Booking a cruise with points and cash

[PrincessDuck]

I am new here, so I hope that this is in the correct spot. We are planning on booking a cruise for December of 2010. I am looking at a 4 day and a 7 day. We have the extra points to contribute towards this and not all of the extra cash, so this is not a discussion on points for cruise vs. cash for cruise. If I want to combine and do both so that we can do the 7 day cruise....what is the best way to do this? Are there cash discounts for DVC members? Just need a little help on this.

 

[CarolAnnC]

You can book through MS with passengers on points and other passengers on cash. So, you can book the first person on points, for example and the second on cash through MS.

Keep in mind, the cash price is contracted between MS and DCL and is not the cheapest price, yet not the most expensive either. They will have those prices available for you when you are booking at MS.

You will need to pay a $95 booking fee and also pay the cash portion in full with a credit card at time of reserving. We have done this in the past and have found it a good way to stretch our points, while enjoying a nice cruise vacation.

 

[rodserry]

Can someone book 2 adults with cash from a travel agent who offers it for less and then add on 2 kids using point? it seems like the kid add ons are way cheaper than the initial adult pointswise. Rod

 

[alldiz]

I booked a 3 day cruise....I used my points for DH and I and I paid cash for DD. Cost me $95(trade fee) plus $279 for my DD.

You could probably do better by renting your points and then paying cash....but I didn't want to go through the trouble.
Kerri

 

[Inkmahm]

You don't need to rent your points to get the cash, you can transfer them to another DVC member. It's an easy transaction that takes just a few minutes to post the points on the rent/trade board and then not long to arrange through PMs or phone calls when someone contacts you to get the points transferred to them. Very easy and you don't have to deal with making reservations for a non-member. Once you transfer the points they are in the other member's account and you are done with them.

I would never pay for a cruise with points and spend hundreds or thousands of $ extra just because it seems to be easier.

 

[alldiz]

You don't need to rent your points to get the cash, you can transfer them to another DVC member. It's an easy transaction that takes just a few minutes to post the points on the rent/trade board and then not long to arrange through PMs or phone calls when someone contacts you to get the points transferred to them. Very easy and you don't have to deal with making reservations for a non-member. Once you transfer the points they are in the other member's account and you are done with them.

I would never pay for a cruise with points and spend hundreds or thousands of $ extra just because it seems to be easier.

Does sound easy....but I definately wanted to be on the 12/3 sailing in a Navigators Verandah room...and I was afraid if I waited it would not be available.
Kerri

 

[jel0511]

You don't need to rent your points to get the cash, you can transfer them to another DVC member. It's an easy transaction that takes just a few minutes to post the points on the rent/trade board and then not long to arrange through PMs or phone calls when someone contacts you to get the points transferred to them. Very easy and you don't have to deal with making reservations for a non-member. Once you transfer the points they are in the other member's account and you are done with them.

I would never pay for a cruise with points and spend hundreds or thousands of $ extra just because it seems to be easier.

That only works if you don't need to borrow or use banked points, as they can't be transferred.

 

[alldiz]

That only works if you don't need to borrow or use banked points, as they can't be transferred.

Yes I learned this the hard way. I booked a 2BR for my Oct trip...My dad decided he wasnt' coming. I rebooked a 1BR...but I had 40 pts that I had to use now in the use year. I though I would be able to transfer them because I was thinking of banking my points and taking a break.

So naturally because I had to use my 40pts ....I booked a trip for Nov/Dec that included a DCL...and I borrowed all of my 2010 pts to do it. I showed them
Kerri

 

[PrincessDuck]

Thanks so much for the information and input. I booked a cruise today for December of 2010 entirely on points. I know...could have rented or transferred, but I had to use some of the next years points also and we have extra points to use.

Daisy

 

[Jennyvelaz]

 

[rodserry]

What's the Navigator's Verandah room? Sounds nice!

Do they have really large suites for families (in case you have points to kill)?

Rod

 

[Inkmahm]

That only works if you don't need to borrow or use banked points, as they can't be transferred.

Don't borrow the points, transfer them instead. I"m in my 2008 October UY now. I could transfer 2008 and 2009 UY points today if I wanted to. And if I'd wanted to use cash for a cruise, I would have transferred my 2007 UY points to someone by now rather than banking them.

 

[Inkmahm]

Thanks so much for the information and input. I booked a cruise today for December of 2010 entirely on points. I know...could have rented or transferred, but I had to use some of the next years points also and we have extra points to use.

Daisy

You could have transferred next year's points.
And for anyone with "extra points" there are probably quite a few people who NEED transfers now that the 2010 point charts are out.