Wish DVC Member's Cruise Sold Out

[Cruising Engineer]

WOW, this was quick:

 

[bobbiwoz]

It was fast. Having to use points didn’t hurt reservations.

I am happy to have a cabin. We have friends not connected to our reservation on it, and we hope to share dining table. It sure feels good to be planning with friends!

 

[AquaDame]

I think it happened quite awhile ago even... I saw reports hours ago that people were waitlisted for anything that opens. I think we can guess how fast the maiden would have gone had they opened it up to all platinum straight away... time to decide if I want to book a different one or extend our trip elsewhere in January.

 

[MomOTwins]

It definitely helped that the point chart was much more reasonable than I expected. If I didn't already have plans in 2021-2022 to use all my points, I for sure would have considered it. And I was initially furious about the inability to book cash only. But when they didn't really price it meaningfully higher than a dream 3-night, it was tempting for sure.

 

[JWG]

I think it happened quite awhile ago even... I saw reports hours ago that people were waitlisted for anything that opens. I think we can guess how fast the maiden would have gone had they opened it up to all platinum straight away... time to decide if I want to book a different one or extend our trip elsewhere in January.

Maybe. The DVC cruise was open to all DVC members today regardless of Castaway Club status, that could be a lot of Silver or never have's who decided to cruise to use up points.
I still don't think the maiden gets past Gold, and probably not Platinum, but the audience today may have been slightly different.

I also think if there wasn't a point backlog issue that this may have played differently. This solves for those with large point use issues. Doesn't solve the inventory problem for us owners now that DVC controls a bunch of points at a premium to turn into cash rooms.

 

[bcwife76]

I absolutely would have considered this cruise but (a) we already have a b2b on the Magic later next summer and (b) and the timing was not great as my kids are still in school in June (not fond of taking a high schooler out during the last couple of weeks of school). Oh well. There's still two more Disney ships yet to come

 

[bobbiwoz]

I absolutely would have considered this cruise but (a) we already have a b2b on the Magic later next summer and (b) and the timing was not great as my kids are still in school in June (not fond of taking a high schooler out during the last couple of weeks of school). Oh well. There's still two more Disney ships yet to come

That’s the spirit!

 

[CM Dad]

When I got my callback this afternoon to pay for my DVC cruise, the member services person told me that the cruise was sold out by 12:45

 

[MomOTwins]

I just noticed that the screenshot above said you only need to call member services if using points on May 25, and otherwise can book via travel agent. That's great news! I am definitely debating a 3-nighter in the summer and would love to avoid MS if possible. Getting some onboard credit from a TA would be icing on the cake.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I just noticed that the screenshot above said you only need to call member services if using points on May 25, and otherwise can book via travel agent. That's great news! I am definitely debating a 3-nighter in the summer and would love to avoid MS if possible. Getting some onboard credit from a TA would be icing on the cake.

Getting onboard credit on Maiden is why we used DU!

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We had points tied up from the B2B Sept 2020, rolled to Jan 2021, rolled and added to May 2021, and finally (?) booked for July 2022 on the 9 night S. Caribbean. Just not worth it for us to travel from NM to FL for a 3 nighter DVC. We'll plan for a B2B maybe late 2022 on the Wish (if I finish my doctoral degree work in 2022). Have a great time @bobbiwoz.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We had points tied up from the B2B Sept 2020, rolled to Jan 2021, rolled and added to May 2021, and finally (?) booked for July 2022 on the 9 night S. Caribbean. Just not worth it for us to travel from NM to FL for a 3 nighter DVC. We'll plan for a B2B maybe late 2022 on the Wish (if I finish my doctoral degree work in 2022). Have a great time @bobbiwoz.

I understand about the long travel for fewer days, and I look forward to sailing with you again, sometime!
What a wonderful goal, PhD!!

 

[JWG]

I may have tried for a points cruise if we were in a point favorable position with no options. But, our original plan was to visit WDW in June 2022 for the 50th with grandparents in tow - so we need our points as we're hoping to get a grand villa. We are on the list to get booked into a 3-day Wish cruise in June/July if possible. If it works, we'll plan our WDW portion around it.

 

[Starwind]

We had points tied up from the B2B Sept 2020, rolled to Jan 2021, rolled and added to May 2021, and finally (?) booked for July 2022 on the 9 night S. Caribbean. Just not worth it for us to travel from NM to FL for a 3 nighter DVC. We'll plan for a B2B maybe late 2022 on the Wish (if I finish my doctoral degree work in 2022). Have a great time @bobbiwoz.

