how many points fopr a cruise?

[LarryC]

Also remember to add in the cost of your food, park tickets, other entertainment, and rental car when calculating your magical "$10 per point" value before you say the cruise is a bad deal.

On the cruise, your food is included (and probably WAY better than you're eating at the parks), your entertainment is included, and the transportation from one country to another is part of the package.

I also don't know how you can calculate the worth of being on a ship at sea vs staying in a hotel.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by randytenn
I'll bet you a beer on this one. In 10 years, if the exchanges disappear, I'll buy you a beer at the park! Your choice of establishments!

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by randytenn
Right now, my cruise would cost me $3,539.54 (without transfers or insurance), which breaks down to $8.89 / point (398 points).

So, I'm not that far off from the value of the points (averaging around $9 - 10 per point).

Your points so you can do what you want to with them. But my bet is that you could have gotten the cruise for much cheaper had you started earlier. I have yet to see an advance early booking discount price (usually more than 12 months ahead) that was more than $7.60 per point.

 

[rae519]

Dean - it would depend on what category a person would be comfortable with. We always want Cat 6 and that rarely, if ever, goes on sale.

Rae

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by LarryC
Also remember to add in the cost of your food, park tickets, other entertainment, and rental car when calculating your magical "$10 per point" value before you say the cruise is a bad deal.

On the cruise, your food is included (and probably WAY better than you're eating at the parks), your entertainment is included, and the transportation from one country to another is part of the package.

I also don't know how you can calculate the worth of being on a ship at sea vs staying in a hotel.

The cost of items included in the cruise have absolutely no meaning when comparing using points to cash as those items are included regardless of the payment . The question in comparison of points to cash is what would the cruise cost cash and how many points (plus exchange fee and possibly cash for some guests) would it be. One should also consider the other limitations of cash or points. These all favor cash in that:

• if you pay part points and part cash, you must pay all the cash up front.
• You have no access to any specials in place at the time.
• If you make ANY change, you have to pay another $75 fee.
• If you cancel, the points are reservation points. As such they expire at the end of the use year if unused and cannot be used at DVC resorts thereafter.
• If they price goes down, they will not change the price for the points options unless there is a special for less points.
• One can only book at 11 months out making special rooms like secret porthole rooms far less availalble.

You can do what you want with your points, it doesn't matter to me. But even in your example, you're breaking even at best and I want more than that from my membership.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by rae519
Dean - it would depend on what category a person would be comfortable with. We always want Cat 6 and that rarely, if ever, goes on sale.

Rae

I'm not sure that's accurate. There are many times when all cabins below cat 3 are discounted. I looked at three different weeks for 2004 and all had a 33-50% discount off rack rate for Cat 4 or less. These included summer and keep in mind that none of these were even a full 12 months ahead as the site I normally use to compare doesn't have DVC in for any of 2005. I'm sure there will be exceptions like holidays but even then DCL might block DVC members all together like the 10 day cruise next Xmas. If I were a member, I'd look at the entire package for a specific cruise and see what was best.

 

[randytenn]

But my bet is that you could have gotten the cruise for much cheaper had you started earlier.

But the great thing is that I can wait until the price goes through the roof, and cruise for the same points. I don't have to "time the market". Same points no matter when I book, early or late.

I only wish that I could have made a reservation for the off season, but my points can only be used after 6/1/04 (new member), so I had to book in the higher season. Next time, I won't have that problem.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by randytenn
But the great thing is that I can wait until the price goes through the roof, and cruise for the same points. I don't have to "time the market". Same points no matter when I book, early or late.

I only wish that I could have made a reservation for the off season, but my points can only be used after 6/1/04 (new member), so I had to book in the higher season. Next time, I won't have that problem.

If you chose to wait and pay more, that's up to you. But the fact is by waiting you paid more whether by cash or points. Your choice, enjoy.