New member with cruise questions

[Hilrum711]

Hi all! We just returned today from a fabulous week in WDW! THe only thing that made the pain of leaving any better is the fact that we joined DVC yesterday. Our home resort is Bay Lake Tower!!!
I went online to register at dvcmembers.com, but it is asking for a pin number, which apparently I should receive within 2 weeks. I am therefore unable to access the points charts for the Disney Dream in July 2011. A google search led me to a lot of results about the "dream season," which, while interesting, didn't answer my question! You guys seem very knowledgable, so who wants to help a newbie out?

 

[erionm]

You can call MS and they can get you on to the member website.

The Disney Dream will be doing 3, 4 and 5 night cruises during 2011. Here's the point charts for those:

3 Nights: http://advc.disney.go.com/media/dvc...ointsChart_DisneyCollection_3NightBahamas.pdf
4 Nights: http://advc.disney.go.com/media/dvc...llection/2011PointsCharts_4NigtDCLUPDATED.pdf
5 Nights: http://advc.disney.go.com/media/dvc...ointsChart_DisneyCollection_5NightBahamas.pdf

 

[Hilrum711]

Perfect! Thank you so much!!!

 

[parlay]

Just wanted to say "Welcome Home"!

 

[Hilrum711]

Why, thank you very much! Glad to be home! (First time I ever said that the day after returning from wdw, lol)

 

[Inkmahm]

Welcome home and please do your research before using points for a cruise. Many of us believe that points are very expensive for cruises compared to using cash. At the fair market value of $10 per point, you could rent your points or transfer them to another member in order to get cash to pay for the cruise instead. You'd save points and would have a more flexible reservation with far fewer restrictions than if you'd make it with points.

 

[Stinger5]

Was just checking out the point charts for the 3,4, and 5 night cruises. Are those points PER PERSON? Just figuring how many points my family of four would need?

 

[erionm]

Was just checking out the point charts for the 3,4, and 5 night cruises. Are those points PER PERSON? Just figuring how many points my family of four would need?

Yes, points for cruises are per person.

For the first two passengers (regardless of age) you use the points on the top half of the page. For the third, fourth or fifth (depending on stateroom) you use the points on the bottom half of the page which are based on age.

 

[My 2 princesses]

Sorry to jump in here, but does anyone know if there is a discount for DVC members buying if paying by cash? Do you have to call MS to get the rate?

 

[erionm]

Sorry to jump in here, but does anyone know if there is a discount for DVC members buying if paying by cash? Do you have to call MS to get the rate?

There is no discount on cruises for either DVC members or Annual Pass holders.

 

[Inkmahm]

Was just checking out the point charts for the 3,4, and 5 night cruises. Are those points PER PERSON? Just figuring how many points my family of four would need?

Amazing, isn't it? I did the same thing the first time I looked at points for a cruise. I assumed they HAD to be for two people...

 

[DeeCee735]

Points for the cruises are high for sure. Most DVCer's state that they'd rather pay cash, and I totally understand that. We, however, feel completely opposite. It's no money out of our pockets (except the $95.00 exchange fee), and that's the main reason we bought in the first place (in 2000). We cruised in 2001 (or 2002 as memory is fuzzy ), and we are cruising again in APRIL ON THE NEW DREAM!!!! The first cruise was with the kids, we did 1/2 land 1/2 sea all points, which we used first year points and the additional allotment we got when we bought which we banked, and then we borrowed a few. This left us in always borrowing mode as we travel there at least 2x a year (we only have 285 points), but we don't care about that either since we'll be in our 80's at contracts end, and we still managed to cruise on all points again, and go more than once a year

I guess my point is, the beauty of DVC is that its flexible and can work great however you choose to use your points!!

HAPPY HAPPY PLANNING MANY FUTURE VACATIONS AND WELCOME HOME!

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

Congrats and Welcome Home!