Disney Cruise in Europe with DVC Points - how to navigate a cancellation

rstopka

Earning My Ears
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
We have a Mediterranean cruise booked and are schedule to depart Spain on June 4 and disembark in Italy. At this point, we are not allowed to enter either place. Disney is not yet cancelling these dates so we have to move forward and plan as if we are going to be able to go. Is anyone else going through the same situation? We can't cancel because Disney does not take care of DVC members like they do those who have paid cash. If we do cancel, all three years of the points we used to book this trip will come back as reservation points and we would have to use all of them by the end of this September. I can't get any sort of guidance as to what happens to those points if Disney cancels the cruise. If anyone is going through this, or has gone through this, I would appreciate any advice on how to handle it. Thank you!
 
We have a Mediterranean cruise booked and are schedule to depart Spain on June 4 and disembark in Italy. At this point, we are not allowed to enter either place. Disney is not yet cancelling these dates so we have to move forward and plan as if we are going to be able to go. Is anyone else going through the same situation? We can't cancel because Disney does not take care of DVC members like they do those who have paid cash. If we do cancel, all three years of the points we used to book this trip will come back as reservation points and we would have to use all of them by the end of this September. I can't get any sort of guidance as to what happens to those points if Disney cancels the cruise. If anyone is going through this, or has gone through this, I would appreciate any advice on how to handle it. Thank you!

I went through this twice-I moved the points from the cancelled DVC Alaska Member cruise before Disney cancelled-which was a huge mistake. Once they are reservation points-you need a ton of points to book a non-DVC hotel at Disney and you’re subject to the point expiration date. I rebooked a January cruise which was recently cancelled and waited for the cruise line to cancel and received the 125% future cruise credit to be used by 5/31/22. So, some of my points will be extended. One cast member said I will get all of my points back plus 25% more to use on a future cruise and another said it’s just a reduction of 25% percent on the next cruise that I book. There is a special department that will handle this. If you can wait-I think it’s a better deal than cancelling on your own.
 
I went through this twice-I moved the points from the cancelled DVC Alaska Member cruise before Disney cancelled-which was a huge mistake. Once they are reservation points-you need a ton of points to book a non-DVC hotel at Disney and you’re subject to the point expiration date. I rebooked a January cruise which was recently cancelled and waited for the cruise line to cancel and received the 125% future cruise credit to be used by 5/31/22. So, some of my points will be extended. One cast member said I will get all of my points back plus 25% more to use on a future cruise and another said it’s just a reduction of 25% percent on the next cruise that I book. There is a special department that will handle this. If you can wait-I think it’s a better deal than cancelling on your own.
Thank you very much for the response! We were told it would be best to wait, but they don't give any advice beyond that. It's just hard going to all of the trouble of planning this trip when we really feel it will be canceled. Thanks again!
 
We had our Sept 2020 B2B cruises canceled by DCL. The first cruise was cash (2 staterooms and several family members combined) and the second cruise was DVC points. Two cruises and two reservation numbers.
Because the other members of the family wanted their money back, I told the CM (DCL) we wanted to have the money refunded for the first cruise and the FCCs for the second cruise (that was moved to a Jan 2021 cruise). The CM (I think she was a bit stressed) kept snapping back at me "are you canceling the cruise?". I responded we want a refund for the first cruise RESV # XXX and the FCCs for the second cruise RESV #YYY. She comes back with the same "are you canceling the cruise?". YES we are canceling the first cruise RESV # XXX and I want my FCCs for the second cruise RESV # YYY BOOM, she goes into the canned speech for cancelation and hangs up, no 3 question survey, just dead phone line. I called back and wanted to talk to a supervisor (they are called something else and not supervisor) and explained what happened. She said I canceled the cruise. Here we go again. No, I canceled RESV #XXX and wanted the FCCs for RESV #YYY. She said DCL consider this one cruise and I canceled.

Up to this point, I had been very polite and careful with my words what I wanted. But she was a supervisor and I took the gloves off. I had to explain to this DCL supervisor that a B2B are two separate cruises, two separate reservation numbers, and we have to disembark the ship in order to go through in-processing then get back on the ship. I said for her to go back to the recording, because they record all phone calls, and listen to what I said over and over "I want the FCCs for the second cruise". Thirty-one minutes on hold and she returns with we can move our cruise to Jan 2021 and no FCCs because I canceled the cruise. Like @Mineu stated, dealing with DCL and DVC points is not easy and we have a few hundred reservation points that have to be used by Aug 2021 (use them or lose them) for Disney hotel rooms, not DVC Villas. Never again using DVC points on DCL.
 


