Presentation: $7.04 per point with a twist!!!

[Nikonian]

My wife and I recently attended a presentation at Marriott Grand Chateau.
At the presentation we attended we were offered 4500 club points at a cost of $7.04 per point for a total of $31,697. Here is how they packaged it.

1. Buy 2250 DC Points at $10.62 per point = $23,895
2. Here is the twist. We would have to buy an enrolled Legacy week at Marriott's Legends Edge at Bay Point, Panama City, Florida. Every year access, 2 BR, Platinum. Their stated value is 2250 DC points or you can take 90,000 MRP. This week is currently listed on their resale site. The cost for this legacy week valued at 2250 points would be $7,800 or $3.47 per point.
3. So the average cost per point is $7.04.

We, of course, declined this offer. We did find it interesting how creative they are getting to get a points sale.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[puckmanfl]

good morning...

This is the often discussed "Bundle" plan....

Actually, not a bad port of entry into the system....

 

[Nikonian]

They told me a few things that didn't seem quite right. They told me that the only place they offer this packaging is at Grand Chateau and Aruba. They said that they don't offer this package to people who only own points.
They also said that this was the only way to buy enrolled weeks and that the resale weeks sold by Marriott are not enrolled weeks. But when I look at the resale website most of the weeks they are selling look like they had the ability to exchange for MRP and could be deposited intoi II.
Im just trying to evaluate the information I get from these presentations.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

They told me a few things that didn't seem quite right. They told me that the only place they offer this packaging is at Grand Chateau and Aruba. They said that they don't offer this package to people who only own points.
They also said that this was the only way to buy enrolled weeks and that the resale weeks sold by Marriott are not enrolled weeks. But when I look at the resale website most of the weeks they are selling look like they had the ability to exchange for MRP and could be deposited intoi II.
Im just trying to evaluate the information I get from these presentations.

Enrolled means enrolled for Destination Points. It has nothing to do with exchanging for MR or II. That part of the info is correct. Also, any resale week bought anywhere can utilize II. Only the weeks bought through the resale broker department can exchange for MR. Only weeks bought as a bundle can be enrolled with the option to receive DC points.

The part about only offering it at Chateau and Aruba is total hogwash. You can get a bundle deal anywhere, as long as it goes though a Marriott authorized broker. I was offered one at a hotel in Orlando.

 

[Bill4728]

The key thing about "bundling" is you as the buyer should pick a week that get you a good number of DC pts for the MFs involved. Most platinum and many gold week have good DC pt/MF ratios. Most silver weeks do not.

 

[taterhed]

We were offered very similar deal at Waiohai.

If you're gonna buy points, its one (cheaper) way to do it.

Just not sure the points are all that valuable. Think I'd rather have a 500 point account for rental/trade purposes--but they aren't about to offer that.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

The key thing about "bundling" is you as the buyer should pick a week that get you a good number of DC pts for the MFs involved. Most platinum and many gold week have good DC pt/MF ratios. Most silver weeks do not.

This is true. I have always been offered a dog week that has a horrible ratio. It's not necessarily the salesperson's fault because they were targeting something to go with a minimum points purchase but if someone did want to do this it is better to buy more points and target a good ratio and then rent out the excess.

 

[hangloose]

My challenge with a bundle package, is that all the legacy weeks I want have too high of a DC pts value, thus making the bundle cost including an equivalent number of DC pts very high. If you can however find a lower value legacy week for use and/or trade, then a bundle is a good option for many. I have found many MVC sales reps are not familiar with a bundle package.

 

[jimf41]

It is my understanding that any week offered resale through MVW can be bundled. I have a list of the current resorts given at a sales presentation last year that shows all the resale resorts and their equivalent DC point purchase.

 

[JIMinNC]

My challenge with a bundle package, is that all the legacy weeks I want have too high of a DC pts value, thus making the bundle cost including an equivalent number of DC pts very high. If you can however find a lower value legacy week for use and/or trade, then a bundle is a good option for many. I have found many MVC sales reps are not familiar with a bundle package.

This was our situation exactly...the matching points purchase required with a desirable legacy week made the bundle prohibitively expensive. This was further complicated by my insistence that any legacy week we bought be something we could see ourselves actually using, if we needed to, as opposed to buying it just for points.

