Son Antem Owners, Trust Destination Points, ‘Worthless weeks’ if we don’t enroll

[PAL123]

We have been Marriott Owners for approximately 14 years and have two weeks in Son Antem, Mallorca. We have just spent an exchange week at Grande Vista, Orlando and at check in were asked to attend a presentation ($250 or 30,000 reward points, which we thought was generous), we always have questions about the best way to use our weeks, etc so were fine about doing this. But this time was hard sell, big time, we have never experienced such an intense 2-3/4 hours in our lives! Sales tactics ranged from aggressive to patronising from sycophancy to virtual accusations of stupidity. We were told that because we had previously refused to buy into the new Trust Vacation Destination Points Scheme (news to us) we would soon have two weeks which would be worthless! The only way to protect our investment would be to buy 2,500 of these new points at a ‘special reduced‘ cost of over $31,000! Oh and when questioned it turned out there was also a $0.58/point annual fee each year! We were left shell shocked. We were also told that we were paying way too high maintenance fees and that he was going to tell us how to get out of paying them! Turns out this scheme involves us renting out one week (privately through him) and we will receive a cashiers cheque which will pretty much cover our maintenance fees every year! Couple of questions for any Marriott Owners of European weeks, have you been told that you need to enrol in this scheme to protect your existing weeks? Has a representative ever encouraged you to rent using him as your agent?

This is a very short version of our ‘presentation’ and we are now working out how we should deal with this.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I am sure you realize what he said was completely untrue. That sounds like one of the worst I've ever heard of.

 

[StevenTing]

You had a bad/unethical sales person. Your week is not worthless. You could enroll your week and then rent points from other owners and you would be just fine.

The Maintenance fee of 0.58 is accurate for now.

 

[Dean]

We have been Marriott Owners for approximately 14 years and have two weeks in Son Antem, Mallorca. We have just spent an exchange week at Grande Vista, Orlando and at check in were asked to attend a presentation ($250 or 30,000 reward points, which we thought was generous), we always have questions about the best way to use our weeks, etc so were fine about doing this. But this time was hard sell, big time, we have never experienced such an intense 2-3/4 hours in our lives! Sales tactics ranged from aggressive to patronising from sycophancy to virtual accusations of stupidity. We were told that because we had previously refused to buy into the new Trust Vacation Destination Points Scheme (news to us) we would soon have two weeks which would be worthless! The only way to protect our investment would be to buy 2,500 of these new points at a ‘special reduced‘ cost of over $31,000! Oh and when questioned it turned out there was also a $0.58/point annual fee each year! We were left shell shocked. We were also told that we were paying way too high maintenance fees and that he was going to tell us how to get out of paying them! Turns out this scheme involves us renting out one week (privately through him) and we will receive a cashiers cheque which will pretty much cover our maintenance fees every year! Couple of questions for any Marriott Owners of European weeks, have you been told that you need to enrol in this scheme to protect your existing weeks? Has a representative ever encouraged you to rent using him as your agent?

This is a very short version of our ‘presentation’ and we are now working out how we should deal with this.

You might even be able to enroll for free up front without buying anything.

 

[bazzap]

You will always have your weeks to use at your home resort Club Son Antem or to exchange via Interval to the other MVC resorts. The sales person was just scaremongering to try to secure a points sale.
However, Club Son Antem weeks can be enrolled in the points programme now (even if purchased resale before mid 2012) for not too much cost.
We enrolled our US/Caribbean weeks in 2010, our European weeks in 2012 and our Phuket weeks in 2016, as early as we were able to all for $695.
You might want to call Owner Services to ask what that cost will be.
Alternatively, You could ask the sales team at Club Son Antem (they can’t sell points, but they will try to sell you a resale week).
You certainly will not lose out by not buying points though.

 

[dansimms]

Sales efforts like that give Marriott and the Time Share Industry a bad name.

 

[Pompey Family]

We were at Grande Vista last year and also agreed to the presentation (our offer was equally as generous) however our experience wasn't as bad as yours. Yes, we had an exuberant salesman, in parts aggressive and quite unprofessional. However, we did enroll our Harbour Lake and Playa Andaluza weeks into the points programme for around £1000, our Son Antem weeks were ineligible due to the date when we purchased them but we're fine with that as we pretty much always occupy our weeks. For future usage we still have the option of exchanging through II, renting via an agency or through Marriott direct. Our weeks are never going to be worthless, how could they be?

 

[davidvel]

So the sales weasel told you your weeks will be worthless, but in the same spiel told you that one could be rented out to cover both mf?

