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cdndisneydaddy
12-21-2010, 03:53 PM
Hello All,

Meet some GREAT people on our cruise last week. Thank you everyone for the fantastic times! Seems that everyone we met, talked to, spent time with, was a DVC member.

Now, I forgot to ask them, but are there any benefits to cruising while you are a DVC member? Points towards prices/rooms? Discounts? Etc.

Gotta go find some sites to read up on this. Thanks for your help and experience on this matter.

JeffG
12-21-2010, 08:12 PM
Now, I forgot to ask them, but are there any benefits to cruising while you are a DVC member? Points towards prices/rooms? Discounts? Etc.

You can use points or a combination of points+cash to book a cruise. It is debatable how much of a bargain it is (calculating the cash value of a point is pretty complicated and a bit subjective), but it certainly can be a convenient way to cover all or part of the cost of a cruise using money you already had committed to travel. Next year, we are doing our second cruise that was entirely paid for via points and it really has helped a lot to make the trip more feasible.

There is an on-board reception for DVC members as well. We didn't go to it last time, so I'm not sure what it entails.

-Jeff

Toocherie
12-22-2010, 11:41 AM
Generally speaking, using DVC points for any purpose other than staying at a DVC resort is not a good use of those points--there is a "premium" that is charged. If you were a DVC member most long-timers will tell you you are better off renting your DVC points and applying the cash received to a DCL reservation--or a stay at a Disney hotel--etc. However, as Jeff pointed out if you have already bought the points and are not planning to otherwise use them then you might as well use them to book a cruise or for some other purpose. (For example, I recently had to have some points go into a "holding" account because of a late minute cancellation--I used them to book a night at the Disneyland Hotel even though it will cost more points for a normal hotel room rather than a DVC studio.)

Since this thread is about using DVC points I am going to move it over to the DVC board because I think you might get more responses there!

kendog80
01-13-2011, 02:05 PM
As most have pointed out trading points for cruises is not the best use of said points. However in my business the economy has taken its toll and I am in a situation with more points than cash. So while a 3 night cruise may "cost" the same points as a 7-10 day stay at my home resort in a studio if I was to stay in the studio I would still have food, park, entertainment expenses. Wheras the cruise virtually my only cost are alchohol and tips (and maybe a souvenier or two).

So we found ourselves on our first Disney cruise this past October for my 30th B-day. Cashed in my Southwest Visa points for 2 flights and used my Dvc points for cruise.

Total out of pocket was roughly:

Transferring points to DCL - $95
Rountrip Disney Transport to Pier- $200
On board charges (alchols/souveniers) - $150
Tips - $100
Lunch at Nassau - $50
So roughly $600 for the weekend..... but let's not talk about my montly DVC loan payment or the intrest i pay on that Soutwest Visa!!:crying:

As far as DVC/DCL correlation most of the members we met on our cruise had actually paid cash for thier cruise and were saving thier points for other trips. I think they are just Disney fans like us so they bought into the DVC and enjoy the Cruise line.

We also loved the cruise and just booked one this October for my wifes 30th B-day, again with our points.:)

GusMan
01-13-2011, 02:33 PM
There is an on-board reception for DVC members as well. We didn't go to it last time, so I'm not sure what it entails.
Its similar to a "Welcome home Wednesday" event at WDW where members gather together, enjoy some snacks, mingle, play a few games, hear a few pieces of DVC related news, and possibly win a door prize or two. Of course you hear about how the cruise is a great time to meet other non-members and possibly get referrals.

When we went, we all got DVC hats and a goodie bag of other cool DVC/DCL branded items.

It was kinda neat and was right before the ship left the port, so you dont really miss anything going on elsewhere on the ship.

fairestoneofall
05-18-2011, 01:08 PM
We have some friends that just came off the Dream and they went to the DVC reception. They got a bunch of cool loot, champagne and snacks. They also were made aware of special on board incentives for joining or adding on points. I think we'll certainly go since it won't interfere with other activities.

We have a cruise on hold right now. I think we're going to use a point/cash combo. We were given double points when we signed each of our contracts, so I was able to bank a whole year's worth of bonus points. That will pay for both of my boys with some to spare or one of the boys and one of the adults. Decsions, decisions. But, it's going to make a 7 night eastern on the Fantasy pretty affordable. We only go to WDW every other year anyhow.

GusMan
05-18-2011, 02:32 PM
If your bonus points were developer points of sorts, you need to check your DVC contract documents to see if there are any restrictions on the bonus points. In the past, they had restrictions as to when you could use them / book your vacation with them.

fairestoneofall
05-18-2011, 03:03 PM
If your bonus points were developer points of sorts, you need to check your DVC contract documents to see if there are any restrictions on the bonus points. In the past, they had restrictions as to when you could use them / book your vacation with them.
Thanks, I'll double check, but when I called member services today she didn't say anything about that. Then again, I didn't ask.