Voyager Program

[thunderxls]

During our "owners update" at Bonnett Creek this weekend (April 15-19, 2015) we were told there was a new initiative called the Voyager Program for re-sale owners. When I inquired more, the answers were vague, but the representative conveyed that re-sale owners might be impacted by changes made to ARP and inventory availability.

It was also mentioned that Wyndham has started buying a significant amount of re-sale points from the secondary market to ensure it does not "cheapen" the value to "full owners".

Have any of you heard about this or received more detail?

 

[tschwa2]

Voyager is an old "new" initiative, that was to be brought on in phases but ultimately seemed to fail and be scrapped perhaps permanently or perhaps until they could work out programming issues. The first step was the re-alignment of use years for multiple contracts in the same account. That was as far as it got.

It was speculated that the program would only give VIP benefits to (bookings made with) points that are actually VIP eligible instead of all points within a VIP account. So for example an owner with 1,000,000 VIP eligible points with an additional 2,000,000 resale points would only be able to receive upgrades and points discounts, etc on bookings made with the VIP eligible points, not all points in the account. It would require a lot more book keeping on the part of Wyndham so that specific points could be used for specific bookings, cancelled points would also need to come back into the same category. It would have to follow pooled points etc.

 

[ronparise]

Voyager (an inventory management system or a new reservations system) is very much alive. Ive been in the Wyndham Vacation Ownership building in Orlando. "Voyager" is on the building directory. and There has been discussion about Voyager at the last two annual meetings.

 

[Jan M.]

Voyager System/shrinking inventory

I recently attended an owner's update. I was told by a sales manager that in a few months the Voyager system will automatically give VIP owners the points discount on their reservations and the free upgrade if you have a second unit booked to get a free upgrade. It seems almost too good to be true and if it is then I am thrilled. This was in response to my observation that reservations have been so much harder to find in the last year at a number of resorts. She said that they are doing this to free up inventory that is tied up with people double booking. I said that I thought the problem was that they are bringing more groups into the Wydham system and giving them access to our inventory because VIP owners have been double booking, cancelling and rebooking for years and the finding reservations has only been a problem in the last year. So next she told me that they are pulling a number of units at different resorts out of the inventory and making them available only in the Club Access program and that is why I'm having trouble finding reservations at some resorts and that I really need to buy Club Access so I will have access to all the inventory that I originally had access to. And that I would continue to see a steadily shrinking inventory as they move more inventory into this program. So I asked her, now I have to spend more money to have access to what I already paid for and they have taken away from me? Does this sound as bad to any of you as it did to me? At that point I informed her that I was starting to question my satisfaction with my Wyndham ownership. Needless to say they cut me loose in short order! The big laugh is I actually wanted to go to the update because I knew there was some new stuff they would be talking about that I didn't know but they pulled me out of the group update to get me alone. We had attended a group session about two years ago and found it worth our time. When I went back into the main room to refill my drink I actually did hear about some of those new things. Does anyone have any up to date, accurate information about what she told me about the Voyager System and the shrinking inventory situation?

 

[CO skier]

I recently attended an owner's update. I was told by a sales manager that in a few months the Voyager system will automatically give VIP owners the points discount on their reservations and the free upgrade if you have a second unit booked to get a free upgrade. It seems almost too good to be true and if it is then I am thrilled. This was in response to my observation that reservations have been so much harder to find in the last year at a number of resorts. She said that they are doing this to free up inventory that is tied up with people double booking. I said that I thought the problem was that they are bringing more groups into the Wydham system and giving them access to our inventory because VIP owners have been double booking, cancelling and rebooking for years and the finding reservations has only been a problem in the last year. So next she told me that they are pulling a number of units at different resorts out of the inventory and making them available only in the Club Access program and that is why I'm having trouble finding reservations at some resorts and that I really need to buy Club Access so I will have access to all the inventory that I originally had access to. And that I would continue to see a steadily shrinking inventory as they move more inventory into this program. So I asked her, now I have to spend more money to have access to what I already paid for and they have taken away from me? Does this sound as bad to any of you as it did to me? At that point I informed her that I was starting to question my satisfaction with my Wyndham ownership. Needless to say they cut me loose in short order! The big laugh is I actually wanted to go to the update because I knew there was some new stuff they would be talking about that I didn't know but they pulled me out of the group update to get me alone. We had attended a group session about two years ago and found it worth our time. When I went back into the main room to refill my drink I actually did hear about some of those new things. Does anyone have any up to date, accurate information about what she told me about the Voyager System and the shrinking inventory situation?

