Cruise advice

[Snurk71]

Need some advice from some experienced cruisers...

We're novice cruisers, looking to go on our first DCL next spring. I understand the general advice of not using points for cruises (cost utilization of points). So I contacted our old TA for some help booking. We had a cruise picked out, price looked okay to us, but waited a day late and the fare went up $600.

So I called MS to make myself feel better about the higher cost, and am now questioning whether we should book through DVC. Here are the quick cost details:

TA Cash Price
2 Adults - $1,375/per
1 child - $610
OBC - $150
Total with taxes - $3,363.51

DVC Points
2 Adults - 142/per
1 child - 94
Exchange Fee - $95

This at least told me it wasn't worth booking on points at an average of $9.15/pt.

Then I heard the DVC Cash price

DVC Cash Price
2 Adults - $996/per
1 child - $661
Exchange Fee - $95
Total with taxes - $2,901.51

So on the surface it looks like we could save $450 booking through DVC. I hear DVC has more restrictions, like paying at booking (not a cash flow issue for us), $95 fee if we need to change.

So my questions to the DVC cruisers...

1) What are the other drawbacks to booking through DVC?

2) Would you stay with the TA or go to DVC?

We have a potential sweetheart room with the TA right now from what I hear (8188 with the HUGE verandah), if that matters.

Thanks

 

[erionm]

Booking a cruise through DVC will require you to use points for at least one passenger.

 

[sleepydog25]

Others will have their opinions, but for what it's worth, here is my thought process. I have booked a cruise with points, and it went very smoothly. Since we had extra points, using them for a cruise didn't bother us; neither did we have a cash flow problem.

On the other hand, using your figures, if you used points for your cruise, you'd wind up spending 378 points. If you rented those points at the going rate of $10 per point (granted, there is a certain amount of hassle to do so), then you could conceivably pocket over $3700 which would put $1K in your pocket to spend on the cruise. That's the economic stance to which many DVC owners refer.

In the end, however you wish to spend your points is your business whether it's using them at a WDW resort, on a cruise, or trading them out to RCI. As long as you're comfortable with your choice, that's all that matters.

 

[beachclub]

No friggin way will i spend 360 points on a crusie for 2 people. ONLY 3 nights cruise at that. What a waste of points. To me 360 points is one full use year
and 95% borrowed points from the next year. Not happening for 3 nights cruise. It was apprx 180 points a person for the time we wanted to go.
No matter if its 9.00 a point or 5.00 a point. I only look at the points
and see that if i take this cruise I cant goto disney for over a year unless I just keep borrowing...Not worth it to us

 

[mjc2003]

I was about to ask, is this a 3 day or 7 day cruise?

If it's a 3 day, I'd go with the member price.
If it's a 7 day, and you don't need the points for another trip and don't care to deal with selling them, then using them seems reasonable.

 

[Plutofan]

Other than typically getting a low value for your points I have problems using points for the following reasons:

1. I believe that the insurance only covers like $5 or so for your points versus when you pay cash it covers the cost of the trip

2. If you have to cancel your points have ristrictions on use

 

[Gramps 25]

Let me throw something else into the mix: My DW and I are cruise veterans having taken 11 of them in 11 years of marriage. We have been on three different lines including Disney. While we love all things Disney, unless there is a majorly compelling reason to travel DCL, you can get an equally solid cruise experience with another cruise line for considerably less money.

Just my two cents (which is now worth one cent due to the increased cost of oil).

Ken

 

[DVCconvert]

No friggin way will i spend 360 points on a crusie for 2 people. ONLY 3 nights cruise at that. What a waste of points.....

OH COME ON Beachclub!!!!!!



Tell us how you REALLY feel !!!

 

[Snurk71]

OP back with some more details...

I don't think the nights matter (point value translated to dollars for me in this analysis, number of nights aren't a factor), but it's a 5 night. I don't think whether the dollar cost or point cost is high compared to a resort room is part of the equation here - we're doing this cruise, just a matter of how we're booking.

