DC Points vs Trust points

This may be a dumb question but do the DC points and the Trust points overlap in any way. My understanding is that they are two entirely different systems but after I read some of the posts on the subject I am not sure.

luckydude said:

This may be a dumb question but do the DC points and the Trust points overlap in any way. My understanding is that they are two entirely different systems but after I read some of the posts on the subject I am not sure.

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Everyone you ask will give you a different answer to this question (including Marriott and their sales reps), so if you can get the accurate, and correct answer to this then I hope you post it for all of us:rofl:



.

All this DC Points talk really is confusing, especially when you consider that there are also posts on TUG that are related to Marriott Rewards Points. I sure wouldn't want to be a new owner trying to learn everything now.

The two systems which are completely and totally unrelated are the Destination Club and Marriott Rewards. The Marriott Rewards program has nothing to do with the usage of Marriott timeshare products. Although, many Marriott timeshare owners do use Marriott Rewards Points to supplement their timeshare stays with hotel stays, and Marriott does make certain MR benefits available to its timeshare owners.

The DC is Marriott's new timeshare system in which you can (1) buy Points to become a Trust Member, and/or (2) choose to enroll any of your previously-purchased Vacation Club Weeks to become an Exchange Member, and then choose annually whether or not you want to convert your Weeks to Points.

The DC Exchange Company has been set up by Marriott to facilitate exchanges between Marriott as Developer/Owner, Trust Members and Exchange Members. A Trust Member deals with only Points and has immediate access to any available inventory which Marriott has conveyed to the Trust, as well as any inventory which has been deposited by Marriott, other Trust Members and Exchange Members into the Exchange Company. An Exchange Member can deal with either his/her Weeks as they've always been used (home resort stays, exchanges through II, exchanges for MR Points through Marriott, etc.) or can convert his/her Weeks to DC Points to exchange through Marriott's Exchange Company. An Exchange Member has immediate access to any available inventory which has been deposited to the Exchange Company by Marriott, Trust Members and other Exchange Members.

Many people think there is a distinct disadvantage for Exchange Members compared to Trust Members because Trust Members have that immediate access to inventory conveyed to the Trust by Marriott, while Exchange Members do not have access to that particular inventory until and unless Marriott deposits it in the Exchange Company. I agree that it's important, but from all reports Exchange Members have been able to make successful reservations of Trust inventory (without making use of the Waitlist,) despite having to call several times to have the reps check to see if the inventory is available. It's unknown if Marriott reps note during those calls that specific inventory is desired which results in specific deposits from Marriott to the Exchange Company, or if Marriott is using some other method of determining which inventory should be deposited and when.

As far as reserving stays at Marriott Vacation Club resorts using DC Points, it costs a Trust Member and an Exchange Member the exact same number of Points for a particular stay.

I hope this hasn't confused you even more.

I was under the assumption that the person that bought Trust points from Marriott used them to go to only the Marriott TS units that were put into the Trust system inventory. This inventory consisted of unsold weeks, foreclosures, weeks bought back by Marriott and future built resorts. And that only those that bought Trust points could have access to this inventory.

Destination Club points are obtained only by buying into the DC program and then converting your week for DC points. The inventory available for these DC points is only the inventory obtained by Marriott from others converting there weeks to DC points.

Marriott Reward points which could be obtained by developer buyers that trade in their weeks for points or resale buyers that paid to join the DC program by the June deadline, or by using the Marriott CC or by purchasing them are a different animal and usually used for hotel stays, cruises and merchandise.

What I am trying to understand is if person A buys 3000 Trust points from Marriott and person B converts their week valued at 3000 DC points into DC points are these points from the two different sources exclusive of each other or can they have common usage. In other words (excluding MR points) can points be points at times and be used to access the same inventory. Or do DC points and Trust points operate in two different systems and access two different inventories as defined above?

luckydude said:

I was under the assumption that the person that bought Trust points from Marriott used them to go to only the Marriott TS units that were put into the Trust system inventory. This inventory consisted of unsold weeks, foreclosures, weeks bought back by Marriott and future built resorts. And that only those that bought Trust points could have access to this inventory.

Destination Club points are obtained only by buying into the DC program and then converting your week for DC points. The inventory available for these DC points is only the inventory obtained by Marriott from others converting there weeks to DC points.

[Marriott Rewards stuff deleted; you obviously understand how that works and that it's unrelated to the DC.]

What I am trying to understand is if person A buys 3000 Trust points from Marriott and person B converts their week valued at 3000 DC points into DC points are these points from the two different sources exclusive of each other or can they have common usage. In other words (excluding MR points) can points be points at times and be used to access the same inventory. Or do DC points and Trust points operate in two different systems and access two different inventories as defined above?