We settled on a Silver HHI Barony week, even though the MF/pt ratio is not good, because we felt we could get more than just points usage out of that week. We opted to elect points for the first two use years (2015 & 2016) to get some experience in the points game, but starting in 2017, I think our usage pattern will evolve. I've recently learned from a couple of other Tuggers that Silver Barony weeks can reliably up-trade to Hilton Head Gold season, and starting in 2017, we'll be free of the school calendar, so Gold season travel will be our top choice for HHI trips. So I think using the Barony week as a trader will be our primary strategy from 2017 on and we'll just try renting any points we need to supplement our Trust points for any other trips.

My biggest conundrum, however, is renting points doesn't count toward the Status Tiers; but I would love to be at Executive level for the 1+ day 13 month booking privilege. My difficulty is justifying an additional points purchase of over 3500 points to get to that tier. Even with a $7/pt bundle, its still very, very pricey.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

This was our situation exactly...the matching points purchase required with a desirable legacy week made the bundle prohibitively expensive. This was further complicated by my insistence that any legacy week we bought be something we could see ourselves actually using, if we needed to, as opposed to buying it just for points.

We settled on a Silver HHI Barony week, even though the MF/pt ratio is not good, because we felt we could get more than just points usage out of that week. We opted to elect points for the first two use years (2015 & 2016) to get some experience in the points game, but starting in 2017, I think our usage pattern will evolve. I've recently learned from a couple of other Tuggers that Silver Barony weeks can reliably up-trade to Hilton Head Gold season, and starting in 2017, we'll be free of the school calendar, so Gold season travel will be our top choice for HHI trips. So I think using the Barony week as a trader will be our primary strategy from 2017 on and we'll just try renting any points we need to supplement our Trust points for any other trips.

My biggest conundrum, however, is renting points doesn't count toward the Status Tiers; but I would love to be at Executive level for the 1+ day 13 month booking privilege. My difficulty is justifying an additional points purchase of over 3500 points to get to that tier. Even with a $7/pt bundle, its still very, very pricey.

YES, it is very, very pricey. With that said, give serious thought to buying a resale week at a destination that you'd like to visit often.

This always provides you with a home resort, or using Interval International to trade for a differing destination. Another option is to rent your home resort week and use those proceeds to rent elsewhere.

Best of luck!




.

 

[JIMinNC]

YES, it is very, very pricey. With that said, give serious thought to buying a resale week at a destination that you'd like to visit often.

This always provides you with a home resort, or using Interval International to trade for a differing destination. Another option is to rent your home resort week and use those proceeds to rent elsewhere.

Best of luck!
.

I've already decided that once we get a little closer to that magical 2017 date freeing us from the school calendar, we'll likely opt to pick up a resale Grand Ocean Gold week to go with our Silver Barony, that will give us two weeks every spring/fall in HHI (assuming we can successfully trade our Silver for Gold as others do).

Owning resale weeks can't be beat for going somewhere we want to go regularly (like HHI), but for traveling to different places within the Marriott Vacation Club network, points seem to meet our needs better than weeks. What we like about points is the flexibility they offer - shorter stays, ability to vary unit size/view, minimize points needs with Sunday-Thursday travel, etc. I'm willing to pay something more for that flexibility, but the price required to get to the Executive level (and the better 1+ day booking option) from where we are now is a tough nut to crack. Would love to have that added booking flexibility, but not sure I can justify it at that price. If booking shorter stays at 10 months works for us at our current points level, the point becomes moot, but if it doesn't work well - that's the conundrum I was talking about. We plan to try renting some points soon, so we'll see how things go over the next couple of years.

 

[Fasttr]

I'm willing to pay something more for that flexibility, but the price required to get to the Executive level (and the better 1+ day booking option) from where we are now is a tough nut to crack. Would love to have that added booking flexibility, but not sure I can justify it at that price. If booking shorter stays at 10 months works for us at our current points level, the point becomes moot, but if it doesn't work well - that's the conundrum I was talking about. We plan to try renting some points soon, so we'll see how things go over the next couple of years.

I realize you would lose some of control of the booking process by doing this....but you could jump out of the box and forge a relationship with a points renter that has Executive or higher status....and agree to rent whatever additional points you need from them, but part of the deal is that they would book your < 7 night ressie's for you, and if need be, you can transfer TO THEM whatever points of your own you need to make any particular ressie work for you. Perhaps you toss them an extra few hundred bucks a year for their trouble of being your booking agent. You lose some control, but that may suit your needs and save you a *bleep* ton of money.

 

[davidvel]

My wife and I recently attended a presentation at Marriott Grand Chateau.
At the presentation we attended we were offered 4500 club points at a cost of $7.04 per point for a total of $31,697. Here is how they packaged it.

