Ritz Carlton Abaco

[vail]

I see on the points chart that Abaco is 375 pts on fri sat and 125 the rest of the week for Oct 20-Dec 22.
The resort wants $500 a night for that room.

If I join the DC club for $595 do they still give 800 points for joining and if so would I be able to use them at Abaco for the 3 nights which would require 625 points and is a lot less than the $1500 they want to stay there?

Any pitfalls I am missing?

 

[californiagirl]

This enticed me as well so I called a vacation club advisor. Yes, they are still offering the 800 bonus points and yes you can use them for Abaco...if you are a premier or premier plus member. We would be a premier member.

We have been sitting on the fence about joining. Initially we planned on joining, but then this past year we did not travel as much as usual, so we decided to wait. (Our daughter got married in June and the wedding sucked out all of our travel budget.) Anyway, we are planning for next year and we think that the savings on exchange fees make it worth it.

We are planning a Panama Canal cruise next year and would like to add 5 or 6 days on one of the islands of the Bahamas post-cruise. I have read the reviews on tripadvisor and have a realistic idea of the resort. Abaco would be a great fit.

 

[burg1121]

Are you saying the DC for the Ritz is the same as the Marriott?

 

[vail]

[.if you are a premier or premier plus member. ]

I would not be a premier 6500 points and certainly not premier plus so I guess the idea of joining to use the bonus points will not work...so I will not join.
Just seem like there are way too many variables in the program that can and will be adjusted not in my favor as I go along.

Too bad.

 

[dioxide45]

Are you saying the DC for the Ritz is the same as the Marriott?

Six Ritz properties can be booked by Premier and Premier Plus DC members.

 

[burg1121]

Where do you find the info on them.

 

[dioxide45]

Where do you find the info on them.

See this thread and this thread.

 

[OutAndAbout]

I see on the points chart that Abaco is 375 pts on fri sat and 125 the rest of the week for Oct 20-Dec 22.
The resort wants $500 a night for that room.

Here's the point chart

 

[m61376]

I see on the points chart that Abaco is 375 pts on fri sat and 125 the rest of the week for Oct 20-Dec 22.
The resort wants $500 a night for that room.

At least some of the nights are $299 per night.

 

[vail]

At least some of the nights are $299 per night.

Where can I view the pricing?

 

[hotcoffee]

What is exciting to me about the Abaco additions is the fact that they are all affordable for me. In particular, in the summer off-season, I should be able to reserve two cabanas for a week. I'm not sure I will actually try to do that in 2013, but it is a new option for me. My daughter graduates from college that year. So, we might try to get two and allow her to invite a friend.

The big unknown, however, will be how easy or hard it will be to actually reserve them. Just because the option is there does not mean that they will be available when we want them.

 

[m61376]

Unless I am missing something, the airfares there seem exorbitant compared to going to Nassau. What is the best way to get there?

 

[OutAndAbout]

Unless I am missing something, the airfares there seem exorbitant compared to going to Nassau. What is the best way to get there?

Redeeming AA miles through MIA

 

[hotcoffee]

Unless I am missing something, the airfares there seem exorbitant compared to going to Nassau. What is the best way to get there?

From my local airport (BWI), it looks to be about 25% more than just going to Nassau. This is assuming a one-stop same day flight. With an overnight layover, the flight itself would be about the same price. But factoring in food and lodging, it would be a no-go.

That is the price to pay for going to a lesser known island, and it might very well kill my willingness to go there.

Perhaps after the AirTran/Southwest merger, and assuming the economy does not worsen, there might be something available from BWI to Nassau via Southwest in a couple of years then a local carrior to Marsh Harbour. The one AA flight that connects through Miami is rather expensive (considering the distance).

 

[OutAndAbout]

From my local airport (BWI), it looks to be about 25% more than just going to Nassau. This is assuming a one-stop same day flight. With an overnight layover, the flight itself would be about the same price. But factoring in food and lodging, it would be a no-go.

That is the price to pay for going to a lesser known island, and it might very well kill my willingness to go there.

Hard to be Out-of-the-way/secluded if it were easy to get to ;-)

 

[Whirl]

Hard to be Out-of-the-way/secluded if it were easy to get to ;-)

Exactly. The seclusion is either worth the cost and extra travel time to you or not. Not even comparable to Nassau, I would think. But very appealing to me! I have some points to burn so hoping maybe my hubby and I can take a little get away, away, away....

 

[hotcoffee]

Exactly. The seclusion is either worth the cost and extra travel time to you or not. Not even comparable to Nassau, I would think. But very appealing to me! I have some points to burn so hoping maybe my hubby and I can take a little get away, away, away....

True, but there are limits. Overnight layovers would probably kill my desire to go there. AA seems now to have a direct flight from Miami. If that is still there two years from now (which is the earliest can arrange to go), I will consider that flight. I would think all of us could use that as a connector to Abaco. I also am hoping that Southwest will expand the Caribbean flights it inherits from the AirTran merger. It should be possible to get a relatively cheap flight directly to Nassau and then book a local flight to Abaco. Will probably have to pick up luggage and go through security again at the Nassau airport, but it might be possilble to do that more cheaply than the AA one-stop flight.

I am very interested in the new Abaco option, and I would like to see more of these type of options added to the DC program.

 

[Whirl]

True, but there are limits. Overnight layovers would probably kill my desire to go there. AA seems now to have a direct flight from Miami. If that is still there two years from now (which is the earliest can arrange to go), I will consider that flight. I would think all of us could use that as a connector to Abaco. I also am hoping that Southwest will expand the Caribbean flights it inherits from the AirTran merger. It should be possible to get a relatively cheap flight directly to Nassau and then book a local flight to Abaco. Will probably have to pick up luggage and go through security again at the Nassau airport, but it might be possilble to do that more cheaply than the AA one-stop flight.

