DVC 2007 Member Cruise - Preferred booking to first time cruisers

[WDWLVR]

DVC has put up an annoucement on the Member Site that booking for the next Member Cruise will be open first to those who have not sailed on a previous Member Cruise. They will go in a lottery for a booking on December 2nd. Then if there are still openings on December 9th they will open it up to all DVC Members.

As a previous cruiser on Member Cruise 2003, 2005, and 2006 (as well as attending Member Homecoming) I consider this a slap in the face. We got on all three cruises because we woke up early on booking morning and called in with everyone else.

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. To make matters worse the cruise is costing 9 points more for the same category in the same time frame.

Looks like I'm going to miss my very first Member event.

 

[WDWLVR]

S.S. Member Cruise 2007 - Discover the New Reservation Selection Process

Come aboard the voyage that's just for Disney Vacation Club Members and their family and friends! Set sail on a magical S.S. Member Cruise, complete with exciting onboard entertainment and activities, unparalleled signature Disney service, and two enchanting visits to Disney's private island paradise. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to vacation with fellow Members and experience memories to last a lifetime.



Next year, Disney Vacation Club returns to the Disney Wonder® for a 4-night Caribbean cruise from October 21 - October 25, 2007, offering the following itinerary*:

• Sunday: Set sail from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Monday: Arrive at Castaway Cay, Disney's private island paradise
• Tuesday: Experience S.S. Member Cruise-exclusive events during a full day at sea
• Wednesday: Return to Castaway Cay
• Thursday: Return to Port Canaveral

*Itinerary is subject to change without notice.

Want to sail aboard the S.S. Member Cruise 2007?
Here's your chance.

To let more Members enjoy the magic and excitement of this event, we're introducing a new Reservation Selection Process that includes two booking dates: the first on Saturday, December 2, 2006, and the second on Saturday, December 9, 2006. The first date will be reserved for randomly selected first-time S.S. Member Cruise sailers, while the second date will be open to all Disney Vacation Club Members.

If you're new to the S.S. Member Cruise
If you've never sailed aboard a Disney Vacation Club S.S. Member Cruise, click the link below before 11:59:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 19, 2006, to apply the chance to be randomly selected for the first booking date.



Enter Reservation Selection Process


Once you've applied for the first booking date, your Disney Vacation Club ID will be entered into our system. A random reservation selection process will be used to select the Disney Vacation Club IDs after November 20, 2006. If you're among these randomly selected Members, you'll receive an e-mail notification from Member Services in late November. Then, on Saturday, December 2, 2006, Member Services will contact you by phone, at which time you'll be able to make a reservation for the S.S. Member Cruise 2007.

If you're not among the Members randomly selected for the first booking date, you'll also receive an e-mail notification from Member Services in late November, but don't worry — you'll still have a chance to book, on a first-call, first-served basis, while availability lasts, by calling Member Services beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, December 9, 2006.

If you have previously sailed on an S.S. Member Cruise
If you've joined us aboard an S.S. Member Cruise in the past, you'll still have an opportunity to request a stateroom reservation, on a first-call, first-served basis, while availability lasts, for next year's voyage by calling Member Services beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, December 9, 2006.

Reservation Points Requirements
For information about Reservation Points required to take next year's cruise, please see the S.S. Member Cruise 2007 Reservation Points chart.

Questions
For any questions about the S.S. Member Cruise 2007 or the Reservation Selection Process, please contact Member Services .



Important Reservation Information

• There is a two stateroom limit per Member household.
• Disney Vacation Club will waive the initial $75 transaction fee associated with booking your Disney Cruise Line® reservation for the S.S. Member Cruise 2007.
• A change to a reservation is considered a cancellation and rebooking. A non-refundable transaction fee of $75 will apply to all modifications associated with an S.S. Member Cruise 2007 reservation.
• Disney Vacation Club will accept the following forms of payment for Members not using Vacation Points to book the cruise: Visa® Card, MasterCard®, American Express®, or check received by overnight mail. If paying by credit card, please have the credit card number, expiration date and the name that appears on the card available for full payment at the time of booking.
• Due to safety concerns, Disney Cruise Line policy prohibits expectant mothers who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of October 21, 2007, to travel on the S.S. Member Cruise 2007 due to safety concerns. Neither a physician's medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.
• Disney Cruise Line policy prohibits infants under 12 weeks old on October 21, 2007, to travel on the S.S. Member Cruise 2007.

