Ii Getaway$?-yes Exchange? No!

[mommaroo]

I spent the greater part of this afternoon searching for an exchange--anywhere.I searched for all unit sizes. I even used a 10 month window for travel. I came up with 0-NADA-nothing!

Then I check my email! II is offering getaways to a long list of destinations! I have cross-referenced these same places, dates, and unit sizes. Not one is available for exchange!

Has anyone else run into this problem or is it my Equivest/Peppertree/Wyndham Vacation Club points??

I've got a year's worth of points which must be used this year, or forfeited. How can I use them if II won't offer exchange opportunity---or am I relegated to the eight member resorts in the Carolinas??

 

[Kola]

The fundamental exchange rule with II is that you should register your exchange request, preferably by depositing your week a year in advance. If you don't, you are always looking at the remnants of the II selection list and you get to see only what nobody else has requested. That approach is an exercise in futility unless you are extremely flexible in terms of your destination and time.

Kola

 

[mommaroo]

I appreciate your reply. I've been exchanging since 1996, and have never had this problem....But in all these years, I've never seen such an array of "Getaways" either. It seems to me that II is forcing owners to rent weeks instead of allowing them to trade, defeating the whole purpose of TS ownership. I can rent weeks without being an owner, simply by browsing the ads in the local newspaper.

 

[short]

Check with II you have problem.

If you cannot see any exchanges then you have a system problem. There are lots of exchange opportuities in flexchange and if you cannot see any of them than you have a problem other than trading power.

If however you are saying that you cannot see anything you want vs seeing nothing at all than your post makes more sense.

Short

 

[anteween]

I have been exchanging for about 16 years or so with II. This is really the first year that I believe that there inventory seems so limited. II e-mailed me a survey yesterday regarding getaways. In the comment section I did mention that they should offer theier getaways to the exchanging pool of inventory. I have been a member of II for a really long time and I am thinking of not renewing this year. I used to call, and within a couple of weeks I had my exchange. It is not like that any more. I own in PV, mexico and I thought there would be an abundance of inventory from my own resort and I see nothing. I am tired of giving prime weeks and getting nothing. Last year I rented out our summer vacation in Whistler, BC. Now I have a week in II for exchange a week in SFX for exchange and I have nothing. I gave them prime 2 bedroom weeks in mexico last June. Have not heard from either exchange place. I did notice that they don't have my week available that I gave them.

 

[gmarine]

I spent the greater part of this afternoon searching for an exchange--anywhere.I searched for all unit sizes. I even used a 10 month window for travel. I came up with 0-NADA-nothing!

Then I check my email! II is offering getaways to a long list of destinations! I have cross-referenced these same places, dates, and unit sizes. Not one is available for exchange!

Has anyone else run into this problem or is it my Equivest/Peppertree/Wyndham Vacation Club points??

I've got a year's worth of points which must be used this year, or forfeited. How can I use them if II won't offer exchange opportunity---or am I relegated to the eight member resorts in the Carolinas??

If you cant find anything there must be a website problem with your II account. There are plenty of exchange opportunities.

 

[gmarine]

I have been exchanging for about 16 years or so with II. This is really the first year that I believe that there inventory seems so limited. II e-mailed me a survey yesterday regarding getaways. In the comment section I did mention that they should offer theier getaways to the exchanging pool of inventory. I have been a member of II for a really long time and I am thinking of not renewing this year. I used to call, and within a couple of weeks I had my exchange. It is not like that any more. I own in PV, mexico and I thought there would be an abundance of inventory from my own resort and I see nothing. I am tired of giving prime weeks and getting nothing. Last year I rented out our summer vacation in Whistler, BC. Now I have a week in II for exchange a week in SFX for exchange and I have nothing. I gave them prime 2 bedroom weeks in mexico last June. Have not heard from either exchange place. I did notice that they don't have my week available that I gave them.

Keep in mind that trade power can and sometimes will change from year to year.
In general I wouldnt think PV would trade very well except for winter holiday weeks. PV is one of the places that is almost always available for exchange.

 

[Kola]

Keep in mind that trade power can and sometimes will change from year to year.
In general I wouldnt think PV would trade very well except for winter holiday weeks. PV is one of the places that is almost always available for exchange.

This change in trade power is definitely true for several reasons:
1. Unlike, say, 10 or 15 years ago, some areas are now overbuilt. Supply exceeds demand, thus your resort's trade power declines.
2. As new resorts are built and new amenities are offered by developers the trade power of older resorts declines. People want more luxury, more amenities, not less.
3. The popularity of lock-off units in new resorts has had an effect of reducing the supply of two bdr. (and larger) units available for exchange. Owners who want to get two weeks for one M/T payment don't deposit larger units. Often I can see availability of lock-off studios in quality resorts while a two bdr. unit in a similar type resort is very difficult to get.
4. Owners of prime weeks in quality resorts are renting them instead of depositing for exchange. This helps them to balance rapidly rising M/T fees but has a net effect of cutting off the supply of prime weeks for exchangers.

