Shuffling points

[GregT]

All,

As some TUGgers know, I've made a reservation for slum808 to visit Timber Lodge as part of a Direct Exchange that we've made. In making that reservation, I used a combination of my points (2013 Usage Year) as well as points transferred to me from another TUGger that I did a different Direct Exchange with (obtaining their 2013 Usage Year points).

Now, I just rented a small number of points from another TUGger (thanks Quilter!) because I might be needing points for my brother-in-law to join us in Hawaii next year. But he's not sure he can go.

So I asked the VOA to take my newly transferred points (which can not be banked nor transferred again) and put them into the Timber Lodge reservation and return to my account the equivalent number of my points (which can be banked or rented). Worldmark will automatically shuffle my credits to maximize them but we have request this service from Marriott.

It may not matter if bro-in-law comes to Hawaii as planned (and hoped) but if he doesn't, at least I now have the ability to bank my own points into 2014.

Only point of the (lengthy) message is to monitor the expiration dates of your points and look for ways to extend them if possible. Thanks very much!

Best,

Greg

 

[pipet]

If another system has the capability to auto-shuffle points to help maximize the use, hopefully Marriott will implement this. Maybe it's something that point owners need to start pestering Marriott about, since a big selling point for the DC is ease of use.

 

[FractionalTraveler]

Good post GregT!

Looks like the MVCI website is still not able to display expiration dating of points.

Sounds like an enhancement request is due for this one.

 

[m61376]

Greg- great concept- but just for clarification (and admittedly it may just be that I'm missing something)-did you transfer points between reservations, or just transfer the unextendable points into the booked reservation and freed up extendable points? It's a small distinction, but it would be good to know how far Marriott was willing to shift things around and how capable they were of doing such without messing up.

 

[GregT]

Greg- great concept- but just for clarification (and admittedly it may just be that I'm missing something)-did you transfer points between reservations, or just transfer the unextendable points into the booked reservation and freed up extendable points? It's a small distinction, but it would be good to know how far Marriott was willing to shift things around and how capable they were of doing such without messing up.

I transferred the unextendable points into the already booked reservation -- which freed up the extendable points from that reservation.

The VOA couldn't do it, but she contacted "technical support" who did it while I waited -- it took approx 5 minutes.

Thanks very much!

 

[sparty]

I transferred the unextendable points into the already booked reservation -- which freed up the extendable points from that reservation.

The VOA couldn't do it, but she contacted "technical support" who did it while I waited -- it took approx 5 minutes.

Thanks very much!

I cleaned my points this way too. I also told the Marriott VOA I was impressed how fast it was to do.

Points system is nice, I like it....

 

[SueDonJ]

I think I remember reading something about the DVC system where if they try to shuffle their points around in a similar fashion, then they have to cancel the first reservation and then book a second one. In doing so they run the risk of the days being unavailable for the second booking because a Wait List request by another owner may be in play. (I would think the risk is minimal except during the most in-demand periods or at the smaller resorts.)

Is that a consideration with Marriott points, as well? Do the VOA's have to cancel and re-book, or can they just finagle the points within the single reservation?

 

[GregT]

Do the VOA's have to cancel and re-book, or can they just finagle the points within the single reservation?

They did not need to cancel and re-book, they just changed the existing reservation. Thx

 

[FractionalTraveler]

I think one of the best things they have done in the last few months is the upgrade to the website. Its so much better than the last 2 years.

I have now been able to place reservations on hold for 15 minutes while I am on the phone with marriott canceling or modifying a different reservation.

That has worked great for me when I have booked a vacation with a 2-bedroom and a 3-bedroom opens up. Thats great flexibility in travel planning.

Almost as good as getting my complementary 24 hour reservation hold on American Airlines.

Nice Job Marriott!

 

[SueDonJ]

They did not need to cancel and re-book, they just changed the existing reservation. Thx

Thanks Greg, good to know. (And I'm guessing the same holds true if you're holding a reservation and try to get a status discount within so many days of check-in? The way Puck has done things?)

I think one of the best things they have done in the last few months is the upgrade to the website. Its so much better than the last 2 years.

I have now been able to place reservations on hold for 15 minutes while I am on the phone with marriott canceling or modifying a different reservation.

That has worked great for me when I have booked a vacation with a 2-bedroom and a 3-bedroom opens up. Thats great flexibility in travel planning.

Almost as good as getting my complementary 24 hour reservation hold on American Airlines.

Nice Job Marriott!

I agree, nice job. I don't remember hearing this before, thanks. The only drawback is that you must have enough DC Points in order to cover both reservations (the one that's booked and the one you're holding) but still it's a good thing if you can take advantage of it.

 

[m61376]

Thanks Greg, good to know. (And I'm guessing the same holds true if you're holding a reservation and try to get a status discount within so many days of check-in? The way Puck has done things?)

I thought Puck posted that for that the days had to be available for a reservation with the 60 day discount and then the first reservation cancelled. Actually, that would make sense, because otherwise everyone could simply call at 60 days and ask for 20% of their points back.

 

[slum808]

I think I remember reading something about the DVC system where if they try to shuffle their points around in a similar fashion, then they have to cancel the first reservation and then book a second one. In doing so they run the risk of the days being unavailable for the second booking because a Wait List request by another owner may be in play. (I would think the risk is minimal except during the most in-demand periods or at the smaller resorts.)

Is that a consideration with Marriott points, as well? Do the VOA's have to cancel and re-book, or can they just finagle the points within the single reservation?

Sue,
Just for your reference, Dvc can swap points in and out of a reservation with out cancelling as long as long as it was made inside the 7 month window. If you made the reservation at the 11-7 month window and want to swap to non-home resort points this is when you must cancell the ressie. This is a good rule that prevents people from using their home resort advantage, then substituting in cheaper points.

Maybe one day in the future I could see Marriott placing similar restrictions on Trust point to Legacy point swaps. If they actually made some new resorts Trust only for a "home booking" period.

Steve

 

[Whirl]

Very instructional. Thanks for sharing your learning and experience.

 

[RBERR1]

I know when I made my DC reservations when I called, I had points that I had rented through Greg's website. I made sure that I asked that they apply those points first as to ensure the remaining pts I had were bankable to 2013 if I do not use them.

 

[SueDonJ]

Sue,
Just for your reference, Dvc can swap points in and out of a reservation with out cancelling as long as long as it was made inside the 7 month window. If you made the reservation at the 11-7 month window and want to swap to non-home resort points this is when you must cancell the ressie. This is a good rule that prevents people from using their home resort advantage, then substituting in cheaper points.

Maybe one day in the future I could see Marriott placing similar restrictions on Trust point to Legacy point swaps. If they actually made some new resorts Trust only for a "home booking" period.

Steve

Thanks, Steve. For some strange reason it's easier for me to figure out what Marriott is doing by comparing it to DVC, but as you can tell sometimes I'm not quite sure about DVC either. Eventually somebody here always manages to get me on track.

 

[mjm1]

Greg, thanks for sharing this concept. Great to know. We plan to convert to DC points for next year and will keep this in mind.