Marriott Destination Points...They have done it!!!!!! {Merged}

[jin]

Fortunately for Marriott, Mr. & Mrs. tourist don't know about the resale market... it worked so far with most of the 400,000 owners who didn't know they could buy (almost) the same thing for much less..

Is there a way to get "THE WORD OUT" to all MVC owners???

 

[ondeadlin]

Summit Watch bronze week has no point value! According to Marriott it's of no value (points) in their new points program.

I wasn't expecting it to be worth very much, but just called and talked to a Marriott rep. It's a Marriott week that pays the same MF as a platinum week but Marriott assigns it no value under the new system!

I believe this is because the week were not originally deeded/sold by Marriott. When the property was developed, these weeks were reserved to the board. The board then created the "bronze" season and asked Marriott to sell the weeks for them.

It's a bit of a technicality, but I can understand why Marriott would take the technicality to exclude virtually worthless weeks from the system.

 

[Frisbeeace]

So, Marriott is giving the shaft to existing owners by not even alotting them what would be enough points to rebook into their home resort. It seems Marriott has place a higher value on the weeks than they are willing to give their owners.

Not any different to what happens with your Marriott Rewards points when you trade in your week for points. Think of them as a currency, so Marriott has a profit with the spread between the buying and selling prices.

I hope that this new "enhancement" will please most of my fellow co-owners at Sabal Palms who are waitlisted to sell thru Marriott so my weeks move ahead and I can finally end this nightmare.

 

[NJDave]

For legacy owners it will be based on the underlying week:

"An Eligible Member who did not have the ability to trade the use of their Interest in a particular Use Year for Marriott Rewards points prior to enrollment in the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program shall receive the amount of Marriott Rewards points for each traded Interest as specified in the applicable Resort Rules & Regulations for the resort where the Interest is located."

I concluded that an eligible member does not include a resale owner that converts so we would still not have that benefit.

https://www.my-vacationclub.com/common/vc/en-us/pdfs/enrollment_legal_docs/marriott_rewards.pdf

 

[hipslo]

These changes hardly seem to have warranted almost 3,000 postings, many of which expressing great angst at the grave injustice to which we were all about to be subjected. Just think how all of our properties might have benefited if that energy had been devoted to working constructively to address real issues rather than wringing hands for months speculating, analyzing and fretting over a parade of horribles that never appeared.

read on...

 

[larue]

I concluded that an eligible member does not include a resale owner that converts so we would still not have that benefit.

https://www.my-vacationclub.com/common/vc/en-us/pdfs/enrollment_legal_docs/marriott_rewards.pdf

Owner services told me that, as a resale owner, I would be allowed to trade for Marriott Reward Points if I enroll in the new system.

 

[tombo]

Well maybe and maybe not. I'm not going to jump to any conclusions just yet. For someone like me it might be a reasonable deal. I'm a resale owner with just one week: Harbour Lakes, Platnum which gives me 2550 points if I convert. This summer is probably the last year we are going to stay at my home resort and would probably either sell or try to rent for the next several years. We already own DVC pts and a Diamond Resorts 3 bdr at Grand Beach II and in my opinion my Grand Beach bought for $500 bucks is way better and larger than my Harbour Lakes that I bought for $7,500.00. I have always liked OceanWatch and have stayed there via rentals for two previous summers and I would like to go again on a regular bases.

So it seems that if I convert I could go just about every other year to OceanWatch during the summer months at a cost of about $2,100.00 (MF and Club fees) which seems to be a reasonably good price in the rental market right now. And with left over points I might be able to work in some golf time during the Fall/Winter months. I'm not happy that I have pay $1,000.00 more than a "Internal" owner but I can deal with it...

Y-ASK

What am I missing that would make this a bad deal for me?

If you get 2550 annual points for your deposited week, and they charge another points owner 3000 points to exchange for your week you deposited, then you at 2550 points are not getting what your week is worth, or what Marriott charges others. That is a benefit for Marriott and a ripoff for all points owners.

In addition you won't have enough points to stay at a comparable resort/week/season to the one that you deposited because a comparable exchange will cost you 3000 or more points. Before points you could exchange what you have for almost any comparable Marriott resort, but that will no longer be possible. Before points you also had a chance to trade up to many destinations including Ocean Watch, Hawaii, and most other locations if you were flexible with travel times. Now with many resorts/seasons costing over 6000 points it will take you 3 years to accumulate enough points to trade for what you could have traded week for week in the past, and that is if they will even let you carry points over for 3 years. Trading up is gone under points (which many agree with), but trading like for like is gone too since marriott gives you less points each year than a comparable resort costs meaning you can either trade down or borrow points from upcoming years to trade like for like.

This is a bad deal for you and everyone when marriott gives the owner less annual points than they charge another owner to stay in the identical week. That is not counting the fact that they are killing resale values by charging $2000 tranfer fees and threatening the possibility of not ever allowing resales to ever become points in the future. They also are claiming access to all inventory deposited with II, whether it was deposited by a weeks owner or a points owner, which in the long run will kill your trading power with II and will immediatelly reduce prime inventory that Marriott siphons off of what was deposited in II by weeks owners to use for it's internal points exchange program. This is just what we know from the inital launch, I fee lsure many more things will come to light as the months/years pass.

