Impact of Destination Points on current Marriott owners

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I just spent a week at Marriott in Ocean Watch in Myrtle Beach and took the tour to learn about destination points. We own another week in Barony Beach. We were going to pay the fee to transfer into the destination points but in order to do it the presenter had to get into my Marriot Vacation Club account. I did not remember my password so we said we would do it when we got home. Once at home I logged on to check on the validity of their statement that the only cost to current owners who transferred was the $695 and the annual fee of about $190. No other costs they assured us. Well, I got into my account and my week at Barony Beach is worth 4200 points. But to book at Barony Beach the charge is 4500 points. So Marriott is skimming 300 points off the top. This was never mentioned in the presentation while we continually assured that nothing changed. Although I find the Marriott product excellent, the salespeople are no better than used-car salesmen, employing underhanded techniques. Another place where they were less than honest was when we asked to see a contract so we could go over it in detail before signing up for it. They first said it was not customary to give out the contract and then they handed us a folder, which we later found to have a contract for Marriott Reward points and nothing about the destination points. When we wanted to see whether there were any available units for trading, they said the website was not up, but when I got home it was up. BUYER BEWARE

Points will not work in most cases if you only want to book your home resorts. There are a few weeks that cost less in points than what your given but, overall the average of skim appears to be around 7%.

If you're like me and exchange via the weeks based system, lock-off your units, own multiple weeks AND make at least three exchanges per year, then the cost saving of the one fee for all services vs Marriott's existing ala carte pricing reflects a savings that will cover the initial costs plus yearly membership fee's in 2 years.

It can work for some weeks based owners. It will probably work for us, assuming Marriott doesn't jack their membership fee's one or two years into the program. The only reason it will likely work for us is that we lock-off two units ($150) and exchange at least twice ($218) each year. Since we have three other acceptable options for vacationing in Vegas, I plan on making three Marriott to Marriott exchanges over the next two years. which will increase our savings on ala carte pricing ($324).

So, our initial fee's will be $695 joiner fee and $199/yearly fee X 2 years for a total of $1,093. Savings on ala carte fee's will be $1,134 (assuming three weeks based exchanges and two lock off fee's per year). After that the savings will be more pronounced so long as I keep exchanging our lock-off units, even if we use the master suites.

Of course we're moderately heavy users of the exchange system. Otherwise, if all we wanted to do was use our unit we'd be throwing money away.

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

Usage point value will increase

I just spoke to Michael OSBORNE, Marriott Sr. Mgr for Customer Advocacy.I wanted an explanation for the difference between Owner value ( Fairway Villa is now 2075) and the usage value ( 2750) for same property. OSBORNE could not give me an explanation that made any sense to me. He did state however, that the USAGE VALUE WILL CONSTANTLY INCREASE as the years go on. The Owner value will remain fixed. This stinks. Bernie Madoff must be running this.

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

I did the calculation when they did the offer.

Try to go to Hawaii. You will either have to bank your points or buy points. At 10 a point I figured it would cost 70,000 to go to Hawaii under the new system.

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

New points

Because Marriott pulled this point system I have been trying to do a trade.

I have NEVER had a problem getting a trade. Now, I go into Interval International and I try to trade my weeks and all that comes up is limited kitchen and efficency most of the time.

I called Interval and they said it was coming up like that because of the new system Marriott has implemented.

I have no clue what to do.

My unit and lock off is worthless basically because I can t trade the way I used to do originally.

Any help in this department would be appreciated.

[Mah1099 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mah1099]

Why be Passive?

I wonder why, (all of us that feel Marriott has treated us unfairly) all of us don't get together and go after them. I don't believe they have a right to market the points in lieu of time share weeks on the older properties. Points are not time shares by definition in the documents. Think about what that would mean to them! What happens if we want to fire them and hire Hilton?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I wonder why, (all of us that feel Marriott has treated us unfairly) all of us don't get together and go after them. I don't believe they have a right to market the points in lieu of time share weeks on the older properties. Points are not time shares by definition in the documents. Think about what that would mean to them! What happens if we want to fire them and hire Hilton?

Because the only thing you purchased was the right to use your home week in the season you purchased and, you can exchange through an independant company (I.I.) on a like for like basis. Like for like could easily be defined as studio for studio. The fact that many of us have been able to trade up in size all these years was never guaranteed.

You still own your week, you can still use your week and, you can still deposit you week for exchange with I.I.. You can also reserve a week and exchange through one of the independant exchange companies such as SFX. You still have what you purchased so there isn't much to complain about.

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

Marriott makes the system so complicated that the average person cannot understand the system and that gives them the advantage. They make money by charging for all sorts of things we didn't know about and by us not taking advantage of what they have to offer. This makes credit default swaps and collaterized debt obligations seem trivial in comparison. I have been to at least give presentations on trading weeks. Is this really how it should be? Why can't it be simple?

