Marriott Going to Point Syst

Marriott uses Interval International. Who is RW?

I'm glad to hear that there are many MVCI owners out there that are willing to learn more about the program and support it being implemented in a positive manner. I'm all for focusing Marriott's efforts towards properly informing the owner base of how this new points plan will work for each of us. If they do not, then by all means don't join until they do.

BTW I don't work for Marriott, but my work does take me to every part of the world and between those days and my MVCI time I spend on average 90-100 days in Marriott properties. Several other hotel chains manage to equal Marriott in certain locations, but Marriott is the most consistent in most places I visit.

Happy vactioning to everyone!

Erman Cordova

andreak94 wrote:

I am sure some where along the way, my question has come up. Sorry if this is redudant. I just joined RW. I learned that my exchange value is 954 points, which I would like to use towards an exchange. However, when looking at preferred destinations, I am not seeing another desirable timeshare equivalent to this point value. How can I purchase additional points? Can I use my Marriott rewards points?

You won't be able to use your Marriott rewards points. If you don't have enough points to reserve the week you want, you can either deposit another week, or if you have at least 50% of the points required, you can simply pay the difference - currently just $1 per point. All options available to you will be shown on the exchange week page.

Thanks, Marty

We own two weeks and we did receive a mailing on this. I read through briefly, saw the price,and threw it away. Next week we will be attending a presentation on this during our trip to Ocean Watch and can report back. I was told it costs 695 annually for my two weeks.(595 for one). I was told I would now not pay Interval or the cost of the trade any longer and not have to deposit into Interval but trade directly with Marriot. I don't see the savings and benefit yet but will find out more.

giovannam wrote:

I was told it costs 695 annually for my two weeks.(595 for one).

For two or more weeks, the $695 is a one-time enrollment fee. The annual renewal fee is $199 after that.

Thanks, I've been reading up on the pros and cons now. Is is true that if you don't sign up for the new system you can only stay 6 nights? How can they get away with that if our contract said 7? (Saturday to saturday etc)

The dues are 199.00 ONLY when the ttl value of your weeks are greater than 6500 pts. Less than 6500 pts with two deeds and it's only 165.00

This is not correct. You still can use your deeded property for 7 days or trade it for 7 days. You have the OPTION of trading your week for points. The only reason to do this is if you wish to stay less then 7 days, or use a 1 bedroom unit rather then your 2 bedroom unit, or stay durning an off period.

Erman,

I agree totally with your comments. I am a current and long time Marriott timeshare owner and I think MVCI owners should hold off bashing Marriott until all the facts are known. No one is being forced to convert to points. I think Marriott is simply protecting their brand and in the long run that benefits all who are MVCI owners.

I note, especially on TUG, that a lot of owners are perplexed by the disparity in the number of points they receive for their week and the number required to trade back into their week. I have read several esoteric explanations for this disparity and I still don't understand it but more puzzling to me is why that is an issue. That is, why trade your week for points and then complain because it requires more points to trade back into your deeded week?

I think the real underlying reason for the discontent is because MVCI owners will no longer be able to game the system. Sure, I have done it myself. I formerly owned two 1 bdrm summer weeks at Vail (Marriott Streamside) for which I paid half the price of two winter weeks and then for twelve years I consistently banked them and traded for 2 bdrms during ski season at Marriotts in Vail, Park City, and Tahoe. Under the point system those who own a one bdrm bronze week, for example, will no longer be able to bank it and then (using Marriott's 24 day priority) exchange it for a 2 bdrm gold or better. Marriott marketed these bronze weeks as "traders" in order to move them but now Marriott is essentially ending that practice with the point system. That is, you will either use your January week at Hilton Head or trade it for points that will get you into a bronze week elsewhere. Those who own prime weeks at prime locations will probably benefit from the flexibility of the new point system.

carvana wrote:

Erman,

I agree totally with your comments. I am a current and long time Marriott timeshare owner and I think MVCI owners should hold off bashing Marriott until all the facts are known. No one is being forced to convert to points. I think Marriott is simply protecting their brand and in the long run that benefits all who are MVCI owners.

