Marriott Reservations SUCK!

[Clemson Fan]

I just failed to make my President's week reservation. I couldn't get through over the phone as I always got the we're too busy message and got hung up on. I was also at the computer with a high speed connection hitting the refresh button until the dates turned green on the calendar at right around 9AM. As soon as they turned green, I clicked on Feb 17th and nothing happenned. It was clear that the problem was not my computer or my connection, but the Marriott site was not responding back. I waited a minuted and re-clicked Feb 17th. I did this about every minute until finally I got a reply from the Marriott website at about 9:10 that all the dates for that weekend were booked.

For those people looking to buy a Marriott timeshare and expect to get the week you want - BEWARE!

The reservation system sucks and even the 13 month rule totally failed me this year (see a prior thread where I posted on that). I'm convinced that no matter how much prior preparation you do that it just all comes down to one of two things:

1. Pure luck
2. Knowing somebody on the inside that can "fix" the system for you

I've contacted Marriott multiple times with not only complaints but also suggestions about their screwed up system that hangs up on you b/c their "too busy" to take your call, but it's clear to me that their happy with the status quo. I'll give them one more year and if doesn't improve next year, I'll be selling.

 

[Big Matt]

Great example of how a long platinum floating season with only a week or two of really desireable weeks is a killer.

Notice that in most of the newer resorts, they are selling Platinum Plus and getting a premium. It all translates into money.

I just failed to make my President's week reservation. I couldn't get through over the phone as I always got the we're too busy message and got hung up on. I was also at the computer with a high speed connection hitting the refresh button until the dates turned green on the calendar at right around 9AM. As soon as they turned green, I clicked on Feb 17th and nothing happenned. It was clear that the problem was not my computer or my connection, but the Marriott site was not responding back. I waited a minuted and re-clicked Feb 17th. I did this about every minute until finally I got a reply from the Marriott website at about 9:10 that all the dates for that weekend were booked.

For those people looking to buy a Marriott timeshare and expect to get the week you want - BEWARE!

The reservation system sucks and even the 13 month rule totally failed me this year (see a prior thread where I posted on that). I'm convinced that no matter how much prior preparation you do that it just all comes down to one of two things:

1. Pure luck
2. Knowing somebody on the inside that can "fix" the system for you

I've contacted Marriott multiple times with not only complaints but also suggestions about their screwed up system that hangs up on you b/c their "too busy" to take your call, but it's clear to me that their happy with the status quo. I'll give them one more year and if doesn't improve next year, I'll be selling.

 

[floyddl]

Clemson Fan, Just curious what was the resort you were trying. I know it is frustrating and that is why my last two purchases were fixed weeks that in conjuntion with my other two non-fixed weeks allow me to book 13 months ahead. It doesn't make sense for everyone to have that many weeks but it does make sense to purchase the fixed week if that is when you need to go.

 

[gjfoley]

got aruba 2/16/07

Surprisingly, I didn't logon until 9:06 & managed to get marriott Aruba for a Friday 2/16/07 checkin, the sat & Sun dates were all gone.

I would keep trying, sometimes inventory gets adjusted and a week may show up.

Gloria

 

[short]

Trade or Use

Clemson Fan,

Are you reserving to trade or to use? If to use I feel your pain. If to trade you can thank the thousands of Tug members, nonmembers, lurkers and just general internet buzz for informing them that Pres. Week is one of the most demand weeks and thus one of the best trading week.

Bye the way, this week would be a great time to have a search in for week 7 next year since lots of these weeks will start appearing in II soon.

Short

 

[ondeadlin]

By comparison, I booked my Eagle Point in Vail unit for Presidents next year no problem. Called at 10:30, got right through. Now, Eagle Point obviously isn't Marriott in size, but the calenders are fairly similar.

I've gotta think there's a better way then Marriott's doing this.

 

[wilma]

Yep, the Marriott reservations system sucks and Marriott needs to fix this problem! It is unacceptable to have to repeatedly call and be told they're too busy to answer and to call back later.

 

[BocaBum99]

It's NOT the reservation system that sucks. It's the Marriott floating week system that sucks at certain resorts. Too much demand for certain holiday and summer weeks when all weeks in the season are treated the same. All weeks were created equal, but some are more equal than others.

 

[Big Matt]

My point above, exactly. I totally agree. This is all about trying to sell as many platinum priced weeks as possible even though there are really platinum and "ultra" platinum weeks at many resorts.

Even though Marriott is low pressure, they still dupe many folks when they say you can reserve any week you want in platinum season. Sure you can, but so can thousands of other owners for the 100 units, and by the way, most of them are taken by the double owners who reserved it a month prior.

