[2021] Newport Update - Dogs, Parking, Sales Presentation, Interval

[10spro]

So we arrived 3 days ago at Newport. We have the room from H*LL, between 2 villas with 4 kids each that run between their rooms from one side of us to the other, screaming and yelling all day long, where they keep the door safety lever enabled so it never locks, and the running just continues, nonstop, in and out of the rooms for hours it goes on. There's an entire lawn area on one side of the building, and a play area below, but it's our hallway that they seem to love. I'm really not one to complain, but it is so loud and distracting. Not sure where the parents are.

On the plus side, we've been here 3 days, and I've seen only 1 dog. That's a huge improvement from several months ago, when on the first day I stopped counting at 7 dogs. The parking situation is horrific, you get 1 blue parking card, good for the lot adjacent to your building, and a yellow parking card for any subsequent vehicles, valid only for street parking. At least half the time, we come into the parking lot by our villa, there are zero empty spaces, but plenty of yellow cards, and tickets. Security supposedly will do something after 24 hours, but then it all starts over again the next day.

And finally, the sales presentation. I have no idea why we keep subjecting ourselves to this, but we agreed to sit through another one. It was the usual, pay $67K for 4,000 points so that you can enroll your 2 post-2010 weeks. It is supposedly a "COVID special" that expires today, same as they always do, and of course the great deal will never be offered again, and then the price per point will go up, so we need to act right now. We got a $200 VISA gift card for our 90 minutes and an offer to buy a 4-night Encore return for $995, or $1,295 if you want Hawaii. They took our time but not our money.

What was interesting during the presentation is the salesperson brought out an Interval book that was maybe 1/4" think, much smaller than the one we've been receiving. She says that as a result of the Interval merger, most of the popular Marriott destinations have been removed from the standard Interval pool and moved into the exclusive Marriott points owner pool, which will going forward only be available to book with points. I've never seen that book before. Is anyone familiar with this change? I've always expected II trading to get tougher with more limited inventory. Wondering if they are finally putting that in place.

 

[bazzap]

I don’t see how they can possibly move MVC destinations from the standard Interval pool?
There are still a very large number of MVC weeks owners depositing / requesting through Interval.
MVC can’t just arbitrarily make those weeks available only to points owners not to weeks owners.
We already have 5x MVC - MVC exchanges confirmed this year (we are staying on one now and in a higher season than what we exchanged) and whilst they have taken longer to be confirmed in recent years they are still being successfully confirmed without any real problem.

 

[Dean]

The MVC II book is called the "World Traveler Collection" and it's about half the thickness (roughly 5/8 in) and slightly shorter than the traditional II book. Just thumbing though it, it seems to have roughly the same content but thinner paper and more condensed in some areas.

 

[kds4]

So we arrived 3 days ago at Newport. We have the room from H*LL, between 2 villas with 4 kids each that run between their rooms from one side of us to the other, screaming and yelling all day long, where they keep the door safety lever enabled so it never locks, and the running just continues, nonstop, in and out of the rooms for hours it goes on. There's an entire lawn area on one side of the building, and a play area below, but it's our hallway that they seem to love. I'm really not one to complain, but it is so loud and distracting. Not sure where the parents are.

On the plus side, we've been here 3 days, and I've seen only 1 dog. That's a huge improvement from several months ago, when on the first day I stopped counting at 7 dogs. The parking situation is horrific, you get 1 blue parking card, good for the lot adjacent to your building, and a yellow parking card for any subsequent vehicles, valid only for street parking. At least half the time, we come into the parking lot by our villa, there are zero empty spaces, but plenty of yellow cards, and tickets. Security supposedly will do something after 24 hours, but then it all starts over again the next day.

And finally, the sales presentation. I have no idea why we keep subjecting ourselves to this, but we agreed to sit through another one. It was the usual, pay $67K for 4,000 points so that you can enroll your 2 post-2010 weeks. It is supposedly a "COVID special" that expires today, same as they always do, and of course the great deal will never be offered again, and then the price per point will go up, so we need to act right now. We got a $200 VISA gift card for our 90 minutes and an offer to buy a 4-night Encore return for $995, or $1,295 if you want Hawaii. They took our time but not our money.

