VERY disappointed in DVC and their member cruise!

kyle051777

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
I just received the email like I am sure most of you did but to my surprise it states that I am not allowed to go on a member cruise because I purchased resale after 3/2011.

This is copied from the DVC website:
Memberships not purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. on or after March 21, 2011 will not have access to 2012/2013 S.S. Member Cruises.

I spoke with 2 different people at DVC, one was a supervisor, who confirmed the above. I expressed my concern and displeasure over this rule and could not figure it out. Am I not a DVC member? than why am I not allowed to go on a DVC member cruise.

I informed them I knew of the restrictions when I purchased resale including not being able to use points for disney cruises, but not being able to go on a member cruise was not one of them if I wanted to pay cash.

I have a email with a request for a call back concerning the matter. Very, very disappointed in DVC right now. Let me know if I am blowing this out of proportion but this really upsets me.
Thanks for listening to my rant
 
Sorry to hear that. I received an email stating there will be 2 member service cruises. One in October 2012 and one in January 2013. I guess thats why they were stressing for those who had offers in to close before the March deadline.
 
kind of disappointing but you knew you couldn't do cruise line with your points as your membership. It stinks that this includes the member cruise too but the new rules do say no cruises with your membership. Perhaps you know a member that will book it for you ??
 
It was my understanding that as a member after the March date you could not book a cruise with points. But not allowing you to even book a member cruise with cash surprises me. Though i guess they want to force all the resale buyers to buy more points direct.
 


I just received the email like I am sure most of you did but to my surprise it states that I am not allowed to go on a member cruise because I purchased resale after 3/2011.

This is copied from the DVC website:
Memberships not purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. on or after March 21, 2011 will not have access to 2012/2013 S.S. Member Cruises.

I spoke with 2 different people at DVC, one was a supervisor, who confirmed the above. I expressed my concern and displeasure over this rule and could not figure it out. Am I not a DVC member? than why am I not allowed to go on a DVC member cruise.

I informed them I knew of the restrictions when I purchased resale including not being able to use points for disney cruises, but not being able to go on a member cruise was not one of them if I wanted to pay cash.

I have a email with a request for a call back concerning the matter. Very, very disappointed in DVC right now. Let me know if I am blowing this out of proportion but this really upsets me.
Thanks for listening to my rant

That's absurd that they won't even let you pay with CASH!! I don't they made THAT part clear did they?
 
I really don't see the big deal about the Member Cruise anyway. Over priced sales pitch with some gifts tossed in to give you a perceived value.

DVC is a business, it's not about being fair. The March restriction was put in place to take away resales and drive people to direct purchase at an inflated price per point.

Your only hope is to contact Member Satisfaction at:

dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

:earsboy: Bill
 


I could be wrong, but I believe in order to book the Member Cruise at least one person in your party must pay with points.

MG

•Due to the unique nature of these special events, Members are permitted to pay cash for all passengers if they so choose.

So, people don't have to use points at all.
 
I could be wrong, but I believe in order to book the Member Cruise at least one person in your party must pay with points.

MG

Doesn't look like it:

Please note the following important booking information about the S.S. Member Cruises:
There is a two stateroom limit per Membership
Due to the unique nature of these special events, Members are permitted to pay cash for all passengers if they so choose.
Disney Vacation Club will waive the initial transaction fee associated with booking your Disney Cruise Line reservation for the S.S. Member Cruise 2012 and 2013.
A non-refundable $95 transaction fee will apply to all modifications associated with an S.S. Member Cruise reservation.
Disney Vacation Club will accept the following methods of payment for Members not using Vacation Points to book the cruise: JCB, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. If paying by credit card, please have the credit card number, expiration date and the name that appears on the card available. Full payment is required at the time of booking.
Member Services will only accept reservations for S.S. Member Cruise 2012 and 2013 by phone, beginning Sunday, December 11, 2011, starting at 8:00 a.m. EST. Booking requests will not be accepted by fax or email.
For the safety of our Guests, women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date will not be permitted to sail due to safety concerts. Neither a physician's medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be able to override the policy. Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.
Disney Cruise Line policy prohibits infants less than 12 weeks of age as of embarkation date to travel.
Memberships not purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. on or after March 21, 2011 will not have access to 2012/2013 S.S. Member Cruises.

