# II goes Points



## timeos2 (Mar 28, 2011)

I have heard from a very reliable source that II has finally made the move to points.  I have assumed for a long time they would have to do it to stay competitive, but had heard virtually nothing about them actually doing so.  

Has anyone been approached about an II points system? If so is it a true RCI Points type or the exposure of trade values as in RCI Weeks/Points Lite? My understanding is that II has either briefed a few large II resorts about it or already rolled out a limited trial at a couple resorts. Anyone?  

Of course if it comes to fruition this throws a wrench into the "use II to avoid points" crowd.  But honestly II cannot sit back and watch RCI & the mini-systems move to points and take a big chunk of their inventory away without responding in kind.  Like it or not the public is being sold today on points based trades and II has to remain a player IMO.


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## DebBrown (Mar 28, 2011)

I have no information but I think you are right that it was bound to happen.  I have remained blissfully ignorant of the RCI point program so far.

Deb


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## Carolinian (Mar 28, 2011)

The mini-systems do not necessarily want an overlay points system competing with ther own.  That is at least part of the reason that a number of them moved from RCI to II after RCI rolled out GPN (the original name of RCI Points).  Cendent had to go out and buy two of those systems to bring them back to RCI. And developers with traditional timeshare are going to like it even less.

This would be a dreadful move.


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## ada903 (Mar 28, 2011)

That would be awful.


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## timeos2 (Mar 28, 2011)

Carolinian said:


> The mini-systems do not necessarily want an overlay points system competing with ther own.  That is at least part of the reason that a number of them moved from RCI to II after RCI rolled out GPN (the original name of RCI Points).  Cendent had to go out and buy two of those systems to bring them back to RCI. And developers with traditional timeshare are going to like it even less.
> 
> This would be a dreadful move.



I know you feel that way but if my source is correct - and they have been spot on in the past - the plan is in motion.  I'm trying to find out exactly how II is approaching it & what if any costs are attached to it. 

The heydays of exchange and building fancy new resorts are behind us now. Developer's are all focusing on new systems that allow them to recycle "old" weeks into new clubs and they get paid to do it. The potential flexibility and ease of use compared to weeks exchange makes it appealing especially to new buyers and the capital cost is minimal to the developer. II is getting shut out as they hang on to the old week for week idea and they have to act. It may already be too late.  

The problem now is that a system with a handful to a couple dozen resorts (or worse, a few units at various resorts that gives them the right to list it as an affiliate) is actually worse than a week for week system as the actual amount of available inventory is pitiful. The ideal exchange system has the maximum amount of resorts & times which is becoming harder to do as all these little systems eat up inventory and limit access.  It is making things worse not better. It is another reason that renting -where you can know what / where / when you are booking - is becoming a far better choice than almost any exchange system.  Owning needs to be limited to what you want to USE and then rent to fill in anything else you desire. Owning to trade has never been a great way to use timeshare but now tends to be an exercise in costly frustration.  To a large degree the largest of the points systems are better than the old weeks systems but none of them are as good as plain old owning to use and renting has become.


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## jdunn1 (Mar 28, 2011)

I do not get this post.  Are you saying II is going to have a points system similar to RCI points?  Or, are you saying II is going to start assigning trade value units like RCI?  If II is going to offer a points level membership similar to RCI points, then I do not think that is such a big deal.  I'm new to traditional timesharing but I think RCI weeks and RCI points are/were able to coexist, I can't immagine II, if they added a points system would hurt weeks owners.

Can the original poster give us more information?  Seems like his posts are a little coded, like he wants us to guess his secret.  I'm sure that wasn't his intention but to me at least, that is how this post is coming across.

I guess I do not understand how this change would effect a traditional timeshare owner in II, like me who owns a platinum Marriott Branson week???


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## vacationhopeful (Mar 28, 2011)

timeos2 said:


> The problem now is that a system with a handful to a couple dozen resorts (or worse, a few units at various resorts that gives them the right to list it as an affiliate) is actually worse than a week for week system as the actual amount of available inventory is pitiful. .... Owning needs to be limited to what you want to USE and then rent to fill in anything else you desire. ....  To a large degree the largest of the points systems are better than the old weeks systems but none of them are as good as plain old owning to use and renting has become.



I agree.

I have gained several experience timeshare owners who are renting fixed weeks that I own. These resorts have a points system overlaid on the old weeks system. Knowledgable new owners are buying to get to the Fixed Week. I have several of these and USE (in whatever form I choose) the fixed week. Reserving these desirable dates is getting extremely difficult for the points owners. 

