Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System

I certainly see the use of a timeshare for families as children need room and want that pool and play areas. For older folks like myself travelling with my wife we have many more opportunities to travel. We don't need the hassle of planning that two week vacation every year naming the exact dates, times, location, etc. For me To go to Aruba for one week is costly when I can rent an entire home in Florida for a month at the same or less price factoring airfare, taxis, overpriced dining , renting umbrellas, etc., etc. But, I will say, so long as I can use points in Marco Island I will appreciated my use of the Marriott timeshares.

I totally agree. We have owned Marriott since 2004 in Maui. We have upgraded over the years and added points when the points program was rolled out. Now that we're older we like to use our points close to home in California. We have 3 or 4 choices in Palm Desert, 3 choices in Lake Tahoe, 2 or 3 in Southern California and the Ritz Carlton Club in San Francisco. Like you we appreciate being able to drive to all of these place in our state. Florida has many choices too and Marco Island sounds lovely. Thank you for your post!

I agree too! We've had amazing trips we'd NEVER be able to take if we had to pay for them- and we've been able to "gift" trips to friends with cancer, a veteran with PTSD, and also take our children and their families and friends on trips! We always saw it as an investment in our family, not in our portfolio! We've gotten much more out of it than we've put in it! The whiners and complainers probably whine and complain about the price of gas, groceries and houses too- a little homework and some flexibility have always allowed us to take the trips we've wanted with the people we've wanted to go with us! Some people will never be happy! I guess that's why there's 86 pages here on the "Ripoff alert"- we've owned timeshares since 1983 and have NEVER regretted any of those purchases, even though some haven't worked as well as others- we just MAKE IT WORK!!!!! STOP WHINING- you sound like the young people of today- blaming everyone else for what doesn't work for them!

joya8 wrote:

You are complicating something that really isn’t that complicated! I own the equivalent of four weeks...we bought two fixed weeks and bought points twice. Our first week was acquired over 20 years ago. We have had wonderful trips! When we were young and still working, it put us in accommodations we would never have been able to afford otherwise. I will take a unit with multiple TVs, bedrooms, bathrooms a living room and a kitchen any day over a hotel room. We have been retired for a number of years....these timeshares have allowed me to take the kids and secure multiple units...enough space for everyone.. a timeshare is not a financial investment....it is an investment in a lifestyle.

I bought MVC Asia Pacific with the least points to qualify for the entry level in 2009. Since then, I have travelled with family to Singapore(3X), Phuket(3X) and Hawaii(2X). With MVCAP, I am also qualified to register myself a member of II which I was able to book some quality gateways in Europe and Orlando. I never regret of having a timeshare. Now, I am also a owner of DVC.

I'm not complaining about using my weeks or points in a place like Marco island. I am complaining about shelling out $3,000. in advance for a stay of two weeks which I must do exact planning a year in advance. Use it or lose it. The maintenance fees go higher by twice the inflation rates. The same timeshare room that I use can be rented from Marriott direct or even using Marriott rewards points with no tidy room housekeeping and extra cost if you want the room cleaned more than once per week. The planning I can still do but mark my words most people my age do little planning for vacations.

I am not sure what your age range is...but we are retired 15 years.....my husband 72 and I am 60. I have vacations booked through March of 2020 already......once a “ planner” always a planner....

I agree! The rest of you must have families that can plan a year ahead to be able to accompany you to your resort. If it was just 2 people, its no problem but if you bought 2 or 3 bedrooms not so easy.

Actually we bought a 3 bedroom, Ocean front, fixed week Villa inthe Maui Napili building before Marriott switched to points. By opting for points most years my husband and I are able to go everywhere. We love the program! It works for us!

I just recently bought more two weeks from Marriott. Never thought I’d do that. One is a 2 bedroom platinum ocean view at the Aruba Surf Club and an ocean front platinum at Ocean Pointe. I already own one of their Hawaii properties. I can lock off any of them and get six weeks or if I use the points smartly and take advantage of Destination Escapes or go vacationing during off season times, I can extend it even longer. I love the program and am glad I got in back when it first began in 2010.

Sorry, I haven't read too many of these postings. I own 1 week every other year (platinum) at the Marriott Maui, 2 bed, 3 bath. I purchased not too long ago from a past owner. I just recently secured a week for 2019 that I want to use. However, I just received a letter from Marriott asking me to attend an "event" regarding the destinations club. I believe that they want to charge me a lot of money to join this club, so I can do the points system and trade around. I've heard a lot about it, but I like staying at my resort every other year. It might be nice to switch it up, but is it worth me spending more money just to get into the points system? If it was an even trade and not more money, I could see doing that.

First, you own your week so they cannot change that. Of course, they would prefer your week was "enrolled" so you could exchange for points. You got a bargain by buying privately.

