A Gift of Time [merged]

I see the week 53 units went up for rent, I got my email this morning. All resorts seemed represented so far so I assume this is the first round.

Are there restrictions on the weeks? Can they be deposited with II? Locked-off?

I recall last time I purchased a week it couldn't be locked-off, but it could be deposited with II.

LAX Mom said:

Are there restrictions on the weeks? Can they be deposited with II? Locked-off?

I recall last time I purchased a week it couldn't be locked-off, but it could be deposited with II.

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Here are the restrictions.

Please note that Gift of Time reservations are subject to the following rules:

Holiday Occupancy Fee is non-refundable
No cancellations are allowed
Maintenance fees must be current to reserve a Gift of Time week
Gift of Time reservations are not eligible to participate in the Marriott Rental program
Gift of Time reservations cannot be traded for Marriott Rewards points
Gift of Time reservations cannot be split or locked-off into separate units

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If you wanted a lockoff for trading purposes, likely better to just get cheaper weeks for trading.

Wow ... the prices seem high, but maybe I've been a little out of touch at what MF costs now at some of the resorts, assuming that's what those prices are. Frenchman's Cove at $1650-$1950 for a week!! Even off season Manor Club at $950 - no thanks. When Gift of Time started there was a lot of controversy but the prices were lower than annual MF -- these seem higher.

Brian

I just secured a few weeks for some friends. 2BDRM OF Maui Marriott for $1750 for New Year's is an awesome deal.

I haven't received an email yet, could someone please post the properties and pricing? I assume this is for December 31, 2010?

In the past I've purchased NCV for $850 and I think I also got some MDS weeks for around that price. Even though I couldn't lock them off they had great trading power.

MOXJO7282 said:

I just secured a few weeks for some friends. 2BDRM OF Maui Marriott for $1750 for New Year's is an awesome deal.

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I was thinking of doing the same for a friend. The marriott rep. said that it is ONLY for owner's personal use. She did sound a bit unsure so I will call again.
Did you book in friend's name or in your name and will add their names to it?

Retired TSO said:

I was thinking of doing the same for a friend. The marriott rep. said that it is ONLY for owner's personal use. She did sound a bit unsure so I will call again.
Did you book in friend's name or in your name and will add their names to it?

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The T&Cs are listed in this thread. There are no restrictions to put in friend's name. I secured a third week for my family as well, with the understanding if we can't go I will rent it. I see no restrictions in having the option in doing so.

MOXJO7282 said:

The T&Cs are listed in this thread. There are no restrictions to put in friend's name. I secured a third week for my family as well, with the understanding if we can't go I will rent it. I see no restrictions in having the option in doing so.

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I had seen the T&C but had decided to call just to be 100% sure and when the agent at the other end put me on hold to check and came back and said "only for personal use of the owner", it put some doubt in my mind.
It is a GREAT deal and I am thinking of picking up a few weeks for my self. Being retired has its advantages

Please send it to me.. Thank you.

I didn't get my email. Can someone forward the gift of time email to me please? Thank you. icydog@comcast.net

icydog said:

I didn't get my email. Can someone forward the gift of time email to me please? Thank you. icydog@comcast.net

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I would also like to receive the email/offer, but Marriott may be limiting the initial offer to certain owners. They may open it up to the rest of us at a later date. At least that is what has happened in the past. By the time I received the offer, the best weeks were already gone.

I haven't heard of this before. Would someone please describe it and how it works?

Thanks

Can you please send me an PM too. Thanks!

I hope there are weeks available by the time the e-mail comes my way, too!

I called MVCI about an hour ago to ask about the status of MY e-mail for the Gift of Time, mainly because of this thread. I was told by the rep that he had no information on the Gift of Time, that it was handled by another department and that was all he was "trained to tell me."

When I asked for the person who WAS trained to respond, he said that no one was! That's when I asked for the supervisor. After 10 minutes on hold, he came back and said that the first wave of e-mails were sent today and they were sent based on number of weeks owned (fair enough). He asked if I still wanted the supervisor, I said yes just to see what she had to say!

The supervisor confirmed for me that the e-mail for all owners with 4 or more weeks went out today. I told her that I only have 3 weeks, and I was concerned with not being able to have the same benefits as friends of the owners with 4 weeks who had access to this special. She assured me that was not allowed (we know different) and said that the 3 week owners would get their offer later this week, the 2 week owners sometime next week and lastly, the single week owners...

I have no problem with the 4+ owners getting a jump. They have paid the freight! But please leave a few weeks for us!

Thanks Mike for doing the legwork on this. Last time this offer was available we booked the cheapest week and traded it for FC. Confirmed with Marriott that this was allowed prior to the purchase. We are 3 week owners so I will await the email later this week.

rickxylon said:

I haven't heard of this before. Would someone please describe it and how it works?

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Marriott resorts have a 53rd week in some years and this is one of those years. Marriott owns those extra weeks and usually makes them (or substitute weeks, usually earlier in December) available to Marriott owners for a fee that historically has been about the same as or less than annual maintenance fees. It appears that the cost is higher this year. Those owners who own multiple weeks and/or make numerous referrals are generally given first opportunity to purchase the use of such weeks under some secret invitation priority methodology that we haven't been able to figure out.

Thus, unless the priority has changed this year, there is no point in calling Marriott to ask. If and when you are eligible, you'll get an invitation.

In the past those "Gift of Time" weeks could be used or rented or exchanged through II.

gift ot time

what is the time frame for booking and using the gift of time weeks?? are they good for two years or do they have to be used in 2011??

thank you!

They really are a great perk of ownership. To get a 2BDRM OF for New Year's at the Maui Marriott for $1750 is pretty awesome.

Its forcing me to put a trip together for my family. My sister and husband are going to come and split the cost with us. That's $875 for a week for my family OF Maui. I'll have to work on FF seats which because of avail will probably mean coach but it won't cost us anything. I can get away with approx $2000- $2500, for the whole trip. I have plenty of vacation time to use up and this is too good to pass up. At least for me.

kmij said:

what is the time frame for booking and using the gift of time weeks?? are they good for two years or do they have to be used in 2011?

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If you buy a Gift of Time week from Marriott, you are buying the use of a specific 2010 week at a specific resort - usually the last week of 2010 or some other late 2010 week as designated by Marriott. Thus, you must use that specific week (or make some other use of it as described above) or lose it.

I own 4 ....and received no invite yet.
I've purchased them previously...but always seem to get the invite late.
I wonder if its because we are re-sale owners?
Mike

suenmike32 said:

I own 4 ....and received no invite yet.
I've purchased them previously...but always seem to get the invite late.
I wonder if its because we are re-sale owners?
Mike

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I think the "R" does come in to play on this. I can understand that. They want to reward those that provided them their bread and butter. We are resale owners and also haven't receive an invitation. My feelings are not hurt.

Hooray for MVCI..

Every business has to "take care" of the HIGH END customer. It makes perfect sense for them to throw the biggest "bone" to their best customers. I am a 3.5 week owner and will wait my turn.

The supervisor should have proudly stated this discount is first being offered to our "primo" customers!!! instead of some self serving half truths!!!!

Every business with "half a brain" should do this...

I heard recently that the last time for this they started at those with 10 weeks, the those with 5 and moved down from there. Don't know if this is the first round or there were other rounds before for those with more weeks, I own 9 weeks currently with one being EOY.

Dean said:

I heard recently that the last time for this they started at those with 10 weeks, the those with 5 and moved down from there. Don't know if this is the first round or there were other rounds before for those with more weeks, I own 9 weeks currently with one being EOY.

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I own 3 weeks and also got my email this morning...