Marriott sistem penalizes european citizens

[Caribbean-lover]

We were living in South America so we bought in Orlando our first timeshare, then we moved to Italy and now we have joined the DC program but can not use the 800 PlusPoints in Europe, crossing the ocean for 2 or 3 night stay is not worth it. I would suggest that at least to overcome the disadvantage we could bank this points or transfer to Marriott Rewards.

 

[MALC9990]

We were living in South America so we bought in Orlando our first timeshare, then we moved to Italy and now we have joined the DC program but can not use the 800 PlusPoints in Europe, crossing the ocean for 2 or 3 night stay is not worth it. I would suggest that at least to overcome the disadvantage we could bank this points.

Could not agree more - owners at European Resorts are also disadvantaged in that we can only exchange into USA Marriott Resorts thru II and the supply has dried up for anything that you need to plan for well in advance. Whilst late bulk deposits might be great for US based owners to snap up - they are useless to a UK based owner who needs to plan travel 12 months in advance.

The 800 Plus Points Bonus is just an example of the USA-centric thinking of Marriott - which is dissapointing in a Global operation.

 

[dioxide45]

Marriott also charges a higher owner services fee to those living outside the US and also a higher fee to trade your week for MRPs.

 

[Venter]

You could.....

You could make a reservation at any of the USA Marriotts for someone and then rent those 2-3 days to them. This way at least it will not go to waste and you can get something back. I suggest to as .4 -.45 to definately rent it out. I know that the expected rate is .5 -.6 but this way you will hopefully not have to sweat it out till someone decides to take the chance on this 'strange' way of renting.

 

[m61376]

or add a couple of days to a week trip

 

[rthib]

Who cares about Foreigners

If you don't like it, the move to America

As Shirley said:

you don't need to worry about what foreigners think about you, that's your right as an American.

 

[dioxide45]

You could make a reservation at any of the USA Marriotts for someone and then rent those 2-3 days to them. This way at least it will not go to waste and you can get something back. I suggest to as .4 -.45 to definately rent it out. I know that the expected rate is .5 -.6 but this way you will hopefully not have to sweat it out till someone decides to take the chance on this 'strange' way of renting.

I think you would be hard pressed to get 50 to 60 cents for non transferable plus points. Transferable points with a future use year are going to get the best rental prices.

I believe these are the same points that were posted to Greg's site today, they expire March 31, 2012. They only have about five weeks left on them. I hope the OP can get as much as he can for the points, but my guess is that the price fetched will would be far lower.

 

[Caribbean-lover]

If you don't like it, the move to America

As Shirley said:

It's not the matter to like it or not, it's just a consideration of a lack in the sistem that claims to be global.

 

[bizaro86]

If you don't like it, the move to America

As Shirley said:

I doubt that's how Marriott feels about it when they're trying to sell to non-Americans. Like those of us living with bailout free financial systems and functional real estate markets...

 

[heatherw]

I make this point on all feedback questionnaires and at every sales presentation. The website is also totally geared to the US, Asia has a separate site and so European members are just adrift - I can't even book my Mallorca resort for the gold holiday dates on line. trouble is there are so few of us that it is unlikely to change things.

I have joined redweek and hope to try that instead of II for exchange in future

 

[Caribbean-lover]

I make this point on all feedback questionnaires and at every sales presentation. The website is also totally geared to the US, Asia has a separate site and so European members are just adrift - I can't even book my Mallorca resort for the gold holiday dates on line. trouble is there are so few of us that it is unlikely to change things.

I have joined redweek and hope to try that instead of II for exchange in future

Even if we are a few, we bought the weeks, we are paying the fees just like everyone and even more. Few months ago I've been to Marriott's Village d'Ile de France and they're trying to sell the weeks, so why should we be different? I will complain any time I have the opportunity to do it, and wish this will affect the new buyer's decision.
We must gather!

 

[MALC9990]

I make this point on all feedback questionnaires and at every sales presentation. The website is also totally geared to the US, Asia has a separate site and so European members are just adrift - I can't even book my Mallorca resort for the gold holiday dates on line. trouble is there are so few of us that it is unlikely to change things.

I have joined redweek and hope to try that instead of II for exchange in future

I don't understand why you feel cast adrift. I always manage to book my Son Antem weeks on-line. Whilst these are Gold weeks - the 3 Gold weeks in June each year are in extreme high demand but I always get the weeks I want in June either at 13 months out on the phone or at 12 months out by booking on-line.

The Asia Pacific Points system has a separate Website - but that is necessary since it is a totally separate system. Weeks owners at Phuket Beach Club must still use the main MVCI Web Site.

 

[bazzap]

I make this point on all feedback questionnaires and at every sales presentation. The website is also totally geared to the US, Asia has a separate site and so European members are just adrift - I can't even book my Mallorca resort for the gold holiday dates on line. trouble is there are so few of us that it is unlikely to change things.

I have joined redweek and hope to try that instead of II for exchange in future

Hi Heather
I am really sorry to hear of the problems you are having.
The only area I am finding totally impossible now is getting II exchanges at any time into newer US resorts, such as Crystal Shores or Lakeshore Reserve.
Like Malcolm I am managing to get all my home weeks OK in Europe and Phuket.
I am also getting weeks I want in these resorts through II exchanges and Accommodation Certificates, not as early as before but they are coming through - 7 weeks in Phuket and 4 weeks in Club Son Antem this year.
Good luck with Redweek and I really hope you have better luck with MVC and II next time.

