Destination XChange

[applepie]

I read the Destination Exchange (DE) guide that posted on this forum, and I had further questions. I called the number in the brochure.

What they said I could do to enhance my vacation flexibility is as follows:

1. You can take your deeded timeshare and deposit into the DE. If you have a lock off, you lock it off first and then deposit it. (I didn't ask if they would lock it off for you).
2. If your fees are paid up 5 years, then you have the weeks available to you for 5 years.
3. If I had a 2 bedroom Sedona lock off unit as an example, then I would lock it off and deposit both units into DE. Potentially, I don't have to use either of these units in Year 1 -- I could use them in Year 2, 3, 4, or 5.
4. If I did the same thing the next year, then I have those units available to me for up to 5 more years, as long as my membership/fees are current.
5. This means that if I wanted to, I could use one week on my lock off for the first 3 years and have 3 DE possibilities available to me to use all at once during year 3 or up to year 5.
6. If you have Tier 4 deposit and want to do something really special like a Tier 6 for your anniversary, you simply pay $175 per tier upgrade.
7. They will work with you if you want to go to a different resort or location throughout the world. So, if I wanted to go to Aruba, and Diamond doesn't have a resort, they will work to find me a week during my timeframe and to meet my needs. I didn't go into specifics about costs.

This seems like a nice option for deeded owners.

 

[cindyc]

There is a very moderate fee to split your unit. I believe it is $39.

For those who golf, another perk for Sedona Summit deeded week owners is access "a punch card for Golf Vouchers" at The Ridge on Sedona.

 

[chemteach]

There is a very moderate fee to split your unit. I believe it is $39.

That must be new. I didn't have that fee in the past when I locked off a unit.

 

[cindyc]

Just as a quick update, I was able to get TWO Tier 4 units at Point at Poipu for my 2 BD LO at Sedona! My unit is rated Tier 5 if I deposit it as one chunk. But I first separated it into two components: Studio 1 BD by paying the $39 lock off fee. Then I called the Deeded Owner number and had them deposit the Studio as a Tier 3 week and the 1 BD as Tier 4 week. I was them able to book the TWO, 2BD units at Point at Poipu for Presidents Day week in 2020 by paying one Tier upgrade fee of $175. So my $890 MF + about $514 in fees (that is 2 exchange fees, one split fee and one upgrade fee) stretched quite a bit into 2 weeks in Hawaii. So far, I am quite happy with Destination Exchange.

I love the 13-month booking in advance window and the ability to see the inventory before deciding whether or not to join Destination Exchange.

 

[chemteach]

Just as a quick update, I was able to get TWO Tier 4 units at Point at Poipu for my 2 BD LO at Sedona! So my $890 MF + about $514 in fees (that is 2 exchange fees, one split fee and one upgrade fee) stretched quite a bit into 2 weeks in Hawaii. So far, I am quite happy with Destination Exchange.
.

Nice!! Sounds like Sedona Summit is a nice unit for Destination Exchange! And for people who also like going to Sedona Summit, you could use one side to exchange back in using Destination Exchange, and the other side to go somewhere else. . I do think that Destination Exchange could be the thing that might save Diamond from all the hate. There are many people who seem to really hate Diamond because of their sales tactics and high maintenance fees. The Destination Exchange program makes deeded weeks useful for traveling to Diamond properties without having to buy into The Club. And it gives Diamond an income source because people are paying Diamond for the exchanges instead of paying Interval.

 

[tschwa2]

If you use Xchange do you have to pay the resort fee? I believe exchanging through interval or RCI the fee would be applicable. The data sheet only mentions points members booking with points and owners using their owner week do not pay the resort fee.

 

[chemteach]

If you use Xchange do you have to pay the resort fee? I believe exchanging through interval or RCI the fee would be applicable. The data sheet only mentions points members booking with points and owners using their owner week do not pay the resort fee.

Diamond says you do not pay the resort fees if you use Diamond Exchange.

