DVC points toward a Disney cruise

[goofy4wdw2]

I understand this is not considered the best use of points, but we are looking into all of our options. How would I find out how many points we would need to pay for a particular cruise or for one or two of us? Is there a cruise point chart or online resource somewhere? Thanks!

 

[Geomom]

There are point charts on the DVC website, listed by the cruise destination: https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/destinations/list/cruise/

As a reminder you either need to be a direct owner or a 'grandfathered-in' resale owner to use your points for a Disney cruise. There is also a non-refundable $95 transaction fee to use your points this way. The points are listed as per person/double occupancy. I believe you can do 1 person points and 1 cash. If you only have 1 person cruising--you still need to pay for 2 people, but only the taxes/fees for 1 person.

If you really want to use your DVC points to cruise, most people suggest renting your points and then using that cash to pay for the cruise as it is a very bad value to do it directly.

 

[Dean]

I understand this is not considered the best use of points, but we are looking into all of our options. How would I find out how many points we would need to pay for a particular cruise or for one or two of us? Is there a cruise point chart or online resource somewhere? Thanks!

The return is barely above maintenance fees, sometimes not even that. But sometimes one has points they won't use otherwise and for a given situation it is the lessor of evils. Buying to cruise even part of the time is a poor choice 100% of the time and always has been so in the entire history of DVC.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Plus you book through MS and pay MS prices for the cash guests, not DCL prices.

 

[ReagentGrade]

David's Vacation Club Rentals will "swap" your points for a DCL cruise. They rent the points and make you a reservation on DCL. This costs you fewer points than booking the cruise through MS. I have not done this, but I have rented points through them and was very happy with there service. If I wanted to take a DCL cruise, I wouldn't hesitate to do this. They have an example on their website of how this works and how many points would be needed.

 

[DVC Sue]

When we bought at AKV and received 'bonus' SSR points - enough to book an inside room on a cruise. The bonus points expired within a year, so I think it was a good use of the extra points. Book and enjoy. They're your points. Use them how you want.

 

[jodifla]

We did once. We booked the cruise only a few months out so the cash price was very high.

 

[Wakey]

When we bought at AKV and received 'bonus' SSR points - enough to book an inside room on a cruise. The bonus points expired within a year, so I think it was a good use of the extra points. Book and enjoy. They're your points. Use them how you want.

But you could now (not sure when AKL was first launched ) easily rent those extra points for 13/14 a point, pay for the cruise and bank half the rental, so it isn't a good idea now.

 

[Donna M]

We booked a 4 night cruise for this Dec. and used 302 points for 2 of us in an oceanview stateroom on deck 8. I don't remember her saying anything about the $95 charge and I thought I read about that charge being dropped for DVC members. Edited to say we did pay the $95.

We have 500 points and don't mind using them for the 3 or 4 night cruises. I wouldn't want to go a whole week on points, way too many, but not so bad at 302. I don't want to bother with renting, and this is our way of vacationing with our points.

I looked at the points chart to get an idea of how much the different cruises would use. When I called I had an idea of the amount of points I wanted to use and asked her what was available for about 300 points. I had the deck plans opened on my computer so I could see which stateroom she was talking about.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If someone told you that you may be able to rent 200 -220 points and get on that cruise, would you be interested in knowing that? Of course, depending on when you book and availability of rooms to rent makes “always renting to cruise” not possible.

 

[Geomom]

We booked a 4 night cruise for this Dec. and used 302 points for 2 of us in an oceanview stateroom on deck 8. I don't remember her saying anything about the $95 charge and I thought I read about that charge being dropped for DVC members.

We have 500 points and don't mind using them for the 3 or 4 night cruises. I wouldn't want to go a whole week on points, way too many, but not so bad at 302. I don't want to bother with renting, and this is our way of vacationing with our points.

I looked at the points chart to get an idea of how much the different cruises would use. When I called I had an idea of the amount of points I wanted to use and asked her what was available for about 300 points. I had the deck plans opened on my computer so I could see which stateroom she was talking about.

I know that the $95 transaction fee for RCI was waived for 2018, maybe it was waived for everything for 2018? Anyone looking at using their points for 2019 will likely have that fee though.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Oh the $95 "Non-refundable Reservation/Modification Fee" is veeery much alive and making Mickey dollars. I'm looking at it now on our reservation paperwork for the Sept. Wonder Alaska cruise.

 

[BillPA]

That $95 fee is nothing compared to what it cost you to use points for a cruise.
Take DVCs $7.50 a point value to cruise or rent to David's at $14-16, and pay cash.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

That $95 fee is nothing compared to what it cost you to use points for a cruise.
Take DVCs $7.50 a point value to cruise or rent to David's at $14-16, and pay cash.

I'm looking into the rental system now (Dave's).

 

[ReagentGrade]

I'm looking into the rental system now (Dave's).

I've used David's and was very happy with the service. And it easy!

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I've used David's and was very happy with the service. And it easy!

This system is "legal"? Diving in the first time is difficult.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

This system is "legal"? Diving in the first time is difficult.

Yes.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Yes.

Thanks, now I can really explore Dave's without worry of upsetting the Mouse.

 

[Brancaneve]

Hi! You also cannot select a specific cabin but a general category. We have cruised 5 times with out points and I have to say that we have always had the BEST rooms. Once we had a cabin with an aft balcony and another time we had a corner room that was much larger than the average room. We were even upgraded once.

Typically we use the points for my husband and me and then pay cash for our two kids, which must be paid upfront at the time of booking.

 

[rcchello]

You can actually pick a specific cabin, if it is available. I asked for a specific category and the agent told me what came up and I asked if one of several specific rooms was available and she picked one of the rooms I preferred.

It use to be, you couldn't pick because they were always putting you on hold to call Disney Cruise Line. Now they do all the work online and pick rooms while talking to you.