Yes, everything she told you and you heard is a lie designed to sell people more Wyndham points.

 

[CO skier]

Voyager (an inventory management system or a new reservations system) is very much alive. Ive been in the Wyndham Vacation Ownership building in Orlando. "Voyager" is on the building directory. and There has been discussion about Voyager at the last two annual meetings.

Was there an accumulation of dust on the letters for "Voyager"?

Project Voyager was mentioned at the 2011 WorldMark meeting, "Project Voyager will go live next year."

Maybe ... someday.

 

[slither55]

My recent Voyager experience

I just got back from Majestic Sun in Destin (End Aug / begin Sept 2015) and took one of the 'owner update' seminars because I was told about the exciting changes that were happening. In the presentation, they vaguely mention the new benefits that supposedly rolled out in April / May of this year. They made it sound like everyone VIP and up would automatically be enrolled in the new program. The system would automatically give you discounted points and no more 'cancelled' points. Also, there was a new benefit with RCI / Wyndham (WWE) World Wide Exchange that would give you the option to use your points to book reservations at a much cheaper rate than normal reservations and you didn't have to book a full week. The presenter stated to make sure we asked our rep more about it. When we broke off with our individual reps, she pulled my account to check to make sure I was set up properly for the new benefits.

Surprise!!! My account didn't qualify because my husband and I turned down some offer the previous year when they didn't even discuss 'Voyager' because they were pushing 'Pathways' at the time. The sales pitch started with the only way to get it on my account now was to...you guess it...buy more points.

I am not even sure the 'Voyager' program is real. I have been hearing about Wyndham going to a 24/7 reservation system for the last at least 2 years and nothing.

I would love to find out if anyone has bought points recently and is currently in the Voyager program.

 

[slither55]

What I found on the website

Program Rules and Guidelines Updates

As part of our commitment to delivering exceptional vacation experiences to our valued CLUB WYNDHAM® Plus owners, the Fairshare Vacation Owners Association Board recently identified two opportunities to enhance the product and make vacation planning easier.

Based on insight gained through owner surveys, the Board made two changes to the CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Program Rules and Guidelines:

1.In an effort to make it easier for owners to manage and use their points, effective August 4, 2015, reservations that are cancelled in accordance with the CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Cancellation Policy will now have points returned as Regular Use Year Points and will no longer be referred to as Cancelled Reservation Points. Existing Cancelled Reservation Points in your account will be changed to Regular Use Year Points with the same expiration date.

What does this mean for you? Previously, Cancelled Reservation Points could not be used for all Club benefits. With this change, should you need to cancel your reservation per the cancellation policy, 15 days or more before your arrival date, your points will be returned as Regular Use Year Points and can be used for more Club benefits than before.


2.In an effort to increase availability, there will be a Nightly Unit Limit on the number of units an owner can book at a single resort of 10 units, or 20 percent of the inventory at that resort affiliated with CLUB WYNDHAM Plus, whichever is less. Going forward, the Nightly Unit Limit should increase availability for more owners at the most sought after resorts. The Nightly Unit Limit applies to new Standard and Express reservations booked after October 1, 2015 (ARP reservations are not limited). This will not impact existing reservations made prior to October 1, unless the reservation is cancelled and, after October 1, a new reservation is confirmed.

What does this mean for you?
The change should increase usage by more owners at the most sought after resorts.

I guess I need to start keeping up with the updates. Looks like the cancellation pieces is happening now I just checked my account and my points are showing as regular instead of cancelled now.

 

[uscav8r]

... I have been hearing about Wyndham going to a 24/7 reservation system for the last at least 2 years and nothing.