It's NOT the reservation system that sucks. It's the Marriott floating week system that sucks at certain resorts. Too much demand for certain holiday and summer weeks when all weeks in the season are treated the same. All weeks were created equal, but some are more equal than others.

 

[floyddl]

It's NOT the reservation system that sucks. It's the Marriott floating week system that sucks at certain resorts. Too much demand for certain holiday and summer weeks when all weeks in the season are treated the same. All weeks were created equal, but some are more equal than others.

That is exactly the problem. Marriott is stretching the seasons and the views they sell to maximize profitablility. That is fine but at some point it leads to declines in satisfaction. Of course the Marriott response would be buy another week so you can book 13 weeks out and have a better chance. Its all about selling more weeks. This is the most dramatic change in the past few years from when I first bough in 1995.

 

[dive-in]

I feel part of your pain. I posted last week that there is a problem with the Waiohai beach club online reservation system. We can't use it at all because it doesn't show any availability. I was forced to use the phones.

This morning I kept trying the phones until about 10:00, finally got connected vs. the "we're too busy, call back later" message, had a short wait of about 3 minutes, and was able to get a week at Waiohai. I feel quite fortunate because it's a relatively small resort.

 

[barbaraek]

Even with the 13 month out reservation I was unable to book at our home resort for President's week. They release 1/2 of the inventory then, in my case (109 units). The other half goes up for grabs in the feeding frenzy 12 months out. Fortunately for me, I was able to make a reservation at 9:00 online this time around.

I wish instead of the "we're too busy" message, you would get placed in the queue with a specific number in line.

I will be a much happier person when our vacation schedules are not dictated by the school calendar...6 years to go!

 

[ZCar]

The system may be difficult for some and that's unfortunate, however, it has been great for us.
We use both 12 & 13 month reservations. We're flexible with dates, but try to pickup good weeks for exchange.

 

[TinaS]

I had something very similar happen. Using 13 month rule trying to book back-to-back Aruba Surf and Aruba Ocean for Thanksgiving week 2007. We have been going that week for the last 4 years. NEVER had a problem.

New system begins. I call at 8:55 am giving a five minute leeway for clocks. I immediately get the recording. Use auto-redial. FINALLY get a person at 9:08 am. Was told by a very rude fellow that BOTH resorts and BOTH weeks were booked up.

Didn't like his attitude so I called again. Got a different person. Told same story. Tried again in afternoon, got a different person, same story.

So, about a week later, hubby and I decide on alternate weeks. I called to reserve alternate weeks. On a whim, thought I would ask about original weeks first. I GOT EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED.

I was told that during heavy demand weeks they hire extra help with little training who don't know what they are doing and don't much care what they tell the customer.

Assuming President's week would be a heavy demand for request week (duuuh ) I would assume you got the same runaround I did. Wait a week and try again. Maybe you will be as fortunate as I was.

TinaS

 

[ZCar]

Tina,
Did you mean Thanksgiving week 2006, since 2007 is far beyond 13 months?

 

[Stefa]

Surprisingly, I didn't logon until 9:06 & managed to get marriott Aruba for a Friday 2/16/07 checkin, the sat & Sun dates were all gone.

Isn't Pres week plat-plus in Aruba? Therefore, they couldn't have more owners than weeks.

 

[floyddl]

Aruba Ocean Club has no fixed weeks. Surf Club has several fixed weeks.

 

[Chemee]

It's NOT the reservation system that sucks. It's the Marriott floating week system that sucks at certain resorts. Too much demand for certain holiday and summer weeks when all weeks in the season are treated the same. All weeks were created equal, but some are more equal than others.

That's why fixed weeks are the best choice for those without flexibility. I have wondered when MVCI would start offering fixed weeks for the summer season.

That being said, I think MVCI should improve their reservations phone system. It obviously can not handle the call volume of the new reservations procedure. Getting the "busy, call later" response creates a lot of anxiety. It happened to us while trying to make reservations last summer. I would prefer to be on hold, not knowing if I'll get my week .

 

[Bill4728]

Do all marriott resorts have to call the same number at the same time of the morning? Maybe Marriott should, and very easily could, have a rotating time when you can call to make the 13 & 12 month reservations.

So lets say, that all european resorts open at 8 am eastern, all HHI resorts open at 9am eastern, all other eastern resort open at 10 am, all central and mountain open at 11am, all west coast at 12 and finally all other resorts at 1 pm. At least not every Marriott owner would be trying to call at the same time.