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

Do you realize that if you get the timshare points for your Marriot Newport, you will get less points than it takes to get the same resort. You can check with Marriot how many points that they will give you for your week - let's say 2700 timeshare points. Then check how many points it will cost to stay at your resort for the same season. It will definitely be more points. So let's say then that it will be 2900. So essentially they will give you less points than it takes to stay in your week using the point system. The amount of points they give you for your week will only buy 5-6 nights in your home resort. If the system were fair, at least they should give the same amount of points as the amount it takes to get you back to your home resort. It would be better if we just exchanged ourselves among the owners. Do you know how this can be done? Is there a way in this forum for us to exchange among ourselves? This would end up being less costly for the owners and we would not be taken advantage of by Marriot.

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

Do you realize that if you get the timshare points for your Marriot Newport, you will get less points than it takes to get the same resort. You can check with Marriot how many points that they will give you for your week - let's say 2700 timeshare points. Then check how many points it will cost to stay at your resort for the same season. It will definitely be more points. So let's say then that it will be 2900. So essentially they will give you less points than it takes to stay in your week using the point system. The amount of points they give you for your week will only buy 5-6 nights in your home resort. If the system were fair, at least they should give the same amount of points as the amount it takes to get you back to your home resort. It would be better if we just exchanged ourselves among the owners. Do you know how this can be done? Is there a way in this forum for us to exchange among ourselves? This would end up being less costly for the owners and we would not be taken advantage of by Marriot.

The gap you describe varies by demand of the season/week. Most marriott weeks were solid by seasons ( red, white, blue or platinum, gold, silver, etc) within those seasons it is possible the weeks very a great deal in cost to "buy" a week with points whereas what you receive is an average for the whole season/time period you purchased.

For example, we have multiple weeks and have enrolled in the DC points program. The range of value within our RED season at MPD is from 2275 to 3775. and we receive 2900 DC points if we choose that option. The 2900 points is roughtly 7% less than the total value of the points in the season if you added them up. This seems to be a fairly common rate of "overcharge" to use the points vs what you receive from what I have seen posted on the web at various sites. For that "7% overcharge" you now have the ability to book shorter stays and also have more options on arrival dates. Some people are against any variance and others think that is a fair difference for the flexibility provided.

Marriotts "old" seasons were in many cases too large and the new points system is better designed reflect actual demand. Again using MPD (Desert Springs II) as an example: Clearly the month of May is worth far less than Feb or March which is considered by many to be the best months. If you have a "Red" week your season covers both of these timeframes. This situation is similar in most of the resorts.

Which also meant that only so many owners could have reserved the best weeks for trading or occupying and some owners got stuck with May at that resort. So there has always been some level of inequity in the seasonal systems that have been employed.

I am not saying what they have done is exactly correct in the valuations but just trying to explain that the gap that exists is not really as large as it appears when you take the every week within the various seasons into account.

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

That is a really sleazy, underhanded dishonest trick that RCI has now apparently learned from Marriott.

Do you realize that if you get the timshare points for your Marriot Newport, you will get less points than it takes to get the same resort. You can check with Marriot how many points that they will give you for your week - let's say 2700 timeshare points. Then check how many points it will cost to stay at your resort for the same season. It will definitely be more points. So let's say then that it will be 2900. So essentially they will give you less points than it takes to stay in your week using the point system. The amount of points they give you for your week will only buy 5-6 nights in your home resort. If the system were fair, at least they should give the same amount of points as the amount it takes to get you back to your home resort. It would be better if we just exchanged ourselves among the owners. Do you know how this can be done? Is there a way in this forum for us to exchange among ourselves? This would end up being less costly for the owners and we would not be taken advantage of by Marriot.

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

Marriott makes the system so complicated that the average person cannot understand the system and that gives them the advantage. They make money by charging for all sorts of things we didn't know about and by us not taking advantage of what they have to offer. This makes credit default swaps and collaterized debt obligations seem trivial in comparison. I have been to at least give presentations on trading weeks. Is this really how it should be? Why can't it be simple?

The best way to make it simple? Use SFX and tell Marriott points to take a hike!

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

Sfx

What is this SFX and how does it work?

I have Interval right now.

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

What is this SFX and how does it work?

I have Interval right now.

SFX Preferred Resorts - Quality Timeshare Exchange Services

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

Well, I don't know if it's indicative of anything but, even with Marriott owning a ton of gold season space at NCV (Newport Coast) in the trust, I had no issues making an Easter week 2012 reservation a couple weeks ago at 12 months out. Overslept and everything and it was still there. Some years it's been harder to get Easter/spring break than July.

I don't participate in the points system so have no annecdotes to add from that perspective. Straight reserve and rent-swap or occupy for me. Even let II and SFX lapse. Cash is king

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

Glad it worked out for you.....I've seen a couple of Easter weeks at NCV show up in II, as well as other sort after locations. Of course, these have mostly been in the 59 day window.

Well, I don't know if it's indicative of anything but, even with Marriott owning a ton of gold season space at NCV (Newport Coast) in the trust, I had no issues making an Easter week 2012 reservation a couple weeks ago at 12 months out. Overslept and everything and it was still there. Some years it's been harder to get Easter/spring break than July.

I don't participate in the points system so have no annecdotes to add from that perspective. Straight reserve and rent-swap or occupy for me. Even let II and SFX lapse. Cash is king