using DVC point for Disney Cruise?

[ellenmiele]

Seems like an awful lot of points needed to do the cruise? Anyone do this? Any advantages to using points that I'm not seeing? How far out can you book? Can you combine points/cash in any way?

Thanks for any answers!

 

[mrsdon]

You can use points for 1 person and pay ash for the rest.
The points needed are quite high.
DH and I have 900 points and sometimes we cant use them all so we willl use them to cruise.
The bottom line is that they re your points to use how you see fit.

 

[bobbiwoz]

You can pay for one person in the cabin with points and others with cash. You would be buying through members services, so you still pay the $75 fee to book using points.

I don't know how far ahead you can book.

We bought a resale with banked points and used them on a cruise. We also booked the Members' Cruise with points. It is expensive this way, but I think that DCL cruises are expensive using cash as well.

Bobbi

 

[mom2rb]

I wouldn't. Last year I rented out my points to pay cash for a cruise. Well DH changed jobs and we didn't think they would let him off for it. We easily got a refund. It would have been so much harder if I had used points.

P.S. His new job did let him off so now we our going to DW for 12 days, but you never know.

 

[Mary Anne]

You can book exactly 11 months out same as if it was your "home" resort. We did it last year, not the best use of points, but we did not what to deal with renting points. It was very easy to do and while I think I might do it again if there was just two of us, I doubt I'd ever use points for all 4 again.

 

[soarin'family]

Is it a pain or a big risk to rent points in order to pay cash for the cruise? We used all points for our last cruise--and it was great to not have the huge cash expenditure for it. What are the pros and cons?

thanks!

 

[Dean]

Is it a pain or a big risk to rent points in order to pay cash for the cruise? We used all points for our last cruise--and it was great to not have the huge cash expenditure for it. What are the pros and cons?

thanks!

IMO, it's a much bigger pain and risk to book the cruise on points than to rent out. The main reasons are.

• The value is much lower if you use your points
• If you pay any on cash, you generally pay a higher per person cost that the cash rate directly or through a TA.
• $75 fee and you must pay it each and every time you make ANY changes to the reservation.
• There are far greater risk if you have to cancel.
• You can only book 11 months out compared to around 18 months for cash.
• If there are any decrease in the costs, you don't get to participate UNLESS the points go down for your sailing also.

But they are your points to do with as you wish.

 

[rickdeni]

When I first bought DVC I received an extra year of points. My grandchildren were 18 months and 3 years. We did not want to deal with Disney World at this age and took the cruise instead. We used points and cash since we had 2 rooms but still felt it was a good use of the points. As it was the 18 month old was a handfull even in confined spaces. This year we are going to Disney World (ages 3 and 5) on points and am paying cash for a 4 day cruise. We loved the cruise.