II 2025 update - all bad news

[GrayFal]

Yep that's good, but not reproducible, and any resort could have got that. There were some great trades around then for everyone.

True.

 

[austdav]

It's not just Interval. It seems that every business I deal with wants to dig deeper into my pocket.

I'm off topic, but I'm very frustrated with my Chase checking account. I only write a few checks per month, but after many years, I'm running out of checks and need to reorder. Checks were always free in the past. No more. Now it's $30 to order a pack, and if I understood, that's only 80 checks. Chase pays me about a nickel or dime a month in interest. In the words of Joe Biden, "C'mon, man!"

As a customer I'm a piñata. The businesses want to keep wacking me until all the money has fallen out of my pockets.

Open up a brokerage account at fidelity, vanguard, etc. Most give free checks and free check writing. You can ACH the money from your bank to them usually no cost. As a bonus you'll earn around 4% on your money. Some have minimum amounts. I think fidelity is 0 though.

 

[durrod]

It's not just Interval. It seems that every business I deal with wants to dig deeper into my pocket.

I'm off topic, but I'm very frustrated with my Chase checking account. I only write a few checks per month, but after many years, I'm running out of checks and need to reorder. Checks were always free in the past. No more. Now it's $30 to order a pack, and if I understood, that's only 80 checks. Chase pays me about a nickel or dime a month in interest. In the words of Joe Biden, "C'mon, man!"

As a customer I'm a piñata. The businesses want to keep wacking me until all the money has fallen out of my pockets.

When that happens it’s time to shop around for a better deal.

 

[Panzerman45]

NOT SURPRISED...... First the developer gets you.....then II or RCI get their turns. It doesn't stop there.
Yearly maintenance fee's and yearly fee's for "membership" in II or RCI. Large list of other fee's also.
Timeshare owners are like a Pinata or a (*** doll) that get passed around so everyone gets their turn.
Oft times multiple shots on goal.

 

[TSPam]

I cannot see my "history" of exchanges to do a retrade today. I have tried dozens of times to get there and get this message:

View attachment 111549

Hi,
When your history is getting close to “full” you will sometimes be able to load it.
Once full you will have to use the app to do retrades.
Go to my trips
Click on the unit you want
Click on view details and add ons
Then Click on retrade button.

 

[Drbarbie]

Ouch, that's going to take the fun out of last minute searching for inventory! Interesting to see where or how late inventory pops up.

We need new members on the various boards who will work for the people, not themselves.

 

[Drbarbie]

I plan to run for a board position next year. If you vote for me, I will make changes.

 

[pedro47]

I tried to use my ipad with Google Chrome going to the website, still my history will not load and I get the same message. We have been members of II since 1982. Funny how long it's been since we were suckered into buying Twin Rivers in Fraser, CO, summer week, in the fall of 1981.

We just moved rooms at Ocean Pointe. From the Dolphin Building, I can load my history again on my laptop.

If and when you can view your history . Suggestion only, Print It
I have printed my Marriott history, Vacation Exchanges, Getaway Exchange and etc. suggestion only

 

[wrk2travelalot]

It's not just Interval. It seems that every business I deal with wants to dig deeper into my pocket.

I'm off topic, but I'm very frustrated with my Chase checking account. I only write a few checks per month, but after many years, I'm running out of checks and need to reorder. Checks were always free in the past. No more. Now it's $30 to order a pack, and if I understood, that's only 80 checks. Chase pays me about a nickel or dime a month in interest. In the words of Joe Biden, "C'mon, man!"

As a customer I'm a piñata. The businesses want to keep wacking me until all the money has fallen out of my pockets.

I feel the same way. I have been an II for almost 35 years. Used to love it--but now am wondering if it even makes sense to belong and stay a Platinum member. Prices are high everywhere--and you are very correct..everyone has their hand out. II-Arbnb-the banks-the IRS--they even compound penalties daily. Some our nicest vacations were with II--but no more. BTW--the Priority Pass prices are up too and MF with our home timeshare.

