Stinkin' Shell Vacation Club maintenance fee lies

[rickandcindy23]

Our fees for the West Club are up 8.7% over last year's which is a huge increase. Shell used to bill a certain amount for the first 1,350 points ($330.41 for the first 1,350 owned) + .1975 per point for additional points + $165 club fee.

Now they are charging a flat fee:

Your Board of Directors has recently approved the 2016 budget with a cost per point of .2178, resulting in an average overall increase of 3.62% on an average points package of 5,023 points. There is also the $171 club fee

This actually is a huge increase when a person owns a lot more points than the measly 5,023 points.

If you just own 1,350 points, wow did your point cost go down. SUCKS to own Shell.

 

[presley]

Maybe it's part of their master plan to get everyone to convert to Wyndham points. At the update at Vino Bello, they basically said that Shell was a worthless product and that we really needed to convert to Wyndham to open doors to many more options. It made me think they only bought Shell to fold it into their other program, even though that could take decades.

 

[vacationhopeful]

They will gut the system of Shell owners .. folding the ownerships into CWA (MY BET).

 

[comicbookman]

Maybe it's part of their master plan to get everyone to convert to Wyndham points. At the update at Vino Bello, they basically said that Shell was a worthless product and that we really needed to convert to Wyndham to open doors to many more options. It made me think they only bought Shell to fold it into their other program, even though that could take decades.

It is highly likely that the goal is to fold Shell into the Wyndham program. That was the stated intent when they bought trendwest (now Worldmark) They couldn't work that one out, but Shell is a much smaller system. It is much more efficient for Wyndham to have one system. That may not be in the owners best interest, but it definitely is in Wyndham's.

 

[Beefnot]

Our fees for the West Club are up 8.7% over last year's which is a huge increase. Shell used to bill a certain amount for the first 1,350 points ($330.41 for the first 1,350 owned) + .1975 per point for additional points + $165 club fee.

Now they are charging a flat fee:

Your Board of Directors has recently approved the 2016 budget with a cost per point of .2178, resulting in an average overall increase of 3.62% on an average points package of 5,023 points. There is also the $171 club fee

This actually is a huge increase when a person owns a lot more points than the measly 5,023 points.

If you just own 1,350 points, wow did your point cost go down. SUCKS to own Shell.

You don't want to know how much my increase was. Those stinkin' Shell bastards.

 

[presley]

I didn't get my bill, yet, but using the figures in the first post, it looks like I will pay about the same as 2 years ago. I have 5,000 points.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am listing our points with a resale agent on Kauai in April. As long as it costs me nothing out of my pocket, I am selling.

There is a lack of Shell on eBay. Gee, I wonder why?

 

[presley]

I am listing our points with a resale agent on Kauai in April. As long as it costs me nothing out of my pocket, I am selling.

There is a lack of Shell on eBay. Gee, I wonder why?

Mine's back in the marketplace. I'll keep using it (mostly for II trades) until someone else wants it. I'm in no major hurry, but wouldn't mind if it was gone after my next exchange in January. I'll probably post another bargain deals post in a few months.

 

[kelm]

Maybe they will have a program to take the points back. Or wishful thinking.

 

[presley]

Maybe they will have a program to take the points back. Or wishful thinking.

That may be on the horizon. They have that for Wyndham and now for Worldmark (they pay you for it). I did get a survey a few months ago about them maybe offering that in the future for Shell. However, for Shell, it didn't sound like they would offer any money for the turned in contracts.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Maybe Shell is offering that now because the resellers aren't selling them on eBay anymore.

I would love to get rid of mine but not willing to pay a dime to do it. I will keep doing what I am doing.

We own 25,300 points and stay at Peacock and San Francisco. I have three kids who love Napa too. So we do use our points, it just ain't cheap.

I was looking at summer in Wisconsin's Door County and saw the bulk bank for Shell's resort there, Little Sweden. I would love to exchange into that resort for much less than .24 per point, which is what my cost is now. Used to be under .20 per point. That was a few years ago. This changes my opinion about Shell. I cannot imagine paying $2,400 for a stay in Door County two bedrooms, if I can stay there via exchange in summer. So disappointing to me!

 

[alexadeparis]

If Shell goes to RCI that will be the final straw. I would hope they will implement a deed back program and offer us a way out. I loved Shell points in II, I simply do NOT need or want any more RCI units.

 

[CO skier]

If Shell goes to RCI that will be the final straw. I would hope they will implement a deed back program and offer us a way out. I loved Shell points in II, I simply do NOT need or want any more RCI units.

With WorldMark, members can choose if they want to set up an Interval International account or a RCI account (even if they purchase after WorldMark converted to RCI for developer purchases), since WorldMark was associated with II before RCI.

I would think the same would occur with Shell, if Shell goes to RCI.

 

[WinniWoman]

Our maintenance fees at Smugglers Notch (I am non- Wyndham weeks owner there) just went up 7% mainly due to minimum wage of 10% in the last 2 years in VT and and health benefit increases for the staff (housekeeping, etc,).

After reviewing the budget documents, I sent an email to our board asking why the fees only increased on the 2 and 3 bedroom units and went down on the one bedroom units. Doesn't make sense. I do listen in on the HOA board meetings for our building, but I must have missed this somehow.

Our resort is a mix of Wyndham, RCI points and weeks owners.

In addition, due to owner internet rentals competing with the resorts retail business and rental programs for the larger time owner-ships (like quarter share owners, etc), and also other owners not being able to sell their timeshares, the resort just came up with this convoluted plan/rules for how owners must rent their units out and how/what renters must purchase in terms of benefits packages for the resort's amenities. No talk of any deed backs, although there most certainly are some foreclosures and our HOA at least is working to get those deeds back so they can offer them for sale to existing owners, etc.

