Original Message:
Re: Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System (by Tom B.):
The problem I have with the Destinations program is that they seem to treat the legacy owners unfairly when it comes to getting into the new program. I own a platinum 3 bedroom week in Orlando. I'm told this week is worth 3,275 points if I convert it to points. Yet the 3275 points I receive would not even be enough to book a red week two bedroom at my home resort! I recognize that I still have the option to assign my week the old way and use it that way, but it seems to me that to be fair to legacy owners we should receive as much in points for the week we turn in for points as Marriott requires to use that week.
Further, it is nice to say that "you can still use your week the old way" so the Destinations just is an enhancement. Unfortunately that has not been my experience. Previously, I had virtually NO problem exchanging my week for wherever and whenever I wanted to go. Now since Destinations has come out, I have had two occasions where I have not been able to get exchanges for my existing weeks. One of the searches I did was for "any Florida location", so I am certain there would have been SOMETHING under the pre-Destinations system.
I am concerned that not only am I not getting fair value for my existing ownership in the new points system, but that my ability to use my existing ownership is being compromised by people using points taking up the inventory I want by being able to bid more points because I haven't received a fair allocation of points for what I turned in. I concur that oftentimes a class action doesn't do much but benefit the lawyers, but it seems to me that existing Marriott owners are being cheated in this transition and that some sort of stand needs to be taken to protest this fact and require fair treatment.