Interval International Getaways Friends & Family Programme

[pendarves]

Can someone explain to me the fundamental difference between Condo Direct's Interval International Getaways Friends & Family Programme:

https://friendsandfamily.condodirect.com/web/cs?a=5&clubCode=interval-internet

And Interval's Getaways booked through Intervalworld.com?

We have booked many weeks at MVCI resorts for friends and family through the Condo Direct site over the years, with plenty of availability at MVCI resorts (at prices much cheaper than MF for that resort), but since September this year they have all disappeared. I understand that I am not allowed to book Getaways through IntervalWorld for friends and family (or risk account suspension)?

 

[tschwa2]

We have booked many weeks at MVCI resorts for friends and family through the Condo Direct site over the years, with plenty of availability at MVCI resorts (at prices much cheaper than MF for that resort), but since September this year they have all disappeared. I understand that I am not allowed to book Getaways through IntervalWorld for friends and family (or risk account suspension)?

You can book getaways through Interval for friends and family, but you need to purchase a guest certificate. What you can't do is sell them the getaways you book. So you can "gift" them a getaway or even have them pay Interval directly with their credit cards, they just can't pay you for a getaway even if it is reimbursing you what you paid. In reality II isn't going to know if they privately reimburse you or not. The really big no no is advertising getaways or exchanges for rent. Interval does look for this and will suspend your account. Even if they miss it you would be renting to strangers that may end up complaining about something and how they rented the unit and that could get you in trouble as well.

 

[pendarves]

How much is a guest certificate? A friend is a Platinum II member, and gets access to more Getaways at cheaper prices (I think), if they were to book Getaways for us (no commercial gain) would that be against the rules?

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Can someone explain to me the fundamental difference between Condo Direct's Interval International Getaways Friends & Family Programme:

https://friendsandfamily.condodirect.com/web/cs?a=5&clubCode=interval-internet

And Interval's Getaways booked through Intervalworld.com?

We have booked many weeks at MVCI resorts for friends and family through the Condo Direct site over the years, with plenty of availability at MVCI resorts (at prices much cheaper than MF for that resort), but since September this year they have all disappeared. I understand that I am not allowed to book Getaways through IntervalWorld for friends and family (or risk account suspension)?

Wow, I’ve never heard of this program. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DannyTS]

I did not know about that site either. Thank you for sharing. I checked the availability for the next year in Orlando both on friendsandfamily and the II getaways.

1) Friends and family seems to be a bit more expensive, about 90 dollars when comparing with the regular getaways (not platinum)
2) the available weeks seem to coincide for the resorts that you can find in both
3) Friends and family does not list any Marriott or Vistana but you can find many getaways on Interval.

Is this a temporary situation and the Marriott and Vistana weeks will come back? I do not know but it is possible that after the takeover, MVC does not allow Interval to list cheap rentals to the general public since it hurts both its rental and sales business. Just my thoughts.

 

[pendarves]

No worries, just sorry it's not as juicy as it was 3 months ago (paid £400 for a 2 bed @ Marriott's Marbella Beach Resort over Easter weekend earlier this year!)

 

[pendarves]

I did not know about that site either. I checked the availability both on friendsandfamily and the getaways availability in Orlando for the next year.

1) Friends and family seems to be a bit more expensive, about 90 dollars when comparing with the regular getaways (not platinum)
2) the dates seem to coincide for the resorts that you can find in both
3) Friends and family does not list any Marriott or Vistana but you can find many getaways on Interval.

Is this a temporary situation and the Marriott and Vistana weeks will come back? I do not know but it is possible that after the takeover, MVC does not allow Interval to list cheap rentals to the general public since it hurts both its rental and sales business. Just my thoughts.

The timing of the MVCI and Vistana resorts disappearing from the F&F programme does coincide perfectly with the merger. Doesn't Marriott own II? I agree that it would hurt their sales, but they've been 'hurting' themselves for the past 7-8 years (that I know of). I asked II why the 'better' resorts had disappeared, and they just gave me the default supply/demand answer.

 

[DannyTS]

The timing of the MVCI and Vistana resorts disappearing from the F&F programme does coincide perfectly with the merger. Doesn't Marriott own II? I agree that it would hurt their sales, but they've been 'hurting' themselves for the past 7-8 years (that I know of). I asked II why the 'better' resorts had disappeared, and they just gave me the default supply/demand answer.

MVC now owns Interval. Yes, it was hurting their business but they had no control before over what Interval was renting, i guess.

If this is the new Interval policy, I expect the MVC and Vistana owners to be happy about it especially those who rent out their weeks sometimes. Who wants cheap competition? I am not sure though how popular this site is, it looks like not many people heard about it.

 

[pendarves]

MVC now owns Interval. Yes, it was hurting their business but they had no control before over what Interval was renting, i guess.

If this is the new Interval policy, I expect the MVC and Vistana owners to be happy about it especially those who rent out their weeks sometimes. Who wants cheap competition? I am not sure though how popular this site is, it looks like not many people heard about it.

I agree. When did MVC acquire II exactly?

 

[DannyTS]

I agree. When did MVC acquire II exactly?

i think the official takeover was end of August or so

 

[pendarves]

i think the official takeover was end of August or so

Which is exactly the time MVCI availability was withdrawn from Interval's Friends & Family site. I guess you don't under-sell your prized assets