Got A "crummy" Week For An Exchange

[DeniseM]

I had always dreamed of a vacation in Hawaii and now after being there, I would never go back.

The other islands are 100% different than Oahu/Honolulu. Definitely give it another try - none of the other islands have large cities like Honolulu.

The first time we went to Hawaii we went to Oahu/Honolulu and thought, "This is OK."

Then we went to Maui and thought, "This is much nicer!"

Then we went to Kauai, and thought, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."

Seriously - there is no comparison between Oahu and the other islands. I understand why you were disappointed in Oahu, but you have to give the other islands a chance. I guarantee you will change your mind.

 

[BillandSusan]

With the SVO exchange priority you may do very well.

I'm not sure what you mean by that - at least I don't think I have any SVO exchange priority.

I should also point out that the 12 hours spent on the plane is a factor that makes me never want to go back. I know I'm missing out on a lot, but the only resorts we usually go to are the ones we can drive to. I trust my driving a lot more than I trust the unknown pilot. I have been out to the West Coast and I go to Texas because I have family there, but my supply of valium is getting low, so I usually stick to the East Coast.

 

[RedDogSD]

I had always dreamed of a vacation in Hawaii and now after being there, I would never go back.

That's funny.....that is exactly the way I felt after my first (and only) trip to Manhattan. I always dreamed of going to New York, but boy did that suck. Maybe I will give it another chance, but small Hotel rooms, super expensive restaurants, concrete jungle (only green was in Central Park)..... was not for me. My G/F wants to go, so maybe I will give it another chance.


Re: Hawaii though. Oahu is just Los Angeles on a beach. You did not get to see Hawaii. Go back and see Maui, or Kauai. The Big Island is great too, but that is for Hawaii veterans, so try Maui or Kauai first. You will see a whole different world.

 

[DanCali]

No, I didn't do an ongoing search. I don't think I knew enough to do that at the time. I had always dreamed of a vacation in Hawaii and now after being there, I would never go back.

I hate Oahu and love Kauai...

You should give that a try. You should be a able to rent from an owner at Marriott's Waiohai for a reasonable price ir maybe get an II trade if you go off peak (it's on the Poipu side).

 

[DeniseM]

I'm not sure what you mean by that - at least I don't think I have any SVO exchange priority.

ALL Starwood deposits have priority for other Starwood deposits. You could use your week to trade into one of the Starwood resorts on Maui or Kauai.

 

[James1975NY]

Withdraw the week immediately and reserve a summer week to rent is one idea you can do. Too bad you paid your MF's, because I understand you don't have to pay the current fees to hold a week for next year for yourself. Is that true, or am I making things up?

SBP owners do pre-pay unless they are SVN members. SVN members of course do pay if they are borrowing StarOptions.

That must be week 9 that they gave you for deposit, so it would be the first week in the Gold Plus season.

You need to tell RCI that if you cannot deposit a summer week (better for them), you won't be depositing any SBP in the future, so if they want your summer weeks, they need to accept the weeks you deposit, then reserve a June 2011 week and try to deposit that one. But if RCI refuses the deposit, be sure you have a good week to rent.

This is an issue with SVO.

 

[James1975NY]

The people you talk to have no ides what week will be deposited and I believe you got a standard response. However, you are depositing early and later 2011 weeks may not be deposited yet.

Not true. They very well know what week is being deposited. You are correct in that future weeks are not deposited in teh bulk bank as of yet.

 

[BillandSusan]

ALL Starwood deposits have priority for other Starwood deposits. You could use your week to trade into one of the Starwood resorts on Maui or Kauai.

Is that through II? I know I can't trade through Starwood bc I purchased resale and am therefore a "red headed stepchild" without the same benefits of the other children.

 

[James1975NY]

I would not end a call with owner services until the week has been communicated to you and I would also encourage to have the counselor tell you what week is being transferred before the transaction is completed. SVO will be able to tell you when that week was deposited into the bulk account if it is not a direct spacebank (reserving week and depositing).

What is happening here is a good example of why I believe that II changes have actually been an improvement. I know there are owners that want control over the week that is deposited but at the end of the end of the day, this scenario will not happen with an II deposit.

