General Discussion

Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System

Feb 28, 2012

Sadly, You just made my point. You have three properties that net you 6500 points. If you use them conservatively, and avoid high seasons and the state of Hawaii, you could almost get 2 weeks at quality resorts.

See, that's me not being combative.


Bob P.
Feb 28, 2012

3 properties should bring them 3 weeks. points system is a ripoff. why do you think it's great that they can trade 3 weeks for 2? that is losing a week of vacation they paid for as i see the math.


Linda F.
Feb 28, 2012

i was just recently informed that if I don't use my 2012 points by 2013, they are gone. lost. stolen in my opinion. you can borrow ahead for the 2014 points and put them together with 2012 and 2013 but 2012 points MUST be used by the end of 2013. that is why i am so angry. if i had been told that, i never would have bought. i already paid for a week in sicily in may and a week in peru in september 2012. i knew i would not use these points in 2012 or 2013. I am still working. i can't take more than 2 weeks vacation per year. and i have an elderly mother and mother in law. what if they get sick or die? what if i get sick and can't use the points? they just get to KEEP THEM! I get absolutely nothing for my $22,000. i have already put a deposit on a 15 day safari for 2013 and I have to do that because it is my grandson's graduation and that is his gift. i also have 800,000 marriott rewards points to use. i have no idea when, if ever, i will be able to use these destination points. i had no idea, and no reason to suspect, that the points would expire. my honored guest points for 20 years have accumlated as long as i want before using them. it was NOT mentioned to me that the destination points were treated any differently. I have been saving them up for when i retire.


Linda F.
Feb 28, 2012

With 6500 points depending on the season and location that one travels you could get in excess of 3 weeks. There are several 2 bedrooms in the Marriott system in certain seasons that you can get more than 3 weeks if you want. However, if you want 3 weeks in high seasons and trying to trade you will need to go through II. You don't have to use points. Use the the old system.

If you have 3 properties that amount to 6500 points, they probably are not platinum season. Thus, you would have difficulty getting a platinum weekk in Hawaii with a silver week in the old system as well. I am not saying was impossible in the old system just not as likely.

Noticed I said with the points system you could get more than 3 weeks depending on the season. That's right, more! Barony Beach, Beach Place Towers, Canyon Villas, Desert Springs, Fairway Villas, Grand Ocean, Harbour Lake, Harbour Point, Imperial Palms (3 bedroom), Legend's End, Manor Club, Monarch Club, Sabal Palms, Shadow Ridge, Summit Watch, Sunset Pointe, Surfwatch and Willow Ridge will all give you AFTER days AFTER THREE FULL WEEKS. Not all of these weeks are silver weeks too. Some are actually platinum and gold as well.

My point is that you need to read the information and review the materials before you make statements here. There are lots of people who come here for information. When people make uninformed rants, the have a tendency to repeat them because they do not check for themselves and take misinformation as gospel. You can go to the Marriott website and points guide to see what I have written is true.


Charles S.
Feb 28, 2012

As far as losing your points are concerned. With the DC program you need to do some planning by June 30th as to if you are going to use the points program or not. If you are not planning to use them by midyear, then it would be wise to save them to the following year. So if you are allotted 7000 points every year, and you don't plan to use them for 2012, then by June 30th you need to roll them over to 2013 and you will have 14,000 points in 2013. However, you must use you 2012 points by the end of 2013 or you will then lose them. If you are not sure how you will use those 2012 points for 2013, you can also elect to still place them in II, trade them for MRP's, or take a cruise or tour with them. That's the flexibilty and options people are referring to. If you wanted to take a really big trip you could save your 2012 points to 2013 giving you 14,000 points, and then borrow from 2014 points to now have 21,000 points and have a heck of a year celebrating that retirement in 2013.

Read your materials or go to the website and learn to enjoy your membership. If all of this still does not work for you. Then just use your membership as you always have. The DC program is way too new to have an immediate impact on legacy owners. It's very expensive to get to Hawaii if you only buy 2,000 or 3,000 points. People don't have $20,000 or $30,000 to just give to Marriott right now. You may have the best time of your life right now taking advantage of the DC program because you will be in a great position.


