Ugh, used too many points!

[Albytaps]

So now we're stuck with 140 points for 2013 and I've been DYING to go to Disneyland and go on a Disney Cruise.

So my choices are to wait until 2014 and save my 2013 points, use 2014 points (300) and borrow 2015 points all for a Disney Cruise in 2014. There are 6 of us so hopefully it won't cost more than 740 points (I have yet to research it.)

OR

I can go to Disneyland in 2013 and borrow some points from 2014.


Which is the points better spent? We really want to do both but which to do first because the other will have to wait a couple of years.

Thanks.

 

[cyndiloveswalt]

We've done 3 Disney cruises on points, one 7 night and two 3 nights. But this year they seriously jacked up the number of points you need to do a cruise. We were previously able to do an off season 3 night cruise for around 200 points (there are 4 of us) but now it's like 275. If you look at what you would spend versus points its better to not use points for the cruise. We could do 3 nights on a cruise versus approx 18 nights in a studio at SSR.

 

[Albytaps]

We've done 3 Disney cruises on points, one 7 night and two 3 nights. But this year they seriously jacked up the number of points you need to do a cruise. We were previously able to do an off season 3 night cruise for around 200 points (there are 4 of us) but now it's like 275. If you look at what you would spend versus points its better to not use points for the cruise. We could do 3 nights on a cruise versus approx 18 nights in a studio at SSR.

Thanks for your feedback.

That is really disheartening. I have also heard this on another post and it's really bothering me. As a family of six, we would need a bigger room than the normal 4 person room. So DVC points are the best way for me to save, but it'll mean no other trips for multiple years to come....

I'll save the cruise for another time. DL is looking better and better.

 

[AllieV]

You could buy points from another member and do a transfer into your account.

Everyone says how points are wasted on a cruise, but does anyone calculate that it includes all the food, drink, and entertainment you can take in? If you add your room points to the cost of a park ticket and a dining plan, I'm guessing it would be about the same.

 

[Doug7856]

You could buy points from another member and do a transfer into your account.

Everyone says how points are wasted on a cruise, but does anyone calculate that it includes all the food, drink, and entertainment you can take in? If you add your room points to the cost of a park ticket and a dining plan, I'm guessing it would be about the same.

In my opinion, the best way to determine the value of cruise points is to divide the cruise price by the number of points. That is your value per point. For me, I look for a value above $7 (at a minimum) per point. A better way for a family of six may be to rent the points and use the dollars to buy the cruise.

 

[AirGoofy]

I know it's difficult, but WDW, DCL, DL, Aulani will be there for many years to come. We joined in 2008 (wish sooner like everyone else) and have managed to stay in all the WDW DVC resorts (except BC) and VB and HHI. My goal is to stay in all the DVC resorts. We have our first Disney cruise booked for October 2013. Where is yoda when you need him? Be patient and have fun planning the next 40 years of Disney vacations.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Thanks for your feedback.

That is really disheartening. I have also heard this on another post and it's really bothering me. As a family of six, we would need a bigger room than the normal 4 person room. So DVC points are the best way for me to save, but it'll mean no other trips for multiple years to come....

I'll save the cruise for another time. DL is looking better and better.

Since you live on the East Coast, why not save money by driving to WDW instead of flying to CA (I'm assuming you'd be flying?) The money you'd save not flying, would probably pay for at least 2 people on a cruise ( you could use cash and points). Me and DH always save points by reserving Sunday-Thursday only to avoid the higher DVC weekend points.

 

[ELMC]

Everyone says how points are wasted on a cruise, but does anyone calculate that it includes all the food, drink, and entertainment you can take in? If you add your room points to the cost of a park ticket and a dining plan, I'm guessing it would be about the same.

Allie, I don't think that when people say that they are comparing a cruise with a stay at a DVC property. They are comparing the cash price of a cruise with the value of the points it takes to book the cruise. So if you assign a value of $10 to each point, a $3,000 cruise that costs 300 points is a wash. If it costs 250 points it is a value and if it costs 350 points then you are not optimizing your value for the points used.

 

[Dean]

You could buy points from another member and do a transfer into your account.

Everyone says how points are wasted on a cruise, but does anyone calculate that it includes all the food, drink, and entertainment you can take in? If you add your room points to the cost of a park ticket and a dining plan, I'm guessing it would be about the same.

Yes, but that's irrelevant since you'd get those other options no matter how you paid for the cruise. Generally the return (compared to early booking prices) is around $6-6.75 a point but it varies a little. Sometimes higher cabins are not discounted as much or at all and thus can be a better return.

 

[sweetdana]

If you have the $$ you could transfer in some points from another DVCer, but I would prolly use 2013 points and transferred points for DL. Then pay cash for a cruise in 2014 and use 2014 points. You can mix and match points/cash for cruises.

