Marriott Grande Ocean scheduling Ocean Front week

If one has a Platinum Ocean front property and wants a July 4th week, if all Ocean Fronts are taken, but Ocean view is available, can he take the Ocean View?

The short answer I believe is yes. I believe it is possible that more OF owners reserve a week than there are OF rooms. In that case an OF owner gets assigned an OV room. I don't think Marriott limits the reservations by view at the resort because many OF owners may reserve the unit and then trade it to II. I do not know this for a fact so please confirm with Marriott.

I don't think so.

The "Rules and Regulations" for GO make it clear that an owner may only reserve use periods "...within either an Oceanfront or Oceanside Unit (depending on the type of Unit coinciding with the Time Sharing Interest owned by the Owner)...."

That's as it should be. Otherwise Marriott would be doing a disservice to its Oceanside owners, who wouldn't have a fair chance to make reservations for more popular weeks, such as July 4th week.

A Platinum owner who is unable to reserve a specific week may elect to reserve another week and try to exchange back into GO.

Note that there are ownerships (e.g., Platinum Plus) at some resorts where an owner can reserve a week other that what the owner owns.

I hear you, but I don't see this as being any different than owning Plat. Plus and reserving a Plat. week. In theory, you are potentially depriving a Platinum owner a chance at a week.

I could be dead wrong, but I don't think Marriott is limiting the reservations for a given week to the view and if they are and an OF owner was willing to take an OV room I suspect they would accomodate that request.

I would love to hear a Marriott answer for this.

There is NO crossover at GO through Marriott, it does not work like the platinum plus to platinum reservations options. The inventory is totally separate and neither have access to the other side for a direct Marriott reservation. However, one MIGHT get something else through II. Actually a number of the OV units are better than a percentage of the OF units. So I don't see it as a big deal OS vs OF for owners. But given the unit assignment priority, it is a big deal for the non owners including exchangers.

I agree with Dean. Also, I have confirmation from a trusted Marriott person.

In the case of Platinum Plus weeks at certain resorts, the program rules specifically provide for such a crossover. As an example, the program rules for Grand Chateau (Section X.2.(b)) state that a Platinum Plus owner can convert use for a specific year to floating status by notifying Marriott at least 180 days before the normal fixed week.

At GO and other Marriott resorts, crossovers between seasons and views are excluded except as specifically allowed in the program rules.

Why Is it a big deal for exchangers?

I didn't follow why having OF is a big deal if you are going to exchange. Could you please explain.

Scott

If a person owning OF exchanges then the person trading in will not get the OF unit according to the way rooms are assigned. Traders are low on the list when it comes to room requests. If an OF owner reserves and then deposits then an existing owner of OS will most likely get an updgrade. It is not a big deal but according to the stated rules, the owner who is entitled to OF but willing to take an OS room to get a particular week would be precluded from doing so and another OS owner will get an upgrade instead.

floyddl said:

If a person owning OF exchanges then the person trading in will not get the OF unit according to the way rooms are assigned. Traders are low on the list when it comes to room requests. If an OF owner reserves and then deposits then an existing owner of OS will most likely get an updgrade. It is not a big deal but according to the stated rules, the owner who is entitled to OF but willing to take an OS room to get a particular week would be precluded from doing so and another OS owner will get an upgrade instead.

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Almost, most Marriott resorts are careful not to upgrade owners. Likely Marriott would rent out the OF unit and assign an exchanger a lower OS unit. I'd guess a Marriott exchanger would be more likely to get the OF unit than an OS owner.

If you look at the priority that most resorts use (and there are variations) the priority typically is owner occupying, owner trading into their own resort, marriott owner trading in, non-marriott owner trading in, and last is rental. I personally feel that if an owner trades an OF unit then the person who confirms the exchange should get it but there are lots of arguments on that.

floyddl said:

If you look at the priority that most resorts use (and there are variations) the priority typically is owner occupying, owner trading into their own resort, marriott owner trading in, non-marriott owner trading in, and last is rental. I personally feel that if an owner trades an OF unit then the person who confirms the exchange should get it but there are lots of arguments on that.

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GO priority is multi week owner, single week owner, owner trading back in, multi week Marriott exchanger, single week Marriott exchanger, cash renter (from MVCI) & regular exchanger. However, that does not mean the upgrade owners to something they do not own, this is a somewhat separate issue. They, and all Marriott resorts where I have any info, specifically try not to upgrade owners. But I'm sure they would at times rather than units sitting empty. The reason apparently that they try not to upgrade owners is to preserve the notion that if you want it, you must buy it. I did hear some rumblings that the Marriott on Maui was upgrading exchangers over owners but don't have any specifics.

The priority for assigning units at Grande Ocean is as follows:

1. Multiple-week GO owners
2. Single-week GO owners
3. GO owners returning on an exchange
4. Other Marriott multiple-week owners on an exchange
5. Other Marriott single-week owners on an exchange
6. Rental and preview guests
7. Non-Marriott owners on an exchange.

That order is a bit misleading because, as Dean noted, Marriott generally won't upgrade a GO Oceanside owner to Oceanfront. Also, someone who rents from Marriott will get what they reserve - either Oceanfront or Oceanside.

You beat me to it Dean! I'm glad we agree!

Dave M said:

You beat me to it Dean! I'm glad we agree!

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LOL, it usually works the other way where someone posts while I'm writing (and thinking). It's the thinking part that takes the longest.