Original Message:
Re: Marriott One Week Owners and the Destination Club (by Thomas J.):
I am a one week owner at Frenchme's Cove, St. Thomas. I did not join the points program because in my case having only one week it was too costly to do exchanges over the long run. Granted they give you 800 points for converting, but I look at the program as if I don't have any extra points. Please follow my logic and correct me if I do not understand the program. The sales personnel tell me that my time share here is worth 2750 points. If I want to go to St. Kitts the exact same unit will cost 2950 points. So I have to come-up with additional 200 points. I realize I can bank a year without vacationing, but at my stage in life at retirement, I don't want to miss a year of not vacationing. I can also buy 1000 points at a cost of over $10,000. Now what if I owned in St. Kitts, what would by time share be worth? Using marriott chart is it is worth 2,750 points and yet for me to go to St. Thomas it would cost me 2,950 points. How can that be like that if my current timeshare in St. Thomas is worth 2,750 points. So, in addition to the yearly membership fee that they charge you, they have built in another fee of 200 points. At $10.00 a point that comes to $2,000 to do the exchange. There is no even exchange for like units. Again, as a one week owner I do not see the advantage. I do agree with you, that it is a lot easier to exchange under the point system, but not cheaper.