DVC worth it only for DCL

[macfather]

I'm new to the board, so I apologize if this question has already been addressed before.

I have a traveling job that allows me to participate in loyalty programs. Thus, free quality hotels are easy to come by. However, we're in love with the Disney Cruise Line and are considering returning once a year.

We're looking seriously at the DVC. Is it worth it only for DCL?

 

[heynowirv]

first let me answer that with a question of my own.
Are you planning on buying direct from Disney? I ask that question because buying resale will not allow you to use your points for DCL. The difference in price between resale and direct is approx. $40-$70 pp. if not more depending on what your home resort is.

 

[myxdvz]

Most here will tell you that DVC points are only worth it for DVC resorts.

The DVC points required for DCL cruises are expensive. You'll be better off paying the cruise with cash.

For my November 29 cruise (5 Night Western) , if I used points, it would have required:
162 - 176 points per adult
My 2 kids are 71 points each
My infant is 41 points

That's a total of 507 points (using low end). If each point can be rented for $10/pt, that's $5,070. It only cost me $3500 to pay cash.


Specially since you can only use your points for cruise if you buy direct which doubles your purchase price.

If you already have the points and you're not gonna use it anyway nor do you want to rent it, I am of the opinion (minority here) that using it for DCL is fine. I personally would rent my points.

But if you're buying solely for DCL, I think that's a bad idea.

 

[macfather]

Thanks for your quick response.

I didn't realize until now that there was an option to buy resale. So my intention was to commit/buy on the next cruise (I've been told that there's better discounts that way). We attended the first 20 minutes of a presentation on our first cruise, but felt that we needed to do additional research with a clear head (not while onboard) and left as to not waste the salespersons time. . This post is the early stages of the research.

 

[macfather]

Most here will tell you that DVC points are only worth it for DVC resorts.

The DVC points required for DCL cruises are expensive. You'll be better off paying the cruise for cash.

Specially since you can only use your points for cruise if you buy direct.

If you already have the points and you're not gonna use it anyway nor do you want to rent it, I am of the opinion (minority here) that using it for DCL is fine.

But if you're buying solely for DCL, I think that's a bad idea.

That's what I was afraid of.

Is there anything besides DVC I should be looking at then? So far, we're just buying each cruise direct off the disney cruise website. Seems like I should be doing something if I'm seriously considering returning each year with a family of 5. Perhaps if your ship is this awesome, loyalty doesn't need to be rewarded.

 

[myxdvz]

That's what I was afraid of.

Is there anything besides DVC I should be looking at then? So far, we're just buying each cruise direct off the disney cruise website. Seems like I should be doing something if I'm seriously considering returning each year with a family of 5. Perhaps if your ship is this awesome, loyalty doesn't need to be rewarded.

DCL doesn't discount. For cruising, your best bet to get good prices are:

1. Book your next trip on board, you get a 10% discount and only require 10% down (it's normally 20%). You can then pick the cheapest farthest date possible and just change it when your dates are firmer.
2. Book as early as possible to get the best prices as prices normally go higher. Although lately, DCL has been releasing *GT rooms that are cheaper.
3. You can also book thru an agent (or transfer) which will give you more OBC or Cash cards (in the case of Costco).
4. To pay your balance, you can use CC to get points, and/or take advantage of discounts for gift cards to get the total cost down.

Others will also tell you that there are lots of other cruise lines that are cheaper and better

 

[Lynne M]

Important things to know if you'd only use DVC for DCL:

1. Use of points for DCL is a perk, and not part of your vacation ownership. Meaning, it can be discontinued at any time.

2. Points required for cruises are renegotiated with DCL every year, and go up pretty much every year. So in a few years, you could find you no longer have enough points to cruise.

3. DCL can, and does, limit the number of cabins available for booking with points, and has in the past blocked point use for cruises completely for a period of several months. In short, it's entirely possible that you could find cabins or cruises unavailable for points booking, but available for cash booking.