What was interesting during the presentation is the salesperson brought out an Interval book that was maybe 1/4" think, much smaller than the one we've been receiving. She says that as a result of the Interval merger, most of the popular Marriott destinations have been removed from the standard Interval pool and moved into the exclusive Marriott points owner pool, which will going forward only be available to book with points. I've never seen that book before. Is anyone familiar with this change? I've always expected II trading to get tougher with more limited inventory. Wondering if they are finally putting that in place.

The same information regarding removing MVCI from the regular inventory pool in II was mentioned to us as well. We were told MVCI was stepping away from II, but II would continue to function as an exchange company for other Non-MVCI portfolio brands.

 

[kds4]

I don’t see how they can possibly move MVC destinations from the standard Interval pool?
There are still a very large number of MVC weeks owners depositing / requesting through Interval.
MVC can’t just arbitrarily make those weeks available only to points owners not to weeks owners.
We already have 5x MVC - MVC exchanges confirmed this year (we are staying on one now and in a higher season than what we exchanged) and whilst they have taken longer to be confirmed in recent years they are still being successfully confirmed without any real problem.

I'm guessing they will find ways to begin reducing the supply of units funneled to/through II as we see it from the outside, beginning with developer owned inventory, to keep it available for all of the new prospective enrolled owners from the ILG acquired brands they will be targeting. I think the initial focus will be how they manage Marriott to Marriott exchanges. What we don't know (and won't) is how the II exchange system can be 'managed' internally by Marriott to do what they're claiming (but in a way that we won't see from the customer side).

 

[mjm1]

So we arrived 3 days ago at Newport. We have the room from H*LL, between 2 villas with 4 kids each that run between their rooms from one side of us to the other, screaming and yelling all day long, where they keep the door safety lever enabled so it never locks, and the running just continues, nonstop, in and out of the rooms for hours it goes on. There's an entire lawn area on one side of the building, and a play area below, but it's our hallway that they seem to love. I'm really not one to complain, but it is so loud and distracting. Not sure where the parents are.

On the plus side, we've been here 3 days, and I've seen only 1 dog. That's a huge improvement from several months ago, when on the first day I stopped counting at 7 dogs. The parking situation is horrific, you get 1 blue parking card, good for the lot adjacent to your building, and a yellow parking card for any subsequent vehicles, valid only for street parking. At least half the time, we come into the parking lot by our villa, there are zero empty spaces, but plenty of yellow cards, and tickets. Security supposedly will do something after 24 hours, but then it all starts over again the next day.

And finally, the sales presentation. I have no idea why we keep subjecting ourselves to this, but we agreed to sit through another one. It was the usual, pay $67K for 4,000 points so that you can enroll your 2 post-2010 weeks. It is supposedly a "COVID special" that expires today, same as they always do, and of course the great deal will never be offered again, and then the price per point will go up, so we need to act right now. We got a $200 VISA gift card for our 90 minutes and an offer to buy a 4-night Encore return for $995, or $1,295 if you want Hawaii. They took our time but not our money.

What was interesting during the presentation is the salesperson brought out an Interval book that was maybe 1/4" think, much smaller than the one we've been receiving. She says that as a result of the Interval merger, most of the popular Marriott destinations have been removed from the standard Interval pool and moved into the exclusive Marriott points owner pool, which will going forward only be available to book with points. I've never seen that book before. Is anyone familiar with this change? I've always expected II trading to get tougher with more limited inventory. Wondering if they are finally putting that in place.

Sorry to hear about the guests that surround your unit. That would indeed be very annoying. We love NCV and look forward to visiting again in late August. I hope you enjoy your stay despite the annoyance.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[Pamplemousse]

So do you mean they are saying if I as a Marriott week owner reserve my ownership week at Harbour lake and choose to deposit it into II Marriott won’t actually put the Harbour lake week into II, they will put it as available for points?
What would I be exchanging with in II?
How would a non enrolled week owner exchange into another Marriott? I suppose that answer is they have to enroll/ buy points but that was not the product they sold for all those years- we were told II was the internal and external exchange method for MVC weeks. That is going to cause a major stink if so.
Another thought is are there enough point owners to book up all the new inventory that will now be available by points only?
I also thought having TS owners of other brands exchange into an MVC property was a marketing tool to attract new buyers.
This doesn’t ring true to me…