I do get asked how I can book a week which has not yet hit the booking window. I get asked how I can say that is the unit/view I am renting. 

And I have lately watched several eBay auctions where a "good" fixed week (based on week number and unit view) goes above $1000. Points is not working - I call it the *points phone lottery*. Consumer information via the computer has educated many people to an unhappy state. Listen to the points sales staff paint the dream to a fixed week owner - get any vacation you want. Listen to a points owner who gets up at dawn with multiple phones all dialing one number, waiting for the customer service agent. 

It might be an adventure for a Rock Concert - not so for the vacation costing $5,000+.


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## Carolinian (Mar 28, 2011)

I agree.  Points is absolutely useless to those who own to use.  Fixed weeks lets you know what you have, not pay a lot of money for a crap shoot like points.  On the OBX, exchangers generally are outnumbered at the resorts I am familair with by the own to use members, and every year that goes by, the own to use majority gets bigger.  I have exchanged into resorts in northern Europe where resort managers tell me the same story about the shrinking percentage of exchangers among their members.  Two of them, in particular, said that the exchangers among their owners had fallen to percentages in the single digits.

Maybe we are in a cycle.  Timeshare started out with points, which was and is the basis for the system of Hapimag, a Swiss developer which invented timesharing.   Then a rival French developer invented a better mousetrap, the weeks-based system.  The market clearly preferred the latter, and that came to dominate European timesharing and to be the system that crossed the Atlantic.  Then a former tallyman (loan shark) in South Africa, Andrew Davies invented the timeshare aftermarket points club to con existing timeshare owners to pay more money for what they already owned.  Some European and then American developers picked that scheme up and eventually an exchange company did, too.  Now we are where we are.  Some are already seeing through the points craze.  There were 8 or 9 Australian timeshares, one of which I owned at, which initially adopted RCI Points and after a couple of years decided it was not what it was cracked up to be and dumped it to go back to Weeks.




vacationhopeful said:


> I agree.
> 
> I have gained several experience timeshare owners who are renting fixed weeks that I own. These resorts have a points system overlaid on the old weeks system. Knowledgable new owners are buying to get to the Fixed Week. I have several of these and USE (in whatever form I choose) the fixed week. Reserving these desirable dates is getting extremely difficult for the points owners.
> 
> ...


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## timeos2 (Mar 28, 2011)

jdunn1 said:


> Can the original poster give us more information?  Seems like his posts are a little coded, like he wants us to guess his secret.  I'm sure that wasn't his intention but to me at least, that is how this post is coming across.
> 
> I guess I do not understand how this change would effect a traditional timeshare owner in II, like me who owns a platinum Marriott Branson week???



No coding intended - I wasn't able to clarify with the source what exactly II plans to do with points. They may have known & had I had more time to get into detail but as it turned out I didn't and all I heard was h fact that II was moving into points & that at least some resorts had been informed / signed up for it. 

Hopefully someone has more details so we can round out what II is doing & when. 

As for how it effects current owners all these programs eat away at already limited inventory. The more little pockets of use get created the less there is in the formerly big pot.  Demand grows & inventory shrinks - not a good combination. Fragmentation of inventory hurts everyone as the ideal system would have every resort & all times available. The current systems are going the opposite way with less resorts and limited times while reducing the overall selection in the "traditional" companies.


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## DeniseM (Mar 28, 2011)

jdunn1 said:


> I can't immagine II, if they added a points system would hurt weeks owners.
> 
> I guess I do not understand how this change would effect a traditional timeshare owner in II, like me who owns a platinum Marriott Branson week???



If they go the same route as RCI, the points system will replace the weeks system - there won't be any weeks system.


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## jdunn1 (Mar 28, 2011)

Thanks Timeos.  I'm new to traditional timesharing and don't understand a lot of this, having been a DVC member for many years.  I now own Marriott and just as I bought into that system, Marriott created the Destination Club (a points system)  The Destination Club has made exchanging into Marriott for prime weeks this year nearly impossible.  Marriott is now taking the best weeks from II and replacing them with "like value" weeks -- but those "like value" weeks seem to be last minute deposits.  I hope the same thing doesn't happenen to II.  Some of of Marriott owners are hoping things are just unusually tough this year and after all the bonus points Marriott handed out to new Destination Club members is gone, things will get back to normal.

