# VRI*ety vs. VRI*ety "Plus" --- specific differences?



## theo (Nov 21, 2010)

I recently received a call (on my way out the door to the airport) from someone peddling "VRI*ety Plus". 
The call was not unwelcome, just untimely. I own several weeks at two different VRI managed facilities.

The long-winded salesman didn't provide any useful or specific details on either cost or benefits, despite my trying hard to steer him toward some specifics. It seemed as though he really wanted to "stick to his script" so, having no more available time for vague, fuzzy "sales sizzle", I had to politely bid him "goodbye".

Later review of info on vriresorts.com hasn't much enlightened me either (...maybe I'm just dense). 
I'm hoping that someone here has already managed to separate the steak from the sizzle regarding just *exactly how VRI*ety Plus differs from the existing VRI*ety program*. Can you help boil it down for me?

I'm interested because I know DAE (...I don't use, don't want to use, don't care about RCI...) has recently created what is essentially a two tier "caste" system for esxchanges, in which the "standard" DAE members now go to the end of the line *behind* the new "enhanced" (by payment) members for all exchange priority. 
Does the new VRI*ety "Plus" also create a "two tier" exchange priority system, vs. "standard" VRI*ety?

Any knowledge, interpretations, informed opinions, or other info on the new VRI*ety "Plus" menbership cost and / or benefits would be welcomed and greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.


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## ausman (Nov 21, 2010)

http://www.vrietyplus.com/navigate/membership_prelogin

I don't see the value, but VRI has not been useful to me at all.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 22, 2010)

basham said:


> http://www.vrietyplus.com/navigate/membership_prelogin
> 
> I don't see the value, but VRI has not been useful to me at all.



VRI has been very useful to us - mostly through the VacationTyme program.  But this year I deposited a 2010 week with VRI*ety and turned it into a mid-week stay at a resort in Florida where I had to travel on business and weekend ski trip to Whistler.  What a deal!!!

But as for the differences between VRI*ety and VRI*ety Plus, I'm about as cluelss as the OP.


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*What I've learned...*



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> VRI has been very useful to us - mostly through the VacationTyme program.  But this year I deposited a 2010 week with VRI*ety and turned it into a mid-week stay at a resort in Florida where I had to travel on business and weekend ski trip to Whistler.  What a deal!!!
> 
> But as for the differences between VRI*ety and VRI*ety Plus, I'm about as cluelss as the OP.



Thanks to the link kindly provided above by basham, I've now been able to identify *some* specific differences between the two. Still unidentified and unknown however is the actual *cost* for joing VRI*ety "Plus".

As near as I can tell, the only significant or meaningful advantage to the "Plus" version of VRI*iety over the "standard" flavor of VRI*ety is access to a "search first" capability with the "Plus" version. As with II (...and unlike RCI...), this feature allows the member to actually examine the available exchange inventory *before* relinquishing (i.e., depositing) an owned week. This is *not* the case with "standard" VRI*ety membership. Because my owned weeks are prime, very high demand weeks, a "search first" ability would be an absolute necessity (for me) to even momentarily consider VRI*ety "Plus" membership. How much one has to pay for this particular "benefit" is still unknown to me, but if I manage to learn that cost info I will return later and post it here. It's hard to conduct a cost / benefit analysis when the cost is completely unknown.   

Other chart-indicated features of VRI*ety "Plus" seem (to me, anyhow) to be relatively insignificant and of very little use or value. I don't care about unit or seasonal "upgrades", already having prime weeks and units to start with, I don't care about access to lake houseboats, nor discounts on cruises I don't want to take.

For me at least, it now seems to boil right down to "_what is the additional cost to acquire the "search first" capabilty of VRI*ety Plus membership_"? If / when I ever manage to find out, I'll then share that info here.


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## rickandcindy23 (Nov 22, 2010)

Started a new thread.


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*Sorry, but I'm puzzled...*



rickandcindy23 said:


> VRI loves its own exchange program so much, they will not let even a board member provide a spreadsheet of exchange company alternatives to add to the newsletter.
> 
> I gave one of the Foxrun board members my spreadsheet with the alternative companies, and she asked VRI to put it in the newsletter, and it wasn't there.  VRI is just a management company that happens to offer an exchange option.  I think they made a huge mistake by not publishing the other options.
> 
> I would like to see all options and not just the one VRI owns.  I don't claim to know anything about the law, but it seems just wrong to me.



