My 6206/26 experiment

GregT said:

I think the thread has run its course. I can't prove it and we are all speculating.

I did call Maui Ocean Club and talked to Guest Relations (who helped with my original room requests) and asked how frequently a point user on a single reservation has to change rooms. They said it was infrequent but it happens, and cited 3BRs as an example because of fixed week owners. I don't what it all means.

Closing on a positive note, I think Maui Ocean Club will come through for me. They've indicated they will let me stay in 6206 one extra night, and then move to the other 3BR which will be in Napili Tower on Sunday morning, so a clean room transfer. I will adopt the positive perspective that I get to try a new tower and that someone who needed the room more than me will have it. I still hope its a vet.

Kudos to David Wong and the MOC team for helping me out here.

Best,

Greg

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Like Lisa said, it's great that they're willing to work with you.

Something that just occurred to me -

Are they giving you the choice whether to move on your fixed Week check-out day, Saturday, or the next day, Sunday? If so, are they able to tell you that either move doesn't matter, that you'll be placed into the same unit regardless? My thought is that if one conforming unit opens up Saturday and a different one opens up Sunday, maybe you can choose the day depending on which unit you prefer?

SueDonJ said:

Like Lisa said, it's great that they're willing to work with you.

Something that just occurred to me -

Are they giving you the choice whether to move on your fixed Week check-out day, Saturday, or the next day, Sunday? If so, are they able to tell you that either move doesn't matter, that you'll be placed into the same unit regardless? My thought is that if one conforming unit opens up Saturday and a different one opens up Sunday, maybe you can choose the day depending on which unit you prefer?

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As I currently understand it, they are allowing me to stay in 6206 an extra night (Saturday night), and yet still check into the new 3BR in Napili Villas on Saturday, so that I can move directly from one unit to the next.

I think this is a very gracious gesture by Maui Ocean Club and appreciate their willingness to facilitate a smooth transfer.

Best,

Greg

GregT said:

As I currently understand it, they are allowing me to stay in 6206 an extra night (Saturday night), and yet still check into the new 3BR in Napili Villas on Saturday, so that I can move directly from one unit to the next.

I think this is a very gracious gesture by Maui Ocean Club and appreciate their willingness to facilitate a smooth transfer.

Best,

Greg

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This is really very nice of them but the unit would most likely be standing vacant anyway. I really feel that the Staff at the MOC is always very helpful and maintenance too even in the middle of the night.

We have gone there every year since they opened up the Lahaina tower and even this year for only one night at the Molokai wing as we hated to skip staying there completely. No regrets either.

You will have a great time, Greg. Please, post a picture if you get the condo with the open view straight down to the ground. I wished we had that too but Marriott kept these floors for selling later so they could justify the higher prices but then the whole Real Estate market fell apart and we certainly didn't expect that or we wouldn't have bought an additional timeshare at that price tag. Will it happen again? Cycles do return but we have written off the money and now just concentrate on enjoying our vacations there as long as we still can.

Enjoy your trip!

iconnections,

The cycles are as follows. One, the business cycle (recession/prosperity) and two, the demographic cycle (from one generation to another).

Currently we are in prosperity part of the business cycle (the up phase (higher demand/prices)) and the demographic cycle is neutral (boomers aren't seriously dumping, but younger generation aren't seriously buying, either).

The bargains will be 1-3 years into the next recession. I am referring to the used market, of course.

Furthermore the demographic should turn negative for timeshare values in the next 5-10 years, and remain depressed for a number of years.

All,

We are off to 6206 today and I'm really excited for the return to Maui. We've enjoyed Aulani for a quick stop but there's nothing like Maui!

Can someone remind me what the customer advocacy email address is? Referring back to the unit placement discussion, three of the four weeks for May 2016 show availability in 3BR units where it is possible to check-in on Friday (thus a single point reservation can cross a Saturday). This has to include legacy weeks, as the Trust only has five weeks in the entire month of May.

I don't know what the probability is that all three reservations are connecting weeks but I think it is low, thus my original suspicion that the system allows availability that crosses units, and doesn't require them to be connecting units. (It is also possible that Marriott didn't intend non-connecting units to show as available, but it is a programming error). Alternatively, they are connecting rooms, which is the other theory.

I would like to send this example to Customer Advocacy and see if they will investigate to let us know if these are connecting rooms.

Best,

Greg

I looked it up and this is the last post I could find where the email address was given by Susan.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1709085&postcount=3

customer.care@vacationclub.com

and there is more information in her post of a different person. I had the email address of John Goodman but he is no longer in that department, I believe.

The generic email address for the department, which will always respond to any emails, is
Customer.Advocacy@vacationclub.com

All,

This is the email that I sent, we will see what response comes back. Thanks!


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Good morning,

I am trying to better understand 3BR inventory availability at Maui Ocean Club. These were sold as fixed weeks, with Saturday check-in, and accordingly, inventory availability can be variable on vacationclub.com.