Charles S.
Feb 29, 2012

Dest Pts Expiration & Accumulation -- There has been much written about the expiration of Dest pts and the absence of a way to carry pts forward to accumulate for a big vacation.

The Dest program, I believe, does enable accumulation of points for up to three years. For example, you could do this by (1) deferring use of year 1 pts into year 2; (2) use year 2 pts in year 2; and, (3) borrow year 3 pts for use in year 2. If one owned 3,000 points, you have the prospect of using 9,000 pts in year 2. This actually seems quite generous in terms of flexibility.

The bigger problem I see with Dest is in getting us to learn how to use it and in our ability to plan well ahead. Incidentally, these problems were there even under the old program. Thank heavens for those vacation reps who help us on the phone.


Den

Last edited by dennish144 on Feb 29, 2012 02:18 PM

Feb 29, 2012

Just to clarify, we own two studios in Breckenridge and 1 lock off unit in Canyon Villas--all were platinum season, so that's why we have 6,500 Destination Club points. Also, we're lucky to be able to take two vacations in one year (even though we are retired) because we are caregivers for my elderly mother. We end up taking one family vacation (with kids and grandkids) and maybe one on our own, then on the off-year we take a world trip with our MRPs. We can make this program work for us because we can't use three weeks of vacation per year--but love getting 330,000 MRPs every other year for the world trips. We were actually giving away our spare weeks to our kids just so we didn't lose them under the old system. Maybe in the future we would want to take 3 weeks of vacation--and if we do, we can either use II or the Destination Club exchange--whichever works best for our particular vacation plans. Since we are retired we can actually go just about anytime of the year, so we can live with just about any season. So you can see, this old and new program does work well for us. The good news is that we have added flexibility that the Destinations program offers (time of year, number of days, and the Marriott inventory, etc.). The only drawback I can see is that we won't have access to the new properties in future. On the other hand, there are still plenty of Marriott Properties that we can use. And I do agree that with good planning as to time of year, size of unit, and number of days, we can still manage to get our money's worth out of this program. I think it really just boils down to an individuals vacation needs--and then making the program work for you. P.S. I do REALLY hate it when the sales reps don't tell the correct story when you are buying! They should know better. And I do agree that when you call the reps on the phone that they seem well informed and are more than willing to try and help you get the best deal they can.


Kathryn M.
Feb 29, 2012

Charles, I am not sure where in the Marriott system you work, but to continually paint others as UNINFORMED when they make a statement is simply not bright. What I said was that by avoiding high seasons and Hawaii, she could get 2 quality weeks. You come back listing resorts that are in less than desireable locations or in the off season.


Bob P.
Feb 29, 2012

Please, let's avoid the personal attacks. As owners of anything Marriott, we should be trying to enhance our use/ value. We can choose to make this work and be happy.

I would be delighted if someone from Marriott would enter this forum. Marriott has every motivation to make these programs the best in the industry.


Den

Last edited by dennish144 on Feb 29, 2012 09:43 PM

Feb 29, 2012

Kathryn, after seeing what properties you have and the ability to trade them every other year for 330,000 MRP's, and the lack of time restrictions you have on travel, I think you already had enough flexibility without converting. I simply say this because your platinum weeks have great trade value and if you convert to MRP's simi-annually already you may not be gaining any increased flexibility.

My decision not to convert was based solely on the fact that I already hold Hawaii units that I would not be willing to give up for less desirable locations. As for Palm Desert, we ALWAYS go there in the winter. I don't care to go elsewhere. My lock-off, when I don't need it and the ability to buy Getaways keeps me loyal to II.

It comes down to whatever you think you are happy with.


Bob P.
Feb 29, 2012

When it actually was Marriott, It was. These people have no connection to the Marriott family. If you can't see that, I am sorry.

Last week I played golf with a Marriott Corporate employee from the Salt Lake HDQ, who told me that the last member of the family was retiring soon. She said he has spent much of the last year apologizing to long time employees for what has happened to their company.

