I'm sorry but I have to ask. With your obvious distaste for and apparent distrust of Marriott as a company why are you even interested in purchasing a Marriott timeshare?
I understand that there are some seriously unhappy people because of the new points program. Ok, I can understand that. But, your posts indicates you have serious issues with Marriott - so why buy Marriott? I just don't understand.
I'll give the shortest answer I can about my mistrust of Marriott, and why I felt the need I have to buy another resale week. Here goes:
18 months After spending $28,000 for a "Life Time" of vacations for 2 weeks (using lock off) that our sales rep sold us, Marriott decides to change the rules. I had the same sales pitch that every other developer purchaser gets. They show how easy it is to split your Platinum Lock Off unit and take 2 weeks vacation any where in the world! Oh the places you will go! And don't forget that you own this for life and have a deed. 2 weeks vacation every year.
I was Maui in on our first exchange on June 20, 2010. We went to the sales presentation after seeing all the balloons and banners for the "enhancements" to the vacation club. The presentation started with, I was lucky to get a Maui exchange and that should have never happened and won't happen in the future! 18 months earlier the world was mine to explore. I has basically told how unfair it was for me to use my Palm Springs Unit and spend a week in Maui. Next I am presented with the point allocated for my Platinum Shadow Ridge Enclaves. Most of the season was skimmed 22% if I wanted the entire 2 BR. If I wanted a Lock Off and a 1BR like the presentation suggested 18 months earlier (remember 2 weeks vacation I was talking about?) the skim becomes 48%. I spend $28,000 and 18 months later I'm short 48% what the first presentation promised. I know I can go to Palm Springs and bought there because it is driving distance and is a great vacation spot. However, we were sold on the premise that we would be able to go a lot of places.
May be that will be available as the new program rolls out, maybe not. No one knows. Marriott has my money, but how long can they keep selling the offseason trust points while telling everyone they are going to Hawaii in the summer? If the point purchasers get frustrated, that makes it harder to sell points. If the week owners are frustrated..........they don't sell weeks anymore.
Back to my presentation on the 20th. Sales rep tells me I just have to spend another $13,800 (1,500 points)and add $600 a year in MF's to be where I was 18 months ago when I paid $28,000 for 2 weeks of vacation. That was the end of our little chat session.
Do I trust Marriott? Not a single bit. Do I like Marriott? Not a single bit. Would I spend another penny on Marriott? Not a chance. So why did I buy another week in Marriott on Ebay? Because I had to protect my $28,000 deed that Marriott has now made valueless! I purchased another Palm Springs MVCI for a fraction of the developer price. Why because if I want to use my $28,000 vacation for a life time, eventually I will have to put in the Points program and suffer the 22-48% skim and be able to book 1 week. By buying another week I only had to spend $1,800 instead of $13,800 to get back to 2 weeks vacations when the II trades dry up. May be throwing good money after bad, but I wasn't willing just throw away the $28,000 after 18 months and 1 Hawaii vacation. Will II trades dry up, who knows. I hope I am wrong and that the trades keep coming. With the resale week I bought after the presentation, I got Hawaii next year. So far so good.
That is why I have 2 weeks with a company I don't trust. Sorry you asked??? Just kidding.
Now the initial post from this tread was for a 3rd week purchased last month on Ebay. The price was ridiculously low (under $1000) doe White Season Palm Springs. Worst case I visit Palm Springs in October or give it away for Christmas gifts!
That's the short answer on my feeling about Marriott Destination Club!