I noted over the weekend that for May 2016, three out of the four May weekends had availability that crossed Saturday (ie, you can check-in Friday for a 2-7 day reservation). I believe these reservations may require a room change on Saturday if the same unit is not available for the reservation.

Can you advise us if the system will only show availability where the room is contiguous and will not require a room change, or can the system show availability when the underlying room is different (requiring a room change).

Please advise, thank you.

Greg

Just curious - did you hear back on this? I was intrigued!

amanda14 said:

Just curious - did you hear back on this? I was intrigued!

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Hi Amanda,

Thank you for the inquiry. I've been able to confirm through three different groups that the system will permit a points reservation that crosses Saturday, and the underlying inventory can be from different, non-connecting units. I also understand that it is common for 3Br points reservations at MOC to require a room change on Saturday. This is what I suspected.

I've asked MOC to clarify who gets the tie-break for conflicting reservations. The home week owner lucky enough to have a points reservation that extends their fixed week, or the points owner who has the serendipity to possibly not have to change rooms.

I hope that the nod goes to the home week owner, because we directly pay the MFs for the property, but I realize there will be differing perspectives.

Best,

Greg

Greg,

Did you ever find out who got 6206 and what was the compelling personal situation ? Hopefully it was a good one.

GregT said:

Hi Amanda,

Thank you for the inquiry. I've been able to confirm through three different groups that the system will permit a points reservation that crosses Saturday, and the underlying inventory can be from different, non-connecting units. I also understand that it is common for 3Br points reservations at MOC to require a room change on Saturday. This is what I suspected.

I've asked MOC to clarify who gets the tie-break for conflicting reservations. The home week owner lucky enough to have a points reservation that extends their fixed week, or the points owner who has the serendipity to possibly not have to change rooms.

I hope that the nod goes to the home week owner, because we directly pay the MFs for the property, but I realize there will be differing perspectives.

Best,

Greg

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It still makes absolutely no sense to me that MVW would issue a single reservation number for a multi-night stay that will require a unit change during the stay. I haven't ever stood at a front desk arguing a check-in procedure but this is one that would have me on the phone to MVW execs immediately, in front of the resort GM.

Multiple reservation numbers for a multi-night stay are a completely different story - if that's what it takes to fulfill my requested dates then it's my choice to accept the reservations knowing full well that a move might be in play.

scpoidog said:

Greg,

Did you ever find out who got 6206 and what was the compelling personal situation ? Hopefully it was a good one.

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I never did -- and I do hope it was a good one. I also think that MOC never anticipated this scenario and defaulted to filling the contiguous points reservation. They may always do that, I'm not sure -- but I believe the majority of applicable 3BR point reservations (90%) change rooms on Saturday, and I'm very curious who MOC determines gets the nod on the rare instance where there are competing reservations between a home week owner seeking to extend their home week and the points user that is the exception that doesn't have to change rooms.

I believe there could be five different tie-breaks and curious to see which they select. They've indicated they will get back to me on this.

1) Extension of home week (ie, I get the tie break)
2) Allowing a pure point user to maintain their contiguous point reservation (they get the tie break)
3) Earlier reservation time stamp (most likely me, because I am a zealot)
4) Trust Points as source of reservation, versus Elected Points (could be either)
5) Number of Maui Ocean Club weeks owned (could be either)

We will see what comes from here -- but I've enjoyed my time in Napili Tower. The room change turned out to be problematic for different reasons, and therefore staying in the same room remains important to me.

Best,

Greg

SueDonJ said:

It still makes absolutely no sense to me that MVW would issue a single reservation number for a multi-night stay that will require a unit change during the stay.

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It's been characterized to me as a programming error. I do not know if it is important to them to fix.

I actually think the right answer is to simply alert the points user at the time of reservation that a room change may be required. That's what Wyndham does -- it's actually even in the resort directory. I would think most point users would still proceed with the reservation, as 3BRs rock.

Best,

Greg

GregT said:

It's been characterized to me as a programming error. I do not know if it is important to them to fix.

I actually think the right answer is to simply alert the points user at the time of reservation that a room change may be required. That's what Wyndham does -- it's actually even in the resort directory. I would think most point users would still proceed with the reservation, as 3BRs rock.

Best,

Greg

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If that's how it would be handled then fine. But is that the way it's done? The DC has been around for five years and for what it's worth there haven't been any TUG posts to suggest it.

During this conversation you're having with them, do they or you differentiate between multiple and single reservation numbers attached to a multi-night stay that might require a move? I'm not seeing anything that suggests it as a qualifier? It's one thing for them to say, "it is common for 3Br points reservations at MOC to require a room change on Saturday." It's another for them to say it followed by something along the lines of, "regardless of whether a single or multiple reservation numbers are attached to the stay."

It'll be interesting to see if/how they answer your question about priority as it's posed. But I'm sure you can guess that I'd add one more item to the very top of ANY priority lists: "DO NOT MOVE any guests whose multi-night stays are supported by a single reservation number unless the unit in which they're originally placed becomes uninhabitable" in gigantic red lettering. After that, it doesn't matter what I think they should think is most important, because they pretty much have free reign to do whatever they want.

