MVC and II Cruise Exchanges

[ljmiii]

I noticed that II offers Disney Cruise Line as an exchange option and have a pair of questions. I made my way through the many pages of 'booking' a cruise to find that the particular number of DPs I chose to use on the particular (non-holiday) DCL cruise and cabin I picked ended up valuing the points at $0.23 per DP. So...

Does anyone know if that is a constant rate or if it varies - either by points put in or cruise/cabin chosen?

And I saw no obvious way of finding out the value of the week for which I currently have an exchange request (without cancelling my exchange). Has anyone tried this? Or alternatively, is there a downside to cancelling and then rechoosing my II exchange request?

 

[Steve Fatula]

In general, cruises are considered a bad use of DC points as the value received is almost never close to good. Kind of a waste for the most part, unless you have no other usage and are stuck with them.

And I saw no obvious way of finding out the value of the week for which I currently have an exchange request (without cancelling my exchange). Has anyone tried this? Or alternatively, is there a downside to cancelling and then rechoosing my II exchange request?

I guess I don't know what you are asking with this question?

 

[ljmiii]

In general, cruises are considered a bad use of DC points...

True enough. Though I was interested in II's offering (rather than MVC's) since they offer Disney Cruise Line and more importantly because they allow you to use weeks as well as points.

I guess I don't know what you are asking with this question?

From within the II 'Cruise Exchange' series of options there is no way to choose a week already up for exchange. So I went through the menus using DPs to see what II thought they were worth. Not that I expected much...but I was curious how it compared to MVC's valuation. And wanted to know if anyone knew if the value varied for DPs so when/if I see what my week is worth I'll know if I have to try once or many times.

And when I went to 'My History, Exchanges, Review Request' I didn't see a way to add 'Cruise Exchange' as a request. So I think I have to cancel my pending exchange in order to then see the value of that week in a Cruise Exchange. And wanted to know if there is a downside to cancelling and redoing an exchange (i.e. am I then put in the back of some queue).

 

[VacationForever]

I have done it once through II cruise exchange when I was a newbie to the world of cruising. The issue with cruise exchange is that while it seems like a wash, I later realized that I was missing about 8 to 10 percent worth in travel agents' refund in the form of Onboard Credit or perks by going through II exchange.

 

[ljmiii]

I have done it once through II cruise exchange when I was a newbie to the world of cruising. The issue with cruise exchange is that while it seems like a wash....

My issue is that once again II seems to be useless. Twice now I've put in a 2BR Oceanview with highest TDI at Waiohai. The first time I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR worth a fraction of Waiohai's purchase or rental price. This time it failed to get me into a bunch of locations over Easter 2018, a handful of European locations in the two weeks I had available in summer 2019, and (thus far) failed to pull in any of the six or so places I requested for Pres Week 2020.

So I'm beginning to think I should pretty much take anything I can use.

 

[VacationForever]

My issue is that once again II seems to be useless. Twice now I've put in a 2BR Oceanview with highest TDI at Waiohai. The first time I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR worth a fraction of Waiohai's purchase or rental price. This time it failed to get me into a bunch of locations over Easter 2018, a handful of European locations in the two weeks I had available in summer 2019, and (thus far) failed to pull in any of the six or so places I requested for Pres Week 2020.

So I'm beginning to think I should pretty much take anything I can use.

... which was what I did when I was swimming with lots of deposits into II. Better than nothing, I guess.

 

[Steve Fatula]

My issue is that once again II seems to be useless. Twice now I've put in a 2BR Oceanview with highest TDI at Waiohai. The first time I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR worth a fraction of Waiohai's purchase or rental price. This time it failed to get me into a bunch of locations over Easter 2018, a handful of European locations in the two weeks I had available in summer 2019, and (thus far) failed to pull in any of the six or so places I requested for Pres Week 2020.

So I'm beginning to think I should pretty much take anything I can use.

You must be using an OGS. You say:

"I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR"

Well, that least desirable date shouldn't have been on your OGS then if it's not good enough for you. I wouldn't bother with an OGS for Orlando, you can simply go onto II and check realtime. Doing so, I see Cypress Harbour, Grande Vista, Lakeshore Reserve, Royal Palms, Sabal Palms, Harbour Lake, Imperial Palms all available with a lot of dates this summer, and that's just Marriott. You can do an immediate exchange without waiting, and, given the choices, likely find exactly what you what when you want. Instead of relying to II to give you their choice, you can pick.

I rarely use OGS, though it does work for what is intended to do for the most part. I'd rather have the control and choice and often find many gems that I would not have thought to put an OGS in for. Of course, many of those Orlandos are available via getaways for < $500 for a week in a 2BR (at least for Platinum members).

 

[ljmiii]

You must be using an OGS. You say:

"I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR"

Actually that one I found the hard way by searching more or less once a day for a couple of weeks until something (anything) came up. I had just bought into MVC and booked a pair of prime weeks for ourselves and my brother-in-law's family...but then they bailed on going to Kauai with us. Back then I knew absolutely nothing about II - at the time I didn't know you even COULD do exchange requests.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Actually that one I found the hard way by searching more or less once a day for a couple of weeks until something (anything) came up. I had just bought into MVC and booked a pair of prime weeks for ourselves and my brother-in-law's family...but then they bailed on going to Kauai with us. Back then I knew absolutely nothing about II - at the time I didn't know you even COULD do exchange requests.

Why did you take a less desirable week then? There's tons of availability? Just curious.

You should be able to trade those week(s) for really good stuff. You've spent time poking around other than Orlando? I could probably rattle off a few dozens places we've been to with instant exchanges. Not all Marriotts.

The good news is as you learn about the system, and, get more experience, you'll figure out what works best for your style of vacationing. There is no one size fits all, what works for some does not for others.

