Booking Advantage for Cash vs Points?

[BobH]

I have been considering a cruise for the first time as a DVC OKW Member. I just got an email from this website saying we can begin booking cruises on 10/1/03 for Disney Cruises beginning 1/1/05 for cash. Yet our DVC member benefits allow us only an 11 month window. Sorry to rehash an old issue for some of the more well traveled members but is this true? Do you get more flexibility in travel dates as a non DVC member? Thanks.

 

[ohiominnie]

Probably depends on when you're travelling.
We decided in June to cruise this past week (9/25) We booked through Member Services. We got the category we wanted. We didn't get the EXACT room we wanted though ---we wanted 6060, but we were 4 doors down in 6052. We even got Main dining.

Now, if you're planning on travelling in the summer, or Christmas week, or Spring break, you might not get as many options.

HTH. I'm sure others will chime in too!

 

[Credit Man]

Yes! Booking with points does not give you the flexibility that a cash reservation would. If you were trying for on of the "secret porthole" cabins, chances would be slim with DVC.

 

[Verandah Man]

While onboard the Magic in August we booked a cruise for August 04, using a cash deposit. We called MS after our return home within the three day time period, just to let MS that we had booked onboard b/c we were offered a point reduction for booking onboard. Since we were not within the 11 month window we had to wait until 9-22-03 to call and have our ressie switched from all cash, to points and cash.

 

[dcbrown]

I have done both...it depends if you have a ton of extra pts or not....I have travelled only on the Easter cruise...one w/points and cash for my children....one w/just cash...booked onboard to get $200 credit and flexability of paying and choices. It came out to the same cash price that I paid for my just my children...for alll three of us!!! DVC has a different payment scale and also requires cash immediatly!!

Hope this helps ....make some phone calls to MS and compare. I saved my points and now I get to go to OKW this Christmas too!

DCBrown

 

[BobH]

Can you reequest a specific cabin(as ohiominnie stated) and have a reasonable certainty of getting it? Or are you better off making general requests as seems to be the case with the other DVC resorts. Thanks to all for the help!

 

[dcbrown]

You can request and they should be able to tell you if it is available.

DCBrown

 

[sandiedvc]

Ok, I'm a little confused....

So if I am reading this right, you can book on board outsided the 11 month DVC window and pay cash. At the 11 month date you can call and have the ressie transferred to DVC. If I would want to use points to pay for only one of us, could we still keep the discounted fare and room credits that we recieved for booking on board or do we have to go with the DVC standard room costs and lose the room credit?

What does DVC usually charge for the cash paying adult in the cabin with a point paying person? I'm going to try to get my husband to agree to book another cruise while we are on board in Jan and I need to make sure that I understand all the nuances of this situation so I know how to stack the financial deck!!

Thanks to all!
Kathy

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by sandiedvc
Ok, I'm a little confused....

So if I am reading this right, you can book on board outsided the 11 month DVC window and pay cash. At the 11 month date you can call and have the ressie transferred to DVC. If I would want to use points to pay for only one of us, could we still keep the discounted fare and room credits that we recieved for booking on board or do we have to go with the DVC standard room costs and lose the room credit?

What does DVC usually charge for the cash paying adult in the cabin with a point paying person? I'm going to try to get my husband to agree to book another cruise while we are on board in Jan and I need to make sure that I understand all the nuances of this situation so I know how to stack the financial deck!!

Thanks to all!
Kathy

I will try my best to explain what I know, but if anyone else can help it would be appreciated.

When switching from a cash ressie to points or points and cash, you lose the discounted cash price and room credits. However, we received a 52 point discount by booking onboard for next year's cruise. I got 26 a point discount, and so did my DW. We paid cash $645.00 for our DD 13, and the same amount for her friend. When switching the cash ressie to points and cash, the cash price has to be paid in full at the time of the switch. Any cash deposit that you made for the cash ressie will be returned to you as long as you are not in the last 60 days before the cruise date. There is also a $75.00 charge when booking with MS, that has to be paid when you make the booking with DVC.

 

[BobH]

Great explanation Verandah Man - thanks.

 

[dianthus]

Wow! That's great news- things have changed. We tried to convert a cash ressie w/ the $200 onboard credit to Pts 11 mo. out & they wouldn't let us in 2002. I had to book a separate ressie for points & cancel the original cash one. It was a pain, as I had booked the cabin we wanted, had main dining & none of that was available with the new ressie. Everything worked out in the end so it was ok, but I did have to address it with DCL management to get the situation corrected. I thought it was pretty absurd, as all I was doing was changing the method of payment. They were actually making more money off DVC with the pts. ressie vs. the cash one that was discounted heavily as it was booked early. They were doing the onboard credit differently back then. Losing the credit & receiving discounted points in return seems like a fair trade.

Sounds like they've made it easier. I'm glad to hear they have changed the way they look at this now. I'm going to check into this when we cruise in November!

 

[Verandah Man]

I had to book a separate ressie for points & cancel the original cash one.

We still had to make a new ressie with DVC and cancel the ressie with DCL.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Verandah Man
While onboard the Magic in August we booked a cruise for August 04, using a cash deposit. We called MS after our return home within the three day time period, just to let MS that we had booked onboard b/c we were offered a point reduction for booking onboard. Since we were not within the 11 month window we had to wait until 9-22-03 to call and have our ressie switched from all cash, to points and cash.

So technically, your reservation was a Cash Non-DVC reservation initially onboard? Were you able to keep the stateroom you originally requested when you switched it over to points?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Verandah Man
We still had to make a new ressie with DVC and cancel the ressie with DCL.

One more question (sorry! )

What is the advantage of doing this? Getting the discounted points?

 

[Verandah Man]

Originally posted by CRSNDSNY
One more question (sorry! )

What is the advantage of doing this? Getting the discounted points?

Yes. With making our DVC payments each month, we can't pay for the whole cruise with cash, that's why we used part points and part cash. A DVC Member told me that DVC did offer a point discount when rebooking onboard. We will wait until we are onboard our 2004 cruise, to book our 2005 cruise.

Were you able to keep the stateroom you originally requested when you switched it over to points?

Yes.

 

[mic_KY_mouses]

An earlier post stated it would be harder to book special rooms when using DVC points at the DVC window. I am sure that is the case, but wanted to let the original poster know that it can be done. We booked at our 11 month window using points and were tickled to get room 5520 (secret porthole room). There's always hope when you deal with Disney!

 

[BobH]

I am a novice to the DCL - please, what is a "secret porthole room?"

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by BobH
I am a novice to the DCL - please, what is a "secret porthole room?"

BobH: Thanks to Barb and Tony you can visit http://www.disneycruiser.info/pics.htm for info and pictures on the coveted SPH Rooms.

 

[MAC3]

Sorry to be a pain guys but as mic_KY_mouses stated I was wondering if it is possible to get what you want at the 11 month window. I am interested in 1 cruise allowing us to be in WDW for the 4th of July.

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)?

Also, after booking with MS (unlike DCL which allows 6 months before sailing to pay in full) I will have to send the balance within the week or lose the ressie.

Thanks You are all very helpful! Newbie Cruiser on DCL.

 

[Verandah Man]

With DVC all cash needs to be paid at time of booking. With DCL your have up until 60 days out to pay your balance in full.