Booking Advantage for Cash vs Points?

[dianthus]

Andy~

When you booked on board & set up the cash ressie to be switched, did you tell them you were going to change this ressie to DVC/cash at the 11 month window? Is that how you got the discounted points for your cruise? Did they note your ressie with this info when you booked on the ship?

Or was it because you called DVC MS when you got home & told them you booked a cash ressie on board and wanted to convert it to a discounted Points/cash ressie when your 11 month window occurred?

It is confusing... Just want to know how to approach it when we are on board in November.

Andy, Tell me if my thinking is correct here-

I'm thinking about booking a 7 day cruise for August 2004 - Deck 6- CAT 6 for DH & me & a CAT 11 room across the hall for my teen daughter & 2 or 3 friends- keep them separate, more room. If I book the 2 ressies on board, I'll get the discounted 2 rooms & 2 $200 credits. When the 11 mo. window comes, I'll convert the CAT 6 ressie to points. I will lose the $200 onboard credit for the DVC point ressie, but I will receive the discounted point rate, as I booked the original ressie on the ship. The other one we'll leave alone- cash. When they book the new DVC points ressie, they will keep my original CAT 6 stateroom & dining the same, which is important as we need to be across the hall & dine with the girls. They will refund my cash deposit on the CAT 6 room when the ressie is converted to DVC points, or I can have it applied to the balance due on the CAT 11, which is payable in full 60 days from sailing date.
If I wanted to do Points/cash combo on the CAT 6, I could have the deposit on the DVC points person applied to the cash person & pay the balance that's due in full at that time.

Did I get that right??!!!

Thanks! ~ Linda

 

[dianthus]

Just realized August is at 9 mo., so I could do that on board with the points, but if I wanted to book a cruise in November or December 2004, the example I cited would be applicable. ?

 

[Verandah Man]

My DW and I went to the DVC Celebration Meeting on the ship and that's when we found out about the points discount if we booked another cruise onboard. We had up to 14 months to use the discounted points. I did tell Donna the booking agent on the ship, that we would be switching the cash deposit to a points and cash deposit once we reached the 11 month window. She told me that when we got off the ship, we had three days to call MS and let them know that we had made an onboard booking for a cruise the following August. My DW did that Monday morning after we arrived home. DW was told to call back MS on 9-22-03 (11 month window) and make the new ressie. We were told that our room could not be guaranteed, but we were able to keep the same room after all.

Actually what you are doing is cancelling your first onboard cash booking when you go to points and or cash. I'm not sure about the second room unless you have that down as a completely seperate booking.

Once we made our points and cash ressie, we called DCL and cancelled the cash ressie, the $$ that we had put down for the cash ressie was applied to our credit card. We were told by MS, if you want to keep the same cabin, it might be a good idea to have two phone conversations going, one with MS and one with DCL. I'm not really sure if my DW did this or not, as I was at work when she made the phone calls and made the ressie change.

I hope I answered your questions. It can get confusing, that's for sure!!!

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by dianthus
Just realized August is at 9 mo., so I could do that on board with the points, but if I wanted to book a cruise in November or December 2004, the example I cited would be applicable. ?

Make sure someone from your group goes to the DVC Members Celebration Meeting, they give out freebies, and like I said, that's when we found out about the points discount for future cruises, while booking onboard.

 

[BobH]

It seems to me that if DVC is going to charge the $95 fee you should have the same advnace booking period as everyone else. Just my opinion.

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by BobH
It seems to me that if DVC is going to charge the $95 fee you should have the same advnace booking period as everyone else. Just my opinion.

I agree Bob H, but just a note, DVC fee charge for DCL cruises is still $75.

 

[BobH]

Thanks for the good information Verandah Man.

BobH

 

[trishy]

Mac3

I didn't want to pay all cash (it would break me) so question remains. I should be able to get a cat 11 room and my seating choice if I book at the 11 month window? Has anyone at the busy time of year(specifically the last week of June into July)?

We've booked on points 3 years straight for the first 7 day in July and have gotten our requested room 2 out of the 3 times - the last time we were one room over. That was for a Cat 4 - don't know the stats on which cats go first - so I'm not sure if it's a no brainer to get the Cat 4 rooms. (Had main dining, too) We're like you - love to be in WDW for the 4th - it's an awesome atmosphere!!!

 

[dianthus]

Andy~ Thanks for the info. Donna is still the ressie lady? When we cruised in April 2002, she had just arrived that week & looked frazzled by Friday night! She was busy! They weren't offering point discounts then, just the $200 credit, so it didn't make sense to commit to a date & points at that time. This cash ressie switcheroo to points sounds really good! When I had the problem in 2001, they did not offer on board booking & the program was very different than it is now.

We went to the DVC meeting on board & got all kinds of DVC logo "graft". I was cleaning the closets out a few months ago & had a DVC mousepad we don't use from the cruise- new, in the box. I put it up on eBay & no kidding, got $22 for it! I started the bidding at $3.00. How's that! Now there's going to be a rash of DVC mousepads on eBay! LOL!

Trishy~

How are the CAT 4s - they are on Deck 8 right? I always book a CAT 5 or 6 because I'm afraid of the noise from above on Deck 9. Are they noisy? I'd really like the extra room a CAT 4 offers. I was thinking of asking about an upgrade at Port from our CAT 5 to a 4 on our upcoming cruise - if it's available. Are they worth it?

 

[Verandah Man]

How are the CAT 4s - they are on Deck 8 right? I always book a CAT 5 or 6 because I'm afraid of the noise from above on Deck 9. Are they noisy? I'd really like the extra room a CAT 4 offers. I was thinking of asking about an upgrade at Port from our CAT 5 to a 4 on our upcoming cruise - if it's available. Are they worth it?

I'm afraid someone else will have to answer this question for you about cat 4 cabins. I was in a cat 5 on our cruise in August. We had no problem with noise in out cat 5 cabin.