Kola

 

[Judy]

If you mean "nothing" literally, then you might want to call II to find out what's wrong because there are indeed lots of exchanges available.
If you mean nothing you want, we can help. Just post a request for sightings on the Sightings board and tell us what you're looking for. We can at least tell you whether we can see anything with our II affiliated resorts and try to figure out if you're having trading power or quality restriction problems.
Other than that, I agree with Kola, the best way to get an exchange through II is to put in an ongoing request. I would add that it's also best to allow as many options in dates and resort areas as possible.

 

[mommaroo]

I appreciate all the feedback....I am going to call II in a few minutes....will check the website again first. When I say no exchanges, I mean absolutely none!

We own points for a 2 bdrm red week in Myrtle Beach at a resort that has extremely limited availability. Granted, our club has been taken over 2 or 3 times.It is now owned by Wyndham Resorts--and I don't see that as being a problem.

 

[chap7]

With II you can do "Request first". This way you do not have to give up your week if they can not come up with an acceptable trade.

 

[Phill12]

With II you can do "Request first". This way you do not have to give up your week if they can not come up with an acceptable trade.

This request first is only way we would trade. If we do not get our picks then we will enjoy Lake Tahoe. This is main reason for many people to be with II.

What I found is the getaways are pretty good. Just looking at Williamsburg because we have been thinking of going there one year we found top timeshares listed and in one/two bedrooms. These were the same resorts we thought of trading for. After looking at what they rent for which is about half of what ours rents for why would we ever trade into there! We could rent from owner or just use II for getaway for about $299.00 for the week. Nice part if you do that then you can still go to your own resort too!

I just checked II tonight and found Williamsburg Va with dates from now till end of May.
If we wanted to pay around $650 we could stay in 2-3 bedroom at Marriott or other top timeshares there.

What I don't understand is how getaways are on this list four about 90 days from today! I thought getaways were units that didn't get traded for! Like a last minute offering.

 

[Judy]

I appreciate all the feedback....I am going to call II in a few minutes....will check the website again first. When I say no exchanges, I mean absolutely none!

We own points for a 2 bdrm red week in Myrtle Beach at a resort that has extremely limited availability. Granted, our club has been taken over 2 or 3 times.It is now owned by Wyndham Resorts--and I don't see that as being a problem.

Is this Fairfield North Myrtle Beach? If your red week is in the summer, you should be getting outstanding trades. Even if it's in the spring or fall, you should be able to get pretty good ones. Something is definitely wrong. I'm curious to hear what II had to say.

 

[mommaroo]

ACTUALLY, WE HAVE THE 2ND WEEK IN JULY, OCEAN CLUB, ON THE BEACH IN NMB.

WHEN I CHECKED THE WEBSITE AGAIN, A FEW RESORTS SHOWED UP. FOR A 10 MONTH WINDOW, ARUBA SHOWS 1 RESORT-AWAY FROM THE BEACH, AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK. MEXICO SHOWS 3 OR 4 IN PV, 1 IN MAZATLAN--AVAILABLE ONLY IN APRIL. THE ONLY PLACE WITH A BIG LIST OF AVAILABILITY IS OF COURSE, ORLANDO.

II CLAIMS THAT OWNERS HAVEN'T BEEN BANKING. WHEN I ASKED WHY THEN, ARE THERE GETAWAYS WHERE THERE IS NO TRADE AVAILABLE? I WAS TOLD THAT OWNERS PREFER GETAWAYS TO USING THEIR TS.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN II SHOULD JUST GET OUT OF THE TS BUSINESS AND BECOME A DISCOUNT TRAVEL CLUB--LIKE SITE 59.

IT COSTS ME $149 TO TRADE. II DOESN'T OFFER A GETAWAY THAT CHEAP. BESIDES, I ENJOY USING MY POINTS FOR TRADING TO OTHER COUNTRIES. I WAS SOLD ON THAT PREMISE....NOW II IS TRYING TO LIMIT MY USE.:annoyed:

 

[anteween]

Keep in mind that trade power can and sometimes will change from year to year.
In general I wouldnt think PV would trade very well except for winter holiday weeks. PV is one of the places that is almost always available for exchange.

If you look on II right now they only have very few available. Not close to town. There is banderas bay which is way out of town, and they have nuevo vallarta which is out of town. The only places I can see (maybe I am unable to see too much because I own there and I am unable to exchange back into PV)in PV is the WIVC. Not a great place to stay. II just doesn't have the inventory they used to. I have run into several people trying to get into PV but they have very limited availability.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I believe a trade is only $139 still; RCI is now at $164.

