Keep in mind your family situation here. We have 3 kids and are limited to a category 4 room or 2 smaller rooms. We are going (less than a month!) on a 4 day wonder using points for everyone but DS(who cost $559) in a cat. 4. However, we used some 2002 points, all 2003 points and over half of our 2004 points to do it (we are doing 3 days at VWL after the cruise).
I have booked a 7 day using cash--although we have only made the down payment. We booked 2 connecting category 10 rooms (SPH!) and it costs $6800. I have 141 points left for 2004, which only would get me $1400. If I use all of my 335 points for 2005, I'll have another $3350--but no one could use those points until 2/04, just 3 months before my full payment is due, and I've never rented so I'm wary about that--if the points don't rent, where will I come up with $3350? We will decide after our cruise if we want to cruise again and take the rental points route.
I could get a category 4 using points for one adult and two children, but the entire cash cost is due when you BOOK--not 60 days prior. I don't want to put that much on my charge card.
If I only had one or two kids, I think using points would be much easier and use much less of my brain power
. But if you have a family of 5 or more, you would have to look at how many points you would really need to cruise effectively and if you can afford that many points.
Robin M.
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