Starwood Has Won [Unilateral II Changes] [merged]

[K2Quick]

I just spoke to Starwood, the changes are only to SVN accounts. A supervisor told me that non-SVN accounts will be allowed to deposit online whatever week they reserved. Since I never deposit my SVN week in II, I was relieved to hear that.

I'm holding out hope that this is still the case. The 2010 non-SVN SDO weeks that I have on deposit with II don't look any different than they did before all this excitement started (any other reference to my owned units is now gone, however). Legally *wood cannot impose this new process on non-SVN owners. It says right in the Rules and Regulations available on mystarcentral that you have the right to reserve and deposit any week in your float period. Going forward, they may try to hold you to these bogus new SVN deposit rules and you may have to go down the brown path even a little bit further than before, but I'm guessing there will be a way to get your reserved week deposited.

 

[barndweller]

I am beginning to think all my anger directed at Starwood is misplaced. I now think perchance it is Interval that has (with the nudge from Starwood) changed the ability to search without deposit or request to only 12 months.

See this thread.http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105225

One of the big advantages for membership at Interval over RCI may soon be history.

 

[ArtsieAng]

Actually, that's the exact reason that I was thinking the new designations were point related.....Seems that each resort now has a code that correlates with the star options.

It was just a guess, but that's how it struck me.

I think this is the season name within SVN -- that is, it's the "new" season name, not the one on your deed.

If you recall, we recently discovered that the new StarOptions charts had new color coding on them, with new season names. So my deeded Kierland Platinum week is listed on the new StarOptions chart in a pink color, which is shown as "Platinum Plus" in the footnotes (orange weeks are called "Platinum", pink are "Platinum Plus").

When I look at my II account, I see that week listed as "Westin Kierland Villas - Platinum Plus". Granted, this is in my SVO-provided II account.

Weeks at Kierland were originally sold as Platinum, Gold, and Silver; but the new chart shows Kierland weeks designated as Platinum Plus, Gold Plus, and Gold.

So I'm guessing the season designations you're seeing are just Starwood's new season names, not any particular point value from II (although they could be closely related).

 

[barndweller]

Actually, that's the exact reason that I was thinking the new designations were point related.....

For those who haven't read the entire thread or are skimming......

I posted early on that points were mentioned in my initial phone call to Starwood and during the 3 way call with II. There is definitely an assignment of points to the value of our non-SVN weeks. I doubt that a reserved week will have any bearing on trade power any longer. As non-SVN owners we have lost any enhanced trade power gained with reserving high demand weeks. Trade power is being set by seasons only and what you purchased will be the determining factor not what week you reserve. That of course is just my speculation. It makes sense and would certainly simplify the problem for both Starwood and II.

 

[Politico]

I'm holding out hope that this is still the case. The 2010 non-SVN SDO weeks that I have on deposit with II don't look any different than they did before all this excitement started (any other reference to my owned units is now gone, however). Legally *wood cannot impose this new process on non-SVN owners. It says right in the Rules and Regulations available on mystarcentral that you have the right to reserve and deposit any week in your float period. Going forward, they may try to hold you to these bogus new SVN deposit rules and you may have to go down the brown path even a little bit further than before, but I'm guessing there will be a way to get your reserved week deposited.

Seeing the same thing you are for my non-SVN SDO weeks. And hoping that they are unaffected. They may try and pull a fast one, but if we object, they will have no choice but to deposit the week you reserve.

 

[GrayFal]

I thought it is in the old bylaws of certain units (SDO...) that we can have right to deposit the exact week we own. They can't just change that. Where is Pat when we need her?

How the HECK did I miss this one - okay, okay, I am reading!

 

[GrayFal]

Just had an interesting phone call.....first I've had since my initial Sheraton Desert Oasis re-sale purchase 4 years ago. (When I got a sales call immediately after SDO got the paperwork.)

Polite gentleman gave his name(which I failed to note) and asked if I would like to sell my timeshare. I asked what timeshare & he replied your Starwood timeshare. I said no and he said okay, goodbye.

Maybe Starwood sales guys are getting lists of disgruntled owners who have called Starwood recently. Do ya think?

I have gotten 3 of those phone calls in the last 8 days - is it a coincidence?

