Marriott Going to Point Syst

I agree with all that you have said. When we sat down and figured out how much we have invested in MVC in the 15 yrs that we have been owners...w/o fees, it comes to approximately $93000.00. I don't think that we have been "gaming" the system, I do think we have enjoyed many lovely vacations, but we (whether we realize it or not) have paid "top" dollar for those vacations! Unfortunately we purchased at our home resort, not to stay there, but to use the trading power to travel to other MVC resorts. I say unfortunately, because it makes no economic sense to convert to the point system, as Marriott has devalued the 2 gold weeks that we own. Not only that, we purchased 2 weeks so that we had an advantage to reserving a strong week at our home resort 13 mo in advance and now we are competing w/ points owners for that privilege. The week that we have always reserved in the past is valued at 2900 pts and Marriott has valued our weeks at 2475pts. There are many "loyal" Marriott customers who are penalized with this program and have no choice but to hope that the inventory is not so diluted at II to get the trades of choice. I suspect, my opinion, that "legacy" owners who do not convert, will be the last owners to attain requested weeks within the MVC network.

We feel the same way...currently we are in FL for the winter, but are going to pursue this legally when we return in April. There has to be some recourse, we too have been w/ Marriott for 15 years and this program has affected everything we contracted for including having first option on reserving weeks at our home resort, because we own 2 weeks. We will now be competing w/ point owners.

Not that I defend Marriott (they can do it on they own), but you are not competing with Marriott at the 13 months reservation. There are 2 set of inventories and the deeds' owners are having the same right as before. Now, Marriott (better said the Trust or a converted week to points) is using the same reservation method than you do for their inventory.

I personnally reserved 13 months in advance for 2012 and had no issue at all. A lot of owners that were worried have been able to execute what they wanted (see forum on tug2.net). Also, when I requested to complement my deeded week with 2 additionnal nights using DC points, they told me that this is another type of inventory than the "owners's one" and I will have to call back later (he said "the rental inventory is not yet available for the DC points", see specific 13 months points dates for that).

Before you do any legal action (that will increase the cost of Marriott operating our resorts... so our maintenances fees at the end of the day), please make your experience for your 2012 or 2013 reservations.

While using Redweek, TUG and Trip Advisor, new worlds have opened up for my vacationing. Marriott's Point system just gives Marriott all the power regarding availability. You can argue that getting in another "bucket" gives you an advantage over someone else, but it still comes down to a lack of loyalty to those of us who have paid top dollar for our resorts many years ago. This sytem has one purpose; to sell more high priced timeshares in a declining real estate market. TUG and Redweek take some of that power away.

It is my "opinion" that Marriott has placed a priority on the members of the new MVCC. If you go to the website and look at the marketing materials, you will see that "points" members have the first option to available space produced by other "points" depositors. If that inventory is not available for time requested, then Marriott will pull inventory from 'Nonenrolled" owners who trade their usage for points or exchange their week through II. I believe, we fall into the last catagory...'nonenrolled' owners who deposit our weeks. We have been owners for 15 years, who travel during low peak travel periods and only stay at Marriott Vacation Clubs. I have had requests in for over a year (1yr2months to be exact) and for the first time, my request has not been actualized..first time in 15 years! You might say I've been lucky, however, I know how to manage our timeshares and flexibility is key. We have asked for approximately 5 dates and 12 properties for this request, most Marriott and others higher end, but low season requests...and our request has not come to fruition. It might be a coincidence, or it could be the influence of 'non-deeded' owners requesting time with their 'new' points and don't have a viable 'high' trade week (as you put it "trust" inventory) to throw into the pool of inventory available to II for trade. As far as competing with other 13 month owners...can't convince me that I won't be competing ...and anyone who is a 'nonenrolled' owner with a 12 month option, will be hard pressed to reserve a 'prime week at their home resort. "My opinion"!

Your home resort obviously had some trading clout! We have 2 weeks at the Custom House, been w/ MVC since preconstruction (15yrs) and the value of our 2 weeks don't buy us enough pts to spend 2 weeks in our own home resort in our gold season!

I can tell you that we have 2 weeks...paid 30k, 15 yrs ago and have reduced the price to 7k each or 13k for 2. Still no one wants the properties..

I agree with the few posts I have read. Marriott is in business to make money. We have been owners in Maui since 2000. We were told for the new point system to work for us (read to get your current usage) you should buy 1,500 points for 14.4K. We own a two bedroom ocean view, funny thing is they were telling all owners that buying 1,500 points would be best for them. It all comes down to inventory; they do not have enough Maui point members for the system to work. Don't sign up for this latest revune generator.

You do not need to purchase any additional points to change your deeded weeks into points if you wish to do so. (Assuming you bought into the Vacation Points program.)

I had a salesmen tell me that if I purchased 1500 points I would have priority when it came time to use my points. This is pure BS.

I like the added flexibility of the new system for deeded owners. However, it is quite complicated to manage -- especially since you have no way to check your balances on line. So be sure and really good notes of what you are doing.

FYI, Marriott told me the other day that they hope to have the point balances available on line for owners as a new option to view by March.....

Correct you don't need to buy more points to join the new system. You DO need to buy more points when using the point system to reserve your current property.

