DVC and Disney cruise.

rufio

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Is there a good time or way to book a cruise through Disney with DVC? My fiance wanted to book one for our honeymoon in December, and he said we had to use like, 2 years worth of points (I think we have 130 per year) and spend an extra $2,000 to book it. Has anyone booked a cruise with DVC?
 

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
You will probably be better off renting your points to someone for cash and booking the cruise on your own. Using points for anything that isn't a DVC resort is usually not the best value.
 

tjkraz

Active Member
Depends upon how long of a cruise you are planning, stateroom category, time of year, etc. A 3-night cruise for early December in an interior stateroom starts at 75 points per person. A 7-night cruise closer to Christmas in a veranda room will cost you 250+ per person.

Cruises are all inclusive so they are never cheap. If you want to compare to the theme parks, you get your accommodations, park tickets and unlimited meals all in one.

Booking cruises on DVC points is not the most economical way to go. Points go much further when used for DVC resort stays.
 

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
Cruises are all inclusive

I like to tell my clients that cruises are "almost" all inclusive. There are extras that you could need to pay for, especially if you compared the trip to a true all-inclusive resort.

Items such as alcoholic beverages, snacks and drinks from the snack stand outside the theater, photo packages, excursions, etc are not included in the cost of most cruises.

Tammy may be able to point us to a more complete list.
 

tjkraz

Active Member
I like to tell my clients that cruises are "almost" all inclusive.

Good point. They don't include anything and everything but its far more comprehensive than a Disney theme park visit. And you can get off the ship with a stateroom balance of $0.00--assuming you pre-paid gratuities--without enduring any major hardships. :)

In fact, Disney's policies make them one of the more guest-friendly cruise lines. Some lines charge for soda and other non-alcoholic beverages. Disney allows travelers to bring a certain amount of alcohol on board. Some lines charge extra for child care services. And on most you'll get the hard-sell over gambling, bingo, alcohol, etc.

Of course, Disney's fares are higher than most so that's the trade-off.
 

toolsnspools

Well-Known Member
We booked a 4 day on the Dream partially using points last year. It took a good chunk of points, plus we paid cash for our 3 kids. You don't get the same return for your money as you do staying at a DVC resort, but what your points cover cost-wise is more than what your dues will cost you. You can make out a little better if you rent your points and use the cash, but if you prefer to not hassle with doing that, don't feel like you're going to lose money by spending points on a cruise.
 

Funfy

Active Member
We have 405 points. Dues are $2000 +/- a year. We can only cruise during the summer during peak times. Family of 4 on points-about 600 + $95 fee. About a year and a half of points. Cash price last time we went over $6000. So, we go for approximately $3100. That is our math. Others will argue differently. With DVC, adults need to form their own opinions, do the research, work the numbers for their situation and comfort level. No one should make this decision for you.

And yes, since we have joined DVC; the times we had-you really cannot put a price on it.

Bring on the haters!:wave:
 

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
We have 405 points. Dues are $2000 +/- a year. We can only cruise during the summer during peak times. Family of 4 on points-about 600 + $95 fee. About a year and a half of points. Cash price last time we went over $6000. So, we go for approximately $3100. That is our math. Others will argue differently. With DVC, adults need to form their own opinions, do the research, work the numbers for their situation and comfort level. No one should make this decision for you.

And yes, since we have joined DVC; the times we had-you really cannot put a price on it.

Bring on the haters!:wave:

Not hating...everyone is entitled to do what they want. I would have probably chose to rent those points then and paid for the cruise in the cash I got. You could have probably made more than 6000 from renting out 600 points.
 

Funfy

Active Member
But, that is a pain (to me). You have to rely on other people, etc. I don't have time for all that. And, quite frankly, my time is more valuable than fretting through it.

We use our points for our family and some extended family-it works for us and we don't feel like we are wasting our money.

"Potentially" more money could have been made, but, the bottom line was we did better than our dues-so, we are happy.

We don't see DVC as a way to make money, just a way to get the most for the money we spent-by our standards. To each is own and if you don't like DVC-NOOOO amount of "it works for me" will change that.

