[2012] "Should My Week(s) Be Enrolled?"

[dioxide45]

One other important benefit to the II exchange fees being included. You get a free cancellation, one time, of all II exchanges. Retrades are also free, you can retrade one time with each exchange. So if you are going to resort ABC and you see only a studio today but want to book airfare, you can book the smaller unit and keep checking with another week you may have (or a fake reservation). If you see a better unit show up, call II and execute the reexchange. Additional savings! Just note, once the retrade is done, any further cancellation will result in the loss of the week.

 

[JanT]

Well, I did it - I enrolled our lone week that was eligible. Ultimately, it was the info provided by Greg and Dioxide that helped me make the decision to just push the darned button. Thanks to both of them for helping me see that there are some good benefits for enrolling our week.

So, as soon as I see our 800 plus points, I'll put them up for rent and recoup some of the $1495 it cost to join. Takes away a bit of the sting.

Thanks to all for answering my questions!

Jan

 

[korndoc]

Now I can just trade for a 1 bd and then as it gets closer switch to a 2 bd without paying an extra fee.... I will never trade for points as MGV doesn't give me many.

Not sure about this, but if you are getting your trade through II and not Marriott points, then won't trading cost you an II fee (kiss off those 7 years for ROI) and you then won't you have a fee to switch?

Jeff

 

[gblotter]

Renting points to/from other owners is the answer -- renting points is extremely powerful. This reduces the pressure on you to buy more Marriott weeks (or Trust Points, until they introduce features that are unique to TPs -- and then rent those). Or you can rent points needed to extend your existing legacy week reservation for a partial week.

You can rent the exact number of points you need -- you have cancelation protection if your plans change (cancel 61+ days without penalty) -- and current rental costs -- at $0.50 - $0.65 per point -- aren't that much higher than MFs associated with actually owning another week.

The ability to transfer points is very very powerful.

Agreed.

I just hope that Marriott doesn't take away this tremendous benefit.

And I am very grateful for GregT's website which provides a marketplace for the transfer of points as described. It has already proven helpful to me, and I only recently enrolled in the DC.

 

[RandR]

Not sure about this, but if you are getting your trade through II and not Marriott points, then won't trading cost you an II fee (kiss off those 7 years for ROI) and you then won't you have a fee to switch?

Jeff

It would cost me an II fee if I do not join the DC. It is my understanding that when you are a member of the DC, the change fee would be included in my $165/yr DC fee.

Can someone confirm that I understand this correctly?

Thanks

 

[Cmore]

I have a few question/concerns. I read that we can bank points, but there is a use or lose them clause, so we must bank them 6 months in advance of the expiry date and use them no later than 12 months after....did I get that right?? So for my 2014 weeks they would expire Dec 31 2014, so the latest I could book something would be June30 2014 ( and bank any leftover points for 2015 travel) and the earliest would be Jan 2013 for Jan 2014 travel? ....correct?? Second if I want to trade outside of Marriott, how do the points work through II, for example if I book into Vistana Villages in Orlando for a few nights, do they have assigned point values? I would really appreciate any comments as I think I understand things but it gets a bit confusing.

I do have one question with respect to AC's, can they be used by a family member if the owner is not there? We would like to send my in laws on a trip.
Thanks in advance for your help.

TopFuel,
As to banking, my understanding and the Marriott website state that most "enrolled owners" are on a calendar based use year (Jan 1 - Dec 31). Banking cut off is 6 mo's prior to end of use year - therefore The June 30th deadline for banking 2012 points into 2013. The website further states that the points are available for the following "use year" . I have not called Marriott, but it seems clear from their verbiage that the banked points are usable for then entire year, not 12 mo's from banking. They should expire 12/31 of the year following, so 12/31/13. For 2012 points.

As to your other point, I don't have access to the II book at present as I am out of town, but I don't remember being able to book partial week stays to non MVCI resorts via DC points. You can trade a full week for "x" DC points based on a grid that uses unit size and TDI to determine how many DC are required. An enrolled owner can also just deposit their unit to II for trading, and not elect points. If doing this and you upgrade your II membership you can then elect the short stay option to get stays of 1-6 days. You get 2 short stays forveach deposit. Hope this helps, and anyone can add on or correct my statements if I have mis stated anything. I believe I have it right.

 

[RandR]

I just joined and it was painful to hit the pay button.

 

[dioxide45]

It would cost me an II fee if I do not join the DC. It is my understanding that when you are a member of the DC, the change fee would be included in my $165/yr DC fee.

Can someone confirm that I understand this correctly?

Thanks

You are understanding correctly.

 

[SDMiller]

Marriott's posting of new VC membership fees on June 15??

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

 

[dioxide45]

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

With five weeks, I wouldn't think there would be any koolaide to drink. The decision is easy

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

I think you should seriously consider joining. This means you'll be able to always make reservations at 13 months using the DC Pointe route (that is if you're not going to use your home resort weeks).

You know it won't be costing less in a day or two, just the opposite......





.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

I think you should seriously consider joining. This means you'll be able to always make reservations at 13 months using the DC Pointe route (that is if you're not going to use your home resort weeks).

You know it won't be costing less in a day or two, just the opposite......





.

 

[markhs]

I too am struggling but leaning toward not joining. I have an EOY 3bdrm lock off at Ko Olina. I don't think we will use short stays. We haven't found II very usefull, in fact were planning on not joining again next year (never really got what we want). We would just book within the Marriott system. Enrolling means higher fees, especially for EOY folks without much benefit for us. I'll probably go around and round until the deadline expires. After that there is no way I'd join at the higher enrollment fee.