The way people are describing points on this board sounds just like what Marriott is doing.  Marriott basically took all of its unsold inventory, which includes most of the three or four newest resorts but a lot more of the off season weeks for the other resorts and is now selling points.  New owners do not own any week, they own pieces of what is more likely than not bronze and value weeks.  I don't have a problem with points the way DVC, Hyatt and Hilton do it, but for the life of me, I do not see how anyone could buy points without a home resort and preference identified.

Thank you for clearing this up.  Nice to hear from you.

-Jim


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## Carolinian (Mar 28, 2011)

SFX might be a good option for Marriott trading.




jdunn1 said:


> Thanks Timeos.  I'm new to traditional timesharing and don't understand a lot of this, having been a DVC member for many years.  I now own Marriott and just as I bought into that system, Marriott created the Destination Club (a points system)  The Destination Club has made exchanging into Marriott for prime weeks this year nearly impossible.  Marriott is now taking the best weeks from II and replacing them with "like value" weeks -- but those "like value" weeks seem to be last minute deposits.  I hope the same thing doesn't happenen to II.  Some of of Marriott owners are hoping things are just unusually tough this year and after all the bonus points Marriott handed out to new Destination Club members is gone, things will get back to normal.
> 
> The way people are describing points on this board sounds just like what Marriott is doing.  Marriott basically took all of its unsold inventory, which includes most of the three or four newest resorts but a lot more of the off season weeks for the other resorts and is now selling points.  New owners do not own any week, they own pieces of what is more likely than not bronze and value weeks.  I don't have a problem with points the way DVC, Hyatt and Hilton do it, but for the life of me, I do not see how anyone could buy points without a home resort and preference identified.
> 
> ...


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## Carolinian (Mar 28, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> If they go the same route as RCI, the points system will replace the weeks system - there won't be any weeks system.



I wonder if they will end up with two variations of points systems like RCI or just one. Hopefully this information will not pan out and they will end up with none.  You're right that RCI does not have a weeks system anymore, no matter what they call one of their points systems.


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## dougp26364 (Mar 28, 2011)

And the big question is.........how much (more) is this going to cost me.

DRI: $2,995 joiner fee plus $235/yearly membership fee
Marriott: $695 joiner fee plus $199/yearly membership fee
RCI Points: Whatever the developers could squeeze out of their existing owners (typically in the thousands)
Interval International: ?????

Personally, I'm begining to grow weary of the churning. At this point, Interval is now selling a "new" level of service called Interval Platinum. Just one more extra yearly membership fee for services that either don't cost Interval a dime or, provide adaquate value (Hertz #1 Gold, airport lounge access or hotel discounts) to their customers.


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## MuranoJo (Mar 28, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> If they go the same route as RCI, the points system will replace the weeks system - there won't be any weeks system.



I still think of it as a weeks system, but with a new spin on trade power disclosure.  You deposit a week and they remain whole weeks for exchange, meaning partial weeks aren't exchanged.  Weeks owners don't have to join and pay for a points exchange program. You still have ownership of your base week.   

'Only' difference to me as a weeks owner is trade power is assigned a TPU which can be calculated before you deposit, refunded if you book a week needing fewer TPUs, or combined with other deposits if you need more TPUs.


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## Carolinian (Mar 29, 2011)

muranojo said:


> I still think of it as a weeks system, but with a new spin on trade power disclosure.  You deposit a week and they remain whole weeks for exchange, meaning partial weeks aren't exchanged.  Weeks owners don't have to join and pay for a points exchange program. You still have ownership of your base week.
> 
> 'Only' difference to me as a weeks owner is trade power is assigned a TPU which can be calculated before you deposit, refunded if you book a week needing fewer TPUs, or combined with other deposits if you need more TPUs.



Overpriced partial weeks and overpriced ''points partners'' are just minor nuances in the different RCI points systems.  Not all developer points systems, for example, have either.

Paying a seperate fee to join is also not a test of whether something is a points system or not.  The very first timeshare company Hapimag, who invented timeshare, has always had points, and they do not charge a seperate fee to join.  Converting from one to another has attracted fees, but that is the mark of a conversion not a points system.  RCI simply realized that those in Weeks were not going to pay any fees to join points so they simply forced Points Lite upon them.

The big thing that was lost from real Weeks was the flexibility to trade within a band or range.  Now we have the rigidity of exact numbers, often conjured up by a secret hocus pocus that has no connection with real world supply and demand.  Yeah, they now have a different type of flexibility with combining points, but at the end of the day, that is far less valuable than what we lost in trading within a band.


