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Points Dump

D

DreamingOfKauai

newbie
Joined
Aug 31, 2020
Messages
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Resorts Owned
Sheraton Flex
[redacted to comply with forum rules.] I let the birth of my newest little one distract me from banking my SO in time, also slightly blame COVID for the distraction too. All set to expire Dec 31st, 2020. [redacted to comply with forum rules.]
 
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Yikes. I believe that you may book a reservation for this year, then cancel, and the SOs will be usable next year (though only for reservations within 120 days).
 
Ken555 said:
Yikes. I believe that you may book a reservation for this year, then cancel, and the SOs will be usable next year (though only for reservations within 120 days).
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Well, there are only about 120 days until the end of the year... But I'm curious about the future, can you tell me how this works?
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
Well, there are only about 120 days until the end of the year... But I'm curious about the future, can you tell me how this works?
Click to expand...

There have been other posts here about this... I haven't done it. It's not 120 days for this year that matters... I believe if you make a reservation for this year, wait a week, then cancel it, then you will have restricted SOs that can be used next year but only for reservations within 120 days of the time of booking. Look here for more info: https://www.vistana.com/covid-19
 
Ken is correct:
Make a reservation during the next 60 days that uses up all of the 2020 Staroptions. (online)
You are going to cancel it, so it doesn't matter what resort it is.
Wait [2 days] and cancel the reservation. (online)
The Staroptions will automatically be available in 2021.
When you look at your online account you will see the restricted Staroptions listed as available in 2020 and 2021 - that's correct.
The reservation window will open 120 days before your desired check-in date and will expire at the end of 2021.
 
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As Ken mentions, there is a book & cancel trick to get your StarOptions extended till 12/31/2021, though with a 120 day restricted booking window. The key is that you need to cancel inside of 60 days from checkin in order for this to work. So you book something that is 60 days or less in advance. Cancel online a few days later and voila,, new 12/31/2021 expiration. Keep in mind the restriction of 120 day booking on the extended points. Still better than losing them. I would say to do it sooner rather than later. I think their current policy is now only through 9/30.
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
Well, there are only about 120 days until the end of the year... But I'm curious about the future, can you tell me how this works?
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Do you have Elite-Status with Vistana?

3* & 4* can Bank up until Oct 1st.
5* can Bank up until Dec 31st.

Once banked these Star-Options are valid for 2 more years.
E.g. Banked 2020-SO can be used to book something 8-Months prior until Dec 31st 2022.
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
[redacted to comply with forum rules.] I let the birth of my newest little one distract me from banking my SO in time, also slightly blame COVID for the distraction too. All set to expire Dec 31st, 2020. [redacted to comply with forum rules.] Best suggestions... besides... dude you're out of luck. :(
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dude, you are out of luck!

Just kidding, congrats on your new addition to your family! I just want to point out, for a while the 120 day restriction may not be as bad as it sounds, a lot of people do not plan on travelling in the next 9-12 months and you may still get something very decent. It all depends how fast life will go back to normality if a vaccine is indeed successful. If I were in that position I would try to book in the first half of 2021. Given you are a younger family, you are probably not in the high risk category (although the baby may change that calculation) and you could venture before some who are much older than you.
 
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Sorry, but I can’t see the redacted first post to know exactly what DreamingOfKauai wants out of the lost reservation. Why not deposit the week in Interval and use the lockoff for two weeks through 2022? With a new baby, Mom and Dad could use a few extra vacations, right?
 
dioxide45 said:
As Ken mentions, there is a book & cancel trick to get your StarOptions extended till 12/31/2021, though with a 120 day restricted booking window. The key is that you need to cancel inside of 60 days from checkin in order for this to work. So you book something that is 60 days or less in advance. Cancel online a few days later and voila,, new 12/31/2021 expiration. Keep in mind the restriction of 120 day booking on the extended points. Still better than losing them. I would say to do it sooner rather than later. I think their current policy is now only through 9/30.
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Can you explain the restriction of 120 day booking? I'm not sure what you mean.
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
Can you explain the restriction of 120 day booking? I'm not sure what you mean.
Click to expand...

You would only be able to book within 120 days of the date you make the reservation. SO reservations normally are up to eight months in future, restricted SOs like these will only be available to book up to four months.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I'm going to try what many of you suggested. I hope it doesn't throw a wrench in the plans that, part of my 190k points are banked options from 2018 and 2019 options that I didn't bank in time because I waited too long before attending to these points. I've already booked 2021 points for a trip in July, hope travel is safe for my wife and me to escape.
 
