... Sue- Actually, the low point allocation for the Aruba weeks presents an interesting situation. Clearly, Marriott actually values the Aruba weeks amongst the highest when it comes to rental rates; its low valuation only curiously applies to point allocations. Therein lies an interesting situation: there is a low incentive for Aruba owners to trade their week in for points because of the relatively low allocation and the fact that Aruba weeks historically have commanded some of the highest rental rates, with the relatively low point cost for a high demand week that would otherwise cost a lot of money to rent. So owners have a poor incentive to convert their weeks, while exchangers get a good deal when exchanging in for points and, furthermore, when the economy improves and the rental market regains speed, point reservations for Aruba weeks may be even in higher demand because they command high rental rates. Thus, I can see Marriott trying to acquire more weeks there, although I doubt they are ROFR'ing anything with any significant consistency in this market.
I have no idea whether they are doing any more ROFRs than in the past, but I would think that if they were to step them up, they might do so for the Aruba resorts since they apparently still cannot be put into the Trust. ...
Hmmmm. Depending upon how you look at things, whether you're thinking about how things are working now or how they will work in the future, it really is possible to look at the Aruba Weeks and reach different conclusions. Right now while they can't be conveyed to the Trust and while they are still being sold as Weeks, it would make sense for Marriott to ROFR the lowest-priced resales to re-stock whatever Weeks inventory for which they may have waiting-and-willing buyers. But if/when they can be conveyed to the Trust, I just don't see value for Marriott or the owners in either the Point allocations or costs, at least not unless the Aruban properties have their DC values redone when they're added to the DC Trust.
Marilyn, I think you're making yourself crazy by continuing to try to somehow equate rack rental rates with DC Point values. And I'm not saying that to insult you or negate your arguments - it's completely true what you're saying that DC values don't flesh with rack rates! It's just that Marriott so obviously didn't consider rack rates, so why introduce the factor into the equation when there's no basis for it?
Also, I don't see at all that, "... exchangers get a good deal when exchanging in [to Aruba] for points ..." If you compare the 3BR oceanside SurfWatch and Aruba Surf Club points charts, SW ranges from 1,225 to 6,175 and SC ranges from 3,550 to 8,875. Granted, Hilton Head's weather patterns make for true off-season weeks while Aruba enjoys a year-round climate, but still I wouldn't expect the highest-season weeks in each calendar to have a 2,700 Point difference between them - especially as SW is a drive-to destination while Aruba requires air travel. Sure there's a difference between Caribbean and east coast beaches, but it's not enough during high season to justify that Point differential, not when the resorts are pretty much equals in design and amenities. I guess I could be the exception to the rule, but I'd never use my Weeks as Points to reserve an Aruban stay (and I have high-allocation Weeks.)
Also, I do not understand your comment about the 25% of MRP weeks in the Trust. The Trust is "owned" by Trust owners. MRP trades could be either legacy or Trust weeks. Why would you say that the Trust gets 25% of its inventory from MRP?
I took this to mean that MRP-exchanged Weeks are being deposited into the DC Exchange Company and Trust Members have access to those for reservations. Roundabout, but it's what makes sense to me.