 

[Copper3]

Mary,

You said it well, it is a slap in the face to anyone who has sailed on any SS Member cruise. It's also unfair to exclude members because we wake up early and stay on hold for long periods of time on booking day when others hang up because DVC's phone system is inadequate to handle the volume. Now, let's hope they don't do this for other DVC events like spring swing or the block party or member mixer.

ETA: For those that didn't try to book the 2006 SS Member Cruise, there was a period of about 5-10 minutes of total silence that we had to wait thru before speaking to a member services CM. We didn't know before calling that this would happen (unless you saw it on the DIS boards) and simply needed to stay on the line to get thru. Also, anyone booking the 2006 cruise before 3:30PM EST on booking day was able to get a stateroom so it wasn't that demand was so extraordinarily high that is was next to impossible to get on board like the 2005 cruise.

 

[cgcw]

What I find sad, is that once again, DVC is missing the boat with existing members. I had felt that way leading up to SSMC06 and feel even more so today. The cruise which just ended 1 week ago today did not compare in detail to SSMC05, IMO. We had no thoughts of booking the next SSMC07 not only because we felt this years cruise was a bust, but we'd like to avoid taking the kids out of school every year. BUT......it shouldn't have been DVC's choice in the matter. It should have been our choice and they have just removed that choice from us.

I point blank asked Jim Lewis if there was a cruise next year and he replied with "we haven't made any announcement". I had heard the rumor from someone who's son goes to school with my DS6. She heard the information from Member Services along with the point spread. So, after Mr. Lewis did his presentation on the ship, I approached to ask about this missing piece of information. Now I feel as if they (DVC) of course knew about it, and just didn't want to let the cat out of the bag. No wonder, as I'm sure the tone of the cruise would have been very different if those of us on the ship would have known for certain then that we were going to be excluded in the future. Can you say "man overboard"?

My feel is that DVC is taking a turn in a direction that I don't like it to be going. If this is the wave of the future, along with the hard sell approach to existing members, I'm not sure this is the type of membership I care to be a part of anymore.

 

[Diana Lyn]

I'm another SSMC03, 05, 06 and Member Homecoming veteran.

I have to say my biggest disappointment with this whole matter is with Jim Lewis. From what I understand he was questioned about SSMC07 onboard last week and denied, denied, denied. Even when someone flat out told him they've seen the dates, point charts etc. Then on last night he stood in the atrium in front of us all and led the "Til we meet again" send off with a big "Who wants to do this again!!" To which thunderous applause followed. Talk about spitting in your face. I'm disgusted. How can anyone seriously say something like that and then pull the stunt they pulled today. This sounds harsh but the word phony comes to mind.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Let me don my hat, raincoat, hipboots and get out my plexiglass shield.

Since the special member cruise for points is a perk and not a part of your membership its up to Disney how they handle it. Having the same people go on the cruise year after year doesn't really do Disney Cruiselines any good. I would imagine at least part of the objective is to open up the wide wonderful world of cruising to the 100,000 plus membership in hopes that they will go on a different cruise sometime. If the same people go on the cruise year after year then the Cruiselines is missing out on the marketing opportunity they probably allowed for when originally negotiating with DVC.

 

[CarolA]

Personally I think this is MUCH fairer (although I would think they should put everyone in the lottery) The DVC phone system has MAJOR issues which result in folks NOT being waited on in the order they call. So even though you call early you run the risk of getting in the "broken queue" and not getting through. (I was in this queue last year and DVC tried to pretend it didn't exist, then WHY did I get through on another line after waiting five minutes while my cell had been on hold for two hours??) I find that system to be unfair, it has NOTHING to do with 'Getting up early' or "having patience" it has to do with BROKEN technology!

