Using points for a disney cruise...

[cwhiteh2]

Ahoy Matees...

Can anyone comment on whether it would be better to use/rent points or to just pay for the cruise out right.

I'm not a member yet (but my MIL is) and I wanted to find out if anyone knows how many points it would be for the following scenario:

Value Season (Sept. 2006) cruise

1st room - (cat 11 room) 1 adult and 1 (12 yoa DS)
+
2nd room - (cat 11 room) 1 adult, 1 (6yrs DS), and 1 (4yrs DD)

I got $2143 from calling Disney direct. The points look like 71+71 and 71+71+39 or 323 ($6.63/point) ...does that look right or is there a lower point value for the 2nd child? That seems really weird compared to on land values...

Thanks...

 

[CarolMN]

The points you list are for 2005 value season cruises - the 3 day in a cat 11.

AFAIK, the points for 2006 cruises have not yet been published. IMHO, they will be higher than those required for 2005. MS usually has the points before they are listed on the members' website, so you could try calling on Monday to see if they are available.

Many here value their points at $10 each - because that is the average rate that can be obtained for renting them to others. Should you rent your points and pay cash for the cruise? Up to you - many do not want the hassle/risk involved and prefer to just use their points.

FWIW, if you pay cash for the cruise, you can book sooner (may give you more choice of cabins) and you have better options should you need to change things around or cancel.

Best wishes-

 

[DVCajun]

We cruised this winter and we came out much better by renting our points and paying case. We ended up getting a verandah for the same price as we would have paid for an inside stateroom with points.

 

[Dean]

You should compare the points vs cash for yourself but I've never seen a good example where it was better using points. And IMO if it's a break even, the risks with renting out your points are far less than the risks in doing a DCL cruise on points.

 

[southtown]

I havent done it myself, but I have been told by other DVC members not to do it. They told me to pay cash and save my points for accomodations.

 

[imlazar]

Cruise vacation point charts are available at :

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/7_DVCCharts/dcl00.htm

 

[melkimmom]

Yes, it's true you get a better value for your points if you use them to stay at the DVC Resorts. Now, that does not mean that you can't use your points for Disney Cruise or that it won't be a good deal.....it could be. You see you can get about $10 per point if you rent them out ($9 is more likely)...so if you check sites like Travelocity.com or Icruise.com and find out how much it will cost for you and your family to go on the DC you want, on the category you want...you will probably find that the amount is less than if you used points to get it*. A lot of DVCers rent some points out and get the money they need to pay for the cruise. You can do that to if you want to but you never know, How long it will take, How honest and serius the person at the other end is, or if you will find obstacles at all.

Many DVCers have rented and have great experiences....others not so great.


I had the same question you did not to long ago. In my case I weight all my options and decided to use points this time. I was not ready to depend on somebody else so I can go on vacation. One of the reasons I chosed DVC was the Flexibility. This year I can do this...next year I could go there and all with points.

You can still get your cruise like I did and get a good deal (maybe it won't be the greatest deal but still a good deal). When I did the math at the end.....it was true I could get a little more money renting my points... but I did not wanted to get into the hassle, not this time anyway. Points it is this time....it was so cool to only pay for a cruise $75. I will still save about $1000 of the completed vacation 4 nights cruise + 3 nights Parks. I don't see it as a loss... For now I will enjoy myself and my family planing for all our upcoming trips. :thewave:

So do what is best for you and yours and overall Have a great time whatever you choose. Anything will be better than this


*There are also other good benefits to buy the cruise cash.

 

[LakeAriel]

I agree, I bought points to have a yearly "no hassle vacation". I will be cruising next week with my daughter. Granted with just the two of us I don't use a whole bunch of points but I would rather use the points I own then have to list points for rent and worry about getting paid on time etc.
It is great to have 4 nights at VWL and 3 nights on the Wonder for $75! This is what's it's all about!!!!!

 

[TheBeast]

We also decided to use points. Though the cost would likely be less by renting and buying a cruise, we decided against it for the same reasons others cited. First year with DVC, we're nervous about renting...

