How do you book your cruise?

[Tiger926]

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.

Thanks for explaining that. The CM did not mention that, probably because I asked for 4 and 7 night cruises. Probably the same cancellation policies.

Thanks, Tiger

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

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

Thank you for this explanation!

 

[rcchello]

Vacation points can be used to get a DVC reservation or converted to Reservation points to obtain a non-DVC reservation.

Reservation Points - Points used to get a reservation outside of DVC.
When you obtain a reservation outside of DVC the appropriate number of Vacation points are converted to Reservation points to get your reservation.
A reservation point cannot be converted back into a Vacation point.

Reasoning - Once you get a reservation outside of DVC, Disney will use those Vacation points to get rooms they rent out to cash customers or transfer to RCI in trade. The money they get pays for the Cruise, non-DVC resort room, you have reserved.

If you cancel your non-DVC reservation you can only use those points for reservations outside of DVC, since the DVC room has already been sold or traded to RCI.

This may not be totally true and they could have designed the system to allow buy backs, but it gets harder for Disney to manage.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

Vacation points can be used to get a DVC reservation or converted to Reservation points to obtain a non-DVC reservation.

Reservation Points - Points used to get a reservation outside of DVC.
When you obtain a reservation outside of DVC the appropriate number of Vacation points are converted to Reservation points to get your reservation.
A reservation point cannot be converted back into a Vacation point.

Reasoning - Once you get a reservation outside of DVC, Disney will use those Vacation points to get rooms they rent out to cash customers or transfer to RCI in trade. The money they get pays for the Cruise, non-DVC resort room, you have reserved.

If you cancel your non-DVC reservation you can only use those points for reservations outside of DVC, since the DVC room has already been sold or traded to RCI.

This may not be totally true and they could have designed the system to allow buy backs, but it gets harder for Disney to manage.

That is a really thorough explanation. Thank you!

 

[ITGirl50]

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?

You have to book a reservation status reservation 4-months prior to the end of your use year. So our cruise is in March and our use year is August. According to the DVC member website they have to be used in that use year. I'm not sure if I can use them with RCI if I cancelled?

You can buy insurance for your points for $79 per use year. We are using three banked points for our trip, so I would have to buy two use year's worth of insurance to cover the trip (according to MS). It covers the cost of maintenance fees, Trip Cancellations or Interruption, Delayed Flights, Employment Termination, Emergency sickness or accident, Baggage loss or damage.

Here is the information from the DVC Member web site:
"Returned Reservation Points will be deposited in to the Use Year in which the cancelled reservation falls. Returned Reservation Points may not be used for Disney Vacation Club Resort reservations or for World Passport Collection exchanges and will expire at the end of your Use Year. Returned Reservation Points cannot be banked."

"The rule of four: You cannot book and travel on The Disney Collection, (excluding Disneyland© Resort Hotels in California and Tokyo Disney Resort®), Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection vacations within the last 4 months of your Use Year. However, you can travel in the last 4 months of your Use Year as long as you've booked your stay more than 4 months before the end of your Use Year. "

 

[Inkmahm]

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

I personally prefer to transfer extra points to a fellow member or purchase points from a fellow member in the years I need more (for family reunions) as opposed to going the rental route. Renting keeps me involved with the points but transfering them to a fellow member does not. Once they are transferred, the points are gone and the other member can do whatever they want with them.

I have used the rent/trade board here at the DIS for finding someone to transfer points to/from. I haven't done it often, but it works well for me. Many others rent their points. If you don't want to do all the rental arrangements yourself, you can also let someone else handle the work for you. David, I think his name is, is a board sponsor here at the DIS. He finds the person to rent your points and I believe handles the payment between the two parties. I'm sure other people here have used his services and can help you with references for him.

 

[dawne98]

does anyone know who much each point is for a DCL?

 

[ITGirl50]

does anyone know who much each point is for a DCL?

I don't understand your question.

 

[dawne98]

I have read that same say $10 is = to one DVC point....so I was asking what is the $ to each each DVC point?

I don't understand your question.

 

[ITGirl50]

I have read that same say $10 is = to one DVC point....so I was asking what is the $ to each each DVC point?

They are just saying if you rent your points you could get $10 per point, but then you have to do the work required to rent the points. So in my opinion you really don't make $10 a point.