Marriot Vacation Clubs Resorts to move to Hotel Categories

[TJCNewYork]

I am not able to trade my week for points.

Why is that?

 

[SueDonJ]

TJCNewYork do you work for Marriott?

Hmmmm, good question. I'm confused by what s/he writes here - it's difficult to differentiate between what is her/his interpretation, what are the actual words offered by the official Marriott liaison to marriottrewardsinsiders.com, and what are the actual statements in writing that Marriott has issued to members. Getting to the point is all too much work.

Call me paranoid, but I'm wondering what the ulterior motive is here.

 

[thinze3]

Sort of wish you did, so take it as a compliment.
You opinions are very well stated - almost as "a matter of fact." Besides, we would love to have an insider here on Tug.

TJCNewYork do you work for Marriott?
.

Nope - why do you ask?

 

[TJCNewYork]

I was wondering the same thing after reading his post here and on www.marriottrewardsinsiders???

Terry, Winslow and TUGers

There are MVCI associates actively reading TUG and maybe posting, but I am not one of them.

As a charter member of the Marriott Marquis program aka Honored Guest aka Marriott Rewards, and a 15 year multiple-week MVCI owner, I enjoy being a frequent Marriott guest and engaging Marriott associates and other guests in conversation. As a best practice, I prefer to make informed decisions whether it involves a purchase or not. So, every conversation in-person or online is an opportunity to engage, network and learn.

Thank you for reading my post(s) on Insiders. Which one(s) did you read? I have been very active on Marriott Insiders since joining the community February 14, 2009! That date is significant because my wife and I checked into a full service Marriott where we had stayed several times before to enjoy a weekend getaway. At check-in the front desk associate was uncharacteristically unfriendly and rude. Escalating to his manager, I learned that Marriott had changed several policies as of January 15, 2009 that reduced and/or eliminated services I have come to expect.

Royally pissed off by that event, I logged onto Marriott.com, discovered Marriott Rewards Insiders and posted a message expressing my dissatisfaction that Marriott UTTERLY FAILED to deliver upon its promise. :annoyed: Little did I know, I was in very good company. There was one discussion about the changes Marriott was contemplating. I read all 636 posts and learned a great deal. I also learned that MVCI owners are the most underserved group within all of Marriott Rewards.

Up until recently, I've only 'trolled' TUG and another online travel community, FlyerTalk. I was fascinated by MVCI Customer Care Advocate, Patricia Potts' suggestion to another Insider, Superchief1 that he come to TUG for MVCI suggestions. First, because of the less than cordial TUG reception to the 2009 Marriott Rewards changes; and second, the depth of owner discontent expressed about the Aruba Ocean Club - that is so well-documented here. Kudos to the owners who participated in that discussion, I learned a lot from you.

I feel comfortable participating in Insiders because it is hosted by Marriott and is "gated." (you need to have a Marriott Rewards member ID in order to register and login). I've taken a risk and am out of my comfort zone by posting here, because it is public domain and there are no 'gates'. I am pleased that my cross-posting has achieved the desired outcome: Building Awareness. I am optimistic that by doing so, MVCI owners will be proactive both here and on Insiders. It is so outrageous that we have signed a vacation ownership contract to be loyal to Marriott -for a lifetime- and be so underserved.

That said, I remain satisfied with vacation ownership and confident that proactive feedback will have a positive impact. Unless I am pissed off or vehemently disagree, my posts tend to be benign, optimistic and upbeat which might convey that I am fiercely loyal to Marriott - because I am.

Marriott gets it. That's why Marriott.com walked away with the Freddie Award for Best Web Site among many other prestigious and coveted awards including Best Customer Service, Best Elite Program and Best Member Communications. Marriott did NOT get the Freddie for Best Awards. This Freddie is for the program that makes it easier to redeem awards. As everyone reading this knows, Marriott has some ground to cover and gaps to fill when it comes to the redemption process. By being proactive perhaps we can change that.

[Since I'm new here, I have a question. Do TUGers always confront newbies by asking them if they work for Marriott? Is THAT how TUGers welcome newcomers?] Retracted thanks to Terry

 

[TJCNewYork]

Call me paranoid, but I'm wondering what the ulterior motive is here.

:rofl:

You're kidding right? If you are a Marriott Rewards member, login to Insiders and review my profile.

 

[TJCNewYork]

Sort of wish you did, so take it as a compliment.
You opinions are very well stated - almost as "a matter of fact." Besides, we would love to have an insider here on Tug.

Thanks Terry - your comment makes me feel welcome!

Cross-posting by TUGers on Insiders will help bring more MVCI owners here. TUGers could reach out to Insiders, engage in the posting on Insiders and invite folks over.

 

[SueDonJ]

:rofl:

You're kidding right? If you are a Marriott Rewards member, login to Insiders and review my profile.

Actually, I wasn't, but I honestly didn't mean it to sound as hostile as it probably does. It was difficult to differentiate between who said what from your first post, at first reading. And I wondered why/how you were led here to even offer a post.

