• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

SPG Marriott Unification

rog2867

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
Messages
150
Reaction score
22
Points
228
Dear Owner,

As a benefit of membership within the Vistana Signature Network™, Owners receive Elite status in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program and access to an award-winning global portfolio of hotels and resorts, unique experiences and rich redemption possibilities.

Good news. Marriott International recently announced that beginning August 2018, its loyalty brands — Marriott Rewards®, SPG®, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® — will come together as one powerful program. For now, individual program names will stay the same until 2019, but everything else will be consolidated.

With the opportunity to leverage the best of all programs, we want to take this opportunity to share what these exciting changes mean for you.

How does this affect Owners?

• To align trading values in the combined program, your Starpoints® balance will be multiplied by 3 with a one-time adjustment in August.
• Whether you own one of our weeks products or new points products, your conversion value will also be adjusted to reflect the new 1:3 change.
• Owners will retain their existing SPG Gold- or Platinum-level status with loyalty benefits remaining largely intact.
• The ability to convert a weeks or points product into Starpoints, along with the applicable rules, will remain the same.

Program highlights

• Earn and redeem points at more than 6,500 hotels across 29 brands with no blackout dates. Ever.
• Simplify your experience with one loyalty account, profile, login and points balance.
• Members will earn ten points for every dollar spent at all brands except for Residence Inn®, TownePlace Suites® and Element℠ which will be five points per every dollar spent.
• Access more airline partners than ever before and transfer points to frequent-flyer miles with the new ratio of three points for one mile.

Your new benefits will take effect starting in August. If you have yet to do so, we encourage all Owners with a Marriott Rewards account to link it to their SPG account to discover all the opportunities that come along with transferring points between accounts and status match.

Thank you for your continued loyalty. For a full list of FAQs, click here. If you have any additional questions, please contact Owner Services at 800-847-8262.

We will update you as more information becomes available.

Regards,
Steve-Williams.png

Stephen G. Williams
Chief Commercial Officer
 

rog2867

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
Messages
150
Reaction score
22
Points
228
so are we saying here that if I convert my week to points going forward I get 3x the points so in essence it really just stays the same?
guess this answers that

WHEN CONVERTING MY VOI TO POINTS WILL I RECEIVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POINTS?
  • One of the features that is changing as the reward programs combine is hotel redemption values. Standard hotel stays will generally require 3X the points in the combined program, starting in August. To align, you will receive 3X your current conversion amount when converting your VOI, also starting in August.
 

VacationForever

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
16,196
Reaction score
10,607
Points
1,048
Location
Somewhere Out There
so are we saying here that if I convert my week to points going forward I get 3x the points so in essence it really just stays the same?
Yes, from conversion perspective. But for regarding the value of points, until Marriott publishes the redemption rates by hotel categories and travel packages, we do not know if there is devaluation.
 
Last edited:

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,354
Reaction score
18,913
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
Did I read correctly that there will no longer be a free 5th night at hotels using points? If so, that's another reduction of benefits for me... along with the 33% reduction in credit card earnings, this program may well be out of the running for me. Most of my SP stays are 5-nights for this benefit.
From the FAQ link in the email.

WILL “STAY 4 NIGHTS AND GET THE 5TH NIGHT FREE” STILL BE A BENEFIT WITH HOTEL POINT REDEMPTION?
  • Yes; at every category level (1-8), redeem 4 nights and get the 5th night free (5 nights for the price of 4)
 

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,522
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
From the FAQ link in the email.

WILL “STAY 4 NIGHTS AND GET THE 5TH NIGHT FREE” STILL BE A BENEFIT WITH HOTEL POINT REDEMPTION?
  • Yes; at every category level (1-8), redeem 4 nights and get the 5th night free (5 nights for the price of 4)

Actually, this is an improvement. SPG only allowed the free night with category 3+. Of course, it's not often to stay at a cat 1-2 for five nights, but still... :)
 

vistana101

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
639
Reaction score
77
Points
388
Resorts Owned
SVV (x2)
You mean in future for Vistana? It has not counted up till now. Is it stated somewhere that it continues to be so in the future? As you may know, up to this point in time, stays at Marriott resorts count towards status.

Yes, I was wondering if with this new program, they would adopt MVC's policy of counting timeshare nights towards elite status levels, but it appears not. Can't win 'em all!
 

vistana101

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
639
Reaction score
77
Points
388
Resorts Owned
SVV (x2)
Has it been documented that it won't?

