(9/6 - Still can't send a confirmation) The Vistana/Marriott Reservation System is a disaster.

[cubigbird]

I've tried the reservation system almost every day for a month+ now with the same results.
I can get Staroption reservations for Kierland (my developer bought home resort), St. John, and Harborside.
But I get the "Request Timeout" error message for all other resorts including Hawaii, Colorado, etc.

I noticed now at the bottom, there is a new note that says:

"Please note:

The updated Villa Resort Availability Finder can now recognize most ownership types, however, certain ownership types do not have access."

This leads me to believe that Vistana has ABSOLUTELY done this on purpose, basically locking owners (possibly just resale owners) out of making any Staroption reservations at other than their home resorts. Most likely with the express purpose of reacquiring this inventory for the new Marriott booking system.

This seems highly illegal, possibly class action lawsuit illegal.

The way this is going it certainly seems the end of the road is leading to class action litigation. It’s certainly not improving, if anything it’s still getting worse. As owners more and more get locked out and prevented from using what they paid for, by contract, this becomes more likely.

 

[tamu_bu]

It seems my email to dwight.smith@mvwc.com was delegated for response. Here is what I received....

Dear Mr. Mxxxxxxxx,

Thank you for your email to Dwight Smith. Mr. Smith received your email and asked me to respond on behalf of the Westin Vacation Club brand.

I am very sorry to hear about your frustrations related to using the owners website to make home resort reservations. Our web development team is aware of the intermittent time out errors that some owners have been experiencing recently. Typically, this type of an error is caused when a large influx of owners log into the website at the same time while competing for popular vacation travel periods such as school breaks or holidays. Anytime this happens, owners are encouraged to re-visit the website when traffic subsides or contact Member Services to place their reservation request.

In review of your account it appears that you were successful using the website to make a reservation at The Westin Kierland arriving on March 19, 2023. If you need assistance with reservations in the future please feel free to contact our Member Services office at 888-986-9637. Our Vacation Advisors are ready and able to assist with future stay requests. Member Services hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9am to 8pm eastern time.

Thank you,

MARRIOTT VACATIONS WORLDWIDE

Ray Filippone
Director Customer Advocacy
CUSTOMER ADVOCACY
T 800-860-9384

 

[dioxide45]

The way this is going it certainly seems the end of the road is leading to class action litigation. It’s certainly not improving, if anything it’s still getting worse. As owners more and more get locked out and prevented from using what they paid for, by contract, this becomes more likely.

Won't they say that you can always call to make a reservation. Is the ability to make a reservation online promised or guaranteed?

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Have the OED or Webster's recently redefined the meaning of the word "intermittent"?

 

[cubigbird]

Won't they say that you can always call to make a reservation. Is the ability to make a reservation online promised or guaranteed?

If I own high season in STJ (which I do) and I am unable to book what I own in the season I own due to the issues we have been dealing with - website down and owner services extended hold times, what recourse do we have? I shouldn’t have to be relegated to a different season. Technically it’s a breach of contract?

 

[DavidnRobin]

My timeouts are happening at all times - not just when there is heavy traffic.


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[DavidnRobin]

It doesn't quite work like that. A VPN is just masking your physical location. Even 'logical' connections have to meander their way through physical infrastructure. What you mention would only be relevant if Marriott were purposefully blocking physical geographies.

It was stated as geographical - that must mean location of where I am trying to reserve (Maui) and not my location as the VPN locations I have tried are NJ, FL, CO and NV - and CA (our location). Even tried the UK.

Timed out in every instance whether high traffic time or others.


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[DavidnRobin]

Just tried WKORV again (HomeResort) for 2023 - Timed out every time no matter which 2023 (Sat, Sun) date entered.

Changed to WPORV (HomeResort) for 2023 - shows reservation available for Fri-Fri, Sat-Sat, and Sun-Sun

I just sent email to Ray and Dwight - it will be interesting to see if I get a response. I never did last time I contacted their advocacy department.

ray.filippone@mvwc.com

I miss Starwood - at least former VP S. Clark’s group was responsive.

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[DeniseM]

Response to the message I sent from the dashboard:

communication@mvwc.com<communication@mvwc.com>
via ozjxs1mxkum44kc8.uhtd.a-jkl3mao.na142.bnc.salesforce.com

​

​

Dear DENISEM, We are sorry to learn of your frustration regarding using the villa finder tool online. We are aware that there are issues when booking a reservation online due to our migration; however, you are welcome to contact Owner Services directly for further assistance at 888-786-9637, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Should you have any additional questions, please let me know. Sincerely, Ricky V. Vacation Ownership Specialist T (800) 847-8262 F (888) 475-9128 VISTANA SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES 9002 SAN MARCO COURT ORLANDO, FL 32819

#Vistanaterriblecustomerservice

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

It was stated as geographical - that must mean location of where I am trying to reserve (Maui) and not my location as the VPN locations I have tried are NJ, FL, CO and NV - and CA (our location). Even tried the UK.

Timed out in every instance whether high traffic time or others.


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My apologies. Earlier "Vistana is down" threads had covered the subject of people in certain geographic regions having problems when others were not.

 

[wjarcher]

Response to the message I sent from the dashboard:

communication@mvwc.comemail]>
via ozjxs1mxkum44kc8.uhtd.a-jkl3mao.na142.bnc.salesforce.com

​

​

Dear DENISEM, We are sorry to learn of your frustration regarding using the villa finder tool online. We are aware that there are issues when booking a reservation online due to our migration; however, you are welcome to contact Owner Services directly for further assistance at 888-786-9637, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Should you have any additional questions, please let me know. Sincerely, Ricky V. Vacation Ownership Specialist T (800) 847-8262 F (888) 475-9128 VISTANA SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES 9002 SAN MARCO COURT ORLANDO, FL 32819

#Vistanaterriblecustomerservice

This is pretty much a boiler plate response from Marriott. I had a 30min phone call last Friday with the customer services. It timed out on their end too.