 

[cindyc]

Thanks for checking. That is good news.

 

[tschwa2]

Just noticed this one:

Premium Exchange Weeks There are a limited number of exchange options where a $1,000 exchange fee premium is due in addition to the standard exchange fee and any applicable upgrade fees as referenced on page 10. These include extremely highly demanded resorts and dates due to holiday periods or local events which often make availability scarce, or where a specific accommodation type at a resort has limited availability and high demand:

Summer:
Ocean Beach Club
Oceanaire Resort
Lake Tahoe Vacation Club
The Historic Crag’s Lodge

There are others for more specific dates. So if you want one of these premium exchange weeks, you pay the exchange fee, any upgrade fee, plus $1000.

I thought the tier system was supposed to level the playing field and offer like for like or upgrades for a fee. I don't see where owners of these premium exchange weeks are offered a $1000 incentive on top of their tier 4-6 deposits.

 

[applepie]

Yeah, it doesn't seem fair that an owner of a premier week wouldn't get to benefit from the extra $1,000 that DRI charges somebody exchanging into that week. Seems like they could incent people into depositing those weeks by giving them a couple hundred dollars or possibly a short stay somewhere or something.

 

[cindyc]

Not to be the great defender of DRI, but I think the inventory for Destination Exchange (DEx) is not owner inventory, rather DRI-owned inventory. So for them, they can rent those properties out at a premium on their website and they are making them available on DEx, but they still want to get a good profit margin.

 

[HikerBiker]

If you use Xchange do you have to pay the resort fee? I believe exchanging through interval or RCI the fee would be applicable. The data sheet only mentions points members booking with points and owners using their owner week do not pay the resort fee.

Hi Tschwa2,
If I see your tag I try to read your posts both here and on Interval and I have gleaned a lot of information from your posts. Thank you for sharing. Wanted to let you know we were at Sedona Summit the middle of Jan. on an Interval exchange and we were not charged any fees.
HikerBiker

 

[cali-gal]

Not to be the great defender of DRI, but I think the inventory for Destination Exchange (DEx) is not owner inventory, rather DRI-owned inventory. So for them, they can rent those properties out at a premium on their website and they are making them available on DEx, but they still want to get a good profit margin.

I'm not sure about what inventory the is used for the DEx. However, if I relinquish my ocean front, I cannot get into another ocean front without paying $1000.

My ocean front is at KBC, and if I want to go to Point at Poipu, I cannot trade straight across into an ocean front there. Yet Diamond would have my unit that they can charge $1000 for. It is not equitable, and that is a disincentive to me for making that trade.

Earlier in the program I traded into a 2-bedroom ocean front (my unit is one bedroom) and was charged a reasonable fee for the difference in number of rooms only. That seemed fair. This does not.

I'm really hoping Diamond re-evaluates this policy. So far I've been very happy with the program, and this change is a disappointment.

 

[cindyc]

I wanted to share another satisfying Destination Exchange transaction and a couple of things I learned.

The Exchange: I was able to exchange my 2 BD LO at Sedona Summitt for two units at Cabo Azul for Spring Break 2020. One is 2 BD Partial Ocean View/Pool room, the other a 1 BD Partial Ocean View Pool room. My Sedona Summit was split and deposited as one Tier 3 and one Tier 4. We did choose to pay a one-tier $175 upgrade fee for each unit, one for the view the other for the room size.

What I learned: If you call Destination Exchange to deposit your week they seem not to charge you the $39 split fee to deposit your LO as two units. Also, ask to have your unit deposited in the highest tier value week. With Sedona Summitt, it is a floating deed so that is possible, but it might not be possible if you have a fixed week deed. It may help you if you have looked at the booklet and know which weeks to have them check. Obviously depositing early helps improve your changes of getting the best Tier value.

So in our first year of retirement, we now have two great trips planned one with each of our 2 kids and their 2 kids, our grandkids.