I guess there hasn't been official documentation about a change to count those nights, no. I would assume this would be the time where they would announce that positive owner benefit to coincide with the announcement of the new program? But maybe it could happen in the future, who knows.
 

duke

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
734
Reaction score
138
Points
403
Location
California
Given the Vistana FAQ and the inability to generate lots of Points via credit card spend (33% reduction to everyday) makes becoming 5*Elite and requalifying resales more valuable. Look at SMV resale - get you 85,800 SPG starpoints X 3 = 257,400 new Marriott Points X 1.1 = 283,140 new Marriott Points each year for a $1,500 maint fee. (The 1.1 multiplier is the 10% bonus for 5*Elite). For example: That gets you a 7 night Cat 1-5 Marriott Travel Package AND 120,000 airline points. (Again, Points are not going to be easy to earn via credit card spend)
 
Last edited:

NNerland

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Messages
152
Reaction score
23
Points
128
Location
Arden Hills, MN
Given the Vistana FAQ and the inability to generate lots of Points via credit card spend (33% reduction to everyday) makes becoming 5*Elite and requalifying resales more valuable. Look at SMV resale - get you 85,800 SPG starpoints X 3 = 257,400 new Marriott Points X 1.1 = 283,140 new Marriott Points each year for a $1,500 maint fee. (The 1.1 multiplier is the 10% bonus for 5*Elite). For example: That gets you a 7 night Cat 1-5 Marriott Travel Package AND 120,000 airline points. (Again, Points are not going to be easy to earn via credit card spend)

You would have to requalify or buy from developer to get that. You may have a Mandatory Vistana SMV, however I understand that ONLY the OPTIONS are portable on the Mandatory property. Meaning you can "go to Hawaii" if you can get a reservation with cheap dues; but you can't convert to Hotel Points....Unless you requalify?

Please correct me if I am wrong. I have looked lately too at some options for this - but you always need to spend some more money with developer so need to decide if the $20k investment is worth it. Can you make up enough value.
 

VacationForever

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
16,196
Reaction score
10,607
Points
1,048
Location
Somewhere Out There
You would have to requalify or buy from developer to get that. You may have a Mandatory Vistana SMV, however I understand that ONLY the OPTIONS are portable on the Mandatory property. Meaning you can "go to Hawaii" if you can get a reservation with cheap dues; but you can't convert to Hotel Points....Unless you requalify?

Please correct me if I am wrong. I have looked lately too at some options for this - but you always need to spend some more money with developer so need to decide if the $20k investment is worth it. Can you make up enough value.
SMV is voluntary. In order to get starpoints conversion through re-qualification. Vistana generally requires 20K new money with a new purchase.
 

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,812
Reaction score
2,224
Points
698
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
Given the Vistana FAQ and the inability to generate lots of Points via credit card spend (33% reduction to everyday) makes becoming 5*Elite and requalifying resales more valuable. Look at SMV resale - get you 85,800 SPG starpoints X 3 = 257,400 new Marriott Points X 1.1 = 283,140 new Marriott Points each year for a $1,500 maint fee. (The 1.1 multiplier is the 10% bonus for 5*Elite). For example: That gets you a 7 night Cat 1-5 Marriott Travel Package AND 120,000 airline points. (Again, Points are not going to be easy to earn via credit card spend)

A Cat 5 Marriott is not equalvalent to a Cat 5 SPG. In looking at Marriott hotels previously, I found Starwood hotels (at the same relative points at 3:1) to be a better value for the cities we were looking at to visit (e.g. NYC and New Orleans). I actually converted SPs to Marriott points (@3:1) and exchanged them back. I plan to use my SPs (bought at 1.65c/SP thru the WSJ deal) prior to the conversion. IMO - these points will be devalued after the conversion. There are no Cat 5 Marriotts that I would stay at unless no other choice.

I am primarily using points from the CSR card for travel - and will bring my SPs down to zero by using them before Aug. In my view - conversion of a Timeshare week for majority of VSE resorts is still not a good deal even with a 10% bonus. IMO YMMV
 

duke

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
734
Reaction score
138
Points
403
Location
California
A Cat 5 Marriott is not equalvalent to a Cat 5 SPG. There are no Cat 5 Marriotts that I would stay at unless no other choice.
I am primarily using points from the CSR card for travel - and will bring my SPs down to zero by using them before Aug. In my view - conversion of a Timeshare week for majority of VSE resorts is still not a good deal even with a 10% bonus. IMO YMMV

In the Marriott Travel Packages you can add Points to get to any level Hotel/Resort you desire. You do not have to stay at Cat5.

