First Time Issue Booking at 13 month window

[Jwerking]

Have owned Marriott weeks for 30 years and first time issues booking at the 13 month window. Called today and got thru immediately to an agent to book a 1 Br unit at the Maui Ocean Club - Napili Towers (with kitchen) for 16 days starting on Jan 6, 2027. She said nothing was available except for a 1 Br with no kitchen even when reduced to 14 or 7 days. Asked to downgrade to a studio since I was not getting a kitchen anyway and once again said no availability. After expressing my disappointment/frustration, she said that it took a few minutes to bank my points which created the delay in reserving the unit desired given the high demand when availability was loaded. I have been booking 2 BR units at various Marriott Hawaii resorts for the same two week period for the past 5 years and never had any issues. Is there more demand for the smaller unit sizes in Hawaii ?

With hindsight, I should have asked to check in any day available instead of the Wed., Jan 6 which I had requested - as after the fact I saw online availability for other checkin days during the Jan 6 to 13 week - but disappeared quickly.

I guess that I will call again at the 12 month window and try again for a 1 BR unit with a kitchen.

Any hints on how to be more successful?

Is it true that I should have already had my points banked to 2027 prior to the search?

Is using the online booking option better for reservations now instead of calling when new availability is loaded?

When I call back at the 12 month window, can she hold a reservation for the desired time and unit before she cancels my existing reservation since I will not have enough points in my account for the new booking?

Thanks for any comments or tips.

 

[ljmiii]

Is it true that I should have already had my points banked to 2027 prior to the search?

Very much so. The banking request has to be processed before the points can be used.

Is using the online booking option better for reservations now instead of calling when new availability is loaded?

At this point I only use online booking. There was a period when I both called and checked online at 9:00:00 but there are now so many screening prompts at the beginning of the phone system that I almost always see success or failure before I get through on the phone. Unless the system crashes...but then I would get "I'm sorry but our system is down" from the CSR as well.

It can't hurt to try though...

When I call back at the 12 month window, can she hold a reservation for the desired time and unit before she cancels my existing reservation...

Yes, but you can do this online as well...you have 15 minutes.

You can also borrow points from the next year to get your ressie faster and then call to have the CSR move points around.

 

[davidvel]

Have owned Marriott weeks for 30 years and first time issues booking at the 13 month window. Called today and got thru immediately to an agent to book a 1 Br unit at the Maui Ocean Club - Napili Towers (with kitchen) for 16 days starting on Jan 6, 2027. She said nothing was available except for a 1 Br with no kitchen even when reduced to 14 or 7 days. Asked to downgrade to a studio since I was not getting a kitchen anyway and once again said no availability. After expressing my disappointment/frustration, she said that it took a few minutes to bank my points which created the delay in reserving the unit desired given the high demand when availability was loaded. I have been booking 2 BR units at various Marriott Hawaii resorts for the same two week period for the past 5 years and never had any issues. Is there more demand for the smaller unit sizes in Hawaii ?

With hindsight, I should have asked to check in any day available instead of the Wed., Jan 6 which I had requested - as after the fact I saw online availability for other checkin days during the Jan 6 to 13 week - but disappeared quickly.

I guess that I will call again at the 12 month window and try again for a 1 BR unit with a kitchen.

Any hints on how to be more successful?

Is it true that I should have already had my points banked to 2027 prior to the search?

Is using the online booking option better for reservations now instead of calling when new availability is loaded?

When I call back at the 12 month window, can she hold a reservation for the desired time and unit before she cancels my existing reservation since I will not have enough points in my account for the new booking?

Thanks for any comments or tips.

My guess is your problem was trying to check in on a Wednesday, where this resort only checks in weeks Fri (Jan 1)- Sun (Jan3). Points reservations can only be derived from underlying weeks, and the trust/exchange system likely didn't have a week to break up (or they choose not to.) Your experience seeing other checkin dates during that week (my guess is Fri-Sun, 6-8th), probably supports this.

I would keep looking online but searching for the Fri-Sun checkin dates (1,2,3,6,7,8) from now till the 12 month date opens.

 

[ljmiii]

My guess is your problem was trying to check in on a Wednesday… Points reservations can only be derived from underlying weeks…

Indeed. Perhaps even worse, Wednesday is the worst possible check in day for which to search for points availability because anyone making a reservation starting just the day before (or any day earlier) made their reservation the week before.

 

[Jwerking]

Indeed. Perhaps even worse, Wednesday is the worst possible check in day for which to search for points availability because anyone making a reservation starting just the day before (or any day earlier) made their reservation the week befo

My guess is your problem was trying to check in on a Wednesday, where this resort only checks in weeks Fri (Jan 1)- Sun (Jan3). Points reservations can only be derived from underlying weeks, and the trust/exchange system likely didn't have a week to break up (or they choose not to.) Your experience seeing other checkin dates during that week (my guess is Fri-Sun, 6-8th), probably supports this.

I would keep looking online but searching for the Fri-Sun checkin dates (1,2,3,6,7,8) from now till the 12 month date opens.

Stupid me - never thought of these very valid points. Hard way to learn and will not ever make that mistake again.

 

[Hindsite]

With Club points reservations, you can wait list from 12 months out and you can also put together your reservation piecemeal, from several reservations that you put together over time. You have lots of time to put the trip together so take a more strategic approach in future if you don't get what you want immediately at 13 months.
Also keep checking between 13 and 12 months and after 12 months as inventory can move a lot all the time, as you have seen.

 

[Dean]

I agree with matching reservation requests to usual check in days. This was something that could and likely should have been done online rather than calling. It's very possible that what you want will be there at 12 months so you may be able to change then. If you have enough points, reserve what you want at 12 months then email them to switch the points around to use the points first you'd prefer to use. Another idea would be have been to book a full 3 weeks then later shorten to the dates you actually wanted. Also if you have enough points and don't get what you need at 12 months, you can wait list at 12 months out but it ties up the number of points needed.

 

[JIMinNC]

I've also found with Maui Ocean Club points reservations that availability is limited at 13 months. Most of the inventory shows up at the 12 month release date or slightly before.