# Hyatt owners - LCUP or trade?



## tamu91 (Mar 3, 2008)

To make my long story short, the closing company dropped the ball and closing documents that should've been overnighted to Hyatt last week did not as of this morning.
I spoke with Hyatt this afternoon and my chances of getting into the Hyatt system before the CUP period expires on 3/16 is very slim at best.  So, I've made an effort to contact the sellers, via my resale agent, to see if they can make a reservation on our behalf.  When I spoke to my agent this afternoon, I didn't think to ask if banking was still an option for 2008 points.
But if banking/trading thru II is still an option, would you bank or let the points go into LCUP?  What are the pros and cons for either case?
Thanks in advance y'all


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## bdh (Mar 4, 2008)

tamu91 said:


> I spoke with Hyatt this afternoon and my chances of getting into the Hyatt system before the CUP period expires on 3/16 is very slim at best.  So, I've made an effort to contact the sellers, via my resale agent, to see if they can make a reservation on our behalf.  When I spoke to my agent this afternoon, I didn't think to ask if banking was still an option for 2008 points.
> But if banking/trading thru II is still an option, would you bank or let the points go into LCUP?



Is your preference to visit a Hyatt property?  If so, just have the seller make a reservation in their name.  Up until the moment Hyatt makes the change of ownership from the seller to the buyer, the seller can make a reservation.  Once Hyatt updates their records for the change of ownership from the seller to the buyer, the reservation will automatically transfer to your name (no guest certificate will be needed). 

I say this based on the thought you already know which Hyatt location, your travel dates and if there is availibilty. 

If you are looking for an II exchange at some point in the future, the window to deposit the Hyatt points into the Extended Exchange program has already passed.


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## tamu91 (Mar 4, 2008)

Thanks bdh.  I guess if the banking window has passed, my best option at this point is to ask the sellers to make a reservation on our behalf      Can the reservation be modified afterwards?  In other words, does the Hyatt system basically forces you to make a reservation during CUP for you to retain the flexibility of changing it at a later date?
This is week 11, 2008 points that I'm trying to use.  So, let's say we reserve a week in August at Sedona before CUP expires.  If I need to change that reservation in the future, would I be able to if I use the points before week 11, 2009?


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## Carmel85 (Mar 4, 2008)

tamu91 said:


> Thanks bdh.  I guess if the banking window has passed, my best option at this point is to ask the sellers to make a reservation on our behalf      Can the reservation be modified afterwards?  In other words, does the Hyatt system basically forces you to make a reservation during CUP for you to retain the flexibility of changing it at a later date?
> This is week 11, 2008 points that I'm trying to use.  So, let's say we reserve a week in August at Sedona before CUP expires.  If I need to change that reservation in the future, would I be able to if I use the points before week 11, 2009?



Are you points from 2007 or 2008?

If they are 2007 points you need to make a reservation ASAP or the points will go to LCUP which you can only book 60 days out or sooner.  If they are for this year 2008 usage you have 1 full year in CUP so you are fine.

Call Hyatt they will help you.


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## bdh (Mar 4, 2008)

tamu91 said:


> Can the reservation be modified afterwards?  In other words, does the Hyatt system basically forces you to make a reservation during CUP for you to retain the flexibility of changing it at a later date?
> 
> This is week 11, 2008 points that I'm trying to use.  So, let's say we reserve a week in August at Sedona before CUP expires.  If I need to change that reservation in the future, would I be able to if I use the points before week 11, 2009?



While Hyatt does allow you to cancel/change reservations, they don't make it enticing.  They have a $40 +/- cancellation fee and you'll be required to pay another reservation fee for the new reservation date and while the point value used for the initial reservation will be returned to your account, they will be LCUP points.

Once your points move to LCUP, you can only use them at Hyatt properties and any reservation you make with them can not be more than 60 days out from the request.  You have 6 months to use the LCUP points before they expire - but since you can make a request on the day before the points expire and the reservation could be as far out as 60 days, your maximum travel date could be a total of 8 months from the beginning of the LCUP period.

I think you may have some of the years mixed up on your points - you say "2008 points" that are about to move to LCUP - these are actually points that were issued to the seller in week 11 of 2007, so they are your 2007 points.  Your 2008 points will be issued in about 2 weeks, so your 2008 points will not move to LCUP until March of 2009.


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## Kal (Mar 4, 2008)

I really like to see the advice here that is spot on.  The only uncertainty seems to be the year the points were first issued.  Just remember, points are issued 12 months prior to the week owned.  For occupancy of a week 11 unit in 2008, those points were issued on the first day of Week 11 in 2007.  The points move into LCUP on the first day of Week 11 in 2008.  That's the same time you will receive your 2009 points.


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## Denise L (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm sure that these are points issued week 11, 2007 for 2008 usage, so LCUP will probably begin around Saturday, March 15.