 

[ljmiii]

There are 2 different ways to book cruises in II. One is getting like a 5% discount, and it is a straight booking. So you can book as many as you wish. The other way is to exchange. You must NOT deposit your week before you make an exchange....

Unfortunately, I found my answer in your post in the Exchanging Timeshares forum. In the words of Scarlett, "Fiddle de dee" (though Bender's NSFW saying feels more appropriate). I guess I'm back to the drawing board on trying to find a use for my deposited week....

 

[ljmiii]

Why did you take a less desirable week then? There's tons of availability? Just curious.

After about three weeks of looking more or less each and every day (some days more than once...but occasionally missing others) I took the first Orlando MVCI late summer 2BR that showed up.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Persistence in exchanging pays off, do not settle going forward.

 

[VacationForever]

Persistence in exchanging pays off, do not settle going forward.

That is when I wish I am on the East Coast (timezone).

 

[Steve Fatula]

That is when I wish I am on the East Coast (timezone).

I understand. For me, not an issue. If I go to bed by 3AM, it's an early night!

 

[klpca]

My issue is that once again II seems to be useless. Twice now I've put in a 2BR Oceanview with highest TDI at Waiohai. The first time I ended up with my least desirable summer date in an Orlando 2BR worth a fraction of Waiohai's purchase or rental price. This time it failed to get me into a bunch of locations over Easter 2018, a handful of European locations in the two weeks I had available in summer 2019, and (thus far) failed to pull in any of the six or so places I requested for Pres Week 2020.

So I'm beginning to think I should pretty much take anything I can use.

I think that it's early for President's Day weeks in 2020. So you may want to give those weeks more time to match. Not to be a Debbie-downer, but in the interest of setting expectations, Europe in the summer is a tough exchange - not many folks give up those weeks. You may want to consider summer in Hawaii where there have been a good supply of summer weeks deposited (you may have missed the 2019 deposits - not sure how far out your deposit goes into 2020, but if you could put in a request for 2020 that should match). Also, you can match to something (anything) close to the expiration date of your deposit then add eplus and do manual searches for something that you like and it has the added benefit of extending the expiration date of your deposit for another year, but since you want high demand travel times (Presidents week, Easter, summer) this would be my last choice for you as most of those deposits will not show up online, but will match to an ongoing search.

 

[ljmiii]

I think that it's early for President's Day weeks in 2020. So you may want to give those weeks more time to match.

That is obviously plan A - people who have to wait for 12 months out still haven't been able to reserve those weeks.

You may want to consider summer in Hawaii where there have been a good supply of summer weeks deposited...

For better or worse I am in no way shy of Even Year Hawaii weeks - I have two at the Hawaiian Hilton Village, two at Waiohai, and one at MOC.

Also, you can match to something (anything) close to the expiration date of your deposit then add eplus and do manual searches for something that you like and it has the added benefit of extending the expiration date of your deposit for another year, but since you want high demand travel times (Presidents week, Easter, summer) this would be my last choice for you as most of those deposits will not show up online, but will match to an ongoing search.

Do tell. My week expires in early June 2020...so at this point Pres Week 2020 and Easter 2020 are my options. I hadn't realized that adding eplus automagically extends the deposit by a year. But are you saying that I can't have an ongoing search for an 'eplus'd week? If so...I'm probably better off just paying II's 'extend a year' fee.

 

[klpca]

That is obviously plan A - people who have to wait for 12 months out still haven't been able to reserve those weeks.
For better or worse I am in no way shy of Even Year Hawaii weeks - I have two at the Hawaiian Hilton Village, two at Waiohai, and one at MOC.
Do tell. My week expires in early June 2020...so at this point Pres Week 2020 and Easter 2020 are my options. I hadn't realized that adding eplus automagically extends the deposit by a year. But are you saying that I can't have an ongoing search for an 'eplus'd week? If so...I'm probably better off just paying II's 'extend a year' fee.

Yes, Eplus extends the week but requires you to do manual searches going forward.

Btw, you are my opposite...I have too many odd year deposits. It makes planning so crazy!

 

[klpca]

One more caveat of eplus, when I indicated to make a placeholder exchange close to the expiration date of your deposit, that first exchange transaction needs to happen further out than 60 days from the expiration date of your deposit or you will be restricted to flex time exchanges. So if your deposit expires on June 15, 2020, you need to make your placeholder exchange no later than April 15, 2020 (plus/minus - make sure that it's at least 60 days out). Now your expiration date will be 1 year from the start date of your exchange and you can search for another exchange for the following 12 months without any restrictions. So if you make a placeholder reservation that starts on June 8, 2020, the new expiration date will be June 8, 2021. At this point though, you are stuck doing manual searches. Eplus is a nice benefit but has a few gotcha's that you need to watch.

 

[tschwa2]

That is obviously plan A - people who have to wait for 12 months out still haven't been able to reserve those weeks.
For better or worse I am in no way shy of Even Year Hawaii weeks - I have two at the Hawaiian Hilton Village, two at Waiohai, and one at MOC.
Do tell. My week expires in early June 2020...so at this point Pres Week 2020 and Easter 2020 are my options. I hadn't realized that adding eplus automagically extends the deposit by a year. But are you saying that I can't have an ongoing search for an 'eplus'd week? If so...I'm probably better off just paying II's 'extend a year' fee.

eplus only extends one year from the original exchange so depending on what you exchange to you might even lose time.
Also II's extend a year fee won't help you. When you extend using that option you are automatically restricted to flex only from the moment you pay the extend fee and you have no option what so ever to start an OGS.

If you need to extend and then keep the search ability you could book as far out as you can and then cancel and request an exchange week. You get one year from the date you request the exchange week. That means that you can't have a request going until you cancel and start over but the sooner you cancel the less time you get for the OGS.