Questions: II replacement weeks and e-plus re-trades

[sea]

Hello fellow Tug Members,

We have a family trip planned for the end of April 2020 that will be deferred, hopefully to the same timeframe the following year for the week directly following when our young folk finish their university term (end of April 2021). We traded our Marriott weeks through Interval International for Marriott's Surfwatch, and acquired e-plus re-trades on each.

What we have:
3 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 3 re-trades remaining (owned week expires prior to April 2021)
2 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 3 re-trades remaining (owned week expires after April 2021)
2 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 2 re-trades remaining (owned week expires prior to April 2021)

I'd like to try and organize the same trip in 2021 (check in ~April 25th 2021) and would appreciate you helping me determine the best way to do this with the above using our II membership.

Using the re-trades doesn't get us far enough out as we are in flexchange and can only re-trade to a maximum of 59 days out each time. Will II offer us anything at the end of this if we are unable to use the final re-trade? A replacement week perhaps? I don't mind paying another exchange fee(s) if we can still use the replacement week within the Marriott system (priority), and exchange out to the end of next April.

II has offered a replacement week for each, good up to 1 year from the cancellation date, with an exchange fee due at the time of future booking. This will not get us far enough out. They have also offered us a replacement week for each, good up to Dec. 31st 2020, with 1 free re-trade on it and no exchange fee, but this doesn't get us far enough out either.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[Big Matt]

The replacement weeks don't have Marriott priority. You aren't going to get the same trades that you have now with or without it. I would suggest that you figure out how best to use the three units and go from there. Very unfortunate, but I can't imagine that what you want will be sitting there 59 days out next year.

 

[tschwa2]

The replacement weeks don't have Marriott priority. You aren't going to get the same trades that you have now with or without it. I would suggest that you figure out how best to use the three units and go from there. Very unfortunate, but I can't imagine that what you want will be sitting there 59 days out next year.

Normal replacement weeks have Marriott priority if your original week was a marriott. Do these not?
I think they re going out to the end of April now, so if you call they should be able to put in a waiver code that would allow a retrade to get you to the end of the year. It does take one of the retrades. I don't know if the last two retrades would be subject to the 59 restriction or not but if you use the one to get to the end of December, you still should be able to get to the end of April.

 

[Big Matt]

I don't think so. I have only had to cancel once and it was a long time ago, so I may be incorrect. The trading power is going to stink regardless due to when the replacement week is deposited.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Ongoing searches are always the best way to get the best stuff. With others entering ongoing searches, they will get the best stuff first. I hope you can get what you need by watching often.

I am also sure my replacement weeks will not be what these were. Sadly, II will only do so much to help us. I would like to see them make it possible to set an ongoing search with our weeks. Not going to happen.

 

[mauitraveler]

Hello fellow Tug Members,

We have a family trip planned for the end of April 2020 that will be deferred, hopefully to the same timeframe the following year for the week directly following when our young folk finish their university term (end of April 2021). We traded our Marriott weeks through Interval International for Marriott's Surfwatch, and acquired e-plus re-trades on each.

What we have:
3 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 3 re-trades remaining (owned week expires prior to April 2021)
2 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 3 re-trades remaining (owned week expires after April 2021)
2 bedroom @ Marriott's Surfwatch with 2 re-trades remaining (owned week expires prior to April 2021)

I'd like to try and organize the same trip in 2021 (check in ~April 25th 2021) and would appreciate you helping me determine the best way to do this with the above using our II membership.

Using the re-trades doesn't get us far enough out as we are in flexchange and can only re-trade to a maximum of 59 days out each time. Will II offer us anything at the end of this if we are unable to use the final re-trade? A replacement week perhaps? I don't mind paying another exchange fee(s) if we can still use the replacement week within the Marriott system (priority), and exchange out to the end of next April.

II has offered a replacement week for each, good up to 1 year from the cancellation date, with an exchange fee due at the time of future booking. This will not get us far enough out. They have also offered us a replacement week for each, good up to Dec. 31st 2020, with 1 free re-trade on it and no exchange fee, but this doesn't get us far enough out either.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

When you call in and speak with II, their new policy allows the representative to override the flex trade limitation. I had to cancel an exchange which was to begin on April 4, 2020. Because I had purchased Eplus, the rep. found something for me for the end of Feb., 2021, for a specific resort that I wanted. I was looking for the end of March, but there was nothing available for that date, yet. I have 2 more Eplus trades remaining, so I can still search for the end of March, 2021. However, you still have to call each time you want to search, because the rep. has to override the search parameters each time. Perhaps a combination of this technique (for the week that expires after April 21), along with replacement weeks for the other 2 weeks might be a possible solution. Another possible solution for those last two weeks might be their courtesy extension policy. A rep. earlier this year told me that they can offer this option if you book something within 90 days of your original expiration date. (They may be suspending this option at this time, but it doesn't hurt to ask...) Good luck and I hope you will be able to book a vacation that you will be able to enjoy. CJ

 

[TXTortoise]

I was also able to get a reservation beyond my last, 3rd ePlus trade expiration date. I told the rep the region I was looking for and he found a week in late July, beyond my June limit and was happy to book it. So working with them on the phone, did help..just somewhat sorry I waiting for the last ePlus trade. I also understood that he was in their Customer Relations department and had more leeway than the frontline reps.