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## LLW (Mar 29, 2011)

muranojo said:


> 'Only' difference to me as a weeks owner is trade power is assigned a TPU which can be calculated before you deposit, refunded if you book a week needing fewer TPUs, or combined with other deposits if you need more TPUs.



To a mini-points-system owner, however, I have been told (I am not an RCI member) that the new RCI system means we can't trade up with Deposit First any more - the pre-assigned number of points for the exchange is always deducted, before or after the fact (except within last-minute Instant Exchange period, I believe). So there is no more advantage to using knowledge or hard work to be an early bird to look for that top-of-the-range worm. 

II is not that way, yet. If they are, exchanging is going to be less fun.


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## Carolinian (Mar 29, 2011)

*How this might not be so bad*

II could actually do this in a way that would be a lot more customer-friendly than the RCI experience, if they chose to even do the points thing.  They could:
1) Make it a seperate voluntary program, and take strong action to prevent any of the fearmongering that was rife with the RCI Points master brokers in their conversion campaigns.  Keep a seperate robust weeks-base program.
2) Do not cram it down members throats like RCI did Points Lite.  Members should not be frogmarched into points programs.
3) If points members have access to weeks inventory, give reciprocal access of weeks members to points inventory.  Make crossover rates fair to both.  Alternatively put a firewall between the systems where each one only trades into that systems inventory.  Avoid the extreme favoritism that RCI gave its RCI Points members on crossovers.
4) If discounts are given on last minute inventory, give it to members of both systems on the same basis, and let each system either have access to last minute inventory in only their own system or in both system.  Do not take the RCI route of members of both feeding off just the last minute inventory of one system.
5) Avoid the ''points partner'' crap that is mostly way overpriced anyway and only feeds rental programs, often as a cover for additional rentals that have nothing to do with points partners.

And those are the important points assuming one stays on the outside.

If considering being part of a points system, it should also include, to keep the system honest:
6) A published methodology of establishing values.
7) Sharing the underlying numbers used by that methodology with the resort itself, as well as any other resort that questions its own relative numbers compared to a particular resort.
and to keep one for one trading viable:
8) The system should be based on trading within ranges or bands rather than exact numbers.  

Will II do a points system at all and if so will they do it in a fairer manner for ALL members than RCI has done?  Only time will tell.  But I thank John for the warning.  I had been thinking about buying a week (probably OBCC) to trade in II, but with the spectre of a possible II Points on the horizon, I have definitely put that on hold to see what happens.


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## timeos2 (Mar 29, 2011)

muranojo said:


> I still think of it as a weeks system, but with a new spin on trade power disclosure.  You deposit a week and they remain whole weeks for exchange, meaning partial weeks aren't exchanged.  Weeks owners don't have to join and pay for a points exchange program. You still have ownership of your base week.
> 
> 'Only' difference to me as a weeks owner is trade power is assigned a TPU which can be calculated before you deposit, refunded if you book a week needing fewer TPUs, or combined with other deposits if you need more TPUs.



Unless the exchange companies actually allowed free for all week for week trades, impossible as there are value differences, EVERY so-called weeks system is a points system (call it TPU or exchange value or whatever - its a points based value). The only question is hidden as it used to be or open to view as RCI Weeks is now.  

All trades are points trades but some refuse to acknowledge that fact.


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## Carolinian (Mar 29, 2011)

Most weeks systems are value based rather than points based.  The main difference is that values are assessed in a range or band rather than exact number vs. exact number.  Using a range is inherently more fair since it is impossible get numbers exactly right.

A system that revealed numbers but still allowed trading within a range, week for week, would be a weeks system.

There is no truly open points system that I am aware of that is transparent enough to reveal how they set the values, and as long as they hide that, giving you the resulting numbers is only an illusion of transparency.  Some of the funky nonsensical numbers of both Points Lite and RCI Points are proof of that.




timeos2 said:


> Unless the exchange companies actually allowed free for all week for week trades, impossible as there are value differences, EVERY so-called weeks system is a points system (call it TPU or exchange value or whatever - its a points based value). The only question is hidden as it used to be or open to view as RCI Weeks is now.
> 
> All trades are points trades but some refuse to acknowledge that fact.


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 29, 2011)

*Value-Based Is Still Points, Just Fuzzy Points.*




Carolinian said:


> Most weeks systems are value based rather than points based.  The main difference is that values are assessed in a range or band rather than exact number vs. exact number.