I'm sorry for any offense. None was intended.

You're right in that there is no harm in all of us having more information outlets available to us. I wasn't aware of marriottrewardsinsiders.com before you posted, so thanks for that. I hope you join TUG and bring others along with you; the more the merrier.

 

[WINSLOW]

Terry, Winslow and TUGers

[Since I'm new here, I have a question. Do TUGers always confront newbies by asking them if they work for Marriott? Is THAT how TUGers welcome newcomers?] Retracted thanks to Terry

I really didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of anything bad. As Thinze3 has said, I think it's just because you sound so very well informed here and on marriottrewardsinsiders.com

Anyway, WELCOME to TUG!

 

[JudyS]

I had to fax my folio for two stays I had. One for the MFC where I used my owner week and one I had as an exchange at Barony. Neither showed up. However, all my stays at the Marriott Fairways in NJ show up. I have never had a problem there. I got 14 days worth of credit. That may help me reach Gold status but I doubt it

What sort of credit does one get for a Marriott timeshare stay? Do you actually get Marriott Reward points (and if so, how many?) or just credit towards Gold status, but no points?

Also, does anyone know whether credit for Marriott timeshare stays in available for people who trade in to Marriott via II, but who do not own a Marriott unit?

 

[TJCNewYork]

Actually, I wasn't, but I honestly didn't mean it to sound as hostile as it probably does. It was difficult to differentiate between who said what from your first post, at first reading. And I wondered why/how you were led here to even offer a post.

I'm sorry for any offense. None was intended.

You're right in that there is no harm in all of us having more information outlets available to us. I wasn't aware of marriottrewardsinsiders.com before you posted, so thanks for that. I hope you join TUG and bring others along with you; the more the merrier.

No offense is taken, thank you for the note.

Suspicion of newbies, especially after reading 200+ pages of exhausting discussion about AOC here at TUG is to be expected. Candidly, I was very reluctant to post anything here as I was apprehensive about opening a wound that hadn't quite healed.

As stated earlier, the intent of cross-posting is to build awareness. TUG is a very vibrant online community for timeshare owners, so I'll continue to invite MVCI Insiders over. At the same time, I extend a cordial invite to TUGers with Marriott Rewards IDs to come over and visit Insiders.

The more the merrier for all MVCI owners!

 

[lovearuba]

What wounds are you referring to

No offense is taken, thank you for the note.

Suspicion of newbies, especially after reading 200+ pages of exhausting discussion about AOC here at TUG is to be expected. Candidly, I was very reluctant to post anything here as I was apprehensive about opening a wound that hadn't quite healed.


The more the merrier for all MVCI owners!

You shouldnt be hesitant, people here will challenge you and if you dont want to respond, just don't. This is not a court of law, just a website that allows folks to share timeshare information and obviously a whole lot more. As for the wounds, if you are referring to the wounds of paying those outrageous maintenance fees at the ocean club, those wounds are far from healed.

 

[davidvel]

Here is my 1 cent on all this (which of course, is pure conjecture for purposes of discussion):

Marriott is getting ready to roll out its glorious "Internal Trading Program." It will offer many more points to direct purchasers only (as has been rumoured) that sign up for the program, possibly 270K:hysterical: ?

This will not affect anyones rights to reserve (which we have noted ad naseum are deeded rights). It may or may not continue to take non-direct purchasers' trades at the original low-points value. (Although, this is NOT a deeded right to my knowledge; and people here have stated here that the contract says this "perk" can be rescinded at any time. And I don't know who would do this with the new values. )


As a resale owner I don't really care about all this because it won't affect me.

 

[TJCNewYork]

What sort of credit does one get for a Marriott timeshare stay? Do you actually get Marriott Reward points (and if so, how many?) or just credit towards Gold status, but no points?

Also, does anyone know whether credit for Marriott timeshare stays in available for people who trade in to Marriott via II, but who do not own a Marriott unit?

EXCELLENT QUESTIONS. If you are a Marriott Rewards member and staying at your MVCI home resort or at an MVCI resort on exchange through II AND present your Marriott Rewards ID at check-in, you will receive credit for every night stayed. The MVCI night credits count towards qualifying you for Marriott Rewards Elite status (Silver, Gold, Platinum).

Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite receive a Welcome Bonus Gift of 500 points. If the MVCI resort is on a Marriott hotel property, any dining, golf, spa services or giftshop merchandise purchased and billed to the villa will earn 10 points per $US. For example, Palm Desert Villas in California or Imperial Palm Villas, Royal Palms and Sabal Palms in Orlando. These are just four of the many resorts co-located on Marriott hotel properties. Grand Lakes Reserve on the JW Marriott/Ritz Carlton property in Orlando is another in pre-construction phase.