 

[kds4]

So do you mean they are saying if I as a Marriott week owner reserve my ownership week at Harbour lake and choose to deposit it into II Marriott won’t actually put the Harbour lake week into II, they will put it as available for points?
What would I be exchanging with in II?
How would a non enrolled week owner exchange into another Marriott? I suppose that answer is they have to enroll/ buy points but that was not the product they sold for all those years- we were told II was the internal and external exchange method for MVC weeks. That is going to cause a major stink if so.
Another thought is are there enough point owners to book up all the new inventory that will now be available by points only?
I also thought having TS owners of other brands exchange into an MVC property was a marketing tool to attract new buyers.
This doesn’t ring true to me…

That's the 64k question. I suspect the goal for MVCI is to drive everyone toward the points program and one way to do that is to end the ability for Marriott to Marriott exchanges via II. I'm guessing from the owner side, it will look the same. You can still make a reservation and deposit it into II, but other folks looking for a Marriott exchange in II wouldn't be able to 'see it' while it would be accessible through the Marriott internal exchange mechanism. Which would also mean, you wouldn't be able to see other Marriott deposits in II (if a Marriott to Marriott exchange was your goal). If you were looking for a Non-MVCI property to exchange to, those options would be visible. It really comes down to how Marriott can integrate the processes between the internal exchange system and the II exchange system to make that possible. Maybe it's not (but we'll never know if/how it is since it would all be done 'by the wizard behind the curtain'.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I just don’t see how they can break the promise they made to so many weeks owners so many years ago about being able to trade their week into other MVC properties via II. My salesmen told me it didn’t matter where I bought I was never going to stay my ownership but instead lock off and deposit into II. The backlash from that would be enormous!

By the way, I own an enrolled week and points so not as big a deal to me- just being a realist and not seeing how such a huge change would really happen- the bad will/ publicity alone would be a mess. I’m personally leaning towards this is a points sales technique and something much less drastic will happen (not that I in anyway am doubting that’s what you were told).

 

[kds4]

I just don’t see how they can break the promise they made to so many weeks owners so many years ago about being able to trade their week into other MVC properties via II. My salesmen told me it didn’t matter where I bought I was never going to stay my ownership but instead lock off and deposit into II. The backlash from that would be enormous!

By the way, I own an enrolled week and points so not as big a deal to me- just being a realist and not seeing how such a huge change would really happen- the bad will/ publicity alone would be a mess. I’m personally leaning towards this is a points sales technique and something much less drastic will happen (not that I in anyway am doubting that’s what you were told).

I'm sure we were told the same thing back in 2009 when we bought our first week. However, sales promises and legal obligations are often not the same. MVCI will do anything it can legally to maximize value to its shareholders (by maximizing sales). If there is a way they can achieve no Marriott inventory being available in II as a way to drive folks to the DP program, I fully expect they will. I really think there is a mentality within MVCI sales that weeks owners are 'obsolete' and if a weeks owner just wants to go to their owned location, so be it. However, if a weeks owner wants the continued benefits of Marriott to Marriot exchanging, they will make it a condition of points ownership (if they can find a way).

 

[Dean]

I don't think it'll be possible to limit the volume in II other than by directing owners to other options before it gets to the point of an II deposit such as using DC points rather than exchanging in II. But they could limit the specific choices and bait & switch to lower quality choices if they wanted. I doubt we'll see major changes in using II as any decrease in inventory for MVC should coincide with a decrease in demand for internal exchanges. What could happen is that the deposits in II could end up being more skewed toward lower quality/demand weeks and pass out of the 24 day hold due to the comparable exchange requirements and thus have a higher % go to non MVC owners with higher demand deposits. We could also see the 24 day hold completely dissolve for non enrolled accounts or even totally for everyone.

 

[Dean]

I just don’t see how they can break the promise they made to so many weeks owners so many years ago about being able to trade their week into other MVC properties via II. My salesmen told me it didn’t matter where I bought I was never going to stay my ownership but instead lock off and deposit into II. The backlash from that would be enormous!