Enjoy the 9 nighter ! An itinerary we hope to do one day.

We're looking at doing a B2B on the Wish in early 2023 [I would make it late 2022, but we're doing a postponed Alaska in summer 2022, so sailing again in late 2022 seems a bit too early ;-) ]. Both 3 and 4 night seem too short each alone to be worth the trip; we much prefer longer cruises and have done a B2B and a B2B2B on the Dream before.

After I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in October 2014 we sailed with DCL for the second time on the Fantasy just under a month later in November 2014 -- the cruise was in celebration of the completion of my doctorate and my 'I'm celebrating' button said "PhD", which turned out to be an interesting (in a good way) conversation starter. A number of CM's helped make it extra special, including Minnie Mouse and her CM companion and our serving team. I therefore encourage you to make "I'm Celebrating PhD" part of a post-completion cruise.

Best of wishes for this last stretch with the end in sight ! The slogging through is never easy, but it is pretty amazing when you get to the end of it. Good luck !

SW
(who spent part of her first cruise sitting in a cabana on Castaway Cay writing part of her dissertation....)

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Enjoy the 9 nighter ! An itinerary we hope to do one day.
After I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in October 2014 we sailed with DCL for the second time on the Fantasy just under a month later in November 2014 -- the cruise was in celebration of the completion of my doctorate and my 'I'm celebrating' button said "PhD", which turned out to be an interesting (in a good way) conversation starter. A number of CM's helped make it extra special, including Minnie Mouse and her CM companion and our serving team. I therefore encourage you to make "I'm Celebrating PhD" part of a post-completion cruise.
Best of wishes for this last stretch with the end in sight ! The slogging through is never easy, but it is pretty amazing when you get to the end of it. Good luck !
SW
(who spent part of her first cruise sitting in a cabana on Castaway Cay writing part of her dissertation....)

WOW ... Was your "I'm Celebrating" button from DCL? I'm working on another paper right now and hope it makes it for publication. In engineering, it's the number of published papers that determine the dissertation. This news provides me with another incentive to "get 'er done": a cruise and an "I'm Celebrating Ph.D." button. The light at the end of the tunnel just got a little brighter. Thanks!

 

[HiStitch626]

Having to use points didn’t hurt reservations.

I wonder if it would have been so quick in a regular year. I think a lot of people had a lot of banked points from the last year.

 

[JWG]

I saw someone smarter than me booked their cruise using points for the 3rd or 4th stateroom guest to save points and paid cash for the 1st and 2nd. I wouldn't have thought of that.
We didn't book this cruise at all, but I'll keep that in mind for future cruises if they require a point booking.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I saw someone smarter than me booked their cruise using points for the 3rd or 4th stateroom guest to save points and paid cash for the 1st and 2nd. I wouldn't have thought of that.

I always thought #1 had to meet the criteria for the stateroom (DVC Member, Platinum, adult +21 yr. old, etc.). This is interesting news.

 

[JWG]

I always thought #1 had to meet the criteria for the stateroom (DVC Member, Platinum, adult +21 yr. old, etc.). This is interesting news.

#1 could be a DVC Member, just booked with cash while points were used for someone else or an additional member as #3.

 

[Starwind]

WOW ... Was your "I'm Celebrating" button from DCL? I'm working on another paper right now and hope it makes it for publication. In engineering, it's the number of published papers that determine the dissertation. This news provides me with another incentive to "get 'er done": a cruise and an "I'm Celebrating Ph.D." button. The light at the end of the tunnel just got a little brighter. Thanks!

You know how they have the "I'm Celebrating" buttons (eg birthday, whatever... they have fill in the blank ones so you can write in what you are celebrating) at WDW ? DCL has them too. Though I don't remember if the one I used on the ship came from our short WDW resort stay before the cruise or from DCL.

Good luck with your current paper and with whatever else is required to finish ! The light at the end is indeed brighter !

I don't know if I am fortunate or not that my department required a traditional dissertation. OTOH, the final thing was 141 pages ! Near the end I was very much embracing the wise words of one of my committee members: "it only needs to be good enough to pass"

And I have to say, planning for a Disney cruise was a nice way to take a much needed break from research and writing from time to time !! Helps keep the sanity during doctoral work !

SW