Points and Cash for DCL?

[kris10399]

I thought I remembered that you can combine points and cash for a DCL cruise. Really interested in the new offerings out today.

Has anyone done this before?

 

[msabol01]

I have not. But if you are booking anything other than a 3 night you will find you are better off to book DCL using cash. I think quite a few people rent their points and then pay for the cruise using cash. If you look at the point charts and assume $10 per point then see what a cash ressie will cost you you will see the difference.

 

[Brancaneve]

If you have children, it may be best to pay cash for the cruise rather than use your points. My DH and I used the points for us and paid about $600 for the children and saved our points for something else.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Yes, you can combine points and cash for the cruise. The first person on the reservation (lead name) must be paid for with points. Then you can choose to pay for each of the remaining passengers with either points or cash. Each person must be paid for with either all-points or all-cash.

While DCL is not the best use of your points and you will almost always do better, money-wise, by booking your cruise with cash it is a great option for those who have the points on hand but don't have the cash to spare.

 

[bonnielynn]

Problem is the points come out way after the opening of the cruise. I think I am going to book it, then change it to points, once I know what the points are.

 

[AnnaS]

We have done this four times. If I remember correctly, you need to pay the cash person in full at time of booking also.

 

[eva]

We have done this four times. If I remember correctly, you need to pay the cash person in full at time of booking also.

You are correct. If you book some with cash and points the cash portion has to be paid completely up front. We are looking at the new European cruises too. I have sent an email to confirm that we can book with cash and convert to points later, if we so choose to. They have allowed this before when the charts are not out yet. But I am sure there will be a waitlist this time. So I am hoping that a cash reservation can be converted this time. If not, it will probably go to the waitlist.

 

[CarolAnnC]

You are correct. If you book some with cash and points the cash portion has to be paid completely up front. We are looking at the new European cruises too. I have sent an email to confirm that we can book with cash and convert to points later, if we so choose to. They have allowed this before when the charts are not out yet. But I am sure there will be a waitlist this time. So I am hoping that a cash reservation can be converted this time. If not, it will probably go to the waitlist.

DVC today said the point charts for the 2010 European cruises will definitely be published before the booking date. So should not be a problem for all of us looking to book it on points, me included, LOL!

 

[eva]

Thanks Carol. Now the problem is making sure they get them out ASAP. We've been knocking around the idea of an add-on. If we find out that we can't get a cat. 6 for two aults on the Northern Europe for the 1139 points we will have in 2010, we may need to do that add-on or look at renting points. Yikes! I would like to avoid renting since the points come from 4 resorts. Plus, I can't believe that I would luck out and rent out over 1000 points without a hitch. Also, does MS open at 8:00 am EST on the 14th too?

 

[MAGICX2]

I have not. But if you are booking anything other than a 3 night you will find you are better off to book DCL using cash. I think quite a few people rent their points and then pay for the cruise using cash. If you look at the point charts and assume $10 per point then see what a cash ressie will cost you you will see the difference.

Not necessarily. We are looking at doing the 7 night Tortola cruise on 9/12/09. For one person in a Cat. 6 it is 188 points. For one person paying cash in a Cat. 6 it is $3218.83 according to the DCL website. I would rather use the points in this case. The European cruises however may be a different story entirely.

PS eva---1139 points WOOOWW!

 

[AnnaS]

Eva last year for our 11 n. med cruise we paid cash for two adults cat. 8 and we used points for my three children in cat. 11 - (2007) - we used 931 points. Just an idea.

 

[eva]

AnnaS, thanks for the suggestion. But since it is just DH and I, we only have a couple of options. But DH is insisting on a verandah. So I know we need a cat. 6. Now I just need to see that point chart.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

just remember when booking cruises, check all travel sites!!! I was floored when I priced a DCL cruise with Costco, almost 2K less than Disney!!! Have done a few through them, and only one directly through Disney using points. It worked out cheaper because it was during Feb Break, just a 4 day, and we only booked maybe 4 - 5 months out. So paid cash and used points.

