Buying Additional Diamond Points?

[madmitch Member Find all posts View Profile Close madmitch]

There were some problems at first then I thought things were worked out.
Now suddenly, after now many years, problems again.
Curious if you've purchased any additional points via Resale?
My initial EPIC points were 6500, but I've since added more via resale and without the $2995 fees as that never came up.
At this time I'm awaiting a return call from Owner Enhancement for an answer to my question... if I've been paying fees to THE Club annually, then why are you now saying that was a mistake and I'm not a member?
Is this a reason for me to give back my points, along with a healthy amount for the pleasure of them reselling at a high fee, a simple misunderstanding or a SNAFU from our friends at DRI?
No honest and straight answer has been give yet.

[Carlos Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carlos]

No Resale for me...but I wish I did

There were some problems at first then I thought things were worked out.
Now suddenly, after now many years, problems again.
Curious if you've purchased any additional points via Resale?
My initial EPIC points were 6500, but I've since added more via resale and without the $2995 fees as that never came up.
At this time I'm awaiting a return call from Owner Enhancement for an answer to my question... if I've been paying fees to THE Club annually, then why are you now saying that was a mistake and I'm not a member?
Is this a reason for me to give back my points, along with a healthy amount for the pleasure of them reselling at a high fee, a simple misunderstanding or a SNAFU from our friends at DRI?
No honest and straight answer has been give yet.

I did not buy my additional points resale. I did not know what I do now. If I did I would have gone resale and transferred them over to the Club. Maybe I would not have bought them at all since the maintenance fees keep going up. However, I have enjoyed my vacations and use my points each year or I save some to the following year. I am not sure when you bought your resale points, but I believe if you bought them after September of 2008, you needed to have transferred them before that date to the Club. I have read that you would have had to pay the $2995 to do this.

If you were paying for Club membership, I would review the fees you paid to see if you were paying fees for 6500 points or 27500 points. This would give you an answer. Review your past bills and have that ready when they return your call. That would then be their error if you paid for 27500 points. It would be difficult and unfair for them to go back and change that now.

I do know that people who buy resale can get the points very, very cheaply for pennies on the dollar. Thus, I guess that DRI is trying to ensure that if you are going to have the same benefits as those who paid thousands of dollars to join The Club, you will need to pay more to access club benefits too. It makes sense in one way, but I guess fairness to resale buyers becomes an issue. I know that Marriott is also considering going to a points based system. They are also considering giving advantages to those who go with the points.

I do think that making a reservation should be as easy as going online for everyone instead of having to call in all of the time. With 27500 points you could be on the phone forever trying to get through.

I still do like my DRI points and their system. It does offer lots of flexibility. I do own a Marriott timeshare though and I do not plan to convert to points unless I can see some tremendous benefits that I don't already have with DRI.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

I do know that people who buy resale can get the points very, very cheaply for pennies on the dollar. Thus, I guess that DRI is trying to ensure that if you are going to have the same benefits as those who paid thousands of dollars to join The Club, you will need to pay more to access club benefits too. It makes sense in one way, but I guess fairness to resale buyers becomes an issue. I know that Marriott is also considering going to a points based system. They are also considering giving advantages to those who go with the points.

It makes no long term sense. The success of THE Club depends on happy owners. The original owner of any contract paid the developer rates already, they became unhappy for whatever reason. This latest change to devalue resale ownerships even more by making them un-easy to use is just another ploy by the developer to lynch resale owners, keep unhappy owners captive, and, of course, make the developer purchase the only way to go. See my signature line.

[madmitch Member Find all posts View Profile Close madmitch]

As always thanks for your input Spence!

Below is the latest I received and DRI has yet to say diddly about my EPIC situation but kind of admit that I am NOT charged for The Club fees...
They have yet to answer my question about when do I get those annual fees I've been billed for and paying every year reimbursed? (I suspect they'll say its the "Reservation Fee" just happens to be the same as The Club fee)

Owner Enhancement called back once but when I was at work and not at home. I have left messages and have given them a time block to call back when I am at home and during their posted hours. Nada for 2 evenings so far.

- - - - - - - -

Thank you for contacting Diamond Resorts International®.
Your membership account ### is a Regional membership. You are not a member of THE Club and you do not pay an Annual Club Fee. You pay the yearly assessments for your points which include the Fee per Point cost, Operational Fee, Reservation Fee and ARDA Voluntary contribution. As a Regional member, you are able to book reservations that are part of the US Collections and save your Points. As a member of THE Club, you would be able to book reservations for any resort affiliated with Diamond Resorts International. You will have access to book reservations through Interval International and THE Club Select. There are various member benefits such as exchanging your Points for flights, travel services, cruises, air miles, and annual fee payments. For information on joining THE Club, please contact Owner Enhancement at 1.888.250.5988.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

As always thanks for your input Spence!

Below is the latest I received and DRI has yet to say diddly about my EPIC situation but kind of admit that I am NOT charged for The Club fees...
They have yet to answer my question about when do I get those annual fees I've been billed for and paying every year reimbursed? (I suspect they'll say its the "Reservation Fee" just happens to be the same as The Club fee)

Owner Enhancement called back once but when I was at work and not at home. I have left messages and have given them a time block to call back when I am at home and during their posted hours. Nada for 2 evenings so far.

