DVC points value for Cruises and other resorts

[DClatt]

EDIT: Nevermind...I just realised I'm an idiot and was only doing the math with points per 1 our of 2 occupants...it's clear now lol but I'm still trying to figure out other non Disney World resort savings and losses.


I've been considering buying into DVC and the flexibility of vacationing is a huge sell for me, but I keep reading that using DVC for a Disney Cruise or for resorts like Hilton Head or Hawaii is a loss and to sell them and pay cash. I've been trying to figure this out myself, particularly for the cruise, and can't make sense of where it's a loss. I priced out a Disney cruise and then compares that price to the points chart for that time period and it almost always comes out to being a $14-16+/point value.
Can somebody she's some light on how these properties are cheaper to just use cash for? Thanks!
Also...I hope this post is in the right place lol if not then I can repost where it's best suited for.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

but I keep reading that using DVC for a Disney Cruise or for resorts like Hilton Head or Hawaii is a loss and to sell them and pay cash

Half right. Hilton Head is a DVC resort, so the points use there is fine. Aulani is a DVC resort. You can use DVC points for them, even resale.

Cruises are stank, generally speaking. They are an exchange, and only available with direct points.

The key thing to understand is that cruise points are per person. If you book early in a cruise's booking, versus the point charts, you are generally getting $5-8 per point in value, which doesn't even cover the cost of your annual dues on those points. The cheapest cruise on points will be a minimum of 88 points per person for a 2-night Baja cruise in an inside stateroom. Booked opening day, that same room would cost 2 adults $1480 (per https://disneycruiselineblog.com/20...l-2020-sailings-a-look-at-opening-day-prices/). That puts the value per point at $8.40 per point for the Baja cruise.

A 3-night Bahamian cruise on the Dream, cheapest available would be November 13, 2020. Booked opening day for two adults would be $1760. On points, it comes out to 228 points for that Inside Stateroom. You're getting less than $8 per point.

If you figure both annual dues plus buy in, there is nearly no resort that you can buy right now that your annual cost will be less than what they give you as value.

 

[DClatt]

Half right. Hilton Head is a DVC resort, so the points use there is fine. Aulani is a DVC resort. You can use DVC points for them, even resale.

Cruises are stank, generally speaking. They are an exchange, and only available with direct points.

The key thing to understand is that cruise points are per person. If you book early in a cruise's booking, versus the point charts, you are generally getting $5-8 per point in value, which doesn't even cover the cost of your annual dues on those points. The cheapest cruise on points will be a minimum of 88 points per person for a 2-night Baja cruise in an inside stateroom. Booked opening day, that same room would cost 2 adults $1480 (per https://disneycruiselineblog.com/20...l-2020-sailings-a-look-at-opening-day-prices/). That puts the value per point at $8.40 per point for the Baja cruise.

A 3-night Bahamian cruise on the Dream, cheapest available would be November 13, 2020. Booked opening day for two adults would be $1760. On points, it comes out to 228 points for that Inside Stateroom. You're getting less than $8 per point.

If you figure both annual dues plus buy in, there is nearly no resort that you can buy right now that your annual cost will be less than what they give you as value.

Thanks a ton! Figuring out where the savings and losses are when not using points for a WDW resort is proving more difficult than I anticipated.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thanks a ton! Figuring out where the savings and losses are when not using points for a WDW resort is proving more difficult than I anticipated.

Hilton Head, Aulani, Vero Beach and VGC are all DVC resorts. They can be booked with resale DVC points from any resort save Riviera.

The rule really is that DVC points are best used to book DVC resorts. Any other use, even if it has the word Disney in it, is not a good value.

 

[CarolMN]

For more thoughts on this, check out "Using Points for the DVC Collections" in the DVC Resource Center

 

[bobbiwoz]

There’s also some disturbing (to me at least) posts about how points are treated when things like cruise itineraries are changed as they were this week.

Read the many posts in this thread about points and sailing.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...o-alter-sailings.3767426/page-2#post-61020723

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think people assume that when they "trade" points, DVC will take care of them, and it's really not the case. Once points are converted out of system, they cannot be returned to being "DVC points," and it's up to whatever contract DVC has with the other division. It's not one big happy company, financially or operationally.

This is also true trying to use points for DLP or Tokyo or similar.