Cruise on points with a family of 5?

[tripletvan]

Does anyone know the cheapest way to cruise with points besides in a hurricane in the laundry room? we did the 3 day land 4 day sea with cash but would love to try the seven day.

 

[jel0511]

To be honest... rent the points and use the cash to book the cruise. We're cruising on Nov 1, 03, and there are 4 of us, but I did look into booking 2 category 10 connectors, and it wasn't going to cost us much more than our one category 6 we have booked. Definately would be cheaper than a category 4!!!! The cost for us on the two category 10's would have been $3600, including transfers. Remember when you have to book 2 staterooms, the first two people in the room, regardless of age, pay the adult fare. Since you'd need either the two category 10's or one category 4, you really need to decide what to do. If you're also at looking at cruising in the summer or over a holiday period, I don't know which is actually cheaper, points or cash. We did debate on whether to use points or cash for our cruise, and we decided to pay cash and just use our points for another trip to WDW. If I had booked points, it would have cost me 458 for our category 6 room, which is costing me $3400. Now, if I REALLY wanted to use points for the cruise, and rented them, I could have gotten $4580 for those points, paid for my cruise AND still had money left over for excursions, tips, and airfare!!!

 

[zurgswife]

We have six in our family and I don't think points could ever be cheap enough for us to justify using them for a cruise....Either pay cash and use your points another time...or rent your points and use that for payment.....

Our 4 day I opted to pay cash...and if we do I 7 day i definately will use cash...

 

[carriep1657]

Just wondering if my way of thinking is correct. I was looking at jel0511's post. At first, I thought it seemed like a much better deal to rent your points and pay cash for the cruise.

But, since you already paid dues on the 458 points, don't you have to subtract your dues from the $10. So, if your dues are $4 per point, you would only be making $6 per point.

458 x 6 = $2748

Rather than making $4580 by renting, you are actually making $2748. So, if the cruise cost $3400 and you used the rental income, you would actually have to come up with an extra $652($3400-$2748=$652) to cover the $3400.

However, if you used the 458 points, your cost would have been been only $1832
or 458 X$4 dues= $1832

Does this make sense? Am I way off base? It seems to me like using your points is a much better deal in this case.

 

[CarolMN]

There are several different ways to value points. For example, if I were making the cruise decision, I would probably consider the dues to be "sunk" costs. In other words, I have to pay the dues whether I decide to stay at a DVC resort, take a cruise or let them expire.

Therefore, if I rented them at $10/point, I would only have to rent 340 points to "pay" for the cruise. My "labor" to rent would save me 118 points, that I could use for something else.

In your example, you valued points at $4 each. However, that entirely leaves out the initial purchase price. If you included that, your points would be worth more than just the value of the dues. Some people also include other items in the value equation such as financing charges.

In the end, it's really a personal decision. I'm not sure I would want to bother with renting my points. I think it takes more time and effort than one might assume from reading these boards.

Best wishes!

 

[Regina]

This always gets divided into three camps:

1. DVC charges too many points for a cruise, it's not worth it, pay cash

2. Rent enough points to cover the cash cost. It comes out to less points than you would use if booking it with all points.

3. If you consider your DVC membership to be a prepaid vacation, then use the points however you'd like.

Fall is always the cheapest season. Hopefully you'll find a good deal no matter how you decide to book it.

 

[erikthewise]

Originally posted by tripletvan
Does anyone know the cheapest way to cruise with points besides in a hurricane in the laundry room? we did the 3 day land 4 day sea with cash but would love to try the seven day.

You could cruise as part of the crew. But the accommodations aren't as nice, and they won't let you bring your family.

My DVC guide seems to do cruises all the time. That would be even better than better than being on the crew.

 

[jel0511]

carriep1657 - I don't think you're comparing apples to apples in your analysis. The dues will be paid of regardless of use, so look at it this way. You use the points to pay for the cruise, and you're now 458 points poorer. If you decide to rent those points instead, you get an income of $4580 and use $3400 to pay for the cruise. Leaving you with $1180 left over to do with as you please. Or, you can only rent 340 points, leaving you with an additional 118 points in your account.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by jel0511
The cost for us on the two category 10's would have been $3600, including transfers

That seems like a real good rate, We are a family of 5 booked on the Nov 8th western cruise, and we are paying just over $4600.00 for 2 catagory 10's. Points and cash are different for each of the 7-day cruise destinations.