- - - - - - - -

Thank you for contacting Diamond Resorts International®.
Your membership account ### is a Regional membership. You are not a member of THE Club and you do not pay an Annual Club Fee. You pay the yearly assessments for your points which include the Fee per Point cost, Operational Fee, Reservation Fee and ARDA Voluntary contribution. As a Regional member, you are able to book reservations that are part of the US Collections and save your Points. As a member of THE Club, you would be able to book reservations for any resort affiliated with Diamond Resorts International. You will have access to book reservations through Interval International and THE Club Select. There are various member benefits such as exchanging your Points for flights, travel services, cruises, air miles, and annual fee payments. For information on joining THE Club, please contact Owner Enhancement at 1.888.250.5988.

If you look at your past statements, is there a line item for "Annual Club Fee"? If not, you probably have not been paying an annual Club fee.

[madmitch Member Find all posts View Profile Close madmitch]

I moved and haven't located the past several years paperwork, along with a few others things packed away too well.
The CS I've been talking with says its listed as a Reservation Fee but she actually believes it should allow OnLine Booking access.
It's $40 or so less than current THE Club fees.
If I go back a few years (pre-DRI) I know it was listed as Club fee, but not THE Club. CSV-1 Club Sun Vacations sounds right.
With any luck a resolution will be worked out and we 2nd class owners will again be able to see what is available and at what point range so we can actually do some planning.
(If this wasn't so frustrating it could be fun)
- - - -
If you look at your past statements, is there a line item for "Annual Club Fee"? If not, you probably have not been paying an annual Club fee.

[thunderball027 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close thunderball027]

Update: I did not purchase points

As I started this thread, I thought I should offer an update. I did not purchase any additional points. After talking to Diamond sales people on the phone and then going through the dog and pony presentation at Lake Tahoe, I couldn't tell who was telling the truth about anything. The system, at least to me, is confusing (by design, I think). So, bottom line is I had no trust in what any of the Diamond people were telling me about buying points or moving resales I had purchased into The Club, so we decided not to buy anything. In addition, we're not going to any more presentations. They've lost my trust completely.

[madmitch Member Find all posts View Profile Close madmitch]

My situation was the opposite.
I went in with a set price and attitude and came to an agreement with DRI.
This is what I posted on the DRI moderated forum.
Happy customer? Well, I would have preferred it hadn't come to this and my original EPIC ownership situation hadn't gotten all fowled up. But then the points added later would have ran me $$$ so this is an overall better situation for THE Club membership.
- - - - -
After the recent "glitch" with OnLine Booking and Search for Reservation
information (a matter which was resolved in part to several of us who voiced our
displeasure) I incorporated a planned vacation to San Luis Bay Inn (via my
non-DRI week I own there) with the opportunity to talk with the DRI Sales Staff
at SLBI.
Thanks to my communications with Nadja and Patrick they were expecting me and I
made it clear to my sales person this was about converting my REGIONAL ownership
into THE Club to once and for all stop all the little nagging issues I've had
since buying my EPIC Resale which was converted to points. (I added more CSV-1
points in the years following)
The logical level was for me to increase to 30,000 and move to Gold Elite, so
with the usual offers and counter-offers somewhat minimized (well, there was
still give and take) we settled on a price that included the points needed and
rolling all my points into THE Club and the benefits associated with that.
This was a plus for me and overall I believe a positive for DRI as they should
make it easy and affordable for Regional Owners to become THE Club members.
IMHO -- It would have been an excellent PR move for DRI to make an offer for
CSV-1/Regional Owners to become THE Club members when DRI took over Sunterra,
and it might have been a bit of extra cash for operating funds and improvements.
Again my thanks to Nadja and Patrick and to the others at DRI Vegas in helping
this matter come to a positive conclusion.
(Now I'm calculating the increased fees so my EFT payments are correct!)

[exprezchef Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close exprezchef]

I thought I would bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I purchased 6500 pts in October while staying at the K. Beach Club in Hawaii. My wife and have quickly realized that our paltry point level limits travel our options. We would like to purchase more points (would like to get up to the around 10k-11k level) and we are headed to Las Vegas in a few weks for a "owner update" offer. We got 4 days and 3 nights at the Polo Towers for attending the update meeting. Anyway, while there, we are going to get a price on purchasing more points directly through DRI.
I have also been researching resale points purchases through the numerous online brokers. I realize that resale will save me money but, correct me if I am wrong, the resale points will only be available for use in the collection purchased? Ie; if I were to by 5k US Collection points through a re-seller, they would not be available for use in Europe or Asia? What about using the resale points through Interval International? Would they be available for use there? I am a newbie so any advice is appreciated.

[Carlos Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carlos]

You're correct

I thought I would bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I purchased 6500 pts in October while staying at the K. Beach Club in Hawaii. My wife and have quickly realized that our paltry point level limits travel our options. We would like to purchase more points (would like to get up to the around 10k-11k level) and we are headed to Las Vegas in a few weks for a "owner update" offer. We got 4 days and 3 nights at the Polo Towers for attending the update meeting. Anyway, while there, we are going to get a price on purchasing more points directly through DRI.
I have also been researching resale points purchases through the numerous online brokers. I realize that resale will save me money but, correct me if I am wrong, the resale points will only be available for use in the collection purchased? Ie; if I were to by 5k US Collection points through a re-seller, they would not be available for use in Europe or Asia? What about using the resale points through Interval International? Would they be available for use there? I am a newbie so any advice is appreciated.

That's correct you can only use resale points for the collection you bought them in. I am not sure about II. I would assume that you could use them since they do represent time.