You are correct, sir. 

The values represented in timeshare points, as in timeshare weeks, are approximate at best & inexact at worst.  To a degree, they may also be inconsistent & even arbitrary.  If you are holding out for perfection, you are facing a long wait.  

If timeshare exchanges were never brokered unless they were _exactly right_, then there would be mighty few exchanges -- weeks or points _mox nix_.  

What we gain via points -- also via TPU _Points Lite_ -- is advance knowledge of how the approximations are weighed, ours (trade bait) for somebody else's (potential exchange). 

When the range-values are hidden, as in the old weeks system, then we just have to trust that the gnomes of RCI can do no wrong when it comes to matching up what we've got with what they've got that we want.  

I for 1 have never subscribed to the idea that RCI can do no wrong, so show me the numbers (imperfect as they are). 

If I belonged to I-I, I wouldn't have all that much confidence in their gnomes, either.

Y M M V

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Carolinian (Mar 29, 2011)

Trading within a range is what compensates for the fact that it is impossible to get exact numbers exactly right.  We lost that when RCI imposed Points Lite on us.

What would really make exchange companies honest is to make them reveal the formulas and supporting numbers that lead to their value numbers.  Otherwise, the half measure of partial transparency when only the final value number is revealed is the worst of both worlds.  Maybe the exchange company disclosure laws enacted by most if not all states could be amended to force exchange companies who publish values to also reveal how they conjure up those values.





AwayWeGo said:


> You are correct, sir.
> 
> The values represented in timeshare points, as in timeshare weeks, are approximate at best & inexact at worst.  To a degree, they may also be inconsistent & even arbitrary.  If you are holding out for perfection, you are facing a long wait.
> 
> ...


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## WINSLOW (Mar 29, 2011)

I found this blog:

http://thetimesharelord.blogspot.com/2011/03/interval-international-launches-club.html


Do you know if this is the new program or is this something else (reg. Gold membership)?


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## WINSLOW (Mar 29, 2011)

Never mind, this must be the new system, here is another article about it

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/28/2137795/flexibility-redefined-with-launch.html


It's called "Club Interval Gold",  Sounds like it's similar to RCI points, where you have to buy in thru your resort, not like TPU Points lite (which I think I would have liked better??)


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## dougp26364 (Mar 29, 2011)

WINSLOW said:


> Never mind, this must be the new system, here is another article about it
> 
> http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/28/2137795/flexibility-redefined-with-launch.html
> 
> ...



Well, there goes the neighborhood. It looks as if I.I. will follow RCI's lead into churning owners for more money by making them pay a joiner fee to get their newest and latest exchange benefits. What's worse is, much like RCI, it looks as if they'll allow developers to gouge owners for whatever fee a developer can get out of them to join. This appears to be strictly a profit driven move (churning more money out of existing owners) than customer service driven.

Now, much like RCI, we'll have two pools of inventory, weeks and points. All I can say is Interval has made it VERY easy for me to make a decision about keeping NOT keeping our personal account open. For that matter, they just made it easier to make the decision to NOT trade outside the mini-systems we already belong too. 

At this point, our decision to poney up and join the mini-systems is looking pretty good. I believe we'll be able to live with Interval and any new system that splits their inventory into weeks vs points for some time to come.

GOODBYE INTERVAL is all I can say once this change takes place.


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## hjtug (Mar 29, 2011)

The Club Interval Gold "benefits" mentioned in the article seem to be identical to what we now have through our Wyndham points corporate II membership when we upgrade to "Gold Level" by paying an extra fee.  II recently introduced a Platinum Membership with higher benefits for a higher fee.  There are a couple of threads discussing the Platinum option.  Maybe we will soon see an announcement of Club Interval Platinum.


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## tschwa2 (Mar 29, 2011)

For resorts that already trade through depositing points the transition will be easier - Worldmark, DRI, Wyndham, Bluegreen, SVO, Marriott Vacation Club Points, Festiva.  You know Westgate will be all about reselling points club memberships to those that already own weeks.

I wonder if Startwood will start having SVO members use a crossover grid to book days and weeks though II.  

This could be really bad either way you look at it.  If inventory is kept seperate from the non-points owners there are a lot of good weeks regular members won't get a shot at.  If inventory is not kept seperate, points members could book wholes hrough multiple weeks which would effectively keep weeks members off any week touched by a points member.


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## LAX Mom (Mar 29, 2011)

I'm not interested in an II point system. I own off-season Marriotts that I exchange during flexchange. I'm sure my weeks would have a low point value.