DVC points rate has really sailed to new heights over the past two years.

I don't remember the exact points required, but we saved like 200 points by renting and using the cash for the cruise (points would have been over 600). Also, the refund and trip insurance stink when you book through DVC on points. I would hate to have to find another use for 600+ reservation points if someone gets sick or something. If you do book on points, I'd book early in my use year, as reservation points expire at the end or your current use year.

A family of 5 in two cabin pays for 4 adult fares, and one child fare. Doesn't exactly seem "fair", but unfourtunetly that's common in the cruise industry. You would think family friendly Disney would have come up with a better option for larger families. $$$ $$$

Good Luck

 

[ncligs]

I agree with Johnnie Fedora's post above. For some reason points for cruising keep going up.....and up.....and up....
We decided to use cash for our 4 day cruise next year and save the points. But you are much better off renting your points(even at $10 pt) you would come out much farther ahead.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

For some reason points for cruising keep going up.....and up.....and up....

Is this because a cruise is more valuable than staying at a DVC resort? Are they building too many resorts that they cant rent out, which is hurting their ability to negotiate for better point requirements?

 

[westjones]

We are cruising on points this year, and probably won't do it again now that I have gone through the process:

1. If you use part points and pay part cash for your cruise you have to pay everything up front at the time of the reservation (unlike booking through a TA where you pay $250 a person for a 7 day cruise to hold your spot and the balance is due 60 days before).

2. There is a $75 fee you pay regardless of the cost of the cruise just for DVC to 'process' your reservation.

3. IF you want to make any changes they will charge you another $75 fee.



We are going on our cruise this fall on points, but after that, I am using points for the resorts and paying cash for the cruise. That is one of the reasons we decided 150 points is enough. We like the idea of going to the parks Sun-Wed (4 nights) on points and then taking the 3 day cruise Thur-Sat. If we want to return to the park for awhile, we can go back after the cruise for Sun-Thurs. Pretty nice 2 week vacation!

DJ

 

[sitchu2]

Yes, a cruise is much more valuable than a resort stay. You cannot forget that you are getting all meals, and concierge service.

You cannot compare the points required for a resort stay with the points required for a cruise.

I found using my points for the cruise easy and it was a break even price. (room with veranda, family of 5) No hassle of renting.

The cash price was almost equal to that if I had rented the points at 10$pp.

We cruise tomorrow for $75!!

Check early feb. point schedules, the points go up Feb. 15th, I think the points compare to the lower seasons, and Its great to escape winter for the warm caribean!!

Whatever you do Good Luck!!

 

[pwoodham]

FWIW -
We are cruising in November 2004, family of 7. One room with a veranda and one inside (can't deal with the thought of policing 2 verandas!). I did the math every way I could, including different room types, etc. I did not consider DVC dues or payments in my analysis - I pay that (happily!) whether or not I cruise. I only considered the actual out-of-pocket expenses for the cruise vacation. By renting points and paying cash for the cruise, we will be able to either: 1) Pay for my brother's room (his 50th anniversary) OR 2) Spend a week in WDW with the points/$$ difference.
I am (usually) solidly in the "prepaid vacation" camp. I didn't buy into DVC as an investment, I bought to go to WDW! My family cruised on points in 2000, but after reading the wisdom on these boards and doing the math, the out-of-pocket $$ difference was too great to ignore.
I actually don't mind paying a "premium" for a cruise. They are great in every respect, and we loved going in 2000. I just don't want to pay more of a premium than folks paying cash, and thanks to the ability to rent points, I won't have to. Another advanatage is that I'll be making our reservations as soon as my first point rental deposit arrives - a full 10 months before I would be able to make them using points.
YMMV - Have a wonderful vacation!!