No More Laguna Surf for Preferred Status Exchange Members!

[penguinpower Member Find all posts View Profile Close penguinpower]

Thanks for the info!

I bought this Heidelberg week to gain access to RCI points. RCI does not value the week very highly. I have since found that SFX will take it (sometimes give me 3 for 1 for it), and I have been told that as a week it's quite a good trader. Now, if this Preferred Status option is available, I'll be happy with the week--I was considering selling it because it's relatively high in maintenance fees compared to the points value issued from RCI.

Donna V.

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

Update - Finally got in!

An update is that we were finally able to exchange in through PSE. Thanks go to Emmy (Iconnections) for putting me in touch with Tim Scheck at LS. Special thanks go to Tim for getting involved with the management company and clearing obstacles and setting the policy straight! If it weren't for him, we'd be looking for alternative accommodations.

Now all I need to do is book flights and we'll be set!

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

An update is that we were finally able to exchange in through PSE. Thanks go to Emmy (Iconnections) for putting me in touch with Tim Scheck at LS. Special thanks go to Tim for getting involved with the management company and clearing obstacles and setting the policy straight! If it weren't for him, we'd be looking for alternative accommodations.

Now all I need to do is book flights and we'll be set!

Very COOL!
Emmy is such a peach to help you get a nice Christmas Present!
Did you get an even numbered unit as well?

PS: So what IS the policy? I'd really love to get back in via PSE sometime in summer 2008. I can walk to Dad's from there. Either on the beach or on the PCH.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I am very glad it worked out for you! I doubt very much that you will get an ocean view unit for a whole week because it is getting so hard for us to get it too and we book thirteen months out.

The people who went over to the point system can only book ten monts out so their chances of getting ocean view are slimmer yet and they are very unhappy and paid a lot of money to convert. Not many owners converted.

Sometimes, they were not able to book at all so that's why there was this change to only let PSE members come in when one goes out to a PSE resort. That makes sense to me.

Also, when a person puts his week in RCI or II or SFX, the exchanger gets the unit that the owner deposited so he may end up on the ocean side. The resort doesn't assign units. I hope it will not change as that is fair.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

Lawren2:
Where did you get the list of MEMBER resorts? My handbook is dated Dec. 31, 2004 and only lists Dolphin's Cove & St. Georges Club in Bermuda. Your list has several others. The website is a joke

Also for anyone who has used PSE for exchange: Were you able to get the date you wished at your resort of choice? How about a size upgrade? Do you reserve your week first & then at 10 months request an exchange?

I have only used bonus time at my own resort SLB and had no problem getting a weekend in an oceanfront 1-bd/2-bath in February. We are wondering about exchanging in 2008 for Pono Kai. Thanks for any info from those who have used PSE.
Julie

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

Very COOL!
Emmy is such a peach to help you get a nice Christmas Present!
Did you get an even numbered unit as well?

There were no ocean-side units available. We booked 209 which according to the folks at the resort is the best streetside unit. It's above the art gallery so there is no one underneath and no one above you. I'm told the BR has double pane glass so that should cut out some of the street noise. I know some have commented it's too noisy on that side but we'll check it out for ourselves. If we don't like it, then we'll go elsewhere the year after. (But I think we'll like it - otherwise we'll have to buy there!

PS: So what IS the policy? I'd really love to get back in via PSE sometime in summer 2008.

I'm pretty sure you can only exchange in during Laguna season (non-summer) at the 10 month out mark. In terms of allowable exchanges, only the same number of exchanges going into LS is allowed as the number of owners exchanging out. That way, it's balanced between owners/exchangers and so exchangers don't book up all the units before the owners do.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren2:
Where did you get the list of MEMBER resorts? My handbook is dated Dec. 31, 2004 and only lists Dolphin's Cove & St. Georges Club in Bermuda. Your list has several others. The website is a joke

Also for anyone who has used PSE for exchange: Were you able to get the date you wished at your resort of choice? How about a size upgrade? Do you reserve your week first & then at 10 months request an exchange?

I have only used bonus time at my own resort SLB and had no problem getting a weekend in an oceanfront 1-bd/2-bath in February. We are wondering about exchanging in 2008 for Pono Kai. Thanks for any info from those who have used PSE.
Julie

There's a website?

