Best way for Vistana Owner to own MVC Club Points....or should they

[jeffm211]

If you want to go to an MVC resort, you may well find it much better value to put in a "request first" with II, than to try and use club points.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've not used II so don't know the procedures of that system. Can you request a resort before depositing your weeks?

 

[Venter]

Yes, it is called request first.

 

[Hindsite]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've not used II so don't know the procedures of that system. Can you request a resort before depositing your weeks?

Yes you can request before giving up your week. They put a hold on it so it looks like it has been deposited but it actually hasn't, I've used the feature and cancelled and got my week back immediately. You have to call to cancel a request.
Usually with a request first, you can only put dates in that are before you check-in day. e.g if you have 23 Nov 2024 booked, you can only request out to 23 Nov 2024, where if you deposit you can request out 2-years after the check-in date. An added benefit of Abound enrolled ownership is the ability to make a request that goes beyond the reservation date, thus increasing your chances of getting a match sooner.
A "feature" of MVC weeks ownership is the ability to string together near endless strings of consecutive week bookings from 13months ahead. Some owners do that to get prime weeks 15-18 months in advance, and then they put unwanted weeks into II. You see the effect of this when there is MVC inventory in II with a check-in date more than 12 months ahead. An extreme example of this in II now is Harbour Point on Hilton head, where there is inventory out to mid May 2025.

See below for the extract from the Abound info. I've not tried it with Sheraton or Westin ownership, but the language does refer to Abound members, so I would expect it to work. If you go this route, beware that II customer service agents may not be familiar with it, so you may need to ask to speak with the Marriott desk or a supervisor.

 

[Dean]

Yes you can request before giving up your week. They put a hold on it so it looks like it has been deposited but it actually hasn't, I've used the feature and cancelled and got my week back immediately. You have to call to cancel a request.
Usually with a request first, you can only put dates in that are before you check-in day. e.g if you have 23 Nov 2024 booked, you can only request out to 23 Nov 2024, where if you deposit you can request out 2-years after the check-in date. An added benefit of Abound enrolled ownership is the ability to make a request that goes beyond the reservation date, thus increasing your chances of getting a match sooner.
A "feature" of MVC weeks ownership is the ability to string together near endless strings of consecutive week bookings from 13months ahead. Some owners do that to get prime weeks 15-18 months in advance, and then they put unwanted weeks into II. You see the effect of this when there is MVC inventory in II with a check-in date more than 12 months ahead. An extreme example of this in II now is Harbour Point on Hilton head, where there is inventory out to mid May 2025.

See below for the extract from the Abound info. I've not tried it with Sheraton or Westin ownership, but the language does refer to Abound members, so I would expect it to work. If you go this route, beware that II customer service agents may not be familiar with it, so you may need to ask to speak with the Marriott desk or a supervisor.

View attachment 84404

The ability to do a request first that's after your week is a Marriott to Marriott benefit, it's not limited to abound. One has to call to do this and it must be Marriott to Marriott only. The week will show as an exchange in your MVC account and if you cancel, it takes a few days for it to show back up in your MVC account assigned to the owner. One must call to set this up AFAIK.

 

[Hindsite]

The ability to do a request first that's after your week is a Marriott to Marriott benefit, it's not limited to abound. One has to call to do this and it must be Marriott to Marriott only. The week will show as an exchange in your MVC account and if you cancel, it takes a few days for it to show back up in your MVC account assigned to the owner. One must call to set this up AFAIK.

Ahh thanks for the clarification.
So its not something that Sheraton and Westin owners can do?

 

[Dean]

Ahh thanks for the clarification.
So its not something that Sheraton and Westin owners can do?

To be honest, I'm not sure how this would work with Westin/Sheraton. The question would be whether they came under the umbrella for MVC in this regard. Maybe others here know for sure how this would fit with those owners. My points were that you have to call, it'll look like you've lost your week when you sign on to the website and that it has to be MVC to MVC only. Whether that is extended to the broader group, I don't know.

 

[Hindsite]

To be honest, I'm not sure how this would work with Westin/Sheraton. The question would be whether they came under the umbrella for MVC in this regard. Maybe others here know for sure how this would fit with those owners. My points were that you have to call, it'll look like you've lost your week when you sign on to the website and that it has to be MVC to MVC only. Whether that is extended to the broader group, I don't know.