Here is why I don't believe a 24/7 booking ability will ever happen: how do you draw an equitable "line-in-the-sand" so that people can book right at the opening of the 10-month window? Or for the various VIP upgrade windows?

The current overnight break is a natural split from one day to the next and allows all the other booking window policies to exist.

 

[ronparise]

I just got back from Majestic Sun in Destin (End Aug / begin Sept 2015) and took one of the 'owner update' seminars because I was told about the exciting changes that were happening. In the presentation, they vaguely mention the new benefits that supposedly rolled out in April / May of this year. They made it sound like everyone VIP and up would automatically be enrolled in the new program. The system would automatically give you discounted points and no more 'cancelled' points. Also, there was a new benefit with RCI / Wyndham (WWE) World Wide Exchange that would give you the option to use your points to book reservations at a much cheaper rate than normal reservations and you didn't have to book a full week. The presenter stated to make sure we asked our rep more about it. When we broke off with our individual reps, she pulled my account to check to make sure I was set up properly for the new benefits.

Surprise!!! My account didn't qualify because my husband and I turned down some offer the previous year when they didn't even discuss 'Voyager' because they were pushing 'Pathways' at the time. The sales pitch started with the only way to get it on my account now was to...you guess it...buy more points.

I am not even sure the 'Voyager' program is real. I have been hearing about Wyndham going to a 24/7 reservation system for the last at least 2 years and nothing.

I would love to find out if anyone has bought points recently and is currently in the Voyager program.

The two recent changes arent anything you can buy they apply to everybody.

1) now when you cancel a reservation the points come back as regular points. This is a real benefit to Platinum and Gold VIPs since we could always deposit current year points into the points credit pool as late as Sept 30 each year. So now instead of cancelled points (from a cancel and rebook move) having to be used by the end of the year, I can extend their life 3 years. There is nothing about it that is automatic, however, Cancel and rebook and upgrading is still a manual process and the risk of losing your reservation is still there (greater than ever, same say)

2) the second recent change is a direct shot at the mega renters, we are now subject to a nightly limit of 10 reservations. (ARP reservations excluded)


Voyager is a new inventory management system under development at Wyndham. The plan was for it to be implemented all at once. Turned out it was a bigger job than they thought and the decided to roll it out a little bit at a time. These recent changes are probably part of Voyager or are now possible because of Voyager

 

[ronparise]

Program Rules and Guidelines Updates

As part of our commitment to delivering exceptional vacation experiences to our valued CLUB WYNDHAM® Plus owners, the Fairshare Vacation Owners Association Board recently identified two opportunities to enhance the product and make vacation planning easier.

Based on insight gained through owner surveys, the Board made two changes to the CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Program Rules and Guidelines:

1.In an effort to make it easier for owners to manage and use their points, effective August 4, 2015, reservations that are cancelled in accordance with the CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Cancellation Policy will now have points returned as Regular Use Year Points and will no longer be referred to as Cancelled Reservation Points. Existing Cancelled Reservation Points in your account will be changed to Regular Use Year Points with the same expiration date.

What does this mean for you? Previously, Cancelled Reservation Points could not be used for all Club benefits. With this change, should you need to cancel your reservation per the cancellation policy, 15 days or more before your arrival date, your points will be returned as Regular Use Year Points and can be used for more Club benefits than before.


2.In an effort to increase availability, there will be a Nightly Unit Limit on the number of units an owner can book at a single resort of 10 units, or 20 percent of the inventory at that resort affiliated with CLUB WYNDHAM Plus, whichever is less. Going forward, the Nightly Unit Limit should increase availability for more owners at the most sought after resorts. The Nightly Unit Limit applies to new Standard and Express reservations booked after October 1, 2015 (ARP reservations are not limited). This will not impact existing reservations made prior to October 1, unless the reservation is cancelled and, after October 1, a new reservation is confirmed.

What does this mean for you?
The change should increase usage by more owners at the most sought after resorts.

I guess I need to start keeping up with the updates. Looks like the cancellation pieces is happening now I just checked my account and my points are showing as regular instead of cancelled now.

