How do you book your cruise?

[wheredreamsbegin]

We are hoping to take our first cruise in June 2014. We are hoping to pay for most (if not all) of the trip using our points. We were planning to go through Member Services.

Is that the best way to go about booking a cruise? Is there something else that we should be considering?

 

[JimC]

We always pay cash. Usually book next cruise while on board and ask for it to be transferred back to our agent at Dreams Unlimited.

If you want really good cruise advice then I would book through Dreams Unlimited. Those folks know their stuff and provide excellent service.

While some like using points for a cruise it is my opinion that it is not as good a value and is less flexible than cash.

 

[Pakey]

We only did one and we paid cash and went through Dreams Unlimited. Not a good use of points IMO.

 

[amyy]

I don't mean to hijack your thread. JimC, can you explain how it is less flexible than cash?

We would like to take one and pay for one of us with points and the other cash. I just don't see us taking the time and all to sell our points so we can use the cash for the cruise. I am happy staying at Disney but it would be nice to take a cruise.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

Thank you for the information about Dreams Unlimited. I have read that they are very knowledgeable and often offer ship credit too. Unfortunately, we won't be able to pay cash for our cruise.

I should have worded my initial question differently. We are going to pay for our cruise using points. Is Member Services helpful with booking cruises? Is there anything else that we should/can consider if booking with points?

We know that it is not the best use of points; however, it is the best way for us to afford a Disney cruise at this time. We would like to take a cruise while our kids our young (although we hope to go back when they're older too!) This is the only way we can make it happen.

Thanks!

 

[quirty30]

If you are booking with points, you have to go thru Member Services. I have called them a couple of times looking for dates and point totals for cruises. They had no problem getting me the info I needed. I ultimately decided to book for cash and went thru Dreams Unlimited like others have suggested.

 

[dawne98]

we are going on our 1st DCL May 2012!!! We are able to go b/c we too are going on our DVC points!!! I am not use why a lot say it is not a good way to use your points....so anyway MS was great and I told her how many we had for it and we use only 3 more points then we wanted. WE are a family of 5 going in two rooms and you do have to pay $95 to use your points for a DCL.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We've been on 4 DCL cruises and 2 were for points,( one of those was a Member cruise), and 2 for cash and we booked another family vacation on board, transferred it to Dreams Unlimited for the extra shipboard credit.

The 2 cruises that we have travelled on using Dreams Unlimited have gone without a hitch, but still I really don't like dealing with an operation who's primary contact is via e-mail. That's just personal preference, but because they are sponsors, I tried them. I was very pleasantly surprised twice using them, once our price for the 3 cabins actually went down, and on our last cruise, our family (not us, but the 2 connecting cabins we book for our family) was upgraded from inside to outside.

Bobbi

 

[treehugnmama]

I am also looking to book on points and I also realize it it not a good use of points. Ut that is what works for us. I am just so worried about the cancellation policy wiu booking on points. I have young kids like you do and stuff happens.

 

[amyy]

I am also looking to book on points and I also realize it it not a good use of points. Ut that is what works for us. I am just so worried about the cancellation policy wiu booking on points. I have young kids like you do and stuff happens.

Can you help me find the info about the cancellation policy when using points. Using points is what works for us too. thanks

 

[Tiger926]

Just called yesterday for this exact info, and he was talking fast, so here is what I got (sorry if there is an error, but I"m sure someone will correct it):

Cancellation Policy:

day of booking until 75 days - points in reservation and 100% cash refund

0-74 days before cruise - points back in reservation status and 20% cash/points loss

** at least 1 person in cabin must be on points, in order to do points/cash combo **

** full payment is due at time of booking, if doing points/cash combo **

** if using all points, you are not eligible for any other point adjustments, should a cash sale/promo come up, as DVC negotiates the point charts in advance **

I hope I got this info right. MS will be able to help you with any questions you may have. I asked for 2012 cruises, and they are filling up already, according to MS.

Happy crusing, Tiger

 

[Tiger926]

Sorry - double post courtesy of a weird glitch

 

[Inkmahm]

We always pay cash. Usually book next cruise while on board and ask for it to be transferred back to our agent at Dreams Unlimited.

If you want really good cruise advice then I would book through Dreams Unlimited. Those folks know their stuff and provide excellent service.

While some like using points for a cruise it is my opinion that it is not as good a value and is less flexible than cash.

We do exactly the same as JimC.

Do NOT use your points for a cruise without doing your homework and crunching the numbers. Some people don't care if they pay more for a cruise by using their points. But I can't stand the thought of paying more for something than I have to.

 

[Inkmahm]

Thank you for the information about Dreams Unlimited. I have read that they are very knowledgeable and often offer ship credit too. Unfortunately, we won't be able to pay cash for our cruise.

I should have worded my initial question differently. We are going to pay for our cruise using points. Is Member Services helpful with booking cruises? Is there anything else that we should/can consider if booking with points?

We know that it is not the best use of points; however, it is the best way for us to afford a Disney cruise at this time. We would like to take a cruise while our kids our young (although we hope to go back when they're older too!) This is the only way we can make it happen.