 

[DeniseM]

Is that through II? I know I can't trade through Starwood bc I purchased resale and am therefore a "red headed stepchild" without the same benefits of the other children.

Yes - through II. Starwood owners have first priority for any Starwood deposits in II. Of course, for the best results, you need to have you ongoing request in place, before the deposits are made.

When the leftover inventory goes online (after all ongoing requests are filled) Starwood owners can make instant online exchange for approx. 3 days, before non-Starwood owners have access to Starwood inventory.

 

[James1975NY]

Is that through II? I know I can't trade through Starwood bc I purchased resale and am therefore a "red headed stepchild" without the same benefits of the other children.

This is through RCI.

- "red headed stepchild"? You can always buy a resale at a mandatory resort and get use of the StarOptions if that is what you want.

 

[DeniseM]

This is through RCI.

- "red headed stepchild"? You can always buy a resale at a mandatory resort and get use of the StarOptions if that is what you want.

Jim - we have 2 topics going here.

I believe Susan is asking about my comment that she could trade into the Hawaii resorts with II.

 

[rickandcindy23]

SBP owners do pre-pay unless they are SVN members. SVN members of course do pay if they are borrowing StarOptions.

That must be week 9 that they gave you for deposit, so it would be the first week in the Gold Plus season.



This is an issue with SVO.

I reserved my July 2010 weeks in 2009 and didn't have to pay maintenance fees at the time of reservation, so that wasn't true for me. I even asked if I had to pay fees, and Starwood said not unless I was going to deposit the weeks. This was SBP.

 

[Captron]

I reserved my July 2010 weeks in 2009 and didn't have to pay maintenance fees at the time of reservation, so that wasn't true for me. I even asked if I had to pay fees, and Starwood said not unless I was going to deposit the weeks. This was SBP.

Correct. With SBP the payment is required for deposit, not for home resort reservations. Since payment is due the beginning of the year they can deny you access if you have not paid with home resort reservations. The same is not true if you have deposited it to an exchange company and may have already had you vacation.

 

[Captron]

Not true. They very well know what week is being deposited. You are correct in that future weeks are not deposited in teh bulk bank as of yet.

I have been told by owner services that the deposited week gets assigned by someone else after the fact. I guess this is just another of those "inaccuracies" we experience with some of the owner services people.

I would not end a call with owner services until the week has been communicated to you and I would also encourage to have the counselor tell you what week is being transferred before the transaction is completed. SVO will be able to tell you when that week was deposited into the bulk account if it is not a direct spacebank (reserving week and depositing).

Thanks for the advice, from now on I will insist on being told the week being deposited from the owner services people. This may save me time, as long as the deposit is acceptable to me, and save bothering the resolution services people.

What is happening here is a good example of why I believe that II changes have actually been an improvement. I know there are owners that want control over the week that is deposited but at the end of the end of the day, this scenario will not happen with an II deposit.

I agree in a lot of circumstances, there are others where I do not. Overall I believe they benefit the average owner, certainly.

Once again, your expertise and contribution is appreciated!

 

[rickandcindy23]

We still have to see how the new Gold Plus season works for trades. I hate the idea of depositing with II without having any idea whether or not I will get what I want. I would like to enter an ongoing search for the Westin Princeville for January of 2011, but I am fairly certain I can get the week I want with an ongoing search with a lowly Foxrun unit.

So the real question: Is II going to give a Starwood preference for an ongoing search, or because we haven't seen a week online with our Starwood preference, will anyone be able to get something Starwood? If that's the case, I will once again rent my weeks and not give II a thing. I have ongoing searches elsewhere for other Kauai resorts, too.

 

[Captron]

Is II going to give a Starwood preference for an ongoing search or will anyone be able to get something Starwood?

II does give Starwood preference for other Starwood properties. The length of that preference has been reported as 3 days up to approx. 2 weeks. My understanding is that only Starwood properties can see other Starwood properties during this period. I have been told this applies to ongoing searches as well. Non-Starwood properties are locked out until after the preference period is over. Once the preference period is over anyone can see them and make an exchange providing they have the necessary trading power. This is the same as it has been for quite some time (years?).

