Original Message:
Re: Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System (by Paul W.):
Thank you Bob, Dennis and Kathryn -- I've been following your posts and am impressed by your comments. We are not current owners but sat through a professional (but perhaps somewhat loosely accurate) presentation. I have always felt that Marriott is a premier travel company and still do, but am struggling to understand if buying points under the new program is worth it. Reasoning: at $10.94 per point, I can purchase 5,000 "Trust Points" for about $50k. I can book any property for a week's stay up to 12 months in advance. However -- for the premier locations (eg: Marriott Lahaina Maui Tower), would there be rooms/condo's available 12 months in advance? I'm reading some anguished posts that Trust Point owners can't get certain places 12 months in advance so they are now purchasing additional points to get an additional month advantage...
Having said that, I would find spending $5k for a week's lodging somewhat on the high side and it would take me 10 vacations to work off the initial $50k investment, not counting the additional $2k each year for maintenance fees. 10 years x $2k = $20k would take me another 4 vacations to use up, so my theoretical "break-even" would be perhaps 15 years. That assumes I'll always get my first choice of where I want to vacation. According to Marriott, I can pass the ownership of the Trust Points to my heirs, but who knows what the world will look like in 15 years? Therefore, in lieu of investing the $50k + $2k each year for the next 10 years, maybe it would be better for me to simply book on my own and pay cash. My thoughts are: (1) Marriott could always change the rules again; (2) weeks at prime locations could increase in points; (3) participation in the Trust Points program (plus the other groups they partner with) could increase thus driving up the competition for a limited supply of locations; and (4) Marriott won't always have properties where I want to vacation.
So it's a lot to think about. In essence, what I would appreciate are any comments you guys might have as to whether you would enter into such an agreement with Marriott as a "new owner" as I've described above... Do you think it's a good deal or not such a good deal?
Thank you again for your comments -- they are exceptional.
Paul