Information received first hand from Marriott Reps. either in person or by telephone

[Dave M]

As I said, "I don't know the answer, although it appears that most people are assuming the points request will trump weeks requests."

 

[jimf41]

I asked about this yesterday and the rep, Matt ext.3725, said that I would call as usual 12/13 months out to make my Ocean Pointe reservation. I would then say whether I was using points or reserving my week. Assuming availability for both I could choose which method I want to use.

What I didn't ask and I will today is if I choose to use my Ocean Pointe week as points can I just find out the availability at another resort using points before I actually deposit them.

The rep said they will be able to confirm your reservation at your home resort immediately based upon availability just as they do now with the weeks based system. The big question is when do you have to deposit your week as points, before or after you know the availability?

 

[NboroGirl]

RE: The Two Inventories within Interval

Today I called and spoke with rep "Cami". The most important thing I learned today was yes, there will be two separate Marriott inventories within Interval... one for POINTS and one for WEEKS and it doesn't matter whether or not you join the program. I thought there was one pool for the new Club members and one pool for those who don't convert. But no... If you elect not to join, reserve your week, and use Interval to request an exchange, your week goes into the same WEEKS pool as someone who joints the new program, reserves a week, and requests an exchange with Interval.

Also, if you decide not to join, you will still have access to any future new Marriott properties. Owners of the new weeks would have to deposit their WEEKS into Interval in order for you to get an exchange, just like now.

Personally, I can't see any reason to use points, even if I decided to join the new system, unless I decided to go somewhere for less (or more) than a week (not likely), or unless I decided to trade down, and even in that case I would probably opt to do an exchange thru Interval rather than use points. What would I do with the leftover points? Say you come out ahead 100 points after trading down... these points expire after one year. What can you do with 100 points anyway? Sell them? I am not interested in any of the Destinations trips/cruises/adventures, so there would be no need for me to ever use points.

One of my irritations is the Florida Club fee. I resent having to pay this fee every year even though I have no use for the Florida Club's benefits. This fee would remain if I decide to convert, which makes no sense to me because I could accomplish basically the same thing with points, but either way I'm stuck with it.

 

[californiagirl]

Jim I specifically asked this question when I met with the rep on Monday. He asked a supervisor. The answer is that in order to look at availability for points use, you must have the number of points needed for the exchange in your account already. So in other words, yes you can look to see if the resort is available for your dates, but you must have given up your weeks for points first. Or have sufficient points just sitting in your account.

 

[kedler]

I have no reason to believe that Interval International will maintain separate pools of inventory. (That differs from the separate pools of inventory that Marriott will apparently maintain for internal reservations.) I have not seen anything that states that II will maintain such separate pools. However, as for weeks and enrolled owners, their exchanges will still be based on comparable exchange methodology, just as in the past and as explained at the links I referenced in my most recent post in this thread.

To me, the burning question is whether II will decide to fulfill a weeks or enrolled owner's request only after all points requests made by Marriott. I don't know the answer, although it appears that most people are assuming the points request will trump weeks requests.

The II guide lists priority under the weeks exchange program but that priority is applicable to the individual Club Exchange Members, which by definition excludes Marriott who controls the corporate club within which we will all have individual membership (that would also be why we wouldn't have individual access to II anymore online we'd only have our online Marriott Vacation Club account which would show all our requests, reservations and most likely pending reservations).

Marriott has full control over the Marriott Points exchange requests and if it does not have the inventory it can request it from II's Exchange Program which includes our weeks and points. Based on the documents its possible that II is going to convert the deposited weeks from the Club Exchange members into points anyway but this fact is less clear.

We have deeds and rights to reserve a week a year under that deed - fixed or floating - so Marriott will need to make sure that it retains sufficient weeks necessary to fulfill the reservation requests of those owners that do not elect to convert their deeded week into points each year otherwise they would have significant legal issues; however, I think that is where the division/pool of weeks v. points stops.

There is nothing in Marriott or II's documents that reflects that Marriott will maintain separate pools of inventory when you seek an internal Marriott trade week for week.

IMO, after reading the documents, the Marriott reps are confusing the concept of a division in inventory for home resort week reservations and trust member points reservations with the concept of a separate pool when we deposit a Marriott week seeking to exchange for another Marriott week as we have in the past. In the case of the later I see not written evidence of such a division existing.

In this case I'd be happy to be wrong because most of the rest of the new program would work for the way we use our weeks.

 

[jimf41]

Jim I specifically asked this question when I met with the rep on Monday. He asked a supervisor. The answer is that in order to look at availability for points use, you must have the number of points needed for the exchange in your account already. So in other words, yes you can look to see if the resort is available for your dates, but you must have given up your weeks for points first. Or have sufficient points just sitting in your account.

Lisa

Thanks, I was afraid of this. I'm leaning towards joining and I guess I'll just have to chance it the first year. I get 4325 for my MPB plat and they want 4125 for a Plat week at the Cove. If it works it's the best thing since sliced bread. I get 200 points leftover for next year and the MF are $300 less at MPB.

What I'm really leery of is that they will correct little advantages like this as time goes on.

