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Marriott Will Only Accept Flex Points in Merger

andysnovel

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Star Options will not get you access to new Marriott Merger Program. Marriott will only allow flex owners to participate. Mandatory Resort owners will be excluded from trading into Marriott. Interval will be the mediator, the conduit for trading into Marriott’s Family of Timeshare Companies, Westin, Sheridan etc. This was presented at my Owner update today at SBP by a “Marriott” Rep and a Vistana Rep. I was shown a sample points chart that will be used across the board for all Marriott Properties. They wanted me to convert my mandatory 81,000 SO to flex points at a “discounted” rate, to add to my existing flex points. The so called Marriott Vacation Club Rep flubbed a few basic MVC resale questions I asked him, he had trouble describing the “junk” fees on a resale. He also made it sound like legacy owners did not exist. I noticed the universal flex points usage chart had a title that read “Options Conversion Chart”, I am guessing that this is the same chart Interval uses when folks trade into Interval, not some new flex points chart of the future. What a sham, I have attended many presentations, but this is a new low, I am calling Marriott tomorrow and complaining about this fraudulent presentation. That Marriott Rep never came back to my table, because I basically called him out. The Vistana Rep tried selling me a package with 30,000 less star options that I currently own, which would have cost me $13,000. I walked out of there in complete disgust. What happens to folks that don’t understand how Marriott works?? I have been following both Vistana and Marriot Tugg Forums, thank you Tug for giving me a wonderful ts education.
 

vacationtime1

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This seems unworkable to me.

The reason it seems unworkable is that the only Vistana inventory that DC point owners will be able to reserve is what is in the flex trust pools. There cannot be too much at this point -- the only legacy resorts VOI's that would be in the flex trust are those that owners "upgraded" to flex options which is not many. So Marriott owners would not have access to very much inventory, at least at the outset.

And it would be a disaster for flex trust owners. Now they would have to compete with the entire Marriott DC world for those few prime (e.g. ski) weeks in the trusts. Unless there was a preference period for the flex trust owners. In which case there would be nothing at all for the Marriott DC owners.

This would be a lose/lose.
 

dioxide45

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Obviously anything at this point is BS (Bountiful Speculation). Why was there a rep from Vistana and another from Marriott? It seems the reps would say anything to get you to buy Flex.
 

cubigbird

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The timeshare salesman lips were moving. You received nothing in writing.
 

SteelerGal

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It makes sense that the offer is FlexOptions only. Hoping that they would offer an enrollment option for resale. I guess time will tell.
 

pchung6

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It doesn’t make sense at all. Flex has all of these unsold weeks and that’s why they want owners to trade in. How about these St. John or Harborside weeks? I think these are what MVC owners would be interested to trade for.
 

andysnovel

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It doesn’t make sense at all. Flex has all of these unsold weeks and that’s why they want owners to trade in. How about these St. John or Harborside weeks? I think these are what MVC owners would be interested to trade for.
If you figure the only thing they have to sell right now is Sheridan Flex, they will try to find away to justify me buying more. The best lies are mixed with a little bit of truth. I have no doubt that Interval will be involved somehow in the internal exchanges between the various clubs. My guess is the “Marriott” Rep was actually a Vistana Rep chosen for the role, just the way he flubbed my questions told me that. The Vistana Rep had a script to follow, my questions to her threw her off the rails. There were sales rep sitting at table next to us, smiling and laughing their heads off when I challenged some of the statements made by both reps. Pchung6, you are right, it makes no sense in so many different ways.
 

DannyTS

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lies, damned lies, and owners updates.
 

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I had a similar type of presentation. The rep was making assumptions about what the new program would entail without any true basis for fact. He was giving me his opinion about how many points I would get in the new Marriott system based on my current SOs without anything concrete in writing. His pitch was to get me into Nanea and retro my 2 bed at WKORV. Came out of it feeling more confused than anything, but realizing I wanted another EOY 1 bed so I contacted Syed right away :banana:
 

SteelerGal

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Since MVC focus is points, it makes sense to offer Flex to the uneducated. Actually it’s not just MVC, all the other major TS Systems, except for HGVC, are now selling a points System.
Now it was the Office fault for not having a better trained rep handle your presentation.
 

CPNY

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I’ve been saying it would go through interval. Too bad the speculation I and many others have thrown out there are probably about as credible as what the “reps” told you on your owner update.
 

CPNY

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It doesn’t make sense at all. Flex has all of these unsold weeks and that’s why they want owners to trade in. How about these St. John or Harborside weeks? I think these are what MVC owners would be interested to trade for.
I’m wondering if the inventory that was always held back for Atlantis to use to be booked through their website will be available for a new program. I would welcome that, as that would leave harborside availability in vistana alone and avail for star options booking. That works for me.
 

CPNY

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If you figure the only thing they have to sell right now is Sheridan Flex, they will try to find away to justify me buying more. The best lies are mixed with a little bit of truth. I have no doubt that Interval will be involved somehow in the internal exchanges between the various clubs. My guess is the “Marriott” Rep was actually a Vistana Rep chosen for the role, just the way he flubbed my questions told me that. The Vistana Rep had a script to follow, my questions to her threw her off the rails. There were sales rep sitting at table next to us, smiling and laughing their heads off when I challenged some of the statements made by both reps. Pchung6, you are right, it makes no sense in so many different ways.
I’ve maintained II being involved as well. I don’t think a true merged program is coming just yet. I think that will take a bit longer. I’m looking for priority exchange in II first. Rather than Vistana having priority to vistana only and MVC priority to MVC only look for joint priority in a deposit and exchange situation. That’s must my guess, based on nothing other than, it’s an easy way to welcome your owners across all brands and the ability to sell them into a new program in the future.