Thanks, looks like we need a volunteer to experiment... @jeffm211 or @kozykritter are you up for calling II using Vistana ownership, using the magic words of "Special Internal exchange option" and letting us know how it goes?

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks, looks like we need a volunteer to experiment... @jeffm211 or @kozykritter are you up for calling II using Vistana ownership, using the magic words of "Special Internal exchange option" and letting us know how it goes?

This should be called out in the II Buyers Guide. I know the one specific for Marriott owners contains the following text. If Vistana has a similar program, it would be spelled out in their specific II Buyers Guide. I don't have that and the link through legal just provides the basic one for individual II members.

Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option.
In addition to being able to request an internal exchange to a MVCI Resort using either the Deposit First or Request First exchange method, a Club Program Exchange Member choosing to relinquish a Week or Individual Member may select a third type of exchange method available only to Club Program Exchange Members choosing to relinquish a Week(s) and Individual Members (the “Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option”). The applicable Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member must select from the Deposit First, Request First, or Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option exchange methods at the time of initiating a Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange request under this section. The Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option may be used where a Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member places an exchange request at least 75 days prior to the commencement date of his or her Week, and requests travel dates that fall after his or her assigned Week. The use of the Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option will be governed by the terms set forth in this Paragraph 5. If a Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member selects the Special Marriott Vacation Club Internal Exchange Option and II does not issue a Confirmation from 12 months to at least 75 days prior to the commencement date of the member’s assigned Week, such Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member has the following options:

(a) The Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member may request that his or her assigned Week be automatically returned to him or her for his or her own use, and that II cancel the pending exchange request.

(b) The Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member may request that II continue processing his or her exchange request and that the assigned Week be deposited with II. If this option is chosen, all rights to occupy the assigned Week are relinquished by the Club Program Exchange Member or Individual Member, and assigned to II 75 days prior to the commencement date of the deposited Week, irrespective of whether II ultimately confirms the pending exchange request. In the event such request is not ultimately confirmed by II, such Club Program Exchange Member’s or Individual Member’s deposit will be governed by the terms and conditions of the Deposit First exchange method, as set forth under Week-Based Exchange Methods.

 

[dioxide45]

Does anyone have the II Buyers Guide for Vistana owners?

 

[kozykritter]

Thanks, looks like we need a volunteer to experiment... @jeffm211 or @kozykritter are you up for calling II using Vistana ownership, using the magic words of "Special Internal exchange option" and letting us know how it goes?

I don't own any Vistana weeks so not sure it would help if I called. All my ownership is Flex.

 

[jschmeling]

Does anyone have the II Buyers Guide for Vistana owners?

Where would I find this? I'm a Vistana owner and use II but don't recall ever reading a guide.

 

[dioxide45]

Where would I find this? I'm a Vistana owner and use II but don't recall ever reading a guide.

I don't know. I also own Vistana and haven't seen it. Perhaps it doesn't exist.

 

[Venter]

From Ownership 101 link on your dashboard.

ASSIGNING YOUR VOI WITH INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL
Signing into intervalworld.com is the fastest and easiest way to exchange. Click the “Exchange” tab, search for availability, and then pick the Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) you wish to exchange. If you don’t immediately find the available exchange you are looking for, be sure to start an ongoing request using either of the following two exchange choices with Interval International®:

Deposit First (preferred method) — Use Deposit First when you know you won’t be traveling to your Home Resort or a Vistana Signature Network™ (VSN) villa resort during your Use Year. You can assign your Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) directly with Interval International (by phone or online) without calling Owner Services. Once your VOI is assigned with Interval International, here is what you will see on intervalworld.com:
The specific Use Year(s), Home Resort or Points Package, Villa type (if applicable), and expiration date of your assignment in your Interval International account.
Your assignment will be valid until Dec. 31, two years after the Use Year assigned.
Your assignment can be reversed and restored with Vistana within the same Use Year. Reversing is available as long as an exchange has not been confirmed with Interval International against your VOI.
Request First — You can search availability with Interval International without assigning your VOI. You can start an exchange request up to one year in advance and through Dec. 24 of the Use Year you wish to exchange. If your exchange is not confirmed by Dec. 24 of the Use Year, you must contact Interval International or Owner Services to assign your VOI to maintain your ability to exchange it in a future year.
It may take up to 72 hours for the verification process for Request First exchanges.

