DCL gifts for members from 8/19/23 Dream cruise

[Geomom]

Just back from the Disney Dream 8/19/23-8/26/23 Norwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton, UK. Did NOT use DVC pts for the cruise.

Here are all our daily member gifts from the DVC desk across from guest services on deck 3:


Stateroom door magnet, 4 lanyards, 2 cinch bags, 2 sling bags, 2 different prints, 3 Disneyland Hotel pins, 2 member pins, 2 pop sockets, 2 chapstick, and 2 25th anniversary pins

 

[emchen]

Just back from the Disney Dream 8/19/23-8/26/23 Norwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton, UK. Did NOT use DVC pts for the cruise.

Here are all our daily member gifts from the DVC desk across from guest services on deck 3:
View attachment 788699

Stateroom door magnet, 4 lanyards, 2 cinch bags, 2 sling bags, 2 different prints, 3 Disneyland Hotel pins, 2 member pins, 2 pop sockets, 2 chapstick, and 2 25th anniversary pins

One of my bucket list cruises! Lucky! Curious, any kids on cruise with you?

 

[Geomom]

One of my bucket list cruises! Lucky! Curious, any kids on cruise with you?

Our adult kids (19/23) were with us. There were a ton of kids on this cruise, mostly British ones as they hadn't started school yet and it was round-trip from the UK.

I will eventually make a trip report on the DCL thread. Packing up the 19 yr old for college move in Tuesday and need to make a Shutterfly photo book before my free code expires at the end of the month.

 

[emchen]

Our adult kids (19/23) were with us. There were a ton of kids on this cruise, mostly British ones as they hadn't started school yet and it was round-trip from the UK.

Right, I think this is one of those itineraries (for Americans at least) that is for either mom&dad only or with adult kids to fully appreciate the stops and sites. For the latter, I just have a few more years to wait for all three of my teens to reach adulthood! For that reason, and others, I can't wait!

 

[Geomom]

Right, I think this is one of those itineraries (for Americans at least) that is for either mom&dad only or with adult kids to fully appreciate the stops and sites. For the latter, I just have a few more years to wait for all three of my teens to reach adulthood! For that reason, and others, I can't wait!

It's more the timing. My 19 yr old goes to a college with trimesters so they start in September, if my oldest was still in college she would have had to move in during the cruise for music camp. Our public schools started classes this past Tuesday, and I know many states started classes in mid August. We did the Alaska cruise with our kids when they were 12/16. I think 12 and up is a good age for the various sites (Started taking them to the big national parks in the Western US when they were 8 and 12--old enough to understand safety risks of the Yellowstone hot springs/geysers and wild animals.)

 

[RD-SOX]

Question? Please help me understand, we are new DVC owners and eventually want to go on a cruise.
So being DVC you can go on any cruise and pay cash (no points) but you are still treated to these gifts on said cruise at the DVC booth??

 

[tjkraz]

Question? Please help me understand, we are new DVC owners and eventually want to go on a cruise.
So being DVC you can go on any cruise and pay cash (no points) but you are still treated to these gifts on said cruise at the DVC booth??

Yes. They usually put a magnet on your door before arrival and an in-room gift. Then additional gifts for each day of the cruise for stopping by the DVC sales desk. There is also a brief DVC member meeting on board with free cocktails and a character pic.

Some of the items are rather modest...buttons and temporary tattoos. They've been giving away the Riviera prints for 4-5 years now in a variety of venues. Here's a closer look at some of the items that were being distributed earlier this year:

https://dvcnews.com/disney-news/feature-articles/5518-dvc-swag-when-sailing-on-a-disney-cruise

 

[bobbiwoz]

Question? Please help me understand, we are new DVC owners and eventually want to go on a cruise.
So being DVC you can go on any cruise and pay cash (no points) but you are still treated to these gifts on said cruise at the DVC booth??

When you go to the DVC Presentation there’s very often a Character who comes for pictures. We had Captain Minnie come on the DVC MC last week. We have had Stitch on others, also Goofy.

 

[CarolynFH]

Question? Please help me understand, we are new DVC owners and eventually want to go on a cruise.
So being DVC you can go on any cruise and pay cash (no points) but you are still treated to these gifts on said cruise at the DVC booth??

You can also pay with points for regular DCL cruises if you have DVC-Y status, but the exchange rate is so awful that if you’re willing to make the effort, you can rent out fewer points and still raise enough cash to pay for the cruise. Some DVC rental companies have programs to facilitate that process.

 

[RD-SOX]

You can also pay with points for regular DCL cruises if you have DVC-Y status, but the exchange rate is so awful that if you’re willing to make the effort, you can rent out fewer points and still raise enough cash to pay for the cruise. Some DVC rental companies have programs to facilitate that process.

I've been reading about this, yes we are DVC-Y. I'm planning maybe a cruise in 2025 since we are using banked 2023 points and 2024 points next year for a big welcome home visit. I read so much on points not being worth using because the exchange rate so steep. There is just so much thought into points, bowering, banking, renting...etc. I am so thankful for these boards.

 

[emchen]

You can also pay with points for regular DCL cruises if you have DVC-Y status, but the exchange rate is so awful that if you’re willing to make the effort, you can rent out fewer points and still raise enough cash to pay for the cruise. Some DVC rental companies have programs to facilitate that process.

I read somewhere that the dollar value is the average cost per point of annual dues. Can anyone confirm or ellaboarate on that?

 

[CarolynFH]

I read somewhere that the dollar value is the average cost per point of annual dues. Can anyone confirm or ellaboarate on that?

If you divide the number of points required into the cash price for the cruise, it does sort of work out around $8-9 pp, I think. Obviously depends on which home resort’s dues!

 

[Geomom]

Question? Please help me understand, we are new DVC owners and eventually want to go on a cruise.
So being DVC you can go on any cruise and pay cash (no points) but you are still treated to these gifts on said cruise at the DVC booth??

Yes. We paid cash. Some of the gifts basically are free advertising for them, like the lanyards, so they don't even care if you're DVC Y.

 

[Geomom]

When you go to the DVC Presentation there’s very often a Character who comes for pictures. We had Captain Minnie come on the DVC MC last week. We have had Stitch on others, also Goofy.

We had Stitch!

 

[Sandisw]

You can also pay with points for regular DCL cruises if you have DVC-Y status, but the exchange rate is so awful that if you’re willing to make the effort, you can rent out fewer points and still raise enough cash to pay for the cruise. Some DVC rental companies have programs to facilitate that process.

Just to clarify…if someone is DVC Y because they owned points prior to 2016, the points may or may not be valid.

Direct points can use them for cruises, no matter when purchased.

But resale points purchased since 2012 can not, even if someone has the DVC Y status.

Actually, the DVC Y is really about membership extras and not what and how points can be used.