I note, especially on TUG, that a lot of owners are perplexed by the disparity in the number of points they receive for their week and the number required to trade back into their week. I have read several esoteric explanations for this disparity and I still don't understand it but more puzzling to me is why that is an issue. That is, why trade your week for points and then complain because it requires more points to trade back into your deeded week?

I think the real underlying reason for the discontent is because MVCI owners will no longer be able to game the system. Sure, I have done it myself. I formerly owned two 1 bdrm summer weeks at Vail (Marriott Streamside) for which I paid half the price of two winter weeks and then for twelve years I consistently banked them and traded for 2 bdrms during ski season at Marriotts in Vail, Park City, and Tahoe. Under the point system those who own a one bdrm bronze week, for example, will no longer be able to bank it and then (using Marriott's 24 day priority) exchange it for a 2 bdrm gold or better. Marriott marketed these bronze weeks as "traders" in order to move them but now Marriott is essentially ending that practice with the point system. That is, you will either use your January week at Hilton Head or trade it for points that will get you into a bronze week elsewhere. Those who own prime weeks at prime locations will probably benefit from the flexibility of the new point system.

You hit the mark that the possible result of the point system is the end of bargain trades. I have often used the studio side of one of my two BR lockoffs units in Orlando to trade back to a 2 BR unit. It will work in Orlando for just about every week with the exception of Easter or Christmas weeks. This was all done through the II exchange process. The bargain trades for the current MCVI properties may still be available but only if owners do not enroll in the point system. If too much inventory ends up in the point system this ability will dry up. What was the reference to "Marriott's 24 day priority"? I'm not familiar with the procedure.

Thank you! Much appreciated. Have a wonderful weekend.

Andrea

I have tried to remain open minded regarding this new point system, and I certainly appreciate the point that the timeshare industry has been hard hit by the economic downturn (and therefore we should all be supportive of this effort by Marriott attempt to survive). However, I now have first hand evidence that my worst fears have come true. That is, essentially the good trades through Interval International (II) have already dried up. I am not just referring to the "bargain trades" referenced by someone else. I am referring to trades in general.

What has happened (as expected) is that Marriott has pulled all "unsold" and "turned back in due to default" unit inventory off II and put it into the new program. As a result, the trades that formerly were always available (i.e., into Orlando, Hilton Head, Palm Desert, etc) are nor longer available (unless you are willing to do a trade down, such as from a 1BR to an efficiency).

So, even though Marriott claims that legacy (i.e., deeded week) owners have the option to continue as they always have done in the past, THIS SIMPLY IS NOT TRUE IN REALITY. The II trades will no longer be an important option. The program has been greatly diluted, at the expense of the loyal, longtime owners.

thomasn15 wrote:

The program has been greatly diluted, at the expense of the loyal, longtime owners.

This is the understatement (so far) of the 7 pages of post on this topic. To say 'why be upset, just use the week as always' misses the point. There is no USE THE WEEK AS ALWAYS unless you always returned to your home resort. I always traded. I won't be any more.

I opted to enroll in the point system because I was told I would no longer have to pay for any Marriott to Marriott trades utilzing II. When I called II to verify this I was informed the 4 Marriott weeks already deposited with II are still subject to the $109 for Marriott to Marriott trades and the $139 to $154 for Marriott to a non Marriott trades. I was also informed after I used the new Marriott corporate II membership I would still have to pay the lock off fee if I deposited with II, in addition if I traded Marriott to a non Marriott with the new Marriott coperate membership I would still pay the $139-$154 fee. When I called Marriott to ask about the conflicting statements I was told II was correct. I gave the supervisor the name of the sales person who gave me the information. The supervisor said there was misconmunication between the sales rep and Marriott trainers. I informed them paying $695 to enroll plus $199 the annual fee =$894, plus the fee for the 4 trades was not cost effective. I ask to unenroll and get my $695 refunded. This was done. The only way the points program saves deeded owners money is when you trade internally, or give up a week for rewards points. This experience taught me all critical information was not given to me. When I did explicitly asked about my deposited weeks in II not being suject to the trade fee, I was given incorrect information. When my $695 was taken I received the PDF file with detailed information that was never given to me when I was thinking of joining the program. I would like the pros and cons of the program so I could make an informed decision. At the end of our phone conversation the supervisor said the fee may go up next year. I responded every sales presentation had that comment and in these economic times I don't think that would occur.

