HELP! Points in reservation status for cruise?

[kkmauch]

As I understand, when you use points for a cruise, no matter when the cruise takes place the points are immediately withdrawn from your account. Correct?

We are considering a purchase of a contract and want to use points for a cruise in 2011. If we have 260 points that are in "reservation status" and must be used by 9/1/2010, will they be eligible to pay for our 2011 cruise?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Crystal_27]

I don't think that it's necessarily correct to say that the points are immediately withdrawn from your account. I think it's more accurate to say that the points are immediately converted to points that have to be used outside of the DVC resort family, and cannot ever then be used to book a DVC resort. If your points have to be used by 9/1/2010, you unfortunately will not be able to use them for your 2011 cruise - those points will fully expire on 9/1/2010. Something to consider would be to rent those points and then use your rental proceeds to pay cash for the cruise.

 

[kkmauch]

So if my UY is August and I have my 2010 points coming in August, I can't even use my 2010 points for the cruise? I'm very confused. How and when and what points can i use to book a cruise?

 

[Chuck S]

If you have an August use year, your 2010 use year begins August 1, 2010. You can use those points for a cruise if the cruise date is prior to August 1, 2011. If the sale date is on or after August 1, 2011, you need to bank the pooints to be able to use them for the cruise. The points currently in Reservation status are 2009 use year points.

 

[Crystal_27]

So if my UY is August and I have my 2010 points coming in August, I can't even use my 2010 points for the cruise? I'm very confused. How and when and what points can i use to book a cruise?

Oh, you can definitely use your 2010 points for the 2011 cruise!

You have an August use year, so you will receive your yearly allotment of points (we'll use 260 as an example) on August 1, 2010. Those points will expire on July 31, 2011. On August 1, 2011, you will get another 260 points, which will expire July 31, 2012. When you book your cruise, since you are cruising in 2011, you also have your 2011 points available to use for this cruise. You also have the option of borrowing all of your 2012 points if you need additional points for the cruise. The process sounds very complex, but Member Services will handle the necesssary banking/borrowing. You can book your cruise at any time (for example, we booked our June, 2011 cruise when the point charts were released in November, 2009) *but* we used 2010 points (banked into 2011) and 2011 points to do it, not 2009 points.

I hope I'm not confusing you more by my explanation. If so, I'm sure that someone else will chime in with a better explanation.

 

[kkmauch]

That was very helpful. Can I just run this scenario by you to make sure I understand?

August 1, 2010 300 pts plus 20 banked from 2009:
Use 242 pts at SSR for a one week 2 bedroom, bank 78 pts for 2011.
August 1, 2011 300 pts plus 78 banked from 2010:
Use 384 pts for cruise and OKW one bedroom, borrow 6 points from 2012.

Is this all correct? Would I be able to make all these reservations now?

Thanks!

 

[DebbieB]

What is the date of the cruise? If it's before 8/1, it will be in your 2010 use year. If it's 8/1 or after, it will be in your 2011 use year.

 

[Crystal_27]

That was very helpful. Can I just run this scenario by you to make sure I understand?

August 1, 2010 300 pts plus 20 banked from 2009:
Use 242 pts at SSR for a one week 2 bedroom, bank 78 pts for 2011.
August 1, 2011 300 pts plus 78 banked from 2010:
Use 384 pts for cruise and OKW one bedroom, borrow 6 points from 2012.

Is this all correct? Would I be able to make all these reservations now?

Thanks!

If you are indeed cruising in November, 2011 (as your signature indicates), you can go ahead and book your December, 2010 trip now (provided that SSR is your home resort), and can book your 2011 cruise now as well (but make sure that Member Services is using the correct points from the correct use year - - they will need to first bank 78 from 2010 into 2011 and then book your cruise). For the 2011 stay at OKW you will have to wait until the 7 month window opens to book that (assuming SSR is your home resort) and MS will do the borrowing at that point. Remember also that you will have to pay the $95 fee to Member Services upon booking your cruise. I promise you that MS will walk you through the process and make it as simple as possible.