# Project Voyager



## wilson14 (Jan 3, 2014)

I've seen some people mention Project Voyager here on TUG BBS. I've learned that its a new reservation system, but when it is coming and what are its advantages (and disadvantages)?


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## scootr5 (Jan 3, 2014)

wilson14 said:


> I've seen some people mention Project Voyager here on TUG BBS. I've learned that its a new reservation system, but when it is coming and what are its advantages (and disadvantages)?



Nobody here knows the answers to those questions. It's been rumored for quite a while. It was supposed to be rolled out last year, and then was reportedly shelved indefinitely.

Among other things, there have been rumors of being able to select which contract to pull points from when making reservations on line.


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## ronparise (Jan 3, 2014)

scootr5 said:


> Nobody here knows the answers to those questions. It's been rumored for quite a while. It was supposed to be rolled out last year, and then was reportedly shelved indefinitely.
> 
> Among other things, there have been rumors of being able to select which contract to pull points from when making reservations on line.



another rumor is that wyndham will use that ability to distinguish between contracts  to  separate resale contracts from the retail and for  VIP members like the op. only those VIP qualified retail points will get the VIP discounts...Bummer for a guy like me with just a relatively few vip points in a large account


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 3, 2014)

ronparise said:


> another rumor is that wyndham will use that ability to distinguish between contracts  to  separated resale contracts from the retail and for  VIP members like the op. only those VIP qualified retail points will get the VIP discounts...Bummer for a guy like me with just a relatively few vip points in a large account



But those PIC points are developer tag points, right?


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## jjmanthei05 (Jan 4, 2014)

Besides rooms instantly showing back up in the system (and this one is only a benefit for VIP owners), when has a Wyndham "improvement" ever been advantageous for the owners? 

Now thinking about it, I think wyndham can already distinguish points in the system otherwise how would the Pass program work if you can only use developer points? 

Jason


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## lcml11 (Jan 4, 2014)

jjmanthei05 said:


> Besides rooms instantly showing back up in the system (and this one is only a benefit for VIP owners), when has a Wyndham "improvement" ever been advantageous for the owners?
> 
> Now thinking about it, I think wyndham can already distinguish points in the system otherwise how would the Pass program work if you can only use developer points?
> 
> Jason



Wyndham, in my experience, can distinguish points in the the Wyndham System.  If you want to know what type of Wyndham Point you have just call reservations or Owner Care and they will look it up and tell you.

Or, just ask at a Owners Update, just do not trust this answer.  Also,  most of the sales reps will show you the printout, by resort and unit if you ask them.


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## bnoble (Jan 4, 2014)

> when has a Wyndham "improvement" ever been advantageous for the owners?


The current reservation system is a significant improvement over the one it replaced.  The ability to hold RCI exchanges without a deposit for all owners, not just VIP owners, is also nice.


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## ronparise (Jan 4, 2014)

jjmanthei05 said:


> Besides rooms instantly showing back up in the system (and this one is only a benefit for VIP owners), when has a Wyndham "improvement" ever been advantageous for the owners?
> 
> Now thinking about it, I think wyndham can already distinguish points in the system otherwise how would the Pass program work if you can only use developer points?
> 
> Jason



Im sure Wyndham can already tell where the points came from, Its just that reservations, at least the part that we see doesnt do it

That the Pass program is due to roll out this year, may be a signal that Voyager is too

what that means is anybody's guess, but I wouldnt count on getting a VIP discount for any but your developer purchased points.


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## ronparise (Jan 4, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> Wyndham, in my experience, can distinguish points in the the Wyndham System.  If you want to know what type of Wyndham Point you have just call reservations or Owner Care and they will look it up and tell you.
> 
> Or, just ask at a Owners Update, just do not trust this answer.  Also,  most of the sales reps will show you the printout, by resort and unit if you ask them.



Of course they can tell, and of course I already know whats resale and whats not in my own account. The question is when will we be be able to use that knowledge when making reservations on line? And the follow up question is...when will I be able to do ARP reservations on line?

Im guessing later on this year


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## lcml11 (Jan 4, 2014)

ronparise said:


> Of course they can tell, and of course I already know whats resale and whats not in my own account. The question is when will we be be able to use that knowledge when making reservations on line? And the follow up question is...when will I be able to do ARP reservations on line?
> 
> Im guessing later on this year



If Voyager is back, you may be right.

Reservations confirmed that a new reservation system is coming but she indicated that they do not know the implementation date.

Owner Care said soon.  Is checking to see if there is a specific date.  They finished checking.  They confirmed that it is Voyager rolling out.  They said there will be a mass E-Mail sent on the matter.


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## Bigrob (Jan 4, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> If Voyager is back, you may be right.
> 
> Reservations confirmed that a new reservation system is coming but she indicated that they do not know the implementation date.
> 
> Owner Care said soon.  Is checking to see if there is a specific date.  They finished checking.  They confirmed that it is Voyager rolling out.  They said there will be a mass E-Mail sent on the matter.