However, considering several of you have already posted that you found this year's cruise lacking why are you so upset that you might not get to go on it again? (Am I missing something here)

I also agree with DoubleTrouble. There are two parties involved here. DVC does not get to dictate to the cruise line as some folks seem to think. DCL is also a highly profitable part of Disney and wants to continue to expand it's business too.... Plus as he points out this is a PERK not what you purchased. We purchased the right to SLEEP at Disney. If you read the contract that's all... any of the rest of it can go away tomorrow.

 

[WDWLVR]

I would be fine if it was a lottery open to all - that would be fair. In fact that is what I said over on the 2006 cruise meets thread just yesterday.

Plus while I was a bit disappointed in a few things about this past cruise I still thought the cruise itself was special and was planning on going on the 2007 one as well.

Does DCL lose out by having repeat cruisers? Hardly as I know not only myself, but at least 10 other families in our group booked another cruise with DCL for something other than another member cruise (in our case a 2007 date that we will transfer to 2008 when they open up the dates we want).

I had already sent in a letter to DVC outlining what I thought was great about the 2006 cruise and what I was disappointed in. I firmly intend to write another letter telling them how disappointed I am in this decision. I think what makes those of us who were on the 2006 cruise take it a little more personal is Jim Lewis stood in front of us on the last night and asked if we wanted to do this (the Member Cruise) again and was met with lots of applause. Sad that he and the team knew that very few, if any, in that atrium would make it on next years. I'm sorry but that just isn't cool.

 

[Diana Lyn]

Let me don my hat, raincoat, hipboots and get out my plexiglass shield.

Since the special member cruise for points is a perk and not a part of your membership its up to Disney how they handle it. Having the same people go on the cruise year after year doesn't really do Disney Cruiselines any good. I would imagine at least part of the objective is to open up the wide wonderful world of cruising to the 100,000 plus membership in hopes that they will go on a different cruise sometime. If the same people go on the cruise year after year then the Cruiselines is missing out on the marketing opportunity they probably allowed for when originally negotiating with DVC.

The wide wonderful world of cruising is available for all 109,000 members and has been for years. I totally agree, my DVC contract does not give me the right to cruise on a Member Cruise, however the same people go on the cruise year after year because WE CHOOSE to back, not because DVC gives us a special "in" to get on another member cruise. We got up, we dialed, we waited, we paid the extra for it. Every single person in the world with a DVC contract had the same exact opportunity--it was totally equal. Those who cruised before, those who never cruised....if you had a phone, you had that chance. Now why do people who have never cruised before get special preference? I never received any special treatment to get on the '03 cruise and I hadn't cruised before.

CarolA--you are right on with the phone issue, but DVC should fix the technology, that's the problem, not the people who've been so loyal to them for all these years with their member gatherings. As for the disappointment and why cruise again--for me, it's simple....being around that many DVCer's, people who "get it" is an amazing experience. For us, it's not about the gifts, or the perks or whatever, it's about the friendships and family that have been made over the last 3 cruises. You can't put a value on that.

 

[CarolA]

You know....

I am almost willing to bet that most of you could still get on the cruise... I think that the other 100,000 of us probably have decided that the cost/benefit isn't worth it. (I had a spot on this year's cruise and gave it up. While I understand the "get it" I can't justify that much money for it! I would rather save my pennies and buy VAKL! When I compared the cost of this cruise to the cost of my family cruise on DCL in June I just could not justify the price difference. And there were lots of DVC members on my June cruise)

I don't have any intention of even trying for 2007.

 

[Chuck S]

You realize for several years Christmas and New Years ressies at DVC resorts were done in a similar fashion. The lottery system is nothing new to DVC, and it is up to them when to utilize it.

 

[Doctor P]

This is amazing. Before this was announced and before I saw this thread I was wondering why they didn't do this. I understand the frustration, but I also think this is a fantastic idea to try to spread the availability out a little more across members.

 

[Diana Lyn]

You realize for several years Christmas and New Years ressies at DVC resorts were done in a similar fashion. The lottery system is nothing new to DVC, and it is up to them when to utilize it.

I think the lottery system is an awesome idea, and with the phone troubles, it should be done that way, just don't exclude previous cruisers, that's where I think DVC is wrong in this case. I'm not opposed to the system, I'm opposed to the exclusion. Well, that and the fact that one week ago tonight Jim Lewis stood in front of us asking if we were ready to do it again, knowing full well that he was going to offer it to everyone else but us first.

