Booking weeks at 13 months

[dioxide45]

The reservation window for week 49, 13 month out, would be week 45, right?

You're right.

 

[SkyBornDancer]

Can I reserve the following 2024 weeks at 45th week (49-4) of this year (2023)?

Week 49: A-1
Week 50: A-2
Week 51: B-1
Week 52: B-2

One thing you might already be aware of, is many resorts have 51 and 52 deed differently into a different booking season. For example, with my Maui Ocean Club Villa Floating weeks, I cannot book week 51 or 52 because I need to own those week specific windows.

 

[Dean]

The reservation window for week 49, 13 month out, would be week 45, right?

Technically correct but be careful as the dates for each week don't always line up. For example, a Friday start week might be a week off from Saturday and Sunday and so on. This is due to the week 53 that sometimes falls different years for different start dates. Always check independently for Marriott at Resources/Help Tools/When can I reserve and choose weeks or points as appropriate. That will give you the date of expected release of inventory.

 

[chanakya]

Thanks @Dean. On a related note, can you string together the weeks even if check-ins are not perfectly aligned? Say, Fri check-in for 1st week, but Sun check-in for 2nd week.

 

[DanCali]

Thanks @Dean. On a related note, can you string together the weeks even if check-ins are not perfectly aligned? Say, Fri check-in for 1st week, but Sun check-in for 2nd week.

Yes, you can. But usually it's something that happens due to lack of availability, and not necessarily something intentional!

 

[Dean]

Thanks @Dean. On a related note, can you string together the weeks even if check-ins are not perfectly aligned? Say, Fri check-in for 1st week, but Sun check-in for 2nd week.

Early on this was not allowed but I've been told that it is now possible though I'm still skeptical.

 

[SueDonJ]

Thanks @Dean. On a related note, can you string together the weeks even if check-ins are not perfectly aligned? Say, Fri check-in for 1st week, but Sun check-in for 2nd week.

Early on this was not allowed but I've been told that it is now possible though I'm still skeptical.

It's been a few years since we've used our Barony and SurfWatch Weeks for home resort stays but when we were using them every year, I'd routinely, purposely book consecutive weeks with one or two nights in between to add hotel nights in Savannah or Charleston between the Friday and Sunday check-ins. No representative had ever said it couldn't be done.

 

[Dean]

It's been a few years since we've used our Barony and SurfWatch Weeks for home resort stays but when we were using them every year, I'd routinely, purposely book consecutive weeks with one or two nights in between to add hotel nights in Savannah or Charleston between the Friday and Sunday check-ins. No representative had ever said it couldn't be done.

I am certain there were people denied reservations early on due to this issue. What I don't know was whether it was a policy change or training issue.

 

[DanCali]

I for certain there were people denies reservations early on due to this issue. What I don't know was whether it was a policy change or training issue.

I've had that done for me - more than once and not out of choice.... I'd start booking consecutive Saturday checkins at 13 months out and then get to week #4 and they tell me that only Friday or Sunday is availble.

 

[RookWDW]

Very helpful discussion. If I'm understanding correctly ...

I owned a Gold week at MGO and a 2 bd Platinum at MGC. My priority goal is to book MGO the week starting June 1st or 2nd, 2024 (week 22 at MGO). So, my plan is to book a consecutive week at MGC. If I want to book at 13 months + 1 week, I need to book week 21 (May 24th, 25t, or 26th) at MGC first and then MGO week 22, right? That means my booking window would start April 24th 2023?

What if I wanted to lock off MGC, does that let me start a week earlier and then I book MGO week 22, MGC weeks 21 and 20? My booking window would now be April 17, 2023?

I'm just looking for the best odds of getting the coveted June Gold week at MGO. I will be trading MGC but staying at MGO. Weeks 18-23 at MGC all have the same TDI of 130 and week 24 is 135. I'll be trading for anywhere on the beach in the Caribbean over Christmas break (St. Thomas, Aruba, St. Kitts, etc., it doesn't matter too much).

 

[jwalk03]

You can’t lockoff MGC and book the two sides of the lockoff as the first two weeks and than MGO as the 3rd. When you lockoff and book consecutive weeks you have to alternate between the 2 or more separate weeks owned.

 

[Dean]

You can’t lockoff MGC and book the two sides of the lockoff as the first two weeks and than MGO as the 3rd. When you lockoff and book consecutive weeks you have to alternate between the 2 or more separate weeks owned.