 

[SueDonJ]

Not sure about this, but if you are getting your trade through II and not Marriott points, then won't trading cost you an II fee (kiss off those 7 years for ROI) and you then won't you have a fee to switch?

Jeff

It would cost me an II fee if I do not join the DC. It is my understanding that when you are a member of the DC, the change fee would be included in my $165/yr DC fee.

Can someone confirm that I understand this correctly?

Thanks

I'd say you understand correctly, yes. (There have been several posts lately from Korndoc which make it appear that he is confused about the DC/II transactions and fees, but not from you.)

 

[Ann in CA]

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

If your husband is basing his decision on being annoyed at Marriott's treatment of weeks owners, I can understand his feelings, as I was more than a little annoyed at the rollout and the clumsy attempts to belittle weeks owners into joining. However, we enrolled in April because I had followed Tuggers reports on how the DC was working for them, and saw it could work to our advantage.

But with 5 weeks, he should seriously consider the financial and flexibility aspects. We never plan to exchange for points, even though Waiohai was not seriously skimmed, but we do lock off (Mountainside) and exchange every year, and the free re-exchange is nice too. So he needs to forget about being angry at Marriott (if that is his main reason) and think how it will benefit your ownership.

Good luck. My husband really knows nothing of how all this works, so he leaves it up to me. Would actually be nice if he did take an interest so we could debate! (or not!)

 

[dioxide45]

As to your other point, I don't have access to the II book at present as I am out of town, but I don't remember being able to book partial week stays to non MVCI resorts via DC points. You can trade a full week for "x" DC points based on a grid that uses unit size and TDI to determine how many DC are required. An enrolled owner can also just deposit their unit to II for trading, and not elect points. If doing this and you upgrade your II membership you can then elect the short stay option to get stays of 1-6 days. You get 2 short stays forveach deposit. Hope this helps, and anyone can add on or correct my statements if I have mis stated anything. I believe I have it right.

Short stays under points are different from weeks. Points users in II can get as many short stays as their points will allow. They are not limited to 2 per deposit. There is a grid in the II buyers guide that shows the number of DC points needed per night for short stays.

 

[SDMiller]

Thank you all for your comments and words of encouragement. Hubby feels that we rarely trade thru II (no fees there), we trade with fellow Tuggers or rent our units, or stay at our home resort. I feel it would benefit us so we won't have to pay those dreaded II membership fees on our two accounts. I really like the option to visit any of the other Marriotts and pick check in dates during the week, vs Fri-Sun.

SD

 

[dioxide45]

Thank you all for your comments and words of encouragement. Hubby feels that we rarely trade thru II (no fees there), we trade with fellow Tuggers or rent our units, or stay at our home resort. I feel it would benefit us so we won't have to pay those dreaded II membership fees on our two accounts. I really like the option to visit any of the other Marriotts and pick check in dates during the week, vs Fri-Sun.

SD

Why do you have two II accounts? Is it because of how the title is held on the units? Does MVCI consider that you only have one account or would there be multiple enrollment fees? Just curious.

 

[Cmore]

Dioxide,
Thanks for clarifying as that answers Top Fuel's question and is good to know for all DC members considering non Marriott short stays via II.

 

[SDMiller]

We tried to get II to combine the accounts but they will not because four units are in the family trust and one is still a joint ownership.

SD

 

[RandR]

Thanks Dioxide and Sue.

 

[Topfuelweb]

Points

Dioxide,
Thanks for clarifying as that answers Top Fuel's question and is good to know for all DC members considering non Marriott short stays via II.

Thanks for the replies, we took the plunge to DC today, I think it will work out best wrt flexibility and our present travel needs, I love Maui but with two young kids Florida has a lot to offer and it doesnt cost 4k to fly there from Toronto. This is a great web site and very helpful...thanks again!!

 

[LUVourMarriotts]

Will be watching the Marriott website on June 15 to see what the new fees to join are or if there will be another "extension". Wish I could get my husband to join - we own 5 Marriott weeks, we would be classisfied as Premier status. Just can't get him to "drink the Kool-Aid".

SD

The price will change tomorrow (June 14). Take this as you want, but AFTER I paid today, I spoke with a owner services rep again and I asked how busy it was today. She said it was very busy, but she got a lot of, "I'll call back tomorrow to do this". She said she had to explain to so many people that June 14 is the price change, not the last day to sign up.

She also said that they were told by their management that the price will NOT be extended again. The reasons they were told were, (1) they spent a ton of money on marketing this program and date, and (2) the industry has used a 2 year discounted buy-in. For #2, she said other companies have switched to points and used 2 years for their introductory pricing. I have no idea if that is true. But, since I already paid, I felt like she had no reason to lie/exaggerate.

 

[LUVourMarriotts]

Sorry if this was already mentioned. Another thing I was told on the phone today is that all of the European resorts will be added to the DC in the next few months. I thought that was interesting news.

 

[m61376]

Well, they were good to their word and the price did go up, with no 800 bonus point offer. There is a teaser about enrollment discounts if you speak to a sales associate; I'm guessing that the new hook will be free or discounted enrollment with the purchase of a minimum points package.

I was half expecting pre-6/20/10 resale weeks to be excluded or some other catch, since it really is a modest price increase for enrolling those weeks, comparatively speaking at least. However, the enrollment opportunity remains the same with a singular pricing for all week(s) that are eligible.