This has been discussed extensively here on TUG

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230333

 

[tschwa2]

Here is why I don't believe a 24/7 booking ability will ever happen: how do you draw an equitable "line-in-the-sand" so that people can book right at the opening of the 10-month window? Or for the various VIP upgrade windows?

The current overnight break is a natural split from one day to the next and allows all the other booking window policies to exist.

They certainly could. Other systems do it. With Starwood the booking window opens up at 12 midnight Eastern time. You get on early and keep refreshing until it lets you book. If you are calling you have to wait until the next day when the office opens. With Marriott booking with points opens up at Midnight. Reserving home weeks start on the computer and by phone at the same time when the reservation office opens.

 

[Cheryl20772]

So next she told me that they are pulling a number of units at different resorts out of the inventory and making them available only in the Club Access program and that is why I'm having trouble finding reservations at some resorts and that I really need to buy Club Access so I will have access to all the inventory that I originally had access to.

I believe the Access inventory only reduces what is available for ARP. After 10 months all points are the same. I also notice it's more competitive getting a reservation. My thought was that it's because more people are traveling since the economy improved.

 

[Ty1on]

I believe the Access inventory only reduces what is available for ARP. After 10 months all points are the same. I also notice it's more competitive getting a reservation. My thought was that it's because more people are traveling since the economy improved.

Club Wyndham Access holds UDIs/Deeds in trust for use of all CWA points owners. CWA owners have ARP to resorts up to the limit of ownership held in trust at those resorts. If inventory is being "pulled out" for CWA, it is being done through acquisition of those underlying interests by the Club as they sell more contracts.

I've heard that about 20% of CWP points are CWA. Since there are resorts at which CWA owns no interest, if that number is correct, it would stand that CWA owns a little over 20% of the inventory in resorts where they own anything at all. That can put some pressure on highly sought weeks, but I'm certain that increased travel is the bigger culprit.

 

[uscav8r]

They certainly could. Other systems do it. With Starwood the booking window opens up at 12 midnight Eastern time. You get on early and keep refreshing until it lets you book. If you are calling you have to wait until the next day when the office opens. With Marriott booking with points opens up at Midnight. Reserving home weeks start on the computer and by phone at the same time when the reservation office opens.

Whether or not a 24/7 system is feasible due to technology is not the question; rather it is a question of policy. Sometimes those are actually more difficult to change due to the culture of "that's the way it's always been" that exists in many large organizations. So, in other words, I'm not holding my breath for a 24/7 system from Wyndham.

 

[ronparise]

Club Wyndham Access holds UDIs/Deeds in trust for use of all CWA points owners. CWA owners have ARP to resorts up to the limit of ownership held in trust at those resorts. If inventory is being "pulled out" for CWA, it is being done through acquisition of those underlying interests by the Club as they sell more contracts.

I've heard that about 20% of CWP points are CWA. Since there are resorts at which CWA owns no interest, if that number is correct, it would stand that CWA owns a little over 20% of the inventory in resorts where they own anything at all. That can put some pressure on highly sought weeks, but I'm certain that increased travel is the bigger culprit.

Its been a few years but I heard the the goal was about 25%>>> Sounds like they are getting close>

I wonder if they will just pat themselves on the back and say good job, or set a new goal

Given the assumption that all the Ovation stuff goes into CWA and my WAG (wild ass guess) that Wyndham is buying quietly and anonymously on the secondary market. Id say the push is on to much much more in CWA. I said it when CWA was brand new, (and no one wanted any parts of it) , CWA is the future of this club.



We still have the old Fairfield fixed weeks but with few exceptions no one is actively collecting or trading them. And, now, when we speak about Wyndham we usually dont mean Wyndham weeks.

And Im sure there will always be Club Wyndham Select (deeded points whether UDI or weeks) . But over time I think we will begin to mean Club Wyndham Access, when we think of Wyndham points. Id say we are on our way to 50/50 CWA and everything else


Access may reduce the number of units available to the deeded owners for ARP, but it also reduces the number of points (owners) trying to reserve those units at 13 months What I mean is that the odds of getting what you want in the ARP window doesn't change.