I call them when I get in the mood and they fax me the resort list. I haven't called lately as we have had too many vacations planned. 2008 is my year to try things other than RCI and PSE will be in the mix if they can accomodate us.

When we went to Pono Kai we took a unit size upgrade. At that time it was $35/night to do so.

We have booked Pono Kai (fourth of July), Laguna Surf ( easter break), San Luis Bay (easter break) all at 10 months out with no problems. You do not reserve your week PSE just exchanges it for you. Magic.

BTW St George's Club is no longer available to us. It was never available as far as my experience went in requesting it.

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

Also for anyone who has used PSE for exchange: Were you able to get the date you wished at your resort of choice? How about a size upgrade? Do you reserve your week first & then at 10 months request an exchange?

We got the dates that we wanted. Originally, I had called back in October and had asked what units were available for the entire month in which we wanted to book. We just had to wait until the 10 month mark for our week and then called. There was a reasonable amount of availability. LS only has 1 size so we didn't upgrade but if you upgrade your season (white vs. red) it's $275 upgrade fee (what I was told by the guide). You don't need to book your week at your home resort before exchanging (assuming you have a floating week). I had booked a week earlier this year in order to get a good week at my home resort in case my exchange wouldn't go through. I just paid the $15 cancellation fee and got my exchange.

We are wondering about exchanging in 2008 for Pono Kai. Thanks for any info from those who have used PSE.

In late Sept, I had looked into availability at Pono Kai for Jan/Feb 2007 through PSE. There was a lot of availability. Almost every week was still available for Feb (in a 1BR) which really surprised me. This is considering there was practically nothing available through RCI at the time. Considering how the resort is being refurbished, I'm thinking PSE would be a great avenue to exchange in and for less cost than through RCI. We've never been to Kaui but if we did go, this is what I would do.

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

There's a website?

Lawren, there is a website. Here it is: http://www.pseresorts.com/ However, you have to be an owner at one of its member resorts in order to get the login ID and password. It's different depending on the resort that you own but is the same for all owners at the same resort. When we first bought, I called the PSE folks and asked for the logon information. After confirming ownership, they gave it to me.

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

How about a size upgrade? Julie

Julie, I took another look at the PSE wesbite and found this section on upgrades:

Upgrades Upgrade into a higher season or larger unit type.

Upgrades are not available at all participating PSE Resorts. All upgrades are subject to availability.
You may be confirmed 6 months in advance of travel date, subject to availability. Upgrades vary by unit size, season and resort and are on a per night basis. A non-refundable fee of $30 will be assessed for each season upgrade. Unit upgrades will be assessed the following non-refundable fees per night: $30 for the first upgrade, $35 for the second, and $40 for the third.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Julie, I took another look at the PSE wesbite and found this section on upgrades:

Upgrades Upgrade into a higher season or larger unit type.

Upgrades are not available at all participating PSE Resorts. All upgrades are subject to availability.
You may be confirmed 6 months in advance of travel date, subject to availability. Upgrades vary by unit size, season and resort and are on a per night basis. A non-refundable fee of $30 will be assessed for each season upgrade. Unit upgrades will be assessed the following non-refundable fees per night: $30 for the first upgrade, $35 for the second, and $40 for the third.

Those fees are PER NIGHT.

If you upgrade season and unit size both fees will be assessed on a nightly basis.

Still an upgrade to a 2BDRM w/loft at Pono Kai was $250 with no exchange fee. Not a bad deal as that were our only cost on top of a MF of $450 for a week in paradise.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren, there is a website. Here it is: http://www.pseresorts.com/ However, you have to be an owner at one of its member resorts in order to get the login ID and password. It's different depending on the resort that you own but is the same for all owners at the same resort. When we first bought, I called the PSE folks and asked for the logon information. After confirming ownership, they gave it to me.

I will have to give them a call and get a login.

I had no idea but way back when there wasn't one and I just assumed (wrongly) that there still wasn't.

Still, most of the PSE folks are pretty good to deal with.

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

The website doesn't give you a whole lot other than resort information and some booking guidelines. You can't actually book through the website. You still have to call a PSE guide. For the most part, I've found them to be ok.