Cruise...Cash and points???

[disney1474]

I know we can use points for cruises but can we pay part with cash also??
I was thinking 4 nights in disney on points and 3 night cruise. The cruise would be a total of 316 points. Can I use 100 points towards the cruise and pay the balance with cash??

 

[CarolMN]

You must pay with points for at least one adult per cabin. You may pay cash for the others in the same cabin.

You must pay all points for a person or all cash for a person. Can't mix points and cash to pay for the same person.

The cash price is the one DVC negotiated with the DCL. It might be more or less than the current price offered by the DCL or a TA.

You must pay in full at the time of the reservation, including the $95 reservation fee.

 

[disney1474]

If I know when I'd like to book the cruise do I call MS and they will tell me how much I would have to pay after using some of my points?

 

[CraftyMouse]

If I know when I'd like to book the cruise do I call MS and they will tell me how much I would have to pay after using some of my points?

You can tell how many points you need by looking at the points chart. As CarolMN said, the first adult in the stateroom must be paid for with points. After that you can split the other passengers between points and cash (paying all-points or all-cash for each) as you see fit.

You can book the cruise 11 months out. Simply call Member Services and they will be able to give you the cash amount due after you tell them how many in your party are being paid for with points. That dollar amount, plus the $95 fee, will be payable at the time of booking. Keep in mind that if you need to change your reservation, each time you do so you will be charged another $95 fee.

 

[disney1474]

Thanks for the replies!!!

 

[CarolMN]

.....You can book the cruise 11 months out. Simply call DCL and they will be able to give you the cash amount due after you tell them how many in your party are being paid for with points. That dollar amount, plus the $95 fee, will be payable at the time of booking. Keep in mind that if you need to change your reservation, each time you do so you will be charged another $95 fee.

My understanding is different than yours -

AFAIK, DVC members can book a DCL cruise up to 24 months in advance of departure. Also, this is the first time I've heard that members can call DCL to get the cash price DVC negotiated for the cruise options. I thought we always had to call MS for thast info.

That said, I haven't cruised on points so maybe things have recently changed.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

My understanding is different than yours -

AFAIK, DVC members can book a DCL cruise up to 24 months in advance of departure. Also, this is the first time I've heard that members can call DCL to get the cash price DVC negotiated for the cruise options. I thought we always had to call MS for thast info.

That said, I haven't cruised on points so maybe things have recently changed.

Carol, you are correct. I am cruising on pts. with the 3rd on cash, and everytime I need to inquire about something (double checked room number, dining request, etc.) I have always had to go thru MS. They put me on hold and call DCL. Yes, we can book earlier than 11 mos. I booked my cruise out at 13 mos.

 

[CraftyMouse]

My understanding is different than yours -

AFAIK, DVC members can book a DCL cruise up to 24 months in advance of departure. Also, this is the first time I've heard that members can call DCL to get the cash price DVC negotiated for the cruise options. I thought we always had to call MS for thast info.

That said, I haven't cruised on points so maybe things have recently changed.

Sorry...I meant members can call MS, not DCL. I shall fix it in my post.

As for the booking window, when we last reserved a DCL cruise through DVC we couldn't do it before the 11-month mark. Friends of our cruised (on points) with us in December and they, too, had to wait until the 11-month mark. Perhaps the 24-months in advance is a new thing?

 

[CarolMN]

Sorry...I meant members can call MS, not DCL. I shall fix it in my post.

When we last reserved a DCL cruise through DVC we couldn't do it before the 11-month mark. Friends of our cruised (on points) with us in December and they, too, had to wait until the 11-month mark. Perhaps the 24-months in advance is a new thing?

OK. I looked on the members' website and it says members may book a cruise on DCL from 24 months to 14 days in advance.

I remember that it used to be 11 months - not sure when it changed to 24 months.

 

[CraftyMouse]

OK. I looked on the members' website and it says members may book a cruise on DCL from 24 months to 14 days in advance.

I remember that it used to be 11 months - not sure when it changed to 24 months.

Interesting. Thanks for the up-to-date info.

 

[fkj2]

A friend of a friend is considering a cruise for his family. Is there still a cost advantage to renting points for the first person to cruise on and pay cash for the others? Are certain times of the year more so than others? Any insights greatly appreciated.

 

[CarolMN]

A friend of a friend is considering a cruise for his family. Is there still a cost advantage to renting points for the first person to cruise on and pay cash for the others? Are certain times of the year more so than others? Any insights greatly appreciated.

IMHO, unless you can find someone willing to rent very cheaply ($4-$5 per point), it is never cost effective to rent points for a cruise.

