Who likes to use points for cruise?

[Donna M]

We used our points for our last cruise and plan to use them for our future (Alaska! hope, hope, hope) cruise. Who else uses points for their trip?

I'm very leary about renting to someone I don't know even though I read about a lot of people doing it. There must be some nightmare stories out there.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have used all points, points and cash combo and cash only for many DCL cruises. I have no problem at all using points to cruise.

My feeling is, I have invested a large amount of money into DVC to cover my vacations. So whether I choose WDW, DL, to trade out to RCI or to cruise on DCL it is our choice of trip. I do not want to lay out more cash if I do not have to.

Regarding renting, it is not something I am inclined to consider unless I were in a real need. Not to say it will never happen, but my preference is to not rent but to use the points myself.

So, the value is perceived by each individual. For me, the all inclusive cruise is a nice choice to use points for. Everyone may not agree, but to each his own.

 

[Flyerfan]

I have never used points for a cruise but I have thought about it. I wouldn't rule it out. Agreeing with CarolAnnc, I do not want to lay out anymore money than I have to.

 

[Inkmahm]

You don't have to rent your points to turn them into cash to get a cheaper price for the cruise than you'd ever get paying points. Transfer them to a fellow DVC member instead!

Once you transfer the points are no longer connected to you and you have no risk for any reservation for a renter.

The points cost for DCL are ridiculous. Transfer your points for $10 or $11 each and you'll be WAY ahead, either with plenty of spending money to use on the cruise or points leftover to use for another WDW vacation.

 

[lah3hh]

We have cruised often (maybe 9 or 10 times) since we became DVC members 10 years ago. I think that is an awesome option we have to being DVC members instead of 'other' timeshares out there.

For our family, cruising is something we always look forward to doing almost every year. I agree with others on this thread that I have a lot of money invested in DVC (since I have over 1100 points) I do not want to pay cash for vacations anymore.

Points, points and more points is the way I travel and love it each and every time!!!

 

[Donna M]

I guess I feel the same way about the amount of money invested in points. We have 500 and I don't want to spend any more cash either.

 

[Inkmahm]

I guess I feel the same way about the amount of money invested in points. We have 500 and I don't want to spend any more cash either.

We have 530 and I want to use as few of them as possible to pay for cruises.

That's why we transfer points and use the cash to pay for the cruise. It saves those precious points!

 

[Anal Annie]

Even if you transfer your points to someone else don't you still have to worry about them being honest enough to PAY you for them without incident? That would be my fear...that we'd be left holding the bag! No points and no money!

Anyway, we used points to cruise last summer and we're glad we did, but since the 2008 points they have raised the DCL charts significantly. I can no longer justify the number of points they want. We used 392 points for a Cat. 10 on a 4 nighter in July 2008. A 4 nighter in a Cat 10 for July 2010 has gone up by 81 points in just 2 years!!! We could easily do 3 week long summer trips or spend 3 weeks for those 473 points (in a studio). So when I weigh 4 nights VS 21 nights I have a problem with using points for a cruise again. And I know all the arguements...cruises are "all inclusive" blah, blah, blah...but we STILL spend about $1,800-$2,000 on a cruise with misc. spending, excursions & shopping...we spend a lot less at WDW including meals. So that's not a wash for me.

We love DCL and hope to go again on one of the new ships...but it will be on a cash ressie next time.

 

[codina818]

Even if you transfer your points to someone else don't you still have to worry about them being honest enough to PAY you for them without incident? That would be my fear...that we'd be left holding the bag! No points and no money!

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We love DCL and hope to go again on one of the new ships...but it will be on a cash ressie next time.

In the posts that I have been seeing, it looks like the way everybody did it is to get the money first before transferring points.

Why is that a problem?

I am trying to understand why people are so against getting something more for the points than what Disney gives you?

It seeming that if you get money for transfer, then use money for cruise, you have pts. left over... why does everyone want to just lost extra points?

Can someone explain this to me... I want to go on cruise, but pts. or cash seems to me that cash is better way to go.. but many people use pts.. must be something to it but what is it? I am confused... it doesn't make sense..

 

[hakepb]

Why do people trade in their car to a dealer? Why do people use a Realtor to sell/buy a home? It is always a better value to sell your car and home by owner than pay a middleman.

I am guessing that people use points because it is easier than renting out a transfer, and using points for a cruise means you deal only with Disney, not Joe Q Public.

And while they could get more value by renting/transferring, I think using points on a cruise works OK financially for some (an early OKW owner's cost of points is about half of new DVC owners points costs)

 

[Donna M]

If we save our points and use cash for the cruise we would get another vacation but then we'd have to buy plane tickets to get to Fl and they aren't cheap.

I'd agree that transfering or selling would be a hassle for me. I'm too much of a chicken.

 

[jgus]

I would agree it's easier to just use points, and based on the increased # of DVC points required to go on DCL, people must be doing it. I am guessing if they wern't, they would lower the points to cruise. Supply & demand.

 

[Inkmahm]

Why do people trade in their car to a dealer? Why do people use a Realtor to sell/buy a home? It is always a better value to sell your car and home by owner than pay a middleman.

I am guessing that people use points because it is easier than renting out a transfer, and using points for a cruise means you deal only with Disney, not Joe Q Public.

And while they could get more value by renting/transferring, I think using points on a cruise works OK financially for some (an early OKW owner's cost of points is about half of new DVC owners points costs)

But it isn't what you paid for the points that matters, it's what you could GET for the points that matters. That's $10 or so for OKW as well as the other resorts. Opportunity cost.

 

[Entropy]

We used our points for our last cruise and plan to use them for our future (Alaska! hope, hope, hope) cruise. Who else uses points for their trip?

I'm very leary about renting to someone I don't know even though I read about a lot of people doing it. There must be some nightmare stories out there.

Don't get your fingers too crossed. DCL has withdrawn their application to cruise Glacier Bay Alaska in 2010-2019.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Don't get your fingers too crossed. DCL has withdrawn their application to cruise Glacier Bay Alaska in 2010-2019.

I heard this also, however, many cruise lines sail to Alaska without that permit. Just means that they take different routes.

 

[Compte de Yoyo]

Who else uses points for their trip?

Wife and I don't want to babysit somebody else's vacation (waiting around on their schedule @ waiting for emails, arranging a time to call, contracts, giving out personal information, transfer points, collect payment). We'd transfer points to family/friends who are DVC members but are not really interested working with strangers unless we really needed the money or something. We both work with people (and their complaints) as well as a renter so we want vacation time to be a vacation, if that makes sense?

(extra) Money is always nice but as long as we, more or less, "break even" in the years down the line we're fine with the idea. We love Disney and our vacations, so that's not going to be hard =)

 

[hakepb]

But it isn't what you paid for the points that matters, it's what you could GET for the points that matters. That's $10 or so for OKW as well as the other resorts. Opportunity cost.

Yes, you are correct about the opportunity cost. I am just trying to offer you an example of how I think people come to their own conclusion that using DVC points on a cruise muight seem OK to them.

But, what they paid for their points matter if those old, cheap point buyers advertize a quick, discounted rental that a new expensive points owner cannot afford to match...