So, I will just keep living in my own sweet oblivion and everyone else that disagrees can live in their own.
 

Funfy

Active Member
Just added up the points for Family of four (all adults)-4-night cruise to Bahamas which is what we went on before-Actually about 380. So really it would be covered easily by less than $2100 for less than one year of dues + $95 fee-less than our 405 points. We upped our points total on that cruise, so, that was why I had it in my head-about a year and a half of points.

So, an even better deal now.:sohappy:
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Just added up the points for Family of four (all adults)-4-night cruise to Bahamas which is what we went on before-Actually about 380. So really it would be covered easily by less than $2100 for less than one year of dues + $95 fee-less than our 405 points. We upped our points total on that cruise, so, that was why I had it in my head-about a year and a half of points.

So, an even better deal now.:sohappy:


You are forgetting the purchase cost of those points - factoring that over the years, etc.

yes, a lot of complicated math and decisions.

Suffice to say, if you bought DVC for the sole purpose of booking cruises, you lost money.

However if you want to use your DVC from time to time to book a cruise, well that is part of the flexibility that makes it great.

And yes, you get a cruise for less if you go cash, or turn your points into cash by renting. but as you said, you have the points already, and renting can be hassle.

I have cruised once on points, and twice on cash. I'll stick with cash.

It's not a nock on DVC, heck I am a satisfied owner, it's is just a sample fact - using DVC points is not the most economical way to cruise, but if you have the points and want to go the less hassle route - then why not.

-dave
 

ScoutN

OV 104
Premium Member
You are forgetting the purchase cost of those points - factoring that over the years, etc.

yes, a lot of complicated math and decisions.

Suffice to say, if you bought DVC for the sole purpose of booking cruises, you lost money.

However if you want to use your DVC from time to time to book a cruise, well that is part of the flexibility that makes it great.

And yes, you get a cruise for less if you go cash, or turn your points into cash by renting. but as you said, you have the points already, and renting can be hassle.

I have cruised once on points, and twice on cash. I'll stick with cash.

It's not a nock on DVC, heck I am a satisfied owner, it's is just a sample fact - using DVC points is not the most economical way to cruise, but if you have the points and want to go the less hassle route - then why not.

-dave

What is your thoughts on it if you are past break even?
 

Funfy

Active Member
What is your thoughts on it if you are past break even?

Which we are and have been for a while, but, God forbid this should work in someone's favor.

Even with room discounts, etc., we have broken even and are several thousands of dollars past, but, the people that are always talking about how horrible DVC is will never concede that point.

So, the rest of us that are perfectly satisfied, keep just throwing our money away and smiling all the way "home"!

These threads get really old-it is similar to politics. I have never really seen anyone that was adamant with a particular view cross over to the other.

And maybe that attitude shouldn't be showing up at the happiest place on earth anyway!
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
What is your thoughts on it if you are past break even?

Look at it this way.

Suppose the math was extremely simple.

DVC costs $1,000 to buy and dues are $100 a year
All rooms at WDW cost $500 a week, on one years points
A cruise is $800 cash, or two years points
I can rent out my points for $450 a year

OK, I KNOW these are not real world number, they are simply to illustate a point.

in year 3 I have "broke even" having paid $1,300 for $1,500 of vacations (forget the time value of money)

Next year I want to go on a cruise. I can go by points or cash

Cash costs me $800

Points costs me two years of vacations

Those vacations are "worth" $1,000

I can also rent out those two years worth of points for $900, pay for my cruise and have $100 cash in hand

So it is "worth more" to pay cash. However if you are not planning on using your points for vacations, then all is good.

You also have to question if renting is worth the hassle of the extra $100

The point is, if you want to use points from time to time for cruises (or ABD or even non-DVC rooms) that is fine, especially if you were not planning on using the points for sometthing else. The "profit" made from renting them out and paying cash is often not worth the effort.

However, if someone purchases a DVC contract solely with the intent of using it to pay for cruises on points, year after year, they would have been much better paying cash for the cruises.


-dave
 

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