.  SHIPS, LIKE HOTELS, HAVE TO KEEP SOME ROOMS EMPTY FOR UNFORESEEN EMERGENCIES.  SO, BECAUSE OF THE UPSIDE DOWN VALUES OF THE NEW DISNEY DREAM, YOU WOULD SAVE MORE MONEY, BY REQUESTING THE LARGER OCEAN VIEW STATEROOM TO START.  UNBELIEVABLE HUH?  BUT REMEMBER, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK!
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "BAMBI".  FOUND A VHS COPY AT A FLEA MARKET FOR $1.00!