booking on board DVC

[jns]

Ok I know you get stateroom credit plus 10% off when you rebook on board with cash
what about for us DVC members using points any thing for us

 

[SnowWhite2]

If you call MS within 3 days of getting off the ship, you get a 10% discount on points.

I booked on-board for cash early in the cruise and then joined DVC. When I returned home, I call MS to get the discount but the points were not available at that time. When they did become available, they transferred my cash ressie to DVC. This was also a hassle because I had to put down a $1000 deposit for my cash ressie and had to have MS and DCL on the phone together to get my $1000 credited back to my credit card. For some reason when the ressie transfered to DVC, the deposit did not credit to my account.

DVC members also flame other DVC members for booking the cruise with points saying it is a better use of points to rent them out and then pay cash. Our cash price was $4400 (with the 10% on-board booking discount) and our DVC points were around 450 (I can't remember exactly). At $10/pt for renting, it was basically a wash. I also originally booked on board within a week of the prices becoming available so there was not a price increase for cash. If I waited until now to book the cruise, it would probably be cheaper to use points because the points don't change but the price goes up as the cruise fills up.

If the points are not out for your desired sailing when you return from your cruise, I don't know what the policy is...call MS.

 

[jns]

If you call MS within 3 days of getting off the ship, you get a 10% discount on points.

I booked on-board for cash early in the cruise and then joined DVC. When I returned home, I call MS to get the discount but the points were not available at that time. When they did become available, they transferred my cash ressie to DVC. This was also a hassle because I had to put down a $1000 deposit for my cash ressie and had to have MS and DCL on the phone together to get my $1000 credited back to my credit card. For some reason when the ressie transfered to DVC, the deposit did not credit to my account.

DVC members also flame other DVC members for booking the cruise with points saying it is a better use of points to rent them out and then pay cash. Our cash price was $4400 (with the 10% on-board booking discount) and our DVC points were around 450 (I can't remember exactly). At $10/pt for renting, it was basically a wash. I also originally booked on board within a week of the prices becoming available so there was not a price increase for cash. If I waited until now to book the cruise, it would probably be cheaper to use points because the points don't change but the price goes up as the cruise fills up.

If the points are not out for your desired sailing when you return from your cruise, I don't know what the policy is...call MS.

thanks think I'll call them tomorrow

 

[dzorn]

Did you also get the stateroom credit as well as the discount on points? Tying to talk DH into rebooking on board.

Denise in MI

 

[SnowWhite2]

No, you get the pleasure of paying DVC $75 for transferring the points outside of DVC.

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

On our Eastern this year we checked into rebooking using our DVC points. I really was shocked at how many points they wanted for a cruise. For us, it would have been about 3 years worth of points (around 900) for a 1 bd suite for an Eastern that we paid around $8000 for - for our 2008 cruise. We paid cash instead and decided to keep the points for a yearly vacation with DVC.

 

[dzorn]

Yes I know many have said it is not a good value, but for us the cost/point was acceptable. I don't want the hassle of renting out points and cannot see spending additional money when we have points available. We are taking our first cruise in January and have enough point to book again if we like it.

Denise in MI

 

[Muushka]

DVC members also flame other DVC members for booking the cruise with points saying it is a better use of points to rent them out and then pay cash.

Flame? I don't think that when people come on the boards and ask if they should pay cash or use points for a cruise that other members flame those who use their points.

I know that I usually respond that it is not a good use of points and for me, the major complaint that I have is that the refund of points for a canceled cruise is terrible. I have read too many times people who used their points for a cruise and had to cancel and were stuck with 100's of points that lost half their value or more. And they end up renting them out anyway because many times they can't use them (due to unexpected pregnancy or illness).

I'll flame someone that does not spay or neuter their pet, but if they use their points for a cruise, it does not affect me or the pet population a bit!

 

[ibela]

Just wanted to clear something up. If you rebook using cash you get a straight 10% discount on the price for the next cruise. If you rebook using points you get a discount but it varies based on the specific cruise and the category. Ex. sailing in a cat 5, a 7 night in October may be 25 points per person off, a 7 night in April may be 5 points per person off. You'll get a pamphlet to your stateroom and it'll show the cost per points and the onboard rebooking discount for every available cruise so you have time to decide on your own.

Did you also get the stateroom credit as well as the discount on points? Tying to talk DH into rebooking on board.

Denise in MI

No stateroom credit is offered with a points rebooking. If you rebook with cash, get the credit, and then transfer to points, you lose the credit.

Flame? I don't think that when people come on the boards and ask if they should pay cash or use points for a cruise that other members flame those who use their points.

I know that I usually respond that it is not a good use of points and for me, the major complaint that I have is that the refund of points for a canceled cruise is terrible. I have read too many times people who used their points for a cruise and had to cancel and were stuck with 100's of points that lost half their value or more. And they end up renting them out anyway because many times they can't use them (due to unexpected pregnancy or illness).

Most people do say it's a bad use of points because it's much more points than WDW, but at WDW you still pay for meals and entertainment per person whereas on the cruise it's already covered.

Personally, I look at the maintenance cost per point and compare it to the cash cost for the trip and decide if it's worth it that way. I don't look at what I could rent the points for because I know I wouldn't rent the points.

I think it comes down to personal preference. Would you go to WDW regularly and use up your points or would you end up carrying them over to future years? How many points do you have available? What's the cost per point (how you think it should be calculated) and how does it compare to the cost of the trip you want to take? Answer those questions for yourself and you should be able to come up with the solution that's right for your family.

 

[jns]

another question
I have always booked a GTY cat 12 with cash and got a free upgrade
can you do this ith points as well