If the system changes I'll just give my weeks away. I've had many wonderful vacations using these weeks. It was fun while it lasted.


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 29, 2011)

*The Acid Test.*




timeos2 said:


> Like it or not the public is being sold today on points based trades and II has to remain a player IMO.


Under the new I-I Points system, will points members be able to _Raid The I-I Weeks Inventory_ ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## mjhines (Mar 30, 2011)

*II Points or Club Interval Gold*

I read the initial press release (the links provided by previous posts) and sent II Cust. Serv. an email. This was the response (it might not fit, so if not, I can break it in two if necessary.) 
Dear Valued Member:

Thank you for your e-mail message. 						

The Club Interval Gold® upgraded membership program is offered by 
Interval International, Inc. (?II?), to purchasers of Vacation Interests
at II Member Resorts that participate in the Club Interval Gold program.


To be eligible to participate in Club Interval Gold, a person must be18 
years of age or older and a legal resident of the United States, its 
territories, Canada, or the countries of the Caribbean, who owns or 
purchases an ?Eligible? Vacation Interest.  A Vacation Interest is 
deemed ?Eligible? if it is comprised of a Fixed Time or Floating Time 
Unit Week,  not evidenced by points, provided  II and the developer of 
the applicable Member Resort have agreed as to such Member Resort?s 
participation in the Club Interval Gold program.  

The Club Interval Gold program provides the benefits of membership in 
Interval Gold® plus participation in a points-based exchange service 
that allows its members to deposit their traditional Home Resort 
accommodations with II in exchange for ?Club Interval Gold Points?.  
Club Interval Gold Points are the symbolic currency utilized to value 
the member?s Home Resort accommodations as well as the accommodations 
requested by the member from the Exchange Program.  Club Interval Gold 
Points may also be referred to herein as ?Points.?  

Once an owner of a Vacation Interest is enrolled in the Club Interval 
Gold program by a Member Resort, the owner?s membership with II becomes 
a Club Interval Gold membership as to all Vacation Interests owned.   
Any months remaining in an existing Individual Membership and/or an 
existing Interval Gold upgraded membership will be converted to months 
in the Club Interval Gold membership.  If the existing Individual 
Membership and Interval Gold membership have different expiration dates,
the expiration date of the Club Interval Gold membership may differ, but
the member will have received the benefit of the prior membership fees 
paid.  

In such instance, with respect to Eligible Vacation Interests, upon the 
deposit of accommodations with II, the Club Interval Gold member will 
receive an allotment of Points and will have the opportunity to 
participate in points-based exchange.  As it relates to all other 
Vacation Interests owned by such Member, he or she will continue to 
participate in the Exchange Program by exchanging on a weeks-basis.   
Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a Member owns a Vacation Interest 
at a Member Resort participating in a corporate membership program, as 
well as well as an Eligible Vacation Interest, said Member must maintain
his or her Club Interval Gold membership, separate and distinct from his
or her participation in the corporate membership program.

Please contact our Club Interval Gold service desk directly at 
866-763-7570 or (305) 925-3053 for all transactions related to the 
membership and exchange program. One of our representatives will be 
waiting to assist you with any inquiries. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Luisa 
Customer Service Representative


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## heathpack (Mar 30, 2011)

*Sounds like Hyatt*

This program sounds like its pretty much exactly how Hyatt trades in II right now.  You own a fixed week, that week is assigned a certain number of points based on unit size and season.  You can deposit any number in II and trade for any size unit/season your points allow.  There is no last minute exchange discount.  You can sort of trade up in unit size- for example a 1BR Hyatt Diamond week would garner 1450 points in the Hyatt system, you would only need I think 1140 to trade into a 2BR unit in II.  You can trade a 2BR Hyatt gold unit for various combos of red weeks- a 2BR and a studio, two 1BR weeks, 3 studio weeks, etc.  You can also combine last year's points with this year's deposit, the points last more than a year.  I can't see how this new II points thing various at all from what Hyatt is currently doing.  We like how it works0 there are some advantages over how say Marriott weeks trade and also some disadvantages.

The only downside to this for us would be if there are more fees associated with it.

