Has anyone been getting any Exchanges since Marriott went to points??

[rosepointe]

I have been off the boards for some time as I have had 2 hip replacements. When looking at Interval nothing seems to come up anymore. Not like it did pre points when we were able to trade to most places with our Aruba Surf Oceanside. Now I see a week here and week there all within a month.

We have so many weeks sitting now but I am wondering if it is worth keeping the unit. It is certainly worth it for Aruba (if that is all we book per year) but the options we benefited from seem to be gone.

Interested in others experiences.

Karen

 

[aka Julie]

I have been off the boards for some time as I have had 2 hip replacements. When looking at Interval nothing seems to come up anymore. Not like it did pre points when we were able to trade to most places with our Aruba Surf Oceanside. Now I see a week here and week there all within a month.

We have so many weeks sitting now but I am wondering if it is worth keeping the unit. It is certainly worth it for Aruba (if that is all we book per year) but the options we benefited from seem to be gone.

Interested in others experiences.

Karen

We haven't had any problems, but we put in ongoing requests. If you're relying on what shows up on the II website, those are the leftovers.

We're getting ready for a 2 week stay at Oceana Palms which we got thru II over 6 months ago.

Glad you're up and about and hopefully better than new.

 

[rosepointe]

We haven't had any problems, but we put in ongoing requests. If you're relying on what shows up on the II website, those are the leftovers.

We're getting ready for a 2 week stay at Oceana Palms which we got thru II over 6 months ago.

Glad you're up and about and hopefully better than new.

Thank You....So I must put requests in as there is limited to no inventory on II. That is a big change post points system. I have gotten requests in the past but relied alot on the inventory on the II site.

Thank You,
Karen

 

[DeniseM]

The BEST inventory has always been snagged with on-going searches, because OGS are filled first, before anything goes online. The online inventory is the leftovers, after all ongoing requests have been filled.

 

[Wally3433]

No issues. In fact, I have completed some of my best trades in the last two years.

I too own at Surf Club.

 

[gmarine]

The premium inventory has always been hard to obtain without ongoing searches. I have noticed no change at all since the points system. I've still been able to get high end exchanges at peak times.

 

[NboroGirl]

I've had no problems. Using my Grande Vista units, I've always had to do OGS. But I've always gotten my trades, and still am. (Our kids are no longer in school so it helps that we can travel pretty much whenever we want, but sometimes we still need a holiday week because son#1 is married to a teacher).

 

[Swice]

"some" change

Yes, of course there's been some change. Some people on these boards have reporting using their points for cruises and city escapes. Naturally, Marriott got those weeks.

There are some owners who will "declare" points every year instead of trading through Interval. For example, I'm talking about some owners in Hawaii whose "week" is worth a lot more points than other weeks in the system. They can use those points to get a week almost anywhere else and still have some points leftover for an extra night or two. So obviously, it makes sense for them to declare points when they want to "trade."

However, so far most people I know have gotten the trades they've wanted through Interval.

Granted, there may not be as many "extra" weeks just sitting there to be plucked.... but trust me, plenty are still being traded.

What the sales people say about the diminishing inventory will be true. But first Marriott will have to build many more trust only properties and that is going to take YEARS.

 

[frank808]

What I have noticed there has been a decline in weeks showing up in II 2 months or more out. This is not for OGS but the leftovers. What I have noticed since DC points is that there is a lot more units showing up within the 30 day mark in II. I believe this has to do with DC points. Marriott is holding onto the weeks till the last minute for DC point users and then letting it go into II inventory if there are no requests.

 

[lll1929]

The biggest change I have seen over the last few months is the reduction of Bulk Deposits. I think that is now a thing of the past, therefore an on-going search is required.

Last year there were bulk banks at Marriott Aruba Surf for May dates. The bulks occurred in Feb. I am doubtful that will happen in Feb 2015 for May 2015 stays.

 

[Bill4728]

What I have noticed there has been a decline in weeks showing up in II 2 months or more out.
What I have noticed since DC points is that there is a lot more units showing up within the 30 day mark in II.

I also have notice the same thing. Lots of great places for really last minute exchanges.

 

[MabelP]

No problem and I travel all public holidays.
My requests are all put in a year in advance, and I get confirmed at the 12 month mark.

 

[Mr. Vker]

Unlike the "Chicken Little" MVCI reps want us to believe, II is alive and well. (for us anyway)

We have gotten every exchange we wanted this year-for 2015 trips. That includes 3 needed for concurrent weeks in Aruba in May. Exchanging from Gold to Platinum season in Phuket for our Jan 2015 trip. And a Cabo trip as well.

Seriously, we have had no issues-since buying in 2005.

 

[Ron98GT]

Leaving for Ko'Olina in 1 hour. Got 2 2-BDRM's using OGS. Tuesday, scored 2 BDRM for May/June at Marriott Surf Club in Aruba, using OGS.

See Ya there Frank808.

 

[bazzap]

It does seem to be taking longer for our II exchanges to come through, which is rather a pain when wanting to book flights earlier/cheaper.
However, they are still all coming through for us eventually.