 

[iamnotshopgirl]

Evaluation Answer

I have a general understanding of the new point system from reading the various threads. I just wanted to know from Marriott how they can value OS & OV units at the Surf Club at the same 3500 level in the Gold Season. So I called this morning and after complaining that I spent thousands of dollars more for my 2 OS units over OV units how can they be valued the same? I was told that when I bought I was buying the "view" (old system) and with the new system it is the "demand week" and not the "view" which is evaluated. I had an idea where this was going before the call and quite frankly I just wanted an explanation from Marriott on how I was getting screwed from them in their own words. Because I paid thousands more! The representative was being monitored in her response as I could hear the call being screened. She certainly did show an attitude and said "you don't have to join". With that I thanked her for her time and hung up. Someone on this bb once told me after I was complaining about the devaluation of reward points, change in the rental policy that the only thing that Marriott owed me was a "vacation". I still have that so I guess I should be happy with either system.

bob

 

[SueDonJ]

I have a general understanding of the new point system from reading the various threads. I just wanted to know from Marriott how they can value OS & OV units at the Surf Club at the same 3500 level in the Gold Season. So I called this morning and after complaining that I spent thousands of dollars more for my 2 OS units over OV units how can they be valued the same? I was told that when I bought I was buying the "view" (old system) and with the new system it is the "demand week" and not the "view" which is evaluated. I had an idea where this was going before the call and quite frankly I just wanted an explanation from Marriott on how I was getting screwed from them in their own words. Because I paid thousands more! The representative was being monitored in her response as I could hear the call being screened. She certainly did show an attitude and said "you don't have to join". With that I thanked her for her time and hung up. Someone on this bb once told me after I was complaining about the devaluation of reward points, change in the rental policy that the only thing that Marriott owed me was a "vacation". I still have that so I guess I should be happy with either system.

bob

I saw something about this earlier in the thread and didn't know if it was another mistake that would be corrected. But if you've been told it's not a mistake then I agree that this is a legitimate reason to be dissatisfied with what's being offered. If my SurfWatch OS was valued the same as an OV, then I'd certainly feel like I was getting something more than I should because Marriott sold OV for more.

Have you considered writing a letter to MVCI execs? It may not do any good but at least you would know that your concern was being handled by someone in a position to actually implement a correction for all owners in your shoes. It's possible that a letter may be given more attention than a phone call, and certainly contact with an exec is better than with the reps who are handling a large volume of calls these days. I'd want individual, authoritative attention for this discrepancy, that's for sure.

 

[brigechols]

I contacted Marriott in writing and explained the idea of a system which allows flexibility in terms of check-in date is one thing that I like. I went on to explain that our family enjoys staying at our home resorts and normally travels during spring break and summer vacation; however if I try to take advantage of the point system and checking in on flexible check-in dates, I do not have enough points (MGV points assigned 3725 vs 4225 to request a spring break week with flexible check-in date; MKO points assigned 4025 vs 4575 to request summer week with flexible check-in date). Below is the "go pound sand" written response from Marriott:

Dear XXXXXX:

Thank you for contacting Marriott Vacation Club.

If an Enrolled owner wishes to book a reservation at their home resort, then they would make an occupy reservation as they always have for the timeframe they desire within their purchased season. Also, if an Enrolled owner wanted to occupy at their home resort outside their purchased saason they would still have the option to exchange their week through Interval, as they have done in the past.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us via the e-mail address listed below or via our website at www.My-VacationClub.com.

Best regards,

Don Paul
Correspondence Counselor
Marriott Vacation Club
owner.services@vacationclub.com

 

[iamnotshopgirl]

I called Marriott this morning and asked about trading for MRP for my two Aruba Surf Club weeks. Each week is valued at 90,000 MRP's. In the old system I could only trade for points one week (90,000) per year. In the new system I am able to trade each week every year (180,000 pts). My resale Sabal Palms unit under the old program (0 pts.) and under the new program 90,000 pts. So my understanding is that if I trade all my units for MRP's per year 270,000 points. The Marriott representative verified this.

bob

 

[tiel]

I have a general understanding of the new point system from reading the various threads. I just wanted to know from Marriott how they can value OS & OV units at the Surf Club at the same 3500 level in the Gold Season. So I called this morning and after complaining that I spent thousands of dollars more for my 2 OS units over OV units how can they be valued the same? I was told that when I bought I was buying the "view" (old system) and with the new system it is the "demand week" and not the "view" which is evaluated. I had an idea where this was going before the call and quite frankly I just wanted an explanation from Marriott on how I was getting screwed from them in their own words. Because I paid thousands more! The representative was being monitored in her response as I could hear the call being screened. She certainly did show an attitude and said "you don't have to join". With that I thanked her for her time and hung up. Someone on this bb once told me after I was complaining about the devaluation of reward points, change in the rental policy that the only thing that Marriott owed me was a "vacation". I still have that so I guess I should be happy with either system.

bob

You have good reason to be frustrated and annoyed. This is yet another example of the conflicting positions Marriott has taken in this program. Your "view" is discounted when it comes to evaluating the number of points you are allotted for your week (so you get fewer points than seems appropriate), yet it is given full consideration when it is determined how many many points we must PAY when exchanging into a unit with a "view" (more points are charged for better views).

So, the "view" is evaluated, just not when it's to the owner's advantage. Doesn't seem right...

 

[UK Fan]

• Interval deposits remain separate from points deposits. He said that Marriott can not go in and “raid” a prime week to fulfill a point request. His supervisor confirmed this. If I reserve July 4th week at MOC and deposit that week into Interval, then that is the week some other Interval member will get in exchange.


When I spoke to a Marriott rep he also told me that the Interval deposits will be kept separate from the points deposits. He also told me that we should see no change in availability--we'll have to wait and see on that one.

I am so confused about this! I was told yesterday that if I reserve a week and deposit it into Interval it would be available to for the point program even if I did not enroll.

 

[kedler]

Presentation at Grande Vista - Post #22

I just posted all the information we received during a long owners presentation with a sales guy and a sales manager under the "Has anyone attended a Sales Presentation this week?" thread which you can find herehttp://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124637.

I forgot the MR point information in that post you can trade resale weeks for MR points if those units were permitted to trade for MR points initially. In my case Barony Beach was and I can trade for MR point on an EOY basis but Harbour Point wasn't so I can't trade for MR points. You can trade Vacation Points for MR points a the rate of 32:1.