H


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## blueparrot (Apr 1, 2011)

You are right.  One of our resorts has II as well as RCI.  We have always used RCI in the past, but with the way things are going there, it is good to have alternatives.  This change could make II less attractive than it is now.




vacationhopeful said:


> I agree.
> 
> I have gained several experience timeshare owners who are renting fixed weeks that I own. These resorts have a points system overlaid on the old weeks system. Knowledgable new owners are buying to get to the Fixed Week. I have several of these and USE (in whatever form I choose) the fixed week. Reserving these desirable dates is getting extremely difficult for the points owners.
> 
> ...


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## yumdrey (Apr 1, 2011)

I am wonerding how II will keep Four Seasons priority, Marriott priority and Starwood priority when they start points program.
As long as I can get a 2BR Marriott Orlando with a studio shadow ridge (or studio grande vista), I don't mind a new point program.
If up-trade is not available anymore with points program, it's ok too, I can reserve prime weeks and rent or use. Glad that I can use Florida club for grande vista and legend edge.
It seems like there is no change for WorldMark, it has been already point based exchange, so it will remain the same.

I think it is not a good news for owners who bought dog weeks for the purpose of uptrading. This points system will make dog weeks values much worse.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 1, 2011)

yumdrey said:


> I am wonerding how II will keep Four Seasons priority, Marriott priority and Starwood priority when they start points program.
> As long as I can get a 2BR Marriott Orlando with a studio shadow ridge (or studio grande vista), I don't mind a new point program.
> If up-trade is not available anymore with points program, it's ok too, I can reserve prime weeks and rent or use. Glad that I can use Florida club for grande vista and legend edge.
> It seems like there is no change for WorldMark, it has been already point based exchange, so it will remain the same.
> ...



Marriott priority will be maintained with their new Destinations Club corporate account. It's still uncertain how non DC members will fare in priority for exchanges but, it's been suggested on the Marriott forums by one owners who'd been doing trade tests that DC weeks appear that they may have priorty for confirmation over non-DC weeks.


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## MALC9990 (Apr 2, 2011)

mjhines said:


> To be eligible to participate in Club Interval Gold, a person must be18
> years of age or older and a legal resident of the United States, its
> territories, Canada, or the countries of the Caribbean, who owns or
> purchases an ?Eligible? Vacation Interest.



So I take this to mean that if you are resident anywhere else in the World - II will exclude you from this type of membership even if you own in a resort that is included. JUST GREAT .

So II is not going points but creating yet another subset of membership and diluting the availability of and opportunity to exchange for those members excluded from this class of membership.

*Makes II even less attractive as an exchange scheme and more likely we will use our weeks at home resorts from now on.*


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## ada903 (Apr 2, 2011)

I am with you Lisa.  I have had years of amazing exchanges and savings with II.  Right now I am actually getting rid of my traders right now for close to nothing and buying resale where I think I am going to use..  the deals are so good on the market!



LAX Mom said:


> I'm not interested in an II point system. I own off-season Marriotts that I exchange during flexchange. I'm sure my weeks would have a low point value.
> 
> If the system changes I'll just give my weeks away. I've had many wonderful vacations using these weeks. It was fun while it lasted.


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## ada903 (Apr 2, 2011)

Will II maintain the current weeks system in parallel with the new points system, at least for non-US residents?

And how soon will this change happen?  I have a bunch of SDO deposits in II that I am better off booking now, rather than waiting for the new system and having limited options with it...


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## MALC9990 (Apr 2, 2011)

ada903 said:


> Will II maintain the current weeks system in parallel with the new points system, at least for non-US residents?
> 
> And how soon will this change happen?  I have a bunch of SDO deposits in II that I am better off booking now, rather than waiting for the new system and having limited options with it...



I think we will find that the II points system (Club Interval Gold) will be a parallel system where owners at specific resorts that have contracted into the new scheme will be able to pay a fee to join the points scheme whilst the rest of us continue as now in a weeks based exchange system.


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## Born2Travel (Apr 3, 2011)

MALC9990 said:


> So I take this to mean that if you are resident anywhere else in the World - II will exclude you from this type of membership even if you own in a resort that is included. JUST GREAT .
> 
> So II is not going points but creating yet another subset of membership and diluting the availability of and opportunity to exchange for those members excluded from this class of membership.
> 
> *Makes II even less attractive as an exchange scheme and more likely we will use our weeks at home resorts from now on.*



Agreed - not a fan of subsets of membership and dilution - it's happening way too much.


