No room for DVC'r on Cruises with Availability

[4BeachBums]

I just got an email this morning on deals that DCL is offering for trips this Fall on the Dream. Since we have not been on the Dream yet I thought I would jump on a 3-day cruise with some points.

I checked on the disney cruise website before calling member services and several categories showed availability.

However, when I called Member Services they informed me that NO cruises were available for DVC members on the new ships until October of 2012. When I mentioned that I KNOW they have availability I was informed that DVC only gets so many rooms and they are booked up.

This is the 5th time in the last year that I have tried to book something and there was always some problem with what we were trying to do. Having been a member since the 90's and traded for everything including ski vacations, cruises, etc. I have never had such problems getting value from my DVC points. It is definitely getting harder to use points - not easier.

 

[wintergreen]

Bummer! I was hoping to use points for a cruise in August 2012. I wonder if this will change?

 

[JWG]

I think the popularity of trading "out" has gone up. Hence changes to the resale rules, last minute blackouts of cruise availability... etc., etc.

There's a limited inventory and as members are added, I don't believe that inventory really escalates any. More people fighiting for the same thing. It's what many members would say about the 7 month window. More members fighting for the same reservations because certain resorts (BCV, BWV, BLT) have more appeal and limited space than others.

It's the downside of growth.

 

[quirty30]

I booked my June 2012 Fantasy Cruise back in January. At the time, I could have booked for points, but I opted for a cash booking. For cruises, it is probably prudent to try somewhere from 2 years to 1.5 years in advance. 2 years out is the earliest you can book using points. I know that's not always easy.

For what it's worth, there is a big advantage to making cash bookings early as well. If I booked the same cruise and cabin today it would cost almost $3500 more than what I paid (more than half again as much.) It would seem the popularity of the Dream and Fantasy require advance planning whether you are using points or paying cash.

 

[lilpooh108]

I just got an email this morning on deals that DCL is offering for trips this Fall on the Dream. Since we have not been on the Dream yet I thought I would jump on a 3-day cruise with some points.

I checked on the disney cruise website before calling member services and several categories showed availability.

However, when I called Member Services they informed me that NO cruises were available for DVC members on the new ships until October of 2012. When I mentioned that I KNOW they have availability I was informed that DVC only gets so many rooms and they are booked up.

This is the 5th time in the last year that I have tried to book something and there was always some problem with what we were trying to do. Having been a member since the 90's and traded for everything including ski vacations, cruises, etc. I have never had such problems getting value from my DVC points. It is definitely getting harder to use points - not easier.

Unfortunately, this has been true since May 2011. We called to use a rebooking discount after getting off a cruise in May 2011, and was told that we did not have any choices on the Dream or Fantasy until October 2012.

 

[Lynne M]

Apparently, DCL only chooses to make a limited number of cabins available for member stays on points. How much inventory they provide is really up to them.

A good reminder that using points for DCL is a perk, extended by DCL to the extent that it suits their business needs, and is not part of your membership contract.

 

[SmilingGrump]

Other DVCers have me convinced that the most economical option is to rent out your points and pay cash for the cruise. There's very few situations where it's cheaper (or even equal) to use your points for cruising ... it's just easier. If you do book I hope you have a great voyage!

 

[pyrxtc]

I tried to book a cruise, any cruise, for next summer or February or April leaving anywhere from the East coast and they had no availability at all for me on any ship. OK, maybe they did have one room for a trip for New England but I live there, I don't want to drive to NY so I can cruise there!

 

[dizzneebabe]

We were told the same thing last month when we tried to look into cruising on the Fantasy in July 2012. I know it was going to be popular and that there are different inventories, but there were plenty of cabins open on the DCL site when I checked at a REALLY high price tag. So, I too, was surprised that MS told us there was nothing available.

We could have had 2 cabins (both inside) for 4 adults, 1 child for around 1000 points. The cash rate would have cost over $12K for the same cabins. In THIS case, the points were a better value, IMO.

 

[DebbieB]

Apparently, DCL only chooses to make a limited number of cabins available for member stays on points. How much inventory they provide is really up to them.

A good reminder that using points for DCL is a perk, extended by DCL to the extent that it suits their business needs, and is not part of your membership contract.