Ken555 said:
You would only be able to book within 120 days of the date you make the reservation. SO reservations normally are up to eight months in future, restricted SOs like these will only be available to book up to four months.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thanks, that helps. Man, COVID has made these plans so complicated.
 
On the Vistana Dashboard, I don't see an option to convert Options to Bonvoy loyalty points (I only see "bank", which I can't do, and "Interval"). I know the exchange isn't the greatest but it might be the best option for us right now.
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
On the Vistana Dashboard, I don't see an option to convert Options to Bonvoy loyalty points (I only see "bank", which I can't do, and "Interval"). I know the exchange isn't the greatest but it might be the best option for us right now.
Click to expand...

Why are you even considering this now? I thought you just agreed to book SO, then cancel, etc as recommended.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
I'm going to try what many of you suggested. I hope it doesn't throw a wrench in the plans that, part of my 190k points are banked options from 2018 and 2019 options that I didn't bank in time because I waited too long before attending to these points. I've already booked 2021 points for a trip in July, hope travel is safe for my wife and me to escape.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what they will do with banked options that are expiring in 2020. Perhaps someone else can provide some input on this. My guess is that they will allow it to be used in 2021 just like the other restricted SOs. Check Vistana cancel policy for details.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Ken555 said:
Why are you even considering this now? I thought you just agreed to book SO, then cancel, etc as recommended.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Because Bonvoy points would allow me to book something much closer in distance than the Vistana Resorts. Being in Illinois the resorts are all equally far away from me, which is a good thing normally.
 
Ken555 said:
I have no idea what they will do with banked options that are expiring in 2020. Perhaps someone else can provide some input on this. My guess is that they will allow it to be used in 2021 just like the other restricted SOs. Check Vistana cancel policy for details.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Booked and cancelled points that were banked and expiring in 2020 have the same cancellation policy. They would be good through 2021.
 
DreamingOfKauai said:
Because Bonvoy points would allow me to book something much closer in distance than the Vistana Resorts. Being in Illinois the resorts are all equally far away from me, which is a good thing normally.
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Whatever your status, if you've passed your deadline for banking then you are definitely beyond your deadline for conversion to Bonvoy.
 
dioxide45 said:
Booked and cancelled points that were banked and expiring in 2020 have the same cancellation policy. They would be good through 2021.
Click to expand...
This is excellent news. I have a bunch of expiring banked options that I have booked for Thanksgiving period but we really don't want to travel this year.
 
dioxide45 said:
Booked and cancelled points that were banked and expiring in 2020 have the same cancellation policy. They would be good through 2021.
Click to expand...
I can confirm this. I had a small amount (18k) left of banked SO with a 2020 expiry. When I cancelled a reservation within 60 days they came back as restricted SO with a 2021 expiry. They are listed separately from the banked 2021 SO that I used for the same reservation - so they have tracked where the RO are coming from.

I would not try using your SO that are banked from 2019. These already have an expiry In 2021 and are unrestricted. I would only try this “book and cancel” trick for your 2018 SO and unbanked 2020 options.

DreamingOfKauai said:
On the Vistana Dashboard, I don't see an option to convert Options to Bonvoy loyalty points (I only see "bank", which I can't do, and "Interval"). I know the exchange isn't the greatest but it might be the best option for us right now.
Click to expand...

If you are trying to convert to Bonvoy points you are way too late for this as well. Non-elite members haven’t convert their week by March 31 of the use year.
 
[This would be a good time to use a private message.]
 
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Andrearr said:
[This would be a good time to use a private message.]
Click to expand...


yeah well now I can't see my original comments to copy and paste.
also other members may be able to benefit from the idea as an alternative to RSO and pushing to 2021.
also found out that since the hotel booking is with SOs it won't require conversion which means its still a viable option for the current year.

is there a way you can send me my original comment in a msg so I can copy and paste in a private message to the poster.
 
Buying/selling/renting are not permitted in the discussion forums.

[redacted]
 
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Not to muddle the discussion but you can make hotel reservations with StarOptions through the VSN Select program. You don't have the full gamut of Marriott hotels but the option to make hotel reservations with StarOptions is available. It's located on the owner's Dashboard under VSN Select.
 
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