Info on booking DCL please

[brumley5]

Hello all,
I am a new DVC member who has yet to use/book a trip. (Lots of dreaming going on though!)
We are interested in booking a Disney Cruise in 2004.
My request is for those who have booked a DC using their points.
Any information and pearls of wisdom you have would be greatly appreciated. (I'm kinda nervous about booking - being my first time and all........)
Did you generally get your 1st request whether for sailing dates or rooms?
Is it 11 or 7 months that you can start booking in advance?
Our slight problem is that we have another family whom we would like to coordniate a trip with (non DVC members) so am trying to figure out what our chances are of being able to book on their cruise since they can book so much earlier.
Is there a better time to book a cruise than others for DVC members? (it would seem like slim pickings around holidays than say September?)
We are open to dates in 2004 and I am sure that the other family would like to sail on a less expensive sailing.

Thanks very much for your help in advance and I am so glad to have found this board!
Tammy

 

[reneesam]

I have done 2 cruises on point so I'll bite...

You can book at 11 months out. This should be enough time for your friends to get a cash reservation as well. When you call DVC member services, they will ask you about your party, and if you have any preference for stateroom category. They will then put you on hold and they talk to the folks at DCL. They will come back to you with a listing or categories and/or specific staterooms that are available. It helps to have the official DCL brochure, Passporter, or other map of the ship so you can see the location of the stateroom. You then book and are also charged a $75 fee to transfer your points. The call takes longer than a routine DVC reservation.

I'd strongly advise you to surf the Cruise Line board for questions about stateroom categories, times to cruise, etc. There are some cheaper times to cruise that often correspond to poorer weather. However, we just cruised the week before President's Day which was Value Season (less points) and the weather was awesome.

Good luck!!!
Renee

If you want connecting staterooms with your friends, it may be difficult...they will have to call DCL right after you book and hope for the best. Alternately, you can try to get nearby stateroms. Good luck

 

[brumley5]

Renee,
Thank you for your quick reply! You made a good point about the weather - wouldn't want to go when it's not too good. We went on our first Disney Cruise - 7 day Eastern (where they reeled us in hook, line & sinker for DVC) Dec 15th, 2001. The weather for us was great. Not too hot.
I have heard about the 'rainy' (hurricane) season in the Caribbean and would like to know if anyone knows when that season officially is? I was told at one point it started in the summer and ended around Sept/Oct? Actually, we are trying for the Western 7 day cruise so any info weather wise there would be great too!

Tammy

 

[eva]

We are going on a cruise in May using points. It was quite painless making the reservation and a good portion of May is value season. I hear that the weather is great, in the mid 80's with a lot less rain then you will find in the summer or early fall. If you go that time of year you will probably have little trouble finding 2 cabins close to each other. We called at 7 months out and they still had quite a few cat. 6 for us to choose from.

 

[VJMorrell]

brumley5/Tammy,

I FINALLY PM'd you regarding the points/cash use on the cruise. Hope you get the message!!

Valerie

 

[VJMorrell]

Tammy,

The February cruise was great weather wise. Since we had so much snow here in the Northeast it was even better!!

I have been on two fall cruises. On both of them I was slightly seasick the first 24 hours, untill I got my sealegs. Although the weather was great, the waters were a bit rougher than in February. I am happy to say it was much smoother and I did not feel sick at all!!

Valerie