If you don't have the $$ for transferred points or paying cash, I would prolly go to DW where you can use way less points instead of missing a yr or 2. If 1 us under 3 go with a bedroom and you will be golden.

 

[BestDadEver]

My magic cruse was well over $3k closer to $4500 the points seem like a good deal at certin times based on the fact that you dont have to pay for any thing else . You can also use points for some of you members of the family and pay for the others .Thats what I will do .

 

[Albytaps]

Since you live on the East Coast, why not save money by driving to WDW instead of flying to CA (I'm assuming you'd be flying?) The money you'd save not flying, would probably pay for at least 2 people on a cruise ( you could use cash and points). Me and DH always save points by reserving Sunday-Thursday only to avoid the higher DVC weekend points.

Thanks, this is what we usually do. However, we want to take a trip to DL or take a Disney Cruise as our next vacation. It is time we take a break from WDW to give a different Disney experience a chance.

I think DL will for sure be the next Disney trip we take, however, it's good to hear this advice about using points for a cruise. I will have to find out how much it would cost a family of 6 to go on a cruise comfortably (I rather have a suite than 2 rooms) and also how much it would cost in $ value. I guess I can decide from there. I'm new to all this, specially all this talk of renting points and such so it's a little overwhelming but I appreciate the advice.

Thanks.

 

[Anal Annie]

I don't think that 740 points will get you very far on DCL but they WILL go a long way at a DVC resort. We are by no means cruise experts but we have done 4 DCL's (two 7-nights, one 3-night & one 4-night). We used points for the 4-night one but paid cash for the others. In hindsight using points for the 4-night one was a BIG mistake. It sucked down just almost 400 points for the 3 of us in a Cat 10A (an inside category) on the Wonder (almost 2 years worth for us) for a summer (July) cruise.

We discovered that we reallllly don't care for the shorter cruises - they are just not long enough. You no sooner get your bearings on the ship & it's time to get off. Meanwhile, our 400 points if planned & used properly could've gotten us about 3 weeks in studios at WDW. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the cruises include your food & entertainment on the ship (but not excursions in the ports). Still nowhere close to the same value if you compare 21 nights to a mere 4 nights. There is simply no amount of food in the world that could make up for those other 17 nights of vacation we missed getting to take.

I would hate to find out how many points it would take for a suite. The point charts in the DVC books only go up as high as a Cat 4 and just for example would range anywhere from 228-244 points per person for a 7 night Eastern cruise in "value season" to 386-412 points per person in a "peak" season in 2012. You'd certainly need to go in an off-peak season if you want to cover more than 2 people AND have a full week of vacation. I am a firm believer that paying cash for cruises is the better way to go. If the only way to do a cruise is to use points you'd be much better off to rent or transfer them to someone else & use the cash you collect from them to pay for the cruise. For now (until you do your homework) you're better off to just plan a trip to DL and plan a cruise for the future sometime when you've had time to work it all out.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

You can do a 4 night cruise on the Dream, during regular season, in a Family suite for 524 points. 126 points each for you and wife...68 points each for your daughters.

 

[Dean]

You can do a 4 night cruise on the Dream, during regular season, in a Family suite for 524 points. 126 points each for you and wife...68 points each for your daughters.

It looks like the cash price is around $2800 including tax/fees for cash (4E) for Sept, 2013 for 4 with 2 children.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

It looks like the cash price is around $2800 including tax/fees for cash (4E) for Sept, 2013 for 4 with 2 children.

That's pretty darn good for 6 people!!

 

[Dean]

That's pretty darn good for 6 people!!

This is for 4 total, 2A2C. I don't think you can put 6 people in those units, max of 5 is my understanding. You'd have to drop back to 2 cabins for 6 and pay adult prices for 4 with 2 cabins. I don't think even the Royal Suite sleeps more than 5 on the Dream.

 

[bumbershoot]

Don't forget that Disneyland has a LOT of viable, off-site, options, some with family suites. Yes, it's spending money not points, but then you'd preserve points for the cruise, or you could rent them out for money.

Many of the offsite options at DLR are actually *closer*, from room to park, than the onsite properties. (even the Grand, if you get the wrong room, which we did, the only time we stayed there)

 

[toniosmom]

I have found that the best way to maximize my points when I want to cruise is to rent out the points and then book the cruise on cash.

Figure out how much cash it is for the cruise. Say, it's $4,500. At $10/pp, you only have to rent out 450 points to cover the cost of the cruise. Othewise, it may cost you over 700 points to book it as a points-only cruise.

I did that for a cruise we have planned for next spring. The points cost is over 300, yet the cash price is $1,700. So, I rented 170 points and paid cash for the cruise, leaving me with enough points to go to WDW for a few days prior. I've used David's rental service and the process is SO easy and safe.

 

[disneydreaming92701]

This is what we plan to do in 2014. To rent or transfer points but i need to learn more about both before we come to the point of doing a transaction. So much to learn about dvc.