When Disney canceled ours booked with points (10/20), I want to say that they just converted it to cash value and added the 25% FCC. My travel agent was then able to grab it and rebook for late this year.
 
We had our Sept 2020 B2B cruises canceled by DCL. The first cruise was cash (2 staterooms and several family members combined) and the second cruise was DVC points. Two cruises and two reservation numbers.
Because the other members of the family wanted their money back, I told the CM (DCL) we wanted to have the money refunded for the first cruise and the FCCs for the second cruise (that was moved to a Jan 2021 cruise). The CM (I think she was a bit stressed) kept snapping back at me "are you canceling the cruise?". I responded we want a refund for the first cruise RESV # XXX and the FCCs for the second cruise RESV #YYY. She comes back with the same "are you canceling the cruise?". YES we are canceling the first cruise RESV # XXX and I want my FCCs for the second cruise RESV # YYY BOOM, she goes into the canned speech for cancelation and hangs up, no 3 question survey, just dead phone line. I called back and wanted to talk to a supervisor (they are called something else and not supervisor) and explained what happened. She said I canceled the cruise. Here we go again. No, I canceled RESV #XXX and wanted the FCCs for RESV #YYY. She said DCL consider this one cruise and I canceled.

Up to this point, I had been very polite and careful with my words what I wanted. But she was a supervisor and I took the gloves off. I had to explain to this DCL supervisor that a B2B are two separate cruises, two separate reservation numbers, and we have to disembark the ship in order to go through in-processing then get back on the ship. I said for her to go back to the recording, because they record all phone calls, and listen to what I said over and over "I want the FCCs for the second cruise". Thirty-one minutes on hold and she returns with we can move our cruise to Jan 2021 and no FCCs because I canceled the cruise. Like @Mineu stated, dealing with DCL and DVC points is not easy and we have a few hundred reservation points that have to be used by Aug 2021 (use them or lose them) for Disney hotel rooms, not DVC Villas. Never again using DVC points on DCL.

Thank you for your response! I'm sorry for all you are going through. Your experience working with them has been very similar to mine. I dread calling because it always involves long hold times and responses that are less than helpful. I told the last person that they take care of customers who paid cash and DVC members get screwed over. It's darn near a punishment if you want to cancel. It's not that we don't want to go, I REALLY want to go. But, I want a full Disney Cruise experience, not limited activities and having to wear masks everywhere we go. I can do that at home for free. We can't even reschedule at this point because the cruise would have to commence by May 31, 2022 and I can't be sure our kids and teachers in the family will be out of school. What an absolute mess!
 


I told the last person that they take care of customers who paid cash and DVC members get screwed over.
We can attest to that: Disney Fantasy October 2012, the ship went straight into Hurricane Sandy off the Florida coast. Paying cruisers got a 125%, DVC got nothing. Our cruise was interrupted just as bad as the cash paying passengers. They were compensated, we were not. I wrote to Claire Bilby (DVC) and stated as a DVC member I felt like a barnacle on the bottom of the DCL ships that they just have to drag along.
 
Just going back to OPs comment that they are continuing to plan as if they are going—don’t do that! At least, don’t plan anything that will incur potential cancellation fees. That cruise is almost certainly going to be cancelled.
 
We can attest to that: Disney Fantasy October 2012, the ship went straight into Hurricane Sandy off the Florida coast. Paying cruisers got a 125%, DVC got nothing. Our cruise was interrupted just as bad as the cash paying passengers. They were compensated, we were not. I wrote to Claire Bilby (DVC) and stated as a DVC member I felt like a barnacle on the bottom of the DCL ships that they just have to drag along.
That is terrible!! It's not like DVC members get their points for free. I'm sorry for your experience. We have taken two Disney cruises with DVC points without any problem. This is the first time we think we could run into issues. Thank you for the response!
 
Just going back to OPs comment that they are continuing to plan as if they are going—don’t do that! At least, don’t plan anything that will incur potential cancellation fees. That cruise is almost certainly going to be cancelled.
Thank you for the suggestion! We were thinking we would need to start booking flights soon. I really think it will get canceled too, just not really sure how much we should do. We figured we could change flights for a future cruise. It is such a mess.
 
We had Northern European cruise cancelled last August (we waited until they cancelled). We received an email asking us to call about our options. I believe it was a DCL number, not a DVC number. When I called, the woman on the other end identified herself as being from DVC loaned to DCL for the crush of calls. She didn't know a lot (it was early in the game) and kept pressuring me to book another cruise while on the call (with 125% credit).

