Points AND Cash for cruise?

[jenniferreich]

Hi! We would like to take a Disney cruise in 2015 or 2017. We will have 300 points (banking, new, borrowing). If that's not enough for the cruise, can we pay cash for the difference? Any idea how much each extra point would cost?

Thank you in advance! I hope you're having a great day! Jennifer

 

[Huey]

Hi, I am new to DVC so I would make sure you check my comments before acting on anything I say. That said, I have seen so many posts suggesting that renting out points and then paying cash for the cruise might be the most cost effective way to pay for a cruise that so many of them can't be wrong (or can they?). Points rent for around $11 from what I've read so your 300 points could generate $3,300 (probably netting to $2,900 if you go through a broker???). I suppose you can then try and get a special offer cash price on a cruise and maybe turn a profit.

 

[Huey]

I think you could also buy one time use points from dvc (at around$15pp) or rent them from somebody else maybe? Sorry, I don't know if you can combine cash with points which is what you specially asked. I have looked at cash rates vs points required and I would seriously look at renting yours out and paying cash unless other disers know of any reasons you shouldn't look into this further. Hope this helps a bit ;-)

 

[erionm]

You can use points for one or more passengers and pay cash for others. You can not mix cash and points for a single passenger. The entire booking must be made thru DVC and any cash portion will be due in full when the reservation is made. There is also a $95 transaction fee payable when the reservation is made.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[soxyes]

While I agree that using points for a cruise might not be the best value, some folks don't want the hassle/risk of renting them out.

Anyway, we paid both via points and cash for a cruise back in 2010. If memory serves, we had to pay the cash up front (it wasn't deposit now, balance later), but it was allowed. I think we just had to break it out by guest... For example two guests paid via points, two via cash.

 

[Dean]

You can use points for one or more passengers and pay cash for others. You can not mix cash and points for a single passenger. The entire booking must be made thru DVC and any cash portion will be due in full when the reservation is made. There is also a $95 transaction fee payable when the reservation is made.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I'd add that the cash price is generally a fair amount more than the discounted early booking price but it depends on when you do it. I'd get all the facts and compare your options.

 

[abdgeek]

Hi! We would like to take a Disney cruise in 2015 or 2017. We will have 300 points (banking, new, borrowing). If that's not enough for the cruise, can we pay cash for the difference? Any idea how much each extra point would cost?

Thank you in advance! I hope you're having a great day! Jennifer

I believe you can only purchase up to 24 points to complete a reservation. If you need more points than that, you would need to decide if you wanted to use points for one passenger and cash for the other. I think the points are $12 or so per point.

I've only paid for points once to complete a reservation. I think I paid $11 per point then. There's also a stipulation, if I remember correctly, that you can't do this but once a year. I would suggest figuring out which itinerary you want and calling MS to find out how many points you would need today to take the cruise. You can be assured that if you take that cruise in 2015, that you will need more points; but at least you will have an idea if what you had in mind doing will work.

 

[Huey]

While I agree that using points for a cruise might not be the best value, some folks don't want the hassle/risk of renting them out.

Anyway, we paid both via points and cash for a cruise back in 2010. If memory serves, we had to pay the cash up front (it wasn't deposit now, balance later), but it was allowed. I think we just had to break it out by guest... For example two guests paid via points, two via cash.

Thanks for the info soxyes, is there much risk involved in renting your points out? As mentioned I'm a DVC newbie, but was considering renting this years left over points out. Don't want to do anything I might later regret. Thanks in advance.

 

[Anal Annie]

I'd add that the cash price is generally a fair amount more than the discounted early booking price but it depends on when you do it. I'd get all the facts and compare your options.

Here's the scoop on the DCL / DVC cash pricing for cruises. We once considered doing a mix of cash and points and I had already priced it out with cash via the DCL website so when I called MS to get a price it was higher than the DCL website. When I questioned this difference the CM explained that since DCL has tiered pricing (they raise their prices as categories sell out) the DVC price is an estimated highest price as to where the cabin might end up on cash. In other words if I had priced it later once they'd raised their prices it may have been the same. But this is another reason why paying cash thru DVC to cruise isn't always the best deal. If you book the cruise early thru DCL or a certified TA like Dreams Unlimited or something then you'll likely get a better price pp.

Thanks for the info soxyes, is there much risk involved in renting your points out? As mentioned I'm a DVC newbie, but was considering renting this years left over points out. Don't want to do anything I might later regret. Thanks in advance.

I think if you use a service like David's to handle it for you the risk is minimal or if you find another member that would prefer to get a transfer of points there is less risk. I personally think transferring is the way to go because then once you've made the transfer you're out of the loop and have no more worries. You don't have to deal with the renters requests or anything. You're just done. We started to rent points out once through David's then I found out he anticipated a longer time to find a buyer for the points than what I'd hoped so we cancelled the contract and I lucked into somebody who wanted a transfer of points so we did that and I was totally comfortable with that plan.