If they are allowing others to pay all cash, doesn't seem fair.
 
I compared prices for a 3 day cruise later in January 2013 and the regular cruise was about $200 dollars cheaper.
 
If they are allowing others to pay all cash, doesn't seem fair.

As Disneynutz said, it is not about being fair. Those who purchased prior to the March 20 date now have a "perk" that those who purchased after don't have.

Not really bothered by this....

I will say that those cash prices are YIKES!!!
 
Whew...don't really know how I feel about that. Disney's motivation is pretty apparent. Resale buyers knew they would be treated differently to some degree so is there really room to complain? :confused3 Don't know.

Unfortunately it appears to serve as a warning to folks buying resale that DVC may tweak these rules again at any time, without warning or grandfathering.

I compared prices for a 3 day cruise later in January 2013 and the regular cruise was about $200 dollars cheaper.

Member cruises are typically more expensive than non-member cruises. Staff gratuities have historically been included in the cost of the member cruise. The info for 2012/13 doesn't specifically address this topic, though.

Either way I would expect the member cruise to be higher priced. They do tend to provide some form of unique gifts and entertainment, but you're also paying for the cache of it being a "Member Cruise"!
 
They are within their rights but I am surprised by this decision. I suspect the decision will change at some point.
 
I simply have to say that I am deeply saddened that the 2 tier DVC membership has arrived.

I am going to write DVC regarding this. I don't care about using my points for a cruise, but for someone to be told you are a member, but not member enough to be accepted on the member cruise. You have got to be kidding me!

Our current points are aftermarket pre March 2011 that are FULL DVC membership points, until I ever sell them, then they will be 2nd tier membership points. :confused:


popcorn::

CT_Jeff
 
I compared prices for a 3 day cruise later in January 2013 and the regular cruise was about $200 dollars cheaper.

That's not too bad a differential, since the MC's in the past have had the tips included in the price.
I'm torn, we had bad weather on CC last November, and I imagine there could be a pretty good chance that the ship doesn't get into CC. Yet, the MC isn't all about CC. We went on the one in '05 and thoroughly enjoyed it, and that's with discounting the "presents." I gave most of them away, including most of the pins, I'm not a collector. I really enjoyed the companionship of the members on the cruise, and the special entertainment.
DH and I had planned a Princess partial crossing of the Panama Canal that January. I'm really torn, I wonder if we can do both, back to back?:)

OP, I'm sorry about the position you are in. There has been talk of "tiered" memberships here in the past. We thought it was going to reward people with many points, but it seems that DVC may be going the route of ostracizing, not rewarding. I'm sad about that. They've practically stopped exercising ROFR, but then they punish the people for buying perceived bargains. Our MC was fun and worthwhile.
 
I suspect the decision will change at some point.

Maybe. The cynic in me suspects it will depend entirely on how successful they are in filling two ships within a 5-month span. I'm sure the restriction was thoroughly debated and DVC is going into this with eyes wide open.

And there can't be many members at present who only own resale points purchased in the last 8 months. A couple dozen? A couple hundred?

DVC's only response may be to recommend a 25-pt direct add on purchase.
 
I am going to be blunt. I am sorry for the OP but if I were buying resale I would not expect to do anything but stay at a DVC resort period. I personaly think they have made it clear. Sorry OP I think you have every right to blow off steam but in the end you are not entitled to go.
 
...
DVC's only response may be to recommend a 25-pt direct add on purchase.

Would this be enough? A membership may be defined as 100, who knows? I would have assumed that a member had a membership in DVC, but they are defining it differently than I would.
 
I am going to be blunt. I am sorry for the OP but if I were buying resale I would not expect to do anything but stay at a DVC resort period. I personaly think they have made it clear. Sorry OP I think you have every right to blow off steam but in the end you are not entitled to go.

In this case that might not be true. Until the OP contacts Member Satisfaction and gets the official answer, they still may be able to go.

:earsboy: Bill
 

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