 

[GrayFal]

I'm an non-SVN owner who own a 2bd platinum floating summer week at SBP deeded week 30. I just got off the phone with Nick at Starwood in resolution services, perhaps the same person barndweller spoke with earlier. After speaking with him and getting an explanation of how the new process works it makes sense to me (although I am not happy about it!) and answers some of the questions from TUGgers on this thread.

Here are the detail summary of what I got from him:

- Deposit first is no longer an option with the new process.
- If you want to exchange, you call Starwood and they assign a code to be used with II to trading. The code is determined by your resort, season, and type of unit you own. For my SBP it is "ST2". This process is really the same process as request first however your assigned this code as your trade vs. a specific week that you would normally trade with(ie marriott).
II uses my code "ST2" to determine the trading power and ongoing-search is placed on my behalf. If I was using this request for year 2010 as trade, this request would be good for use with II until June 30, 2012, approx. 2 years from the year of usage that you are trading.

Questions I asked:

My deed is week 30 and my season at SBP floats 9-43, 47, if another owner who's deed is week 9 with same size unit, does he have same code as me?
Answer: Yes.

Why do I no longer have capability to do deposit first?
Answer: I'm sorry but that is how the new system works and we try to make it smoother for all owners. No real explanation here.

Why can't I reserve the week I want and exchange that week:
Answer: You can reserve the week you want to use to stay at your home resort, for exchanges you will have to go through Starwood and we will assign the code for you trade with II.


My analysis/conclusion:

The reasons why all the TUGgers cannot see their 2010 weeks anymore is b/c they have removed our ability to do deposit first with II and exchanging with a specific week. That's why you cannot see your 2010 weeks.

With regards to trading with an assigned code, this give Starwood the ability to control what week they release to II when a exchange is fulfilled.
Thus you lose also the ability to reserve a specific week ( ie 4th of July) for trading.

THIS REALLY SUCKS!!!

Do we have any legal grounds to fight this?

Okay, how can Starwood do any of this when they don't control what week I can reserve?

How can we LET them do this when we are entitled to our weeks - either deeded or the one we reserve in our float season?

From the StarCentral Website

"Fixed Week Preference Period

Fixed week preference period begins 24 months prior to the first day of use of your numbered floating unit week and lasts 12 months. During this fixed week preference period, owners of similarly numbered floating unit weeks have the exclusive right to reserve the the use of their numbered floating unit week in the same villa type they own without any competition for the same vacation time from owners owning differently numbered floating Unit Weeks.

Floating Use Period

The floating use period allows you to vacation at a different time then the numbered floating unit week u own. The floating use period begins 12 months prior to use of an unreserved vacation ownership interest in a given calendar year and ends on the last day of that calendar year. During that time you will be competing with other floating week owners on a first come, first serve basis. Blahhhhh

Split vacation Period "

Short version - You can also reserve a 3 and 4 day stay

The wording of this document is what gives us the right to reserve the weeks we want within our season - but now II is saying they will no longer take our reserved weeks?

They would rather take the crappy weeks that Starwood is going to give them instead???

Interestingly, this is how DVC owners used to deposit into II - they had no choice.

When I deposit my Wyndham Points into II it is also a 'generic' deposit - not a real week but a certain number of points based on what 'season' I want to deposit.

I am not a happy camper...and my account is still only showing me deposited 2010 weeks - nothing beyond....no new codes...

and Angela, how could they classify Summer Myrtle Beach as only Gold Plus??? not even Platinum???

 

[tschwa2]

Here is the link to the star options chart. I think they decided to make SBP gold plus because the float period 9-43, 47 contains some weeks that are not prime and when they decided to sell Palmetto platinum as 24-35 they needed to downgrade the overall average of SBP to account for the less prime weeks.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Here is the link to the star options chart. I think they decided to make SBP gold plus because the float period 9-43, 47 contains some weeks that are not prime and when they decided to sell Palmetto platinum as 24-35 they needed to downgrade the overall average of SBP to account for the less prime weeks.

That makes sense. I have had two different 2 bedrooms for exchange in II for SBP, one is 2009 week 22 that is in the account right now, and it sees the bulk bankings that are posted on TUG sightings. My 2008 week was a week 39, and it also saw the bulk bankings.