In addition to the point rental, you would have to pay a $95 fee to make the reservation (and another $95 fee for each subsequent reservation change if you make any), you have to pay in full when you book and the cancellation policy is very unforgiving compared to cash reservations made directly through DCL or a TA.

 

[fkj2]

IMHO, unless you can find someone willing to rent very cheaply ($4-$5 per point), it is never cost effective to rent points for a cruise.

In addition to the point rental, you would have to pay a $95 fee to make the reservation (and another $95 fee for each subsequent reservation change if you make any), you have to pay in full when you book and the cancellation policy is very unforgiving compared to cash reservations made directly through DCL or a TA.

Thanks. Do the cruises ever get discounted or do they book so rapidly Disney has no need to discount?

 

[CraftyMouse]

Thanks. Do the cruises ever get discounted or do they book so rapidly Disney has no need to discount?

For cash reservations they get discounted VERY rarely, and even then it is very last-minute and only the lowest category of stateroom (Standard Inside) is discounted. You will get the best price for cash-only reservations by booking as early as possible. The price goes up as the ship fills.

Points reservations are almost never discounted. The only discounting I can remember is when a few September sailings were reduced slightly one year. The cash portion of a points reservation (if you choose to book with a combination of points & cash0 is not discounted. It is a pre-negotiated price, agreed on by both DCL and DVC. It can be slightly more or less than the cash price as it is based on rack rates.

 

[Dean]

You can book the cruise 11 months out.

This changed a few years ago, you can now book the cruise up to around 2 years out assuming the info is out for the cruise.

 

[Dean]

For cash reservations they get discounted VERY rarely, and even then it is very last-minute and only the lowest category of stateroom (Standard Inside) is discounted. You will get the best price for cash-only reservations by booking as early a

Maybe I'm reading this differently but for Cat 4 or less DVC routinely discounts the cruises as an early booking discount. Their last minute options are almost always for FL resident and other specific groups like AAA on occasion.

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Just adding some information from our experiences...

We have sailed on DCL 5 times now (at least, we will come Nov when we leave again!) Our first was our honeymoon, when we paid cash, and our second trip was paid cash and that's when we joined the DVC. Our other 2 cruises and this upcoming cruise was all done via points or points and cash combinations.

I know personally, that we probably could not have been in the verandah rooms we have been in had we not had the DVC, as the cash price always seems so much more! We bank points or borrow to do the cruise, but now with 2 children "of age" for a cruise fare, its way too many points! (as always I need more points!!!)

This year, the cruise was the following totals for us. We have a Category 4 (family verandah) stateroom on Deck 8. We are sailing on Nov. 1st, on a Western Carribean itinerary, which when I put it into the DCL website (which I realize can often be more expensive than some deals you can get) came to $7700 total.

We used 837 points and paid $1012 in cash total for this trip. The Confirmation letter I got from MS states the following:

Total 1st passenger: 344 reservation points
Total 2nd passenger: 344 reservation points
Total 3rd passenger: 149 reservation points
Total 4th passenger: $917

Non-refundable transaction fee: $95

They also send the cancellation information with this too. Talks about the policy for 75+ days out, 45-74 days out, etc. For 75+ it says "all reservation points returned to the appropriate Use Year or 100% of the cash payment made is returned. The $75 transaction fee is non-refundable" (I think they just didn't update that form to say $95, but same thing)

I will tell you though, that is a bit unclear. In 2005 we had a cruise booked, and I was pregnant. I ended up on bedrest and I wasn't allowed to go on the boat (OB was fearful of what would happen if I was in St Maarten or somewhere and couldn't get decent OB/Gyn services). Anyway, we were 75+ days out when we tried to cancel, so our points WERE returned BUT they could no longer be used beyond that use year. Additionally, in making DCL reservations, we were unable to use them for a DVC property, and had to instead book another cruise, or book one of the Disney Hotels, etc and couldn't use them at a DVC property (since the points had been exchanged for a "Member Getaway"). Its pretty hard to use 837 points in a Disney World Resort Hotel within the months left on your use year!! And, since some of the points were borrowed, they also had to be used within the same use year, they couldn't be returned to their original use year(i.e the points we borrowed from Use Year 2006 couldn't be "banked" or returned to that year, we had to use them up before their expiration in our 2005 use year).We ended up re-booking a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge (before, obviously, there were DVC villas!)

Just trying to clarify for those who had questions about the points and also the cancellation policy. Its really as clear as mud! Let me know if that didn't answer your questions, we've done this a few times now, and I think may finally have a handle on it. Well, at least until they change it again!!