Cruising on Points- should we book at the 11 month window?

[MrsG]

We are planning a 4 night wonder for 4 people on July 13, 2003, category 6. Should we book at the 11 month window, or can we hold off for a while? Does DVC have only a certain # of rooms on each voyage? I hate to reserve so early, but I don't want to miss out on the date or category. Do you think we should risk holding off till Jan. or so?

I guess what I am asking: are the rooms usually available, or are they at a premium if you book on points. I know there is no other incentive to book early.

Thanks

 

[CarolAnnC]

When you book thru Member Services using DVC points, you are basically using MS as your travel agent. They have the same access to any available staterooms as any other TA would have.

I just cruised July 25th and booked my rooms through MS using points for one room and the other through DCL using cash. I obtained the ressies for a category 6 and category 11 just in May, two months prior to sailing. So availability in January for next July should be plenty far in advance.

When you do make your ressie thru MS you will pay the $75 to do so at that time with a credit card over the phone. If you pay for any of the passengers with cash, that payment is also due in full at time of booking. Keep in mind if you need to change the ressie, MS will charge an additional $75 to do so.

 

[kramer_clan]

DVC can book whatever DCL has in inventory (except guarantee). However, during the summer time sailings, the Category 6 staterooms are hard to come by. I would book at the 11 month window to be sure you get what you want.

Vicki

 

[MikeJ]

We booked a Cat 6 for the 7-day Magic departing September 28. We booked it April 5 (after the Vacation Magic came out with the details on the special fall pricing) and had no difficulty getting a stateroom. We used points for the adults and paid cash for the kids, plus the $75 fee. Booked the excursions this morning, which means we're only 60 days away!

- Mike

 

[MrsG]

We booked a category 6 in Feb 2002 for July 2002 paying cash with no problem. But I'm wondering if Sept 11 had something to do with a hesitancy to book so far in advance.

 

[shelly3girls]

We booked a category 6 for the 4-day for January. We booked with points in June. At the time, I was told that the category 6 rooms were about 70% sold out. We were booking at the 7 month window which seemed fine, I think we got a good room. I don't think I would have been comfortable waiting any longer. January is also a slow time of year for cruises, so maybe we got lucky. I checked a website that showed available rooms for this cruise, and it appeared that as of two weeks ago there was very little availability.

 

[PartiesNBalloons]

From experience, I would book as soon as your 11 month window becomes available. We booked our July 2002 cruise solely with points and waited until the end of February to do so (6 months out) and could only get a Cat. 9 on deck 2. Everything else was booked. We called all the time to see if something had come available but nothing did. We even checked the day of boarding and still nothing. In the end, the Cat. 9 with the large porthole was sufficient enough. We really didn't spend much time in the room anyway.