Where can I find information on trading points for a cruise?

[crackerjack]

I really think that I could convince DH to buy into DVC if I could present the trading-points-for-cruises information! Where can I find this information? Thanks.

 

[IslandHap]

It's basically like any other point exchange. You pay a $75.00 exchange fee, and use the applicable number of points. Keep in mind you can bank and/or borrow points to come up with the total points needed.

Cruising on points is what pushed us over the buyers edge. Some say it's not a good use of points, but I don't agree. We were going to take a cruise this summer, but cancled it, and used the money to help buy into DVC. This will give us 40 years of use for that money, and not just a one time shot and then it's gone.

The 2003 point chart isn't out yet.

Here is the points for a 2002 cruise using DVC points. The first points are for Value Season, the 2nd for Regular Season, 3rd is Peak Season, and 4th is Holiday Season.

3 Day Cruise

Value Season: 1/10 - 2/14, 9/12 - 11/21, 12/5-12/19
Regular Season: 1/3, 2/21 - 3/21, 4/4 - 9/5
Peak Season: 3/28, 11/28
Holiday Season: 12/26

1st and 2nd Passenger (each)

(Cat 4) 139/ 165/ 181/ 228
(Cat 5) 114/ 139/ 155/ 195
(Cat 6) 107/ 133/ 149/ 182
(Cat 7) 101/ 126/ 142/ 169
(Cat 8) 94/ 114/ 129/ 150
(Cat 9) 88/ 107/ 123/ 137
(Cat 10) 75/ 94/ 110/ 117
(Cat 11) 68/ 88/ 103/ 104

Additional person over 13: 37/56/63/63
Child 3-12: 30/50/56/56
Child 2 and under: 14/14/14/14

4 day Cruise

Value Season: 1/6 - 2/10, 9/8 - 11/24, 12/1-12/15
Regular Season: 2/17 - 3/24, 4/7 - 9/1
Peak Season: 3/31
Holiday Season: 12/22 - 12/29

1st and 2nd Passenger (each)

Cat 4 152/ 182/ 194/ 241
Cat 5 126/ 156/ 168/ 208
Cat 6 120/ 150/ 162/ 195
Cat 7 114/ 143/ 155/ 182
Cat 8 107/ 130/ 142/ 163
Cat 9 101/ 124/ 136/ 150
Cat 10 88/ 111/ 123/ 130
Cat 11 81/ 104/ 116/ 117

Additional person over 13: 50/69/76/76
Child 3-12: 43/63/69/69
Child 2 and under: 14/14/14/14

7 day Cruise - Eastern Carribean

Value Season: 1/5 - 2/9, 9/7 - 9/21, 10/5, 10/19, 11/2, 11/16, 11/30, 12/14
Regular Season: 2/16- 3/23, 4/6 - 5/4, 5/18, 6/1, 6/15, 6/29, 7/13, 7/27, 8/10, 8/24
Peak Season: 3/30
Holiday Season: 12/28

1st and 2nd Passenger (each)

Cat 4 237/ 263/ 315/ 390
Cat 5 198/ 224/ 276/ 325
Cat 6 185/ 211/ 263/ 312
Cat 7 172/ 198/ 250/ 299
Cat 8 159/ 185/ 217/ 260
Cat 9 152/ 178/ 211/ 247
Cat 10 133/ 159/ 191/ 221
Cat 11 126/ 152/ 185/ 208

Additional person over 13: 78/104/130/130
Child 3-12: 52/78/104/104
Child 2 and under: 16/16/16/16

7 day Cruise - Western Carribean

Value Season: 9/4, 9/28, 10/12, 10/26, 11/9, 12/7
Regular Season: 5/11, 5/25, 6/8, 6/22, 7/6, 7/20, 8/3, 8/17, 8/31
Peak Season: 11/23
Holiday Season: 12/21

1st and 2nd Passenger (each)

Cat 4 243/ 289/ 321/ 390
Cat 5 204/ 250/ 282/ 325
Cat 6 191/ 237/ 269/ 312
Cat 7 178/ 224/ 256/ 299
Cat 8 165/ 191/ 224/ 260
Cat 9 159/ 185/ 217/ 247
Cat 10 139/ 165/ 198/ 221
Cat 11 133/ 159/ 191/ 208

Additional person over 13: 91/117/130/130
Child 3-12: 65/91/104/104
Child 2 and under: 16/16/16/16

 

[crackerjack]

That's the exact information I needed! Appreciate your quick response!

 

[AnnaS]

Wow, Island hap, that's exactly what happened with us. We had never taken the tour all the times we were at WDW, no one ever approached us and we never went to see them (too bad, we would have bought sooner).We went down to WDW in 8/00. We knew we would take the Celebrity cruise in the summer of '01 from NY. While waiting to get beeped at Chef Mickey I finally decided to approach the DVC guide that was at the Contemp. We would have spent $6 to $ 7,000 on that cruise anyway - applied it to DVC (after doing some homework) and the rest is history - still short history, but a happy history anyway. (We did the Magic 7/01 and planning on West. 7/03).

 

[vacationman]

I learned the same thing the hard way. After spending over $6,500 on the Disney Cruise at Christmas 2000 (and several moderate or deluxe stays), we joined DVC and the regret over not joining sooner is just starting to go away. Cruising on points for the first time in December!

 

[IslandHap]

How did you like the Christmas cruise? We are thinking of doing one this year with our BCV points.

 

[vacationman]

We were happily surprized at the quality of Christmas decorations on board - it was every bit as nice as how the deluxe resorts are decorated at that time of year. Many of the events on the ship have a holiday theme, including the family gameshow type events. Even the characters were in Christmas "clothes". Formal nights were a lot of fun since you could dress up in holiday garb - real colorful. While we usually go to WDW for Christmas, the time on the Magic is our favorite Christmas so far.


The islands were the same as they are year round except for some fairly cheap decorations. Our day at Castaway Cay was cool and rainy so not much fun but I understand that it was unusual for it to be so cool.