Regarding other cruise lines, we're cruise virgins and are taking baby steps with something we're closer knowing - Disney. Maybe we'll cruise with another in the future, but Disney will be our first cruise (DD11 going too).

I already know we wouldn't use points for everyone (thanks for pointing out we would have to use points for at least one) - I already saw the points-dollars wasn't a good fit.

Just to make sure I'm clear with the advice I'm seeking, my question is whether to stay with the full cash reservation with the TA at the higher cost and good/known cabin or book through DVC (one on points, the other 2 on cash) with the added DVC restrictions.

Thanks

 

[LIFERBABE]

OP back with some more details...

I don't think the nights matter (point value translated to dollars for me in this analysis, number of nights aren't a factor), but it's a 5 night. I don't think whether the dollar cost or point cost is high compared to a resort room is part of the equation here - we're doing this cruise, just a matter of how we're booking.

Regarding other cruise lines, we're cruise virgins and are taking baby steps with something we're closer knowing - Disney. Maybe we'll cruise with another in the future, but Disney will be our first cruise (DD11 going too).

I already know we wouldn't use points for everyone (thanks for pointing out we would have to use points for at least one) - I already saw the points-dollars wasn't a good fit.

Just to make sure I'm clear with the advice I'm seeking, my question is whether to stay with the full cash reservation with the TA at the higher cost and good/known cabin or book through DVC (one on points, the other 2 on cash) with the added DVC restrictions.

Thanks

I would call MS and have them check availability and cabins for you. The question is, do you want to pay a premium to the TA for this cabin and friendlier cancellation rules where you are not tying up your points.

2012 is really an anomaly for DCL because the cash prices are rising almost daily. If you do not have a deposit on your TA room, I would do so quickly why you sort the DVC side out. Your TA will require a 20% deposit (refundable)

DVC negotiated 2012 prices already, so we are locked in with points and DVC Cash rates. Visit the cruise board and you will see alot of discontent on the skyrocketing prices for next year's Fantasy and Dream sailings. It is OOC!!

Historically, the point value for cruise trade-in has hovered around $6-$7 per point range so your $9+ is actually pretty good and we definitely wont see that again when the 2013 negotiations come out. If you rented points for $10 each, you would make an additional 85 cents per point, which to me would not be worth the hassle. Point bookings for DCL are converted to reservation points that can only be used for the Disney Travel Program and an additional $95 is required.

With cash prices soaring for the new ships, many DVC members will be compelled to use points in 2012 which may cause another sell out and moratorium in early 2012, as occurred this year with point bookings.

I booked the Fantasy on points last year, 2A1C(13) for 418 points. A 7 day Eastern, Inside stateroom June 2012 sailing. The only remaining staterooms on our sailings are verandah and cash prices are $1700 each and up.

If you ever wanted to use points for sailing, 2012 is the year to do it because DVC prices actually favor the members this time.

 

[bluenosemickey]

One other consideration you might have is the insurance. We had the same decision to make for 2012. Luckily, we booked early and got a good price, more comparable to DVC. Then I found out that my CC covers trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance. This, along with cabin choice offered by TA, leaving my points to use next year made us content to go with cash only. If your prices go up for cash too much more, I would go with DVC as long as you're comfortable with the cancellation limitations.

 

[dawne98]

we are going on the disney dream in May of 2012 for 3 nights and for 303 points for 5 in two rooms that are standard inside stateroom. We think it was a good dreal...

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I realize that the "advice" on here is "never use points"

However, I do...

They are MY points. I can use them as I wish LOL! I don't really care that the "experts" don't agree. When they pay for my points they can then tell me the "right' way to use them.
(I also won't rent my points.. I didn't buy them to run a small business So the conversion factor makes no sense to me.)

My view is my points are paid for and I use them for vacations. If this year I decide on DCL instead of Disney World then that's where the points go.


Of course having recently done a Disney Cruise there's no way I am paying those prices for that again!

