Best Practice to Book Aruba ?

[babamike]

Hi guys,
Wondering is there a perfect day/time for inventory to become available. I’m thinking of electing my Maui week to abound (6200 points) hoping to enjoy some of the Marriott properties specifically Aruba but I can’t find anything even at 13 months out I’m presidential level.
Any insight be very helpful thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[Hindsite]

In your account there is a "when do I reserve" tool, use that to work out when the reservations open.

For any MVC property outside of the US the inventory is not held in the Land Trust permanently so it relies on owners (including MVC) to elect for points and put the inventory into Abound. That means that it usually doesn't fall into the usual rules of when inventory may become available, making it more difficult to predict. The good news is that Aruba via Abound isn't impossible and you can wait list from 12 months ahead, with decent confidence that there will be a match.

Pulses of enrolled inventory go into Abound around the election deadlines through the year as well as when the reservation windows open. If they have inventory at 13 months, they don't release all of it then, they hold back upto 50% for the 12 months release. Some can sneak in between 13 and 12 months as well.

All that probably means there isn't a perfect time as it depends on what you are looking for, whether it is already in the land trust and what other people choose to do with their ownership.

Happy hunting!

 

[wmgjr]

In your account there is a "when do I reserve" tool, use that to work out when the reservations open.

For any MVC property outside of the US the inventory is not held in the Land Trust permanently so it relies on owners (including MVC) to elect for points and put the inventory into Abound. That means that it usually doesn't fall into the usual rules of when inventory may become available, making it more difficult to predict. The good news is that Aruba via Abound isn't impossible and you can wait list from 12 months ahead, with decent confidence that there will be a match.

Pulses of enrolled inventory go into Abound around the election deadlines through the year as well as when the reservation windows open. If they have inventory at 13 months, they don't release all of it then, they hold back upto 50% for the 12 months release. Some can sneak in between 13 and 12 months as well.

All that probably means there isn't a perfect time as it depends on what you are looking for, whether it is already in the land trust and what other people choose to do with their ownership.

Happy hunting!

If you elect club points prepay next year mf and deposit that year in II. So you're hedges on the 2 main avenues at same time. I've seen Aruba quite a bit in the sightings forum here.
If the Maui week is Marriott you'd have first preference in II
If it's Vistana you'd have 2nd preference.

 

[Hindsite]

If you elect club points prepay next year mf and deposit that year in II. So you're hedges on the 2 main avenues at same time. I've seen Aruba quite a bit in the sightings forum here.
If the Maui week is Marriott you'd have first preference in II
If it's Vistana you'd have 2nd preference.

Up to the OP, but I wouldn't deposit to II an ownership with such a high election value or MFs of over $2,500 per year, as there are few choices that are worth that much $ in II, unless is could be locked off to get to 2 x weeks.
If they can get more than 1 week's useful exchange in Abound for the elected points value that's well worth doing.
Yes Aruba is a reliable exchange in II, even 2-beds and occasionally 3-beds.

 

[babamike]

Thanks for the replies.
I never really used II as all the resorts look like 3 stars? Didn't know Marriott Aruba can be booked through II, will check around. I'm sure if the inventory not showing under Abound it's not going to show in II ?
Like Hindsite said my Annual dues are $3600 or so perhaps its best to make sure to get full value from it. 148K staroptions give me 6200 abound points that decent as long as we can book what we want.

 

[daviator]

Nobody has mentioned the waitlist, which I think is the best way to get into a property like Aruba. If the dates you want aren't available, call in and put yourself on the waitlist, and as soon as something comes available that fits within your selected dates, it's yours. If nothing becomes available and it gets to 60 days before checkin, the waitlist request is cancelled.

Especially when you are planning way in advance, the waitlist is the way to go. I have pretty much a 100% record of success with waitlist requests.

 

[babamike]

Nobody has mentioned the waitlist, which I think is the best way to get into a property like Aruba. If the dates you want aren't available, call in and put yourself on the waitlist, and as soon as something comes available that fits within your selected dates, it's yours. If nothing becomes available and it gets to 60 days before checkin, the waitlist request is cancelled.

Especially when you are planning way in advance, the waitlist is the way to go. I have pretty much a 100% record of success with waitlist requests.

Thats great, yes we plan ahead almost 12-13 months ahead.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Thats great, yes we plan ahead almost 12-13 months ahead.

I'd try at exactly 13 months then exactly 12 months (and maybe a few times in between), then if nothing jump on that waitlist. You can't get on the waitlist until 12 months regardless of your ownership level. Just remember you have to commit those points until the waitlist is satisfied or you cancel the request, and that all waitlist transactions are handled on phone or chat.