New Trick

[m61376]

Greg and Puck- what a great idea!! It's a win-win for everyone. Greg gets the advantage of securing a reservation without jeopardizing any point value, and Puck gets the benefit of converting his limited use points into full use points if greg lands up using the reservation. All without any extraneous costs.

As much as I dislike some of the program features, it's things like this that is inclining me towards joining.

Kudos to whomever came up with that!!

And, Greg, hope you have a wonderful trip and glad the alternate plans are coming to fruition.

 

[puckmanfl]

good evening...

Greg also gets dinner at Bern's steak House (South Tampa) and tix for the Lightning v. Caps on 4/2....

Off to Park city on saturday.... please do a snow dance!!!!! They did a get a few inches yesterday!!!

 

[rudy]

?? Discount on points forever or limited??

This is a terrific strategy however I am concerned how long does it last?

Is this discount in writing and if so for how long?

 

[dioxide45]

This is a terrific strategy however I am concerned how long does it last?

Is this discount in writing and if so for how long?

The 7/14 day 20% point discount is a written benefit. Marriott can change it at any time, no one knows. I would hope they would open it up more. A 14 day flex type period is not very much compared to other systems.

 

[mjm1]

All,

Further good story here on Puck's penalty box points. As TUGgers may know, unfortunately, I've had to cancel my Feb Aruba trip because I can't travel now on the target dates. Happily, another TUGger is able to bring a friend and use that week, so it won't go to waste.

So I've been working to assemble a quick trip to Oahu -- and current reservations are at HHV for two days and now waiting for the subsequent four days to open up at HHV (either with HGVC points or with Open Season, which is their cash rental system).

But if I can't stay at HHV, I'd rather be at Ko Olina than my current backup (hotel). However reserving at Ko Olina with DC points means risking exposing them to the penalty box if my space at HHV opens up (and I really like HHV -- great proximity to shopping/restaurants when it's just my wife and me).

Here's where Puck's penalty box points come into play (Thanks Puck!). Puck is going to use his penalty box points to book the backup reservation for me at Ko Olina. If my HHV reservation comes thru, we cancel Puck's reservation (must be more than 14 days from check-in) and the points would go back into Puck's penalty box (and Puck has my gratitude).

If my HHV reservation doesn't come thru, I'll stay at Ko Olina on the backup reservation and I'll transfer fresh clean unrestricted points to Puck in repayment of his loaned penalty box points (and he still has my gratitude!). And I didn't have to expose making my points into restricted points just for a backup reservation.

You have to love the TUG community .... thanks Puck!

BTW, I contacted Marriott customer advocacy and requested that they consider a less restrictive treatment of DC points if the reservation is booked so close to check-in. Other systems are more forgiving if a reservation is made within 60 days of check-in and then canceled more than 14 days out....this is a real disincentive to me to book a reservation within 60 days unless I'm 100% sure I can do it.

All the best,

Greg

Great team work! You guys are very creative and help all of us learn some of the best ways to maximize the value of our ownership. Congratulations on a great plan. Hopefully your number one option comes through, but this is a great alternative.

 

[RBERR1]

Just want to confirm exactly how this would work:


Step 1: See if a new reservation is available within the time period (14 days premiere plus, 7 days premiere) prior to arrival.

Step 2: Book a hold reservation for the new reservation. ( do you need to have available points to do this?)

Step 3: Cancel the existing reservation- Points go into penalty box

Step 4: Fill the hold reservation with penalty box points.

I am assuming you can do this all in one phone call.

Do I have this correct?

 

[GregT]

Just want to confirm exactly how this would work:


Step 1: See if a new reservation is available within the time period (14 days premiere plus, 7 days premiere) prior to arrival.

Step 2: Book a hold reservation for the new reservation. ( do you need to have available points to do this?)

Step 3: Cancel the existing reservation- Points go into penalty box

Step 4: Fill the hold reservation with penalty box points.

I am assuming you can do this all in one phone call.

Do I have this correct?

This is my understanding of what Puck did, and it makes sense to me that it would work.

Thanks!

Greg

 

[Quilter]

Can you help me with some details about this trick? I tried asking someone at Owner Services today but the rep I had said she wasn't versed in all things DC and had no clue about a 14 day discount.

Next Jan. 26 I have 12 nights reserved at Frenchman's Cove (2/7 check-out) using DC points (2013). For the 14 day 20% discount do I call on 1/12/13 to check availability? Will they check all 12 days even though the 14 day rule only applies to the check-in day? If there is less than the full 12 days available will they hold and rebook those bits and pieces that are available?

Then the 20% I get back (if it works). . .I know the restriction for booking something within a 60 day window but do I have all of 2013 to find a new reservation? I would hope I could use the returned points to get some nights at Lakeshore Reserve in March, especially within 14 days of check-in. . .of course. I would only need a studio at LR.

Thanks for any help,
Suzzanne

 

[dioxide45]

Can you help me with some details about this trick? I tried asking someone at Owner Services today but the rep I had said she wasn't versed in all things DC and had no clue about a 14 day discount.