 

[jlwhitney]

I realize that the "advice" on here is "never use points"

However, I do...

They are MY points. I can use them as I wish LOL! I don't really care that the "experts" don't agree. When they pay for my points they can then tell me the "right' way to use them.
(I also won't rent my points.. I didn't buy them to run a small business So the conversion factor makes no sense to me.)

My view is my points are paid for and I use them for vacations. If this year I decide on DCL instead of Disney World then that's where the points go.


Of course having recently done a Disney Cruise there's no way I am paying those prices for that again!

I so agree with you!!! I am defiantly not comfortable to renting them out so I will not be doing that anytime soon. So for us, it comes down to that is how we vacation, on points, and we use them were we want also.

Something else to think about if you don't use your points will you be able to use them or bank them and use them later. Since if it will be hard to do that, then using them for the cruise is a good idea. Unless you are comfortable renting them.

 

[disneynutz]

The cabins that are made available to the DVC are usually not considered to be the best due to location or other factors. If Disney can fill the boat with higher paying cash Guests, they will. They do set aside a limited number of cabins each cruse for the DVC so DVC can advertise the perk.

Bill

 

[kmc33]

The cabins that are made available to the DVC are usually not considered to be the best due to location or other factors.
Bill

I am not so sure this is true. I just booked a cruise with points yesterday and the CM had available to her the same cabins I was looking at on DCL's website.

I think we did okay using points. I booked a 5 night on the Disney Dream for 3 people. If I had booked it through DCL directly it would have been $3000 for 3 of us (roughly $1100 per adult, $665 for DS and $150 taxes). Instead, I used points for DH and me (120 each) and paid cash for DS, $613 + $95 transaction fee. Although, I should add that had I booked this about 4 months ago or so, I couldn't have booked with cash for around $2200. Then it may have been better to go with cash, but I had to wait until DH's (a teacher) school calendar was announced for next year and by then the price had gone up $800.

On the other hand, when we booked the 10 night Med for this summer, it would have been 257 points for each adult, but I booked all three of us for $4085, so I didn't think the points were a good deal.

However, using points for the cruise does carry more restrictions. And the insurance to cover the points is only going to pay maintenance dues per point (that's what the CM told me yesterday). And now that I have converted these point to reservation points, they cannot be put back to use for DVC resorts. I still decided that selling instead wouldn't be worth the hassle than using them for the cruise.

Besides, when we decided to book the Med cruise with cash, I was supposed to look into to selling the points (well at least around 250 points because we only had enough to use points for one adult anyway). It doesn't seem that easy to me because if it's coming from two different use years, you can't sell them all at once. So did I sell them?? NO, I booked a trip to WDW for this December and a Disney Dream cruise for next April !!

 

[CarolAnnC]

When booking on DVC points, you will have selections in all categories, even up to Concierge cabins. This is subject to availability, of course. We usually have enjoyed the verandah categories and will do so this coming summer on our Alaska DCL cruise !

 

[Inkmahm]

we are going on the disney dream in May of 2012 for 3 nights and for 303 points for 5 in two rooms that are standard inside stateroom. We think it was a good dreal...

What would the cash price have been? Less than $3,030?

 

[Inkmahm]

I so agree with you!!! I am defiantly not comfortable to renting them out so I will not be doing that anytime soon. So for us, it comes down to that is how we vacation, on points, and we use them were we want also.

Something else to think about if you don't use your points will you be able to use them or bank them and use them later. Since if it will be hard to do that, then using them for the cruise is a good idea. Unless you are comfortable renting them.

I don't rent my points,either. I transfer them to fellow DVC members instead. Much less risk and an easy, quick transaction.

 

[La2kw]

I've used points for a cruise. I have zero interest in going through the hassle of renting points and using points for one of us, cuts the cash I need to spend in half. I have done WDW to death and we never use points at Disneyland, so we are ready to use our DVC points for something other than DVC villas. Who cares what anyone else thinks you should or shouldn't do? Do what works for you.