When I search All Destinations, I see lots of resorts, even for my lowly little Colorado resort.

 

[dougp26364]

I spent the greater part of this afternoon searching for an exchange--anywhere.I searched for all unit sizes. I even used a 10 month window for travel. I came up with 0-NADA-nothing!

Then I check my email! II is offering getaways to a long list of destinations! I have cross-referenced these same places, dates, and unit sizes. Not one is available for exchange!

Has anyone else run into this problem or is it my Equivest/Peppertree/Wyndham Vacation Club points??

I've got a year's worth of points which must be used this year, or forfeited. How can I use them if II won't offer exchange opportunity---or am I relegated to the eight member resorts in the Carolinas??

The Getaway pool is units that have been obtained in ways other than deposited for exchange. For example, several years ago we exchanged one of our units for a cruise vacation. For giggles I checked the getaways section before and after the exchange. Low and behold that exact week appeared in the Getaways section as soon as the exchange was confirmed. It was not there before. The rental charge was slightly higher than the discount we received for our cruise vacation.

Part of the problem is probably trade power. Our older units still pull the same older units they used to but not so much the newer resorts.

The other part of the problem is people not knowing what to do with their timeshares and trading them for other services. The exchange companies then rent them out to recover and make a profit on that non-timeshare exchange. This has had a rather severe impact on the availablity of units available for exchange and one more reason to own resorts that you want to travel to each year or own in a system that has great internal exchange abilities.

 

[littlestar]

Last year when it was within a few months of check-in, II let my sister trade her deposited week for a Getaway she saw online. Might be worth a check with II to see if they can do that. Not sure if this is always possible, though. Probably depends on where or how the Getaway inventory was obtained (a trade for a cruise, etc.).

Remember, what you see online is the leftovers. I think more people are traveling these days. And maybe less people are depositing their weeks. I talk to a lot of people that NEVER exchange. They use their weeks at their home resorts.

I searched for a couple of weeks for a week I wanted online and I never saw it sitting there, but I put in a request one evening and the very next morning, I had my exchange - it was there when I logged into my account. That proved to me that putting in a request works much better.

 

[mommaroo]

Thanks all!

I'm going to request first-- we want to go to Europe--Ireland or Scotland (or both!) We have enough points for 5 wks. this year...If we have the time for 3 wks. ,I'll be happy.

It's just so exasperating when I can't pick and choose locations based on availability. I'm the person who says, "Let's see where and when we can go this year." For the most part, we've always done spur of the moment travel and used the flex-change option--9 times out of 10, the trades were terrific, truly 5 star resorts.

Oh,well...

 

[Lydlady]

I had a situation where I put in a request for a three-month period for Costa Rica (Jan.-Feb.-March-07). I made this request back in August of '05. This is the first time we haven't had a request fulfilled. It's really okay as I just broke my ankle and wouldn't want to travel right now anyhow.

But about the Getaways, II told me that that would be the best way to get Costa Rica. Sure enough, I checked the Getaways recently and there is such a long list for Costa Rica, almost every week. It is a little frustrating to see such a large inventory there.

 

[brobinso]

I just tested II availability for 2 BR units available Jun-Jul-Aug of this year. It returned 94 different geographical areas, including Spain, St. Maarten, Cayman Islands, So California, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Marco Island, Williamsburg. Looks like most of Florida and Mexico available. Seems like there is plenty of inventory out there.

 

[mommaroo]

When I entered my parameters, using a very large window for travel, TONS of geographical places are listed. It was when I actually clicked on a location that I came up "nil".

Lots of getaways, though! Doesn't seem fair...

 

[djp]

I just confirmed my first ever II trade and am pretty thrilled. I was able to deposit a small 1 br at my resort (basically a studio, the small half of a 2brlo), and received a 2brlo at my same resort. Same seasons, within one week of each other, both in August. So basically I pay $139 and more than double my space. I had been exchange skeptical, but this has improved my opinion of the exchange game.

 

[sfwilshire]

When I entered my parameters, using a very large window for travel, TONS of geographical places are listed. It was when I actually clicked on a location that I came up "nil".

Hit the refresh button several times when this happens. Usually the resorts will finally come up.

Sheila

 

[m61376]

I just tested II availability for 2 BR units available Jun-Jul-Aug of this year. It returned 94 different geographical areas, including Spain, St. Maarten, Cayman Islands, So California, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Marco Island, Williamsburg. Looks like most of Florida and Mexico available. Seems like there is plenty of inventory out there.

Is there a way to search II availability by unit size rather than resort name or geographical location- if so, how? I was actually interested in 2 BR Getaway lisitngs....
Thanks