Bummed out by new cruise point charts!

[Doctor P]

According to TnRobin's post, the cost of a regular season 7 day cruise for three adults in Category 10 has gone from 410 to 447 points. In Category 11, it has gone from 398 to 435 points. Any increase between 2002 and 2003 will effectively price us out of doing the cruise on points as we only have 150 points. I am really bummed.

If you consider the change in treatment of a 13 year old as an adult, the point cost will have gone from 386 to 447 points in Category 10 for us!

 

[Dennis the WDW Menace]

I agree that the points for the cruise is very high. We have booked a 3 day and paid cash for it because we can get some good specials that are not available on points. We have never been on a cruise so the 3 day is enough for us to try it out. I would rather spend my points at WDW because they do go further.

 

[Towncrier]

We were planning to skip our 2002 DVC vacation in order to save up enough points to do the 7-day cruise in 2003. I will have to do some quick recalculations or we may have to leave one of our children on shore.

 

[Peter Johnson]

We have just booked on the Wonder for May 2002, as part of our normal May OKW trip. Our usual 12 day OKW trip costs about 300 points. We checked with MS, and the 3-day cruise also costs about 300 points!

That made our planning simple: OKW on points before and after the cruise, but pay cash for the cruise. Instead of borrowing hundreds of points, we can bank 150 or so.

If as DVC members we could only cruise on points, we definitely would not be going.

 

[Towncrier]

Once you use the argument "We need more points so that we can cruise. Why waste money on a cruise when you can use that money to buy more points, and then cruise on points." don't EVER bring up the idea of paying cash for a cruise. I guess that I wasn't thinking when I used that argument on her. If she finds out about our little surprise visit to the Contemporary Towers during this vacation, my goose will be cooked.

 

[Doctor P]

LOL, Towncrier!

 

[Jamie]

While I agree that it may not be the best value for your dollar to cruise on points I do not see how it's that bad. I'm beginning to feel like I'm stupid to even consider it.

We are buying 150 points the end of the summer and plan to go to WDW every two to three years. We were going to stay next summer in a one bedroom and then cruise paying cash. Got a quote for the 4 day of $2700, plus the cost of DVC. I just wasn't sure we could swing it all.

If we stay in a studio for those 5 weekdays we can use the rest of the points for the cruise (we will have to get a hotel room for a couple of nights at the beach).
The way I see it, I saved the $2700 cash I would be paying for the cruise.

Next time I doubt I would use points the way they keep going up, but for this trip it seems to make the most sense. Am I missing something?

 

[Olaf]

Jaime, I don't understand your situation. You're going to cruise on the points you'd save by going down to a studio and staying 5 days instead of a week? Is that right. How many points will your cruise cost?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We are not cruising until 2004. The way I figured it, our 3 day cruise would cost our family of 5 440 points for category 4 (supposedly the least we can stay in with 3 kids). Have the higher categories gone sky high as well? This is one reason I convinced DH to do the add-on! With our 160 points, we could not have done both the cruise and the 4 day stay without supplementing with cash, and we would have needed to take both 2003 and 2005 off from WDW. With our add-on I had that down to 2003--unless points go way up. Uh-oh! Are these points available online yet? I hate to bother CMs with questions when I have no intention of going on a cruise for 3 years!
Robin M.

 

[CarolAnnC]

RobinM - TnRobin posted the points chart here on the DVC Board. Just check her post.

I would also point out the added value of the cruise as far as all meals, entertainment, stateroom, and transportation of course between islands, being included.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Thanks for the heads up--the total for my family for a 3 night has gone up 40 points! Too many more and we'll be having a 3 night at sea, 3 night on land instead of 4 trip! And who knows how it will go up in 2 years--what is the trend? Is it always this much?

 

[WorknFires]

I'm sailing on the Wonder (3 days) using points this Oct. I'd be lying if I said I read all the packet information that was given or mailed to us but I do remember seeing something recently about a fall package with sale rates for 7 day cruisers only (I was upset that I had missed saving points but DH said only 7 day sailers were offered). Maybe you could go in the fall and take advantage of fall rates (not guaranteed to be available next year but hey, there's always the chance) Check back thru the last newsletter info and see what you can find.

Cheryl

 

[Jhalkias]

I can't control myself in putting my 2 cents in on this one. Back in March I was trying to make a Res with points for a Feb 2002 cruise, and was told points charts were not out yet, but when they were, I would be charged the amount agreed to between DCL and DVC. I thought then, and still think now that it is assinine that you can make a Res and not know your cost (this was right before the increase on 13+ year olds). I was steamed so I made the Res with cash instead.

Sure enough, now I see the points charts and the points did go up! I think this has as much to do with supply and demand as anything as DCL seems to be gaining in popularity. My guide called today on another matter and I let her know how stupid I think this is. I'll say it once again for those of you who missed my post in March - If it is in the Disney collection, and you can make a Res, you should know right then what your point cost is!

 

[Doctor P]

I must admit that I missed the fact that there are now two different seven day cruise itineraries and that they are priced differently. The points chart for the 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise, which I think is the old cruise itinerary, has not increased that much over what it was for 2001.

 

[Tiggeriffic]

I think it would be interesting to compare how much a cash reservation at the various resorts increased compared to the cash cost of the cruise. If the cruise percentage increase was higher than the room percentage increase, then this might justify an increase in the number of points for the cruise. However, if this isn't the case, I wonder how they justify the increase in points.

 

[CarolAnnC]

The dramatic rise in the cost of fuel most likely has something to do with an increase in the cruise point cost. Plus the Western Carribbean itinerary is traditionally a more expensive cruise with other lines as well. There are more expensive port charges and a further distance.

Where I work we just increased our delivery charges by 20% to cover not only the rise in fuel but what is expected to be a further price hike over the coming year.

 

[Luv2Dream]

Jhalkias,
I searched this post because I knew you'd reply! Welcome home! It was so nice to meet you at VWL this past trip. You did the right thing with the cash ressie. It's disappointing about the points.

 

[Bill K]

Wife and I really want to take the cruise, Guess we will just have to pay cash. Not worth it to me to exhaust 3 years of points for the cruise. I like my annual trips to Disney to much.

 

[normr]

Would people get a better return by renting points to recover cash to use to pay for the cruise, like this:

If the cash price was $1800 and you rented 180 points to get that cash amount.