SueDonJ said:

It's one thing for them to say, "it is common for 3Br points reservations at MOC to require a room change on Saturday." It's another for them to say it followed by something along the lines of, "regardless of whether a single or multiple reservation numbers are attached to the stay."

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This is entirely the issue -- this is what is happening today -- it is common for a 3BR points reservation to require a room change, even if it is on a single reservation number. This has been the entire conversation with them, not multiple reservations cobbled together.

So yes, I think they need the add the second sentence that you have indicated. And then they are free to do whatever room assignments they deem appropriate.

I think TUGgers need to recognize that it is the exception where the 3BR point user gets to stay in the same room when crossing a Saturday. And I'm asking them to positively affirm that they believe the point user should stay in the same room in preference to a fixed week owner who is lucky to get the overlapping room opportunity.

Both are "exchangers" -- so who gets the preference? I know smart TUGgers disagree with me on this issue, but as another example, I would want MoxJo to stay in his fixed week at Monarch, instead of having to move to a different unit because there weren't enough units to satisfy both him and a point user (I don't think that is relevant at Monarch, but I'm trying to broaden the situation beyond just me). Again, this is a very rare circumstance, perhaps only at MOC 3BRs.

Best,

Greg

GregT said:

This is entirely the issue -- this is what is happening today -- it is common for a 3BR points reservation to require a room change, even if it is on a single reservation number. This has been the entire conversation with them, not multiple reservations cobbled together.

So yes, I think they need the add the second sentence that you have indicated. And then they are free to do whatever room assignments they deem appropriate.

I think TUGgers need to recognize that it is the exception where the 3BR point user gets to stay in the same room when crossing a Saturday. And I'm asking them to positively affirm that they believe the point user should stay in the same room in preference to a fixed week owner who is lucky to get the overlapping room opportunity.

Both are "exchangers" -- so who gets the preference? I know smart TUGgers disagree with me on this issue, but as another example, I would want MoxJo to stay in his fixed week at Monarch, instead of having to move to a different unit because there weren't enough units to satisfy both him and a point user (I don't think that is relevant at Monarch, but I'm trying to broaden the situation beyond just me). Again, this is a very rare circumstance, perhaps only at MOC 3BRs.

Best,

Greg

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It still doesn't make any sense to me, that a single reservation can require a unit change. I'd be asking whoever it is you're dealing with to prove what they're saying, to show you exactly what it looks like in a my-vacationclub.com account when it happens.

Beyond that, to your question asking us to, "positively affirm that they believe the point user should stay in the same room in preference to a fixed week owner ..."

Yes, even with the qualifier that a single reservation number might require a move over a multi-night stay, I think MVW handled this particular situation correctly. By moving you out of one unit and into another on the check-out/in day of your two stays attached to two separate reservation numbers, they were able to keep both you and The Other Guy in the same unit for each of your multi-night stays to which single reservation numbers were attached. If they'd kept you in the same unit, The Other Guy's single-reservation-number stay would have had to be broken up into two units.

Whether what they did is what they had to do, which based on what they're telling you may not be the case (but I still don't believe it without proof,) I think it's the best thing they could have done. It's how I would want them to handle my reservations if ever I'm in the same situation as The Other Guy. And, I'll have no problem accepting it if ever I'm in the same situation as you.

We've been disagreeing on this since the beginning (friendly though, I hope you agree?) and likely always will. But I don't think we're looking at it through the same lens - I just don't see it as a priority issue or a Weeks Owner v. Points Member issue, but rather an inventory management one. Even if what they're telling you is correct, the way you're suggesting they should have handled your particular situation if implemented on a routine basis would create additional nightmares for the Unit Placement and Front Desk staff who already face too many. Imagine every Points Member who checks in asking to be moved from unit to unit so they can enjoy different views during a single stay?? If what MVW is telling you is correct, that there's nothing to prevent them from moving Points Members during a multi-night stay, what's to stop any Points Members from demanding the right to move?

A 3 bedroom unit by any other name would smell just as sweet...

As described to me by Stephanie Pharmer in a post 6/2010 series of emails on how rooms are designated, there is a decision tree that is around 6 or 7 levels deep (if I remember correctly) where the highest priority goes by room reservation date. The only thing that can trump that is multi-week usage prior to and matching your reserved week. As an example from a legacy floating week’s mindset, if I request 4011/4012 13 months out, but there is already someone in that unit the week/s prior and during your week, then you lose. With the fullness of time, perhaps they have tweaked the rules based upon unforeseen complications dealing with the points system, but I would think that current possession should trump any future reservation.

Since this is probably not your last attempt in getting these two weeks aligned with the stars, two weeks prior to your next arrival, I’d send an email to Mr. Wong and ask if he foresees any problems ahead. If there is anyone that can fix this, it’s him, and that would be the time to intercede on your behalf if necessary. Hey, you’re already on a first name basis, go for it…