We recently completed an Encore Package presentation and got our cruise certificate from Privileges Redemption Center which is booked on the OVS cruise website. My experience is that this MVC cruise website is ~50% more expensive than booking with a real travel agent or directly, so that is my bias going in. Full disclosure.
I hope this information will be useful to other TUG Marriott members offered similar packages to understand the real value of the cruise offer to decide if it worth the money and time you are spending in spite of the highly inflated claims by sales people.
First of all, MY encore salesperson "guaranteed" the cruise certificate would completely cover the cost of a basic 7 N Seattle round trip Alaska cruise in an inside cabin during main season. AND she showed it to us on her laptop... they are obviously learning from the Mexico timeshare liars.. PLUS she claimed SHE personally booked the cruise with the exact same promotion and upgraded at a small cost to a balcony cabin.
We were sooo stupid to ever believe her. We didn't want to book Alaska but thought we could use the certificate on a nice cruise destination we had't planned for.
But please believe me the certificate will NEVER come close to the cost of a cruise anywhere in any cabin and has pretty much ZERO to marginal value (maximum about $400).
I checked out numerous dates/itineraries/cruise lines and the fares are either exactly the same as the cruise website, sometimes even higher sometimes offers a savings of $300 to $400 for itineraries I don't want to take.
My advise is to NOT trust the Marriott VC sales people anymore. Since Marriott International divested of the time share company there is little interest in truth anymore.
Another disappointment in our Marriott (lack of) real invesment. Sigh.
I hope this information will be useful to other TUG Marriott members offered similar packages to understand the real value of the cruise offer to decide if it worth the money and time you are spending in spite of the highly inflated claims by sales people.
First of all, MY encore salesperson "guaranteed" the cruise certificate would completely cover the cost of a basic 7 N Seattle round trip Alaska cruise in an inside cabin during main season. AND she showed it to us on her laptop... they are obviously learning from the Mexico timeshare liars.. PLUS she claimed SHE personally booked the cruise with the exact same promotion and upgraded at a small cost to a balcony cabin.
We were sooo stupid to ever believe her. We didn't want to book Alaska but thought we could use the certificate on a nice cruise destination we had't planned for.
But please believe me the certificate will NEVER come close to the cost of a cruise anywhere in any cabin and has pretty much ZERO to marginal value (maximum about $400).
I checked out numerous dates/itineraries/cruise lines and the fares are either exactly the same as the cruise website, sometimes even higher sometimes offers a savings of $300 to $400 for itineraries I don't want to take.
My advise is to NOT trust the Marriott VC sales people anymore. Since Marriott International divested of the time share company there is little interest in truth anymore.
Another disappointment in our Marriott (lack of) real invesment. Sigh.