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MARRIOTT STARTED AS DEEDED WEEKS. IT IS ONLY IN THIS PAST YEAR THEY ARE SWITCHING TO POINTS. I BOUGHT FIRST IN DESERT SPRINGS FOR $5000 BLUE WEEK WITH LOCKOUT. GOT 4 OF THOSE BEFORE THEY EVEN BROKE GROUND ON THEM. SOLD THOSE FOR A PROFIT AND BOUGHT TWO SABAL PALMS INSTEAD. IN THE OLD DAYS I COULD TRADE MY BLUE WEEK FOR 2 COACH AIRFARES TO ANYWHERE AND 1 WEEK IN ANY HOTEL PLUS ONE WEEK FREE RENTAL CAR AND 1 HOUR PHONE CARD. FLEW TO HONG KONG AND STAYED AT JW MARRIOTT ON HONG KONG ISLAND ON THE 25TH FLOOR OVERLOOKING THE HARBOR. BEAUTIFUL HOTEL. ALL FREE. WE WENT TO CAIRO DITTO. WE HAD THE MOST INCREDIBLE ROOM AT THE GRAND FLORA MARRIOTT IN ROME AND FREE AIRFARE. EVERY YEAR WE HAD A FREE VACATION 2 COACH TICKETS TO ANYWHERE AND A WEEK IN ANY MARRIOTT HOTEL. ANY ONE!! THEN THEY CHANGED TO POINTS THING WHERE NOW I CAN ONLY STAY AT COURTYARD OR MAYBE RESIDENCE INN. NO MORE GREAT HOTELS FOR ME. WHEN THESE WERE FIRST SOLD, THERE WAS A HUGE EMPHASIS ON THE TRADING OF THEM. "TRADED BLIND" IS WHAT SOLD US IN THE FIRST PLACE. IF IT WAS AVAILABLE, WE COULD STAY AT ANY MARRIOTT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. AND WE NEVER GOT TURNED AWAY. NOW WE CAN'T EVEN GET IN IF WE HAVE ENOUGH POINTS. IT WAS SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM. IF YOU HADN'T BEEN WITH THEM 20 YEARS AND SEEN SOMETHING TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU ALMOST YEARLY, YOU REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ALL THE PROMISES FOR OUR RETIREMENT WHICH THEY SOLD TO US ARE GONE. WE THOUGHT WE WERE ALL SET. NOW WE JUST TURNED 65 AND CAN TRAVEL MORE AND THEY TOOK IT ALL AWAY.