Using DVC Points For Disney Cruise

[WolfpackFan]

I have still another question. One of the attractions to me with the DVC is to use points to take cruises on the DCL. I understand the points listed for a cruise are per person. I saw this blurb though mentioned on the other DVC board - "...the first adult had to use points but subsequent passengers could travel on cash...". Does this mean what it says - I could use my points to pay for say my passage and then pay cash for my wife? Has anyone ever done this?

 

[CarolAnnC]

Yes, I have done this. You will pay the amount of points required for the first adult and can pay cash for the remaining passengers in that cabin.

Be forewarned, however, that the cash price you will pay is a pre-arranged price in the contract between DCL and DVC. It is less than "rack rate" but not as low as the specials and discounts that the cruise line occasionally offers.

When you are ready Member Services can get you a quote for the date and category that you are interested in cruising in.

 

[AnnaS]

We did this also in 7/01. We had two rooms. First two people always pay adult fare/points. I paid four adults with points and 1 child with cash. We plan on doing the west. carib. in 7/03 - will have to definitely pay a lot more $$$$ - since we won't have three years worth of points. .

 

[EROS]

Wolfpack, we're taking a cruise in April for the 3 of us using points. In looking at other posts, I note that some prefer to pay cash for kids rather than using points.

We've used our points in both exchanges and cruises. Clearly one could argue that the most "efficient" use points is at the DVC properties. That said, we choose to see our points as "prepaid" vacations and thus don't always seek the "best" deal for their use. Each to his/her own.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

DH, DS and I are signed up on the Nov 30th Disney Magic Eastern Caribbean cruise. I just went on NCL to Western Caribbean a month ago. We are all using points. We also looked at the membership as "prepaid vacations" instead of "best use of points".

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I'm looking into this for July 2003, when usually no specials are offered (and no points have been announced yet, I'm going by 2002 charts). With the points we have, we are either going to use them all and pay cash for a room, or pay for some of the kids (we have 3) and use points.
I'm leaning to option #1, since I'd like the 4 day cruise and the points used would be for two weekend nights and a lot more than usual!!
Category 4 in the summer is a killer--another instance of 3 kids= more$$ for Disney. Oh well!
Robin M.

 

[DVC-Don]

How far out can you book a cruise on points? We are thinking of the third week in Feburary 2003.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

11 months from the day the boat leaves.

 

[Jhalkias]

Just a word of advice and caution . . .

Before you book with DVC on points, or any combination thereof, check with a TA like DU for the cash cost of your cruise. With the specials that have run recently, you may get a better deal. I had booked for one adult with points and the rest cash with DVC.

DU got me the same cruise for the same amount of $$$ (just a few dollars more) and NO points! DVC does not always have access to these special deals - so I cancelled my DVC Ressie, lost $75, but gained 198 points back - but they then become reservation points, not useable at DVC resorts (although useable at other Disney properties) which expire at the end of my current use year.

As Eros said to each his own - since we have a limited amount of points, I choose to use mine to stay at DVC resorts from now on, and if I cruise, use cash until these kinds of deals disappear!