Note - we once cruised with points and I have vowed never to do it again (although I should never say never). It was actually a terrible value. We went into it with the notion that "they're our points to use however we wish". So we banked points to go with a whole years worth for 4 measley nights in a Cat 10 THEN we were points deprived for 2 years. On land we could've had 3 weeks worth of time in DVC studios VS those 4 quick nights. We find it a much better value to cruise on cash. The only way I would use points again would be if we were just tired of planning land vacations and had no plans to go anywhere else. But we still don't really own enough points (250) to really afford to cruise with them. IMO cruising on points is for people who own tons of points and have points to burn. They'll never miss 'em. But for US - we ended up booking vacations on cash because we couldn't stand being out of points. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

[Dean]

Here's the scoop on the DCL / DVC cash pricing for cruises. We once considered doing a mix of cash and points and I had already priced it out with cash via the DCL website so when I called MS to get a price it was higher than the DCL website. When I questioned this difference the CM explained that since DCL has tiered pricing (they raise their prices as categories sell out) the DVC price is an estimated highest price as to where the cabin might end up on cash. In other words if I had priced it later once they'd raised their prices it may have been the same. But this is another reason why paying cash thru DVC to cruise isn't always the best deal. If you book the cruise early thru DCL or a certified TA like Dreams Unlimited or something then you'll likely get a better price pp.

While I don't think it's been confirmed by DVC, the numbers I've seen and all the estimates have been that the cash price is 10% off rack rates. Along this vein some have priced cruises closer to sailing and gotten prices that are much closer and in some cases, more than through DVC. My take on this is that they've simply lost the early booking discounts, not that DVC is better using cash.

 

[joelnkelly]

When we bought our points we did so thinking about using them for cruises in the future. We have enough to cover two adult tickets. We decided we wanted to alternate every other year with a cruise, so one year we take a disney trip, the next year we do a cruise. So far this has worked well and like some others have mentioned I know we could probably rent them and pay cash for everyone but I dont want to worry about the renting of the points.

remember ultimatley they are your vacation points, what you might think is the best way to use them someone else will always disagree.

 

[Dean]

When we bought our points we did so thinking about using them for cruises in the future. We have enough to cover two adult tickets. We decided we wanted to alternate every other year with a cruise, so one year we take a disney trip, the next year we do a cruise. So far this has worked well and like some others have mentioned I know we could probably rent them and pay cash for everyone but I dont want to worry about the renting of the points.

remember ultimatley they are your vacation points, what you might think is the best way to use them someone else will always disagree.

That's the position you are in based on the choices you have made, many have found themselves in the same situation over the years. It's not ideal but it's been workable though there is no guarantee this will remain a viable option or even an option at all. My question to you is whether you'd buy retail with the extra points for the cruising given what you know now? This is really the only issue related to current purchase recommendations, whether one would do it with the current parameters in place.

 

[joelnkelly]

That's the position you are in based on the choices you have made, many have found themselves in the same situation over the years. It's not ideal but it's been workable though there is no guarantee this will remain a viable option or even an option at all. My question to you is whether you'd buy retail with the extra points for the cruising given what you know now? This is really the only issue related to current purchase recommendations, whether one would do it with the current parameters in place.

Dean, not really sure I understand what you are asking. We do understand that maybe at some point in the future we wouldnt be able to use our points for cruising. I am never one to either look back or look to far forward with my DVC points. When we bought we knew exactly what we were getting into and as of right now we have no regrets on how many points we purchased or how we use them.

At some point in the future we might decide to rent the points if we dont want to use them for a cruise that vacation year, but right now the plan has been working well for us so its what we stick with. The kids love the options and the change up every year.

Since we live in Orlando visiting WDW isnt that huge of a deal for us. We are happy to use the points for other trips outside of Florida or to Vero Beach. Yes, we do stay at WDW some years and its a great getaway but our family loves going to DL.

Life is always to short to worry about what has happened in the past or potentional future issues, live for today and enjoy it. Like I stated in my original post, someone will always disagree with how each member decides to use their points.

 

[Dean]

Dean, not really sure I understand what you are asking. We do understand that maybe at some point in the future we wouldnt be able to use our points for cruising. I am never one to either look back or look to far forward with my DVC points. When we bought we knew exactly what we were getting into and as of right now we have no regrets on how many points we purchased or how we use them.

At some point in the future we might decide to rent the points if we dont want to use them for a cruise that vacation year, but right now the plan has been working well for us so its what we stick with. The kids love the options and the change up every year.

Since we live in Orlando visiting WDW isnt that huge of a deal for us. We are happy to use the points for other trips outside of Florida or to Vero Beach. Yes, we do stay at WDW some years and its a great getaway but our family loves going to DL.

Life is always to short to worry about what has happened in the past or potentional future issues, live for today and enjoy it. Like I stated in my original post, someone will always disagree with how each member decides to use their points.

The only question was whether you would decide to buy in today with the current situation of price, risks and limitations?

 

[joelnkelly]

The only question was whether you would decide to buy in today with the current situation of price, risks and limitations?

Its not an option so I dont think about it. We already bought in. Now if you are asking if in the future we decide to add on, will the changes in membership privilages effect whether or not we buy direct or resale we would most likely still buy direct.

In saying that though we dont need or want to buy additional points as we currently have enough to book what we want when we want.