 

[dougp26364]

I have seen fewer instant online exchanges this past year but, we've owned timeshares since 1998 and during that time I've seen a lot of fluctuation with the instant online exchanges. So this might be the new norm or it could just be an aberration based on current demands for exchanges.

The biggest online exchange anomaly I've noticed this past year has been with Westgate. Not that I look to Westgate for our vacation exchanges all that much but there are 2 area's I follow, the Great Smokey Mountains and Branson, because Westgate allows us to bring our dogs and they're within drivable distance. The Westgate Lakes use to have a good selection of 2 bedroom units in Sept. and Oct. Not so much these past few months. Instead they're offering a lot of 1 bedroom units. I suspect they're placing exchangers in the small one bedroom lock-off side, then asking an "upgrade fee" if you want the larger side which has the lake view and king size bed.

I think with MVCI it's likely an inventory control issue. I suspect they're holding inventory longer for points users to book internally vs giving up inventory to I.I. for exchange, which works fine for us right now. We've been able to book a couple of 1 night stays using points that will make our travels a little easier and more comfortable. One is a 1 night in a studio unit at Beachplace Towers, because we're flying in/out of FLL and have an early morning flight to catch (keeps us from having to get up @ 02:00 to catch a 06:45 flight). The other is a 1 night stay in a 1 bedroom ocean view unit at Ko'Olina when we island hop to Oahu so our son can explore Pearl Harbor to his hearts content. I'd rather spend the entire day on Oahu than to be watching the time and trying to make the last flight back to Maui.

Inventory control also allows the sale team to make the claim that upgrading in unit size (studio to 1 or 2 bedroom) has been eliminated. While not entirely true, the opportunity does seem to be less than prior to the points program. I do see good availability at most locations if I want to spend points. Not so much if I want to do an instant online exchange. So I believe there has been a shift in the dynamics of exchanging. Requesting a unit will likely result in the desired outcome but, it will be more difficult to accomplish anything except for like for like exchanges except for the resorts that offer only the larger units.

 

[dioxide45]

The one issue with OGS is that you can't use a 1BR or studio to uptrade in to a 2BR unit as easily as you can with an ongoing search. Though this really only worked for the off/shoulder season, which I think there is still a pretty good supply of these weeks in II.

 

[davidvel]

The biggest change I've seen is the upgrade from studio to 2br. It used to be if 2br was available with leftover inventory I could always see it with the studio. Now it only allows a one step upgrade (Studio>1br or 1br>2br) in most cases. For bulk deposits and inside 60 days double upgrades still happen.

I suspect this is something II implemented related to the DC program. I agree with those that believe the overall decrease in availability is more related to the economic upturn than DC.

 

[Big Matt]

Part of the availability is due to the economy. A few years ago there were a lot more units because many people were out of work, couldn't afford the trip, etc. Many just deposited their units, but the demand side was less too. That period lasted about three years and was just prior (or overlapping with) to the launch of Marriott's points based system.

 

[dougp26364]

Part of the availability is due to the economy. A few years ago there were a lot more units because many people were out of work, couldn't afford the trip, etc. Many just deposited their units, but the demand side was less too. That period lasted about three years and was just prior (or overlapping with) to the launch of Marriott's points based system.

I agree with this assessment. Add to this the possibility that owners were depositing but not exchanging, and now want to cash in and trade all those banked deposits, and supply could be considerably shorter than demand.

 

[Superchief]

I have had pretty good success recently and haven't noticed any reduced availability. I typically deposit first and use ongoing searches, and sometimes protect my dates by making a DC point reservation for those desired dates.

Here are recent suggesses: Mountainside 1BR gold for 2BR Newport Coast in April
NCV Gold for Grand Ocean labor day week 2015
MCV Studio for 1BR Ocean Point

The DC point allocation likely impacts the deposited weeks. Point allocation for Oceana Palms Gold and MCV Gold are terrible, while Mountainside Gold and Ocean Pointe Silver are relatively good. Therefore, I either use or exchange the poor point value ones, and convert the others to DC.

 

[Kel]

I haven't noticed a difference since Marriott started the Destination Program. Our Desert Springs week still gives us great exchanges with II. We are flexible and always place requests. We are still very happy with our Marriott timeshare. And, we will not be converting to the Destination Program.

 

[dr.debs]

My biggest problem with my MCV week is using my home resort. As I only own one week, I have only been able to book a spring break week once since buying the 2br LO about 8 years ago. Recently I booked an early april week (not our spring break), and exchanged the lock off for a 1 bedroom at the Marriott Ocean club in July as a gift for an employee for her honeymoon. I used request first and did it over the phone. I have never had much success online with II. I have used deposit first with an ongoing request and exchanged many times to ski in Oregon.

 

[SkyBlueWaters]

I have a separate thread regarding an unfilled OGS put in before the 13th month of the requested check in date for MKO. Unheard of before especially because it is low season that I'm requesting.