I wouldn't want a week 9 deposited, as I assume it would be bad trading power, but if they let me deposit my week 14, I would be okay with it.

 

[GrayFal]

Here is the link to the star options chart. I think they decided to make SBP gold plus because the float period 9-43, 47 contains some weeks that are not prime and when they decided to sell Palmetto platinum as 24-35 they needed to downgrade the overall average of SBP to account for the less prime weeks.

Not good news for those of us that own summer weeks. :annoyed:

The test will be if the Starwood preference will still be in effect - but we know that different Starwood weeks are much stronger traders based on the check-in date...will it now be only based on the 'color' our week is assigned? Something is definitely being lost here for the non-SVN owners - the ability to trade a STRONG week (with II) versus a generic week.

Are the 1-52 float SDO owners also 'punished'? Or will Starwood go by the deeded week and assign the color that way?
I only saw the one StarOption chart for that resort....let me look again.

 

[DeniseM]

The test will be if the Starwood preference will still be in effect -

Based on SW sightings that were seen AFTER the changes in II occurred, it IS still in effect.

My 2010 floating non-SVN SDO week, has not been tampered with - but it's already deposited so maybe they can't mess with it.

 

[ArtsieAng]

Pat

and Angela, how could they classify Summer Myrtle Beach as only Gold Plus??? not even Platinum???

Well, if they are going to assign a point value to our weeks, then following the Star Options is what makes sense......We will have to wait and see how this affects our trading power.

Since Starwood's email reply stated that II was going to be sending out a new directory explaining the changes, I'm guessing that II is initiating these changes, or is at least a partner in crime.....II has always been a like=like exchange company, and converting weeks into points would work well for them.

I bet they are also working with Marriott, and our Marriott weeks will be given a point value based on the new reward points chart, or similair......Time will tell.

 

[Carolyn]

My 2010 floating non-SVN SDO week, has not been tampered with - but it's already deposited so maybe they can't mess with it.

Same here.

Carolyn

 

[GrayFal]

Based on SW sightings that were seen AFTER the changes in II occurred, it IS still in effect.

My 2010 floating non-SVN SDO week, has not been tampered with - but it's already deposited so maybe they can't mess with it.

I deposited 1 week before the change so I still have the 'old' STW code for my Broadway Plantation.
edit, I see that SDO only has one chart - not a seperate one for the full year float owners - so I guess the 'lucky' owners who got a deeded week of 1-21 will get the GOOD point/color assignment and the rest are out of luck.

 

[tschwa2]

I deposited 1 week before the change so I still have the 'old' STW code for my Broadway Plantation.
edit, I see that SDO only has one chart - not a seperate one for the full year float owners - so I guess the 'lucky' owners who got a deeded week of 1-21 will get the GOOD point/color assignment and the rest are out of luck.

I'm not sure When SVO sells SDO they do it with their seasons instead of the 1-52 float week. I know buyers who are looking to requalify weeks look for "true platinum" 1-21 weeks instead of 1-52 float deeded as 1-21. I was under the impression that full float weeks would not receive the full amount of platinum staroptions regardless of deeded week. Perhaps someone who requalified a SDO week could say how it worked for them.

My main worry is not so much that trading power will be diminished because I think that even if the weeks are averaged the trading power will still be good especially with the priority period. My worry is that most prime weeks will not get deposited to II and therefore less good stuff to choose from.

 

[krj9999]

Ok, newbie to SVO here. But I just got my SDO deed into the SVO system, and even though this is non-mandatory and the letter I received says I am not eligible for SVN, when I signed up for mystarcentral, my week (which is a platinum standard 1 BR) is showing 67,100 StarOptions available for 2010. Go figure.

 

[Fcast]

I'm not sure When SVO sells SDO they do it with their seasons instead of the 1-52 float week. I know buyers who are looking to requalify weeks look for "true platinum" 1-21 weeks instead of 1-52 float deeded as 1-21. I was under the impression that full float weeks would not receive the full amount of platinum staroptions regardless of deeded week. Perhaps someone who requalified a SDO week could say how it worked for them.

My main worry is not so much that trading power will be diminished because I think that even if the weeks are averaged the trading power will still be good especially with the priority period. My worry is that most prime weeks will not get deposited to II and therefore less good stuff to choose from.