 

[dioxide45]

If the replacement weeks are stuck inside of the 59 day flexchange restriction, the biggest hurdle to getting these trades is not being able to place an OGS since you can't place one within flex.

 

[Old Hickory]

I was also able to get a reservation beyond my last, 3rd ePlus trade expiration date. I told the rep the region I was looking for and he found a week in late July, beyond my June limit and was happy to book it. So working with them on the phone, did help..just somewhat sorry I waiting for the last ePlus trade. I also understood that he was in their Customer Relations department and had more leeway than the frontline reps.

This is nearly exactly what happened to me. I called Customer Relations and the agent extended my ePlus to meet a window that I requested (same property) that was past what a normal ePlus could reach.

 

[MabelP]

How do you get to Customer Relations?

 

[TXTortoise]

Ask when you call or try this: (800) 229-3559. Old number...

 

[rickandcindy23]

800-822-2920, there are a lot of really nice people at this number. They are the ones that call to tell you they are still working on the trade, and would you like to extend your membership, but when you call them, they are very kind and accommodating.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Deleted.......

 

[Saintsfanfl]

When you call in and speak with II, their new policy allows the representative to override the flex trade limitation. I had to cancel an exchange which was to begin on April 4, 2020. Because I had purchased Eplus, the rep. found something for me for the end of Feb., 2021, for a specific resort that I wanted. I was looking for the end of March, but there was nothing available for that date, yet. I have 2 more Eplus trades remaining, so I can still search for the end of March, 2021. However, you still have to call each time you want to search, because the rep. has to override the search parameters each time. Perhaps a combination of this technique (for the week that expires after April 21), along with replacement weeks for the other 2 weeks might be a possible solution. Another possible solution for those last two weeks might be their courtesy extension policy. A rep. earlier this year told me that they can offer this option if you book something within 90 days of your original expiration date. (They may be suspending this option at this time, but it doesn't hurt to ask...) Good luck and I hope you will be able to book a vacation that you will be able to enjoy. CJ

The override for the flex limitation if you have E-Plus was already there. They programmed it in a month or two after they initially rolled out E-Plus. They did this as a customer service workaround because they botched the E-Plus Q&A and communication on restricted deposits. Any rep working at home in their closet can do it unless they weren't trained how.

 

[dioxide45]

The override for the flex limitation if you have E-Plus was already there. They programmed it in about a couple months after they initially rolled out E-Plus. They did this as a customer service workaround because they botched the E-Plus Q&A and communication on restricted deposits. Any rep working at home in their closet can do it unless they weren't trained how.

They are probably all working from home in their closet now...

 

[IuLiKa]

I had a week in St Thomas for April 11-19th. I took the replacement certificate good until December 15th. The rep said it will have the same power as my original unit.
My unit in St Thomas got cancelled automatically by Marriott. I am not fun of the 59-day window, and I cannot make a decision right now where I would like to go.

 

[Old Hickory]

800-822-2920, there are a lot of really nice people at this number. They are the ones that call to tell you they are still working on the trade, and would you like to extend your membership, but when you call them, they are very kind and accommodating.

Yea. My rep used the time to upsell me on travel insurance and II plat membership. It's what they do.

 

[jmhpsu93]

I just got off the phone with II and they extended an e-plus reservation I had at Grande Ocean check-in April 12th and they booked a week at DSV 1 in late September and didn't use any of the re-trades left on it. He had to call his supervisor (who was working from home, and they were having some tech issues) to get the override done but no problem. He also tried to get me to extend platinum and deposit stuff, of course.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

...and didn't use any of the re-trades left on it....

That part I can't do!

 

[sea]

Thankyou to all for the information and insights shared. I ended up using an E-Plus re-trade on each of the 3 Surfwatch confirmations and re-trading out to March 2021 to 'placeholder' Marriott Vacation Club bookings - we will not be using these, but will watch for online availability and re-trade again at some point in the future. I am able to re-trade these outside flexchange, currently, but it appears I am still limited to the original expiry date of each of the weeks. Will see what happens with II down the road if we're not able to use these re-traded weeks prior to the expiry date of each. Hopefully this will not be the case, but much is currently unknown about the duration of social/physical distancing and cross border travel for recreational purposes. Wish we had Marriott Vacation Clubs in Canada!