Hope you have a button or zipper on those pockets so all your money does not fall out!!

 

[TravelJoy]

The Refundable Getaway Rates is nice to see.

I was going to start a thread regarding Cash Rentals from II vs RCI. RCI at least provides a partial refund for cancellation where II gives none including when the resort makes changes that may impact your stay. As a result, I decided never to purchase a II Getaway months in advance since II gave me no options as the resort announced subsequent changes impacting my stay.

You can always dispute with cc as services not rendered if resort cancels

 

[dioxide45]

You can always dispute with cc as services not rendered if resort cancels

That can actually get you locked out of your II account.

 

[Hindsite]

We need new members on the various boards who will work for the people, not themselves.

What Board are you planning on running for? This thread is about II, not a timeshare resort.

 

[TravelJoy]

That can actually get you locked out of your II account.

If they cancel you based on the error of a resort action, I would not think they have legal ground to stand on.

 

[WorldT]

You can always dispute with cc as services not rendered if resort cancels

Before going down that path, maybe talk to II first to see if anything can be done? If II can at least put you somewhere else for the same amount or give you a credit to use in the future , that may be a solution that may work for you.

 

[dioxide45]

If they cancel you based on the error of a resort action, I would not think they have legal ground to stand on.

II sells trip insurance. That seems to be the stance they've taken in the past. Your membership is also up to their discretion. They can terminate it at any time. Sure the credit card company might get your money back, but you may no longer be able to use your II account.

 

[TravelJoy]

Before going down that path, maybe talk to II first to see if anything can be done? If II can at least put you somewhere else for the same amount or give you a credit to use in the future , that may be a solution that may work for you.

Absolutely, that is the first order of business any sane employee would be able to bat on your behalf if you are wronged without fault. As a last resort the cc dispute would prevail regardless of insurance. I don't buy into the insurance scam when you are not at fault, they do not arbitrarily get to be judge, jury and executioner without repercussion.

 

[dioxide45]

Absolutely, that is the first order of business any sane employee would be able to bat on your behalf if you are wronged without fault. As a last resort the cc dispute would prevail regardless of insurance. I don't buy into the insurance scam when you are not at fault, they do not arbitrarily get to be judge, jury and executioner without repercussion.

You would certainly get your money back. I am not doubting winning the credit card dispute, but that doesn't mean they can't revoke your II membership. Your only course of action might be to sue for damages or go through arbitration is that clause exists in the membership agreement. But II holds the key to your II membership with your login credentials. Successfully winning a credit card dispute does not mean you don't still owe money. This is a common misconception regarding credit card disputes. The merchant can still take certain actions to try and collect. It is just that in many cases it isn't worth their time, especially for small purchases.

 

[TravelJoy]

While I never had negative interaction with ii, I have with other companies that generally got resolved once escalated. On occasion I had to cc dispute a airline charge once where they promised to credit me back but after failing to do so had to initiate the cc dispute, had an entire paper trail that the company could not dispute. Another time I had to contact the AG from a car dealer dispute where they were clearly in the wrong and contacted the state board that regulates dealers to have that issue resolved. Many companies simply steam roll over customers because they realize board no fight back. There are options, but sadly the lay person simply gives up without a fight, even when they are in the right. To me if a resort makes drastic changes to impact the initial booking on a just reservation, insurance or not it deserves a fight, even if it means cc dispute. Nowadays, in the age of social media, they avoid negative publicity this works in our favor and allows a injustice into the light. While I agree they can pursue other means it's not only dependent upon their time but also if they have valid reason to continue a faulty argument to begin with, often times they see the light.

 

[Kapolei]

A lot of discussion about II and bad things … blah, blah, blah … this is really boring

 

[dioxide45]

A lot of discussion about II and bad things … blah, blah, blah … this is really boring

Yet, you're commenting.

 

[dandjane1]

Wyndham stuck it to the Resale T/S owners a few years ago when they instituted the (formerly free) Guest Certificate $99 charge on resale points GCs after two )2) free ones.
It's truly a $$$$$grab, and ostensibly a way to assure actual Developer points purchasers can get a reservation.

