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Re: DRI offering PT's owners Sunterra conversion

[Q=dougp43] Before deciding to convert both out Suite's and Villa's units I calculated what our Sun Options points usage would have been had we had that option from the beginning. We purchased our original unit in 1998, purchased a Skyview unit in 1999 and upgraded our original tower 2 unit sometime later to a Villa's unit. Based on past personal usage and exchanges, if we had the availability of using Sun Options points we left 39,500 points on the table. That's the equivilent of 4 round trip tickets on AA plus a 3 bedroom exchange with 1,500 points left over. Or, if you're just looking at exchanges that would be 6 additional 2 bedroom exchanges we could have had since 1998. I think if I only had one unit or if I used my units for personal usage I would never have converted. But having two units made quite a bit of difference in my decision to convert. At this point from my conversations with a few other PT's owners it appears that maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the owners are making the conversion. Like I said multiple week oweners come out better than single week owners. One conversion fee for all the weeks owned makes it more palitable plus, you get to Sunterra's Silver Elite status which gives you a few extra's that make it a little better of a deal.[/Q] Converting to "The Club" ownership instead of the fixed week is a HUGE deal! It is a HUGE benefit for those who DO NOT use their home resort every year and for those who want to learn how to milk/use the system FULLY. Look into it if you have not looked into before. It is NOT Sunterra any more it is Diamond Resorts International and there are 112 resorts in the INTERNAL system NOW! Just added 14 resorts in the RainTree system. There are NO exchange fees to use any of DRI's resorts, no banking and waiting, ever. NO exchanges with RCI anymore, I.I. is far better! IF you want to exchange in the II system points go twice as far, so the $139 exchange is pennies compared to the level of resorts available in the II system. Go stay at Hyatt or Marriott's, or Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton's, Westin's and not have to pay THEIR PRICES for their ownerships. Have up to 10 times as many resorts in the DRI system as any other company out there. The upgrade for PT owners is equivalent to a $60K ownership purchase price at the current pricing tier structure for a DRI presentation. A friend of mine works at Hyatt and a 2 wk diamond package in Sedona is $56K.... compare those14,500 pts for that $2995 to that and if you know how to use the system I can get you as much as 6 WKS of RED TIME in a 5 star in II per year! The value is huge when you sit down and figure out how to really use that DRI system. The club select feature is huge too! just so many ways to make pts work better than fixed week, if you do not use your home resort every year! I am so glad I made the switch!! two weeks in Poi Po on Kauai this year in a 2bdrms for 12,000 pts! and one week in Mexico for 2000 pts on Club Select inventory! then toss 500 pts at my maintenance fees and I am a happy camper!!