By the way, I own an enrolled week and points so not as big a deal to me- just being a realist and not seeing how such a huge change would really happen- the bad will/ publicity alone would be a mess. I’m personally leaning towards this is a points sales technique and something much less drastic will happen (not that I in anyway am doubting that’s what you were told).

I don't put any stock in sales promises, the way it used to be, it'll upset owners, I'll sell, there will be a class action lawsuit or similar issues.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Agree to disagree. I think the loss of goodwill to its loyal timeshare owners is too big a risk.
And I can’t imagine all the owned weeks that are deposited into II could be taken by points owners.
Hoping I’m right- I guess we’ll see.

 

[Dean]

Agree to disagree. I think the loss of goodwill to its loyal timeshare owners is too big a risk.
And I can’t imagine all the owned weeks that are deposited into II could be taken by points owners.
Hoping I’m right- I guess we’ll see.

I've seen lots of changes in timeshares, usually not for the better. Lot's of upset people over the years. Lot's of threat's of various types and little to no real action from those threat's. I don't see any reason for this to be different. It's not that they'll purposefully do things to upset people but more that you can't please them anyway so why bother worrying about it.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I suspect the truth is somewhere in between and we know how sales people love half truths.
When we were going in to enroll our week the sales person was going on about how we’d never uses II again and it wasn’t until my confused spouse said to me “thats not what you told me, maybe we shouldn’t enroll!” that she admitted we “could” use II.

 

[kds4]

Agreed. Those are all ways the system could be 'managed' internally by II (MVCI).

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[Dean]

I suspect the truth is somewhere in between and we know how sales people love half truths.
When we were going in to enroll our week the sales person was going on about how we’d never uses II again and it wasn’t until my confused spouse said to me “thats not what you told me, maybe we shouldn’t enroll!” that she admitted we “could” use II.

Here's the thing. Significant changes are gong to happen at some point, that's 100% certain. It's likely the changes will affect the non MVC options more than it does MVC, at least those already enrolled. They'll specifically want to offer something that encourages people to spend their money and that will include a certain amount of anxiety/concern about potential loss (real or imagined) if they don't pony up. It might be an interesting read to go back to the thread's in 2010/11 about the Destination Club program and all the angst many had. My guess is that Hyatt won't be included and that those who have a direct option for a specific resort will continue to have that option. The rest of the points structure will be up in the air. Whether they retain an internal system with an overlay or combine them into one larger system is uncertain, both are very possible and feasible upset members or not.

 

[kds4]

I don't think it'll be possible to limit the volume in II other than by directing owners to other options before it gets to the point of an II deposit such as using DC points rather than exchanging in II. But they could limit the specific choices and bait & switch to lower quality choices if they wanted. I doubt we'll see major changes in using II as any decrease in inventory for MVC should coincide with a decrease in demand for internal exchanges. What could happen is that the deposits in II could end up being more skewed toward lower quality/demand weeks and pass out of the 24 day hold due to the comparable exchange requirements and thus have a higher % go to non MVC owners with higher demand deposits. We could also see the 24 day hold completely dissolve for non enrolled accounts or even totally for everyone.

I think those are all potential options. Another thought is that with MVCI now owning ILG/II (and not just being one of the external stakeholder brands using their exchange service as before), what's to stop MVCI from flipping the traditional exchange model (for Marriott to Marriott exchanges) on its head and no longer require a 1:1 deposit ratio into II. As long as there continue to be more II deposits than redemptions (contributed by owners from all II participating brands), what would stop Marriott from having II 'redirect' a Marriott deposit into the DP internal exchange system while still allowing the depositing owner to exchange into remaining Non-MVCI inventory in II? MVC owners would still be free to deposit into II, they just wouldn't see any MVC exchanges to select from.

I would have to refer to my owner documents for my purchased weeks to confirm, but I don't think there's any legal obligation on MVCI's part to allow me to make Marriott to Marriott exchanges via II as a condition of my having purchased a week. If MVCI chose to suspend Marriott to Marriott exchanges via II (using the methodology above or otherwise), except for 'bad will' from unenrolled weeks owners, who actually use II, to make Marriott to Marriott exchanges (whatever the percentage of a percentage or a percentage that is), I don't see any prohibitions.