 

[MALC9990]

Hi Heather
I am really sorry to hear of the problems you are having.
The only area I am finding totally impossible now is getting II exchanges at any time into newer US resorts, such as Crystal Shores or Lakeshore Reserve.
Like Malcolm I am managing to get all my home weeks OK in Europe and Phuket.
I am also getting weeks I want in these resorts through II exchanges and Accommodation Certificates, not as early as before but they are coming through - 7 weeks in Phuket and 4 weeks in Club Son Antem this year.
Good luck with Redweek and I really hope you have better luck with MVC and II next time.

Indeed like Barry I don't have any problems in booking my home weeks at Son Antem (Gold) in June and this year for 2 units for August Bank Holiday + an II exchange for August Bank Holiday - I needed 3 units for a large group vacation. Also for Phuket Beach Club I can get my favoured weeks in February - this year and next year I snagged Chinese New Year week which always gets booked up within a week of the dates opening. In the past I typically did not use the 13 month booking option when booking multiple weeks but this year I have started to do that as well.

My advice for single week booking is to do it online and if based in the UK then on the day that the inventory opens you should be online at 14:00 UK time which is when the inventory opens up.

 

[heatherw]

Ah thanks for the sympathy guys.
Maybe 'adrift' was a bit harsh but the things I find frustrating are that:
1. I can't book gold holiday for Majorca online, it is not physically possible and as the weeks there get booked very quickly, if i want a prime week I have to call at 9am which means i need to take time out of work.

2. The information on the website is totally geared to the US, so for example when i wanted to rent a unit a while back none of the information there was relevant as you have a different system.

3. Now there is a new points system which I am feeling is having an impact on ability to swap, so am worrying about how i will get these in time to book early flights ( hence the joining of redweek). I am reluctant to do a deposit first as I have only found this useful if you are very flexible on dates. Marriott did not communicate anything about the new points system to the Europeans yet there it is on the website which again is irrelevant to us ( luckily having been on here I knew about it but)

So i would probably say these are just irritations (unless I don't get good trades from now on then I might up the grading !)

 

[MALC9990]

Ah thanks for the sympathy guys.
Maybe 'adrift' was a bit harsh but the things I find frustrating are that:
1. I can't book gold holiday for Majorca online, it is not physically possible and as the weeks there get booked very quickly, if i want a prime week I have to call at 9am which means i need to take time out of work.

2. The information on the website is totally geared to the US, so for example when i wanted to rent a unit a while back none of the information there was relevant as you have a different system.

3. Now there is a new points system which I am feeling is having an impact on ability to swap, so am worrying about how i will get these in time to book early flights ( hence the joining of redweek). I am reluctant to do a deposit first as I have only found this useful if you are very flexible on dates. Marriott did not communicate anything about the new points system to the Europeans yet there it is on the website which again is irrelevant to us ( luckily having been on here I knew about it but)

So i would probably say these are just irritations (unless I don't get good trades from now on then I might up the grading !)

Hi Heather.

Looks like we own at the same resorts.

I sympathise with and share fully your issues with the change to the DC points in the USA.

I'm not sure why you should be having problems with booking Gold Holiday Weeks on line for Son Antem. Booking on-line opens at the 12 month point for single week reservations so since Son Antem is a Fri/Sat/Sun check in resort, you should be able to reserve online any time from 14:00 on the Thursday 12 months ahead for the weekend you want to reserve. It has to be 14:00 UK time because the official opening time for 12 month reservations is 09:00 Eastern Standard Time in the USA which is 5 hours behind the UK. If you are booking multiple concurrent or consecutive weeks of course the date shifts to 13 months ahead but should be the same time. In the past I tried calling Cork at 09:00 only to be told to call back at 14:00.

I have also noticed in the past that availability does not always open up at
14:00. When I was trying to book and lock off my 3 bed lock-off in Playa Andaluz for the first week of Silver season for Nov 2012 back in Nov 2011, at 14:00 the system showed no lock-off availability but I could book a 3 bed unit. It was nearly 17:00 before the lock-off availability showed up online - I even tried calling and the agents in Cork could not see the lock-off availability.

As for the DC points system, I am disappointed that the European resorts are excluded from enrolling in the system. I certainly would consider it with my multiple weeks it would be attractive to be able to trade multiple weeks for points for a significant reservation to some of the more difficult to get USA resorts where waiting on II exchanges is always a problem when you factor in the transatlantic airfare reservation costs and availabilities.

I guess I am fortunate that we avoid peak season since we are retired now and can be much more flexible. Having said that we always use the same two Gold weeks at Son Antem in June and like to be in Phuket in February. So I always book these weeks at 13 months ahead to ensure I get them.

I'm also trading 2 or 3 weeks in 2013 and possibly each year going forward for MR points to get enough points for a couple of 5 day packages to bolster my BAEC AVIOS totals to get some award flights on BA. After seeing advice from BAZZAP I'm also looking at United Airlines.

If you are interested in sharing information then PM me and I wills end you my eMail address.