That has not been my experience as long as I was booking using other weeks also. I’ve done so quite a few times.

 

[jwalk03]

That has not been my experience as long as I was booking using other weeks also. I’ve done so quite a few times.

Interesting. I thought you had to alternate between owned weeks.

 

[Dean]

Interesting. I thought you had to alternate between owned weeks.

I've done it with HL, Ko Olina & WR in the past. I know some have been told they can't but there are other reports of success also. This year I led with Legend's Edge though due to what was available a given week but I have 4 different reservations that I made this year for next year that are all with the two sides of a L/O consecutively in the string. Reserving on Even years gives me 3 additional weeks in my string due to my EOY weeks. A good rule of thumb if you don't get something you think you can and should be able to get, hang up and call back. I actually had this conversation with an Advisor either last year or the year before. She initially balked when I was starting with lock off's from the same resort then when she figured out we were doing more consecutive weeks, she said Oh, OK.

 

[DRH90277]

Sequential Points Reservations - I was thinking about these writings and it prompted a question for the points program. The question is could I book a Sunday thru Friday morning (5 day) reservation and have another reservation treated as a sequential reservation if it started on the Saturday - a 1 day gap? I called Marriott and was advised that there is no allowed gap between sequential reservations under the points program. So, I won't try that.

I sure prefer the weeks we bought.

 

[dioxide45]

Sequential Points Reservations - I was thinking about these writings and it prompted a question for the points program. The question is could I book a Sunday thru Friday morning (5 day) reservation and have another reservation treated as a sequential reservation if it started on the Saturday - a 1 day gap? I called Marriott and was advised that there is no allowed gap between sequential reservations under the points program. So, I won't try that.

I sure prefer the weeks we bought.

You can't even make two points reservations back to back at 13 months. Unless somehow they had the same inventory release date. Like a 1 night reservation at one resort followed by 5 nights at another. Otherwise, your reservation at 13 months using points must all be a single reservation. Though you can make multiple concurrent reservations.

 

[Dean]

Sequential Points Reservations - I was thinking about these writings and it prompted a question for the points program. The question is could I book a Sunday thru Friday morning (5 day) reservation and have another reservation treated as a sequential reservation if it started on the Saturday - a 1 day gap? I called Marriott and was advised that there is no allowed gap between sequential reservations under the points program. So, I won't try that.

I sure prefer the weeks we bought.

Each one would function independently and would be subject to the applicable 13 months reservation Tuesday. Depending on the specific days, there's a chance they'd both be available to reserve on the same day.

 

[DRH90277]

Each one would function independently and would be subject to the applicable 13 months reservation Tuesday. Depending on the specific days, there's a chance they'd both be available to reserve on the same day.

Can you make 13 months out point reservations on line, either sequential or concurrent? I can see how you would just make repetitive concurrent reservations on line by just repeating the reservations one by one. I cannot envision how the system would allow sequential reservations. Any thoughts?

 

[SueDonJ]

Can you make 13 months out point reservations on line, either sequential or concurrent? I can see how you would just make repetitive concurrent reservations on line by just repeating the reservations one by one. I cannot envision how the system would allow sequential reservations. Any thoughts?

Concurrent stays using Abound Points are reserved like you say, one at a time on the same release day.

If you're talking about using Abound Points for stays of more than seven days in the same resort, unit size and view type, those "sequential" stays are booked as a single reservation for however many days. (I vaguely remember that the max number of days in a single stay is 24?? Not sure about that so hopefully if it's wrong somebody will correct me.)

If you're talking about using Abound Points for sequential stays that differ by resort, unit size and/or view type, those reservations can't all be made on the same day. The release date for each stay that differs is based on the check-in date of each separate stay, and each stay can't be booked until the corresponding separate release dates.

 

[Dean]

Can you make 13 months out point reservations on line, either sequential or concurrent? I can see how you would just make repetitive concurrent reservations on line by just repeating the reservations one by one. I cannot envision how the system would allow sequential reservations. Any thoughts?

In some cases but it's not because of the consecutive weeks but rather the fact that an entire weeks becomes available at a given time. Maybe you book Thursday to Wed at one resort then Wed for a week at another 1t 13 months out. Unlike the 13 month window for weeks, you cannot extend the window for points just because they are consecutive. You can book up to 2 weeks at a time on the first day reservations are open for the check in date in question.