 

[BeccaG]

Um. . .maybe I am missing something but when I read the announcment it only sounds like a small portion of the reservations are being given to first time cruisers and those who aren't randomly selected then fight it out with everyone else. I am guessing like other people have already stated, that this is a buisness decission to get more exposure for DCL for DVC patrons who have never been on the member crusie. While I understand how this seems unfair, I think I would say it is a smart move from a buisness perspective.

 

[JimC]

Interesting. I am less at odds with the lottery. I think that the special events for DVC, AP, etc have become so popular that they are testing ways to improve the process. If you don't like some aspect about it let them know. Feedback is what creates change.

I do agree with an earlier poster who brought up the DCL perspective -- exposing more folks to the fun of cruising. Had not considered that they may have negotiated for some way to get new faces on the boat. But having just said that if the cruise is that popular why not do two?

As an aside, I just signed up for the Finding Nemo The Musical preview at Animal Kingdom. The preview event (for AP holders) is done by online reservation. Slightly different from lottery but maybe another test at improving the process. Also noted the very clear warnings about what one must bring with them to gain admission (I suspect changes from the Expedition Everest previews where they had a bit of confusion).

 

[cgcw]

This is amazing. Before this was announced and before I saw this thread I was wondering why they didn't do this. I understand the frustration, but I also think this is a fantastic idea to try to spread the availability out a little more across members.

Sure, spread it out a bit across the members. I figured this was the plan. The overall feel of this years cruise was VERY different from last years cruise.

And.......

It will give new blood for DVC to try and hard sell add ons to. Sadly, that was the underlining feeling to me on this cruise. Not to value what they already had, but to push us to not only add on but for us to recruite new members into the program.

I for one will be if this backfires in their face and they don't sell the next member cruise!

 

[MarkRG]

Um. . .maybe I am missing something but when I read the announcment it only sounds like a small portion of the reservations are being given to first time cruisers and those who aren't randomly selected then fight it out with everyone else. I am guessing like other people have already stated, that this is a buisness decission to get more exposure for DCL for DVC patrons who have never been on the member crusie. While I understand how this seems unfair, I think I would say it is a smart move from a buisness perspective.

Yes, from a total cold buisness perspective it is better as they are going to get fresh people to sell points to.

Ok. I had to re-read the announcement some because of your comment.

Yes we do have a shot. It's going to depend on how many people DVC chooses to book ahead of time in the random drawing. The rest of us are going to be pot luck with the phones on Dec 9th.

I had misread the announcement and thought the first timers would have a separate callin from the rest of us.

 

[BeccaG]

Ok. I had to re-read the announcement some because of your comment.

Yes we do have a shot. It's going to depend on how many people DVC chooses to book ahead of time in the random drawing. The rest of us are going to be pot luck with the phones on Dec 9th.

I had misread the announcement and thought the first timers would have a separate callin from the rest of us.

And I hope you get your spot. I am a new member but I won't be fighting for any spots so best of luck and pixie dust to you!

 

[simzac]

Just a thought, since DVC membership continues to grow, maybe a 2nd DVC cruise will be needed in the near future; one that new members can have first shot at, and one that past cruisers would have first shot at. JMO

 

[RAD]

DW and I did the 2005 cruise and we had a blast. We wanted to do the 2006 cruise but with no ports of call then Castaway Cay and being told at reservation time that the spa wouldn't be open we took a pass.

We'd like to do another members cruise but based on the feedback that I've seen from the 2006 cruise I don't see us going. In 2005 there was no hard sell, not like what I've seen folks say about 2006's cruise.

I know a lot of folks love Castaway Cay, yep it's nice but we'd like to have someone other port of call on the cruise.

At 38 points more then the 382 that we're paying for the 10/14/07 cruise I don't see the value, you can buy a lot of pins and keep sakes for 38 points in the open.

I do like the lottery idea better then the phone call. In 2005 I dialed in and waited on hold for 45 minutes, while watching others on the DIS chat saying they were waiting for only 10, without knowing that their phones were messed up we might have missed out on it. DVC used to do the lottery for the Christmas holiday room reservations so I don't see it as something new.