I've tried a couple of times to book cruises on points, and haven't been successful. On one occasion, I was told that no cabins would be available for points bookings for a year from the time I tried to make a reservation. There was, of course, plenty of cash inventory available throughout that year.

 

[macfather]

Thanks everyone!!! Fast and great responses to my questions. Wow!


I sincerely appreciate your help.

 

[Dean]

Thanks everyone!!! Fast and great responses to my questions. Wow!


I sincerely appreciate your help.

Your worst choice for cruising with DCL would be to buy DVC for that purpose. Not guaranteed (the option could stop tomorrow), more expensive than cash directly and too much risk/hassle. DVC is only reasonable to buy for DVC resort stays, the only exceptions to that are very convoluted situations generally for very small contracts centered around pool use, day use and the perks (esp pass discounts). As noted, reserving on board is your best bet. DCL's discounts are meager but generally situated around early booking discounts, on board discounts and FL resident discounts. The other option is to go with comparable cruise companies that are cheaper like RCCL which will generally give you roughly a 30% savings over DCL.

 

[MrShiny]

Note that DVC does offer some great incentives at the DCL meetings. These may or may not be available elsewhere. The meetings are fun though in themselves, and often have some nice giveaways.

The best value from DVC though is going to either WDW or DLR at least once a year for the foreseeable (read 5-10 year) future. Extras like trading points or DCL are gravy. There is the member cruise too, but I don't think that's worth DVC on its own.

 

[zavandor]

Let's say that you buy 228 points to be able to book a 3 nights cruise every year in high season.
If you buy BLT, it's a total of $37620 ($160 per point).

Then you have to pay MF on those points. It's $1026 (first year they are prorated, but following years you need to pay in full).

Then we have to consider an opportunity cost. If you take $37620 and invest them, you can get money for it. Let's consider only a 3% revenue for a low risk investment. It's $1128 per year.

So MF + opportunity cost it's a total of $2154

The same cruise can be booked for cash for $1588. $566 less.

Yes, it's THAT bad. Buying DVC to book a cruise, not only you won't break even, but you'll loose money year after year.
Also, points cost for the exchange increases every year. And it can be removed entierly.

 

[disneynutz]

I'm new to the board, so I apologize if this question has already been addressed before.

I have a traveling job that allows me to participate in loyalty programs. Thus, free quality hotels are easy to come by. However, we're in love with the Disney Cruise Line and are considering returning once a year.

We're looking seriously at the DVC. Is it worth it only for DCL?

No it is not.

Price can be higher than cash.
Availability can be restricted or blacked out.
Ability to book DCL is not guaranteed and could be canceled at any time.

DVD has told me that they have changed their policy and they are now offing the same purchasing incentives at all sales locations.

Bill

 

[travelgirl06]

DCL doesn't discount. For cruising, your best bet to get good prices are:

1. Book your next trip on board, you get a 10% discount and only require 10% down (it's normally 20%). You can then pick the cheapest farthest date possible and just change it when your dates are firmer.
2. Book as early as possible to get the best prices as prices normally go higher. Although lately, DCL has been releasing *GT rooms that are cheaper.
3. You can also book thru an agent (or transfer) which will give you more OBC or Cash cards (in the case of Costco).
4. To pay your balance, you can use CC to get points, and/or take advantage of discounts for gift cards to get the total cost down.

Others will also tell you that there are lots of other cruise lines that are cheaper and better

All good points. Also, if you have a T.A. Who gives OBC you can name them as your T.A when you rebook onboard, and get OBC for them and Disney (obviously check in with your T.A. In advance). Disney also provides an OBC on your next cruise for rebooking onboard. AND watch for price-drops. We just got per $100 off our cruise this September due to a price drop (some of these will have restrictions, but it can't hurt to check).

They have also frequently offered an OBC if you pay with your Disney Visa (this is not combinable with the rebook onboard OBC, as far as I know, and there may be other exclusions as well).

And yes, if you just want to be on a cruise, you can do it for less on other lines, it if you want to do DCL, hopefully these tips will help!