 

[tschwa2]

With WorldMark, members can choose if they want to set up an Interval International account or a RCI account (even if they purchase after WorldMark converted to RCI for developer purchases), since WorldMark was associated with II before RCI.

I would think the same would occur with Shell, if Shell goes to RCI.

Shell was originally with RCI and when they went to II there was no option to stay with RCI (with the exception of deeded non points owners at the shell resorts).

 

[richardm]

It's all about in-house sales to existing owners

Maybe it's part of their master plan to get everyone to convert to Wyndham points. At the update at Vino Bello, they basically said that Shell was a worthless product and that we really needed to convert to Wyndham to open doors to many more options. It made me think they only bought Shell to fold it into their other program, even though that could take decades.

Developer sales are now focused primarily on selling product to existing owners. By taking over existing properties, it basically "reloads" the sales force with new prospects to target. For point based systems, it's a very easy "conversion"..

Upon takeover, maintenance fees are increased to bring the newly acquired resorts "up to standard". In-house sales then offers the CWA product as a viable upgrade with lower maintenance fees and more resort choices. As existing Shell contracts convert, those "trade ins" are then folded into future CWA inventory.

It's a very smart system to create new sales numbers and also recycle resort inventory into a product that is much easier for the developer to handle. Hopefully, in the long term it will also benefit those acquired resort regimes by stabilizing their future budgets.

 

[vacationhopeful]

They will gut the system of Shell owners .. folding the ownerships into CWA (MY BET).

Developer sales are now focused primarily on selling product to existing owners. By taking over existing properties, it basically "reloads" the sales force with new prospects to target. For point based systems, it's a very easy "conversion"..

Upon takeover, maintenance fees are increased to bring the newly acquired resorts "up to standard". In-house sales then offers the CWA product as a viable upgrade with lower maintenance fees and more resort choices. As existing Shell contracts convert, those "trade ins" are then folded into future CWA inventory.

It's a very smart system to create new sales numbers and also recycle resort inventory into a product that is much easier for the developer to handle. Hopefully, in the long term it will also benefit those acquired resort regimes by stabilizing their future budgets.

So my $1 Shell Vacation Club set of points will yield me CWA points in my VIP account?

While I may NOT like the recent MF increases with my Shell points ... until I lose my club advantage in the Shell booking windows ... I will just continue to be a Shell member. But dropping II may cause me to re-run the numbers.

Have a Shell stay booked in San Diego in March ... another family get-together for a wedding.

 

[ronparise]

Developer sales are now focused primarily on selling product to existing owners. By taking over existing properties, it basically "reloads" the sales force with new prospects to target. For point based systems, it's a very easy "conversion"..

Upon takeover, maintenance fees are increased to bring the newly acquired resorts "up to standard". In-house sales then offers the CWA product as a viable upgrade with lower maintenance fees and more resort choices. As existing Shell contracts convert, those "trade ins" are then folded into future CWA inventory.

It's a very smart system to create new sales numbers and also recycle resort inventory into a product that is much easier for the developer to handle. Hopefully, in the long term it will also benefit those acquired resort regimes by stabilizing their future budgets.

Richard

Are you saying Wyndham is taking shell inventory and putting it into Wyndham's CWA?

 

[ronparise]

A 1 bedroom at vino bello (if there was any inventory) costs a club Wyndham owner 182000 points.

What's the cost to a shell owner(in shell points)

 

[raygo123]

I was told that it is easier for a Wyndham owners to book into. Shell than shell owners. This was said buy the sales manager at a presentation so take it for what it's worth.

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[Ty1on]

I was told that it is easier for a Wyndham owners to book into. She'll than shell owners. This was said buy the sales manager at a presentation so take it for what it's worth.

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It's worth what you think it's worth.

 

[raygo123]

It's worth what you think it's worth.

Is that an "ah grasshopper take the stone from my hand" moment?

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[vacationhopeful]

I have Shell points - West Club. I have had NO PROBLEMS using my Shell points to book ... and it is better as the availability is much further out than when the Wyndham inventory at those resorts appears.

It is really "funny" the one Shell resort where I have stayed over several years, wondered how I also had a reservation via the Wyndham system...:hysterical: Never thought I was also a Wyndham owner ... but they kept my multiple reservations in the same building group (as I had been there before Wyndham had brought Shell).

 

[presley]

A 1 bedroom at vino bello (if there was any inventory) costs a club Wyndham owner 182000 points.

What's the cost to a shell owner(in shell points)

Depending on season, it runs from 4400 to 5800 Shell points.

I was told that it is easier for a Wyndham owners to book into. Shell than shell owners. This was said buy the sales manager at a presentation so take it for what it's worth.

I don't own Wyndham, so I can't say if it is easier/harder, but I can say that is is extremely easy to book Shell within Shell. It's a very rare occasion that I can't find dates and in those cases, it is very close to check in.

 

[ronparise]

Depending on season, it runs from 4400 to 5800 Shell points.


I don't own Wyndham, so I can't say if it is easier/harder, but I can say that is is extremely easy to book Shell within Shell. It's a very rare occasion that I can't find dates and in those cases, it is very close to check in.

thanks.

so at 22 cents a point mf a shell owner will pay $1276 for the most expensive season, and a Wyndham owner (if they can find the availability) at $6/1000 points pays a little less...

Just from this one example it looks like Wyndham wants to manage shell and Club Wyndham resorts to the same standards..

So what are you guys thinking.. Wyndham will retire all the outstanding Shell points and issue owners Club Wyndham Access points at about a 31 to 1 ratio (in my example 182000 wyndham points for 5800 shell points).