Disney Cruise with DVC

[DVCisME]

Hi! Has anyone done a Disney Cruise with vacation points?
What happens when you don't have enough points can you pay cash for the rest?
Was it a good experience?

TIA

 

[carlbarry]

Oh boy. You are about to receive a lot of posts warning you that using your points for a cruise is a poor use of the points.
When I was deciding whether to buy into DVC, I thought going on a cruise would be nice. So I looked up how many points it would cost. Then I looked up what it would cost to book the cruise for cash.
I was shocked to find that the value of the points was TWICE the cash cost! Then I looked on DIS, and found this topic discussed extensively.
And always, it was stated that it's a bad use of points! No kidding.
On the other hand, those who defended the practice seemed to fall into three categories:
1. "My spouse said we bought the points to use them, and we're going to use them!"
2. "I'm not comfortable renting out my points, so I'll use them in an uneconomical way."
3. The only logical reason: the points were received via a promotion, and must be used before expiring.

 

[hakepb]

I have heard that you can book a room with some people points only and some people cash, but you cannot split cash and points on the same person. (And the cash rates are a pre-determined amount, not the current DCL cash rate)

 

[AnnaS]

You may book one person with points and one with cash. Be ready to pay the cash amount in full at time of booking including the $95 fee.

We have used points for all four of our cruises. We had two cabins each time so we used a combination of points and cash each time. We have the points and don't want the hassle of renting.

 

[CMOORE185]

There are times when cruising on points can be a decent value. I have cruised on points before for about $8 dollar per point value (that is including the $95 dollar booking fee). To me if you can cruise for a $7 to $8 pp value your doing ok.

 

[com_op_2000]

Check out this DCL thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2776487

 

[mickeys girl 52]

I read the previous post on the Cruise board and was surprised. I wonder if they are cruises that were made closer to the date of travel. Because for me when I reserve when the rates first come out or at least 1 1/2 yrs in advance the Cash price is always allot cheaper. last June we had 3 cabins on the Dream and I saved about $3000.00 by renting my pts and paying cash.
Now I have a 5 day Cruise on the Magic for me and my 3 sisters planned in April. I will paste the reservation on here and as you can see the total price for the Cruise is $2545,72.
When I looked up the Point price on the member site it was 108 for 1st two and 94 for 3rd and 4th. That comes to total 404 pts. If those pts are rented at $11.00 a pt that comes to $ 4444.00 and $ 95.00! That is a big difference. That $ 1993.20 can pay for airfare.


(RESERVATION)

Issue Date: 27-Apr-2011

Currency: Rates are in US Dollars and are subject to change

Voyage Fare: $2,310.00

Vacation Protection Plan: DECLINED

Government Taxes & Fees: $235.72

Ground Transfers: DECLINED

Total Due: $2,545.72

Less Payments: $462.00

Balance Due: $2,083.72

FINAL PAYMENT: $2,083.72 Due Date/Time: 10-Feb-2012 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Cruise Cancellation Fees Begin: 11-Feb-2012


Please don't think I mean this as one of those "You shouldn't use pts to Cruise" That is not my intention at all. I did it before myself before I really started looking at it closely.Everyone should do whatever they want with their points.I was always afraid to rent my points before and I have only done so twice.I had no problems and was able to transfer/rent all I needed in about 3 days. So it was not as hard as I thought it would be.

Sorry this became so long. I just wanted to share my experience on the subject.

 

[DVCisME]

Thanks for all the information. We would like to cruise June of 2013. The dates are not available yet and we were/are just trying to figure the best way to do it.

We have never rented our points out. If we rent them to a friend is that against the rules? What do most people charge per point?

 

[CMOORE185]

Thanks for all the information. We would like to cruise June of 2013. The dates are not available yet and we were/are just trying to figure the best way to do it.

We have never rented our points out. If we rent them to a friend is that against the rules? What do most people charge per point?

You can rent them to anyone you want, but technically you are suppose to claim that as income come tax time. My guess is few renting actually claim it though. I think the going rate is $10 to $11 per point.