Maybe I'm missing your intended point, but aren't the VRI*ety and VRI*ety "Plus" programs both inherently limited, by their very definition and by their clearly overt intent, to owners / weeks at VRI managed resorts? 

No disrespect intended, but I'm entirely unclear on what "Board member status" or "a spreadsheet of other exchange companies" has to do with the details of a small *internal* exchange program for owners at VRI managed facilities. I'm equally unclear on the reasons or basis for your apparent displeasure with same.


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## rickandcindy23 (Nov 22, 2010)

Started a new thread.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 22, 2010)

theo said:


> Thanks to the link kindly provided above by basham, I've now been able to identify *some* specific differences between the two. Still unidentified and unknown however is the actual *cost* for joing VRI*ety "Plus".
> 
> As near as I can tell, the only significant or meaningful advantage to the "Plus" version of VRI*iety over the "standard" flavor of VRI*ety is access to a "search first" capability with the "Plus" version. As with II (...and unlike RCI...), this feature allows the member to actually examine the available exchange inventory *before* relinquishing (i.e., depositing) an owned week.


And I don't understand that.  When I go the VRI*ety website, it looks to me as if I can call up all of the available inventory before I make a deposit. 

And that's what I did before I scheduled that trip to Florida.  I looked at the dates, looked what was available in the area, and talked to the guide to deposit my week  and nail down the exchange.  It still took a week or so to get everything confirmed, because they still needed to confirm with Winners Circle.  But I can see what's available in advance.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 22, 2010)

theo said:


> Maybe I'm missing your intended point, but aren't the VRI*ety and VRI*ety "Plus" programs both inherently limited, by their very definition and by their clearly overt intent, to owners / weeks at VRI managed resorts?



VRI*ety includes inventory from non-VRI resorts. For example, that Whistler exchange I mentioned above is a Whiski Jack resort.

It must be inventory that is being provided through TPI.  I haven't poked around to find out if it's only some of the TPI that is accessible in VRI*ety, or if VRI*ety is simply another portal into the entire TPI system.


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## tschwa2 (Nov 22, 2010)

I only have a a regular VRIety account and have never used them.  My understanding is that with Plus you can set up a search and not deposit unless your matched.  Without Plus you can see what's currently on deposit(left-overs) without depositing.  The Plus account also has the (IMO stupid) cruise options (related to platinum rewards?) which adds extra costs to the Plus membership


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*The plot thickens...*



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> And I don't understand that.  When I go the VRI*ety website, it looks to me as if I can call up all of the available inventory before I make a deposit.
> 
> And that's what I did before I scheduled that trip to Florida.  I looked at the dates, looked what was available in the area, and talked to the guide to deposit my week  and nail down the exchange.  It still took a week or so to get everything confirmed, because they still needed to confirm with Winners Circle.  But I can see what's available in advance.



Steve:

When I call VRI to try to extract some specific cost info, I will also attempt to further flush out these particular details. The chart in the link certainly seems to clearly specify a "request first" difference and distinction between the two programs, but maybe I'm just missing some "fine print" (or some other entirely unprinted) underlying detail. We shall see. 

VRI in CA is on "left coast" time, so I'll have to try in a few hours...


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 22, 2010)

tschwa2 said:


> I only have a a regular VRIety account and have never used them.  My understanding is that with Plus you can set up a search and not deposit unless your matched.  Without Plus you can see what's currently on deposit(left-overs) without depositing.  The Plus account also has the (IMO stupid) cruise options (related to platinum rewards?) which adds extra costs to the Plus membership



OK - that makes sense.  No deposit first for an on-going search unless you have a Plus level membership.

_[edit, while smacking forehead with palm of hand while uttering "Uff-da"]:_ Of course what I meant was "No deposit first for an on-going search unless you have a Plus level membership."


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*Probably right...*



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> OK - that makes sense.  No deposit first for an on-going search unless you have a Plus level membership.



That may very well be exactly correct (maybe I'm just dense to have not comprehended that). 
I'll still confirm when I call to unravel the as yet unknown "Plus" cost mystery. 

As quoted verbatim from VRI comparative chart:

*VRI*ety*:
Members must first deposit a week with VRI to make a resort exchange request.