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[echino]

"I apologize for the issues you are experiencing searching availability online. Our website is going through several updates to improve the experience Owners have to reserve and manage their ownership. While a specific date or time as to when this matter will be resolved is not available, please rest assured that our IT Department is working diligently to rectify this issue."

 

[tamu_bu]

"please rest assured...." I think I speak for most of us that none of us are resting in the assurance platitude.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Easy for them to say, "rest assured" ....When you pay close to $3000/week in MF and find your planned family vacation is destroyed because you cannot reserve the room online and sit on hold for a rep who also times out.

 

[CPNY]

Sounds to me that this is delaying owners from being able to book prime weeks. They are probably anticipating a lot of owners left to book weeks they don’t want so they elect to convert to DC points just to have more options for next year. Looks like the DCE will have a lot of Vistana weeks by default. It’s interesting that places like Harborside which cannot convert until 2024 has zero issued timing out. This could be calculated and I wouldn’t be shocked.

 

[dioxide45]

If I own high season in STJ (which I do) and I am unable to book what I own in the season I own due to the issues we have been dealing with - website down and owner services extended hold times, what recourse do we have? I shouldn’t have to be relegated to a different season. Technically it’s a breach of contract?

It may, but from my understanding Vistana doesn't take control of unreserved weeks until 75 days in advance. So as long as you are still outside 75 days from the first week of your season, then there should be some availability somewhere in your season. I am not sure extended hold times would would constitute a breach. Not being able to get through on the phone at all might. I am just referring to the legality of it, not whether it is right or wrong.

 

[jabberwocky]

I just tried to do a dummy booking for WKORVN with an April 1 date for next year. Took about 10 seconds to load an available home resort reservation (had the option to book with either my week or our Flex points). is about 55 minutes after midnight EDT.

I click through and have the option to book (didn’t do the final step of actually reserving). When is the timeout error occurring - before any results are shown?

 

[DeniseM]

Yes, before any availability is shown.

1:15 eastern and nothing - when does that intermittent availability start?

 

[Mcjohan]

I just tried to do a dummy booking for WKORVN with an April 1 date for next year. Took about 10 seconds to load an available home resort reservation (had the option to book with either my week or our Flex points). is about 55 minutes after midnight EDT.

I click through and have the option to book (didn’t do the final step of actually reserving). When is the timeout error occurring - before any results are shown?

I just tried the same thing, my dummy home resort booking for WKORVN also worked. What I can’t do is make a staroptions reservation at Lagunamar for this year. I have a reservation that I want to change but don’t want to release my original reservation until I know the room size is available. I’ve been getting time-out messages all day.

 

[dioxide45]

To Vistana, Intermittente=Consistent.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I just tried to do a dummy booking for WKORVN with an April 1 date for next year. Took about 10 seconds to load an available home resort reservation (had the option to book with either my week or our Flex points). is about 55 minutes after midnight EDT.

I click through and have the option to book (didn’t do the final step of actually reserving). When is the timeout error occurring - before any results are shown?

View attachment 50820

This is more concerning. It's not that no one is getting inventory. It's that some are getting inventory and not others so when you call in the to call center as they suggest when they open in the am there may be no inventory remaining.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I was on the phone for 90 minutes total, but I was able to get my Bonvoy #'s associated with the Vistana numbers via that phone call. Maria was very nice.

Roger lost my small one bedroom at SBP that I had for 7/9. I called to lock it into the two sides and was supposed to get back the small one bedroom. I always get the small one bedroom back, but not this time. I will book the two sides of the lockoff separately from this day forward. I am going to send a message through Vistana to see if they will get it back for me.

The lack of Westin Maui inventory through exchange on II for Hawaii is obvious. I do not know if this is because this inventory will be made available to Marriott owners before it ever gets to II. If that is the case, then I definitely have to buy a resale Westin mandatory to get what I want every year during whale season. I am just waiting a bit to see what happens with all of you in trying to book your oceanfront units.

 

[CPNY]

The lack of Westin Maui inventory through exchange on II for Hawaii is obvious. I do not know if this is because this inventory will be made available to Marriott owners before it ever gets to II. If that is the case, then I definitely have to buy a resale Westin mandatory to get what I want every year during whale season. I am just waiting a bit to see what happens with all of you in trying to book your oceanfront units.

I think we are all in agreement that Marriott will make inventory available for their DC owners at the expense of the VSN and II. Buy where you want to go as they say. Renting is another option.

 

[VacationForever]

The lack of Westin Maui inventory through exchange on II for Hawaii is obvious. I do not know if this is because this inventory will be made available to Marriott owners before it ever gets to II. If that is the case, then I definitely have to buy a resale Westin mandatory to get what I want every year during whale season. I am just waiting a bit to see what happens with all of you in trying to book your oceanfront units.

The lack of Westin Maui inventory in II has been going on for the past 5 years, so it has nothing to do with Marriott. I suspect most owners rent their weeks out for beaucoup bucks.

With all that we know todate, owning a lower MF per SO is the most cost effective way to book through VSN. Seeing the MVC charts for Westin Maui properties, as shared by TUGgers, no way I will use DC to book a stay at Westin Maui.

 

[10spro]

I definitely have to buy a resale Westin mandatory to get what I want every year during whale season. I am just waiting a bit to see what happens with all of you in trying to book your oceanfront units.

Very difficult booking my home week at WKORV. Granted I own OFD, which is limited inventory, but it is consistently gone or otherwise unavailable by the time I can ever complete a search.