 

[pfrank4127]

I don't see how this system benefits Marriott at all. There are still the same number of points.

They give you 800 points for joining - so that is a wash
They get the fee for running the exchange system - they can get that anyway by replacing II.

Are you saying that they will somehow "steal" weeks to use for themselves? How does that work, unless the system causes fewer people to reserve time at the resorts.

Fewer people using weekend nights so that they can be rented 60 days out? Seems like a risky strategy if they do not rent.

What the system does is show the true value of the weeks that everyone purchased. A platinum week is not a platinum week. We at TUG already know that and take advantage of it

By definition every Platinum owner can not get the points for the highest Platinum week in the points system. Those that want the week will now pay for it instead of getting 'lucky' through II. We have moved from rationing by lottery and getting up at 9am to rationing by points. That is fairer for the majority of owners.

The sweet spot is now for people who can drive to resorts and use Sun-Thurs nights. It seems like the initial DVC program with Weekend points way too high compared to weekdays. There will be a big shift to Sun-Thur stays. Will be interesting to see if the new system can provide the demand.

The true value appears correct to me. I can now trade my Platinum Manor Club for 4 days Platinum Grande Ocean Ocean Front. Three years ago I traded my Harbor Lake Gold for a full week Platinum Grande Ocean Ocean Front I will not get those unfair exchanges in the points system

Points owner will get first shot at the inventory, so that is a big inducement to join. Also borrowing and banking gives me the flexibility to take a nice trip if I want.

I will probably join the system to obtain the flexibility. I usually only need a 1bd, but would like to reserve 3bd for special occassions. Right now it is very difficult to get a 3bd through II. I can also get more that 7 nights for my weeks by staying Sun-Thurs, which I will do.

agree 100%, Now if it wasn't going to cost $2000 I would join today.

 

[tahoeJoe]

Short-sighted thinking by Marriott

We will all make our own decisions about whether or not this new program will work for us. But, for those owners who paid for "platinum" and now have tin or EOY owners who will be asked to pay full-time "club dues" every year for no reason and full enrollment fees, it seems like a pretty raw deal. Marriott is indeed stacking the deck in its favor, but I also think by screwing their existing owners, Marriott is making a bad long-term decision. They are effectively killing their best unpaid sales force, good word-of-mouth by existing owners.

It'll be hard to use the "lifetime of family vacations" and the "hedge against inflation" sales pitch to new owners after having added additional costs and devalued existing inventory for existing owners.

Mrs. Tahoe Joe

 

[MikeB2620]

I read through the exchange rules very quickly, and did not see anything on how lockoffs were going to be handled? Will I still have the option of locking off and staying 2 weeks at my resort, or, if I choose to join the points program, will they give me points for my portion I lock off and do not use?

 

[ral]

So the program would benefit you under these circumstances. It would not work for Grande Ocean. Marriott will offer 4,200 for platinum but charge 4,500 to reserve it. They give 3,325 for gold but ask 3,450 to reserve it. Oh and by the way, 3 of the gold weeks I have reserved for 2011 would require 4,500 as if they were platinum. Also, Frenchmans Cove 3br plat will get me 5,025 points but I would need 5,675 to reserve it. No thanks! Bob

One wonders why Marriott is offering 5750 points for 2 Bedroom Platinum Oceanside for Surfwatch, but only 4200 points for 2 Bedroom Platinum (I'm assuming Oceanside) at Grande Ocean. This is a huge discrepancy!

 

[abdibile]

Owner services told me that, as a resale owner, I would be allowed to trade for Marriott Reward Points if I enroll in the new system.

How do I find out how many Rewards Points (hotel points system) my week is worth?

 

[larue]

Interesting Small Print in Enrollment Contract

Here are a couple of interesting negative provisions in the enrollment contract that I read on vacationclub.com:

(Owner) will not exercise any vote Owner may have in the owners" association ("Resort Association") operating the resort in which Owner's Timeshare Interest is located ("Resort") in a manner that is, in MVCEC's reasonable discretion, detrimental to the Program, including, without limitation, voting to limit or terminate the Resort's participation in the Program.
. . . .

Upon renewal of membership, any and all claims against MVCEC are deemed waived at that time, and MVCEC is released from all liability, if any, arising out of participation in the Program which occurred prior to the renewal of same;
. . . . .

 

[Numismatist]

Are you giving up your deeded week by enrolling - or only by asking for points in a particular year?

 

[wuv pooh]

If you get 2550 annual points for your deposited week, and they charge another points owner 3000 points to exchange for your week you deposited, then you at 2550 points are not getting what your week is worth, or what Marriott charges others. That is a benefit for Marriott and a ripoff for all points owners.