You should enroll your weeks, for free, especially if you trade often. You'll save a lot of $. Hopefully others will post the link for the free enrollment seminar. (Not sure if your particular weeks can be enrolled. )

 

[bazzap]

So the sales weasel told you your weeks will be worthless, but in the same spiel told you that one could be rented out to cover both mf?

You should enroll your weeks, for free, especially if you trade often. You'll save a lot of $. Hopefully others will post the link for the free enrollment seminar. (Not sure if your particular weeks can be enrolled. )

The free enrolment webinar is (or was last time I looked) sadly one of those benefits us poor folk over the pond in Europe are not eligible for.
However, the cost is still probably well worthwhile.

 

[AlmostRetired]

I would report the incident to MVCI. I am sure they are completely unaware that their sales people use such tactics and misrepresenting the truth or completely outright lying. They are trained to focus on the value proposition because it is so compelling. BTW, I said the incident and not the sales person because if you reported the sales person he would more than likely be promoted to sales manager.

Sarcasm aside, I have never experienced outward lies as much as sales people trying to stretch the truth. I have heard enough stories like the OP to know lying happens more than it should and not be allowed by MVCI.

 

[PAL123]

You will always have your weeks to use at your home resort Club Son Antem or to exchange via Interval to the other MVC resorts. The sales person was just scaremongering to try to secure a points sale.
However, Club Son Antem weeks can be enrolled in the points programme now (even if purchased resale before mid 2012) for not too much cost.
We enrolled our US/Caribbean weeks in 2010, our European weeks in 2012 and our Phuket weeks in 2016, as early as we were able to all for $695.
You might want to call Owner Services to ask what that cost will be.
Alternatively, You could ask the sales team at Club Son Antem (they can’t sell points, but they will try to sell you a resale week).
You certainly will not lose out by not buying points though.

Thank you for that information, we will call Owner Services and ask them.

 

[PAL123]

I would report the incident to MVCI. I am sure they are completely unaware that their sales people use such tactics and misrepresenting the true or completely outright lying. They are trained to focus on the value proposition because it is so compelling. BTW, I said the incident and not the sales person because if you reported the sales person he would more than likely be promoted to sales manager.

Sarcasm aside, I have never experienced outward lies as much as sales people trying to stretch the truth. I have heard enough stories like the OP know lying happens more than it should and not be allowed by MVCI.

Maybe he has been involved in quite a few such incidents - his title included Vice-President!

 

[PAL123]

We were at Grande Vista last year and also agreed to the presentation (our offer was equally as generous) however our experience wasn't as bad as yours. Yes, we had an exuberant salesman, in parts aggressive and quite unprofessional. However, we did enroll our Harbour Lake and Playa Andaluza weeks into the points programme for around £1000, our Son Antem weeks were ineligible due to the date when we purchased them but we're fine with that as we pretty much always occupy our weeks. For future usage we still have the option of exchanging through II, renting via an agency or through Marriott direct. Our weeks are never going to be worthless, how could they be?

He told us that pretty soon we It will be very difficult to book weeks at our home resort of Son Antem because the inventory available will get smaller and smaller and people booking less than a week using Trust points will block out full week owners and those with VIP status can book 13 months in advance. He didn’t actually tell us if our weeks were eligible to transfer to the points programme, we purchased one in about 2005 and our second in 2016, do you happen to know what the eligible dates are?

 

[bazzap]

F

He told us that pretty soon we It will be very difficult to book weeks at our home resort of Son Antem because the inventory available will get smaller and smaller and people booking less than a week using Trust points will block out full week owners and those with VIP status can book 13 months in advance. He didn’t actually tell us if our weeks were eligible to transfer to the points programme, we purchased one in about 2005 and our second in 2016, do you happen to know what the eligible dates are?

For European resorts, the cutoff date for enrolling resale weeks was 2012 (a date in June I believe).
So one of your weeks will be eligible.
As for the other comment by the Sales person, it is true that as more owners buy points or enrol their week(s) for points there will be proportionately fewer weeks available to book.
However, it seems that still relatively few European resort owners enrol their week(s) and even fewer elect them for points.
Also, the weeks and points inventory is totally separate and whilst there might be fewer weeks available to book there will also be fewer weeks owners able to book those weeks.
Overall, there will be some impact, perhaps more in unit allocation rather than availability, but the apocalyptic situation some sales folk predict is totally ridiculous.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I would report the incident to MVCI. ...compelling. BTW, I said the incident and not the sales person because

if you reported the sales person he would more than likely be promoted to sales manager.
.

The lies sound a lot like what I read about in TUG Wyndham forum .
Salesperson / weasel probably came from another TS system since the presentation was in Orlando .

I own Vidanta in Mexico - great resorts
- their presentions are “famous “ .for high pressure .