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Simple answer? They mostly have common usage but there is one exception.

Trust Members and Exchange Members are all Destination Club members, they all deal with DC Points, and they all have access to whatever inventory is available in the DC Exchange Company. For purposes of DC Points usage the only practical difference between them is, Trust Members have immediate access to available Trust inventory while Exchange Members can not access that inventory until and unless Marriott deposits it into the DC Exchange Company.

It should help you to think of the Destination Club being the entire program; Trust Members being those who have purchased DC Points; and Exchange Members being those who have enrolled previously-purchased Vacation Club Weeks, and may elect annually to convert their Weeks to DC Points.

You have the Trust inventory correct, and the fact that only Trust Members are able to reserve that inventory on an immediate basis. But the missing link in all of your thinking is the Exchange Company, from which Trust Members and Exchange Members are able to reserve inventory which consists of:

- Trust inventory deposited by Marriott when Trust Members exchange to non-Trust inventory;
- Weeks inventory deposited by Exchange Members when they convert their Weeks to DC Points;
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-owned inventory which has not been conveyed to the Trust; and,
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-held inventory obtained when Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) exchange their Weeks for MR Points and/or place their Weeks into Marriott's rental pool.

Trust Members and Exchange Members also have access to all available Marriott-brand inventory in Interval International which has been deposited there by Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) and Marriott. It's not exactly clear how or why Marriott DC reps can instantly access it, or how Marriott replaces an interval taken from II, but DC members who have made Points reservations are 99.9% convinced that some of the intervals they've gotten came from II.

I hope this is easier for you to understand because it's impossible for me to explain it using fewer words. Someone else on TUG should be able to help us both out here ...

good evening...

for the most succinct explanation go to Perry's site

www.mvci.timesharewizard.com

He explains it in 3 sentences, so simply that even a caveman could understand it...

I cannot do it justice by plagarizing it here!!!! It is brilliant in its elegant simplicity, with a touch of his brilliant rapier wit....

SueDonJ said:

Simple answer? They mostly have common usage but there is one exception.

Trust Members and Exchange Members are all Destination Club members, they all deal with DC Points, and they all have access to whatever inventory is available in the DC Exchange Company. For purposes of DC Points usage the only practical difference between them is, Trust Members have immediate access to available Trust inventory while Exchange Members can not access that inventory until and unless Marriott deposits it into the DC Exchange Company.

It should help you to think of the Destination Club being the entire program; Trust Members being those who have purchased DC Points; and Exchange Members being those who have enrolled previously-purchased Vacation Club Weeks, and may elect annually to convert their Weeks to DC Points.

You have the Trust inventory correct, and the fact that only Trust Members are able to reserve that inventory on an immediate basis. But the missing link in all of your thinking is the Exchange Company, from which Trust Members and Exchange Members are able to reserve inventory which consists of:

- Trust inventory deposited by Marriott when Trust Members exchange to non-Trust inventory;
- Weeks inventory deposited by Exchange Members when they convert their Weeks to DC Points;
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-owned inventory which has not been conveyed to the Trust; and,
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-held inventory obtained when Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) exchange their Weeks for MR Points and/or place their Weeks into Marriott's rental pool.

Trust Members and Exchange Members also have access to all available Marriott-brand inventory in Interval International which has been deposited there by Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) and Marriott. It's not exactly clear how or why Marriott DC reps can instantly access it, or how Marriott replaces an interval taken from II, but DC members who have made Points reservations are 99.9% convinced that some of the intervals they've gotten came from II.

I hope this is easier for you to understand because it's impossible for me to explain it using fewer words. Someone else on TUG should be able to help us both out here ...

Click to expand...

You gave a great summary that should answers almost any question. Thanks for your continued contributions to this board.

Thank you Sue, thanks to you I have a better understanding now. I have decided to not enroll into the DC program for now and see how it goes. If I find out at a later time that I need to in order to use my week I will probably do it. Marriott has left a bad taste in my mouth over how they have handled whole DC program and I hate the thought of giving them more money just to use what I already paid them for.

siberiavol said:

You gave a great summary that should answers almost any question. Thanks for your continued contributions to this board.

Click to expand...

luckydude said:

Thank you Sue, thanks to you I have a better understanding now. I have decided to not enroll into the DC program for now and see how it goes. If I find out at a later time that I need to in order to use my week I will probably do it. Marriott has left a bad taste in my mouth over how they have handled whole DC program and I hate the thought of giving them more money just to use what I already paid them for.

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You're welcome.

luckydude, I'm glad I could help with your decision. Here's to continued happy vacations for all of us!

I don't understand blaming Marriott --
they offered you a deal plus incentives for certain new features, with old old features remaining the same.

and the old features remaining the same even if you choose to say no to the deal.

