points for cruise

[cookies]

Should I pay cash or use points? Need advice.

 

[DenLo]

A 4 day Bahama cruise in February 2011 would run about 88 points per person (first two in room) plus there is a $95 charge for using your points through the Disney Collection. So if you rented your points you might get $10 per point. So your points when using them on a cruise would cost your $1760 + 95 = $1895. If you add the kids you'll pay more than I'm figuring. When I checked DCL website a 4 day cruise runs about $1375 (before taxes, insurance and transportation, but you pay that for your points anyway).

So which is the better deal to you paying with points or cash? It looks like it'll cost you about $500 more using points.

 

[Donna M]

You will probably find most people will advise you to spend cash instead of using your points. We bought our points for the vacations and we use our points for our cruises. We don't want to bother renting them out.

 

[Anal Annie]

It depends on a lot of things. PERSONALLY, we've done both & I think it will be cash from now on to cruise. Now if you happen to have more points than you know what to do with then go ahead & use them to cruise - you'll never miss them. If you're like US and are "points challenged" then you may find that you really end up missing being able to use them at WDW.

The points required to cruise are not too bad if you can go on a shorter cruise in the off season in an inside cabin. (NOT what WE can or want to do.) We booked a 4 n cruise on points in a Cat 10 (deluxe inside) for 3 people for July 2008. That used up more than 1 1/2 years worth of our points & we ended up going to Disney on cash with the DVC member discount for 2 trips 'cuz we'd used up all of our points!!!! I think it was 392 points or something like that for the 4 nights. For only 4 nights!!! Sorry but I still can't believe we did that. The points required for that same cruise in July have since GONE UP by about 65 points!! That would take just almost 2 years worth of our points as we only have 250!! This past year we were able to use our points for 14 nights at WDW / Vero over 2 trips. So for US, it's 14 nights EVERY YEAR vs 4 nights every 2 years!! 4 nights every 2...14 nights every... 4 nights every 2....14 nights every..... Guess what's winning for us?! Granted, the cruise includes meals & some of your entertainment....but there's still shore excursions & gratuities to pay for etc. But I keep going back to 4 nights every 2 years VS 14 nights EVERY YEAR.

We just booked a 10 night Med cruise in our same SPH cabin for 2011 for just under $6,000 for all of us (after our re-booking discount). I'd much rather pay cash for the cruise for 10 nights than pay cash to stay at WDW. They are your points so use them how you wish. IMO I have re-evaluated how we should use our measley allotment & have decided that cruising is not the best value for them. I do not want to be bothered with renting them out. Too much to go wrong.

 

[rkwier]

I think that is one of the most frequent topics I see here on this board. We are personally in the "we bought our points to use and enjoy" camp. I understand the opinion that you could do better renting and then paying cash. However, I have no desire whatsoever to rent my points. We recently used points for a 3-day Wonder cruise. We also used airline miles for our airfare. So, we ended up with a really nice, much needed getaway for relatively little out of pocket expense. It was a great choice for us.

 

[Figment_Fan]

rkwier - I agree with the "we bought our points to use them" sentiment. I have paid cash for a cruise and used points. It was worth it both times. The memories are priceless and the pictures come up on my computer as a rotating screen saver.

As I was reading this, I had a thought (unusual, I know), if you rent your points, and recieve money for them, do you have to list that as income for tax purposes?

I just can't imagine going throught the trouble of listing the points, making sure payment is made and the transfer for use is done.

 

[Anal Annie]

rkwier - I agree with the "we bought our points to use them" sentiment. I have paid cash for a cruise and used points. It was worth it both times. The memories are priceless and the pictures come up on my computer as a rotating screen saver.

As I was reading this, I had a thought (unusual, I know), if you rent your points, and recieve money for them, do you have to list that as income for tax purposes?

I just can't imagine going throught the trouble of listing the points, making sure payment is made and the transfer for use is done.

Yes, you are supposed to report the money from renting....another unwanted hassle in my book...LOL. They surely don't let you claim money spent on buying them as an expense / deduction tho!

 

[Figment_Fan]

I kind of figured it would have to be listed as income. Another reason I'll just use the points I bought, it was an investment in fun, not for making money.

 

[Crystal_27]

We went back and forth on this issue for about a year before deciding to just go ahead and use our points for a cruise. Since we only take one Disney vacation per year, it makes sense for us to just use the points we have each year on the vacation, be it a cruise or a parks vacation (which we alternate every year). While I'm quite sure that we could rent out our points and then turn around and book the cruise using the cash, I'm just too lazy to deal with the rules and hassles associated with the renting. And, I will say that it is an *awesome* feeling to hear that your cruise, which is costing everyone else a couple thousand dollars or more, is only costing you $95.

 

[mickeys girl 52]

I dom't mean to hijack this post but I have a related cruise question. I have never used points to cruise yet but would like to. I have been worried because I was told if you cancel your points go into a " holding status". So I would rather try to book closer to the cruise date, like say 6 months or so. Has anyone had luck booking their cruise close to the sailing date?

 

[LIFERBABE]

I dom't mean to hijack this post but I have a related cruise question. I have never used points to cruise yet but would like to. I have been worried because I was told if you cancel your points go into a " holding status". So I would rather try to book closer to the cruise date, like say 6 months or so. Has anyone had luck booking their cruise close to the sailing date?

Your points are converted to "Reservation Points" which can be used for Disney Collection if you need to cancel. You will lose the $95 fee.

The above example of the cruise costing $500 more on points, is 50 points more to cruise on points as opposed to cash. If you take in account tax on the rental and your time, you are probably at $100-$200 more.

1 of the benefits of booking on points is that the point cost is fixed for the entire year. So whether you book 2 years in advance or 90 days in advance the cost is fixed as long as there is availability. With cash, normally the prices increase the later you wait to book.

I just booked our first cruise on points, and I am excited that cruising on points is an option even if it is not the best option for some. We booked the Inaugural Cruise on Disney Dream and the deposit thru DCL was $400 nonrefundable per person. That was $1600 of my money gone today, so I called DVC booked it using 2011 points and paid my $95 and insurance. Less than $300 for fees and insurance and Im done!

I could have rented, but I would have to rent 2009 or 2010 points (you can only borrow 1 UY ahead not 2 and I would not borrow to rent) and we already have plans for those points so using points allowed me to keep our plans, keep our money, and book the cruise we wanted in 2011.

You really have to look at your situation, because there are many variables at work when deciding on how to use your points. We can cruise for the cost of tips and have a great time. We cruise DCL for the ship, service, Castaway Cay and amenities. If I want to do an excursion heavy cruise, I wouldnt pay DCL prices to do it. I can go on Carnival from our home port.

 

[Lake Rat]

Where is there a chart of "cruising points" for 2010?

 

[missycj96]

I know the conventional wisdom is that it is not a good value. However, when I booked my trip on the Dream for next year and only paid $95 (and the cruise is paid in full), it sure felt like a great value! I thought the point requirements were not too bad and it is great to have a completely paid for cruise waiting for me.

 

[hopare]

I know the conventional wisdom is that it is not a good value. However, when I booked my trip on the Dream for next year and only paid $95 (and the cruise is paid in full), it sure felt like a great value! I thought the point requirements were not too bad and it is great to have a completely paid for cruise waiting for me.

Sounds good to me. And what also is nice is that there are no park passes to pay for!