Club Points Overlay Program (CPOP) for Phuket Beach Owners / Week into AP club points

[icydog]

It happens when points are involved

That's what happens with point systems.. the newer resorts cost more points and more maintenance fees as well. A week at Disney's Old Key West Resort is substantially cheaper in points than a week at Disney's Bay Lake Towers.

Also the seven month rule DVC has always had makes a great deal of sense. if you pay the big bucks for a resort you should have first crack at it. And then if you let that ship sail then your expensive resort is up for grabs for anyone with sufficient DVC points to reserve. It's kindda democratic I think.

 

[Dean]

That's what happens with point systems.. the newer resorts cost more points and more maintenance fees as well. A week at Disney's Old Key West Resort is substantially cheaper in points than a week at Disney's Bay Lake Towers.

Also the seven month rule DVC has always had makes a great deal of sense. if you pay the big bucks for a resort you should have first crack at it. And then if you let that ship sail then your expensive resort is up for grabs for anyone with sufficient DVC points to reserve. It's kindda democratic I think.

I think the difference for DVC, unlike say Bluegreen or Wyndham/Fairfield, is that they have not raised the points simply as a means of increasing the price but rather created a resort that offers something worth more points than other offerings. Put another way, had BLT been first and others came after, it would still be around the same points as it is now.

 

[icydog]

I think the difference for DVC, unlike say Bluegreen or Wyndham/Fairfield, is that they have not raised the points simply as a means of increasing the price but rather created a resort that offers something worth more points than other offerings. Put another way, had BLT been first and others came after, it would still be around the same points as it is now.

Absolutely. However, when we first saw what is now OKW in 1992 we thought we had died and gone to heaven. It was so beautiful and-- what was there to compare it to anyway. At that time Disney Vacation Club's Flagship resort was the best ever resort in the world in my estimation. Then when they built HH and VB I thought I would pass out from the beauty. Now I think that the AKV are the nicest I have ever seen-- and that BLT will be the MOST convenient of all the DVC properties.

Have you stayed at the AKV yet? They are spectacular.

 

[Dean]

Have you stayed at the AKV yet? They are spectacular.

We stayed in concierge last December (points) and at OKW in May (exchange) and spent some time at Kidani. We have 2 exchanges in Oct for the same week for 1 BR in Kidani (1 Savannah view, 1 standard view).

Back to the previous point. Some points systems have used the points costs as a method of increasing the cost for new resorts in addition to the price per point, DVC has not done that to date to their credit.

 

[icydog]

Back to the previous point. Some points systems have used the points costs as a method of increasing the cost for new resorts in addition to the price per point, DVC has not done that to date to their credit.

Can you give me an example of this. I assume you mean BG or Wyndham?

 

[Dean]

Can you give me an example of this. I assume you mean BG or Wyndham?

That was a big part of the discussion when Fairfield was converting over and building new resorts, not as well versed in Wyndham per se. BG ha done this to a degree from what I've seen. I can't speak to Hyatt, Hilton, Worldmark, Club Intrawest or other points systems.

 

[Starbucks]

It´s been a while since my last post about the AP program but as it seems that there are a few members of this board are interested i am going to share the most recent info i got today by snailmail.

1st: It seems the sales situation is pushing them to increase goodies.

The current offer for Phuket Beach Club Owners is now:

Get 200.000 MR-Points and join the CPOP for free (a $5000 "value")

IF (!!!) you choose to own aka buy 35.000 Club Points by 1st December 2009.

Still "No deal!" for me...

2nd: Beside the new offer i also found one interesting phrase which was completely new to me:

With the Club Point Overlay Program you can choose to convert your current Phuket Week to Club Points on any given year in order to enjoy additional use options.

So if i read and understand this correct joining CPOP does not mean that my original week is converted into points generally. Instead of that i remain an original week owner and could - as an added benefit - choose to convert my week into club points if i might be interested to do that once in a while.

IMHO a very huge and important point as it gives me the possibility to explore and work with the new club point system nearly (join fee) risk free.

Unfortunately for Marriott i still consider their $5.000 price tag to add those "new benefits" to my current week as too expensive. However if they would drop the fee and/or add some "bribe material" i might bite in the future.

 

[m61376]

Hmmm...thanks for the update. My "guess" is that the AP points program is the guinea pig program of sorts for the overall program that Marriott is reportedly developing. It is VERY interesting that they seem to have gone from a points conversion program into a points overlay program, which is a huge difference, esp. wrt usage of your home resort.

I wonder if they have addressed MF issues such that week owners and point owners at the same resort wouldn't be paying different MF's; additionally, under the week system all owners, regardless of season, pay the same MF's but under the point system lower season owners would pay lower MF's, despite the fact that the operating expenses are fairly uniform across the year regardless of week being visited.