Next Jan. 26 I have 12 nights reserved at Frenchman's Cove (2/7 check-out) using DC points (2013). For the 14 day 20% discount do I call on 1/12/13 to check availability? Will they check all 12 days even though the 14 day rule only applies to the check-in day? If there is less than the full 12 days available will they hold and rebook those bits and pieces that are available?

Then the 20% I get back (if it works). . .I know the restriction for booking something within a 60 day window but do I have all of 2013 to find a new reservation? I would hope I could use the returned points to get some nights at Lakeshore Reserve in March, especially within 14 days of check-in. . .of course. I would only need a studio at LR.

Thanks for any help,
Suzzanne

You have to be Premier Plus to book the 14 day 20% discount.

If you do rebook with the Puck Trick, the returned points will have the 60 day restriction and will have to be used in the use year designated. So you can book any week for 2013 as long as you do it within the 60 day window.

 

[Quilter]

Thank you dioxide. Yes, I'm Premier Plus.

How about the 14 days. . .is that 14 days to the check-in day? And what if all 12 nights aren't available. Will they hold and rebook the days that are available out of the 12?

I also have a DC reservation in March that I hope to glean a few points from.

 

[puckmanfl]

good evening....

I am not 100% sure, but I believe it is 14 days from the first day of the reservation....I believe ther must be availability before you cancel the original ressie!!!!

Otherwise, everyone would just cancel and rebook!!!!

 

[Quilter]

good evening....

I am not 100% sure, but I believe it is 14 days from the first day of the reservation....I believe ther must be availability before you cancel the original ressie!!!!

Otherwise, everyone would just cancel and rebook!!!!

Thanks for answering puckman. Yes, I understand finding new inventory availability before canceling the original and rebooking. No way I'd cancel before holding new inventory. But let's say when I call that, for example, only the 28th, 30th, 2nd, 4th and 6th are available as new inventory. I'm wondering if the Owner Services rep will let me hold those and rebook at the lesser rate.

 

[puckmanfl]

good afternoon...

Quilter...
This is highly advanced "puckology" I guess you could do this, but you would have 6 reservations!!!!

Keep me posted....

Always amazing how "Tuggers" expand on the old and create new....

 

[Quilter]

good afternoon...

Quilter...
This is highly advanced "puckology" I guess you could do this, but you would have 6 reservations!!!!

Keep me posted....

Always amazing how "Tuggers" expand on the old and create new....

Funny! As it is, I already have 2 reservations. I began the reservation with a check-in on the 26th. After a bit of tweaking to match it up with flights and a prior stay at Scrubs Island I added the 25th. The reservationist said it was just easier to make a second reservation. If I save points I don't care how many reservation nos. I have.

jimf41 said in another thread that he tried the trick for this past February but no inventory. I may run into the same situation. Still, I like to be prepared for possibility.

 

[GrayFal]

good afternoon...

Quilter...
This is highly advanced "puckology" I guess you could do this, but you would have 6 reservations!!!!

Keep me posted....

Always amazing how "Tuggers" expand on the old and create new....

My Concern would be that I was able to stay in the same unit with all those different resies - do they link them together so you do not have to move?

Also, are u trying a 'traditional II exchange" for one 7 day period or are u going to stick with the 12 DC nights?
Just curious!

 

[Quilter]

My Concern would be that I was able to stay in the same unit with all those different resies - do they link them together so you do not have to move?

Also, are u trying a 'traditional II exchange" for one 7 day period or are u going to stick with the 12 DC nights?
Just curious!

If this went through I would contact the front desk manager or GM to see if there would be a way to prevent a move.

Yes, a regular 7 night II exchange. I have 2 ressies, 1 for 1/26 and another for 1/27-2/7. It will be an easy adjustment for a match for any day of the weekend although with a Friday I will lose the first day of the exchange. I'll keep the remaining DC reservation because our flights are already booked for 2/7.

 

[RBERR1]

If this went through I would contact the front desk manager or GM to see if there would be a way to prevent a move.

Yes, a regular 7 night II exchange. I have 2 ressies, 1 for 1/26 and another for 1/27-2/7. It will be an easy adjustment for a match for any day of the weekend although with a Friday I will lose the first day of the exchange. I'll keep the remaining DC reservation because our flights are already booked for 2/7.

I know when I had my regular weeks reservation and added 2 days at Cypress Harbour when I called the resort they were able to combine them into one reservation. CH is easy though because there is no different views or anything like that so I did not have to checkout between the two and had the same room all the way through.

 

[puckmanfl]

good morning

great to see new life in old thread!!!!

 

[Quilter]

I figure what's the worst thing that can happen? 2 reservations. One through DC and one through II. However, both can be cancelled. The smart thing to do before canceling the DC ressie would be to contact the FC GM to be sure I didn't have to move.

Another thing I would probably check before canceling either is the ability to rent out some of my reservation or ask friends if they'd like to join us on the trip. As far as I can tell the possibilities are all a win, win.