Booking DCL with points AND cash?

[Flyin' Elvii]

Is it possible to book a cruise using points for some of the people in the room and cash for others? My wife and I have talked about taking other family members with us (our parents) for a cruise, but we'd like to use points for our own cruise and just pay cash for them (we don't have enough points to book it that way for everyone). I'm not even sure if it's possible to do this, but I figured we can't be the first to think of it, so someone here must have checked into it at some point.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dzorn]

Yes you can do this you just have to have at least one person in each cabin on points to book through MS.

Denise in MI

 

[Flyin' Elvii]

Yes you can do this you just have to have at least one person in each cabin on points to book through MS.

Denise in MI

Thanks, Denise!

 

[CarolAnnC]

When you book DCL on points and cash, keep in mind the cash portion will be due in full at booking via credit card. You will also need to pay the $95 transfer fee up front then too.

 

[hakepb]

Can you pay (points/$) for the 2 adults now and add $ for children later? (Room's already booked either way)

 

[SnowWhite2]

Just be careful. Just because you have a room that sleeps more than you currently have reservations for does not mean you can book extra people into it before you sail. It depends on how many people are in your lifeboat area and if it is full. For kids, it depends on the capacity of the kids clubs. You may be able to book Johnny who is 9 but not Joanie who is 7 due to availability at the kids clubs. Once the kids club for an age group gets to a certain number, no other kids of that age can be booked onboard.

And with DVC, the change requires a new $95 fee.

 

[Dean]

Is it possible to book a cruise using points for some of the people in the room and cash for others? My wife and I have talked about taking other family members with us (our parents) for a cruise, but we'd like to use points for our own cruise and just pay cash for them (we don't have enough points to book it that way for everyone). I'm not even sure if it's possible to do this, but I figured we can't be the first to think of it, so someone here must have checked into it at some point.

Thanks in advance!

Compare all 3 situations (all cash, both rooms points plus cash, one points and one cash directly). In general, the points vs cash price is not favorable plus the points are gone (reservation points) and cannot be used at DVC if you cancel. As noted, any cash portion is due up front plus the $95 fee per cabin and and a new fee for ANY changes. If you're set on using points for part, you'll likely find doing one cabin all on points and one all on cash is the best but it depends in part on whether you've missed the early booking discounts or not. Thus you should get the specifics on all variations and compared directly. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

 

[Flyin' Elvii]

Thanks to everybody that offered advice! I didn't know that the cash would be due right then if booking with both, so that's definitely something we'll have to take into account.

We would likely only be doing this for one cabin (ours) and using points for two of us and paying for 1 adult and my rugrat. Does anyone know how that would work, since the third and fourth person in a cabin are usually cheaper than the first and second?

I realize I could probably get all of this through MS, but I don't have time to call them at the moment and I can post here then come back later for the answers. Besides...from all I've seen, you guys are about as knowledgeable as MS anyway.

 

[Dean]

Thanks to everybody that offered advice! I didn't know that the cash would be due right then if booking with both, so that's definitely something we'll have to take into account.

We would likely only be doing this for one cabin (ours) and using points for two of us and paying for 1 adult and my rugrat. Does anyone know how that would work, since the third and fourth person in a cabin are usually cheaper than the first and second?

I realize I could probably get all of this through MS, but I don't have time to call them at the moment and I can post here then come back later for the answers. Besides...from all I've seen, you guys are about as knowledgeable as MS anyway.

Overall you'll likely get better and more info here than MS but there are things you should check with them on for the final word. The way this works with DVC is you must pay a single adult on points then you can pay for each person after than in the same cabin either points or cash. The points costs comes straight from the charts. The cash cost is a discounted rack rate usually a fair amount higher than the early booking discount price. That's why I said compare as you may find that 2 adults on points and 2 additional people on cash through MS is not that much more than cash for the entire cabin directly if you do it early enough to take advantage of the discounts. Other than cabins that aren't really discounted, one normally gets around $6-7 a point return when using points for DCL, less for FL resident rates if those apply. The last time I went on DCL it was more like $4.50 per point because we were able to get the FL resident rate. As I rule I want at least $9 a point to consider using points for a cash type option. Unfortunately there are so many negatives above and beyond price when using points for a cruise that I'd want $13-14 a point to consider it unless it were short notice.