Cash rates for cruises through DVC - onboard booking discount?

[dolphingirl47]

I am seriously considering booking a cruise using points for one of us and pay cash for the other through Member Services. I know that if you book a cruise within a few days after getting off a Disney cruise, you are entitled to a discount on the number of points required. Does anybody happen to know if there is also a discount on the cash rate in this scenario?

Corinna

 

[Bakerteam]

I never heard that you are entitled to a discount of the number of points. We sell our points to pay for the cruise. It's a better deal.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I never heard that you are entitled to a discount of the number of points. We sell our points to pay for the cruise. It's a better deal.

I simply do that want the stress trying to rent the points out and then having to pay the currency conversion rates twice. So I prefer to use my points to book the cruise.

I know that you definitely get a discount on the points required if you call Member Services within a few days of getting off a cruise. The discounted points charts used to be added to the DVC gift that you used to get on the cruise. Now that they changed the gifts, the charts are no longer part of this, but I know somebody that recently got the points discount for rebooking after a cruise.

Corinna

 

[living20057]

I just came from a cruise today, and you definitely get discounted points if you call within 3 days. I just called member services and for the 10 night Med cruise regular points would be 711, and with the discount it would be 669. They say it's about 10 percent off.

 

[living20057]

bump

 

[ksheppard]

I called yesterday and with out the incentive of buying directly after a cruise, it is taking 130 points for a 4 day cruise and around $1000 for the additional person. On the internet, we can buy the cruise for around $800 person. It is a lot more advantageous to sell our points and buy the cruise.

 

[dzorn]

Your best bet is to call MS or ask the DVC rep on the cruise. I would also price out cash price on cruises that you are interested before you go and see what the cash price is to rebook while on board.

Just so you are aware when you book a combination of cash and points you must pay off the cruise when booking and the cash price is not the best to begin with.

The cash price (not sure if re-booking discount can be applied) is a set price through MS and may be a higher price than the cash price thru the web site or while booking on board.

Denise in MI

 

[dolphingirl47]

I called yesterday and with out the incentive of buying directly after a cruise, it is taking 130 points for a 4 day cruise and around $1000 for the additional person. On the internet, we can buy the cruise for around $800 person. It is a lot more advantageous to sell our points and buy the cruise.

Thanks, this is very helpful. I might still work out cheaper for me to do it this way. If I lived in the USA, I would not hesitate to rent the points out and use the cash to book the cruise. However, as I live in the UK, this would become a very expensive proposition. I think the likelihood that the potential renter would be from the USA is quite high. So I would need to pay international transaction fees for receiving a payment from the USA. I would then need to pay a further fee as my Paypal account is in Pounds Sterling and any Dollar amount will have to be converted before I can transfer this into my bank account. From there, I would be charged international transaction fees and conversion fees by my bank as I would be paying either DCL or my travel agent in Dollars again. So I might well lose more in fees then what I would have to pay extra by going the DVC way. Of course much depends on the cash rate that they will quote me and if the "onboard" booking discount would apply to the cash fare as well or only to the points. If it is points only that the discount applies to, it probably is not worth my while and I will just have to accept that this cruise is not meant to be.

Your best bet is to call MS or ask the DVC rep on the cruise. I would also price out cash price on cruises that you are interested before you go and see what the cash price is to rebook while on board.

Just so you are aware when you book a combination of cash and points you must pay off the cruise when booking and the cash price is not the best to begin with.

The cash price (not sure if re-booking discount can be applied) is a set price through MS and may be a higher price than the cash price thru the web site or while booking on board.

Denise in MI

Thanks for your advise as well. I am on a day off tomorrow and intend to ring Member Services then to find out how much their cash rate would be. I have already priced the cruise up on the website so I will have a point of reference. As to having to pay in full straightaway, that is not too much of an issue as by the time we get back from our Transatlantic cruise, we would have to pay in full whichever way we go.

Corinna