Am I the only one who thinks using points for a cruise is a good value?

[debbiebones]

.....if you don't mind skipping a year?

I was just calculating points and our family of 4 could go on a 7 night Eastern Cruise in a deluxe inside stateroom for 390 points.

I kinda think that's a good deal. Let's say you bought 200 points...you borrow the coming year's points and you're all set (now you'd have to skip a year using your Disney points until they accumulate again, but considering that on a cruise, all your meals are paid for...it seems like a pretty good use of points.

With that amount of points, we'd have to go during value season, but we just got back last week from a 7-day cruise and the weather was fabulous!

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Deb

 

[crisi]

Points for cruises can (and do) go up every year. Points for a room don't.

Every year when the point schedules come out for cruises, there is a howl from these boards as cruising on points becomes more expensive.

But yeah, if you figure $6 a point in point costs, as many people do, you are cruising with four people for $2340. List on that trip is about $3350. Course, if you rent the points for $10 per, they are worth $3900.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

I was thinking this morn that it may be a good idea. Financially we may not be able to fly to FL next year. I do have 90pts that cant be rolled over. The 170pts from 6/04 can be rolled to 2005 and we can get back on the cruise.
However, still trying to get onboard ship for the first DCL cruise.

 

[crisi]

Oh, if I get rid of vacation protection and ground transfers (which I don't believe is included in booking with points), the value of that trip (through Disney.com on Oct 18th), goes down to $2850.

 

[debbiebones]

Thanks for that input Crisi....I see what you mean!

I didn't realize they raise the cruise points every year.

If we do buy into the DVC, I'm sure I'll be among those howling next year if they raise them again.

Thanks again,

Deb

 

[Mulljac]

Hi Deb, I also think it's a good idea. We are a family of 4 and we have 200 pts each year. Last year we went on the 7 night Western in July and used 538 pts. We had to bank and borrow to do this but I still think we made the right decision. When I saw what it would cost us to pay cash I flipped out. Because then you also need money for tips, things to buy, Bingo, and the Spa. We spent a lot more money than I thought we would. Right now I am looking into booking another cruise. My family wants to go this year but we don't have enough pts and it would cost us around $5000 to pay cash. We are limited to the time of year to vacation. So we may just have to wait until next year. But shelling out all that money when we would have to scrimp and save would really stress me out. I would rather wait until next year and know that I would have the money to pay for all the incidentals and use pts again. We are deciding right now if we use should some money to buy 50 extra pts. Then we would always have those pts to look forward to. If we used this money to pay cash for the cruise then we would never see that money again. I think pts are the way to go but I'm sure others see it differently. It all depends on your financial situation.

 

[Davidr1]

I think it is a good value.

Our family of 4 went on the 7-day Western last Nov. Something around 550 pts. with a balcony. I checked pricing and it was around $4000 (this was low season for cruising). The quality, the food, the entertainment... especially for our kids. They loved the Kid's Club, which gave us time to ourselves--free babysitting.

Another way to go and use less points is to pay for the kid's fares. I think I've seen them as low $399.

We did the 4 day cruise 2 years previous and we'll probably go again in a few years. We love OKW, but don't feel we have to go there every year.

 

[Doctor P]

I also do not think it is a bad value--some will argue that you should rent your points, but I think that is frankly a hassle for the amount I am likely to save booking the same number of months in advance (11 months). Would I like to cruise and still have my points or use less points? Sure. Do I feel like I am getting ripped off? No. We are using 492 points to do a seven day Western cruise. It would have cost us almost $4000 booking early to do on cash.

 

[Towncrier]

We felt that it was a good idea back in August 2000 when we used 725 points for a Cat4 cabin for 5 people. It was the only way to convince my DW to cruise. We had already paid for the points and it was just another way to leverage our DVC membership into a cruise.

Since then we've cruised 3 more times on DCL. And we paid cash each time. Since DVC and DCL have to negotiate the point cost for cruises a year in advance, people using points rarely (if ever) get to take advantage of DCL sales. I think that our days of using points for cruises are over. Even DVC will admit that your best value is to use points at a DVC resort. And as crisi pointed out, the point cost is likely to continue to escalate. But if all of your vacation monies are spent on DVC and your only alternative is to exchange points for a cruise, then by all means do so. As Doctor P pointed out, it's not a bad value.

 

[rae519]

The only reason we bought DVC points were for the cruise - the resorts, etc, are all lovely but we want what the cruise offers - everything in one place and everything included (meals, housekeeping, entertainment).

Someday we may elect to choose a resort vacation but for now, we are very happy with our decision.

Rae

 

[lodgelady]

Our points made our cruise affordable.
We are paying with points for one adult and one child and cash for the other adult and child so we can keep next years' points. We are taking our kids out of school for a week during low season.
My DH would NEVER have considered paying $3,800 for a vacation, but with points we are only paying $1,800 out of pocket. It works for us!!!
I hope you can go!

