StarOption Value chart increase?

[srjth]

I saw a StarOptions value chart posted somewhere on here and I'm wondering if the points on that chart increase every year???? I hope someone answers this please. Thank you.

 

[jarta]

I saw a StarOptions value chart posted somewhere on here and I'm wondering if the points on that chart increase every year???? I hope someone answers this please. Thank you.

No, the StarOptions on the chart do not increase every year. Salty

 

[srjth]

No, the StarOptions on the chart do not increase every year. Salty

Thank you. I used to be a DVC owner and their points value charts increase every year.

 

[PamMo]

Have StarOption amounts ever been adjusted? I know that resorts move up or down in categories using StarPoints, but wonder if that has ever happened with any Starwood timeshares?

 

[jarta]

Have StarOption amounts ever been adjusted? I know that resorts move up or down in categories using StarPoints, but wonder if that has ever happened with any Starwood timeshares?

PamMo, ... About 3 years ago, Starwood raised the number of StarOptions for WSJ owners to make the 3-br weeks in prime season have the same number of StarOptions as 3-brs at HRA (196,900) and the 2-br weeks in prime season have the same number of StarOptions as most 2-br weeks at HRA and Westin timeshare resorts (148,100). 1-br and studios also received the same StarOption boost.

I think the StarOptions were also raised for non-prime seasons to match non-prime seasons for HRA and Westin resorts.

The ability to SVN trade a 3-br for a 3-br (etc.) "even up" allowed those who owned at WSJ in the VG phase to use StarOptions to vacation other places and (slightly) opened up availability at WSJ at 8 months from arrival. Salty

 

[nodge]

Have StarOption amounts ever been adjusted?

In 2007 and without any advance notice, SVO significantly increased the number of StarOptions needed to stay at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun. This was done about two years AFTER the Westin Lagunamar went on sale, and the primary motivation for SVO was to promote developer sales at this resort by giving developer purchasers at Lagunamar the higher StarOption values.

We learned two things about SVO from this:

1) SVO can change the StarOption value charts at any SVN resorts whenever it darn well wants to; and,

2) SVO has no problem making StarOption value changes whenever it is in SVO's (and not necessarily your) best interests to do so.

Since then, most of SVO’s StarOption changes have been relatively minor “adjustments,” but the entire StarOption program is set up to keep the fox firmly in charge of that hen house.

So, if you buy into SVO’s StarOption program, you are essentially joining the group of other SVO owners who hope the fox keeps staying fed from other means.

-nodge

Watch out SVO, I finally saw "Hunger Games" this weekend, and I'm just itching for something to analogize with it. Consider yourself lucky. May the odds be ever in your favor. -n

 

[srjth]

Thank you, nodge. At least they don't go up every year like Disney.

 

[slum808]

Thank you, nodge. At least they don't go up every year like Disney.

This is not a true statement. DVC points do not go up every year. In fact the total points for a resort once declared, can not change. Any point increases for a particular room/season/view type must be offset by a reduction in another room/season/view type. Disney makes annual adjustments to its seasons to match floating holidays, but there is no across the board point increases.

 

[srjth]

This is not a true statement. DVC points do not go up every year. In fact the total points for a resort once declared, can not change. Any point increases for a particular room/season/view type must be offset by a reduction in another room/season/view type. Disney makes annual adjustments to its seasons to match floating holidays, but there is no across the board point increases.

Oh I didn't realize that. So DVC can never increase them?

 

[slum808]

Oh I didn't realize that. So DVC can never increase them?

That is correct. That is why OKW, the original DVC, has the lowest chart and is a relative bargan to stay in.

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread. We can move the discussion to the DVC board if you still want more info on point allocations.

 

[nodge]

Oh I didn't realize that. So DVC can never increase them?

Using the hen house analogy, my understanding is that both DVC and SVO have placed the fox in charge of the hen house, but DVC has a written rule that requires the total number of hens in the hen house to be held constant while SVO has no such requirement. So DVC is limited to moving those hens around between the season pens in the house, while SVO is free to move, add or eat whatever hens it wants whenever it wants . . . and SVO has a demonstrated history of doing just that.

-nodge

Look SVO management! A berry tree brimming with fresh berries!

 

[slum808]

Using the hen house analogy, my understanding is that both DVC and SVO have placed the fox in charge of the hen house, but DVC has a written rule that requires the total number of hens in the hen house to be held constant while SVO has no such requirement. So DVC is limited to moving those hens around between the season pens in the house, while SVO is free to move, add or eat whatever hens it wants whenever it wants . . . and SVO has demonstrated a history of doing just that.

-nodge

Look SVO management! A berry tree brimming with fresh berries!

This is a great analogy. You can eat as many hens as you want to fat up today, but eat too many hens and you will no longer be self sustaining. SVO and other developers will try to find the thin line between maximizing profit and alienating customers.

 

[nodge]

SVO [...] will try to find the thin line between maximizing profit and alienating customers.

This data suggests that SVO has never been worried about, or even considered the consequences of, being on the wrong side of that line.

-nodge

 

[PamMo]

Thank you, Jarta and Nodge. I was always curious as to how SVO determined the number of StarOptions a unit/season has at the different resorts. When I've called in, I've been told several times that summer (end of June to early August) has the highest demand at Harborside, even though winter weeks have higher SO value. They are a bargarin, if you can get a reservation.

 

[slum808]

This data suggests that SVO has never been worried about, or even considered the consequences of, being on the wrong side of that line.

-nodge

Nice post, there's a lot of historical info in there. Companies can choose to types of sales, repeat customers or new customers (aka suckers). With repeat customers you generally have lower marketing cost but need to maintain good customer service, which can cut into the bottom line. With new customers you have much higher marketing cost, but you can squeeze every last dime out of them, because you don't care if they buy again.

I guess they chose the second aproach.

 

[spencersmama]

This data s

-nodge

WHAT? I have never received a leather luggage tag from SVO!

 

[YYJMSP]

WHAT? I have never received a leather luggage tag from SVO!

Well, I feel special, as I have 5 of them...

I got a nice one from each of WKORV and WKORVN with huge metal property logos on them. They showed up a few months after buying at each of those locations in nice little gift boxes.

I got two simple embossed leather tags that say "Westin Vacation Ownership", and one that says "Starwood Vacation Ownership". There was one with each "new owner welcome kit" for each developer purchase we made.

So, moral of the story, if you pay an extra $20K, you get a luggage tag...

 

[nodge]

Well, I feel special, as I have 5 of them...

Wow! I nominate YYJMSP to be our official SVO secret message decoder. With five working decoders going at the same time, we'll get to the root of SVO's messages to us owners in no time.

-nodge

 

[spencersmama]

There was one with each "new owner welcome kit" for each developer purchase we made.

That explains it! When we purchased, my DH asked them to mail the info/kit to our house because we only travel using carry-ons. Starwood didn't want to pay the extra $1.24 to mail it to us, apparently. That, or it was intercepted by the Starwood VP of Clarity in Customer Communication for his or her own job security.

 

[jerseygirl]

Don't overlook the VP of Mailroom Operations .....

 

[YYJMSP]

Wow! I nominate YYJMSP to be our official SVO secret message decoder. With five working decoders going at the same time, we'll get to the root of SVO's messages to us owners in no time.

It's an honour just being nominated...

I promise to use my powers only for good, and not for luring people in to paying full price for a timeshare just to get a luggage tag, no matter how cheesy, I mean nice, it looks.