cruise exchange - worth it?

[tootoo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tootoo]

Hi,

I bought a timeshare a year ago. This is the first time I use it because I have to use my floating units of this year. First time II user here and need some serious help.

just spent hours today and realized nothing is really available for the desired area when kids are in school breaks

How about cruise exchange? How does it work? I have a 2Bed Rm lockoff units. Does it matter if I deposite it as a 2BR or as two 1-BDs?

Appreciate your advice.
NewAndHopeless

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I.I. use to require the entire unit be deposited for a cruise exchange. They also required you join Interval Gold and pay the higher foreign exchange fee. What you get in return is a discount on a cabin which use to be approx. the cost of your MF's. However, it's been a long time since I looked at them for a cruise exchange. My personal opinion is it's not a good deal but, it's better than losing a week you can't use.

Have you considered reserving whatever week you can, then requesting an exchange through Interval for a time when you can travel? That might be a more reasonable solution to your problem.

With timehsare, it's important to request a reservation as far in advance as possible. As you've just found out, summertime is strong demand for families with children. Everybody wants those dates and they're taken pretty quickly. Some resorts are next to impossible to get a reservation for a summer vacation week unless you're on the phone as soon as reservations open up. Marriott's Newport Coast seems to be one that's tough for even their owners to get a summer week requesting the reservation at the very earliest possible moment.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

You can almost always get a better deal from a cruise discounter than from a so-called cruise exchange. Look at the Links Directory on this site for clickable links to cruise discounters.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

You can almost always get a better deal from a cruise discounter than from a so-called cruise exchange. Look at the Links Directory on this site for clickable links to cruise discounters.

This is a true statement but, the OP risks losing the use of a week that can't be reserved for a time they can travel. While a cruise exchange is rarely a good deal, it's usually a better option than losing the week all together and, the discount, even with the extra fee for I.I. Gold and the higher foreign excahgne fee is often slightly better than what a cruise discounter can offer, depending upon which cruise line you choose and how far out the cruise is booked. Booking further out often results in better cabin location.

For those will to book less than 90 days in advance and are not terribly particular about the cruise line, stateroom catagory or stateroom location, then sites like Vacations To Go can often beat the cruise exchange price.

On the other hand, if you're booking a cruise line like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity, the cruise exchange can be the better deal.

As with any travel arrangements, it all depends on what you want, how flexable you are and when you want to travel.

Now, having said all of that, I do believe the most economical option would be to reserve a week that is available and deposit it with the exchange company, then request an exchange for a timeframe and location that would work for the OP. Next year, I'd be sure to request a date at their home resort as early as possible to avoid being shut out of a reservation during the summer months.

[tootoo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tootoo]

Thanks all for the valuable advice. My mistake is that I thought I.I. has more choices and gave up my grant 2BR unit at home resort too quickly, and I only started study how I.I. works after I deposite my unit. Now the very few choices that could work for my schedule are all studio or 1BR.... Lessons learned, and next time I will deposit one BedRm at a time.

I called I.I about cruise exchange. They will not take any deposited unit. From all your posting, looks like it's not a great deal anyway. So I'm not feeling too bad about missing out this one.

Thanks again!

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

Look at Discount Cruises, Last Minute Cruises, Cruise, Cruise Line, Cruise Vacation and click the "90 day ticker." You'll see that you can buy the cruise for about the same price you would get from II--and you won't have surrendered your timeshare in addition.

Another good possibility is Cruise Reviews, Cruise Deals and Cruises - Cruise Critic

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Not necessarily. I have seen the out of pocket cash cost of a ''cruise exchange'' still being more than the all-in price with a cruise discounter with no deposit of a timeshare week.

Hint: For the Links Directory, look under ''Website Navigation''

This is a true statement but, the OP risks losing the use of a week that can't be reserved for a time they can travel. While a cruise exchange is rarely a good deal, it's usually a better option than losing the week all together and, the discount, even with the extra fee for I.I. Gold and the higher foreign excahgne fee is often slightly better than what a cruise discounter can offer, depending upon which cruise line you choose and how far out the cruise is booked. Booking further out often results in better cabin location.

For those will to book less than 90 days in advance and are not terribly particular about the cruise line, stateroom catagory or stateroom location, then sites like Vacations To Go can often beat the cruise exchange price.

On the other hand, if you're booking a cruise line like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity, the cruise exchange can be the better deal.

As with any travel arrangements, it all depends on what you want, how flexable you are and when you want to travel.

Now, having said all of that, I do believe the most economical option would be to reserve a week that is available and deposit it with the exchange company, then request an exchange for a timeframe and location that would work for the OP. Next year, I'd be sure to request a date at their home resort as early as possible to avoid being shut out of a reservation during the summer months.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Last year we got a good deal from RCI with out using a week but after I booked it SFX had a better deal. If you want SFX is on this website so you can ask them what deals they have on a Cruise

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Not necessarily. I have seen the out of pocket cash cost of a ''cruise exchange'' still being more than the all-in price with a cruise discounter with no deposit of a timeshare week.

Hint: For the Links Directory, look under ''Website Navigation''

In the end, it's really one of those things you have to shop and shop it well. We've made cruise exchanges three times, none of them have been really good deals but, all have been cheaper than out of pocket cash purchases. Still, none were good enough deals that I'd have made them under any circumstances other than we wanted to cruise and, if we cruised, we'd have lost the week anyway.

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Is there any way to search for cruises using the II website? Can't seem to find any info in either the getaway or exchange sections.