 

[AOPI57]

We're doing our 3rd cruise and have always used a combination of points and cash. There's 5 in our family and we use points for 2 0r 3 0f us. My parents haved used their points for 1 of them and paid cash for the other. There are many ways to work it if you don't want to use up all your points. We always make sure we have enough points left to vacation at WDW, HHI or VB.

 

[jrose529]

We used points for a 7 day cruise for 3 of us this past July. It cost us 543 points for a cat. 8! We used banked and borrowed points to come up with enough for the trip. It was a fantastic trip, but I wouldn't use points again. We figured that it cost much too much in points and that we would pay in the future. Banking points has really worked for us over the years. We have transfered for some great trips, as well as taken extended WDW trips in larger accomodations.

Definately go on the cruise, you'll love it, but I would pay for it unless you purchase an abundance of pionts.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[mcorbo]

That point chart says it from 2000, and I see nothing more recent for the cruise there.

Cruise vacation point charts are available at :

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/7_DVCCharts/dcl00.htm

 

[barkley]

I agree, I bought points to have a yearly "no hassle vacation". I will be cruising next week with my daughter. Granted with just the two of us I don't use a whole bunch of points but I would rather use the points I own then have to list points for rent and worry about getting paid on time etc.
It is great to have 4 nights at VWL and 3 nights on the Wonder for $75! This is what's it's all about!!!!!

yes, yes, yes! this is the attitude of myself and my husband. we are members since '99 and have only had one wdw vacation club stay (it was great, over 10 days long and we are planning on doing it again in the next year). we have done the disney cruise, a concierge collection hotel and most recently the alaskan cruise (an experience that taught us that once you've done a disney cruise you are spoiled for life-no ship, no food, NO STAFF reaches disney's standards). If we lived closer to Florida (northern californians are we) it would be much more convenient and less costly for us to go to wdw and use the vacation homes, but the cost of airfare-park passes, not to mention the 2 days of extra vacation lost to travel just makes it more practical for us to try the other options available to us.

last night my husband and i were musing about how we could (in several years when the kids are in their teens) bank one years points, and then borrow into the banked year the next years points for a 6 week trip to Europe and the Mediterranean. I love the opportunities for travel that dvc affords me-I don't look at my point value-I look at my vacation opportunities.

 

[Dean]

I agree, I bought points to have a yearly "no hassle vacation". I will be cruising next week with my daughter. Granted with just the two of us I don't use a whole bunch of points but I would rather use the points I own then have to list points for rent and worry about getting paid on time etc.
It is great to have 4 nights at VWL and 3 nights on the Wonder for $75! This is what's it's all about!!!!!

One of the problems is that using points for a DCL is only no hassle if things work well. If you have to change or cancel it quickly becomes a big hassle and potential cost as well. To repeat, IMO, the hassle and risk associated with renting is far less than those associated with a points cruise.

 

[LakeAriel]

I disagree. I would rather negotiate with Disney then a stranger renting my points.

 

[NJDVCFan]

AFAIK, the points for 2006 cruises have not yet been published. IMHO, they will be higher than those required for 2005. MS usually has the points before they are listed on the members' website, so you could try calling on Monday to see if they are available.

I spoke to my guide recently, and he indicated that the cruise points were to be going down for 2006 - in the order of 6% is what I think he said. He said that since they (DVC) pay DCL in cash, points fluctuate year to year based on what they are getting for rentals.

 

[Dean]

I disagree. I would rather negotiate with Disney then a stranger renting my points.

Do you know the risks of a DCL points cruise?

• If you make ANY changes you must pay another $75 fee. Something as simple as changing cabins, categories or a name, will generate the fee.
• If you book any portion on cash, you must pay ALL up front.
• You can't book until 11 months out, usually 6-7 months after cash guests have booked.
• If you have to cancel, the points go into reservation status and expire at the end of the use year.
• If the price goes down or specials happen, not for points unless the points themselves go down for that cruise.

Assuming you rent current use year points in the first half of your use year, what are the risks? Not much if you have reasonable terms that protect you like a deposit, final payment far enough out and a nonrefunedable policy. True risks are limited to:

• Risk of a returned check for personal check, avoidable by requiring other payment methods.
• The hassles of dealing with it.
• Damage and abandoned charges during the stay.