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## timeos2 (Apr 3, 2011)

MALC9990 said:


> So I take this to mean that if you are resident anywhere else in the World - II will exclude you from this type of membership even if you own in a resort that is included. JUST GREAT .
> 
> So II is not going points but creating yet another subset of membership and diluting the availability of and opportunity to exchange for those members excluded from this class of membership.
> 
> *Makes II even less attractive as an exchange scheme and more likely we will use our weeks at home resorts from now on.*



My take on it as well. Every time another one of these sub-sets of inventory/claims are created what should be the key - the ability to et whatever is deposited from any resort in the world - get reduced & diluted.  That and costs have made renting far preferable to any of the membership required exchange companies. Add in their games, priorities, trade "power" rankings, etc etc along with the undeserved fees  and it all becomes worthless.


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## Mel (Apr 3, 2011)

vacationhopeful said:


> I agree.
> 
> I have gained several experience timeshare owners who are renting fixed weeks that I own. These resorts have a points system overlaid on the old weeks system. Knowledgable new owners are buying to get to the Fixed Week. I have several of these and USE (in whatever form I choose) the fixed week. Reserving these desirable dates is getting extremely difficult for the points owners.
> 
> ...


The same can be said of Floating week ownership, but "conversions" to points takes it a tep further because the owners of the best weeks are often not part of the system.  If they do not join the points pool, there is no way to reserve those weeks with your points, just as there is no way to exchange into certain weeks with RCI, because they never get deposited.


timeos2 said:


> No coding intended - I wasn't able to clarify with the source what exactly II plans to do with points. They may have known & had I had more time to get into detail but as it turned out I didn't and all I heard was h fact that II was moving into points & that at least some resorts had been informed / signed up for it.
> 
> Hopefully someone has more details so we can round out what II is doing & when.
> 
> As for how it effects current owners all these programs eat away at already limited inventory. The more little pockets of use get created the less there is in the formerly big pot.  Demand grows & inventory shrinks - not a good combination. Fragmentation of inventory hurts everyone as the ideal system would have every resort & all times available. The current systems are going the opposite way with less resorts and limited times while reducing the overall selection in the "traditional" companies.


Perhaps II allowed RCI to make all the mistakes, and II has decided to pick the model that will work best for them (the corporation, not the membership).


muranojo said:


> I still think of it as a weeks system, but with a new spin on trade power disclosure.  You deposit a week and they remain whole weeks for exchange, meaning partial weeks aren't exchanged.  Weeks owners don't have to join and pay for a points exchange program. You still have ownership of your base week.
> 
> 'Only' difference to me as a weeks owner is trade power is assigned a TPU which can be calculated before you deposit, refunded if you book a week needing fewer TPUs, or combined with other deposits if you need more TPUs.


While RCI may not be perfect in terms of assigning TPU values, I like TPU values better than the pure points model.  I still like exchanging for full weeks, and the TPU model preserves that.  Split week usage cuases the same problems as floating weeks - everybody wants the same part of the weeks.



timeos2 said:


> My take on it as well. Every time another one of these sub-sets of inventory/claims are created what should be the key - the ability to et whatever is deposited from any resort in the world - get reduced & diluted.  That and costs have made renting far preferable to any of the membership required exchange companies. Add in their games, priorities, trade "power" rankings, etc etc along with the undeserved fees  and it all becomes worthless.


That could also be said of all the small exchange companies - each has a subset of the inventory, and everyone wants to see who has what they want for exchange, before depositing themselves.  That might work if we're depositing 2013 to trade for a week in 2012, but it's not so great if we want to trade 2013 for another week in 2013.


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## John Cummings (Apr 3, 2011)

timeos2 said:


> Owning to trade has never been a great way to use timeshare but now tends to be an exercise in costly frustration.



My first timeshare I bought 24 years ago was for use. I could reserve my use week at any of the 18 resorts in their system with no fees at all. It was a floating week system 'red' all year. We did use our own resorts for the first 3 years and then did exchanges only after that. Our second timeshare we bought 20 years ago strictly for exchanging as we lived just 30 minutes from the resort. It is also a floating weeks 'red' all year. Both resorts have worked very well and are still as good as ever. We have always been able to get every exchange we wanted and some were pretty tough.

The secret is to buy good resorts in high demand areas with limited supply such as Coastal California. Last year we had no trouble getting both Hawaii and New York City and this year we have the same thing again. The problem with weeks is that most people own weeks that are non prime or even worse. People that own excellent trading weeks can still get good trades. Not only that, I get 2 bonus weeks for each week I deposit.

If II goes the same way as RCI then it will more than likely benefit the independents like SFX and DAE that are strictly weeks.


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