Thanks, TUG community for helping me learn how to really make the most of my timeshare!

 

[chemteach]

I wanted to share another satisfying Destination Exchange transaction and a couple of things I learned.

The Exchange: I was able to exchange my 2 BD LO at Sedona Summitt for two units at Cabo Azul for Spring Break 2020. One is 2 BD Partial Ocean View/Pool room, the other a 1 BD Partial Ocean View Pool room. My Sedona Summit was split and deposited as one Tier 3 and one Tier 4. We did choose to pay a one-tier $175 upgrade fee for each unit, one for the view the other for the room size.

What I learned: If you call Destination Exchange to deposit your week they seem not to charge you the $39 split fee to deposit your LO as two units. Also, ask to have your unit deposited in the highest tier value week. With Sedona Summitt, it is a floating deed so that is possible, but it might not be possible if you have a fixed week deed. It may help you if you have looked at the booklet and know which weeks to have them check. Obviously depositing early helps improve your changes of getting the best Tier value.

So in our first year of retirement, we now have two great trips planned one with each of our 2 kids and their 2 kids, our grandkids.

Thanks, TUG community for helping me learn how to really make the most of my timeshare!

NICE!! I really like the Destination Exchange program. I was able to do the same with my Polo Towers Villas week. For $1265 in maintenance fees, I get a Tier 4 and a Tier 5 unit. When depositing with Dest. Exchange, they automatically give you the highest Tier Values for your weeks if you have a float week. I am hoping (but not optimistic) that they will get rid of the $1000 fee for so many units. I would love to stay in a Poipu Ocean Front unit!! But those now have the fee all year round. :-(

 

[cindyc]

Well, if I ever decide I need something that is just for Destination Exchange trading, I will know what to try for: Polo Towers Villas. Thanks for that tip!

Yes, I was disappointed about the premiums for Ocean Front as well. Not perfect, but overall pretty good.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I'm not sure about what inventory the is used for the DEx. However, if I relinquish my ocean front, I cannot get into another ocean front without paying $1000.

My ocean front is at KBC, and if I want to go to Point at Poipu, I cannot trade straight across into an ocean front there. Yet Diamond would have my unit that they can charge $1000 for. It is not equitable, and that is a disincentive to me for making that trade.

Earlier in the program I traded into a 2-bedroom ocean front (my unit is one bedroom) and was charged a reasonable fee for the difference in number of rooms only. That seemed fair. This does not.

I'm really hoping Diamond re-evaluates this policy. So far I've been very happy with the program, and this change is a disappointment.

I just went to a Diamond Resort Presentation (I didn't buy) where they were selling me Hawaii Group Points. They indicated that I could exchange to anywhere in the Hawaii Group which included the Western Continental United States at the 13 month mark with NO exchange me. I could exchange to anywhere in the 400 Diamond Resort collection at he 12 month mark with NO exchange fee. What is this about paying $1000 to exchange from one Hawaiian Resort to another?

 

[nuwermj]

I just went to a Diamond Resort Presentation (I didn't buy) where they were selling me Hawaii Group Points. They indicated that I could exchange to anywhere in the Hawaii Group which included the Western Continental United States at the 13 month mark with NO exchange me. I could exchange to anywhere in the 400 Diamond Resort collection at he 12 month mark with NO exchange fee. What is this about paying $1000 to exchange from one Hawaiian Resort to another?

There are two mutually exclusive programs. Diamond points with the umbrella "The Club" -- the presentation you had -- and deeded ownership at DRI managed locations with no The Club access. Such deeded owners can join, and exchange, in the Destination Xchange program. Although deeded ownership can have a membership in The Club, if that is the case, then those intervals are not eligible for Destination Xchange.

 

[pedro47]

How much does it cost to be in Destination XChange. What is the start up cost?

How many exchange programs does Diamonds have in place? It seems liked every year their is a new exchange program.