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect DVC is also limiting the number of trade-outs. When you tradeout, that leaves DVC with a room that has to be rented through CRO to pay for your cruise. They have been having difficulty doing that without a large discount. In some cases, they are practically having to give them away. For example, UK residents can get a room at SSR with a 40% discount and free dining. Or people at values are getting free upgrades to OKW and SSR so that it will free up value rooms that they can rent. Otherwise they will go empty and DVC will get no cash from them to pay for the points cruise.

It's not just cruises and it's not new. I wanted to stay at GCH before VGC opened a couple of years ago. There was a room on the disneyland website but when I called DVC, no points rooms. They told me points availability was limited.

I also suspect that this was one of the reasons DVC decided to restrict resales. Less opportunity for tradeouts that they have to deal with.

 

[disneynutz]

Using your points for anything other than your home resort is a marketing gimmick.

Disney offers other "Magical" vacations so they can advertise how versatile owning a piece of the magic is. In reality they only offer restricted use of your points other than at your home resort.

Also take note that the limited availability will always be DCL's and RCI's fault, never DVC's.

Bill

 

[Mommb]

The "cost" for DVC point reservations on cruises is fixed when the point charts become available. This means that it can be a "better" value to use points if the cash cost goes up, or a "worse" value to use points if the cash cost goes down (as it did for a while on the Mediterranean cruises last summer).

It's been about a year since it became much more difficult to use DVC points for cruises. As with DVC resorts, it is quite possible for there to be availability for a cash reservation but no availability for a DVC points reservation.

As mentioned, the least expensive way to use DVC points for a cruise is to rent the points to someone who wants a park reservation, then use the money you earn for a cash reservation on a Disney cruise. If you want to book a cruise on points, you need to book as early as possible before the maximum number of cruise reservations for a cruise is reached. (I don't think anyone has definitive information on what this limit is and whether it varies by cruise.)

 

[Disbroads]

I just got an email this morning on deals that DCL is offering for trips this Fall on the Dream. Since we have not been on the Dream yet I thought I would jump on a 3-day cruise with some points.

I checked on the disney cruise website before calling member services and several categories showed availability.

However, when I called Member Services they informed me that NO cruises were available for DVC members on the new ships until October of 2012. When I mentioned that I KNOW they have availability I was informed that DVC only gets so many rooms and they are booked up.

This is the 5th time in the last year that I have tried to book something and there was always some problem with what we were trying to do. Having been a member since the 90's and traded for everything including ski vacations, cruises, etc. I have never had such problems getting value from my DVC points. It is definitely getting harder to use points - not easier.

I have to imagine DVC gets a good discount from DCL. With the Dream being new and in high demand in pre-bookings, DCL likely said no to discounts, thinking they can fill the ship with full paying passengers. The agreement has to be in place long term so points charts can be published.

Now DCL isn't filling them, so they can offer discounts for cash. We are technically in "this Fall", so this offer is for a very short booking window for the cruise industry.

Sounds like they're trying to get something for cabins that will otherwise go empty.

October 2012 must be where they think demand will settle down.

Look at the member cruise. A least favorite month for avid cruisers. September is peak hurricane month of the season, and school is back in session.
Low demand.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have to imagine DVC gets a good discount from DCL. ....

I'd bet the opposite. Points stays for DCL are always high. Many years ago, they were kind of reasonable, but no more. Why do you think they have the member cruise in Sept? Not as many people wanting to cruise because of the potential for a hurricane.

 

[Dean]

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect DVC is also limiting the number of trade-outs. When you tradeout, that leaves DVC with a room that has to be rented through CRO to pay for your cruise. They have been having difficulty doing that without a large discount. In some cases, they are practically having to give them away. For example, UK residents can get a room at SSR with a 40% discount and free dining. Or people at values are getting free upgrades to OKW and SSR so that it will free up value rooms that they can rent. Otherwise they will go empty and DVC will get no cash from them to pay for the points cruise.

It's not just cruises and it's not new. I wanted to stay at GCH before VGC opened a couple of years ago. There was a room on the disneyland website but when I called DVC, no points rooms. They told me points availability was limited.

I also suspect that this was one of the reasons DVC decided to restrict resales. Less opportunity for tradeouts that they have to deal with.

