Looking beyond 8 mo to preview availability

[TravelTime]

More and more I find my timeshare locations to be limiting except for a few locations.

 

[byeloe]

You must disagree with him

 

[dioxide45]

More and more I find my timeshare locations to be limiting except for a few locations.

Thus why many timeshare brands are rolling out other products. Like MVCs Explorer and the upcoming Abound. The modern traveler doesn't want the same resort or resorts year after year. They want safaris, a trip to the Superbowl or a tour of Europe. Something you can't do with traditional timeshare. THe problem with these programs is that they are usually overpriced when run through a timeshare points model.

 

[SandyPGravel]

That will be this coming Sunday, June 19th....

Bahamas Waiving Testing for Fully Vaccinated Travelers - Caribbean Journal

The Bahamas is waiving testing for fully vaccinated travelers, the country announced, in a major shift in its travel requirements.

www.caribjournal.com

THANK YOU for posting this!!! I've been hoping this would happen.

 

[TravelTime]

Thus why many timeshare brands are rolling out other products. Like MVCs Explorer and the upcoming Abound. The modern traveler doesn't want the same resort or resorts year after year. They want safaris, a trip to the Superbowl or a tour of Europe. Something you can't do with traditional timeshare. THe problem with these programs is that they are usually overpriced when run through a timeshare points model.

I do not understand why they do not make point price the same as cash price. They could still make a profit since they can probably get volume discounts from vendors. I think more people would use other products offered by Marriott if price were on par.

 

[SteveS1]

It looks like you can still search 8 month+1 day availability at your home resort even if you have already broken the usage with existing reservations. Still have to set it to a 7-night stay, but it will show up even if you don't have the ability to even make the reservation.

I suspect the change they made was simply if it’s in your home resort cluster (for me Sheraton Flex, and Harborside) it shows the search results in the 8-12 month window. Not if it’s your season (for weeks) or even if you have the week or home options available. Then when you click through is when it actually checks eligibility.

 

[dioxide45]

I do not understand why they do not make point price the same as cash price. They could still make a profit since they can probably get volume discounts from vendors. I think more people would use other products offered by Marriott if price were on par.

I think so much of it is about spread and revenue as well as risk and broken usage. When someone buys an Explorer Packaging offering or cruise, they take the points and then try to rent those out to recoup the revenue. There is a huge risk there. What happens when they give the cruise for the points but what if the inventory goes unrented, well they incur a 100% loss. They probably have to look at overall occupancy on the inventory they put on on Marriott.com to rent and figure out what the proper price points are to provide these non timeshare product benefits.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Just look what you've gone and done. All this complaining about the 8-12 month window functionality has pressured them into trying to change it back and now they've gone and broken it again

 

[pchung6]

I'm getting timeout errors again last 2 days. It seems this famous timeout error is back. What they have done last few days? Vistana reservation was working last few weeks, what is going on?

 

[alwysonvac]

I'm getting timeout errors again last 2 days. It seems this famous timeout error is back. What they have done last few days? Vistana reservation was working last few weeks, what is going on?

You’ll want to join the disaster thread

(9/6 - Still can't send a confirmation) The Vistana/Marriott Reservation System is a disaster.

I will split it up during half-time. ;) Dave - try reserving 6/16 Ka'anapali and see if it times out (it doesn't matter if you actually have a week available to reserve or not.) GO WARRIORS! Basketball makes me so nervous (compared to other sports) I will try - I have a HR resort reservation...

tugbbs.com

 

[Eric B]

Timeout errors abound!

 

[SteveS1]

Just look what you've gone and done. All this complaining about the 8-12 month window functionality has pressured them into trying to change it back and now they've gone and broken it again

Quite possible! Timeout errors still happening.

They haven’t responded to the complaint i sent yesterday about the loss of the feature .., but since a few of us submitted the same complaint it’s possible they so aggressively sought to resolve the issue that they broke Villa Finder!!

I guess we’ll know , once the timeout error is resolved and if the feature is back then likely yes..

 

[alwysonvac]

The timeouts are probably due to the increased search activity as we approach the 8 month booking window for President’s week (Monday, February 20, 2023). We’re close enough to the date that folks can start searching online (looking ahead) for possible availability using StarOptions .

The reservation system has to handle the normal 12 month summer home resort bookings combined with the increased StarOption search activity to figure out what’s available for 2023 President’s Week.

We’ll probably experience timeouts for the next two months as activity increases with folks trying to make their 12 month summer (July/August) home resort bookings at the same time folks are trying to determine spring break (March/April) availability for StarOptions bookings.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Quite possible! Timeout errors still happening.

They haven’t responded to the complaint i sent yesterday about the loss of the feature .., but since a few of us submitted the same complaint it’s possible they so aggressively sought to resolve the issue that they broke Villa Finder!!

I guess we’ll know , once the timeout error is resolved and if the feature is back then likely yes..

It would be nice but I doubt it. More likely due to some more last minute 'updates' around yesterday's press announcements.

 

[WI GAL]

Hmmm, and now villa finder is showing availability for April 1, 2023 which wont be released until August 1 normally, 8 mo out (tonight system down so August 2) but if I click on it for "kicks" it spins on checking availability lol. It doesn't state "window opens August 1" like it previously did that was a nice way to see further out than 8 mo. Now it just lets you think you can book "now" for 8 mo plus a day but you really can't of course lol. This example was from Westin St John for a staroption rez.

 

[NerdAlert]

Hmmm, and now villa finder is showing availability for April 1, 2023 which wont be released until August 1 normally, 8 mo out (tonight system down so August 2) but if I click on it for "kicks" it spins on checking availability lol. It doesn't state "window opens August 1" like it previously did that was a nice way to see further out than 8 mo. Now it just lets you think you can book "now" for 8 mo plus a day but you really can't of course lol. This example was from Westin St John for a staroption rez.

This is absolutely true, seen it many times recently. The most frustrating part is that those "available" villas (8 mo + 1day) are supposed to be available for owners of that resort, phase, and unit type (12-8 mo), but they are NOT. I can attest to that. Had a heated go around with Vistana many times recently. Not cool at all.