Incentives or offers to attend “Owners Update”

[Vacation fun]

What are current offers to attend a presentation at different Marriotts Vacation Clubs?

 

[dioxide45]

It's really going to vary, by owner, by resort, by time of day, by week of the year. These are not a fixed amount. Some owners will be offered more, some less. They may give you an incentive to book an afternoon time. We've had offers lately of 40,000 Bonvoy points or 300-500 Club Points. I ignore what the cash card gifts are since we never take those.

 

[dougp26364]

Generally speaking, we’ve been offered as low as $150 to as high as $350. Typical offers are $200 at the resort or $250 if we book before we arrive. 40,000 BonVoy points works out to a cash value between $200 and $400 depending on how savvy you are at booking hotel rooms.

 

[Tdawg33]

The last offer we got at NCV in July was for $400 in gift cards or 50k Bonvoy points

 

[TolmiePeak]

Never take the first offer. Always ask for more.

 

[TolmiePeak]

It's really going to vary, by owner, by resort, by time of day, by week of the year. These are not a fixed amount. Some owners will be offered more, some less. They may give you an incentive to book an afternoon time. We've had offers lately of 40,000 Bonvoy points or 300-500 Club Points. I ignore what the cash card gifts are since we never take those.

Why wouldn't you take the cash card if the value was higher than the bonvoy or club points? Is the cash card value always lower?

 

[dioxide45]

Why wouldn't you take the cash card if the value was higher than the bonvoy or club points? Is the cash card value always lower?

I've found that cash card is always a lower value for us. We almost always want Bonvoy points. It is really the only way we can quickly and easily build up our Bonvoy point balance. We can use credit card spend, but that is slower. If they offer a $250 cash card I could use that to buy Bonvoy points from Marriott, but that would net me only 20,000 points at the current rate of 1.25 cents per point. We are most often offered 40,000 Bonvoy points for a presentation. It would take a $400 cash card to be the equivalent.

 

[davidvel]

I've found that cash card is always a lower value for us. We almost always want Bonvoy points. It is really the only way we can quickly and easily build up our Bonvoy point balance. We can use credit card spend, but that is slower. If they offer a $250 cash card I could use that to buy Bonvoy points from Marriott, but that would net me only 20,000 points at the current rate of 1.25 cents per point. We are most often offered 40,000 Bonvoy points for a presentation. It would take a $400 cash card to be the equivalent.

That is the cost of acquiring a point but the redemption value in spending them (in most cases) is far lower.

 

[dougp26364]

That is the cost of acquiring a point but the redemption value in spending them (in most cases) is far lower.

For the average person with typical usage like myself, you’re correct. However, those adept at using points can manage 1 cent or more per point. I spent some time researching to see if the elusive value really existed. It took effort but it does exist.

 

[Venter]

We uad four options today checking in at Surfwatch.
1. 40 000 Bonvoy points.
2. 500 Abound points food for 2 years.
3. $300 to spend at resort and some restaurants on the island.
4. $250 of maintenance fees.

To sweeten the deal we were offered wrist bands to come into the preferred check in lounge any time throughout our stay for snacks, sodas and wine or beer.

 

[davidvel]

For the average person with typical usage like myself, you’re correct. However, those adept at using points can manage 1 cent or more per point. I spent some time researching to see if the elusive value really existed. It took effort but it does exist.

Either way, dioxide was comparing taking cash vs those points. The cost to acquire those points is meaningless there. What matters is what value you can get for them vs. cash. I agree for savvy users that can find event weeks or other niche uses, you can get over a penny/pt. Back in the day we booked the (former) Blackcomb Marriott Residence Club getting almost 3 cents/pt!

 

[dioxide45]

Either way, dioxide was comparing taking cash vs those points. The cost to acquire those points is meaningless there. What matters is what value you can get for them vs. cash. I agree for savvy users that can find event weeks or other niche uses, you can get over a penny/pt. Back in the day we booked the (former) Blackcomb Marriott Residence Club getting almost 3 cents/pt!

The value doesn't change that much either way. If the points have a redemption value of .8 cents per point then those 40,000 points are worth $320. That is still more than the $200 or $250 gift card they are going to give me. Usually when the bump the value of the gift card they give you, the amount of Bonvoy points offered goes up too. Anything above .8 cents per point means taking the Bonvoy points is an even better value. Sure 40,000 points may not be good for a single night, but you don't have to spend just 40,000. You can accumulate them over time for a larger redemption. You find better redemptions with 5 night stays since that fifth night is 0 points.

"Free" points from timeshare presentations is still one of the cheapest ways to accumulate them.

 

[Vacation fun]

We uad four options today checking in at Surfwatch.
1. 40 000 Bonvoy points.
2. 500 Abound points food for 2 years.
3. $300 to spend at resort and some restaurants on the island.
4. $250 of maintenance fees.