I don't think there's any doubt that DVD has chosen to limit the number/% of points they have to deal with trading out due to the increased difficulty turning those points into cash. At one time in the past, DVD was only able to rent about 75% of the rooms they offered and CRO takes around half the money from those rentals and that was in a stable economy. It's always been a very inefficient system.

I have to imagine DVC gets a good discount from DCL.

My understanding is around 10% based on rake rates, usually significantly higher than the early booking discounts. I'm sure there is some variability in certain situations but likely not that often.

 

[twooley2]

I just got an email this morning on deals that DCL is offering for trips this Fall on the Dream. Since we have not been on the Dream yet I thought I would jump on a 3-day cruise with some points.

I checked on the disney cruise website before calling member services and several categories showed availability.

However, when I called Member Services they informed me that NO cruises were available for DVC members on the new ships until October of 2012. When I mentioned that I KNOW they have availability I was informed that DVC only gets so many rooms and they are booked up.

This is the 5th time in the last year that I have tried to book something and there was always some problem with what we were trying to do. Having been a member since the 90's and traded for everything including ski vacations, cruises, etc. I have never had such problems getting value from my DVC points. It is definitely getting harder to use points - not easier.

Yes we bought DVC a year ago have taken one trip and it seems DVC has been a thorn for us. Never do they have availability when we call for cruises, rci exchanges . There are a lot of if this than not that and if that than not this going on. I know there are guidelines but it is overboard in my opinion when cash guest get better choices while I am making dedicated payments to them. take the Jr suites at Coronado springs if you want to trade into that for the collection resorts its not available and what about the new princess rooms at port Orleans cant book those either cause no one knows how those are handled. No internet free if you stay at a collection resort on points and pay 95.00 too. No room cleaning unless you pay for it too. Makes me wonder what I agreed to this silly membership for but whats done is done. Right?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes we bought DVC a year ago have taken one trip and it seems DVC has been a thorn for us. Never do they have availability when we call for cruises, rci exchanges . There are a lot of if this than not that and if that than not this going on. I know there are guidelines but it is overboard in my opinion when cash guest get better choices while I am making dedicated payments to them. take the Jr suites at Coronado springs if you want to trade into that for the collection resorts its not available and what about the new princess rooms at port Orleans cant book those either cause no one knows how those are handled. No internet free if you stay at a collection resort on points and pay 95.00 too. No room cleaning unless you pay for it too. Makes me wonder what I agreed to this silly membership for but whats done is done. Right?

Oh my goodness. I'm sorry you didn't get better information before you purchased. When you read on the DIS that DVC is best for DVC stays, we mean it. All the 500 kingdoms they advertise using RCI, the cruises and non-DVC Disney stays are not the best use of points and you really need to plan out far to get those as well.

Make your reservation at your home resort at 11 months out and you should be a lot happier.

 

[twooley2]

yes it was presented as if it would be there and how lucky we would be to have it. Oh well we are just chalking it up to paying a nice fee to say we are dvc owners LOL

 

[DebbieB]

It is a shame the way DVC puts the emphasis on tradeouts in their sales advertisements. They make it sound like you can go on a safari with a minimum point purchase, meanwhile it takes over 1,000 points. Now it's almost impossible to book cruises unless you are a year in advance. Disney Collection hotels have inflated points, they have gone way up recently.

It used to be DVC was put on a pedestal for not being "shady" timeshare sellers. I don't think so anymore.

 

[AmandaRG]

I just got an email this morning on deals that DCL is offering for trips this Fall on the Dream. Since we have not been on the Dream yet I thought I would jump on a 3-day cruise with some points.

I checked on the disney cruise website before calling member services and several categories showed availability.

However, when I called Member Services they informed me that NO cruises were available for DVC members on the new ships until October of 2012. When I mentioned that I KNOW they have availability I was informed that DVC only gets so many rooms and they are booked up.

This is the 5th time in the last year that I have tried to book something and there was always some problem with what we were trying to do. Having been a member since the 90's and traded for everything including ski vacations, cruises, etc. I have never had such problems getting value from my DVC points. It is definitely getting harder to use points - not easier.

I'm sorry you are having trouble with your DVC! If DCL is offering a deal, you might want to rent your points out and pay cash. You wouldn't get a discount on your points reservation, you would "pay" the full points requirement.

I hope things work out ok for you! Cruises are fun!!!