 

[carlbarry]

I read the previous post on the Cruise board and was surprised. I wonder if they are cruises that were made closer to the date of travel. Because for me when I reserve when the rates first come out or at least 1 1/2 yrs in advance the Cash price is always allot cheaper. last June we had 3 cabins on the Dream and I saved about $3000.00 by renting my pts and paying cash.
Now I have a 5 day Cruise on the Magic for me and my 3 sisters planned in April. I will paste the reservation on here and as you can see the total price for the Cruise is $2545,72.
When I looked up the Point price on the member site it was 108 for 1st two and 94 for 3rd and 4th. That comes to total 404 pts. If those pts are rented at $11.00 a pt that comes to $ 4444.00 and $ 95.00! That is a big difference. That $ 1993.20 can pay for airfare.


(RESERVATION)

Issue Date: 27-Apr-2011

Currency: Rates are in US Dollars and are subject to change

Voyage Fare: $2,310.00

Vacation Protection Plan: DECLINED

Government Taxes & Fees: $235.72

Ground Transfers: DECLINED

Total Due: $2,545.72

Less Payments: $462.00

Balance Due: $2,083.72

FINAL PAYMENT: $2,083.72 Due Date/Time: 10-Feb-2012 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Cruise Cancellation Fees Begin: 11-Feb-2012


Please don't think I mean this as one of those "You shouldn't use pts to Cruise" That is not my intention at all. I did it before myself before I really started looking at it closely.Everyone should do whatever they want with their points.I was always afraid to rent my points before and I have only done so twice.I had no problems and was able to transfer/rent all I needed in about 3 days. So it was not as hard as I thought it would be.

Sorry this became so long. I just wanted to share my experience on the subject.

Thanks, very interessting! Even if I use my cost per point (amortization of purchase price + maintennance fee), using points comes out to slightly more (about $80) than paying cash. And another way of looking at it: if I rent out those 404 points and pay cash for that cruise, my profit will pay for a little more than half the cost of the cruise!

 

[MissMet]

As a single traveler using points for a cruise is worth it to me.

If I get a cabin to myself on a cash resi I have to pay for dbl occupancy (minus taxes & port fees, around $200). If I book it with points, I only have to use points for one person. Works for me. That's what I did for the transatlantic since my bf couldn't join me & my family.

 

[fdwang]

The problem I've found using points for cruises is that they tend to be sold out when I want to book them. You get a discount 3%-5%??? point savings if you book a cruise 1-3 days from your last cruise, but for example if you wanted to book for next year on points, they are sold out for point trading until october 2012! So unless you wish to book Early on points as soon as the cruise is announced, that is your best shot. Also the value of Cash vs points goes up the closer to the cruise sail date. Cash value is cheaper if you book far in advance like 2 years or so. Points starts looking better and better as the cruise sail date approaches, as the cost in cash goes up as much as 30-40% in some cases. This is where the problem of DVC cabin availability comes us, as most people realize this and want to use points instead of the increase cash cost.

 

[Alexander]

Now, here is our situation.....It is November 2009 and I want to book 3 cruises for August 2011 on the brand new Disney Dream. (One cruise for my parents and a B2B for us). I am going to use my 2010 and 2011 points to "pay" for the cruises.

My options:

I call MS and book all three cruises on points (you can use your points 24 months in advance for booking cruises.)

I can wait until my 2010 and 2011 points are available, rent them out, then book my cruises on cash.....Oops, my 2011 points aren't available until August of 2011, and the Dream is sold out for the cruises we want to take in 3 weeks. Now I could have borrowed my 2011 points in August of 2010, but that is still 9 months later than if I just booked on points.

Is using your points to cruise the most financially efficient use of your points, in most cases no. Is buying DVC the most financially efficient use of your money, probably no. However, we have the points and we wanted to cruise, and it was a piece of cake to get it all taken care of: 1 phone call, $95, and 3 cruises fully paid almost 2 years in advance. Would I do it again, you betcha!

 

[Alexander]

As a single traveler using points for a cruise is worth it to me.

