Can you book cash, then switch to DVC points on same ressie?

[mouseclick1]

There is another post that has touched on this, but I was wondering if anyone has been able to do this. Here's our situation:

We just returned from our second DCL trip, and I am already thinking about a third. I am really interested in the 7 day western itinerary. Unfortunately, it is the eastern route that is scheduled for both of our school mid-winter & spring breaks next year. Christmas is not an option. That means the next possible time to cruise, doing it the way we really want to, is summer 2003.

We planned on paying with DVC points for our next cruise. The catch is that I can't book my trip through DVC until July, which means I will miss the 120 days booking window to get the Castaway Club benefits, even though the next cruise will be within 180 days of my last cruise.

I'm guessing the answer is no to this, but is it a possibility to book at trip on cash within the 120 booking window, then convert the ressie to DVC points when that window opens up? Would I be able to keep the same ressie and get the CC benefits?

I don't want to pay cash when I have the points. I also really don't want to deal with renting the points out and taking the cash. It would be a large number of points and too many people to deal with. Is there any other way to go around this? If there isn't, it probably will mean that we don't go on the cruise at all.

 

[Michelemouse]

No, you are correct. You cannot book with cash and then switch over to points.

I had originally wanted to try for two of the connecting secret-porthole rooms for our 11/02 Magic cruise. I knew that they would probably be gone by the 11-month DVC booking window so I called Disney Cruise Line to see if I could book for cash and then switch over to points when the time came. They said no.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to call DVC, just to make sure though.

Michele

 

[CarolAnnC]

Sorry you cannot do this. You would be cancelling your DCL ressie and rebooking a new reservation with points.

 

[dianthus]

I recently did this, as we had to cancel a fall cruise we paid with points. I re-booked for the same date using my points, as my April cash ressie, that I made last January. They had to assign a new ressie#. I may have lost my CC credit of $200 & main dining had to be waitlisted, as they viewed this as a new ressie, which I thought was ridiculous... They are very technical about their rules... They apparently are still trying to decide whether I should be eligible for the CC credit, based on my original ressie. DVC hasn't heard yet... DVC didn't think transferring the CC credit & dining from cash ressie to the points one wasn't going to be a problem. They were surprised too..

Mouseclick1 - call DVC. Depending on your use year, you could "borrow" next year's points to book now and get the CC credit, etc.. GOOD LUCK! DVC is great to deal with.

 

[mouseclick1]

Thanks everyone. I kind of thought that would be the answer, but felt it was worth a try anyway. The reason I can't book until August is we were planning on doing the cruise June 2003, and I can't book until 11 months before the sailing date. So even with borrowed points, I couldn't book until July, which is more than 120 days from our recent cruise.

dianthus- good luck with getting the credit you deserve. I hope it works out for you!