Should we wait to book a Cruise?

[Rob_b]

We are going to use points for the 09/21/2001 seven day cruise? Should I wait until spring for some deals or just book it?

 

[penguincruiser]

*bump*

I'm also interested if there will be any discounts on fall sailings like this year.

btw Rob don't you mean 2002??

JJ Penguin

 

[Pluto4President]

It's possible that might fall into another Fall Fantasy date range. However, you don't want to wait to long because your selection will be slim. I believe I read that this year, existing reservations were able to be changed to refelct savings. Not sure, maybe someone else can answer this.

 

[disney6]

We are planning on cruising on points Oct. 2002 so I called MS and asked the same questions. They told me to book early and if a Fall Fantasy special comes along they will give you back your points (even into the correct use year). My concern was borrowing (we are taking my parents along so will need 3 cabins) and then having to use those points in the same year as the cruise. They said that is a special "deal" and they would be treated as never borrowed. So........ book early for selection!

 

[CWD]

You will definitely get points back if you book and then they run a special, and the points are returned to the year they were borrowed from. We booked a 7 day cruise departing 12/8/01 using points on 1/8/01. We had to borrow points to do it. Then about a month later, Fall Fantasy rates were announced and all I had to do is call MS and then credited the points and included the ship board credit, and sent me a new confirmation. I am not sure if this would have happened if I had not called MS though. We saved about 70 points with the special rate. Definitely book as early as possible, which in this case will be in October, the general public has had the ability to book this cruise for a long time and it is well known that certain categories and dates book very fast.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Book as early as you can! We booked 11 mo in advance for last spring and got prime pickins. We just booked next spring western trip and had alot to choose. You can always change or get refund!

You will have a blast.

 

[penguincruiser]

I don't know if I'm willing to pay the full points price. What happens if they don't do a special and I decide to cancel, do I get the points back? And what about the $75 fee?

JJ Penguin

 

[TnRobin]

You will not get the $75 processing fee back. In addition, your points will not return to a regular DVC status. They will only be usable for reservations at WDW resorts and on the Cruise. In addition, you will not be able to bank them.

I agree that as soon as you KNOW you want to cruise - book it. You will have a better selection of rooms. If you are not sure. Make sure you are willing to book a WDW (non-DVC) resort in the event you cancel.

 

[leanne2255]

We only booked our November 2000 cruise 5 months in advance. Had plenty of locations/staterooms/categories from which to choose. I think a lot depends on the time of year that you are sailing. I would imagine that summers and holidays need to be booked as much in advance as possible.