If you don't like the deal, you can just say no.

If you don't want to use new DC points to make reservations, and if you don't want to receive MRPoints for resale weeks, then there is no reason to sign up.

I'm still curious to see what Marriott defines as rules for future transfers of DC membership, and to see if the number of bulk weeks going to II is reduced and / or happens much later than it has. We figure that the signup fee will pay for itself in about 2 years, so anything beyond that is a bonus. So far, so good on using DC points for good weeks -- especially since we were allowed to cancel several reserved weeks this year and receive DC points.

wof45 said:

and the old features remaining the same even if you choose to say no to the deal...

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And five minutes later into a sales presentation you are warned about the demise of II due to inevitable lack of Marriott inventory in the future...

So will everything "stay the same"??

if people want to exchange through II, there will always be inventory in II. If people with Marriotts but not DC want to exchange for different Marriotts or different seasons, there will always be inventory in II.

There just might not be the bulk inventory deposits by Marriott.

luckydude said:

. . . This inventory consisted of unsold weeks, foreclosures, weeks bought back by Marriott and future built resorts. And that only those that bought Trust points could have access to this inventory.
. . .

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The Trust inventory only consists of weeks that Marriott has conveyed to the Trust. Unsold weeks, foreclosures, weeks bought back by Marriott, and future built resorts will only in be in the Trust if Marriott puts them there.

puckmanfl said:

. . . so simply that even a caveman could understand it...

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Are you implying that men who just happen to live in caves are mentally-challenged or something?

good evening...

just a parody on a famous commercial campaign

happy turkey....

Does anyone know if a Trust Member can waitlist while holding a confirmed reservation with the same Trust points they are looking to waitlist?

DanCali said:

Does anyone know if a Trust Member can waitlist while holding a confirmed reservation with the same Trust points they are looking to waitlist?

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I don't think so. The Wait Lists provision (#III. H.) of the Exchange Procedures for MVC Destinations Exchange Program document doesn't contain separate rules for Trust and Exchange Members anywhere in it, every stipulation pertains only to "Members." These are the statements about having enough available Points to make a Waitlist request:

- "... If multiple Components are listed on a single request, such Components must be listed in priority order by the Member and the Member must have available for use a sufficient number Exchange Points to reserve the Component requiring the highest number of Exchange Points. ..." ("Components" are separate choices that comprise one Use Period; several Components are allowed to make up one Waitlist request.)

- "... Members may have multiple wait list requests for different Use Periods provided that the total number of Exchange Points of all such requests may not exceed the total Exchange Points available for use by the Member at the time such requests are made. ..."

SueDonJ said:

- "... Members may have multiple wait list requests for different Use Periods provided that the total number of Exchange Points of all such requests may not exceed the total Exchange Points available for use by the Member at the time such requests are made. ..."

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I guess that answers it.

But there is a distinction that a Trust member who waitlists does not deposit their Trust points into the exchange company (until the exchange is confirmed). A weeks owner who waitlists using exchange points does deposit their points into the exchange company (at the time of waitlisting).

This is akin to Trust points having a "request first" feature while points from converted weeks having only a "deposit first feature".

puckmanfl said:

good evening...

for the most succinct explanation go to Perry's site

www.mvci.timesharewizard.com

He explains it in 3 sentences, so simply that even a caveman could understand it...

I cannot do it justice by plagarizing it here!!!! It is brilliant in its elegant simplicity, with a touch of his brilliant rapier wit....

Click to expand...

Which forum, which post?

SueDonJ said:

Simple answer? They mostly have common usage but there is one exception.

Trust Members and Exchange Members are all Destination Club members, they all deal with DC Points, and they all have access to whatever inventory is available in the DC Exchange Company. For purposes of DC Points usage the only practical difference between them is, Trust Members have immediate access to available Trust inventory while Exchange Members can not access that inventory until and unless Marriott deposits it into the DC Exchange Company.

It should help you to think of the Destination Club being the entire program; Trust Members being those who have purchased DC Points; and Exchange Members being those who have enrolled previously-purchased Vacation Club Weeks, and may elect annually to convert their Weeks to DC Points.

You have the Trust inventory correct, and the fact that only Trust Members are able to reserve that inventory on an immediate basis. But the missing link in all of your thinking is the Exchange Company, from which Trust Members and Exchange Members are able to reserve inventory which consists of:

- Trust inventory deposited by Marriott when Trust Members exchange to non-Trust inventory;
- Weeks inventory deposited by Exchange Members when they convert their Weeks to DC Points;
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-owned inventory which has not been conveyed to the Trust; and,
- any deposits made by Marriott of Marriott-held inventory obtained when Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) exchange their Weeks for MR Points and/or place their Weeks into Marriott's rental pool.