Thanks!

You can still "use" your points to pay for the cruise without booking the cruise using points. Rent out or transfer ONLY the number of points you need to get to the cash cost of the cruise. Keep all the additional points to use for nights before or after your cruise at WDW. Or, rent out the same number of points you were going to use to pay for your cruise and with the extra cash that you have leftover after paying cash instead, book a few excursions or dinners at Palo.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

If you are booking with points, you have to go thru Member Services. I have called them a couple of times looking for dates and point totals for cruises. They had no problem getting me the info I needed. I ultimately decided to book for cash and went thru Dreams Unlimited like others have suggested.

Thank you for your response. This is exactly what I needed to know.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

You can still "use" your points to pay for the cruise without booking the cruise using points. Rent out or transfer ONLY the number of points you need to get to the cash cost of the cruise. Keep all the additional points to use for nights before or after your cruise at WDW. Or, rent out the same number of points you were going to use to pay for your cruise and with the extra cash that you have leftover after paying cash instead, book a few excursions or dinners at Palo.

This is something that I hadn't thought about. I don't know much about the renting/transferring of points. Is it difficult/problematic?

 

[ITGirl50]

We have taken two cash cruises and we have just booked our first points cruise for March 2012. We have enough points and go to WDW three/four times a year, that we decided we wanted to cruise again. I really don't want the hassle of renting our points.

The downside of using points is that 1) it's not flexible, if you decide you can't go on those dates you will have to pay $95 to change it 2) you have to pay the full cost of the cash person at booking (we did this for our DD) 3)if you cancel you can't go to a DVC resort, they are in reservation status and have to be used like that 4) a 4-month restriction on booking with reservation status points (don't know the details, but I think if we canceled this cruise, we would probably lose the points).

The upside, little out-of-pocket cost. The cruise we booked costs $2872 for two of us. We paid 276 points. We paid an additional $675 for my DD plus the $95 fee. I think that's an EXCELLENT value.

We have another cash reservation with the discounts and OBC and just booked it on board on our last cruise. We will probably do it both ways.

Check out the disboards cruiseline forum for great information on the cruise.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

We have taken two cash cruises and we have just booked our first points cruise for March 2012. We have enough points and go to WDW three/four times a year, that we decided we wanted to cruise again. I really don't want the hassle of renting our points.

The downside of using points is that 1) it's not flexible, if you decide you can't go on those dates you will have to pay $95 to change it 2) you have to pay the full cost of the cash person at booking (we did this for our DD) 3)if you cancel you can't go to a DVC resort, they are in reservation status and have to be used like that 4) a 4-month restriction on booking with reservation status points (don't know the details, but I think if we canceled this cruise, we would probably lose the points).

The upside, little out-of-pocket cost. The cruise we booked costs $2872 for two of us. We paid 267 points. We paid an additional $675 for my DD plus the $95 fee. I think that's an EXCELLENT value.

We have another cash reservation with the discounts and OBC and just booked it on board on our last cruise. We will probably do it both ways.

Check out the disboards cruiseline forum for great information on the cruise.

I definitely like the advantage of few out-of-pocket costs (aside from transportation, tips, and alcohol!).

I need to find out more about "reservation status". Do you really potentially lose all of your points if for some reason you can't go on the trip? What if you have trip insurance?

 

[Tiger926]

I definitely like the advantage of few out-of-pocket costs (aside from transportation, tips, and alcohol!).

I need to find out more about "reservation status". Do you really potentially lose all of your points if for some reason you can't go on the trip? What if you have trip insurance?

Reservation status means you can only use your points at a non-DVC resort, such as Grand Floridian or Port Orleans. The points per night for these hotels are really high, but if you have to use them, you have to use them. DVC will not switch them to non-reservation, so if you can't use them by that current UY, you lose those points. Plus, you need to pay the $95.00 fee.

Tiger

 

[CarolAnnC]

Just called yesterday for this exact info, and he was talking fast, so here is what I got (sorry if there is an error, but I"m sure someone will correct it):

Cancellation Policy:

day of booking until 75 days - points in reservation and 100% cash refund

0-74 days before cruise - points back in reservation status and 20% cash/points loss

** at least 1 person in cabin must be on points, in order to do points/cash combo **

** full payment is due at time of booking, if doing points/cash combo **

** if using all points, you are not eligible for any other point adjustments, should a cash sale/promo come up, as DVC negotiates the point charts in advance **

I hope I got this info right. MS will be able to help you with any questions you may have. I asked for 2012 cruises, and they are filling up already, according to MS.

Happy crusing, Tiger

In looking at the cancellation policies from my paperwork for this summer's cruises, I see there are separate policies for various itineraries as well as categories.

For my 7 night Alaska cruise you only get a full refund if cancelling 90 or more days before sail date.

89-45 days your penalty is 86 Reservation points or $600 of any cash payment made..

44-15 days it is 50% turn into Reservation points or 50% of the cash payment back.

and 7 days or less no refund at all.

Some categories have worse penalty including 14 days prior no refund at all.

You really need to check for the particular cruise you are looking at.