If you have the current owner book something for August in Sedona, and you cancel it, it will cost you $49. Then it will cost $39 to book a new reservation, and it can only be made for 60 days out. Your LCUP points can be used from March 15 to 6 months later, to book anything 60 days out. In theory, you could book something on your last day of LCUP for up to 60 days out.

If you make a reservation in CUP and cancel it, the points get put back into your account (unless it is less than 60 days from check-in, I think). But the points will have aged, so if you cancel while you are in LCUP, then the points will be LCUP points.  Making a reservation now does not "preserve" a CUP state for the future (was that one of your questions?).

Welcome (almost!) to Hyatt  !  I worried about my aging CUP points when our contract was getting recorded, and it turned out that we were able to find a lot of availability. If you can travel within 60 days out, then I think your LCUP points will be okay for you.  You might want to start thinking about your 09 points which will hit the books on March 15  .  Fresh points!


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## tamu91 (Mar 4, 2008)

Kal said:


> I really like to see the advice here that is spot on.  The only uncertainty seems to be the year the points were first issued.  Just remember, points are issued 12 months prior to the week owned.  For occupancy of a week 11 unit in 2008, those points were issued on the first day of Week 11 in 2007.  The points move into LCUP on the first day of Week 11 in 2008.  That's the same time you will receive your 2009 points.



You've hit the spot with this one  Points I'm trying to use were first issued on week 11 in 2007, referred to as 2008 points.
I'll get the hang of it but what I didn't realize before my purchase are these reservation and cancellation fees that bdh mentioned :annoyed:


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## Kal (Mar 4, 2008)

Yes, there are additional fees associated with reservations which are other than for your HRPP unit.  Think of it as an extra added way for Hyatt to turn you upside down and shake out any additional coins.


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## tamu91 (Mar 4, 2008)

Denise L said:


> If you make a reservation in CUP and cancel it, the points get put back into your account (unless it is less than 60 days from check-in, I think). But the points will have aged, so if you cancel while you are in LCUP, then the points will be LCUP points.  Making a reservation now does not "preserve" a CUP state for the future (was that one of your questions?).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Denise L (Mar 4, 2008)

tamu91 said:


> I'll get the hang of it but what I didn't realize before my purchase are these reservation and cancellation fees that bdh mentioned :annoyed:



You'll get used to the fees, sort of. When I first got my aging CUP pts, I quickly booked something in Carmel that I saw online because I was anxious to use my pts before LCUP. $39. Then I found something else that would work out better, so I booked that. $39. Then I cancelled the 1st reservation. $49.  I considered it a $88 lesson in learning the Hyatt system (you think they'd give you 1 free cancellation your first year  in case you have no clue what you are doing).

Then there is that split week charge at some resorts ($35) that you pay when you check out. We just did that up at Tahoe.

I think I just won't start adding them all up, otherwise it looks expensive after a while  .


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## Maryman (Mar 4, 2008)

One other thought is to use a little known "end-around" via Interval.  I found myself in a very similar situation to Tamu when I bought my Hyatt unit last year.  I had roughly 2 weeks to use my points or lose them to LCUP.  I knew that I wanted to ski in Tahoe in March of 2008 but nothing was lining up via Interval and certainly nothing was available via Hyatt.  I spoke at length with the Interval desk and was getting nowhere until a reservation agent suggested I book a random unit (using as many points as possible) with them and cancel later.  As it was explained to me, my points would be credited back to my Interval account and I would have a year to rebook from the date of cancellation.  This would effectively extend the life of Tamu's Hyatt points.  The rebooking would have to be an Interval unit and Tamu would have to pay two Interval reservation fees (one for the initial dummy one and another for the second real one).  If Tamu is interested in this, I would advise him to gently broach the subject with the Interval desk via 1-800-GO-HYATT.  As luck would have it, in my own situation I was able to book a reservation at Ridge Tahoe for Easter 2008 a few days before my points drifted into LCUP, so I never personally followed through with the Interval agent's recommendation to book and then cancel.


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## tamu91 (Mar 4, 2008)

I thought trading into II wasn't an option for me at this point.  Can I still bank my points with II and look for a trade.  Remember guys, these points were allocated back in March of 2007.
If so, I'm definitely interested in depositing the week I have (or will have soon ) into II and look for a trade.

Maryman - I will send you a PM.  Thanks!


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## Kal (Mar 4, 2008)

Hyatt carefully tracks all HVC points even if they are in Interval.  There's no way to extend the life of any Hyatt points beyond the specified term.  You can indeed book an Interval unit then cancel the booking, but the points will still be controlled by the original date of issue.

Look carefully at the rules for depositing points into Interval as there are specific dates when that option expires.


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## Carmel85 (Mar 5, 2008)

Kal said:


> Hyatt carefully tracks all HVC points even if they are in Interval.  There's no way to extend the life of any Hyatt points beyond the specified term.  You can indeed book an Interval unit then cancel the booking, but the points will still be controlled by the original date of issue.
> 
> Look carefully at the rules for depositing points into Interval as there are specific dates when that option expires.



