2012 Members Cruise date, plus 2013

[tomandrobin]

Disney Vacation Club has shifted the four-night S.S. Member Cruise 2012 from the originally
announced Oct. 21 sailing date to Sept. 16. And to allow more Members than ever to experience this signature event, a three-night Member voyage will sail on Jan. 10, 2013. Both voyages are scheduled to sail out of Port Canaveral, Fla., on the spectacular Disney Dream ship, which joined the growing
Disney Cruise Line® fleet earlier this year.

The move allows Members to choose the date (Sept. 16 or Jan. 10) and length (four nights or three)
that best meets their needs.

These unique voyages have become a cherished Disney Vacation Club tradition, allowing Members
to cruise with their Disney Vacation Club neighbors while enjoying special in-room gifts, exclusive live entertainment and more.

Planning for these unprecedented dual sailings is underway, and while it's too early to predict exactly
how the two sailings will mirror or differ from each other, both will include scheduled stops at Disney's private island paradise, Castaway Cay, and both will help Members create memories to last a lifetime.

Booking for the two voyages is scheduled to begin on Dec. 11".

Also note, resale contracts bought after March 21, 2011 do not qualify.

 

[pyrxtc]

the points went up quite a bit from last year. i don't know if I can do it. The points went from 208 to 221 for the cabin I would want. The prices from last years 4 night cruise are the same as the 2013 3 night cruise.

 

[dizfan]

Can anyone offer insight into the difference between a member cruise and a non-member cruise?

Just trying to decide if it's worth looking trying to book the 3 night Jan 10, 2013 cruise and then cancelling our 4 night (Jan 13, 2013) if we are successful.

DW has cruised on non-Disney, but it would be my first cruise. (We around 50 years old). I suspect a member cruise would have more adults, where a non-member cruise would have more children.

Are there any other differences?

 

[pyrxtc]

there are room gifts, meeting people that are higher up in DVC, special offers to buy more points, extra time at castaway cay and I'm sure many other things that make it special. I've read that there are just about as many kids. I know I will be bringing 3 myself.

 

[tomandrobin]

there are room gifts, meeting people that are higher up in DVC, special offers to buy more points, extra time at castaway cay and I'm sure many other things that make it special. I've read that there are just about as many kids. I know I will be bringing 3 myself.

This past cruise only had about 300 kids on the ship. Normally there is about 1000-1200 kids.

I got to meet the executive committee and spent about 1 hour talking to them.

 

[HookdonWDW]

Quick question: If I book the Jan MC for 2 Adults, assuming that the rooms are sold out, is there a chance that I would be able to add an additional adult at a later date? DS will (hopefully) be in college, and since he is still in the application process, we have no idea of what school or what his break schedule will be like.

 

[Marshay]

Looking into this cruise myself ... we've done other cruises years ago but never a Disney cruise.

I was thinking this might be a good time to cruise, esp if it's all geared to DVC

 

[emullins91]

I am on a disney cruise Dec 11.....will I be able to book the member cruise while onboard? We have never been on a member cruise and talked about doing the next one but I wont be able to call in to book. I hope I dont have to miss yet another year......

 

[Lilbunnyk]

I am on a disney cruise Dec 11.....will I be able to book the member cruise while onboard? We have never been on a member cruise and talked about doing the next one but I wont be able to call in to book. I hope I dont have to miss yet another year......

I also would like to go on a member cruise but will be at Aulani Dec 11 and am curious if I can book the member cruise at Aulani or will I need to get on the phone at 3 AM to book it?

 

[taaren]

I also would like to go on a member cruise but will be at Aulani Dec 11 and am curious if I can book the member cruise at Aulani or will I need to get on the phone at 3 AM to book it?

I think you have to book with MS, and there's no MS at Aulani, so you'll have to wake up early (or stay up late!). Aren't time changes fun?

 

[Marshay]

I see that points for a member cruise may be about 30% more ... so besides the gifts left in the room (which you may or may not like), some special speakers/guests (?) from DVC and the chance to purchase more DVC points at a discount, what are the advantages of a Member cruise?

I'm not opposed to spending more points if there is good reason but I can't find how the itinerary/schedule of events/perks are different on a member cruise.

Can you help enlighten me?

Many thanks!

 

[Marshay]

One more question ... are these Member Cruises only filled up with DVCers ...b/c I went on the DVCmember.com website and saw that they have the point chart up for a Jan 10th cruise on the Dream for 2013 and it is different than the point chart OP has in the first post.

I just checked Category 8 and it's 80-83 pts for regular but 117-120 pts for DVC member cruise.

Maybe Disney just hasn't updated its point chart yet?...

 

[disrailfan]

One more question ... are these Member Cruises only filled up with DVCers ...b/c I went on the DVCmember.com website and saw that they have the point chart up for a Jan 10th cruise on the Dream for 2013 and it is different than the point chart OP has in the first post.

I just checked Category 8 and it's 80-83 pts for regular but 117-120 pts for DVC member cruise.

Maybe Disney just hasn't updated its point chart yet?...

Yes, these cruises are for "Members Only" it is not open to the public. The points and dollars are significantly higher than a normal cruise.

