Use DVA to pay for stuff on Castaway Cay/Shops on Ship?

[DHCruise]

I was wondering if there was a way to use funds that are in my Disney Vacation Account DVA, and use it to pay for souvenirs on Castaway Cay or on the ship itself. What would the process be?

Doing the Target GiftCard to Disney Giftcard helped save some money for the actual booking of the cruise. So if I can use that to also pay for on board stuff, that would be ideal!

 

[Bree]

You need to call Disney Cruise Line at 800-511-9333 and tell them you want to add onboard credit using your DVA.

 

[anricat]

Just make sure you have your DVA number ready. You have to have it email part of your account number (it only displays some of it) so make sure you have that on hand before you make the call. You'll call and tell them how much to take out. It will come out the DVA immediately and they will give you a confirmation number. Upon completion of your voyage, if there is money left over that you didn't spent on board (or on CC) it will be refunded back to your DVA.

 

[JW9DVC]

Just wondering how you could then get that money refunded back to you in cash? Just do a simple withdrawal?

 

[Goofydad1975]

They will only refund money back to a credit/debit card, back to a gift card if you still have it or onto new gift card.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

As mentioned, you'll just need to call the special number for DCL and the DV Account and advise them you want to apply some onboard credit. I did this for our recent Europe cruise and pre-paid gratuities, excursions, and a little extra. In my situation, I've never had a refund as I try and avoid that situation and geesh seems we always spend more, lol. When I did have a refund issued by DCL due to an opening day error in pricing (they were charging some of us 20% for the down payment instead of 10% and I knew it was wrong) and because I used my DV Account for the deposit they refunded it back to the DV Account. In my experience and from what I've read because it reads as a gift card number the refund should go back to the DV account if that is what you used but if you aren't sure, always best to ask.

Heather

 

[mmouse37]

You would do this before your cruise, not during your cruise. Figure out an amount that you think you may use onboard and have that amount transferred to your onboard account. I had paid off my transatlantic cruise but wanted to put money in my onboard account so transferred about $500 to my onboard account. Of course I used more than that so no refund lol!!

MJ

 

[DHCruise]

Cool!! I'm definitely going to use my DVA towards on board credit then. I just have to keep getting disney gift cards haha.
I didn't realize we can use on board credit to pre-pay gratuities either! Would that be done before the cruise or on board? Still new to this.

Oh, how about Palo/Remy reservations? would that be on board credit? or use DVA if I can even get a reservation?

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Thats awesome. Ya, there would be no chance of a refund for myself either.

 

[CM Dad]

As mentioned, you'll just need to call the special number for DCL and the DV Account and advise them you want to apply some onboard credit. I did this for our recent Europe cruise and pre-paid gratuities, excursions, and a little extra. In my situation, I've never had a refund as I try and avoid that situation and geesh seems we always spend more, lol. When I did have a refund issued by DCL due to an opening day error in pricing (they were charging some of us 20% for the down payment instead of 10% and I knew it was wrong) and because I used my DV Account for the deposit they refunded it back to the DV Account. In my experience and from what I've read because it reads as a gift card number the refund should go back to the DV account if that is what you used but if you aren't sure, always best to ask.

Heather

From experience, a refund will go back to the vacation account. For our trip in January I had reserved 2 cabanas on Castaway Cay. I added enough onboard credit from my DVA to cover expect expenses, including gratuities, excursions and misc. We could not dock at CC due to weather, so my DVA got the excess refunded to it. Just used it for the next cruise.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

From experience, a refund will go back to the vacation account. For our trip in January I had reserved 2 cabanas on Castaway Cay. I added enough onboard credit from my DVA to cover expect expenses, including gratuities, excursions and misc. We could not dock at CC due to weather, so my DVA got the excess refunded to it. Just used it for the next cruise.

So that makes two of us now Good to know!

Heather

 

[anricat]

Cool!! I'm definitely going to use my DVA towards on board credit then. I just have to keep getting disney gift cards haha.
I didn't realize we can use on board credit to pre-pay gratuities either! Would that be done before the cruise or on board? Still new to this.

Oh, how about Palo/Remy reservations? would that be on board credit? or use DVA if I can even get a reservation?

For your first question, either. You can either call DCL and pre-pay them or just add a bunch of onboard credit with your DVA and then when the time comes, they will automatically be charged to your onboard account (I chose the latter for my upcoming cruise next month).

Yes, Palo/Remy will go to your onboard account. Anything you buy or spend money on board or at CC will go to your onboard account. Drinks, room service items that cost money, excursions booked through DCL, any additional gratuities (like Palo and Remy or at bars), items purchased in gift shops, BBB and spa services. Anything you can buy on the ship can be paid for with an onboard account and thus, with an onboard account loaded with a DVA. I pretty much put the whole kit and caboodle on there even though I don't think we'll spend as much as I loaded. It's okay, it goes back.

 

[CM Dad]

For your first question, either. You can either call DCL and pre-pay them or just add a bunch of onboard credit with your DVA and then when the time comes, they will automatically be charged to your onboard account (I chose the latter for my upcoming cruise next month).

Yes, Palo/Remy will go to your onboard account. Anything you buy or spend money on board or at CC will go to your onboard account. Drinks, room service items that cost money, excursions booked through DCL, any additional gratuities (like Palo and Remy or at bars), items purchased in gift shops, BBB and spa services. Anything you can buy on the ship can be paid for with an onboard account and thus, with an onboard account loaded with a DVA. I pretty much put the whole kit and caboodle on there even though I don't think we'll spend as much as I loaded. It's okay, it goes back.

For my last cruise, I tried to pre-pay the gratuities with my DVA. The cast member I was dealing with said that since I was booked through a travel agent, I had to have them add the gratuities to to my account before I could pay them with my DVA. I could add the money as general credit to my account, so I just included the gratuity amount to that. A previous cruise I had no problem pre-paying the gratuity with DVA. Looks like it just depends on the cast member you are dealing with.