Help - Trying to Book 2006 Cruise with DVc Points

[Michigan Mommy]

While my husband and I have been members for 3 plus years, we have never booked a Cruise.

In celebration of our 10 year wedding anniversary, we would like to take our children on a Disney Cruise.

We have been trying to book a 2006 Cruise, for January no less, and according to the guidelines, we are allowed to book 11 months out. Member Services continues to tell me that the 2006 points requirements is not out, that there are changes to the cancellation policy that need clarifying, and that they have no ETA on when the points requirements will be issued. AND that until they are issued, we cannot book the cruise.

I am growing increasingly frustrated and worried that we will not be able to book the cruise as we would like - and NO ONE seems to be an advocate for the members in getting these points requirements issued!

can anyone give me there thoughts, experiences, advice on what to do? any thanks in advance....

 

[glindamood]

I feel your pain. We are DVC too (even purchased more points to cruise with) and when I booked our December cruise I could not get what I wanted for cabins. Since I called the first day it was available and started when they opened (didn't get through until about 10 minutes after) the category I wanted was gone! Only so many cabins are alloted for DVC and when they are gone, they are gone. No wait list either - if someone cancels DCL may not give the cabin back to DVC for someone else. MOST confusing!

Point charts are usually out late but in the past I believe that DVC has been able to reserve your cabin for you and apply the point changes when they are released. I would think they should be able to tell you something - a date anyway so that you can put it on your calendar and call.

Did you post on the DVC board - there may be more information there than here.

 

[dkddis]

We booked a cruise for Feb 2006, but used the travel agent sponsoring this forum. They get a better discount than the rack rate on the DCL site and after putting down a 1k deposit, I have my room number and dinner seating time reserved. Also points do not go very far on the cruise. ( I hope they change this for DVC members) I decided after reading many posts to use a travel agent and pay cash. You can rent your points for 10 each and use that to pay for part of the cruise cost. I do not know what room category you are planning on, but if you did the math you may find that renting all your points may cover half the cost of your cruise, but spending your points may only cover one quarter or one third of the cruise!