Of course this is all based on reports here and other places. Starwood and II will neither confirm nor deny the preference period.

Does this answer your question? If not could you please clarify. I am not sure I totally understand what you are asking.

 

[Captron]

We still have to see how the new Gold Plus season works for trades. I hate the idea of depositing with II without having any idea whether or not I will get what I want. I would like to enter an ongoing search for the Westin Princeville for January of 2011, but I am fairly certain I can get the week I want with an ongoing search with a lowly Foxrun unit.

With the II preference period outlined above any other Starwood owner with sufficient trading power would get the exchange before your Foxrun units and you would never see them. Several TUGgers have reported getting Hawaii units with SVR (and other lesser/"lowly") weeks. An ongoing search this way would be your best bet.

In II, remember, under the new rules with all floating weeks you can pull the "deposited unit" back whenever you want - if you got an exchange elsewhere or for any other reason. That unit is then free to make a reservation or to deposit in any other exchange company. My understanding is that when doing an ongoing search you would be assigned a trading "credit" of average trading power for your unit in your season at your resort. An actual week is not relinquished by SVO until your exchange is fulfilled. If no exchange is fulfilled that "credit" can be pulled back from II at any time and is available for use just like nothing had ever happened to your week.

It sounds like a no lose to me unless you count the exchange fee being wrapped up, a delay in getting your "deposit" back, or lost opportunity with the week you are doing the ongoing search with. With the exception of the possible delay in getting your week credit back the same would be true with any other week with any other exchange company as well.

 

[ACE1]

When I split and deposited our WKV Gold Plus into II they deposited week 54 (?) for me. I thought that was odd and probably not a good week. However I have been confirmed into NCV in March for the small side. I am still waiting to hear a confirmation for Casa Dorada Medano in Oct. 2010 for the larger side. Is there any precedent that since I received 1 confirmation there is less chance of getting another successful trade with II?

 

[krj9999]

I see SBP exchange availabe in RCI through April 2011 so there are later deposits in the bank already.

Not true. They very well know what week is being deposited. You are correct in that future weeks are not deposited in teh bulk bank as of yet.

 

[grgs]

Of course this is all based on reports here and other places. Starwood and II will neither confirm nor deny the preference period.

Actually, the Starwood preference in II is mentioned on p. 308 of the Starwood edition of the 2010 Interval directory. It states (see #4 under the "Starwood Internal Exchange Procedures and Prioities"):

Network Members requesting an exchange to their Home Resort will receive priority over other Network Members who do not own a Vacation Interest at such Network Resort; and Network Members requesting an exchange to other Network Resorts will receive priority over Other II Members requesting an exchange to Network Resorts.

Glorian

 

[jabak5]

I think every island has its own flavor. Oahu, specifically Waikiki is very much like San Franciscio CA, city life with a great beach in the tropics. Endless activity and night life. Maui, atleast in the Kaanapali area is very family orientated, laid back and just fun. A great vacation area for families or couples. Kauai is what I best think of Hawaii, extremely laidback, very quite and lots of roosters! All of these 3 islands that I have been to are beautiful. Each have their own beauty and it's just a matter of what you desire for vacation.

 

[Captron]

Glorian,

Is there any mention of time frame? Has anyone been able to confirm this with anyone?

 

[DeniseM]

Glorian,

Is there any mention of time frame? Has anyone been able to confirm this with anyone?

Yes - see this post from gmarine: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113429

 

[Captron]

Denise,

The catch is that the observations by others here do not seem to support this.

I thought that was part of that continuing discussion.

Just in the past week- 3x checking Westin Kierland there were no deposits past early Sept 2010
I cleared cash and history and went back -same result.

Went over to 2 other non Starwood deposits and they pulled units thru mid Dec. 2010 - all within the space of 2-3 min.

This has occurred with other Starwood locations
Cancun,Rancho Mirage and SDO

It's happened so many times in the last 6 weeks or so that it seems the "3" day exclusive is no more.

They can say what they want 3 days /30 days I'm not seeing it.


OR have the implementation kinks been worked out and it is now being seen consistently?