Newbie Looking for Timeshare Advice on MVC!

[DavidWalker]

Hello everyone. I just joined and am looking for guidance on timeshares within the Marriott Vacation Club network, and timeshares in general. I don't own any timeshares, but do own a deeded fractional ownership vacation property. I've been considering a timeshare for many years, but haven't purchased.

Recently I took my family on a trip to Cancun, Mexico and stayed at the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resorts Villas. I'm a long time member of Starwood, now Marriott and frequent traveler. We used points to book our vacation. Upon check-in we were offered a timeshare presentation (I'm sure they smelled fresh blood in the water when we checked in on points!!!). I gladly accepted the offer and negotiated a couple lovely snorkeling, cenote, and ruins tours in exchange for our time ! We endured the hour long presentation and I successfully said no many times (not my first timeshare presentation!). The final pitch as we tried to leave was too good to refuse, so we bought the Encore package and got all the points back that we spent for our weeks vacation and get to go again for a week in the next 24 months!

So here I sit planning for the next trip to Cancun and my encounter with the salesman! Looking for guidance on Marriott Timeshares? Also, what tips and tricks if I do proceed down the path of purchasing? I know in previous research I read you could buy second hand timeshares and get them converted upon a new purchase to really add value.

Just starting out on the journey and looking for advice.

Thanks!

 

[claraj]

Welcome to TUG! You've definitely came to the right place. You'll get great advice from the veteran owners here.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Welcome to TUG. Nice work staying strong in the presentations. There is a ton of basic info on the two systems (Marriott and Vistana) in the stickies at the top of each forum, then just surf around the forums and read everything - that's what I did five years ago. If you have some specific desires in mind please post and you'll get detailed answers on how to achieve those outcomes at the best possible value.

 

[igopogo]

Enjoy your trip and say “no” again as many times as necessary. If you buy a week on the secondary market it will do everything you need to do with no additional money to MVCI. True that you can enroll the week with an additional purchase but it’s not necessary and probably Ill-advised except in certain situations.

If you buy points on the secondary market you will have to pay a junk fee to MVCI but you will still end up far ahead, and you will have the same product in the end.

 

[pedro47]

Suggestion only: Learned to say NO to developer high prices. IMHO.

 

[curitiba_tapley]

Tricks and Tips my wife and I used when we were new owners and learning (we’re points owners).

1. Plan and make your reservations as early as possible.

2. Stretch your points by booking on “the shoulder” (e.g., just outside of peaks, but still very nice).

3. Book Sunday to Friday (yes it’s not a full week) but it’ll stretch points for more vacation.

4. Get familiar with the point costs of resorts so you can plan to bank or borrow sufficiently to take the dream vacation.

5. Have lots of fun. I think my wife and I have more fun deciding the destination and figuring out what we will do - always something fun to look forward to.