What do you think?

 

[tsl]

So what's the best way??

I haven't made reservations under the "new" system. Is it best to call or go on line to reserve? If you call, what time? I guess that since you can reserve Fri/Sat/Sun on the Friday 12 months out, everyone calls on Friday? UGH Could they make this any harder?

 

[sdtugger]

Yikes!

I've been researching the purchase of a Maui week and one other week (either Maui or Palm Desert) to try and make it likely that I can get a week at either Thanksgiving or July 4 in Maui. I would then either rent out the 2nd Maui week or trade the Palm Desert week. My plan would be to use the "cheaper" Palm Desert week to reserve the week before the 13 month deadline.

This post and a few others like it have me very concerned and it may be time to just pass on this.

Could I ask a few questions:

1. Several have referenced Marriotts' "new" reservation system. How is it new and when did it start? Is this just a problem working out the kinks in a new system? What was the old system like? Do you think Marriott will try to "fix" this in the near future?

2. Would sacrificing a "cheaper" week (at Palm Desert in my plan) by using it to reserve a non-prime week (the week before thanksgiving for example) dramatically improve my chances? In other words, are the folks having trouble on the prime weeks (everyone it seems) either trying for one week or concurrent weeks on the prime week?

3. If you are trying to reserve 13 months and 1 week prior to a prime week, what inventory does the prime week come from (12 month, 13 month, any). Is there some limitation on the 13 month and 1 week inventory?

The fixed week does not seem like a great answer to me. In addition to purchasing at developer plus prices, isn't it true that fixed weeks fluctuate and you can't be sure that you will have July 4 or Thanksgiving or Presidents Day etc. in your week every year?

Thanks for your thougths and info.

 

[ml855]

I also was on the phone lines and website this morning prompt at 9am. I was getting so frustrated with the phone line, first it was busy, than I finally got through just to receive the recording stating the lines are to busy and got disconnected, I was really upset. I agree they need to place us in line according to when we call in, this way we're on the line waiting our turn.

At the same time online I got to a certain point where it was time to pick which date I wanted and the system showed an error message. Tried several more times and finally got through not with Sat. check-in (our first choice), but with Sun. check-in (our second choice).

We were pleased that we did receive Sun. check-in, but just don't understand how every villa in the whole resort can get picked up in just 10 minutes for Sat. check-in. I guess to many people wants the same villas for the same week, it's just to much demand for President's week.

-Jean

 

[Chemee]

We were pleased that we did receive Sun. check-in, but just don't understand how every villa in the whole resort can get picked up in just 10 minutes for Sat. check-in. I guess to many people wants the same villas for the same week, it's just to much demand for President's week.

-Jean

Jean - it's not every villa. Half the villas become available at 13 months. If they are all reserved at this point, then only half are available at 12 months. If there are 100 oceanview units at a resort, then at 12 months, 50 could be the maximum available. Then, spread 50 out over Friday, Saturday, & Sunday check-in days.

 

[msweaver]

I am an owner at Summit Watch and Sundance week is historically very hard to get. I've tried the past two years and have been successful once. I guess 1 out of 2 ain't bad... For those of us who complain about the limited availability of certain high-demand Platinum weeks, I for one am glad to have access (albeit limited) to those weeks at Summit Watch without having to pay extra for Platinum Plus. As frustrating as the reservation system is (and yes there are some simple improvements that could be made) I still get what I want most of the time.

Mike

 

[Chemee]

I haven't made reservations under the "new" system. Is it best to call or go on line to reserve? If you call, what time? I guess that since you can reserve Fri/Sat/Sun on the Friday 12 months out, everyone calls on Friday? UGH Could they make this any harder?

I don't think there is a best way or a good time, hence this thread. It's all the luck of the draw to get through. Being a multiple week owner does reduce the number of owners calling, but it's still difficult at some resorts to get reservations 13 months ahead. With our reservations, we are on the phone & on-line at the same time, hoping to get through with one.

If you do call, here are a couple of tips:

1) Ask the rep to check availability for all the check-in days. The computer will report back available days & then you can choose the one you want. If you only ask for one particular day, then you could be missing out on an alternate day.

2) If the rep tells you nothing is available, ask him to wait a minute or so & then check again. This has to do with 1) above. The units that come up available in 1) are taken out of the available pool (for lack of a better term). No other rep can see these units as available. Once the owner decides which day he/she wants, the other days are released back into the available pool. That's one reason why those who call after the initial 9 am rush may get the week, while some in the rush may not.

Hope this helps.