Onboard placeholder and DVC points?

[NYCMommy]

We plan on making an OBB for a future cruise during our next cruise. We have friends who likely aren't using their DVC points and have mentioned we can perhaps buy some from them for the cruise. How exactly does that work...can they be applied to an OBB just like paying with a credit card? Is there a tutorial somewhere or can anyone help educate me? #DVCclueless

 

[dclpluto]

We plan on making an OBB for a future cruise during our next cruise. We have friends who likely aren't using their DVC points and have mentioned we can perhaps buy some from them for the cruise. How exactly does that work...can they be applied to an OBB just like paying with a credit card? Is there a tutorial somewhere or can anyone help educate me? #DVCclueless

Dvc points are really bad for a cruise. I have done it a few times thou. Obb means nothing when paying for the cruise by points. Your friend will have to sell you the points at a really great price to make it worth while. Than your friend will lose out big time.

 

[JW9DVC]

Dvc points are really bad for a cruise. I have done it a few times thou. Obb means nothing when paying for the cruise by points. Your friend will have to sell you the points at a really great price to make it worth while. Than your friend will lose out big time.

While it can be bad if using newer points. Many on here bought in during the early years and bought points for half of what they sell for now.

 

[dclpluto]

While it can be bad if using newer points. Many on here bought in during the early years and bought points for half of what they sell for now.

It's still bad. I have done it myself a few times book a DCL cruise on points but you can make out a lot better renting your points out than using the cash for the cruise.

 

[Flossbolna]

Here is an example, the point chart for 4-night cruises to the Bahamas:

https://secure.cdn3.wdpromedia.com/...2017-DVC-DCL-4-N-Phase-3-Pt-Chts-04-29-16.pdf

The point charts are available on the DVC website without having to be logged in, so anyone can check them.

You can see that the cheapest room on the Dream is 110 points per person. Considering that the friends most likely pay around 5 to 6 $ per point per year in maintenance fee, this would mean at least 550 to 660$ per person for the least expensive cruise on the Dream. However, current prices for renting out points are around 12 to 13 $ per point. That would bring it up to 1320 to 1430 $ per person.

Depending on what price the friends would be willing to rent and depending on current pricing on the cruise, using DVC points makes more or less sense. In most cases it does not make sense if you look at what the normal rate for renting is. However, some people will only be comfortable to rent points to people they know, so for them the normal market price is only hypothetical.

If you consider renting points, it would make more sense to use your friends' points at a DVC resort for a pre- or post-cruise stay.

I have read in the past that there is some way to do an onboard booking with points, but I am sure that this would only work in a situation where the member is cruising. I think what was mentioned is that if you book a cruise on points within a week after returning from a cruise, there's some kind of benefit, but not sure what it was.

There are no DVC points placeholders though. You don't pay the cruise with DVC points. The way it works is that DVC acts as a travel agency that purchases the cruise from DCL and then sells it on to you in exchange for the points. And since DVC sets the price for how much your points are worth in a far less generous way than what the general market sees them, you are getting a bad deal.

 

[ivanp91]

To add to what Flossbolna said, keep in mind that if you use points for a cruise that you need to use points to pay for an entire guest. For example if there will be 2 guests, you can either pay for both using points or 1 using points and 1 using cash. If there isn't enough points to pay for just one person, you cannot 'bridge the gap' by paying, say, half the point rate and half the cash rate for that guest. Just in case you weren't already aware. Like others have said, cruises are an expensive use of points, and depending on the points your friends have available it may not be feasible.

 

[Barbydoll8]

And add a $99 exchange fee for booking the cruise with points. The rental price goes up. Not a "smart way" to use points. I agree w/ Flossfoina in that it might be better cause to use/rent the points for pre/post cruise stay at WDW. Members usually make out FAR better by renting their points on WDW DVC resorts and then using the cash for the cruise.
Now if they are going to gift you the points, that's a different story. ;-)

 

[JW9DVC]

It's still bad. I have done it myself a few times book a DCL cruise on points but you can make out a lot better renting your points out than using the cash for the cruise.

Well. If you want to take the time to do so. Sure.

 

[NYCMommy]

And add a $99 exchange fee for booking the cruise with points. The rental price goes up. Not a "smart way" to use points. I agree w/ Flossfoina in that it might be better cause to use/rent the points for pre/post cruise stay at WDW. Members usually make out FAR better by renting their points on WDW DVC resorts and then using the cash for the cruise.
Now if they are going to gift you the points, that's a different story. ;-)

There is a chance they MAY gift the points...not likely but maybe a nice discount at a minimum. So, I guess we would just Do an entirely new reservation or could we use the points to pay the balance on the OBB?

 

[Barbydoll8]

As far as I know you can use the points as long as you have enough to pay per person. If you don't have enough for both, you can use points for one person but will need to pay cash for the other. You can always call DVC member services and ask them. Yes you can call them even if you aren't the member with questions.