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tahoeJoe

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Currently at Westin Nanea and haven't seen the "concierge" yet but I know they will try to get me to attend the owner update.

I'm curious what the best incentives are being offered for attending the owner update. Also, I have found that sometimes better incentives are offered off-property like Whalers Village. Has anyone had that experience?
 

iowaguy09

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Currently at Westin Nanea and haven't seen the "concierge" yet but I know they will try to get me to attend the owner update.

I'm curious what the best incentives are being offered for attending the owner update. Also, I have found that sometimes better incentives are offered off-property like Whalers Village. Has anyone had that experience?
During our Encore stay at WKOR back in early February this is what we were offered: “The Thank-you gift options for attending the presentation are 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points, $150 Resort Credit, 2 Free tickets to a whale watch or sunset sail (Teralani, Gemini, Pacwhale) or B1G1 Helicopter tour to Molokai voyage.” YMMV.
 

klpenny

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We were at Nanea in January and were also offered 30,000 Marriott Points or the $150 resort credit. Not the other things.
 
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I've never heard of Owner Updates being offered off property. Anything offered off property I would expect would be a sales pitch to prospective new buyers.
 

Henry M.

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They are only talking to new customers at WKORV. Existing owner updates are at Nanea. They say they only offer club points to new customers. Existing customers can still buy the legacy products.
 

iowaguy09

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They are only talking to new customers at WKORV. Existing owner updates are at Nanea. They say they only offer club points to new customers. Existing customers can still buy the legacy products.
Yes, this is exactly how it went down and what we were told at our update in February. We had to leave WKOR and go to Nanea because we were existing owners, and only new customers meet with sales at WKOR. We were also told legacy products would no longer be available for sale to existing owners after 3/31/2023 (sales guy, mouth open and moving, so who knows).
 

cubigbird

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Read on a Facebook page they are scheduling 75 minutes now and not 90. I guess 75 is the new half day???
 

Denise L

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We were offered $150 or 30K Bonvoy points or a list of activities. 90 minutes, not 75. The concierge said that the Westin bags were in limited supply so that I could only get one per stay, not per week (we are here for two). I don't need another bag, but it's annoying that they are so cheap on the bags (wish they would give out something besides bags anyway). She also insisted that the 12 month booking window was going away and that I really should attend an update or a general info (no gift) to be sure.

When we checked in last week, the front desk said that Marriott nixed the special occasion gifts that they used to give out at North (Wellina) or the front desk (wine, beer) for birthdays and anniversaries.

The soap bars in the villa are the kind we get at a Springhill Suites. The White Tea products are mostly gone. The card keys are either green or a mauve color (no more Play Well, Work Well, etc.).

The whales are entertaining :cool: .
 

daviator

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During our Encore stay at WKOR back in early February this is what we were offered: “The Thank-you gift options for attending the presentation are 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points, $150 Resort Credit, 2 Free tickets to a whale watch or sunset sail (Teralani, Gemini, Pacwhale) or B1G1 Helicopter tour to Molokai voyage.” YMMV.
With an Encore stay, isn't your "gift" predetermined by what your Encore Package says it will be? Given that the presentation for an Encore stay is mandatory, I don't think they gift you anything beyond what the terms of the package require them to give you.

Regardless — it seems like the value of the "gifts" has diminished significantly since Marriott took over. Used to get $300+ or up to 50,000 Bonvoy points, but now I mostly see $150 or 25K points. Maybe it still varies a lot.

The Encore Package "gifts" are still often better than that, but you're essentially paying for those.
 

daviator

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I don't need another bag, but it's annoying that they are so cheap on the bags (wish they would give out something besides bags anyway).
The quality of the bags is so low now anyway, they've been like the throwaway reusable grocery bags at best. They used to actually be nice bags. Luckily I have a lot from the past.
 

iowaguy09

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With an Encore stay, isn't your "gift" predetermined by what your Encore Package says it will be? Given that the presentation for an Encore stay is mandatory, I don't think they gift you anything beyond what the terms of the package require them to give you.