You should not need to buy points to stay at your own property. If you are staying at your own property just make a reservation like you have always done. If you own weeks, you don't need to buy points to get into your resort.

It would be foolish to use points to stay at your own resort when you can reserve it without problem.

I don't understand why some feel they should receive the same number of points as is needed to go to their own property. This is silly. Just make a reservation like you always have and go. If you want as whole week somewhere, then trade for a whole week.

The points program provides flexiblity to do things you could not do before. And as owners make reservations for just a part of a week, common sense suggests that not all the days will be taken. Thus, it makes sense to not give deeded owners the same number of points as it would take to go to their deeded property. Deeded owners need to remember that the new points owner has to purchase all the points needed to go to your location -- if it is available. And their mtce fees for some prime weeks are considerable more then deeded owners are paying. The points program results in prime weeks paying more mtce fees and low demand periods paying less.

Marriott's largest problems with the new plan has been the failure to provide deeded owners timely and accurate information as to how the plan really works and how inventory will be managed. The glossy level is great. The details are both complex and confusing unless you spend more time then you should to try and understand this program.

We need to keep in mind that Marriott and owners will win together or lose together on this new program. A company can not sustain success if they don't satisfy owners and owners can't win if Marriott doesn't manage this transition well. A lot of improvement is needed by Marriott in the category of communicating this program to owners. They need to do more then rely on their sales dept whose goal is to sell -- and in so doing have sometimes provided owners incorrect information. This has to improve and improve quickly.

J227 :

Your message puzzles me, particularly where you said "I don't understand why some feel they should receive the same number of points as is needed to go to their own property. This is silly. Just make a reservation like you always have and go. If you want as whole week somewhere, then trade for a whole week."

Look at it this way: If I have an asset that is worth something today, and the same people that sold it to me are now saying it is only worth 85% of what I know it to be worth today, then wouldn't I be foolish to trade it for 85% of it's current value?

And they want me to pay outrageous sums of money to them for the right to trade it for 85% of it's value ! Then if I want to vacation back in my home resort, I have to pay them even MORE money !

This stinks.

j227

Your comment that "if you want a whole week somewhere, then trade for a whole week" is true if one is willing to settle for less but if I exchange a Marriott week for points I am able to secure only six days at a comparable Marriott property elsewhere using those points. That is, a Marriott ski week in Vail exchanged for points will get me six days at a comparable Marriott ski week in Park City assuming availability in Park City. Doesn't seem fair to me. I did exchange a Marriott week for points to "test drive" the new system and the results so far have been disappointing in that I have not been able to even secure six days at a comparable Marriott property.

I don't understand why some feel they should receive the same number of points as is needed to go to their own property. This is silly. Just make a reservation like you always have and go. If you want as whole week somewhere, then trade for a whole week.**

To help you understand...deeded owners (unless they own 2 or more weeks at their home resort) can only reserve a week, in their deeded season, 12 months in advance. Destination owners, can reserve 13 months in advance. If deeded owners want to reserve a high demand week within their season, they are now competing with owners with points. So the weeks that traditionally were available, are now diluted...(similar to our Marriott points, which are now pretty worthless!!!)

Absolutely!!! You are so right on!

I don't think that the premise that ALL points owners can reserve 13 months in advance is correct. They need to have the equivelant of two weeks in points to do this.

This is a complex program and many owners don't understand the the rules.

One can like the program or not like it, but the first step is to understand the way it actually works. One of the problems on this site is that some members spend time grumbling about something they don't like when that is not the way the program actually works. It is up to Marriott to accurately communicate the program and owners to try to understand it. I agree it is complicated, but that is why we have this blog so those that understand the rules can help those who don't.

Marriott going to the points system in my view is changing the rules in the middle of the game.we own in Maui and palm desert IN JULY, the later was bought for exchange, that what the sale person said we could do,now the exchange I fears,will dry up, we always pick our weekl carefully low seasoncuz we knew the value of the week in palm spring is very low, this year at the sale meeting we were told, well you used that week well,and you will not able very soon to exchange, last year by now I already had my confirmation for next year, well, I am still waiting . I understand we had it good for many years, but it is the point! I am p.....d! One,I will never recommend Marriott again,two we may looked into giving back to Marriott the week in palm desert,cuz it is now worthless. I am surprise that someone has not start a lawsuit against marriott.

Whoever in Marriott approved the new Destinations program must either: (a) Think owners have nothing else to do but study and learn the new overly complicated, poorly communicated rules or (b) Have no concern for having a program that is simple to understand and to use or (c) likes to spend his/her time working complicated puzzles and thinks eveyone else does also or (d) is just plain impractical.

Personally I find a lot to like about the new program for existing owners who have more then one week. I like to go to places for 5 days rather then a week. I like being able to get a one bedroom unit or go at a slightly off demand period and still have points left over to go somewhere else. And I like the ability to continue to use my weeks at my home location just like before the points plan.

I don't feel sorry for deeded owners like myself. I feel sorry for those who have no deeded property and just have points. To go to nifty locations during a high demand period requires a ton of points at a very high price to purchase -- and then a mtce fee that is higher then platinum deeded owners pay at the same location.

Yes, like any new plan there will be disadvantages. Only time will tell how this will all shake out.