 

[LawrenzoY]

I wonder if this AP point program is the reason for no availability in MPU. I haven't seen any availablity in MPU for July and Aug. 2010 since last a few months. Any comment?

 

[kfsong]

i received the closure docs, the ownership certificate today and the ownership number today.

but they did not send me the username and the password, how long will they take to give it to me or i have to contact the owner services ? how about the II membership ? i have updated the ROFR at the date base, i pais 31K for 2 weeks platinum every year at Phuket Beach Club, was it a reasonable deal ? Will they offer the CPOP for resale owner ?

 

[kfsong]

Hi starbucks & all

latest from marriott phuket beach club, the US 5K conversion fees is no more now.

current overlay program is BUY 15,000 club points for 1 week overlay, BUY 21,000 club points for 2 weeks overlay. The price is US1.05 with 15% discount, for me i am tempting to buy the points so i have a right to convert the points in the future. i believe more clubs connection hotel room will come on board in the coming years and i will have the fexibilty to trade into those hotel, wat your think ? pls advice

 

[MALC9990]

Whilstb this is an old thread the recent update brought it to my attention. We are just back from Phuket Beach Club and our sales presentation was all about buying more AP points. I resisted what little temptation there was.

I already own weeks at Phuket Beach Club and also some AP points. I am niot tempted to buy more points since when buying my points in early 2009, the rep also included the rught to cob=nvert my weeks (3) into AP points each year.

There was a bit of pressure for me to do this fromn the rep - my guess is that MVCIAP need the weeks from weeks owners for points owners to get time at Phuket beach Club since it seems more popular than the Mai Khao Beach Club. MVCIAP owns only a percentage of weeks at Phuket Beach Club and so needs owners to give up weeks to meet demand from AP points owners.

Since I prefer Phuket Beach Club also - I tend to use my weeks but have exchanged for AP points this year (1 week) to get sufficient time at the Empire place for a visit to Bangkok next year (2012).

Also the use of AP points for hotel stays is a better value than using MR points - as long as you want to stay at one of the Club Connections Hotels.

 

[kfsong]

Did you pay the US 5K for the right to convert to AP points, if no, how much did you pay US per points & any discount when you purchased the AP points ?

 

[MALC9990]

AP Points purchase

I bought my points in 2009. First set bought in Feb 2009 - they were being sold in blocks of 12,000 at $1.05 per point. I bought 2 blocks - 24,000. Benefit at that time for me was 4 marriott weeks deposited with II in my account. Later in 2009 (about August) my sales rep emailed with offer to buy 6000 more points also at $1.05 per point and I could convert all my weeks to AP points in the future. I felt this was a reasonable deal so bought the additional 6,000 points.

My first 24,000 points convert to MR points at 5 MR points for each AP point. Second 6,000 are at 3 MR points for each AP point. I am not sure how they work out the difference conversion but since I have not converted any as yet it is a moot point.

My rationale for the AP point purchase was to provide the necessary flexibility on availability for travel to Thailand from Europe. Some days of the week offer cheaper travel but they don't tie in with the weeks checkin dates of Fri/Sat/Sun at Phuket Beach Club. I can now do stop overs in Bangkok on the way out and home at Empire place and travel to Bangkok when the flights are cheaper or when I can FF miles seats.

Have also used AP points for a stay at the Marriott in SIN and that was a good deal when compared to MR points rates. I will also be using them to stay in Bangkok and Phuket in Sept 2011.

 

[kfsong]

thanks for the info, can you explain further on tis " Benefit at that time for me was 4 marriott weeks deposited with II in my account " as i do not know wat u meant ?? So , now you are a weeks owner and asia pacific club points owner, do you have to open two II account or just have to maintain the same II account for weeks and points ? otherwise have to pay 2 diff subscription fees then

So u also have two different web page to check the availbility ya, one is my-vacationclub.com & vacationclubap.com, correct me if i am wrong

wow, U have 4 weeks with marriott traditional week and 30,000 point with AP club , and you will have great flexibility to travel K. apart from that , have you face any difficulty in booking the hotel under the club connections ?

when is the dateline that you have to inform marriott to convert the weeks to points each year ?

I agreed with you by buying the AP points , it will allow flexibilty, can you explain in your opinion wat are the pros & cons for tis overlay program as you have experiences using it now, many thanks

 

[Mr. Vker]

We have used MR points--via travel packages-- a few times (again this May) to fly from Baltimore to BKK. They are a great value. We could never afford first class or business class international tickets. But you do need a lot of flexibilty. I hope the points provide that for you.

I do like having my "week" though. I hope Marriott does not head down the road of forcing conversions to points.

