Using Disney Vacation Club points for sailings on Disney Cruise Line is an appealing alternative to resort stays. However late last week Disney Cruise Line apparently ran out of cabin space for DVC members.
Disney Cruise Line bookings have always been subject to availability with only a portion of cabin inventory accessible by members wishing to use their points. But on Friday August 20, Member Services Cast Members informed callers that cruise availability had suddenly gone from limited to nonexistent for all sailings through September 2011.
Multiple calls to Member Services yielded various reasons for these the change with the primary inference being that Disney Cruise Line had prompted the move by slashing the inventory allocated to DVC.
Some Cast Members are reporting that Disney Vacation Club members will no longer be able to convert a cash booking to DVC points. Frequent cruisers will commonly place a deposit on a future cruise in order to secure onboard re-booking discounts. Closer to the sailing date, the member will then work through Member Services to pay for all or part of the cruise using DVC points. This process may be eliminated or severely curtailed in the future.
Member Services is reportedly maintaining a "call list"--similar to a wait list--which is used to contact interested cruisers as availability opens up between now and September '11.
There is no word on how cruise availabilty may be impacted beyond September 2011.
A Disney Vacation Club spokesperson has not yet responded to a request for comments regarding this development.