This is 100% false and you should not continue to propogate it. It is now measured by demand instead of an arbitrary season. Owners have always been ripped off, but now it is at least obvious/fair. Most resorts have too long of a platinum season so we have reserved the "red" weeks instead of the "pink" weeks. The pink owners got screwed with lower demanded weeks and lower trading power.

Now, everyone sees the relative values of the week they reserve. More demanded weeks are allocated to those who will PAY for it, vs. the current lottery of calling in at 9am or using II.

It is different, but it is not a new rip off. Just a different rip off than you are accustomed to.

 

[larue]

How do I find out how many Rewards Points (hotel points system) my week is worth?

Owner services told me it would be the same as a developer purchaser from the same resort.

 

[Y-ASK]

I never had a chance to trade via II so I guess I really don't know what I was missing. I either rented or stayed there myself. I guess I'm looking at it from a "I get 5100 points every two years" view and if I have been willing to pay $2,500 plus to stay at Oceanwatch in the past then using those points could work out nicely. I understand why Marriott can't give everyone full prime time points for owner weeks that may fall into those time periods. That's why they give you the oportunity to keep your week as is. But I probably won't ever stay at my home resort again, I certainly won't pay deverloper prices, and selling in this market is a lose/lose situation so doing the conversion might make sense in my situation. But I will keep my eye open for good deals on resales and it will be interesting to see if Marriott starts back up with it's ROFR again.

Y-ASK

 

[abdibile]

Are you giving up your deeded week by enrolling - or only by asking for points in a particular year?

You keep your deeded week.

By enrolling you just have the right to exchange one years usage for points

 

[abdibile]

Owner services told me it would be the same as a developer purchaser from the same resort.

That info is also in the documents.

But how do I find out how many Rewards Points (hotel points system) a developer purchaser got from the same resort??

 

[LAX Mom]

Where does Marriott get the inventory?

For example, Mountainside is sold out. What if someone purchases points tomorrow and wants to book Mountainside for next ski season? Will Marriott be able to provide the accommodations? What about Hilton Head in the summer? Newport in the summer

I think this new program is all smoke and mirrors. It allows Marriott to sell points that customers hope to use at popular resorts that have sold-out. Unless lots of owners convert Marriott will be short on inventory. Those point charts mights seem enticing to a new owner thinking he can get a summer week in Newport but in reality will the inventory be available to meet demand?

Marriott is just using this new points system to sell weeks at resorts that were long ago sold out. No new resorts, just the old ones with different packaging!

 

[floyddl]

This is 100% false and you should not continue to propogate it. It is now measured by demand instead of an arbitrary season. Owners have always been ripped off, but now it is at least obvious/fair. Most resorts have too long of a platinum season so we have reserved the "red" weeks instead of the "pink" weeks. The pink owners got screwed with lower demanded weeks and lower trading power.

Now, everyone sees the relative values of the week they reserve. More demanded weeks are allocated to those who will PAY for it, vs. the current lottery of calling in at 9am or using II.

It is different, but it is not a new rip off. Just a different rip off than you are accustomed to.

The difference was in the past we figured out how to work around the ripoff, now there is no longer a work around.

 

[abdibile]

The difference was in the past we figured out how to work around the ripoff, now there is no longer a work around.

Right! And probability of being able to get a peak week will be higher if you are willing to pay big time. This has improved over II exchanges where peak weeks never became available.

And really off season weeks still required an deposit and an exchange fee in II (or a few hundred $ as getaways). Now they can get cheaper.

 

[floyddl]

Right! And probability of being able to get a peak week will be higher if you are willing to pay big time. This has improved over II exchanges where peak weeks never became available.

And really off season weeks still required an deposit and an exchange fee in II (or a few hundred $ as getaways). Now they can get cheaper.

How can they be cheaper if you have to pay "big time".

 

[LAX Mom]

This is 100% false and you should not continue to propogate it. It is now measured by demand instead of an arbitrary season. Owners have always been ripped off, but now it is at least obvious/fair. Most resorts have too long of a platinum season so we have reserved the "red" weeks instead of the "pink" weeks. The pink owners got screwed with lower demanded weeks and lower trading power.

Now, everyone sees the relative values of the week they reserve. More demanded weeks are allocated to those who will PAY for it, vs. the current lottery of calling in at 9am or using II.

It is different, but it is not a new rip off. Just a different rip off than you are accustomed to.

If you bought a platinum week from Marriott you are entitled to use any week (subject to availablity) in the platinum system. This is the program that Marriott promoted and sold to owners. That was fair.

With the new points Marriott will give you a certain number of points, but not always enough to stay some weeks during the platinum system. This is not fair.

 

[wuv pooh]

The difference was in the past we figured out how to work around the ripoff, now there is no longer a work around.

You are not very creative I can now get 13 nights in a 1bd or 9 nights in a 2bd at Manor Club in exchange for my week during Platinum season. I can do better if I move down or worse if I want to go during July 4th or on weekends. The value is there, but the pattern will change