Using points and cash for cruising?

[dvcnewgirl]

I am looking at cruising in the fall of 2011. I would need to use 2011 and 2012 points for the cruise. I think renting my points would be risky because I will have to borrow points and if the rental falls through I am stuck. Anyway I am lacking about 20 points for the cruise. I have heard of people combining points and cash to cruise. Anyone done this? Is there a good/ bad way of doing it? I think it would be more benificial just to pay cash for one of the children? Any input would be great thanks!

 

[jel0511]

I am looking at cruising in the fall of 2011. I would need to use 2011 and 2012 points for the cruise. I think renting my points would be risky because I will have to borrow points and if the rental falls through I am stuck. Anyway I am lacking about 20 points for the cruise. I have heard of people combining points and cash to cruise. Anyone done this? Is there a good/ bad way of doing it? I think it would be more benificial just to pay cash for one of the children? Any input would be great thanks!

I've done it and have no regrets. When you book points/cash for a cruise, you must book everything through DVC. You pay the DVC negotiated cash rate, which is usually higher than the current price through DCL. Also, you must pay all cash portions through DVC for DCL in full at time of booking.

 

[christa112]

Exactly how do your split it? We are a family of 5 so could I use points for my DH and I and pay for my three kids OOP? Curious, because we are hoping to book a cruise for 2011 as well but we will also need to bank points for 2010 and borrow points from 2012 with the 5 of us.

TIA

Christa

I've done it and have no regrets. When you book points/cash for a cruise, you must book everything through DVC. You pay the DVC negotiated cash rate, which is usually higher than the current price through DCL. Also, you must pay all cash portions through DVC for DCL in full at time of booking.

 

[erionm]

Exactly how do your split it? We are a family of 5 so could I use points for my DH and I and pay for my three kids OOP? Curious, because we are hoping to book a cruise for 2011 as well but we will also need to bank points for 2010 and borrow points from 2012 with the 5 of us.

TIA

Christa

Correct. If booking a cruise thru DVC, at least one person must be paid for using points. The remaining passengers can be either points or cash, but you can only use one payment method per passenger.

 

[jel0511]

Exactly how do your split it? We are a family of 5 so could I use points for my DH and I and pay for my three kids OOP? Curious, because we are hoping to book a cruise for 2011 as well but we will also need to bank points for 2010 and borrow points from 2012 with the 5 of us.

TIA

Christa

As noted above, you have to book at least one passenger fully on points, the rest can either be all points, or all cash, but you can't use the combo on an individual passenger. Meaning you either have to book another passenger all on points, or all on cash. I do want to warn you, that the points required to cruise usually goes up each year and some years there has been a significant increase year to year, so if you're basing your point requirements off the 2010 charts, you might be surprised once the charts for 2011 come out and find you don't have enough points if you're close now with your points.

 

[erionm]

As noted above, you have to book at least one passenger fully on points, the rest can either be all points, or all cash, but you can't use the combo on an individual passenger. Meaning you either have to book another passenger all on points, or all on cash. I do want to warn you, that the points required to cruise usually goes up each year and some years there has been a significant increase year to year, so if you're basing your point requirements off the 2010 charts, you might be surprised once the charts for 2011 come out and find you don't have enough points if you're close now with your points.

The 2011 cruise point charts are already out and many of the point requirements have gone down when compared to the 2010 points.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

As noted above, you have to book at least one passenger fully on points, the rest can either be all points, or all cash, but you can't use the combo on an individual passenger. Meaning you either have to book another passenger all on points, or all on cash. I do want to warn you, that the points required to cruise usually goes up each year and some years there has been a significant increase year to year, so if you're basing your point requirements off the 2010 charts, you might be surprised once the charts for 2011 come out and find you don't have enough points if you're close now with your points.

2011 is out, and many of the cruises are lower. I have decides to try to rent my points since it is a 30% savings on points. Wish me luck.