Cruise with Points

[bwbuddy]

How inconvenient is it to use both DVC points and cash for a Disney cruise? Are the cash cruise rates discounted for DVC members? What's the best cabin value for a family of 5 (2ad, +18YO, 13YO, 13YO)?

 

[AnnMorin]

We have done this twice. You are only required to use points for the first adult in your cabin after that you may pay cash or use a combination (ie: cash for two and points for two- you can't split a person though and pay half points half cash for one individual)
Several people don't feel that using points for cruising is a good "value" for your points as oppossed to what you could get for them in Disney. I however love to cruise and for us it is a great value. We paid about 5,000.00 for our first cruise before buying into DVC. Cruise number two was all points for DS myself and DH in a cat. 5. Cruises three and four are running me about $1600.00 for a cat. 6. (we use points for one adult and one child) so the savings for us is dramatic. We purposly bought the points to cruise as for us to spend 1600.00 a year vs. 5000.00 a year was a value. I am not interested in the hassle of renting out my points and since we have enough for us this works. To answer your question you would probably be best served with connecting cabins in like a cat. 10 to get the best value with that many people. The cash rates for the cruise are discounted but not as far as the earliest early booking savings, they become a "deal" about six months out as the cruise rates go up.

 

[rae519]

Personally, the only reason we bought into the DVC initially at 400 points at HH was for the DCL.

We took another 150 later at VWL because I wanted a "near Disney" residence also.

I have bid on another 100 points now and waiting to hear.

Again, we enjoy the cruising because we stay in one place, everything is taken care of and it works for us!!!

Rae