 

[Tamaradarann]

There are two mutually exclusive programs. Diamond points with the umbrella "The Club" -- the presentation you had -- and deeded ownership at DRI managed locations with no The Club access. Such deeded owners can join, and exchange, in the Destination Xchange program. Although deeded ownership can have a membership in The Club, if that is the case, then those intervals are not eligible for Destination Xchange.

They say that you can always use "The Club" to reserve at any Diamond property, therefore, why would one want to have a deeded property that you then need to pay to join either "The Club" or the Destination Xchange which has high exchange fees?

I do have one answer that seems evident in "The Club". With the Hawaii Collection you were getting a points ownership in a group of resorts that included mostly western continental US locations, not Hawaii. Therefore, since Hawaii is the name of the Collection and the most sought after location there could be way more owners that want to reserve in Hawaii than is available making reservations difficult to obtain when you wanted them.

 

[geist1223]

We frequently see Hawaiian Club Resorts on the half point list. In fact We stayed at KBC in a 1 bedroom last August.

 

[cindyc]

One reason to have a deeded property if you want to use Destination Exchange is that the maintenance fees are much cheaper. At Sedona Summitt my deeded week MF for Red, 2 BD LO is $980 a year. To get that same property in DRI US Collection points would cost 10,000 points at nearly double the MF. MF are required every year, but you do not have to deposit or use Destination Exchange every year, so ongoing expense is lower.

 

[nuwermj]

How much does it cost to be in Destination XChange. What is the start up cost?

Annual membership fee = $69
Exchange fee = $149/$159 (online/by phone)

How many exchange programs does Diamonds have in place? It seems liked every year their is a new exchange program.

THE Club (Diamond's flagship product)
Florida Club Connection
Monarch Club Connection
PVC Club Connection
Embarc Extraordinary Escape
Amber Club
Destination Xchange

These are all proprietary.
And it is rumored they now own Capital Vacations Club

 

[artringwald]

One reason to have a deeded property if you want to use Destination Exchange is that the maintenance fees are much cheaper. At Sedona Summitt my deeded week MF for Red, 2 BD LO is $980 a year. To get that same property in DRI US Collection points would cost 10,000 points at nearly double the MF. MF are required every year, but you do not have to deposit or use Destination Exchange every year, so ongoing expense is lower.

We have a deeded 2 BR oceanfront property at The Point at Poipu. MF for 2019 were $1,748.68. It would take 15,500 CLUB points to book an oceanfront unit, and the Hawaii Collection MF would be $2,746.62. The board of directors for the Collections are controlled by Diamond and they authorize generous payments to Diamond for managing the Collections.

Thanks to many for providing MF data at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jo0_ti3h8ZWy41VCCeaFLfpHqZKe38zADMPFQ9lDfg8/pubhtml#

 

[Tamaradarann]

One reason to have a deeded property if you want to use Destination Exchange is that the maintenance fees are much cheaper. At Sedona Summitt my deeded week MF for Red, 2 BD LO is $980 a year. To get that same property in DRI US Collection points would cost 10,000 points at nearly double the MF. MF are required every year, but you do not have to deposit or use Destination Exchange every year, so ongoing expense is lower.

One reason to have a deeded property if you want to use Destination Exchange is that the maintenance fees are much cheaper. At Sedona Summitt my deeded week MF for Red, 2 BD LO is $980 a year. To get that same property in DRI US Collection points would cost 10,000 points at nearly double the MF. MF are required every year, but you do not have to deposit or use Destination Exchange every year, so ongoing expense is lower.

I totally agree with you that the maintenance fees are very high for the Hawaii Collection which is what was being sold at the Kaanapali Beach Club presentation. That was the reason I gave for NOT purchasing to get out of there. The maintenance fees for the points would be more than double what I pay in points for a studio in the HGVC system. By the way I don't know what the DRI US Collection is, but I thought that I heard at the presentation that the Sedona Resort was in the Hawaiian Collection.