Regardless — it seems like the value of the "gifts" has diminished significantly since Marriott took over. Used to get $300+ or up to 50,000 Bonvoy points, but now I mostly see $150 or 25K points. Maybe it still varies a lot.

The Encore Package "gifts" are still often better than that, but you're essentially paying for those.
daviator, you are correct. We had actually traded in an EOYE contract on an annual contract last summer at SBP, the Encore cost was applied, and we earned the agreed upon (per Encore agreement paperwork) 100,000 Bonvoy Points. So during the February Encore trip this year we were not obligated to do an update, but still got an offer to do one via email. We agreed only if we could do it at 10:15am the morning we checked out (we had a night flight) and they set it up that way. We were out in just under 90 minutes.
 

Mulege

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I kept refusing and finally got a “plea” from Concierge telling me her manager said I could attend a meeting for 60 minutes.

Now when I don’t want to be bothered I initially tell them I just did an update 2 months ago.
 

iowaguy09

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We got a bag this time and it was a heavy canvas bag, cream colored with hunter green trim, and Westin Vacation Club printed on it. Actually a nice, useful, quality bag, 13” tall x19” wide x6” thick.
 

daviator

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We got a bag this time and it was a heavy canvas bag, cream colored with hunter green trim, and Westin Vacation Club printed on it. Actually a nice, useful, quality bag, 13” tall x19” wide x6” thick.
Wow, all the bags I've been offered in the past 3-4 years have been really thin, nylon-y fabric bags with no pockets or anything, just a cheap zipper on the top. Like a grocery bag with a cheap zipper. It would be nice if they're going back to something of better quality, I'll cross my fingers!
 

Mulege

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When they first opened we got a hat.
 

tahoeJoe

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Currently at Westin Nanea and haven't seen the "concierge" yet but I know they will try to get me to attend the owner update.

I'm curious what the best incentives are being offered for attending the owner update. Also, I have found that sometimes better incentives are offered off-property like Whalers Village. Has anyone had that experience?
Mystery Solved. Nothing looks too enticing.
 

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rickandcindy23

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Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
Wow, all the bags I've been offered in the past 3-4 years have been really thin, nylon-y fabric bags with no pockets or anything, just a cheap zipper on the top. Like a grocery bag with a cheap zipper. It would be nice if they're going back to something of better quality, I'll cross my fingers!
Me too. The bag they gave us last week is not worth more than about $6. I do love the Westin logo. I have several of them. I especially liked the one that was canvas and kind of a beige with different kind of fabric that was a bit darker brown.
 

grrrah

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I just had a 75-minute presentation in Florida. I didn't get the "closer that comes in and offer an Encore package, so maybe that's it if they are including that. Be interesting to hear if others had the last closer guy during a a 75-minute. But I was pretty straight forward and was out in 59 minutes.

Yes, this is exactly how it went down and what we were told at our update in February. We had to leave WKOR and go to Nanea because we were existing owners, and only new customers meet with sales at WKOR. We were also told legacy products would no longer be available for sale to existing owners after 3/31/2023 (sales guy, mouth open and moving, so who knows).
But what you said is the opposite of Henry in that he said weeks only available to existing owners. But as you said, salesperson's mouth is moving. I highly doubt they would turn down $70k from someone if they have that product available to sell.
 

10spro

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Wow, all the bags I've been offered in the past 3-4 years have been really thin, nylon-y fabric bags with no pockets or anything, just a cheap zipper on the top. Like a grocery bag with a cheap zipper. It would be nice if they're going back to something of better quality, I'll cross my fingers!
We did not do a presentation. After we checked in, we went over to the concierge and they gave us a canvas bag. Ours has black trim. We have several of the nylon ones, and a couple of the canvas ones, which mostly we use to carry towels to the beach, but have not found a use for them after we get home.728A6A7D-02B1-43D3-943E-EEF46F91182A.jpeg
 

Moparman42

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I've seen people selling them on ebay for some reason.. lol
 
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They are fairly well made and durable though. If you ever see anyone toting groceries from Star Market to WKORVN along the boardwalk like a mule with a series of 'Westin bags through the ages' then that's probably me as we always take a selection with us just for that purpose :D
 
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