Help needed for a Hawaii reservation

[radley]

Hi to all you expereinced TUGers!
I need some help.

I want to use reward points or part of a travel package for a stay at either MOC or Ko Olina (either the MVCI or the hotel) next August. I can see that there is availability right now for early July for an anytime stay (150k points) and I'm guessing that's because the inventory has just been released.

I've just spent a what felt like an eternity (probably 40 mins) on the phone to Marriott reservations and Member rewards in the European call centre trying to find out when hotel inventory for Hawaii is released. No one really knew or could give a clear answer. I tried calling the USA number and just got cut off!

It's possible that there is no clear answer to this question .... but I thought it worth checking.... so does anyone know what time of day the inventory gets released?

Also ... advice about Hawaii travel time would be much apprecited. This is for our honeymoon and we'll have about 12 nights in Hawaii. Is that too short a time to visit both Maui and Oahu?

Thanks in advance

Radley

 

[Art]

Marriott booking is available approximately 50 weeks in advance of the week of the check-in date. In my limited experience, the entire inventory for a week is loaded at one time, 50 weeks before the Sunday of that week. Unless, it isn't

However, the date for loading Reward Stays does vary with the hotel. There is also a suspicion that for prime weeks (summer in Hawaii is considered prime), that stay anytime awards may be all that are made available (and even that isn't a sure thing).

As far as the Reward Stays at MVCI resorts, remember that Marriott does not "own" time for rental or to give away as Rewards until owners surrender their weeks for points. For 2009 dates, that can happen up until the end of this year. With current maintenance fees in Hawaii, it is a better deal for owners to rent their weeks out than it is to exchange them for points.

Art

 

[Cathyb]

Congratulations!!! I'll attempt to answer your question about 12 nights being enough: It should be. We go to Maui alot (in Kauai right now) and if it were us, we would divide it up with 5 nights Oahu and 7 nights Maui rather than equal time on both. Lots to do on both islands, but Maui is a bit more layback.

 

[Bill4728]

Marriott used to have a Hawaii sampler where for 150K pts you'd get 7 days in hawaii but you didn't have to spend the 7 days at one hotel, you could split it up. Not sure if they still have that but you could check.

 

[thinze3]

Marriott used to have a Hawaii sampler where for 150K pts you'd get 7 days in hawaii but you didn't have to spend the 7 days at one hotel, you could split it up. Not sure if they still have that but you could check.

They do, but you can not do it as part of a travel package.

 

[radley]

Thank you for your replies.

I'm going to take the advice about spending 5 nights at Ko Olina and then 7 on Maui.

Does anyone know what the travel time is from Ko Olina to MOC?

Thanks

radley

 

[cp73]

Flight time is about 30 minutes. Most of that trip is taking off and landing. MOC is about 30 minutes drive from the airport on Maui

 

[taffy19]

Flight time is about 30 minutes. Most of that trip is taking off and landing. MOC is about 30 minutes drive from the airport on Maui

Yes, it is but still it takes several hours if you include the wait at the airport and then getting the car rental and drive to the other resort.

As far as we are concerned, it is a lost day because you have to check out early and cannot get in the next unit until later in the day. It is a day lost for doing any trips that day or even swimming in the ocean or lounging around the pool but you will be in time to see another beautiful sunset!

However, it is well worth visiting two islands during your honeymoon as each one is so different. There is more nightlife at Waikiki Beach so remember that if that is important to you.