 

[JimC]

We normally book on board and transfer the reservation back to Dreams Unlimited (a really good Disney travel specialty travel agency) for them to manage. That seems to be the best value with the added benefit of a travel agent's assistance and expertise.

Agree with others who advise against DVC for cruises. Although if buying DVC and want to buy direct, the on board incentives have consistently been the best.

 

[Dean]

Let's say that you buy 228 points to be able to book a 3 nights cruise every year in high season.
If you buy BLT, it's a total of $37620 ($160 per point).

Then you have to pay MF on those points. It's $1026 (first year they are prorated, but following years you need to pay in full).

Then we have to consider an opportunity cost. If you take $37620 and invest them, you can get money for it. Let's consider only a 3% revenue for a low risk investment. It's $1128 per year.

So MF + opportunity cost it's a total of $2154

The same cruise can be booked for cash for $1588. $566 less.

Yes, it's THAT bad. Buying DVC to book a cruise, not only you won't break even, but you'll loose money year after year.
Also, points cost for the exchange increases every year. And it can be removed entierly.

To me there are 2 larger issues. One is the cost and the other is the rest of the story. EVEN if DVC seemed to make sense cost wise (it doesn't), the other issues delineated here in this thread alone make it an unreasonable choice. There are restrictions on the abiity to reserve, there are additional costs and most of all, there are significant risks that are far greater than using cash. As a rule, you'll get less than $7.50 a point for DCL and often closer to $6 or less. Of course there will be exceptions, the AK cruise year one appeared to be but even then it was around break even at best with all the risks present. One or occasional examples don't prove the case, actually quite the contrary because about the best you'll see is break even compared to renting out and most use the rack rate ignoring early booking discounts and other applicable discounts which are often present even if meager.

I know there are those that have made this exact choice and those that bought to cruise part of the time. Some of these have taken offense in the past at my characterization of this being an extremely poor choice for DCL and other cash type options as well as for RCI though it's not as bad for RCI/BVTC. I'm sorry if anyone is offended but that is my belief (that buying for this purpose is a poor choice) and the fact that some made that choice doesn't change my view, nor do I feel this is in ANY way a personal attack on anyone. They're welcome to disagree though IMO, it's an indefensible choice from a numbers/situation standpoint to make purchasing points (or significantly more points) for DCL.

 

[Heyriddle]

Can anyone explain how to rent points that we have? We have used our points for DCL. Love cruising. If we could pay cash with our rented points, that would be great.

 

[zavandor]

There is a renting board here on the DISboards, just read the stickies with the instructions. There are a few rules and restriction, so with few posts you might need to pay a subscription to be able to post there.

Or you can use one of the brokers. The Timeshare Store (the sponsor of this board, there is a banner up here) or David (the sponsor of the rental board) can find a renter for you, you just make the reservation and they'll pay you for the reservation. You should contact them if interested, but David gives you 10$ a point, the TSS maybe less, not sure.
Both got great feedback here.

 

[zavandor]

Update: David is now offering 11$ a point!
That's a great rate!

 

[Missyrose]

Update: David is now offering 11$ a point!
That's a great rate!

People have reported he's only offering $11 per point for a limited time because he's been so short on points.

 

[CarolMN]

I'm new to the board, so I apologize if this question has already been addressed before.

I have a traveling job that allows me to participate in loyalty programs. Thus, free quality hotels are easy to come by. However, we're in love with the Disney Cruise Line and are considering returning once a year.

We're looking seriously at the DVC. Is it worth it only for DCL?

A better alternative (given what everyone has already posted) would be to put an appropriate amount of money into a vacation savings account each month.

IMO, DVC has been very clever at getting people to pay monthly for their points - then when it comes time to book, you are booking with "points", which don't seem like real money. PLUS, you have no lodging bill at check out, so your stay seems "FREE". (Of course, it really isn't, but it's hard not to feel that way)!

We can do the same thing for ourselves - save a monthly amount towards vacation and then when it comes time to book, you have the money. (If you have the money to buy DVC, you have the money to put aside). IMO, it really stinks to be paying for a vacation AFTER it's over, LOL. I like that feature of DVC.