1. Buy 2250 DC Points at $10.62 per point = $23,895
2. Here is the twist. We would have to buy an enrolled Legacy week at Marriott's Legends Edge at Bay Point, Panama City, Florida. Every year access, 2 BR, Platinum. Their stated value is 2250 DC points or you can take 90,000 MRP. This week is currently listed on their resale site. The cost for this legacy week valued at 2250 points would be $7,800 or $3.47 per point.
3. So the average cost per point is $7.04.

We, of course, declined this offer. We did find it interesting how creative they are getting to get a points sale.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?

The bigger question is what does their "best offer" get you?
For your $24,000 and $2,000+/year MF, you can't get a 2BR in any view category or timeframe in Maui. Only a 1BR OV.

Prorated over 20 years, you will pay $3,200/year for that 1BR. A 1BR oceanview can be booked on Marriott.com in August of this year at MOC for $2,500 (or $1,995 with Marriott owner discount.)

 

[JIMinNC]

I realize you would lose some of control of the booking process by doing this....but you could jump out of the box and forge a relationship with a points renter that has Executive or higher status....and agree to rent whatever additional points you need from them, but part of the deal is that they would book your < 7 night ressie's for you, and if need be, you can transfer TO THEM whatever points of your own you need to make any particular ressie work for you. Perhaps you toss them an extra few hundred bucks a year for their trouble of being your booking agent. You lose some control, but that may suit your needs and save you a *bleep* ton of money.

That's good creative thinking there. I prefer to have more control over my reservations, though, so would consider going down a path like that only if all else fails.

Pure points rental appeals to me because once the transfer is made, they become my points and I can control my own reservation and don't have to rely on someone else to be my booking agent or landlord (as they would be in a traditional weeks rental transaction).

Hopefully the 10 month window will meet our requirements and the whole issue will become moot. It's already worked for us once for a four-day HHI booking for Columbus Day weekend 2015. We'll see how things go for 2016 bookings in the months ahead.

 

[Fasttr]

That's good creative thinking there. I prefer to have more control over my reservations, though, so would consider going down a path like that only if all else fails.

Pure points rental appeals to me because once the transfer is made, they become my points and I can control my own reservation and don't have to rely on someone else to be my booking agent or landlord (as they would be in a traditional weeks rental transaction).

Hopefully the 10 month window will meet our requirements and the whole issue will become moot. It's already worked for us once for a HHI booking for Columbus Day weekend 2015. We'll see how things go for 2016 bookings in the months ahead.

I've had good luck booking < 7 nights at the 10 month window (like you, I am a lowly status free owner ) at spots including Custom House, BeachPlace, Crystal Shores, Oceana Palms, Ocean Point, Lakeshore Reserve....so for me, so far so good.

 

[JIMinNC]

I've had good luck booking < 7 nights at the 10 month window (like you, I am a lowly status free owner ) at spots including Custom House, BeachPlace, Crystal Shores, Oceana Palms, Ocean Point, Lakeshore Reserve....so for me, so far so good.

Good to hear!

 

[dioxide45]

The only problem with buying a week that has a good MF/point ratio is that it usually requires a week that carries a lot of points. I would say about 3,000 or more points. These are the more prime platinum weeks. Golds would have a higher ratio in most cases. With that, it also requires an equally sizable amount of DC points. So minimum, you are looking at a $40,000 purchase between the points and the week you want to buy. No thanks. I will just rent if I need to.

 

[JIMinNC]

The only problem with buying a week that has a good MF/point ratio is that it usually requires a week that carries a lot of points. I would say about 3,000 or more points. These are the more prime platinum weeks. Golds would have a higher ratio in most cases. With that, it also requires an equally sizable amount of DC points. So minimum, you are looking at a $40,000 purchase between the points and the week you want to buy. No thanks. I will just rent if I need to.

Generally true, but I do recall seeing a post last fall that an EOY Grande Vista Platinum 3BR can yield a good MF/point ratio, and since an EOY only requires purchase of half of its point allocation, it results in a more reasonable required point buy. I do not recall what the net cost was, but I believe it was less than $30K, maybe close to $25K.

 

[jimf41]

The best combo deal I've found so far is Cypress Harbor Summer. You get 5000 points @ $6.69 PP or $33,450 total. This is based on the OPs number of $10.62 PP for the matching points. Sport season is less total $26,474 but more PP $6.70 for 3950 points.