 

[goofyfamily41]

Hi

We are taking our first Disney Magic Cruise this May and are using our points. The points paid for two adults and we paid cash for the two children. This allowed us to cruise for under $2500. The other costs, renting a car, flights, hotel etc. are added on but I have fun trying to find the best deals on those. ex. Delta flights from Denver $150 a piece, $79 for day before cruise at Radisson and Priceline price of $72 a day for Dolphin for the day after cruise. (We bought a 5 day hopper pass for our four day Christmas DVC vacation and will use the extra day after we get back)
Is it worth it? We will see at the end of our cruise. I think the real answer is you are able to do what you want with your points to fit your families likes and dislikes and lifestyle - DVC ownership gives you that flexibility.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We are only paying cash for DS on our upcoming cruise. Sure it's a lot, and we are more limited for 2004 (when DH wants to trade out), but with a family of 5 the cash cost is ridiculous. Either a category 4 (which we booked with points) or two smaller rooms--and points wise, since you pay for 2 adults per room, the equivalent was two cat. 10s. Sorry, but for our first cruise I wanted to be a little higher than deck 2!!
Now if we like it this time, and want a 7 day later (this will all depend on DH), we may book with cash--but will probably go for two rooms together, as long as it's not a really low deck. But for our first try, points is a great way to check out the verandah and all DCL has to offer. After all, why did we buy points? To enjoy them!
Robin M.

 

[pwoodham]

I'm in the process of renting a lot of points to pay for our upcoming cruise with cash instead of points, yet I still agree cruising with points is a wonderful thing. We have a large family and want to do the 7 day cruise this time. After doing the math, I realized we could pay for airfare and incidentals as well as the cruise by renting our points instead of cruising with them. As has been stated before, however, renting has its own set of costs, with a fairly high hassle factor (although I have to admit I've been extremely fortunate to find great renters).
In 2000, we cruised on points and I have absolutely no regrets. I think it's a very individual choice. If I was still working instead of home with my kids, I would cruise on points again in a heartbeat. I simply wouldn't have the time to go through the renting process, and sometimes time turns out to be a more valuable commodity than dollars. I say do what makes you happy, that's why we all bought DVC to begin with, isn't it?

 

[westjones]

I am not interested in getting into 'renting' my points and we only have 150 points. We can only go to WDW once (twice at the most) per year. Last year we banked our points so with our 300 points the four of us are going on a 3 day cruise with a 4 day stay at VWL before we set sail.

So for the $75 fee that is charged to book a cruise through DVC, we have a wonderful trip to look forward to.

I don't think the cruise is the best use of points, but I bought my points so that I can have vacations each year without having to think about saving up for them (well, I do have to buy park tickets).

We can't go to WDW next year, so I am going to bank next year's points and do a cruise/WDW stay again in 2005! We go at value season time, so that helps.

If a cruise is what you want, go for it! It is a wonderful vacation.
DJ

 

[Richyams]

Cruises can, will and have gone down.

When they were using the Big Red Boat, we cruised...our one and only time. I either had last year's schedule or the new one was just coming out or something. We were debating on the cruise and the season. When I called MS, they told me that the points required had gone down...or were lower than what I had in front of me.

As on site vacancy decreases, the value DVD can negotiate for our points increases. I fully expect to see cruise costs in points to go down.

 

[ncligs]

As long as DVC keeps raising the points to cruise

every year, it is not very wise to use points. But I can see how members use it as a "pre-paid", hassle free vacation using points.

P.S. I am really surprised DOC hasn't closed this thread or moved it to the Disney cruise line.

 

[Verandah Man]

We are cruising with points and cash for our upcoming cruise in August 2003. At first we were going to use all points(468) for four people in a cat. 8 stateroom, but I "REALLY" wanted a stateroom with a verandah, so, we made a reservation for a cat. 5 stateroom(465pts.) with a verandah for 3 people on points and paid cash for the fourth person. This worked out great for us. Being on a single income now, with mortgage payments, car payments, DVC payments, etc., this was the only way we were able to get a cruise in. We banked some points from last year, and had to borrow some points from next year, but at least we're getting to go on our much anticipated cruise.

 

[debbiebones]

Thanks and I appreciate everyone's response! I see good points pro and con based on everyone's response.

It's something I'll certainly keep in mind when we buy our membership. This and other threads here have really opened my eyes to the endless possibilities available within the DVC. I can't wait until we're in!

Thanks again everyone!

Deb

 

[Richyams]

ncligs

I don't believe that rising points on cruises is going to be a neverending thing. when occupancy picks up, points for cruises will go down.