I am very interested in the new Abaco option, and I would like to see more of these type of options added to the DC program.

You are absolutely right, there are limits of course and I say we are very interested without having researched routing specifically at all. That being said, I have a colleague who owns a place there , travels travels there often, so I think I understand, at a high level, what to expect. Favorite area in the Carribean is the Grenadines, neither easy or cheap to get there but totally worth it, IMO.

 

[m61376]

I only did a quick search and was seeing $700+ from the NY area with horrible connections, for off season Fall times, so I was hoping that I should be looking at different flights. I agree that I would expect a little inconvenience and added expense due to its seclusion. Is the destination worth the expense and apparent hassle of getting there?

The property does look beautiful and portends to be a beautiful 4 or 5 day getaway if the flights aren't a nightmare.

I wonder how easy it will be to book using points; has anyone called and checked on availability? Adding these properties with the use of DC points sounds great in theory, but will it be akin to booking using MR points?

 

[GregT]

I wonder how easy it will be to book using points; has anyone called and checked on availability? Adding these properties with the use of DC points sounds great in theory, but will it be akin to booking using MR points?

Marilyn,

I'm pretty confident that the properties will be accessible. Marriott did a smart thing by restricting reservations until 6 months out before opening it up to DC users. This gives the Ritz Carlton point owners plenty of opportunity to book what they want.

When I stayed at STT in January (hotel, not the TS), I visited an owners education session and one of the comments I noted from talking with other owners was that there was ALWAYS availability for them. Three different owners couldn't remember a single time they couldn't get a reservation.

I think Ritz Carlton is where an outsized percentage of Marriott's infamous $1.4 billion in inventory resides, and Marriott's done a very smart thing by making it available to DClub. It is a good promotional tool for sales of Trust Points, and Marriott can restrict/expand availability at their discretion because it won't be limited to X weeks deposited in the Trust.

Best,

Greg

 

[melroseman]

Ritz Abaco and Premier status

I've been reading this thread with interest; the Abaco and some of the other Ritz properties are aweflly attractive and the point requirements are pretty reasonable. But if I understand correctly there must be a lot of Premiers and Premier Plus people on the TUG boards, since only those levels have the ability to use the Ritz offer for Abaco. I need 1300 points to get to premier status (the result of multiple EOY weeks that only account for half the total points each year) but the rules are designed so the top 20% of owners are entitled to premier status. Apparently Marriott believes that 6500 points or more is the top 20% of owners. So once the numbers are verified, if another 10% of owners buy points to get premier status then the number of points to qualify for premier status could conceivable be raised to 7,000 or whatever. These limited offers are a great incentive to buy points, but I'm not sure I want to get into that game, certainly not now...

 

[hotcoffee]

I've been reading this thread with interest; the Abaco and some of the other Ritz properties are aweflly attractive and the point requirements are pretty reasonable. But if I understand correctly there must be a lot of Premiers and Premier Plus people on the TUG boards, since only those levels have the ability to use the Ritz offer for Abaco. I need 1300 points to get to premier status (the result of multiple EOY weeks that only account for half the total points each year) but the rules are designed so the top 20% of owners are entitled to premier status. Apparently Marriott believes that 6500 points or more is the top 20% of owners. So once the numbers are verified, if another 10% of owners buy points to get premier status then the number of points to qualify for premier status could conceivable be raised to 7,000 or whatever. These limited offers are a great incentive to buy points, but I'm not sure I want to get into that game, certainly not now...

It is possible that they could raise the number of points to obtain premier status to stay within the 20% range. However, I am satisfied that it is unlikely the percentage of premier members will ever go above 20%. According to the salesman at the MOC last Friday (and we all know just how accurate salespeople are!), 15% of DC members currently have premier status. That percentage is just as likely to go down as up. The reason is that the cost of 6500 points at $10.50 per point would be $68,250. Even if Marriott lets them buy the points at $9.20 per point, that is still $59,800. Relatively few new buyers are going to shell out that kind of money in one clip. More likely, new buyers will buy points in increments - maybe 2500-3000 now and 2500-3000 more sometime in the future. Members with the best chance of getting premier statu are us - enrolled owners who already have a significant number of points with our enrolled week(s).

According to my original points salesman, the 20% number was based upon Marriott's existing experience with points. He told me that Marriott felt that only about 20% of owners would ever own a minimum of 6500 points. So, in practice, after the first year, the percentage has stayed well below 20%. Since most of the enrollments have probably already occurred, the percentage seems to me more likely to go down rather than up.

 

[OutAndAbout]

Ritz Carlton Abaco Reviews?

Any tuggers able to take advantage of the Ritz Carlton Abaco deal?

TripAdvisor reviews aren't stellar..

 

[EducatedConsumer]

Any tuggers able to take advantage of the Ritz Carlton Abaco deal?

TripAdvisor reviews aren't stellar..

"Take Advantage of the Ritz Carlton Abaco deal?"

I'm not certain that anyone going to the Ritz Carlton Club on Abaco is taking advantage of anything. The place is notorious for bad service and a weak service infrastructure, and it certainly ISN'T a Ritz Carlton Hotel or Resort (of the variety of Naples, Grand Cayman, or Amelia Island). There is a significant distinction between Ritz Carlton Hotels and Resorts, operated by the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company and Ritz Carlton professionals, and Ritz Carlton Clubs, operated by Marriott Vacation Club. It's the Marriott Vacation Club leadership calling the shots at Ritz Carlton Clubs, not the President of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company.

The Ritz Carlton Club is really Marriott Vacation Club in a different wrapper. Even the Ritz Carlton Club's phones are answered at Marriott Vacation Club in Orlando.