# The DRI/NCL direct cruise exchange deal



## dougp26364 (Jul 22, 2013)

I know there were a couple of us interested in the direct THE Club reservations on select NCL cruieses. We were interested in an Alaskan cruise and had previously been told it was like make a reservation for any stay using THE Club. Since we were interested in May, I called today to see about reservations.

What I was told was that availability won't be released by NCL until August or September. Essentially, they appear to be wanting to sell what they can sell, then offer the remaining availability to DRI members.

I guess it's a decent offer if you can afford to wait to make vacation plans or if vacation plans can be very flexible. I'm not sure we're in that group. We have to many DRI points along with Marriott , Hilton and a few other ownerships to coordinate.


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## daventrina (Jul 23, 2013)

dougp26364 said:


> What I was told was that availability won't be released by NCL until August or September.


For this year? The season ends in September...


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## csalter2 (Jul 23, 2013)

*Have to be lucky...*

You have to be lucky to get those reservations. There are so few available even when they are first available.


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## fluke (Jul 23, 2013)

daventrina said:


> For this year? The season ends in September...



Doug says he is looking for date in May so it must be the 2014 season.


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## winger (Jul 23, 2013)

Doug.  Earlier this month (July), I received several quotes for a NORWEGIAN JEWEL Alaskan trip (out of both Seattle and Vancouver) for *August 2014*, using DRI points.  Unsure why you cannot see any May 2014 availability.


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## csalter2 (Jul 23, 2013)

*Really?*



winger said:


> Doug.  Earlier this month (July), I received several quotes for a NORWEGIAN JEWEL Alaskan trip (out of both Seattle and Vancouver) for *August 2014*, using DRI points.  Unsure why you cannot see any May 2014 availability.



Hello There, 

How are you doing? 

Did you see this online or did you call DrI or Norwegian for the quotes?


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## winger (Jul 24, 2013)

csalter2 said:


> Hello There,
> 
> How are you doing?
> 
> Did you see this online or did you call DrI or Norwegian for the quotes?




It had been a very very busy year all around.

I actually called DRI and spoke to a cruise specialist...after asking her a few questions, she provided a few quotes just so I could get an idea of the costs involved.  She did mention lower cost options normally start showing up around September, but these normally book very quickly.


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## nightnurse613 (Aug 7, 2013)

So, now I am more confused.  DRI reservations (in the past) have only been allowed for the Norwegian Pearl....how did the Jewel become involved?  This must be the exchange points for cruise dollars program???


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## dougp26364 (Aug 8, 2013)

nightnurse613 said:


> So, now I am more confused.  DRI reservations (in the past) have only been allowed for the Norwegian Pearl....how did the Jewel become involved?  This must be the exchange points for cruise dollars program???




I'm pretty much giving up on the direct exchange for an NCL stateroom.

First I was told I had to wait until I was within the 10 month window, just like with THE Club reservation. When I got within that window I called and was told the NCL woudln't release inventory to DRI until August or September. I guess DRI gets the left overs that aren't booked by cash paying customers. 

Since we're interested in Alasaka and since balcony staterooms are popular on Alaskan itenerarys and since NCL released inventory for sale in April, I'm guessing the least desirable routes and/or staterooms will be all that's left by the time they release inventory.

I'm going to wait another couple of weeks and I'll call again, just to see what story I'm told this time. I think I'll just keep calling until they say something.....anything is available. Now it's just become a game with me. This certainly isn't fitting my idea of Simplicity.


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