Some may push back and say, “why buy into a new program if you have priority though interval exchange”? I would push back and say, for the same reason why people enrolled their weeks into the DC program or now buy into the DC program instead of buying resale weeks for much less. TWT (time will tell)
 

gravitar

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I had s presentation at SBP in May. The Vistana rep brought over a Marriott rep who immediately lied about how things currently work. When I responded with facts he stood up, gave me a dirty look and stormed away.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

Helios

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It's not you, it's him. Let him keep his dignity.
 

pchung6

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It happened to me too. Vistana sales rep wanted to convert my 2 annual SVV deeds of 162000 staroptions to EOY 148100 Nanea for $37k. I was laughing so loud in the presentation and that guy didn’t come back, then a lady did a short survey and kicked us out.
 

DannyTS

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Star Options will not get you access to new Marriott Merger Program. Marriott will only allow flex owners to participate. Mandatory Resort owners will be excluded from trading into Marriott. Interval will be the mediator, the conduit for trading into Marriott’s Family of Timeshare Companies, Westin, Sheridan etc. This was presented at my Owner update today at SBP by a “Marriott” Rep and a Vistana Rep. I was shown a sample points chart that will be used across the board for all Marriott Properties. They wanted me to convert my mandatory 81,000 SO to flex points at a “discounted” rate, to add to my existing flex points. The so called Marriott Vacation Club Rep flubbed a few basic MVC resale questions I asked him, he had trouble describing the “junk” fees on a resale. He also made it sound like legacy owners did not exist. I noticed the universal flex points usage chart had a title that read “Options Conversion Chart”, I am guessing that this is the same chart Interval uses when folks trade into Interval, not some new flex points chart of the future. What a sham, I have attended many presentations, but this is a new low, I am calling Marriott tomorrow and complaining about this fraudulent presentation. That Marriott Rep never came back to my table, because I basically called him out. The Vistana Rep tried selling me a package with 30,000 less star options that I currently own, which would have cost me $13,000. I walked out of there in complete disgust. What happens to folks that don’t understand how Marriott works?? I have been following both Vistana and Marriot Tugg Forums, thank you Tug for giving me a wonderful ts education.
I find this scenario one of the least likely because all those that bought weeks from Vistana would be left out. Some of these flex programs are just a couple of years old. What company would exclude all the members who purchased right prior to the flex? This would divide the Vistana owners into 2 classes and it would be a PR nightmare for Marriott. Sorry Vistana sales people, I do not think it is going to happen even if this would be your dream scenario.
 

r1lee

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We just had ours at lagunamar and nothing like that. They wanted us to enroll both of our units into flex. 148k kierland and 81k svv. With the purchase of 44k lagunamar.
 

pchung6

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We just had ours at lagunamar and nothing like that. They wanted us to enroll both of our units into flex. 148k kierland and 81k svv. With the purchase of 44k lagunamar.
Do you mean they will retro both of your WKV and SVV by an 44k Westin Lagunamar purchase? How much they asked for 44k?
 

dioxide45

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Do you mean they will retro both of your WKV and SVV by an 44k Westin Lagunamar purchase? How much they asked for 44k?
I suspect it was with the purchase of 44,000 Westin Aventuras points.
 

r1lee

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Do you mean they will retro both of your WKV and SVV by an 44k Westin Lagunamar purchase? How much they asked for 44k?

Correct they wanted to retro both. $19k after my 10% discount and my explorer package discount.
 

SteelerGal

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Correct they wanted to retro both. $19k after my 10% discount and my explorer package discount.
What would be the MF? Curious.
 

pchung6

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CarpeDiem65

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Did an Owners Update today at WDW. They are only offering Flex. Per prior posts, they are stating that Flex will likely be the only way to access Marriott properties through the upcoming combined Marriott/Vistana program which the salespeople said would be rolled out in Q1 2020. I guess we’ll see. To the salespeople’s credit they did not speculate on conversion rates or whether there would be an option for VO's to access the combined program. We were out of there pretty quick and picked up 25,000 Bonvoy Points for our time.
 

JIMinNC

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Did an Owners Update today at WDW. They are only offering Flex. Per prior posts, they are stating that Flex will likely be the only way to access Marriott properties through the upcoming combined Marriott/Vistana program which the salespeople said would be rolled out in Q1 2020. I guess we’ll see. To the salespeople’s credit they did not speculate on conversion rates or whether there would be an option for VO's to access the combined program. We were out of there pretty quick and picked up 25,000 Bonvoy Points for our time.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide executives said in their official October 4 Investor Day presentation that the first phase of the linkage between Marriott Vacation Club and the former Vistana programs would not be announced until "mid-to-late 2020" and would involve a "common points currency". I think your sales rep was spinning to make a sale.

See this thread for more https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...e-investor-day-presentation-october-4.296151/
 
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