I was not thrilled with then-available cruises (sort of done with the Caribbean). The alternative was to have the reservation points or have the credit with DCL...she gave me a $figure...I have it written somewhere. When 2022 came out, we decided to book the WBPC. I called, half expecting a problem, but it went well. The PC is several days longer and I was expecting a big hit on additional points but it wasn't terrible. I'm sure the 25% helped and No Euro trips are more expensive in general.

When I mentioned the $figure the first lady gave us, the second one said she didn't know where that came from. Apparently different cruises have different $/point conversions.

If you think you will cruise in the next year or so, I'd wait til they cancel but make alternate vacation plans for this year.
 
When Disney canceled ours booked with points (10/20), I want to say that they just converted it to cash value and added the 25% FCC. My travel agent was then able to grab it and rebook for late this year.

How on earth did you get them to convert DVC points to cash? That sounds like the magic trick of the year-lol! With two cancelled cruises-I’ve never been offered cash. Return points to use year or Future Cruise Credits using points, but never have they even hinted about getting cash back instead??

Reading the other post-was it just cash value? Are you booked through DCL now instead of DVC?
 
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Yes, just cash value....no offer of cash. Now booked through DCL, I guess. It was a bit confusing but as long as I'm on the boat when(if) it sails!

Since it really looks like our second attempt at Alaska will be cancelled. I would really love to rebook though DCL with our FCC instead of DVC. Did you just call DCL after the cancelation was announced? I thought I was stuck with DVC on any future cruise since the first cruise was on points. Thanks for any advice you can share.
 
I got an email that cruise was cancelled. Called number given. As I stated, it was a bit confusing because first person wanted me to rebook then. When I called back to rebook I got switched around a bit between people. DVC must have been involved because it took some more points but communication was from DCL. Not sure right hand knows what left hand is doing. Sorry I can't be more help.
 
I got an email that cruise was cancelled. Called number given. As I stated, it was a bit confusing because first person wanted me to rebook then. When I called back to rebook I got switched around a bit between people. DVC must have been involved because it took some more points but communication was from DCL. Not sure right hand knows what left hand is doing. Sorry I can't be more help.

Thanks! I find the whole process mysterious. The points never add up and I can’t see how many were used and honestly I’m tired of paying $95 every time I make a change. I’d much rather deal with DCL on my own.
 
Since it really looks like our second attempt at Alaska will be cancelled. I would really love to rebook though DCL with our FCC instead of DVC. Did you just call DCL after the cancelation was announced? I thought I was stuck with DVC on any future cruise since the first cruise was on points. Thanks for any advice you can share.
After Disney canceled our cruise, my travel agent handled everything. I gave her the reservation # and never spoke to DVC, and yes -- we are now booked through DCL from what I can tell. I wish you the same!!!
 
We have a Mediterranean cruise booked and are schedule to depart Spain on June 4 and disembark in Italy. At this point, we are not allowed to enter either place. Disney is not yet cancelling these dates so we have to move forward and plan as if we are going to be able to go. Is anyone else going through the same situation? We can't cancel because Disney does not take care of DVC members like they do those who have paid cash. If we do cancel, all three years of the points we used to book this trip will come back as reservation points and we would have to use all of them by the end of this September. I can't get any sort of guidance as to what happens to those points if Disney cancels the cruise. If anyone is going through this, or has gone through this, I would appreciate any advice on how to handle it. Thank you!

As OP have said, wait for DCL to cancel the trip. I know it’s nerve racking, but you will get the best result by doing so.

I am a DVC member who booked an ABD River Cruise on points for June 2020. When the cruise was canceled last year due to COVID, I moved the trip to July 2021 —ABD didn’t even change the reservation number, just the travel dates on my confirmation. If I had gotten a “refund”, I would have had until June to use those points. Given the current state of affairs, I am confident that the trip will be canceled again. As long as you book another trip when yours is cancelled instead of getting a “refund” ( your points back), DVC will figure how to make that happen. When it comes to using points for DCL, ABD, etc. there is a dollar conversion per point that happens. It’s something that is done behind the scenes, but I think the current conversion is about $7 or so per point. I understand your concern that DVC is not providing information on the what if’s. Unfortunately, every case is different so it is hard for them to develop a policy when some people may have used 1-3 years worth of points (banked and/or borrowed) to do the trip. Cash is much easier to deal with, but I wouldn’t trade using my points to book DCL or ABD, which I’ve done numerous times, for anything. Good luck.
 

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