For more information regarding exchange partner resorts available through Interval International, please visit intervalworld.com or call 1-877-782-7088.

BANKING YOUR VOI WITH RCI
Owners of select locations/phases* have the ability to exchange their ownership with RCI. If you would like to bank your ownership with RCI, please select “External Exchange” from the “My Choices” widget on your Owner Dashboard. Here are a few things to remember when requesting to bank with RCI:

Your RCI account must be active in order to complete your request. If you are not sure, it is important that you check with RCI prior to requesting to bank your ownership. If your RCI account is not active when you request to bank, your request will not be accepted by RCI and the transaction will be canceled.
Banking with RCI is a final transaction.
The banking process may take as much as 48 to 72 hours to process.
Once deposited, you will have up to two years before it expires.
Once you have banked your ownership, to initiate your exchange visit rci.com or call RCI toll-free at 1-800-433-5400 or direct at 317-805-8000.
For additional information, please view all of the RCI terms and conditions.

* Only Owners that have weekly ownership rights at Vistana Beach Club, Sheraton Desert Oasis, Sheraton Lakeside Terrace Villas at Mountain Vista, Sheraton Vistana Resort, or Sheraton Broadway Plantation (Myrtle phase) are able to exchange with RCI.

 

[Hindsite]

Where would I find this? I'm a Vistana owner and use II but don't recall ever reading a guide.

Log in to your Vistana supplied II account via the web site, scroll down to the very bottom, select Legal information (small writing), then select Terms and conditions. That will open the II buyers guide. I don't believe it will detail differences between MVC and Vistana owners request first processes. Mine doesn't but I can do the special request first process.

 

[dioxide45]

Log in to your Vistana supplied II account via the web site, scroll down to the very bottom, select Legal information (small writing), then select Terms and conditions. That will open the II buyers guide. I don't believe it will detail differences between MVC and Vistana owners request first processes. Mine doesn't but I can do the special request first process.

Yeah, that seems to just be the standard Buyers Guide that applies to all individual accounts. The Buyers Guide for Marriott owners is actually available on the Marriott Vacation Club website and had difference as it pertains to Marriott ownership.

 

[Hindsite]

Yeah, that seems to just be the standard Buyers Guide that applies to all individual accounts. The Buyers Guide for Marriott owners is actually available on the Marriott Vacation Club website and had difference as it pertains to Marriott ownership.

Found it in my MVC account, thanks, I didn't know there was a different one.
Do you mind asking Mark for clarification, if not, can you help me craft the question and I'll send it? The use of the term Abound Programme member implies it is open to VSN Abound members as well as MVC ones, but its ambiguous.

 

[dioxide45]

Found it in my MVC account, thanks, I didn't know there was a different one.
Do you mind asking Mark for clarification, if not, can you help me craft the question and I'll send it? The use of the term Abound Programme member implies it is open to VSN Abound members as well as MVC ones, but its ambiguous.

I can reach out to Mark early next week. If we want it sooner, someone else can. Chances are he may be off this week and or over the holiday and we would just get a back up person.

 

[Hindsite]

I can reach out to Mark early next week. If we want it sooner, someone else can. Chances are he bay be off this week and or over the holiday and we would just get a back up person.

no need to rush we've all managed this long without knowing. Many thanks, enjoy the holiday.

 

[jschmeling]

Log in to your Vistana supplied II account via the web site, scroll down to the very bottom, select Legal information (small writing), then select Terms and conditions. That will open the II buyers guide. I don't believe it will detail differences between MVC and Vistana owners request first processes. Mine doesn't but I can do the special request first process.

The link there doesn't require login, but it is a PDF, and it is https://www.intervalworld.com/iimedia/pdf/iw/buyers-guide.pdf

 

[dioxide45]

The link there doesn't require login, but it is a PDF, and it is https://www.intervalworld.com/iimedia/pdf/iw/buyers-guide.pdf

Yeah that is the standard buyers guide that apply to all individual members.