 

[CarolAnnC]

DH and I usually book a cat 6 for ourselves and a cat 11 for the DD's - they are early 20's...

Hoping to do it all on points as we did for the Med Cruise. Would be nice to have some point charts to be checking out....hopefully they come out very soon!

 

[msabol01]

Not necessarily. We are looking at doing the 7 night Tortola cruise on 9/12/09. For one person in a Cat. 6 it is 188 points. For one person paying cash in a Cat. 6 it is $3218.83 according to the DCL website. I would rather use the points in this case. The European cruises however may be a different story entirely.

PS eva---1139 points WOOOWW!

Good to know. I based my comments on a qoute I received last week while on the Wonder for a 7 night cruise for 2 adults and 2 children in a Cat 6 for $4,100. I believe this was for a November sail date and includes a 10% discount for on board booking. So let me re-phrase and say typically it is cheaper to book with cash but there are times when points make more sense (like they did for my 3-day and the example you provided) everything is a case by case situation.

 

[eva]

Not necessarily. We are looking at doing the 7 night Tortola cruise on 9/12/09. For one person in a Cat. 6 it is 188 points. For one person paying cash in a Cat. 6 it is $3218.83 according to the DCL website. I would rather use the points in this case. The European cruises however may be a different story entirely.

PS eva---1139 points WOOOWW!

I should explain that those points are 489 from one year and 650 from another. We don't have 1139 in one year. We have 650. But we are seriously considering another add-on if we are short points. We had thought about maybe doing one after the election and the holidays anyway. But if we are short with the 1139 points...... Well, who knows? By the time the point charts come out I doubt we will have enough time to do an add-on. We could have drove up to the Chicago center over the weekend to do it there.

Oh well. I sometimes wonder if DVC or DCL does this on purpose. Surely DVC knew about the cruises and were already negotiating with DCL well before the prices were announced. I don't know why they can't coordinate this all beforehand. I am being to think that DCL would much rather have cash paying guests than point paying guests on these more popular cruises. I sent DVC an email asking about the chart or whether they could at least quote me a cat. 6 for the Northern Capitals cruise. But they said they still did not know the points for any category. I also asked about reserving the cabin with cash and then converting. But they never answered that part of the email.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Nothing has been said about booking DCL with cash and then converting it over to MS on points. I think they have discouraged this, since that method takes away a lower tier pricing for cash customers. Once the cash ressie is cancelled, that lower tier never returns. Booking afterward gives those passengers a higher tier price. Not to mention that cash booking requires deposits ranging from $600 to $800 per person for these cruises!

Anyway, see this Thread for the most up to date info I have been able to obtain on the bookings for DVC members!

 

[eva]

No need to book with cash first. The points are out! They said they may not be on-line before the 14th. But you can call and they will look up points for specific cruises and categories. I just found out that all the Northern Capital Cruises have the same points, no matter which date you sail. And a cat. 6 is 771 points per person. Wow! Now I have to beg DH to drive to Chicago for an add-on or he has got to go with a different category. I guess we could look at renting. But that maybe tough with renting 1,200 points from 4 different resorts. The price of the June 12th sailing is $5,395 per person for a cat. 6. This taxes that will take it close to $12,000 for two. Hmm, what's a girl to do?

 

[Time4disneynow]

No need to book with cash first. The points are out! They said they may not be on-line before the 14th. But you can call and they will look up points for specific cruises and categories. I just found out that all the Northern Capital Cruises have the same points, no matter which date you sail. And a cat. 6 is 771 points per person. Wow! Now I have to beg DH to drive to Chicago for an add-on or he has got to go with a different category. I guess we could look at renting. But that maybe tough with renting 1,200 points from 4 different resorts. The price of the June 12th sailing is $5,395 per person for a cat. 6. This taxes that will take it close to $12,000 for two. Hmm, what's a girl to do?

Where did you see the point Chart for 2010?

 

[eva]

Where did you see the point Chart for 2010?

You need to call MS. They will only give you points on a specific cruise and a specific category. The CM said that the points chart may not get on line before the 14th. She wasn't sure.