Trust Members and Exchange Members also have access to all available Marriott-brand inventory in Interval International which has been deposited there by Weeks Owners (not necessarily Exchange Members) and Marriott. It's not exactly clear how or why Marriott DC reps can instantly access it, or how Marriott replaces an interval taken from II, but DC members who have made Points reservations are 99.9% convinced that some of the intervals they've gotten came from II.

I hope this is easier for you to understand because it's impossible for me to explain it using fewer words. Someone else on TUG should be able to help us both out here ...

Click to expand...

Thank you SueDonJ for such a detailed post.

wof45 said:

I don't understand blaming Marriott --
they offered you a deal plus incentives for certain new features, with old old features remaining the same.

and the old features remaining the same even if you choose to say no to the deal.

If you don't like the deal, you can just say no.

If you don't want to use new DC points to make reservations, and if you don't want to receive MRPoints for resale weeks, then there is no reason to sign up.

I'm still curious to see what Marriott defines as rules for future transfers of DC membership, and to see if the number of bulk weeks going to II is reduced and / or happens much later than it has. We figure that the signup fee will pay for itself in about 2 years, so anything beyond that is a bonus. So far, so good on using DC points for good weeks -- especially since we were allowed to cancel several reserved weeks this year and receive DC points.

Click to expand...

I don't believe that things will remain the same. I was perfectly content with the origional system which is the one that I bought into. My biggest concern is the lack of weeks inventory available for the legacy people in the future. I believe that Marriott will do everything they could to encourage the legacy owners to buy into the DC program. This is important for the DC program to be successful. Marriott wants to get out of their origional TS model because it doesn't suit their needs anymore. I see there being two classes of Marriott TS owners now, Legacy and DC, and it makes me nervous being on the side that Marriott is trying to get away from. So what are we supposed to do give them more money for a program that I don't have a need for just so I won't be left out in the future? This is why I blame Marriott.

My other complaint is how Marriott rolled out the DC program. There should have been full disclosure from the beginning. It isn't right that we have had to work so hard to try to find out how this system works. Timesharing is supposed to be about vacations and fun, they have made it about worry, concern and uncertainty.

yeah -
things won't be the same
and we will not be buying any DC points

we just looked at the near term, and between the 800 DC points, being able to get MRP for unneeded weeks and saving II fees and MRP fees, our $2000 will be paid off by the end of 2011. So it makes sense for us to join even if nothing else works out for us.

luckydude said:

I don't believe that things will remain the same. I was perfectly content with the origional system which is the one that I bought into. My biggest concern is the lack of weeks inventory available for the legacy people in the future. I believe that Marriott will do everything they could to encourage the legacy owners to buy into the DC program. This is important for the DC program to be successful. Marriott wants to get out of their origional TS model because it doesn't suit their needs anymore. I see there being two classes of Marriott TS owners now, Legacy and DC, and it makes me nervous being on the side that Marriott is trying to get away from. . .

Click to expand...

Yes, luckydude, many of us were content because the previous system was comfortable for us. Change is rarely easy. However, some owners wanted more flexibility. The future of there being the old II way and the new DC way could just settle into inventory being filtered comfortably in two directions accommodating both desires.

Someone once told me "what comes out of your mouth goes into your ear". In your post are comments "My biggest concern" and "makes me nervous". The new program is here and will evolve into the new norm. For your own well-being try to think of it just as positively as you have negatively. It's better for you mentally. It's not worth wringing our hands about now because it could take years to settle into something drastically different than what we're accustomed to.

Good evening


Quilter....

Go to tug related topics,then 3 pools of points...not 2

Happy holidays...

hotcoffee said:

The Trust inventory only consists of weeks that Marriott has conveyed to the Trust. Unsold weeks, foreclosures, weeks bought back by Marriott, and future built resorts will only in be in the Trust if Marriott puts them there.

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Good point. luckydude had the make-up of what could be Trust inventory correct, but you're right that Marriott has to convey it to the Trust.

I thought of another inventory class which Marriott can deposit to the Exchange Company - Weeks obtained by Marriott when Owners fail to comply with their ownership requirements and/or rules of use: failure to pay annual dues, failure to reserve a stay which allows Marriott to take Weeks within 75 days of check-in, etc. Although, I'd guess that this type of inventory would be deposited at such a late date that it may not be convenient for long-range planners. And DC users would be taking a chance that their Points might expire if they wait too long to reserve, but this inventory could be used last-minute to get rid of a surplus of Points that would expire otherwise. (I'd consider waiting for last-minute stays if Marriott continues offering reduced-Points stays within 6 of so weeks of check-in, as they've done twice now. It's worth watching that practice to see if they develop a routine schedule.)