This assumes of course that there is a business process/IT mechanism to make it happen (which there may not be). I'm not saying MVCI should do this. I'm only speculating that if the recent representations were accurate, MVCI could potentially do it.

 

[kds4]

Agree to disagree. I think the loss of goodwill to its loyal timeshare owners is too big a risk.
And I can’t imagine all the owned weeks that are deposited into II could be taken by points owners.
Hoping I’m right- I guess we’ll see.

Depends on the outcome of risk/reward analysis. If the risk is offending weeks owners, who deposit to II, who use II to get Marriott to Marriott exchanges, the number of affected owners as a segment of the overall MVCI owner community could be small enough that they consider it worthwhile ... Time will tell.

 

[kds4]

I suspect the truth is somewhere in between and we know how sales people love half truths.
When we were going in to enroll our week the sales person was going on about how we’d never uses II again and it wasn’t until my confused spouse said to me “thats not what you told me, maybe we shouldn’t enroll!” that she admitted we “could” use II.

I'm guessing most enrolled owners are not using II (except for Non-MVCI exchanges). For Marriott to Marriott exchanges, I'm guessing enrolled owners rely on their points first and convert weeks to points (when/where necessary) to complete a given MVC reservation, speaking for how we do it at least. YMMV.

 

[Pamplemousse]

It’s the opposite for me! I own an enrolled lock off and I split and deposit in II and exchange into other MVC properties almost exclusively. I have used points only for a trip twice (elected weeks) in 6 years. I enrolled my week to save on II fees. So interesting how everyone finds their own way to do things. Hopefully it will remain that way.

 

[dioxide45]

It’s the opposite for me! I own an enrolled lock off and I split and deposit in II and exchange into other MVC properties almost exclusively. I have used points only for a trip twice (elected weeks) in 6 years. I enrolled my week to save on II fees. So interesting how everyone finds their own way to do things. Hopefully it will remain that way.

Same here with our two lock off weeks. Only converted to points one time on each week.

 

[bazzap]

We do multiple MVC - MVC Interval exchanges every year.
We choose to use Marriott Request First for our exchange requests.
If MVC were to seek to withdraw inventory availability from Interval, the weeks we offer up for exchange would also disappear from the system, as we would not release them.
One side effect of this especially would be that MVC / Interval would lose access to much of the European MVC resort inventory from Owners like us who are enrolled in the DC Points programme and also the very large % of European Owners who are not enrolled in the programme.
Is this what MVC really want?

 

[kds4]

We do multiple MVC - MVC Interval exchanges every year.
We choose to use Marriott Request First for our exchange requests.
If MVC were to seek to withdraw inventory availability from Interval, the weeks we offer up for exchange would also disappear from the system, as we would not release them.
One side effect of this especially would be that MVC / Interval would lose access to much of the European MVC resort inventory from Owners like us who are enrolled in the DC Points programme and also the very large % of European Owners who are not enrolled in the programme.
Is this what MVC really want?

That's a fair point. I wonder how large the international footprint of the other MVC portfolio brands is compared to just MVC itself. Do the ILG acquired brands international footprints 'overshadow' MVCs to the point that non-enrolled European MVC owners not depositing their weeks would make a large ripple (once the other brands become bookable) and/or could a newly enlarged international MVC portfolio footprint drive European owners toward enrollment to get access to these other portfolio brands? Interesting times ahead.

 

[m61376]

I'm guessing most enrolled owners are not using II (except for Non-MVCI exchanges). For Marriott to Marriott exchanges, I'm guessing enrolled owners rely on their points first and convert weeks to points (when/where necessary) to complete a given MVC reservation, speaking for how we do it at least. YMMV.

That’s a generalization based on your personal use, which I don’t think you can make. There are many enrolled owners of lock off weeks who lock off. Ice they do so, they’re either using it or depositing in II, with many seeking Marriott exchanges in II.
From my vantage point that’s a bad guess. I’m fact, a big attraction to many to enroll were free MVC exchanges and free locking off of enrolled weeks, both of which add credibility to a lot of enrolled owners using II for exchanges to other Marriotts.


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