Original Message:
Re: Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System (by G333 S.):
I have been popping in and out of this thread and initially I just wanted to help what I was seeing turn into a horrible game of telephone. I honestly believe in the Marriott name and have the tendency to want to give the benefit of the doubt when I can. I am not one of those people that live through life always thinking that others will always try to take advantage of me.
I also stopped being as active due to being insulted in an indirect manner due to my positive opinion of the program which, by the way, has come from me doing my own due diligence and factual research versus just leaning on what sales reps have told me, or the other owners hanging out by the pools. Without serious facts and details, we just end up repeating other people's interpretations mixed with a bit of our own.
But here is what I won't accept: no person has the right to call me a company shill because I happen to like the destinations system and share my opinions as to why. I do not try to convince that my way of thinking is the right way and that yours, while different, means it's wrong and therefore, you must have an agenda. So please save your underhanded insults by implying that anyone who likes the new system is a company shill and that those who oppose it are the Real and therefore loyal Marriott owners simply because you refuse to even try and acknowledge the benefits that accompany the new system. Simply acknowleding that their are some benefits doesn't make you a traitor nor does it mean you, in particular, will benefit from those enhancements, or even decide to ever participate. But get over the aspect that things do change and if you like the change, great get it, and if not, that's fine as well. But please stop trying to insult me or convince me that the system is a rip off and therefore I made a bad decision to not only join, but bought points as well. What's good for me may not be good for you, but how dare anyone here try and make me doubt the wisdom of my decision when you don't know my vacation lifestyle and how exactly I am getting more out of my ownership through the addition of Destinations.
And for the Love of God, please get through the fact that Marriott didn't affect our legacy ownership in any way that can be blamed on them.
Marriott inventory available inside Interval was dictated by us as owners who chose to deposit our week and make it available to other owners on an exchange.
How is that any different than enrolled legacy owners electing to use destination points and exchanging with each other? Sure we are using points instead of weeks and are going through Marriott rather than Interval to do the switch, but all you complaining that Interval doesn't have as much inventory as in the past, I will say this....let anyone, Marriott or otherwise try and tell me where I can and can't place my week to do an exchange! If I want to use, or not use Interval, it is my choice!!! And don't any of you for a second try to make some rediculous class action lawsuit up in order to limit my choices just because you want to use my week and I just happened to not put it into Interval for you, since I like and prefer to use it as points! As if I bought my week for you instead of for me.
And to those who are still whining about their week not getting enough points to stay at their home resort, get over that too. You have a deed that gives you a week, what real difference does it make using points at your home resort?
The same holds true for trading our week for MRP. And already there's proof that some see value in it while others don't in this thread. But not a single week gave as many nights on MRP at our home resort either. Funny how we all accepted that but can't get our heads around the same concept when it came to how many destination points we got for our week.
For the love of heaven, super expensive points for platinum plus weeks in high desirable locations rarely were available through interval to begin with. I never got Crystal shores for two years straight and booking 12 months out setting my alarm clock.
I just called tuesday for a last minute travel idea and got confirmed for July 15 which is a Sunday and Friday check out, so yes, I am sacrificing and staying their 6 days in an ocean view, but I have change left over since it was 50% off and I will take 6 days versus no days every single time. And yes, I did check with Interval first since it would be nice to use a week and get a week in return. But it wan't available and in Destinations it was. More off, I was even able to get instant confirmation, no waiting.
It's true I did not have enough points for a full week at Crystal Shores using the points I have from my Lakeshore week, and in the past my lakeshore week could get me a week anywhere regardless of season or location. But like I mentioned before, having that system is nice except when the location you want is never available. Makes it irrelevant in my opinion.
On the same token, I booked my Husband and my Father two full weeks each in a 2 bedroom for next year in Hilton Head for the golf classics for 950 points each. That's 1900 points and could afford to get two more full weeks for a total of 4 weeks all in two bedrooms with just my points from my Lakeshore week. Someone please tell me how Interval can beat that even taking bonus weeks and lock offs into consideration.
So how about everyone stop harping on every flaw of this new system and recognize, no matter how begrudgingly, that it has some perks too.
And for those of you advising Marriott to fail in this endeavor, shame on you for wanting out company to tank and go bankrupt. I for one, want this company to be very strong and successful, even if you aren't the ones to add to their future success, you shouldn't bar the way for others.
For the enrollment price gripe, those of you who have Interval, swallow the idea that you're eventually going to spend over $595 or $695 through renewals alone, not talking about added internal lock off fees or exchange fees and realize that a lifetime membership with Interval alone is worth the cost of enrollment. It even justifies the $165 or $199 as the lesser of the two evils compared to the fees we have all endured throughout the years.
I understand change can be hard when set in our ways or when comfortable, but hard doesn't mean ripoff, it means learning curve. So instead of complaint and feeding the game of telephone, how about we put our energy to more constructive things like actually learning how and when to use points if it's more beneficial for a particular vacation, and knowing when using Interval is better instead??? That way we an have the best of both worlds?!!