Billing dining/services/purchases to your villa has added benefits. Silver Elite members receive a 20% bonus on base points, Gold Elite members get a 25% bonus and Platinum Elite get a whopping 50% bonus. So, if you spend $100 on dinner and $100 on spa services and bill the $200 to your villa, you get 2,000 base points plus 20%, 25% or 50% of that base depending upon your Elite status. For Platinum Elite, $200 billed to the villa converts to 3,000 points plus the 500 points welcome gift is a grand total of 3,500 points.

Now, let's say that your staying at your home resort or on an II exchange and you need to arrive earlier or stay longer and you want to rent. Reserve the extra nights at the discounted MVCI OWNER RATE. DO NOT WASTE POINTS. You earn 10 points per $US and get the night credits to qualify for Elite status that gets the Bonus points.

For an overview of Marriott Rewards Elite Benefits: http://www.marriott.com/rewards/member-benefits.mi

 

[TJCNewYork]

As for the wounds, if you are referring to the wounds of paying those outrageous maintenance fees at the ocean club, those wounds are far from healed.

Owners can view the 2009 MF at MVCI.com for most resorts in the system. AOC's are over the top.

 

[TJCNewYork]

It will offer many more points to direct purchasers only (as has been rumoured) that sign up for the program, possibly 270K

Thanks for the scoop. Can you elaborate on what direct purchasers only means? Can you give an example to illustrate?

 

[thinze3]

What sort of credit does one get for a Marriott timeshare stay? Do you actually get Marriott Reward points (and if so, how many?) or just credit towards Gold status, but no points?

Also, does anyone know whether credit for Marriott timeshare stays in available for people who trade in to Marriott via II, but who do not own a Marriott unit?

Judy, I got nearly 40K points during my Hawaii stay in 2007. I simply let the concierge at Waiohai book everything for me and my guests in the second villa, and then I used my Marriott credit card to pay for it all. The credit card gets you another 2% in points. I also got 15K for the "tour" and 5K because my guests took the tour as well.

They do add up if you try hard enough.

 

[SueDonJ]

I do the same thing Terry does, during every one of our stays, after reading his explanation a couple years ago here. We figure out what we want to do by checking websites, travel guide books and the resort schedules, then ask the concierge to book whichever activities they can. Every incidental charge gets put on the Marriott VISA and, like Terry says, it is amazing how quickly the points add up. Hawaii especially, I think, because the activities there are so much more expensive than at the other places we visit, but every little bit counts.

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks for the scoop. Can you elaborate on what direct purchasers only means? Can you give an example to illustrate?

I think the :hysterical: after their comment indicates that they were not serious.

 

[davidvel]

Thanks for the scoop. Can you elaborate on what direct purchasers only means? Can you give an example to illustrate?

Let's be careful here... if you mean scoop, ie. insider knowledge recall my post...

Here is my 1 cent on all this (which of course, is pure conjecture for purposes of discussion):

As to my thoughts, there have been many a post about what the rumored Marriott Internal Trading system will entail. No one knows if they will include resale buyers or only allow "direct purchasers" into the program. In this regard, "direct purchasers" refers to those who purchased from Marriott (as opposed to purchasing from a direct purchaser).

Again, welcome to TUGBBS...

 

[dioxide45]

The survey taken by many people late in 2008 was discussed in this thread. Many of the questions are quoted directly from the survey.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85113&highlight=survey

The internal exchange system has been discussed over and over and over, it will come up as a new topic again I am sure in a few months. :deadhorse:

 

[davidvel]

The internal exchange system has been discussed over and over and over, it will come up as a new topic again I am sure in a few months. :deadhorse:

Months? seconds!!!

 

[dioxide45]

Why is that?

I purchased my week resale, so I am unable to trade the week for points.

 

[TJCNewYork]

I think the :hysterical: after their comment indicates that they were not serious.

The :hysterical: next to the 270K, I got.

there have been many a post about what the rumored Marriott Internal Trading system will entail.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm allergic to rumors

The survey taken by many people late in 2008 was discussed in this thread. Many of the questions are quoted directly from the survey.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85113&highlight=survey

The internal exchange system has been discussed over and over and over, it will come up as a new topic again I am sure in a few months.

THANKS! I've printed it out and plan to sink some teeth into the survey. My objective is to strike parallels with what Owner Services said in March. Stay tuned for :deadhorse:

 

[davidvel]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm allergic to rumors

Oh no, you must be sneezing hard if you have browsed/searched for "Marriott Internal trading system"!!...

I agree, "I'll know it when I see it."

 

[lovearuba]

points

I do the same thing Terry does, during every one of our stays, after reading his explanation a couple years ago here. We figure out what we want to do by checking websites, travel guide books and the resort schedules, then ask the concierge to book whichever activities they can. Every incidental charge gets put on the Marriott VISA and, like Terry says, it is amazing how quickly the points add up. Hawaii especially, I think, because the activities there are so much more expensive than at the other places we visit, but every little bit counts.

I've also done this but noted in my last trip to Aruba that the only activities you can charge to the room are ones associated with Marriott, like the red sail activities. I also noted when I had restaurant reservations made by Marriott, they added a service charge. So make sure you know what additional charges you may have.