Other benefits of a cash cruise. Are the opposite of the negatives for points plus the $3.50-$5 pp you gain on the differential. Sounds like a TA should go into business competing with DVC taking in points and renting them while providing cash cruises.

 

[melkimmom]

One of the problems is that using points for a DCL is only no hassle if things work well. If you have to change or cancel it quickly becomes a big hassle and potential cost as well. To repeat, IMO, the hassle and risk associated with renting is far less than those associated with a points cruise.

It all depends how you see it, how much time you have and how much money you want to save. Yes using points for disney cruise can become a hassle like any reservation that you make with banked or borrowed points and then need to cancel for any reason with the exception that you will loose $75*. Using points is great but could become a problem if you cancel at the last minute in any case, for cruise or no cruise.

*It will be another $75 everytime you change anything to your cruise reservation.

Renting is a very good idea and you will get a lot more money for the points.

Again, complications are a fact of any transaction and can occurred at any point. You don't know who you are dealing with, some people don't want to pay the agreed amount after you have made the reservation, and let's not even go to cancelling or changing the reservation. You are acting as this person's Disney Travel Agent, time and energy are a considering factor. Trust is another.

Rent is a great option if you have the time to advertise, answer emails, make your own policies and agreements to the transaction, ask for payment and received payment, deal with late payment or bad payment, be available for questions, changes, cancelations or refunds, deal with happy or unhappy customers, answer more questions, email on regular basis, etc.

That is only for one transaction....so if you have aroud 200 points it could happened that Sue wants 90 points for December at BWV for a specific view, Hector wants 88 points for BC in September, Ann needs only 40 points for May, etc. (Remember you don't know this people and they can change their mind at any time)

This can be exciting and great for some, but painful for others

Is it worth it? Is all up to you. Some will say yes and some no. Others like me see the potential in renting but rather not at this time, probably will in the future depends on the situation.

Renting: Yes you will endup with more money but requires work and some or a lot of hassle.

Cruising with points: Will cost you more, plus unrefundable $75 for the complete vacation. If you need to bank or borrow and then you cancel then you are stucked with those points for that use year (that is assuming you cancel before any other penalties become an issue).

Me Cruising with points it is this time with or without the hassles. No time or energy at this time to deal with renting and strangers with a whole lot of questions.

I think renting out points its very good if you can do it. If you can't right now or won't I understand. I am sure you did not buy into DVC thinking of becoming a Travel Agent (not that there is anything wrong with those who did it for that purpose). I didn't either. What a feeling! "Cruise for 4, please?" "Sure, $75". To try this at least this once (or I don't know many more, It's my choice) was wonderful.

For a minute I thought "Oh no I know I could get more value for these points if I rented them out" Then I thought " I will get my points again next UY, I became a DVC member to indulge and that is exactly what I am going to do indulge in my vacation experience, I am a DVC member, I sure can"

To those that rent good for you and for those of us who decide not to, good for us too.

What ever you do Enjoy life

 

[Dean]

People make renting to be a lot more of a risk and hassle than it has to be and usually is.

 

[JimMIA]

Cruising with points: Will cost you more, plus unrefundable $75 for the complete vacation. If you need to bank or borrow and then you cancel then you are stucked with those points for that use year (that is assuming you cancel before any other penalties become an issue).

Uh...it's a little more complicated than that if you cancel. Those pesky little "reservations points" Dean mentioned -- what the heck are they, anyway?

I'll tell you what they are. Not only can't you bank them or un-borrow them, but you also can't use them at DVC! You can use them for another cruise in this use year...or for a nice stay at the GF or Poly Concierge...or maybe for a cool Adventure Collection outing -- but NOT DVC! I'm certainly not saying GF Conceirge wouldn't be wonderful...but I wouldn't want to be forced into it.

Go to the Rent/Trade board and you'll probably find some poor soul desperately trying to unload "reservations points." To me, the "reservations points" problem is a much bigger issue than what you can buy a cruise for or rent points for.