My interpretation of "soon" when it comes to large-scale IT projects is... "not soon". I always thought it was rather odd that when you make online reservations, you don't know which contract the points are coming from. Eventually you can find it working with owner care, but you can't tell even after the fact within your account. It definitely make a difference when you want to preserve ARP for a specific resort and don't want to use those points on a "generic" reservation.

It will be very interesting to see if the fear of VIP benefits only applying to developer-purchased contracts proves to be founded. Those that have PIC'd there way to VIP may find the status does very little if they don't PIC their weeks that year - I could see someone could be a grandfathered gold VIP but only have 126K points in a use year that are VIP eligible/usable (or even 0 if they PIC'd using a biennial). I have a sneaking suspicion that this fear is actually unfounded. I'm speculating but I'd guess that a majority of VIPs rarely use the costliest VIP benefits to provide (obviously TUG members and mega-renters are the big exception but I think are a decided minority).


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## lcml11 (Jan 5, 2014)

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192581&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187771&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184450&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184022&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183821&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181514&highlight=voyager
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170882&highlight=voyager

If your observation is true, this could come as a rude shock to mega rentors who have just enough developer points and/or PIC points to get the status.


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## lcml11 (Jan 5, 2014)

ronparise said:


> another rumor is that wyndham will use that ability to distinguish between contracts  to  separate resale contracts from the retail and for  VIP members like the op. only those VIP qualified retail points will get the VIP discounts...Bummer for a guy like me with just a relatively few vip points in a large account



If this happens, I guess the moral of the story is for regular timeshare renters is to line up with VIP accounts that are all developer or PIC based contracts.  Or, on the other hand, a one or twice a year vacationer could then buy some of the great timeshares such as Myrtle Beach, Smokey Mountain, and other low maintenance fee contracts that may become available as the non-Wyndham related mega-rentors dump their re-sale inventories.  If the dump starts, be sure which Wyndham points system you are buying into.  Timeshare liquidation operations should do very very well under this, if it happens.


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 5, 2014)

The only thing about ANY business is, CHANGE IS CONSTANT -- business will adapt and so will their customers. 

As for the doom and gloom forecaster, remember all those MEGA RENTERs and their MEMBER NUMBERS are paying their MFs regularly on all their contracts - including at the "lesser" resorts where ARP is not as important. If  owners "dump" those deeds, everyone else at many resorts will have their MFs go up. Maybe NOT for 2014 use year, but for 2015 forward.


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## lcml11 (Jan 5, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> The only thing about ANY business is, CHANGE IS CONSTANT -- business will adapt and so will their customers.
> 
> As for the doom and gloom forecaster, remember all those MEGA RENTERs and their MEMBER NUMBERS are paying their MFs regularly on all their contracts - including at the "lesser" resorts where ARP is not as important. If  owners "dump" those deeds, everyone else at many resorts will have their MFs go up. Maybe NOT for 2014 use year, but for 2015 forward.



I think you hit the nail on the head with this one.


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## ronparise (Jan 5, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> If this happens, I guess the moral of the story is for regular timeshare renters is to line up with VIP accounts that are all developer or PIC based contracts.  Or, on the other hand, a one or twice a year vacationer could then buy some of the great timeshares such as Myrtle Beach, Smokey Mountain, and other low maintenance fee contracts that may become available as the non-Wyndham related mega-rentors dump their re-sale inventories.  If the dump starts, be sure which Wyndham points system you are buying into.  Timeshare liquidation operations should do very very well under this, if it happens.



The real mega renters dont even own the points  they rent. The big boys are all points managers, and what they manage are lots of relatively small accounts. And my guess is that they are almost entirely VIP qualified points. They will be able to continue to do what they are doing

There are only a few  with a small number of VIP points in large accounts, and most  are so specialized, doing the high demand low supply stuff that the change you anticipate wont affect them at all. 

Speaking only for myself, I do very little of the cancel/rebook thing anyway.  I dont have to when I can get 200-$300 a night.  Ill have to do a little re-aligning and maybe a little belt tightening, and I probably wont be able to offer the $3/1000 rentals any more, but as Linda suggests, Ill adapt and do just fine


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## kalua (Jan 5, 2014)

wyndham has had the ability for you to say which contract to pull points from you've always had to call and let the rep. know what you want to do, and they know what is resale and what's not , at least I've been able to do these things for at least 6 years , and I know i'm not anything special with wyndham


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## Bigrob (Jan 5, 2014)

kalua said:


> wyndham has had the ability for you to say which contract to pull points from you've always had to call and let the rep. know what you want to do, and they know what is resale and what's not , at least I've been able to do these things for at least 6 years , and I know i'm not anything special with wyndham



Yes, it's true you can specify contract if you call. But if you book online you can't do that at this point.