Wow! Your note is really confusing. If you turned weeks over to II BEFORE you joined the new program then you do have to pay 109 per unit to use those weeks to trade into another Marriott. However, with the new system there is no additional charge (other then the annual 165 or 199 depending upon the number of points your weeks are worth) to turn your weeks over to II, or to trade for other Marriott weeks, or to trade the weeks for the new vacation points and then use the points. The pros and cons of the program have been pointed out in many previous responses. Just go back and read them.

tonyd124 wrote:

I would like the pros and cons of the program so I could make an informed decision.

The pros and cons can pretty well be summarized by: Pros (for Marriott) - By making the points to occupy so much greater than the points handed out, they get to sell (again) what they have already sold and you already own. They might even sell you more points so you can get the vacation you already bought previously. Cons (for deeded owners) - The bargain trades are a thing of the past. The best you can hope for is to return to your home resort in the week you want. Given how they priced (in terms of points charged) for the desirable weeks, it remains to be seen how accessible those weeks will be to the deeded owners. Based on my computations, if I were using points, I would have been able to take the same vacations as the did in the past on a once every 4 years basis, since I was able to trade for weeks/units/locations/views that were worth 4 times the point value of my units. That amounts to a 75% reduction in my vacation quantity/quality. Bargain trades are a thing of the past.

I have been reading the past remarks. You are correct about the savings with the coporate membership. What you failed to mention is even with the coporate membership we still have to pay a log off fee if we utilize this feature with II. We also pay the II fee for Marriott to non Marriott trades. The more we know the better decision we can make.

The pros and cons of the new program are the views of this writer, but they appear to not present an objective view of the new program. First, you can stil use your unit to go to your home location as before. Second, you can still use your unit to trade for another unit as before. There is a reaonalb question as to how the inventory will be handled which Marriott has not fully explained to most owners. Third, it makes NO SENSE to trade your unit for points to then go back to your home unit. So comparing the points you get to trade using points with what it would take to get back to your home unit is not a helpful process. Fourth, where the point program is helpful is if you wish to trade your 2-bedroom unit for points and then go somewhere for a few days, or to go somewhere out of season, or say to a 1 bedroom unit. Last it is the new points owners who have no home location that have the major give up, not current owners who still have deeded property and the advantages of the point program.

I support the position that Marriott could have introduced this new program in a more helpful manner, and could have done more to address current owner's questions in more detail and clarity. But I think one needs to pick up on the advantages as well as the problems that are presented.

Th

I for one am glad I did not trade my week for points. After asking tons of questions, I was able to extract (from my salesguy) that the points being offered via "conversion" would only amount to 6days at my home resort. So for the priviledge of having Marriott give me only 6 days worth of points (for my present 7day week), I would pay Marriott the "conversion" fee (a little over $2000). What a deal, huh?

I can only hope that most of the present deeded owners don't fall for this ploy and stay in their present deed. Even if (for the sake of argument), they were willing to give you enough points to equal a 7day stay, there is NOTHING that prevents them from raising the points requirements in the future (thus making your points worth less and less days in the future).

This points system is just another way for Marriott to keep taking $$$ out of your wallet -- I'm really disappointed -- I thought Marriott had more integrity than this.

When you can convert your week to go somewhere for days, who do you think should pay for the days not used?

For example, someone takes the week from Fri thru Sunday and someone else takes it Mon thru Wed. No one wants just the one day not used which in this case is Thur.

When dealing with whole weeks, all the days are paid for. When dealing with days there will be some unused. How would you handle this. I am for those using the points (including me) paying for the flexiblity.