 

[VacationForever]

In some cases but it's not because of the consecutive weeks but rather the fact that an entire weeks becomes available at a given time. Maybe you book Thursday to Wed at one resort then Wed for a week at another 1t 13 months out. Unlike the 13 month window for weeks, you cannot extend the window for points just because they are consecutive. You can book up to 2 weeks at a time on the first day reservations are open for the check in date in question.

For MVC, isn't 21 days the max for point bookings?

 

[DRH90277]

My orientation has been the weeks for the various level privileges and I like what I can do with weeks.

The points program seems to have new and different benefits such as the ability to make a multiple day reservation beyond a week and the booking of concurrent weeks on line (but one at a time). My expectations were that it would be more like the weeks program but it's an entirely different animal. If limited to only the two benefits I mention, I'm not sure the benefit is much beyond the 13 month out reservation privilege and the ability to book individual days. I had envisioned something where you could book 9 days in Boston, then 8 days in NY, then a travel day to the West Coast before 6 days in San Francisco, etc. Maybe a 2 month string of reservations, all made at once at 13 months out. But it seems you could not make this reservation at 13 mos as one reservation plus the 1 day travel day would break the sequence.

Am I starting to understand this or is the 13 mo advantage for points better than what I see?

 

[Dean]

For MVC, isn't 21 days the max for point bookings?

You could be right, I deal with multiple systems. I was thinking 14 but it could be 21. That said, I'm not sure how feasible it would be to book the full length of time 13 months out and shorten later. My guess is it would be hit or miss but I've never done it and I wouldn't be comfortable doing it purposefully as it would feel dishonest to me even if allowed.

 

[DRH90277]

You could be right, I deal with multiple systems. I was thinking 14 but it could be 21. That said, I'm not sure how feasible it would be to book the full length of time 13 months out and shorten later. My guess is it would be hit or miss but I've never done it and I wouldn't be comfortable doing it purposefully as it would feel dishonest to me even if allowed.

Online it's a sequence of 21 days at a single resort. You can book beyond this by talking to Customer Service personnel.

A string of Points reservations - The 13 month reservation deal applies to one resort so you cannot book a stay at one resort and then extend your vacation by booking at another resort. In other words, I could not make a chain of points reservation at 13 months to go from Hilton Head to Myrtle Beach to Williamsburg. I asked about this from Customer Service yesterday. It appears some features will just work better with owned weeks.

One other thing - the banking points deadline has shifted for Chairman's Club to 2 months before the end of the current use year (from 4 months). This change was not made for the Presidential level. Does anyone know of any other changes in level benefits?

 

[Fasttr]

One other thing - the banking points deadline has shifted for Chairman's Club to 2 months before the end of the current use year (from 4 months). This change was not made for the Presidential level. Does anyone know of any other changes in level benefits?

Under the Abound FAQ's this is what it lists for other changes....

• The name of the current exchange program, Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program, is changing to Abound by Marriott Vacations™.
• The name of the currency, Vacation Club Points, will now simply be called Club Points.
• Two transactional deadlines are changing beginning with the 2023 Use Year for Owners at some benefit levels for added flexibility, and to align with other deadlines to make the product simpler.
• The banking Club Points deadline is changing for Chairman’s Club benefit level Owners beginning with their 2023 Use Year as follows:

Owner Benefit Level	Current Club Points Banking Deadline	2023 Deadline for Banking Club Points	Use Banked Club Points Within this Time Frame
Owner and Select	6 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	6 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	Within the immediately following year
Executive	4 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	4 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	Within the immediately following year
Presidential	4 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	4 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	Within the immediately following 1.5 Use Years
Chairman's Club	4 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	2 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	Within the immediately following 2 Use Years

• The deadline to trade Club Points for Marriott Bonvoy® points is changing beginning in Owners’ 2023 Use Year. Previously, the deadline for all Points Owners to trade for Marriott Bonvoy points was 9 months prior to the end of their Use Year. These are the new deadlines, based on Owner benefit level:

Owner Benefit Level	Current Deadline to Trade Club Points for Marriott Bonvoy Points	2023 Deadline to Trade Club Points for Marriott Bonvoy Points	Percent Which May Be Traded:
Owner and Select	9 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	6 months prior to the end of the current Use Year	50%
Executive and Presidential	9 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	4 months prior to the end of the current Use Year	65%
Chairman's Club	9 months prior to the end of Owner's current Use Year	2 months prior to the end of the current Use Year	75%