DVC - any breaks?

[jfis1020]

I was frustrated when I book with DVC. We went part points/part pay. We were not allowed the same policies that apply to anyone else booking through DCL. We had to "pay up front", which was a LOT of money for two adults and three kids. My question is........where can we at least get an onboard credit? I feel I am being punished for being a DVC member!

 

[Boo]

We too used both points and cash. Even though we paid (upfront) for my in laws and they are first time cruisers, we still didn't get the $50 credit which was kind of a bummer. I am curious however, if DVC cruisers are given priority on free upgrades? The last time we booked a cruise we were bumped from a category 12 to a cat 9 at the terminal checkin. I'm wondering if this was a fluke or a common practice when the less expensive staterooms are sold out to make more room. Any other DVC'ers upgraded?

 

[westjones]

I have a DCL trip booked with points for next September, but it will be the last time I use points for a cruise (we only have 150 points anyway). I don't like the way it is so strict and we can't change our date of sailing and we had to pay the $75 transaction fee (even though it is part of Disney---I knew it ahead of time, but it is still annoying). I also didn't like the 11 month window (when we like to sail at the same time each year and I wanted to book while onboard).

I like DU much better and told DH that for now on, our points will be for Hilton Head, Vero Beach or Disney World and we will just pay for our cruises.

But "live and learn", I am still thrilled with the DVC rooms at WDW and can't wait to see Hilton Head. And it won't be hard to use our 150 points up, so I'm not worried.

Debra

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by westjones
I have a DCL trip booked with points for next September, but it will be the last time I use points for a cruise (we only have 150 points anyway). I don't like the way it is so strict and we can't change our date of sailing and we had to pay the $75 transaction fee.
I like DU much better and told DH that for now on, our points will be for Hilton Head, Vero Beach or Disney World and we will just pay for our cruises.
But "live and learn", I am still thrilled with the DVC rooms at WDW and can't wait to see Hilton Head. And it won't be hard to use our 150 points up, so I'm not worried.

Debra

I agree 100% with you. Booking with points is getting out of hand through DVC. We just booked a 4 day through DU with cash and it was half of what it would have cost using DVC pts.

 

[mickeylvr]

I am glad to hear that others are frustrated with DVC and their cruise policies, I thought I was the only one. I will definitely not use points ever again. We used points for 4 people and cash for 2 people and were told that we could not get the first time cruiser credit because we booked through DVC. After adding up how much we paid for the 2 cash people and the 4 people with points if you convert that to cash, I know that we are paying more for this cruise than most of the people who will be cruising on the ship with us. It just doesn't seem fair, especially hearing from people who just booked and just cruised that they got the credit and used DVC to book. I sure hope the cruise is worth it in the end.

 

[psimon]

Just for the record, we were on the 11/2 cruise. My parents booked their room with points and our room with cash. Theirs went through DVC and ours went directly through DCL (my choice of book methodolgy). When I heard about the $50 first timers credit I called DCL and asked for it to be applied to both rooms. They said sure, no problem.

On board we requested statements periodically for both rooms. We noticed that the cash room had it, but the DVC room did not. We questioned them at the desk, and they chatted in the back room for a minute, came back and said no problem! The next day the first timers $50 was on the DVC room as well!

My point here is that eventually , when you get close to sailing, you have a real reservation # that DCL will acknowledge (It wasn't until about 60 days prior that DCL admitted there was a reservation booked under points! Even then DVC didn't pay the cash to DCL until 21 days prior to sailing!). Call them and ask for the credit. Regardless of their answer, check your statement while on board. If it isn't there, ask for it at the desk. Looks like they will put it there if it already isn't!

You have nothing to lose, and $50 to gain!

Paul

 

[AnnMorin]

I imagine DVC would be the bottom of the list not a priorty for free upgrades

I called yesterday to enquire what it would cost to upgrade us from a cat 6 to a 4 or three and was told by the CM that because I booked half with points I would have to call DVC about it and to be prepared to pay 75.00 more to change our reservation. I said DVC can not book cat 3 and he said that I had to call them anyhow.
Well I decided forget it and we will just be happy with our cat. 6!

 

[pigelet]

We were going to use our DVC points for the cruise. But the amount you need is out of control. It wasn't worth it. We would have had to do part points and part cash. They wanted sooooo much more cash than the TA. The kids were about $700 each with DVC and I'm only paying $439 each. It just didn't make sense. Adults were like $600 more. When I asked if I could use points for 2 and go thru a TA for the other 2, they said no. I paid in cash for the whole trip.
I will say, however, that when we had BWV booked last year for 9/25, they were so good about the cancellation policy. Every day we had another opinion about whether or nt we should go. We were within the 30 day window and they told us we could decide up until the morning of the 25th. We did go & I'm so happy we did. It was good to fly that soon after the WTC cause I would probably be hesitant to fly. We came out of Newark and it was very distressing to see the dramatic change in the skyline before boarding the plane. It was nice to know that Delta and DVC had our feelings in mind.

 

[Hygiene99]

i recomend that u , A) use your points at dvc resorts
or B) u list your points for rent on the dvc rent trade board and use the money from the rental to go on the cruise and also spending... it is out of control the amount of points it take to go on a cruise...... this person would not use points to cruise.
we did but we got 107 points in cat 9 on eastern was a while back they had special .... peter

 

[ReneeMoss]

We just booked a 7-day Eastern Magic for Aug. 23, 2003 while on-board the Wonder (3-day).
We used our DVC points - it was a Total of 309 pts. for a Cat. 9 for me, DH and 12 yr. old grandson.
I think that is a pretty good deal, regardless of the $75 fee.
I do however, agree that it is annoying not to have a "change" option, without paying another DVC $75 fee plus the DCL "change" fee - and I'm also not happy that booking on-board with DVC points has to be within an 11 month "window".........( limits us to sailing one month earlier each year if we book on-board)- but, if you can arrange to sail during the "value" season, and also use the oferred on-board DVC points discount - the "cost" is less than using a TA.
I priced the cruise (for cash) before boarding as I was planning to book on-board........ it was better for me to use 309 DVC points than trying to "rent"my points @ $10 per point, and then paying cash for the cruise.
But, suffice it to say, it would be nice to have a little shipboard credit with the DVC point booking, in addition to the discount oferred (as they do with cash cruisers)
Oh well - I'm just happy I can cruise without "out of pocket" money.......that's what DVC is all about!

 

[Amous]

I, too, am a DVC member. I'm in the minority as I usually book my Disney cruise with points; I'm 1/2 of a 2/person family so the initial cost is no where near what it would be for a larger family (whew, I can only imagine the cost!).

I have the same concerns relating to DVC that have previously been mentioned in the post:

* $75 transfer/change fee
* 11-month window for booking
* no on-board booking (unless it's within the 11-month window?)
* "iffy" first-time cruiser credit
* total balance due up front

I also agree with those of you who have felt frustration and the feeling of 'being punished' as a DVC member when using points for a Disney Cruise. It's very obvious it's not just one, but many who share this view point.

With so many repeat cruisers (I'm sure many of them DVC members?!), would DVC and/or DCL opt to view this post and offer a change to their policies? Just a thought.....

Thanks for letting me share! Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Amy