Of course, using the Timeshare is best deal HOWEVER, the issue here is that since Points are more difficult to earn via credit card ..... the ability to use Timeshare with Requalify is becoming a better deal.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,354
Reaction score
18,913
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
A Cat 5 Marriott is not equalvalent to a Cat 5 SPG. In looking at Marriott hotels previously, I found Starwood hotels (at the same relative points at 3:1) to be a better value for the cities we were looking at to visit (e.g. NYC and New Orleans). I actually converted SPs to Marriott points (@3:1) and exchanged them back. I plan to use my SPs (bought at 1.65c/SP thru the WSJ deal) prior to the conversion. IMO - these points will be devalued after the conversion. There are no Cat 5 Marriotts that I would stay at unless no other choice.

I am primarily using points from the CSR card for travel - and will bring my SPs down to zero by using them before Aug. In my view - conversion of a Timeshare week for majority of VSE resorts is still not a good deal even with a 10% bonus. IMO YMMV
An SPG Category 5 starts out at 12,000 SPG points or 36,000 MR points. Marriott Rewards Cat 5 start out at 20,000. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. There is a reason the Marriott category 5 are not up to the same level as SPG category 5, because they aren't the same. SPG only goes up to category 7, where MR goes up to 9. It is like comparing zero degrees Celsius to zero degrees Fahrenheit.
 

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,522
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
Of course, using the Timeshare is best deal HOWEVER, the issue here is that since Points are more difficult to earn via credit card ..... the ability to use Timeshare with Requalify is becoming a better deal.

Everything is relative, so sure it’s going to be 1% or so better than before to use timeshare conversion to Hotel points. Still quite bad for most.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,522
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
An SPG Category 5 starts out at 12,000 SPG points or 36,000 MR points. Marriott Rewards Cat 5 start out at 20,000. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. There is a reason the Marriott category 5 are not up to the same level as SPG category 5, because they aren't the same. SPG only goes up to category 7, where MR goes up to 9. It is like comparing zero degrees Celsius to zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Um...unlike Marriott hotels to Starwood hotels, there is an empirical method for comparing Celsius to Fahrenheit. This isn’t an opinion. It’s a fact. ;)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Sapper

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Messages
1,196
Reaction score
749
Points
223
Location
Houston, TX
Um...unlike Marriott hotels to Starwood hotels, there is an empirical method for comparing Celsius to Fahrenheit. This isn’t an opinion. It’s a fact. ;)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think what he was trying to say is even though both C and F would indicate "0 degrees", they are in fact different tempratures. Ie, 0F <unequal sign> 0C is analogous to Marriott Cat 5 <unequal sign> SPG Cat 5.
 

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,522
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
I think what he was trying to say is even though both C and F would indicate "0 degrees", they are in fact different tempratures. Ie, 0F <unequal sign> 0C is analogous to Marriott Cat 5 <unequal sign> SPG Cat 5.

Haha! Of course that’s what he was trying to say. :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,354
Reaction score
18,913
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
<unequal sign>
You could also just use <> to indicate not equal to, but my experience is that many people have no idea what <> means.
 

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,812
Reaction score
2,224
Points
698
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
An SPG Category 5 starts out at 12,000 SPG points or 36,000 MR points. Marriott Rewards Cat 5 start out at 20,000. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. There is a reason the Marriott category 5 are not up to the same level as SPG category 5, because they aren't the same. SPG only goes up to category 7, where MR goes up to 9. It is like comparing zero degrees Celsius to zero degrees Fahrenheit.

I understood that - I ended up looking at MAR Cat8-9 and found them too much compared to the 3x SPs.
Thanks for explaining the obvious...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,812
Reaction score
2,224
Points
698
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
Everything is relative, so sure it’s going to be 1% or so better than before to use timeshare conversion to Hotel points. Still quite bad for most.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

To be more clear - comparing the SP conversion when using SPs from many (WVC and Harboside ) - easier to compare to Mar Cat7-8+. That conversion does not look as good. I found for me that the SP usage was better.

Didn’t mean anything about it - just that 5* is worth it for the very few - especially (if true) the bring in cash increased (as per other thread).

What happens if we convert to degrees Kelvin? :D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Sapper

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Messages
1,196
Reaction score
749
Points
223
Location
Houston, TX
You could also just use <> to indicate not equal to, but my experience is that many people have no idea what <> means.

I thought of that after spending a few minutes searching the web on how to do an unequal sign with an out of date iPad.
 
Top