KAL is 100% correct !!!!!


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## Maryman (Mar 5, 2008)

Although it's hard to contradict Kal and Carmel , I have to in this case.  I just finished speaking to Richard at Hyatt's Interval desk (his extension is 8938) and he confirmed my post to Tamu.  Since I currently have two units reserved in Interval via Hyatt, I used my exact reservation numbers when speaking with Richard.  I asked him what would happen if I cancelled my reservations at the Ridge Tahoe for Easter week this March.  I emphasized that these were booked with my 2007 allotment of Hyatt points.  His reply was exactly the same as the reservation agent this past summer: "Interval will issue you a 'Cancellation Replacement Week' equal in value to the trading power you used to book the Ridge Tahoe.  You will have one year from date of issuance to book your week.  The cancellation must be made at least 7 days prior to the beginning of your stay."  I further questioned him about the fact that these were 2007 Hyatt points and he emphatically stated that since this was a confirmed reservation with Interval, it was Interval's rules from here on in, not Hyatts.  Not wanting to leave any stone unturned, I asked whether or not the unit would have Hyatt's trading power or just the Ridge Tahoe's.  He replied, "Hyatt's." 

I also tore into the always-exciting Hyatt Rules and Regs.  I can find the articles that pertain to bookings and cancellations within the Hyatt system, but NOTHING pertaining to cancellations in the EE (Interval) program.  

As it stands right now, my understanding is that Tamu would be able to have his sellers reserve  a 3 bedroom Red unit for 1730 points somewhere in the Interval system, cancel it close to the check-in date, and then have full use of that 3 bedroom point value to use one year from the date of cancellation.  Tamu will have to pay another reservation fee once he makes his new booking, so that would be the only downside to this as far as I can see.  That would also be my reason for booking a 3 bedroom Red unit versus a 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom Yellow unit.  In the latter case he would retain the use of 1840 points but would incur two reservation fees at the beginning.  In the former case, he would pay one reservation fee at the beginning for 1730 points.  110 points--are they worth another Interval fee?  That's for him to decide.


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## Carmel85 (Mar 5, 2008)

Maryman said:


> Although it's hard to contradict Kal and Carmel , I have to in this case.  I just finished speaking to Richard at Hyatt's Interval desk (his extension is 8938) and he confirmed my post to Tamu.  Since I currently have two units reserved in Interval via Hyatt, I used my exact reservation numbers when speaking with Richard.  I asked him what would happen if I cancelled my reservations at the Ridge Tahoe for Easter week this March.  I emphasized that these were booked with my 2007 allotment of Hyatt points.  His reply was exactly the same as the reservation agent this past summer: "Interval will issue you a 'Cancellation Replacement Week' equal in value to the trading power you used to book the Ridge Tahoe.  You will have one year from date of issuance to book your week.  The cancellation must be made at least 7 days prior to the beginning of your stay."  I further questioned him about the fact that these were 2007 Hyatt points and he emphatically stated that since this was a confirmed reservation with Interval, it was Interval's rules from here on in, not Hyatts.  Not wanting to leave any stone unturned, I asked whether or not the unit would have Hyatt's trading power or just the Ridge Tahoe's.  He replied, "Hyatt's."
> 
> I also tore into the always-exciting Hyatt Rules and Regs.  I can find the articles that pertain to bookings and cancellations within the Hyatt system, but NOTHING pertaining to cancellations in the EE (Interval) program.
> 
> As it stands right now, my understanding is that Tamu would be able to have his sellers reserve  a 3 bedroom Red unit for 1730 points somewhere in the Interval system, cancel it close to the check-in date, and then have full use of that 3 bedroom point value to use one year from the date of cancellation.  Tamu will have to pay another reservation fee once he makes his new booking, so that would be the only downside to this as far as I can see.  That would also be my reason for booking a 3 bedroom Red unit versus a 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom Yellow unit.  In the latter case he would retain the use of 1840 points but would incur two reservation fees at the beginning.  In the former case, he would pay one reservation fee at the beginning for 1730 points.  110 points--are they worth another Interval fee?  That's for him to decide.



You are correct but remember hyatt points when you deposit into II are good for like 36 months if you deposit right when you get your points for that year.  Check out the time line on the hyatt owners page or in the hyatt rules.


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## Maryman (Mar 5, 2008)

Carmel--you're right about the longer reservation window with Interval if you deposit right away.  Unfortunately, that won't help Tamu's current predicament.


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## Carmel85 (Mar 5, 2008)

Maryman said:


> Carmel--you're right about the longer reservation window with Interval if you deposit right away.  Unfortunately, that won't help Tamu's current predicament.



Tamu's I'm sure will be OK as long as his title company send everything to Hyatt correctly. Hyatt will make sure that he can use his expiring points before they expire.
I went through hat same thing and Hyatt took good care of me especially when the title company sent everything in correctly.


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