 

[skimeup]

Something that has been in my mind a lot is that Airbnb and VRBO are direct competitors to timeshares (except in some ocean resort areas - and since I'm not much of an ocean resort person, that may not even be the case.)

Given the obvious - that vacay rentals can be and often are cheaper or comparable in price to the timeshares and often far larger and nicer places, how does it benefit II or MVC, etc, to make it more expensive to use their timeshare model? E.g., I was resigned to paying a ridiculously large maintenance fee on a Hyatt ts in order to use the points to do II trades. Then II basically doubled the required Hyatt points for the trades and I'm giving back my Hyatt. I think most tuggers would agree that we love what we can do with our timeshares but that is in major part because we can do things far less expensively or stay in far nicer places when we put the research in to using the ts week or points to best advantage and we are primed to do far more advance planning than the average vacationer. Thus we are the prime audience to explore the advantages of vacation rental. My kids would never consider inheriting my timeshares because they plan vacations a few days to weeks out - and get fine prices through vacay rentals.

Am I not seeing vacation travel correctly? Don't Airbnb and VRBO, etc, impact timeshare value? A couple of years ago I got an airbnb for half the cost (MF plus exchange) of a ts reservation in Santa Fe, NM. Same can be said of Palm Desert/Springs, etc. Frankly it just bewilders me that II or any other exchange company or major TS company would make it more likely that I would want to explore vacation rentals rather than trade with them. I still get great deals using RCI for the places I personally want to go. But with II increase in cost for even off season Getaways in places like Palm Springs, vacay rentals make far more sense.

 

[Hindsite]

Given the obvious - that vacay rentals can be and often are cheaper or comparable in price to the timeshares and often far larger and nicer places, how does it benefit II or MVC, etc, to make it more expensive to use their timeshare model?

I've not found an Airbnb that has anywhere close to the quality of facilities that I like at Timeshare resorts.

Are you really getting Airbnb reservations that match the likes of Hyatt Aviara for less than the maintenance fees?

 

[skimeup]

Not thus because I'm not a golfer. But have I found some lovely places that are comparable for less. For sure!

 

[jp10558]

Something that has been in my mind a lot is that Airbnb and VRBO are direct competitors to timeshares (except in some ocean resort areas - and since I'm not much of an ocean resort person, that may not even be the case.)

Given the obvious - that vacay rentals can be and often are cheaper or comparable in price to the timeshares and often far larger and nicer places, how does it benefit II or MVC, etc, to make it more expensive to use their timeshare model? E.g., I was resigned to paying a ridiculously large maintenance fee on a Hyatt ts in order to use the points to do II trades. Then II basically doubled the required Hyatt points for the trades and I'm giving back my Hyatt. I think most tuggers would agree that we love what we can do with our timeshares but that is in major part because we can do things far less expensively or stay in far nicer places when we put the research in to using the ts week or points to best advantage and we are primed to do far more advance planning than the average vacationer. Thus we are the prime audience to explore the advantages of vacation rental. My kids would never consider inheriting my timeshares because they plan vacations a few days to weeks out - and get fine prices through vacay rentals.

Am I not seeing vacation travel correctly? Don't Airbnb and VRBO, etc, impact timeshare value? A couple of years ago I got an airbnb for half the cost (MF plus exchange) of a ts reservation in Santa Fe, NM. Same can be said of Palm Desert/Springs, etc. Frankly it just bewilders me that II or any other exchange company or major TS company would make it more likely that I would want to explore vacation rentals rather than trade with them. I still get great deals using RCI for the places I personally want to go. But with II increase in cost for even off season Getaways in places like Palm Springs, vacay rentals make far more sense.

My attempts to go over the sort of comparisons I usually see all times but 1 in my example searches when this comes up... Skip the RV part

I guess is where I talk about AirB&B and provide an example. I've done probably 5 others over the years (I didn't make them all into a video, but have several posts on TUG that I can't be bothered to look up). I guess tell me what I'm getting wrong...