Aruba deeded specific week - Platinum Plus question

[ArubaFan01930]

We bought a deeded week 7 Platinum Plus week at the Aruba Surf club recently. It's perfect because of the the school schedule. All good there. But...I was understanding that Platinum Plus weeks were also eligible to book during "regular" Platinum season. Not an issue now, but looking ahead when we have more time to travel I was thinking we would split the unit and get 2 weeks of usage, ie 6+7 or 7+8 using the guest room and 1BR. Or maybe just travel in January or something other than these weeks. But while in the MVC system today, it says I am outside of my booking window. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I *only* eligible to book week 7? Thanks.

 

[bazzap]

We bought a deeded week 7 Platinum Plus week at the Aruba Surf club recently. It's perfect because of the the school schedule. All good there. But...I was understanding that Platinum Plus weeks were also eligible to book during "regular" Platinum season. Not an issue now, but looking ahead when we have more time to travel I was thinking we would split the unit and get 2 weeks of usage, ie 6+7 or 7+8 using the guest room and 1BR. Or maybe just travel in January or something other than these weeks. But while in the MVC system today, it says I am outside of my booking window. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I *only* eligible to book week 7? Thanks.

Hopefully someone can give a definitive answer for Aruba.
Spanish MVC resorts have a similar situation though where Gold Holiday weeks owners (who purchased before a cut off date) could also book in Gold weeks.
However, this was always subject to availability and limited to last time I checked some 7% of all Gold week inventory.
There has to be a limitation, otherwise if all those Gold Holiday season owners could book in Gold Season it would result in Gold weeks owners being unable to book at all in their own season
(presumably this would also apply to Platinum Plus and Platinum weeks owners in Aruba?)


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[Dean]

Here's the wording from the POS for SC.

(g) Owners of Platinum Plus Membership Interests must reserve and have
confirmed a Check-in Day at least one hundred twenty (120) days in advance of their
Platinum Plus Use Period or ASC Development and Management Company will assign a
Check-in Day to Owner. If the Owners of Platinum Plus Membership Interests desire to
exchange their interest to a Floating Use Period (Platinum Season only), such right is only
available at ASC Development and Management Company's sole discretion and subject,
specifically, to the availability of comparable Marriot Rewards® inventory exchanged
with ASC Development and Management Company.

I've reached out to my contact there to see if he has any real world knowledge in this area. A call to MVC directly might be your best bet.

 

[ArubaFan01930]

Here's the wording from the POS for SC.

I've reached out to my contact there to see if he has any real world knowledge in this area. A call to MVC directly might be your best bet.

Thank you. I am going to give them a call.

 

[Dean]

My contact basically said the same thing but with no additional details such as restrictions, availability, how early one can reserve. I'm sure there are going to be limitations. Let us know what you find out. I'm curious to know what the restrictions are.

 

[davidvel]

We bought a deeded week 7 Platinum Plus week at the Aruba Surf club recently. It's perfect because of the the school schedule. All good there. But...I was understanding that Platinum Plus weeks were also eligible to book during "regular" Platinum season. Not an issue now, but looking ahead when we have more time to travel I was thinking we would split the unit and get 2 weeks of usage, ie 6+7 or 7+8 using the guest room and 1BR. Or maybe just travel in January or something other than these weeks. But while in the MVC system today, it says I am outside of my booking window. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I *only* eligible to book week 7? Thanks.

Maybe it does not show online availability because you have to call for this special situation?

 

[ArubaFan01930]

Maybe it does not show online availability because you have to call for this special situation?

Thanks. Another owner has suggested this too. I am going to call MVC this afternoon and clarify.

 

[ArubaFan01930]

Update - I spoke with MCV and they did confirm that although the website does not allow booking anything other than week 7, the ownership of Platinum Plus does indeed include booking in the full Platinum season. The owner needs to call in to make the reservation.

 

[Dean]

Update - I spoke with MCV and they did confirm that although the website does not allow booking anything other than week 7, the ownership of Platinum Plus does indeed include booking in the full Platinum season. The owner needs to call in to make the reservation.

Did they give you any restrictions such as when you could call, volume, etc?

 

[ArubaFan01930]

Did they give you any restrictions such as when you could call, volume, etc?

No they didn't mention any restrictions.

 

[dioxide45]

Here's the wording from the POS for SC.

I've reached out to my contact there to see if he has any real world knowledge in this area. A call to MVC directly might be your best bet.

It seems that Marriott is using weeks converted to Bonvoy points to fulfill those reservations where a Plat Plus owner floats into Platinum Season? I wonder if they do this at all resorts? The inventory has to come from somewhere. Either from unreserved weeks or what Marriott controls. Too many Plat Plus owners booking into Platinum could mean not enough weeks for all Platinum owners.

 

[Dean]

It seems that Marriott is using weeks converted to Bonvoy points to fulfill those reservations where a Plat Plus owner floats into Platinum Season? I wonder if they do this at all resorts? The inventory has to come from somewhere. Either from unreserved weeks or what Marriott controls. Too many Plat Plus owners booking into Platinum could mean not enough weeks for all Platinum owners.

That's why I asked. There has to be some type of guardrails and likely several working together. Barry mentioned possible volume restrictions for Spain. It would have to be excess or released inventory since Platinum owners can't do the reverse. That could be unsold, trust owned, Elected enrolled, Bonvoy points and delinquent fees as likely options. It's likely a combination of the those. I was especially curious if the 13 month advantage might apply though I'm doubting it would.