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## lcml11 (Jan 6, 2014)

ronparise said:


> The real mega renters dont even own the points  they rent. The big boys are all points managers, and what they manage are lots of relatively small accounts. And my guess is that they are almost entirely VIP qualified points. They will be able to continue to do what they are doing
> 
> There are only a few  with a small number of VIP points in large accounts, and most  are so specialized, doing the high demand low supply stuff that the change you anticipate wont affect them at all.
> 
> Speaking only for myself, I do very little of the cancel/rebook thing anyway.  I dont have to when I can get 200-$300 a night.  Ill have to do a little re-aligning and maybe a little belt tightening, and I probably wont be able to offer the $3/1000 rentals any more, but as Linda suggests, Ill adapt and do just fine



Just booked a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at Kingsgate for 22,500 points for a three bed room.  I think there are some still available.  Does this mean your price is $67.50.  At $8.00 dollar per thousand points no guest pass fee, no reservation transaction fee, however, the renter would pay the mandatory recreational facility fee, would be $180.  If so, you are right, maybe the way to go is one nickel at a time.

By the way, this is Check-In February 14, 2014 and Check-Out February 17.  A Holiday weekend.


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## ronparise (Jan 6, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> Just booked a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at Kingsgate for 22,500 points for a three bed room.  I think there are some still available.  Does this mean your price is $67.50.  At $8.00 dollar per thousand points no guest pass fee, no reservation transaction fee, however, the renter would pay the mandatory recreational facility fee, would be $180.  If so, you are right, maybe the way to go is one nickel at a time.
> 
> By the way, this is Check-In February 14, 2014 and Check-Out February 17.  A Holiday weekend.



No that means my cost is $67.50   And if I send a guest, there are guest fees($99). I havent been able to figure a way around them like you claim you have. 

What Im able to rent these for would depend on the market


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## benyu2010 (Jan 6, 2014)

It was mentioned in report 
www.wmowners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=326840#p326840"

It is coming, only matter of time...have you noticed WM available to borrow HKT could be selected via online booking now? It could be a small increment and part of the project...


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 6, 2014)

never mind ...


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## lcml11 (Jan 6, 2014)

ronparise said:


> No that means my cost is $67.50   And if I send a guest, there are guest fees($99). I havent been able to figure a way around them like you claim you have.
> 
> What Im able to rent these for would depend on the market



I am not a mega rentor, I just get a bootload of them for free.  I have yet had to purchase a extra one.

You might want to check the members directory to see how many you are supposed to get under the rules and compare that to what you actually get.

You apparently have a pretty good reputation out there.  I do hear positive feedback on you that does not show up on the public posts.

A person that rents July weeks in Myrtle Beach, that is a class act.  I am truly impressed.


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## ronparise (Jan 6, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> I am not a mega rentor, I just get a bootload of them for free.  I have yet had to purchase a extra one.
> 
> You might want to check the members directory to see how many you are supposed to get under the rules and compare that to what you actually get.
> 
> ...



I have rented July weeks in Myrtle Beach. I haven't done many though. Thanks for the kind words. But it's nothing special. Just be on the computer at 7 am and go for everyone's second choice. While everyone else is scrambling for their first choice I make my reservations and go back to bed

I know how many guest conversations I'm supposed to get (60...30 in each of two accounts)  it I don't consider them to be free. They come by virtue of my Platinum memberships that I paid for and the mf I pay every month. They will all be gone by the end of the month I'm sure and I'll have to start paying $99 each for the rest of the year


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## Bourne (Jan 6, 2014)

Another rumor is that the rollout of Voyager will change ownership rules also. Inherited VIPs and points will no longer be grandfathered.

Effectively Wyndham is making you pay if you are not the original owner.


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## jjmanthei05 (Jan 7, 2014)

ronparise said:


> I have rented July weeks in Myrtle Beach. I haven't done many though. Thanks for the kind words. But it's nothing special. Just be on the computer at 7 am and go for everyone's second choice. While everyone else is scrambling for their first choice I make my reservations and go back to bed
> 
> I know how many guest conversations I'm supposed to get (60...30 in each of two accounts)  it I don't consider them to be free. They come by virtue of my Platinum memberships that I paid for and the mf I pay every month. They will all be gone by the end of the month I'm sure and I'll have to start paying $99 each for the rest of the year



The way I calculate my MF is I reduce my overall MF cost by the number of free guest certificates I get. That way I get an overall $/k instead of the first 15-30 don't have the $99 and the rest do. Just as an example I rented 800,000 points from someone last year for $5/k with 30 guest certificates my cost worked out to $1.25/k and $100 per rental. It just makes the math easier. 

Jason


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## spackler (Jan 22, 2015)

Well, it's been a year.  Any update on this?


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## am1 (Jan 22, 2015)

spackler said:


> Well, it's been a year.  Any update on this?



Still along ways away from the people on the phone who have mentioned it.


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