The reason we are back to personal attacks is because I am simply responding to the attacks you are making toward me. Frankly, there is no nice way I have to describe how I feel about the way this company is overcharging new customers. I feel bad for someone who goes to Palm Desert and gets sucked into buying enough points to come back, at a price that is three times higher than a unit is worth, in order to get flexibility to go elsewhere.

That's my honest opinion. You have yours, and that's fine, but I would bet that you would not be willing to pay the going rate for the points you are getting in trade.


Bob P.
Feb 29, 2012

Bob, it is a fact that many people do not read their materials closely and then listen or read information on blogs from people who are not informed and take that as the truth.

For example, I am not a Marriott employee in any way shape or form. Secondley, not all of the places I mentioned were less than desirable. Desert Springs and Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert, BeachPlace Towers in Fort Lauderdale, Sabal Palms and Imperial Palms in Orlando are not in undesirable places. I just went went down the list of Marriott resorts in the DC and found all of the ones in which one could get more than 3 weeks depending on the season they traveled. I was not discriminating by location. My point in naming those places was partly to agree with you in that going off seasons one could get good deals, but I was also trying to add that you could get ADDITIONAL time.

I am not going to lower myself to play in the mud with you. I will answer or refute something that you may claim here only to make ensure that people can see fact and not only fiction. Anything I make claim to is written in the rules or literature supplied by Marriott no more and no less. I don't usually write something in speculation or opinion unless I specifically note that.

What everyone keeps missing here is that it's about choices. You have a choice to go to Palm Desert in the summer. Do you know a lot of people do. I have been there twice in the summer on July 4th to both the Shadow Ridge and Desert Springs and it's sold out. I could not believe it the first time.

I am looking at the glass half full and you see it half empty.


Charles S.

Last edited by charless345 on Feb 29, 2012 10:14 PM

Feb 29, 2012

kathrynm139 wrote:
Just to clarify, we own two studios in Breckenridge and 1 lock off unit in Canyon Villas--all were platinum season, so that's why we have 6,500 Destination Club points. Also, we're lucky to be able to take two vacations in one year (even though we are retired) because we are caregivers for my elderly mother. We end up taking one family vacation (with kids and grandkids) and maybe one on our own, then on the off-year we take a world trip with our MRPs. We can make this program work for us because we can't use three weeks of vacation per year--but love getting 330,000 MRPs every other year for the world trips. We were actually giving away our spare weeks to our kids just so we didn't lose them under the old system. Maybe in the future we would want to take 3 weeks of vacation--and if we do, we can either use II or the Destination Club exchange--whichever works best for our particular vacation plans. Since we are retired we can actually go just about anytime of the year, so we can live with just about any season. So you can see, this old and new program does work well for us. The good news is that we have added flexibility that the Destinations program offers (time of year, number of days, and the Marriott inventory, etc.). The only drawback I can see is that we won't have access to the new properties in future. On the other hand, there are still plenty of Marriott Properties that we can use. And I do agree that with good planning as to time of year, size of unit, and number of days, we can still manage to get our money's worth out of this program. I think it really just boils down to an individuals vacation needs--and then making the program work for you. P.S. I do REALLY hate it when the sales reps don't tell the correct story when you are buying! They should know better. And I do agree that when you call the reps on the phone that they seem well informed and are more than willing to try and help you get the best deal they can.

Kathryn,

I did not read what you had closely the first time. I realize that you wrote you had 2 studios and 2 bedroom.lockoff. When I was giving those resorts and stating what you could get, I was looking only at TWO bedrooms. You would not have to stay in studios anymore, but one bedrooms. You're right, you have tremendous flexibility with the new program. You have to find time to take more vacations. :-)

I plan on combining MRP's and DC points and my DRI timeshare points and making a huge trip to Europe and really seing it in 2013 during their summer. I want to stay a month so I am steady planning. I only get 4025 DC points for my week, but I am going to save 2012 DC points, and borrow 2014 points and combine them with 2013 points to have 12,075 DC points. If I combine them all I am looking at a month in Europe during the summer flying first class too with little out of my pocket except my maintenance fees.