In speaking with Starwood they tell me that that 1-52 week is related to the older SDO section. They claim that it is a red season week and that to get the best trading power you need to deposit early. My code is now SI2. It is all very confusing to me.

 

[Joshadelic]

Ok, newbie to SVO here. But I just got my SDO deed into the SVO system, and even though this is non-mandatory and the letter I received says I am not eligible for SVN, when I signed up for mystarcentral, my week (which is a platinum standard 1 BR) is showing 67,100 StarOptions available for 2010. Go figure.

Here's some advice for you...

Info on mystarcentral = worthless.

 

[Joshadelic]

In speaking with Starwood they tell me that that 1-52 week is related to the older SDO section. They claim that it is a red season week and that to get the best trading power you need to deposit early. My code is now SI2. It is all very confusing to me.

AH HA! This is starting to make sense to me now. I specifically bought a resale SDO week that is "true platinum" - which I requalified when I bought my SVV week. My SDO week now shows up in II with the code SI1. It also says it is a "platinum plus" week above that. I'm assuming your week that is coded SI2 says "gold plus", since those who bought floating 1-52 SDO weeks and requalified them were put in the gold plus tier no matter what week was on the deed.

 

[krj9999]

That bad, eh?

Here's some advice for you...

Info on mystarcentral = worthless.

 

[Joshadelic]

That bad, eh?

They are about 20 years behind the times with their technology. Their databases can't even keep track of how many staroptions most people have, let alone whether or not you're actually in SVN.

If you have a desire to be in SVN, what I would do is just wait until you receive a bill and if it has the SVN membership charge on it, then pay for it. Then, a few months later (or even a couple of years later for better effect), call and try to make a staroption exchange. If they say you can't, then ask them what you're paying your SVN membership fee for???? I've heard of other TUGGERS being let into SVN because of this type of mistake. If they don't offer you membership at that time, the worst thing that will happen is that they will refund your money. Either way, it's worth a shot if you actually want to be in SVN.

 

[catlady]

As someone who has been trying to pick up a SDO or SBP cheap for trading puposes I've been following these threads closely!

As I've not used II at all I'm not sure I'm following all the threads completely, but am I right in thinking that if I had a SDO floating 1-52 weeks and I wanted to deposit into II starwood would give II any week within weeks 1-52 to trade (as all are meant to be High season). However if i had a high week 1-21 at SBP than they would have to deposit a week within in those weeks to trade.

I would however have no control over which weeks deposited, but they would all have the same trade power within II as all would get the same code? Therefore my actual trade power would not change?

I realise no-one is really sure what is happening but am I anywhere close to understanding this or should I go back and re-read

 

[calgarygary]

Ok, newbie to SVO here. But I just got my SDO deed into the SVO system, and even though this is non-mandatory and the letter I received says I am not eligible for SVN, when I signed up for mystarcentral, my week (which is a platinum standard 1 BR) is showing 67,100 StarOptions available for 2010. Go figure.

Using my 2007 purchase as an example, I knew that my SVV resale did not include 2007 staroptions. When I first saw my acct. at msc it showed 2007 availability. The wise folks here at TUG assured me that eventually reality would set in and msc would show the correction. Sure enough, months later it was corrected. To this day, II shows my 2 bedroom as a lock out, which it is not and should I ever try to make 2 reservations (as if a lo) *wood would prevent it.

 

[James1975NY]

As someone who has been trying to pick up a SDO or SBP cheap for trading puposes I've been following these threads closely!

As I've not used II at all I'm not sure I'm following all the threads completely, but am I right in thinking that if I had a SDO floating 1-52 weeks and I wanted to deposit into II starwood would give II any week within weeks 1-52 to trade (as all are meant to be High season). However if i had a high week 1-21 at SBP than they would have to deposit a week within in those weeks to trade.

I would however have no control over which weeks deposited, but they would all have the same trade power within II as all would get the same code? Therefore my actual trade power would not change?

I realise no-one is really sure what is happening but am I anywhere close to understanding this or should I go back and re-read

Assuming you become an owner at SDO, when you call to deposit your week call in advance. There are good weeks trade with that Starwood will pre-deposit in advance.

The bottom line is to call in advance. There will be some March weeks deposited at SDO that Starwood can transfer for you. I would not worry if you are interested in purchasing here.