Ahoy Lorraine, welcome home and welcome back to planDisney! A landlubber like yourself must be itching to explore the seven seas aboard a
Disney cruise. What better way to do so then through using your Disney Vacation Club membership. Let’s explore the process together, matey!
In order to use your Vacation Points towards a Disney cruise, you have to exchange them through the Disney Collection. There’s some guidelines for these types of exchanges. First, only members
eligible for Membership Extras can exchange Vacation Points for a Disney cruise. Second, there’s typically a fee associated with these types of exchanges. Lastly, these types of exchanges must follow the
Rule of Four, meaning that for bookings that occur within your current Use Year, you need to make the reservation prior to the last 4 months of that Use Year.
Now let’s talk about the booking process! First, you’ll want to look for a sailing you’re interested in to see the amount of points needed for your desired stateroom. I clarified with a DVC Cast Member that you do not have to take a cruise within your Use Year and can book a cruise as far out as 24 months.
Here's a list of the available itineraries and their point charts. The point charts list the amount of points needed per person, based on double occupancy. For additional guests within the stateroom, the bottom portion of the point chart lists the additional points needed depending on age. Once you’ve selected the sailing and stateroom category, you’ll have to
call Member Services to complete the booking. Note that these exchanges are subject to availability.
Lorraine, you’ll be happy to know that you
can combine points and cash when doing an exchange for a Disney cruise. At least one person in the traveling party must be paid for using points and other guests may be paid for using cash or points. However, each individual guest must be paid for using only one method (cash or points) and not a combination of both.
Here’s a bonus tip! DVC is offering select itineraries for 2026 and 2027 designed to stretch your points further. In order to view these itineraries, visit
this page and scroll down to the section that reads “Take Your Points Further!”. Select “Read More” underneath that selection and you’ll find links to the point charts for those itineraries. There’s some great value for sailings on two fantastic ships, the
Disney Dream and the
Disney Wonder!
I hope this information is helpful for you as you consider experiencing where the magic meets the sea! If you have any additional questions on Disney cruises or your DVC membership, feel free
to contact me and my fellow panelists here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Sean