 

[vacationhopeful]

.....We still have the old Fairfield fixed weeks but with few exceptions no one is actively collecting or trading them. And, now, when we speak about Wyndham we usually dont mean Wyndham weeks.

..

Yes, I am one of the FEW exceptions on collecting Fixed Weeks. I started collecting the Wyndham Santa Barbara deeds as that resort came back online after the hurricane damage was repaired. I was walked thru the resort before the construction fencing was removed and still under construction ... it was a jewel (IMHO). But the Sea Gardens resort has been totally refurbished now, too.

I know those Pompano Beach resorts well. And some deeds are better deals than others (esp at Sea Gardens). And forget the ODD/EVEN year ownerships ... unless you own BOTH, it will drive YOU nuts... I have one such pair where one week is in Points and the other is NOT.

And now I am refining a "plan" for those fixed weeks .... to maximize their real VALUE ... no points, no booking window and cheaper on yearly MFs over any points plan. The "Drive to South Florida and Roost" winter plan ... which is MY personal GOAL. Select & keep what I will use for 8 to 10 weeks yearly. Still cheaper than owning a condo in gator-land off I-95.

 

[lcml11]

Yes, I am one of the FEW exceptions on collecting Fixed Weeks. I started collecting the Wyndham Santa Barbara deeds as that resort came back online after the hurricane damage was repaired. I was walked thru the resort before the construction fencing was removed and still under construction ... it was a jewel (IMHO). But the Sea Gardens resort has been totally refurbished now, too.

I know those Pompano Beach resorts well. And some deeds are better deals than others (esp at Sea Gardens). And forget the ODD/EVEN year ownerships ... unless you own BOTH, it will drive YOU nuts... I have one such pair where one week is in Points and the other is NOT.

And now I am refining a "plan" for those fixed weeks .... to maximize their real VALUE ... no points, no booking window and cheaper on yearly MFs over any points plan. The "Drive to South Florida and Roost" winter plan ... which is MY personal GOAL. Select & keep what I will use for 8 to 10 weeks yearly. Still cheaper than owning a condo in gator-land off I-95.

Hey, be nice to those gators.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Hey, be nice to those gators.

Only to the gators roosting near the parking lot of the TS sales staff.

 

[Ty1on]

Here is why I don't believe a 24/7 booking ability will ever happen: how do you draw an equitable "line-in-the-sand" so that people can book right at the opening of the 10-month window? Or for the various VIP upgrade windows?

The current overnight break is a natural split from one day to the next and allows all the other booking window policies to exist.

It's actually simple, you establish an arbitrary "Date Roll" time. In 24 hour hospitality operations, the time is often early in the AM, like 3AM-4AM. My wildest guess is that if they DO go to 24 hour, the date will roll at 7AM ET 4AM PT. If you go on at 6AM ET, the 10 month inventory isn't available yet. At 7AM it's available.

 

[lcml11]

When I talked to the VIP line earlier today, I ask what major changes were with Voyager. This was not identified as one of them. It appears Voyager is operating to some degree. He reviewed my account using the Voyager System, or so he indicated.

 

[Zeke_62]

lcm11 - You can log in to the new system yourself. www.preview.myclubwyndham.com

 

[lcml11]

Thanks for the info. Gave it a try but it will not let me register. It does not accept the user name/password on the existing account. Checked the existing account, it still works OK.

 

[whitewater]

Thanks for the info. Gave it a try but it will not let me register. It does not accept the user name/password on the existing account. Checked the existing account, it still works OK.

you have to re-register and setup a new account. different from current login credentials.

 

[lcml11]

you have to re-register and setup a new account. different from current login credentials.

Yes, I know tried multiple times, no go.

Tried again. I am in. It is different. Maybe I like the old way, I was used to it. One nice feature that I am seeing is under the points feature, the old system credit pool dates on beginning date of use year credit pooled points was not right. This appears to be corrected here. Since I am using credit pool these days this fix is great.