 

[JIMinNC]

The best combo deal I've found so far is Cypress Harbor Summer. You get 5000 points @ $6.69 PP or $33,450 total. This is based on the OPs number of $10.62 PP for the matching points. Sport season is less total $26,474 but more PP $6.70 for 3950 points.

The maintenance fee/point for the Summer week is about 46 cents ($1140/2500), so not bad - a bit lower than the Trust MF of 47.5 cents. The Sport season is not as good at 56 cents ($1110/1975).

The good thing about the EOY Grande Vista 3BR I mentioned above is its MF/point is only 39 cents ($1466/3725). Because its an EOY, the required point match would be 2000 points (half of 3725 rounded up to the nearest 250 point increment). There are no 3BR EOY units listed on the Marriott resale site now, but as I recall, they were around $6200 or something like that. If you assume the same $10.62 PP cost of the matching points as jimf41 did, the upfront cost comes out to about $7.10 PP for a total cost of about $27,440 for 2000 point EY and 3725 more EOY.

 

[Wally3433]

The bigger question is what does their "best offer" get you?
For your $24,000 and $2,000+/year MF, you can't get a 2BR in any view category or timeframe in Maui. Only a 1BR OV.

Prorated over 20 years, you will pay $3,200/year for that 1BR. A 1BR oceanview can be booked on Marriott.com in August of this year at MOC for $2,500 (or $1,995 with Marriott owner discount.)

I have the same question. I have no clue how to justify the cost of points at these rates.

 

[Quilter]

My challenge with a bundle package, is that all the legacy weeks I want have too high of a DC pts value, thus making the bundle cost including an equivalent number of DC pts very high. If you can however find a lower value legacy week for use and/or trade, then a bundle is a good option for many. I have found many MVC sales reps are not familiar with a bundle package.

It's not that they aren't familiar with it, the commission on points is higher and more profitable to concentrate their efforts. If Tuggers can see the benefits of a bundle, think of the savvy customer who gets laid before him/her the full picture. . .strictly points or points and a week. The only way to steer that customer into a points only sale would be to somehow dis the legacy points of the resale week. "Trust points have more strength".

The best place to discuss a bundle package is straight from the source of the resales department in Orlando. That is where the stash of resale weeks originates.

 

[Quilter]

The maintenance fee/point for the Summer week is about 46 cents ($1140/2500), so not bad - a bit lower than the Trust MF of 47.5 cents. The Sport season is not as good at 56 cents ($1110/1975).

The good thing about the EOY Grande Vista 3BR I mentioned above is its MF/point is only 39 cents ($1466/3725). Because its an EOY, the required point match would be 2000 points (half of 3725 rounded up to the nearest 250 point increment). There are no 3BR EOY units listed on the Marriott resale site now, but as I recall, they were around $6200 or something like that. If you assume the same $10.62 PP cost of the matching points as jimf41 did, the upfront cost comes out to about $7.10 PP for a total cost of about $27,440 for 2000 point EY and 3725 more EOY.

If you are seriously considering this you could contact the resales in Orlando to keep an eye out for you. Who knows. . .they may actively search for a week if they knew they had a buyer.

Jim's $10.62 PP will only go up each quarter as the price of DC points increase. Apply the same scale of inflation to the points that has occurred since 2010 and see a more realistic number for a 2017 purchase.

 

[del2327]

The maintenance fee/point for the Summer week is about 46 cents ($1140/2500), so not bad - a bit lower than the Trust MF of 47.5 cents. The Sport season is not as good at 56 cents ($1110/1975).

The good thing about the EOY Grande Vista 3BR I mentioned above is its MF/point is only 39 cents ($1466/3725). Because its an EOY, the required point match would be 2000 points (half of 3725 rounded up to the nearest 250 point increment). There are no 3BR EOY units listed on the Marriott resale site now, but as I recall, they were around $6200 or something like that. If you assume the same $10.62 PP cost of the matching points as jimf41 did, the upfront cost comes out to about $7.10 PP for a total cost of about $27,440 for 2000 point EY and 3725 more EOY.

This is exactly what we did. We were initially pitched an EOY Harbour Lake Gold week that we would likely never use with an equivalent point purchase to raise us to premier. After receiving some much appreciated advice from puckmanfl (Thanks again!), we opted for a 3BR EOY Platinum at Grande Vista. We were lucky because one was already listed on Marriott's resale site. We worked directly with Marriott's resale department. I believe the total cost for the EOY 3 BR Platinum was $6765 inclusive of the closing costs. I believe our total worked out to be $7.11 PP and that the total cost was about $27,500.