*VRI*ety "Plus*":
Members can make a request first and only deposit their week when a *successful* (...emboldening is my own) resort exchange request is made.


I don't rent, but just also noted that the "standard" VRI*ety claims to provide 25% off (already inflated --- my words, not theirs) "retail" rental prices, and the "Plus" version claims to provide "up to 65% off expanded resort properties and destinations worldwide". I'm guessing that "up to" 65% off applies to any winter week in Siberia or any summer week in the Sahara.


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*Ongoing cost mystery...*

Just called VRI at 1-866-203-7930 (the number specifically indicated on the VRI*ety web site for cost info) to get VRI*ety "Plus" cost info. 

After getting bounced around from cruise info and other non-selected options, I was ultimately referred to extension 2641. At that extension, I got only a voice mail indicating that the VRI*ety poohbah "Christopher something or other" will be in the office Tuesday through Thursday (on Thanksgiving?... I think not).

So....no VRI*ety "Plus" cost info until at least tomorrow (and if Christopher remains at an "undicalosed location", maybe not even then). We'll see...


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## ausman (Nov 22, 2010)

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/vri/103986-vriety-plus.html

This one says $249.

Strangely, I did get a call from VRI*ety today but I already tossed the identical week back into the RCI pool a few months ago.


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## theo (Nov 22, 2010)

*Thanks...*



basham said:


> http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/vri/103986-vriety-plus.html
> 
> This one says $249.
> 
> Strangely, I did get a call from VRI*ety today but I already tossed the identical week back into the RCI pool a few months ago.



Thanks, Mark. Just read the provided link / thread. One poster indicated a  3 year offer for $299 (not crazy pricey), but another indicated $249 annually (truly criminally insane). Now I'm intrigued to see what story and numbers *I'll* hear (...if /when anyone at VRI actually answers the VRI*ety Plus extension there).


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## theo (Nov 23, 2010)

*VRI*ety "Plus" membership cost --- right from the horse's mouth...*

From an actual phone conversation with the VRI*ety Plus "program director" today:

*1 year*:   $249  (...ouch!)

*3 years*: $299  (with $150 voucher applicable to ?? (...I'm not sure what)

*5 years*: $399   (with $300 voucher applicable to ?? (...I'm not sure what)

*Lifetime*: $2498 (w/ 7 vouchers of ? value, applicable to (not sure what), plus 2 free exchanges, and 2 "free weeks" (locations or date restrictions, if any, regarding these two "free weeks" were not mentioned or identified)

I instinctively "tune out" upon hearing the word "cruise" spoken aloud, but there was mention of cruise benefits, discounts, etc. Since I *didn't* hear "_We'll pay you $2,400 ($100 per hour, 24/7) in non-taxable cash for each day you endure being captive on a free cruise_" ....I didn't really absorb any "cruise" details... 

I did not really experience any urge to reach for my credit card at any time during (...or after) the call.


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## Jennie (Nov 24, 2010)

Does anyone know if the VRI priority, or any other benefits (with or without the upgrade) would apply to a VRI week transferred into my RCI weeks account from another owner?


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## theo (Nov 24, 2010)

*An additional VRI*ety Plus tidbit...*

This may not be news (...and maybe not even interesting) to some, but I've now learned that VRI*ety Plus is not actually administered by VRI at all, but by a third party entity called OurVacationCenter.com, which is apparently based in Arizona somewhere. In their own words from their web site:

"OurVacationCenter.com is an international, third party travel booking service based in the U.S.  OurVacationCenter services millions of travel consumers every year on behalf of well known companies worldwide."


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## John Cummings (Nov 24, 2010)

I own at a VRI managed resort and was called by VRI several months ago regarding VRIety Plus. The guy that called me was pretty straight forward and we had a good conversation regarding the product plus exchanging. He told me that he does not receive any commission and he didn't push it.

VRIety is a 3rd party product also offered by SFX where it is called Platinum Rewards. It includes cruises which are of no interest to us. I told him that I only use SFX and he was fine with that and was quite interested in it.

I actually did an exchange with VRI several years ago when it was owned by II.

Basically VRIety Plus is a very expensive program aimed at people doing cruises. It does offer some other stuff but nothing of any value to us.


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