To sweeten the deal we were offered wrist bands to come into the preferred check in lounge any time throughout our stay for snacks, sodas and wine or beer.

Nice

 

[wballoni]

I don't know how you guys can stand those presentations. I can't stomach them.

 

[TolmiePeak]

I don't know how you guys can stand those presentations. I can't stomach them.

Why? If you can make $200 an hour you aren't interested? You simply tell them that even if you gave me the points for free there is no way I'm going to pay 81 cents in maintenance fees when I can rent the points for far less than that. They never have an answer for that.

 

[VacationForever]

I was just offered 80K Bonvoy, $400 Marriott gift cards, 500 Abound Points, $400 local restaurant cards or $200 Visa card. I really wanted to take the 80K Bonvoy but I don't have near term plans to use those, so I took the $400 Marriott gift cards.

 

[frank808]

I was just offered 80K Bonvoy, $400 Marriott gift cards, 500 Abound Points, $400 local restaurant cards or $200 Visa card. I really wanted to take the 80K Bonvoy but I don't have near term plans to use those, so I took the $400 Marriott gift cards.

Have never been offered Marriott gift cards. Have been offered resort credit to spend on site. Can you clarify if these Marriott gift cards can be used to pay maintenance fees? Or explain what these gift cards are? Thank you

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[dioxide45]

Have never been offered Marriott gift cards. Have been offered resort credit to spend on site. Can you clarify if these Marriott gift cards can be used to pay maintenance fees? Or explain what these gift cards are? Thank you

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I suspect they are the restaurant gift cards referenced earlier in the post? Perhaps they are what can be used at select restaurants or be applied to your room folio at checkout?

Marriott gift cards that can be bought to use at Marriott branded properties can't be used to pay maintenance fees.

 

[VacationForever]

Have never been offered Marriott gift cards. Have been offered resort credit to spend on site. Can you clarify if these Marriott gift cards can be used to pay maintenance fees? Or explain what these gift cards are? Thank you

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Marriott gift cards can be applied to your timeshare or hotel bill and used as credit when you check out. It's the same as buying Marriott certificates where you apply to your folio. I usually use them at Desert Springs because we golf at Desert Springs Golf Course and charge the rounds to the room.

 

[dioxide45]

Marriott gift cards can be applied to your timeshare or hotel bill and used as credit when you check out. It's the same as buying Marriott certificates where you apply to your folio. I usually use them at Desert Springs because we golf at Desert Springs Golf Course and charge the rounds to the room.

I've never seen Marriott gift cards offered as an incentive.

 

[VacationForever]

I've never seen Marriott gift cards offered as an incentive.

They issued 4 $100 cards to me, and I am at Summit Watch. When we went to MGV last year, I also took the Marriott gift card option for $350.

I wonder if I get that extra option because we bought everything that we own directly from Marriott.

 

[ljmiii]

If you can make $200 an hour you aren't interested?…

Nope. My soul isn’t worth $200 an hour.

If I honestly believe there is a chance I will buy something (which in turn means that I’ve made sufficient resale purchases that I would like to have enrolled [or retro’d]) then I agree to attend an ‘owner’s update’. Otherwise, not.

 

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

I stopped going a number of years ago. I was tired of playing the game for the incentives being offered. This being said, I am going to a Hilton Vacation Club presentation. My first non Marriott. I am at the GO starting Sunday and they offered me 3 nights at the Beach House on South Forest Beach Drive to listen to a sales pitch that will extent my vacation by 3 nights. I think I paid 220. If the area around the hotel is crazy because of the Coligny public beach, I have my GO owners card that allows us to us the GO facilities.

 

[wballoni]

If the area around the hotel is crazy because of the Coligny public beach, I have my GO owners card that allows us to us the GO facilities.

Owners card? I was not aware of such a thing. How does an MGO owner get one?

 

[rthib]

Nope. My soul isn’t worth $200 an hour.

If I honestly believe there is a chance I will buy something (which in turn means that I’ve made sufficient resale purchases that I would like to have enrolled [or retro’d]) then I agree to attend an ‘owner’s update’. Otherwise, not.

As long as they want to call them "owner updates" or "education session" I have no problem attending. I like to be updated and educated. And usually with time change I am up early so I take the early session, get my free donut and juice. Ask my questions where I can usually find out about a good restaurant or other destination I didn't know about.
Then I listen to them for the time remaining. I don't argue, they are there to educate me, not my job to educate them. Usually a pleasant experience. Only my last one in Vegas did the Sales Manager/Closer guy get a little aggressive with his pitch. I politely say the timing isn't right, I know things will get more expensive but I came because they offered to update me on the latest and I appreciate finding out what was new. Go get my voucher (Plus Points have been nice to top off my account) and then go back. By that time our guest are usually up and we can all go enjoy the rest of the day.