It's in the planning and knowing how to use what you have. :-)


Charles S.
Mar 01, 2012

Actually, I am breaking up my point this year, but can still get the equivalent of two weeks, which I own. It does offer flexibility.


Joanne B.
Mar 01, 2012

I'm excited for you. My wife and I are going to copy you. Please share your outcome.

Dennis


Den
Mar 01, 2012

Charles for the last time, If you don't want to play in the mud than STOP being so condescending. If your not a Merriott Shill, than STOP giving the COMPANY ANSWER. I have been to every desirable Marriott location that I can think of in the United States and with the exception of a few, most were either not on your list, or not high season weeks. The ones that were there, were only there because you tried to play a game of "Watch how smart I can be with only 6500 Points.

The only reason you think I would go to Desert Springs or Shadow Ridge In the summer is because that is the season you chose in your example. As I said, I just came back from there. Obviously I own a winter week. I would also never go to Florida in the summer.

If you or someone else chooses to convert their units to points to gain some level of flexibility. GREAT! My idea of a RIPOFF is Marriott selling NEW purchasers, and current owners who need more, points at $10.94 each.

The price I am quoting is the amount I was told last week. If this amount varies by location that would also offend me. Remember, where you buy is where you pay maintenance fees. I can tell you for a fact those differ greatly.

To make an assumption that you somehow know more about this than someone else, shows your ignorance.


Bob P.
Mar 01, 2012

bobp223 wrote:
Charles for the last time, If you don't want to play in the mud than STOP being so condescending. If your not a Merriott Shill, than STOP giving the COMPANY ANSWER. I have been to every desirable Marriott location that I can think of in the United States and with the exception of a few, most were either not on your list, or not high season weeks. The ones that were there, were only there because you tried to play a game of "Watch how smart I can be with only 6500 Points.

The only reason you think I would go to Desert Springs or Shadow Ridge In the summer is because that is the season you chose in your example. As I said, I just came back from there. Obviously I own a winter week. I would also never go to Florida in the summer.

If you or someone else chooses to convert their units to points to gain some level of flexibility. GREAT! My idea of a RIPOFF is Marriott selling NEW purchasers, and current owners who need more, points at $10.94 each.

The price I am quoting is the amount I was told last week. If this amount varies by location that would also offend me. Remember, where you buy is where you pay maintenance fees. I can tell you for a fact those differ greatly.

To make an assumption that you somehow know more about this than someone else, shows your ignorance.

I must say Bob that your feeling that I am condescending is your own insecurity. I am not giving a company line but just the rules in the book. Since they made the rules then I guess I am spewing forth the company line.

In my initial post after yours, I did state that the new points owners pay significantly more than us who owned weeks. However, for those people who have legacy weeks that are in the program there are lots of advantages and that is what I am addressing. Someone like yourself with your weeks would have a lot of flexibility and could get more time depending on how you use your weeks.

My only thing with you Bob is that you are just close minded and have your opinion. Anyone who is using the program and taking advantage of their membership will disagree with you. You and I will have to agree to disagree.

We obviously read the rules differently or someone has not read them at all.


Charles S.
Mar 01, 2012

I have read too many times that the price of Dest Pts is too high. OK we got someone's opinion and can now exercise our own judgement. I happen to have bought some pts and, considering the value add to my portfolio of vacation products, I'm happy. I'll achieve the value because I know what I bought and how to use it. Quite frankly, why should I care what some noisy guy says.

Incidentally, could it be that some of the biggest critics are shills for competitors of Vacation Club? Maybe, they just get up on the wrong side of the bed every morning.

Have a good night - be happy!

Dennis


Den

Last edited by dennish144 on Mar 02, 2012 07:22 PM

Mar 02, 2012

Marriott Vacation Club (VAC) will release earnings on March 15th. This will be interesting and I hope the company does well for the sake of the shareholders "and" participants in its programs.

Dennis


Den
Mar 03, 2012

will you post the results here please? thanks


Linda F.

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