Trust [DP] versus Exchange [Legacy] Points in the Destination Club

[turkel]

Are points points? When you trade your week for points and make a reservation using Trust Points is the inventory the same as Destination Points.

Canyon Villas salesman said the inventory pool is different. Boy he rubbed me the wrong way.

Thread title edited. <-- SueDonJ

 

[Fasttr]

Technically different, but in practice both inventory buckets are poured into a larger bucket called the MVC Exchange and that is where 99.9% of all ressies are booked from. So in practice, a point is a point.

 

[rthib]

I had only enrolled points and could book San Diego, New York, San Fran. All trust only locations.

 

[SueDonJ]

From page 2 of this forum's Points FAQ:

~~ Inventory Sources for DC Points Usage ~~

MVCI Weeks and MVCD Points inventory is kept separate according to the terms of each system's governing documents in order to protect Owners/Members ownership and usage rights. Inventory available through the DC Exchange Company is sourced from Marriott-controlled deposits as well as (according to a no-longer-available FAQ that had been posted to the owners' website during the early DC years,) "... other Marriott Vacation Club Owners who enroll their weeks and elect Vacation Club Points, and non-enrolled Owners who trade their usage for Marriott Rewards points or exchange their week through membership in Interval International."

Technically, in compliance with the governing documents, DC Trust Members have direct access to inventory in the DC Trust as well as inventory available through the DC Exchange Company; and, DC Exchange Members have direct access to only the inventory that's available through the DC Exchange Company. Functionally, it appears that Marriott is managing inventory such that a few select high-demand intervals are available only from the Trust at the 13-months Reservation Window, then at the 12-months Reservation Window most intervals are made available through the Exchange Company. Effectively, it appears that inventory is currently being managed by Marriott such that the technical v. functional legal aspects are practically nullified with respect to the overwhelming majority of available intervals.

Another thing the sales reps might say is that Weeks Owners can't use II to exchange into new resorts. This is also something that technically could be true if Marriott were to choose to not make intervals available via II, but in practice since the DC inception Marriott has almost immediately deposited into II intervals from each and every new resort that's been added to the portfolio.

 

[dougp26364]

We own both and, for the purpose of making a reservation, there is NO difference.

 

[chiller90]

I was recently in a presentation at Newport Coast Villas, and was told that Marriott indeed keeps the Exchange points (from Deeded weeks) and Trust Points in separate inventory pools. We only own two deeded weeks at Cypress Harbour, thus we don't have access to the trust inventory. The sales person claimed that if we bought at least 1,000 trust points, we would gain access to the trust inventory and be able to use all of our points (exchange points + trust points) interchangeably in both inventory pools. "A point is a point as long as you buy from the Trust". I have learned not to trust everything said on sales presentations. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

 

[Fasttr]

I was recently in a presentation at Newport Coast Villas, and was told that Marriott indeed keeps the Exchange points (from Deeded weeks) and Trust Points in separate inventory pools. We only own two deeded weeks at Cypress Harbour, thus we don't have access to the trust inventory. The sales person claimed that if we bought at least 1,000 trust points, we would gain access to the trust inventory and be able to use all of our points (exchange points + trust points) interchangeably in both inventory pools. "A point is a point as long as you buy from the Trust". I have learned not to trust everything said on sales presentations. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

False. It’s sales BS.

 

[vacationtime1]

I was recently in a presentation at Newport Coast Villas, and was told that Marriott indeed keeps the Exchange points (from Deeded weeks) and Trust Points in separate inventory pools. We only own two deeded weeks at Cypress Harbour, thus we don't have access to the trust inventory. The sales person claimed that if we bought at least 1,000 trust points, we would gain access to the trust inventory and be able to use all of our points (exchange points + trust points) interchangeably in both inventory pools. "A point is a point as long as you buy from the Trust". I have learned not to trust everything said on sales presentations. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

It's a lie that they have been spinning for years.

And it cannot be true. IF there were separate inventory pools that were truly inaccessible to each other as a result of long-standing unchangeable rules (i.e. rules that protect the rights of those who hold assets in each inventory pool), than how can the purchase of a small number of trust points permit them to break those rules?

 

[SueDonJ]

I was recently in a presentation at Newport Coast Villas, and was told that Marriott indeed keeps the Exchange points (from Deeded weeks) and Trust Points in separate inventory pools. We only own two deeded weeks at Cypress Harbour, thus we don't have access to the trust inventory. The sales person claimed that if we bought at least 1,000 trust points, we would gain access to the trust inventory and be able to use all of our points (exchange points + trust points) interchangeably in both inventory pools. "A point is a point as long as you buy from the Trust". I have learned not to trust everything said on sales presentations. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

There's a huge gap between the technical and functional aspects of the Destination Club inventory pools. Most sales reps do not have ownership/working knowledge of that gap, and some of the ones who do have the knowledge have no compunction with deliberately misrepresenting the program so as to generate sales of Trust Points. Read my post #4 above - that info is based on the vast experience of TUGgers who have been members of the Destination Club since its inception, as well as some who did not have an immediate positive first impression of the DC but came to it after watching and learning from the rest of us. The entire FAQ - MVC DESTINATIONS Points Program is chock-full of info gained from that experience, if you're interested.

Again, the technical v. functional aspects of the different inventory pools and different types of DC points are, in practice, not a concern with the overwhelming majority of intervals. It's very smart to try to gain a full understanding, not so smart to let the sales staff tell you how it all works.

 

[rthib]

See thread above. As someone who only had enrolled week for a while before I bought resale points, I didn't suddenly see difference.
They used to add that you would never have access to the newer properties since they are trust only until they realized how easy it was to see that it was a lie.

But if you really want to buy points (I did to get to next level and the 13 month reservation window) then buy resale. A trust point is a trust point once you pay the junk fees.

 

[Dean]

I was recently in a presentation at Newport Coast Villas, and was told that Marriott indeed keeps the Exchange points (from Deeded weeks) and Trust Points in separate inventory pools. We only own two deeded weeks at Cypress Harbour, thus we don't have access to the trust inventory. The sales person claimed that if we bought at least 1,000 trust points, we would gain access to the trust inventory and be able to use all of our points (exchange points + trust points) interchangeably in both inventory pools. "A point is a point as long as you buy from the Trust". I have learned not to trust everything said on sales presentations. Does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks!

While there is a smidge of truth to the words technically, in reality there is no difference.

 

[ljmiii]

One difference is that you can turn Trust DPs into Bonvoy Points but you can't turn elected DPs into Bonvoy points (you have to trade the week into BPs directly). Never thought it would matter...but with COVID I was willing to accept the ruinous exchange rate on some surplus Trust DPs.

 

[jont]

I own both for the fast few years and I see no difference in being able to book any reservation. I’m sure the sales people will say my trust points are supercharged.