 

[People_advocate]

We own Vistana Desert Willow and Sheraton Flex. Now that Vistana and Marriott has "co-mingled" through ABOUND (finally), we thought this would bring a new opportunity to vacation at MVC properties. But Marriott seems to have ingeniously structured the program (ABOUND) to slowly "strangle" Vistana Owners into eventually having to purchase club points to be able to get access to properties at desired times if at all. I will be the last person to claim I am an expert at utilizing MVC and Vistana optimally. But I am also not a novice. At every owner update, they are they are now trying to sell us MVC Club points. Latest: trade in our two Sheraton flex contacts (worth 2775 Club Points on ABOUND) for 4250 MVC Club Trust Points. Plus 2000 Bonus Plus Points for 2024 all in for $16.8k. Maintenance fees go from ~$2100 for $3300 for 2024. So why would/should we do this. The relationship between the exchange and Trust market is what they push at every owner update. And I am now seeing the issue. Clearly availability at anything outside our home properties is deminishing. And availability at properties at MVC at desirable periods are few if not non-existent, even if looking 13 months out (We are not interested in Grande Ocean in January. There is NO availability at Los Suenos ever.) . And, not having access to the MVC website is a pain. Nobody can tell me how to access the full foglio of MVC "experiences" if you are an ABOUND/Vistana user.

So my question is this.....if you are a VISTANA Owner, are you eventually going to need to buy MVC Trust points assuming you want to vacation somewhere besides your home resort. And, is the deal I am describing above a good deal?

I have thick skin....so criticism is taken constructively. Thank you in advance.

My mother was given this sales pitch a couple months ago, and she bought in even though I made her promise me she would not. Luckily, I was able to rescind the purchase on her behalf even though it was one day past the rescission period.

As stated by others, you have ability to access Marriott properties with your existing timeshare, and there is no need to purchase “an upgrade” (which is basically just another week timeshare), in order to get those Marriott benefits.

Better off just buying either more Vistana or new Marriott points on the secondary market for minimal cost.

 

[bazzap]

Yeah that is the standard buyers guide that apply to all individual members.

The most recent Interval buyers guide for MVC Owners I have seen is this one.
I am not sure where I got it from and I can’t find it now on the Owner website.
Does anyone have a website link for this or better still a 2023 equivalent?

 

[dioxide45]

The most recent Interval buyers guide for MVC Owners I have seen is this one.
I am not sure where I got it from and I can’t find it now on the Owner website.
Does anyone have a website link for this or better still a 2023 equivalent?

View attachment 84777

The only one I am able to find is the 2018 version and you get to that by acting like you are enrolling weeks by clicking on the "New Opportunities with Enrollment" link on the main page after logging in. Then you have to click through like you are enrolling and then there is a link for "Enrollment Documents". Under both the US and European list, it brings up only the 2018 version. Perhaps the 2022 version is provided on the thumb drive they give someone when they make a new direct purchase?

 

[bazzap]

The only one I am able to find is the 2018 version and you get to that by acting like you are enrolling weeks by clicking on the "New Opportunities with Enrollment" link on the main page after logging in. Then you have to click through like you are enrolling and then there is a link for "Enrollment Documents". Under both the US and European list, it brings up only the 2018 version. Perhaps the 2022 version is provided on the thumb drive they give someone when they make a new direct purchase?

Now you have steered me in the direction I probably found it in the first place

https://www.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/common/cms/mvc/pdfs/helpfulTools/enrolledOwner/legalDocs/Interval%20International%20Buyers%20Guide%20053122.pdf

If you go to Resources then Helpful tools then Enrollment Documentation then Documentation for Owners of U.S. and Caribbean Properties then Interval International Buyers Guide (Terms and Conditions) for All Enrollments
it takes you to the 2022 version
(If instead you choose Documentation for Owners of European Holiday Ownership Interests it takes you to the 2018 version?!?)

 

[dioxide45]

Now you have steered me in the direction I probably found it in the first place

https://www.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/common/cms/mvc/pdfs/helpfulTools/enrolledOwner/legalDocs/Interval%20International%20Buyers%20Guide%20053122.pdf

If you go to Resources then Helpful tools then Enrollment Documentation then Documentation for Owners of U.S. and Caribbean Properties then Interval International Buyers Guide (Terms and Conditions) for All Enrollments
it takes you to the 2022 version
(If instead you choose Documentation for Owners of European Holiday Ownership Interests it takes you to the 2018 version?!?)

View attachment 84786View attachment 84787View attachment 84788

Interesting. Thanks for this. These three groupings of documents exist in the enrollment flow also but If you go through the enrollment flow, the document linked under "Documentation for Owners of U.S. and Caribbean Properties", is the 2018 version. Wonderful and glorious MVC IT is there for us again