 

[davidvel]

It seems that Marriott is using weeks converted to Bonvoy points to fulfill those reservations where a Plat Plus owner floats into Platinum Season? I wonder if they do this at all resorts? The inventory has to come from somewhere. Either from unreserved weeks or what Marriott controls. Too many Plat Plus owners booking into Platinum could mean not enough weeks for all Platinum owners.

It wouldn't surprise me that they would use Platinum inventory that they control, then snap up a Platinum Plus week that the owner could have reserved, that they can monetize for big $$$. But I have no idea if this is actually true.

 

[suzannesimon]

We bought a deeded week 7 Platinum Plus week at the Aruba Surf club recently. It's perfect because of the the school schedule. All good there. But...I was understanding that Platinum Plus weeks were also eligible to book during "regular" Platinum season. Not an issue now, but looking ahead when we have more time to travel I was thinking we would split the unit and get 2 weeks of usage, ie 6+7 or 7+8 using the guest room and 1BR. Or maybe just travel in January or something other than these weeks. But while in the MVC system today, it says I am outside of my booking window. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I *only* eligible to book week 7? Thanks.

I have Platinum Plus weeks in St Thomas. You will have to elect points for your week to trade in Abound or use Interval. But the highest and best use in Aruba is to rent it. I have a plain old gold 3 bedroom at Surf Club and it rents for over twice as much as the fees.

 

[m61376]

Although you can book another week in the Platinum season, I'd strongly recommend you contact one of the rental agents in Aruba. Given what weeks 51, 52 and 7 holiday weeks rent for (I think week 13 doesn't command the same premium), especially if you book either a Saturday or Sunday arrival, corresponding to the school vacation week in NY and many other states, you'd be able to effectively trade your week 7 for another week that you wanted and more than cover your MFs to boot. I don't know what week 7s are renting for, but I know what week 51s are getting from the rental agents and know that the profit from renting that and renting another Plat. week would cover 2 years MF's. If you want the contact info. from a reliable rental agent PM me.

Last year I rented my 3BR Gold Aruba week through an agent and more than covered renting a 2BR WKORN week. It had the advantage of not hoping II would come up with a trade for the specific late June week we needed, and Aruba weeks command high rental rates. Surprisingly, I made a profit on the transaction.

 

[WBP]

We bought a deeded week 7 Platinum Plus week at the Aruba Surf club recently. It's perfect because of the the school schedule. All good there. But...I was understanding that Platinum Plus weeks were also eligible to book during "regular" Platinum season. Not an issue now, but looking ahead when we have more time to travel I was thinking we would split the unit and get 2 weeks of usage, ie 6+7 or 7+8 using the guest room and 1BR. Or maybe just travel in January or something other than these weeks. But while in the MVC system today, it says I am outside of my booking window. Does anyone have experience with this? Am I *only* eligible to book week 7? Thanks.

There are no deeded weeks at the Marriott Vacation Club resorts in Aruba. The conveyance of ownership in Aruba, are shares in a Cooperative Association, not deeded weeks. There are fixed-weeks, conveyed as shares in the Cooperative Association, with reservation assignment during specific, fixed weeks.

 

[GrayFal]

Last year I rented my 3BR Gold Aruba week through an agent and more than covered renting a 2BR WKORN week. It had the advantage of not hoping II would come up with a trade for the specific late June week we needed,

You will not get a 2BR WKORVN thru II. Now, studios are deposited (occasional 1BR off season) and have to make it thru the (usually) 7 day Vistana preference period before Marriott would see it. The only Hawaii Vistana 2BR unit/resort that gets deposited is Nanea as the majority of units are dedicated 2BRs. Check the sightings forum.
Your strategy is spot on.

Week 7 would command a very high rental price but likely easier for the OP to just reserve the week they want in Platinum season.

 

[m61376]

Week 7 would command a very high rental price but likely easier for the OP to just reserve the week they want in Platinum season.

While it might be a little easier, I think Aruba is a little unique in that there are a few rental agents who each do A LOT of transactions. I know one alone does 2-3M a year in MSU and MAO rentals, and would happily take the week 7 and rent you whatever Plat week you wanted and give you several grand for the transaction.

I usually lock off my 2 BR and deposit the studio in II. He suggested anytime I wanted to rent it that it’d be much more profitable to exchange my 2 BR for a 1 BR through him than just renting the studio. While I find better value getting extra vacations through II trades, evidently this is commonplace in Aruba at least, and rental prices have skyrocketed over the last several years.

With the major holiday weeks hitting the 5 digit rental rates I’m not sure that taking advantage of the ability to reserve a different Platinum week is in the OP’s best interests. If he’s interested in the rental exchange route he should PM me and I’ll give him the rental agent’s info that I’ve used and many friends who own week 51 and 52 have been using for years. I know what I’m saying probably sounds a little sketchy, the transaction would be as easy as a phone all and the OP would have the week he wanted, his MFs for the year covered and then some, given the rental rates of week 7.
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[suzannesimon]

I’m not sure the fixed weeks float. Mine at MFC do not. I have to elect points and book through Abound if I don’t want week 51.

 

[GrayFal]

I’m not sure the fixed weeks float. Mine at MFC do not. I have to elect points and book through Abound if I don’t want week 51.

See post #8, they confirmed with Marriott.

Surf Club sales started in September 2002; possibly when the sales started at Frenchmens Cove, they put different rules/restrictions in place. Since MFC was first sold as weeks, it’s possible the same rules apply.

The “easy” answer for Marriott is to tell you to elect Abound points but with the 20% skim, you might not have enough points to get back into MFC in high Platinum season.
This might be something that you want to call Marriott and ask specifically about floating your week.