 

[MALC9990]

To KFSONG

thanks for the info, can you explain further on tis " Benefit at that time for me was 4 marriott weeks deposited with II in my account " as i do not know wat u meant ?? So , now you are a weeks owner and asia pacific club points owner, do you have to open two II account or just have to maintain the same II account for weeks and points ? otherwise have to pay 2 diff subscription fees then

So u also have two different web page to check the availbility ya, one is my-vacationclub.com & vacationclubap.com, correct me if i am wrong

wow, U have 4 weeks with marriott traditional week and 30,000 point with AP club , and you will have great flexibility to travel K. apart from that , have you face any difficulty in booking the hotel under the club connections ?

when is the dateline that you have to inform marriott to convert the weeks to points each year ?

I agreed with you by buying the AP points , it will allow flexibilty, can you explain in your opinion wat are the pros & cons for tis overlay program as you have experiences using it now, many thanks

The benefit of the 4 weeks was basically as follows. For purchasing 24,000 MVCIAP points there was a "Gift" - usually these are MR points buit on this occasion, the "Gift" was to have 4 Marriott weeks deposited into my II account as though I had done a "deposit first". These are then available for me to exchange to other resorts in the II catalogue. All 4 weeks had 2 year lifetime on them. Obviously these 4 weeks deposited are a one off "gift" so once exchanged they are USED.

My MVCIAP points appear on my single II membershiop alongside my weeks owned at Phuket Beach Club, Marriott Son Antem and Playa Andaluz.

Yes I do have to work with two different WEB siste - one for MVCI and the other for MVCIAP - not really a problem - I set up "Favourites" for each link.

I have had no difficulties booking club connections stays at Hotels - I use the MVCIAP call centre in Cork, Ireland and they are most helpful if I need assistance.

There is a deadline for exchanging your Phuket Beach Club Week for MVCIAP points but I am not certasin when it would be - for 2012 weeks I think it would be sometime in 2011 - also you would have to have paid your Maintenance fees for the year (I think) - a call to the MVCIAP contacvt centre would be able to conform the rules on exchangiong weeks for AP points.

So far the MVCIAP points additionaly to my weeks at Phuket beach club have proved very flexible. I have used them for stays at Club Connection hotel in Singapore. I have used them for a week at Hhuket Beach Club to add a 4th week to my 3 weeks owned there. I have a booking for The Empire Place for Sept 2011 using my MVCIAP points. Additionally, MVCIAP offered a deal in 2010 to exchange points for weeks to be deposited in II. I used 24,000 points and got two weeks deposited in II (these were two weeks at Mai Khao Beach Club in Platinum Season) - this was a big discount on th points normally required to book these weeks (12,000 points instead of 32,700 points). I then used these deposited weeks in II for weeks at other Marriott resorts in 2011.

One big advantage of using the weeks for points exchange is that I can then use the points to stay out of my normal season. So my platinum weeks at Phuket Beach Club are not available to use in Gold Seaon. But if I exchange a platinum week for 32,700 AP points I can then use those points to book more than 7 days in Gold Season at Phuket and gain a longer stay.

 

[kfsong]

to MALC

do you purchase all your weeks directly from MVCI or from secondary market ? do their throw you free maintenances fees or marriott rewards points or II membership when you convert ? do they give you any discount from US$1.05 ?

many thanks for your infos as i am given 48 hours to make a decision to buy the 21K points together with the overlay program, do you think it is worth a try ?

 

[MALC9990]

To KFSONg

My 3 weeks at Phuket Beacvh Club were purchased from Marriott as developer weeks - so quite expensive. Now I would buy on the resale market - some weeks are available from resale agents.

MVCIAP points can only be purchased from MVCIAP and I believe normal price is $1.25 per point - if you can get the price to $1.05 that is good as it is the 2008/2009 price.

I can't say whether 21,000 points is good or not for you it really depends on what you are looking to do for vacations.


Remember - this is NOT a financial investment you are buuying and ongoping commitment to the maintenance. No one can say if a resale market for the points will develop in the future. If it does it wil be much lower than $1.05 per point.

You will have to pay MFs on the points you buy and also on the weeks you own.

 

[kfsong]

GOOD point and noted with thanks, i will proceed to purchase the 21K points today, thanks again for your advice & opinion

 

[kfsong]

Finally , enrolled the CPOP for my 2 weeks at phuket beach club.

 

[kfsong]

with this CPOP program, one should purchase the resale weeks then buy some points to go into the points system, it will work out well and a good deal !

 

[sthaks]

Finally , enrolled the CPOP for my 2 weeks at phuket beach club.

i own two weeks at marriott phuket. How much does it cost to convert into Points now? I do not wish to buy more points....pls advise.

Sonali

 

[kfsong]

as i mention , pay 5K to enrol 1 week with no point , pay about 13.5K to enrol 1 week & receive 15K points or pay about 19K to enrol 2 weeks & receive 21K points. that's the deal now