If I get a cabin to myself on a cash resi I have to pay for dbl occupancy (minus taxes & port fees, around $200). If I book it with points, I only have to use points for one person. Works for me. That's what I did for the transatlantic since my bf couldn't join me & my family.

Are you sure? I was really excited when I read your post, but when I was looking at the point charts it says the points are based on double occupancy.

 

[CarolAnnC]

DVC does charge a single supplement of points when booking a DCL cabin (the same when booking DCL direct, too). It is approximately one and three quarters worth of the double occupancy points, but does vary a bit in calculation according to each cruise.

We just did this for the Alaska cruise so my daughter could go with us. Had no takers to go for the empty space...

 

[Candace]

DVC does charge a single supplement of points when booking a DCL cabin (the same when booking DCL direct, too). It is approximately one and three quarters worth of the double occupancy points, but does vary a bit in calculation according to each cruise.

We just did this for the Alaska cruise so my daughter could go with us. Had no takers to go for the empty space...

This is great to know!

 

[Dean]

Oh boy. You are about to receive a lot of posts warning you that using your points for a cruise is a poor use of the points.

And appropriately so because it is in almost every situation with very limited exceptions.

 

[jennypenny]

We just cruised Alaska on (mostly) points. The cash quote for the 2 cabins was just under $12K. I used 1066 points and paid $95 and $1295 for one of the cruisers. It was done in one phone call and we got the cruise and cabins we wanted.

I think there are two things to keep in mind:
1. The number of points needed--Renting out 300 points or so is different from having to rent out 1066 points. That would have required multiple rentals (and possibly multiple headaches).
2. The total cost--I am willing to pay a little more for the convenience (say if the points needed were 1000 but the cruise only cost $9K). But I wouldn't do it in every circumstance.

#2 is true in any circumstance, not just cruising. We have never used our points for easter or christmas week in wdw either because we don't feel we get the value we want from the points. Cruising is no different. Many people here used to pay cash for weekend nights for the same reason. I consider this all the same issue. But sometimes the points required for a cruise are right in line with the value of them.

We would not have done the Alaska cruise if we had to pay cash, and it was one of the best vacations we ever had. We felt (this time) the points were a good way to cruise.

 

[Alexander]

I think it is funny how DVC members are so quick to suggest ways for other members to use their points, when we they don't usually tell people how to spend their money. I know they are suggestions and often members are seeking advice, but as one who uses my points to cruise, we are made to feel like we've done something really stupid.

Can I save money by shopping when things are on sale, yes....Can I save money by clipping coupons before grocery shopping, yes....Can I save points by renting them for cash so I can cruise, yes....However, how I choose to spend my money or points is my choice. Again, I know people are trying to help, but it honestly sounds like people are saying, "Ohhhh, you don't want to use points to cruise, that is so bad."

Everyone should just read the points charts and decide for themselves if they want to spend their points to cruise.

 

[Dean]

I think it is funny how DVC members are so quick to suggest ways for other members to use their points, when we they don't usually tell people how to spend their money. I know they are suggestions and often members are seeking advice, but as one who uses my points to cruise, we are made to feel like we've done something really stupid.

Can I save money by shopping when things are on sale, yes....Can I save money by clipping coupons before grocery shopping, yes....Can I save points by renting them for cash so I can cruise, yes....However, how I choose to spend my money or points is my choice. Again, I know people are trying to help, but it honestly sounds like people are saying, "Ohhhh, you don't want to use points to cruise, that is so bad."

Everyone should just read the points charts and decide for themselves if they want to spend their points to cruise.

I rarely see anyone told HOW to use their points, only the relative positives and negatives of the choices. As you note, this is almost always in the context of someone asking for advice in this area. I can't speak for others, but my purpose is purely to make sure they understand what they are and are not getting as well as they have ALL the info to make informed decisions. We see people every day on DIS who don't understand their options. There will always be exceptions, the Dream for Alaska was one of them and likely mostly responsible for the difficulty booking cruises with points going forward. Maybe one is in a use or lose situation and needs to burn the points. OTOH, I see nothing wrong with someone having an opinion about the relative choices that we all make and post on such BBS.