My DW and I have been doing these the last four years (2008,2009,2010 and 2011). The value of the gifts have done down since we first started and from what I understand from others the gifts that were given in 2008 were way less valuable than those in previous years. Recently it has gotten worse in the years following our 2008 Memeber cruise. It is known that several people that were on the cruise with us this last cruise in September were disappointed and wrote DVC. Many people complained about the dates as well, we were told on the cruise that those dates were to be October 21-25, 2012, but that appears to have changed once again. We originally thought they went to October due to many of us complaining that it no longer coincided with the Epcot Wine and Food Festival.

I am glad though that they did decide to do a second cruise and I wondered if that was some of the delay.

This year, 2011, was our last Member cruise until they substantially change the entertainment value and the value we get for paying a premium for these cruises. Until then I will continue doing normal cruises.

Hope if you all book this it works out for all of you.

 

[Marshay]

Yes, these cruises are for "Members Only" it is not open to the public. The points and dollars are significantly higher than a normal cruise.

My DW and I have been doing these the last four years (2008,2009,2010 and 2011). The value of the gifts have done down since we first started and from what I understand from others the gifts that were given in 2008 were way less valuable than those in previous years. Recently it has gotten worse in the years following our 2008 Memeber cruise. It is known that several people that were on the cruise with us this last cruise in September were disappointed and wrote DVC. Many people complained about the dates as well, we were told on the cruise that those dates were to be October 21-25, 2012, but that appears to have changed once again. We originally thought they went to October due to many of us complaining that it no longer coincided with the Epcot Wine and Food Festival.

I am glad though that they did decide to do a second cruise and I wondered if that was some of the delay.

This year, 2011, was our last Member cruise until they substantially change the entertainment value and the value we get for paying a premium for these cruises. Until then I will continue doing normal cruises.

Hope if you all book this it works out for all of you.

Thanks for your insights. So it sounds like the two main reasons to do a member cruise are for the gifts and the guests/entertainment?

I do love gifts but not sure it justifies the costs..esp if you and others have questioned the value of them over the years.

Can you share with us what type of gifts you have gotten? Are we talking chocolates and champagne in room at night with stuffed animals for the kids or a DVC baseball cap or artwork or ??? Were they daily or just one gift, also?

Thanks!

 

[disrailfan]

Thanks for your insights. So it sounds like the two main reasons to do a member cruise are for the gifts and the guests/entertainment?

I do love gifts but not sure it justifies the costs..esp if you and others have questioned the value of them over the years.

Can you share with us what type of gifts you have gotten? Are we talking chocolates and champagne in room at night with stuffed animals for the kids or a DVC baseball cap or artwork or ??? Were they daily or just one gift, also?

Thanks!

Well the entertainment this year was an evening with Kermit the Frog and Joey Fattone (sp) Nsync, who is a member of DVC, was on the cruise. His only involvement was during the sales meeting and a night at Karaoke.

Here is a link to the gifts we got: Click Here

If you want to know more we had 13 threads this year leading up to the cruise. I have more information at our DIS Meet Cruise site: Click Here

If you or anyone else have questions further feel free to PM me or ask in here.

 

[pyrxtc]

I think I'm going to try to get on the January cruise, all 5 of us. What's the weather like in the Bahama's in January ?

 

[disrailfan]

I think I'm going to try to get on the January cruise, all 5 of us. What's the weather like in the Bahama's in January ?

Im not sure about the temp in January. I will know in a few months here as we are going on our first January Cruise next year. It's actually kind of funny, we are going January 12th, 2012 basically the same sailing that will happen in 2013 for DVC.

 

[Marshay]

Well the entertainment this year was an evening with Kermit the Frog and Joey Fattone (sp) Nsync, who is a member of DVC, was on the cruise. His only involvement was during the sales meeting and a night at Karaoke.

Here is a link to the gifts we got: Click Here

If you want to know more we had 13 threads this year leading up to the cruise. I have more information at our DIS Meet Cruise site: Click Here

If you or anyone else have questions further feel free to PM me or ask in here.

Thank you! Checking those sites out now.

On another thread someone was kind enough to post all the entertainers/speakers from a few years ago. It all sounds great but I think it helped me understand that a member cruise would NOT be a good choice for a 1st DCL cruise. I want to learn/explore/play on the ship, not necessarily sit in on speakers the whole time.

I would like to do a member cruise sometime but sounds best to wait until I have a few DCL cruises under my belt.

 

[Marshay]

Well the entertainment this year was an evening with Kermit the Frog and Joey Fattone (sp) Nsync, who is a member of DVC, was on the cruise. His only involvement was during the sales meeting and a night at Karaoke.

Here is a link to the gifts we got: Click Here

If you want to know more we had 13 threads this year leading up to the cruise. I have more information at our DIS Meet Cruise site: Click Here

If you or anyone else have questions further feel free to PM me or ask in here.

Just wanted to add -- thanks for the tips on that site. I already feel better prepared. The gifts looked nice, too.

 

[disrailfan]

Just wanted to add -- thanks for the tips on that site. I already feel better prepared. The gifts looked nice, too.

You are most welcome!