They will try to sell you points "and" offer to enroll your EOY week with a points purchase. It will be very expensive but they will try to entice you by looking at the cost per point including points coming from your owned EOY week.

Buying points - These are high pressure presentations with the "imagine" hook. The best way to look at this is to look at what you could get for the points you would purchase. For example, it takes 4,700 points to get a summer week at Marriott Newport Coast and the point purchase would cost over $50,000.

Should you want more available vacation, you might consider just buying another week in the private market. If you buy, make sure it is a week that is easily rented out (cash is a suitable alternative to points).

If you’re only going to use your week then the Destinations Club may not benefit you. Points are useful if you want to lengthen or shorten one week stays. Since you bought resale, Marriott will try to entice you to buy points and will offer to enter your week into the DC program. Points are very expensive so I would be careful about buying them unless you want more time that you want each year. Otherwise, I would suggest you buy resale like you have and use Interval International for traveling to other places. I will say that I personally like having access to the DC program. It has lots of options that pure weeks does not offer. However, I own pure weeks that I can elect points if I choose to any year. Maintenance fees are usually cheaper than points too.

sharis60 wrote:

Sorry, I haven't read too many of these postings. I own 1 week every other year (platinum) at the Marriott Maui, 2 bed, 3 bath. I purchased not too long ago from a past owner. I just recently secured a week for 2019 that I want to use. However, I just received a letter from Marriott asking me to attend an "event" regarding the destinations club. I believe that they want to charge me a lot of money to join this club, so I can do the points system and trade around. I've heard a lot about it, but I like staying at my resort every other year. It might be nice to switch it up, but is it worth me spending more money just to get into the points system? If it was an even trade and not more money, I could see doing that.

My family is a big fan of the Marriott hotel brand and stay exclusively with them on our vacations in the US. Recently I started looking into their timeshares to understand the value and to see if I am really missing anything. Partly my interest was stirred due to the persistent calls/e-mails/letters that I get from Marriott/Hilton/Disney regarding their timeshares.

However, after going through several forums including this one, it seems to me that the expense and headache of owning a timeshare far outweigh the benefits. I also see many people are selling their deeded timeshares for $1 cause they are desperate to get it off their hands. Now with this new point system, Marriott seems to have devalued their program for existing owners, and there is no telling how much further devaluation is going to happen in the coming years for new owners. Plus they could raise the maintenance and there is nothing you can do about it.

For the Marriott folks who still love their timeshare several years after purchase, what exactly do you see in it over simply renting a timeshare or even staying in a hotel? Also, why did you choose Marriott over other reputable brands like Hilton or Disney?

I think it's just a matter of preference. We find the points program and our deeded week easy to use and are able to get what we want when we want it. The maintenance fees are reasonable to us as we appreciate knowing the villas and grounds are well kept and we don't worry about anything but our vacation. We were just in Palm Desert for a week. Our friends rented a vbro home near us. The home was very nice but they had to buy toilet paper and had problems with the hot tub and shower to name a few problems they experienced. I can stay home if I want these problems. I'll take a Marriott resort anyday.

Before I throw in my .02 cents, let me tell you that this site is usually extremely negative and one sided so my suggestion to you would be to go to tug2.net and go to the Marriott Vacation Club forumand ask this very same question and you’ll get a more balanced and informed view.

That being said, I love my Marriott timeshares. I have found the resorts to be well maintained, in good locations and accessible. I like having room to stretch with my kids and being able to cook meals or barbecue if I so desire. I own three 2 bedroom lockoff units that I can turn into nearly 14,000 points. If I keep the units in weeks, I can turn the units into 6 weeks instead of 3 weeks because lock off units are two units separated by a door. Thus, you can stay one week on the one bedroom side and then one week on the studio side. With points, it’s possible to stretch vacation time even further with Destination Escapes which is when Marriott offers specific resorts for hugely discounted points. Also, if you make reservations at 60 days out if you’re at the Presidential and Chairman levels you’re again using heavily discounted points. If want a smaller unit than a two bedroom, you can do. If you buy weeks resale and use weeks only. You come out way ahead because you don’t have the initial outlay. However, if you want to use points you will have to pay a lot of money to get enough points to get you to the locations you desire. Marriott sometimes has packages that you can buy that can be bought cheaper than resale prices. What many like is more comfortable accommodations. Maintenance fees do go up, but so does everything else. I own high demand resorts that are reasonable compared to what the retail prices are. I can rent them for more than what I pay in maintenance fees too. Some people feel they aren’t worth it, but there are those like me who take good advantage of them and find great benefit.

I do like my Marriott timeshares. It’s just that when you get to retirement your options on travel are more open. Spending a week somewhere with the children is usually not the norm. With the necessary airfare to reach anywhere in the Caribbean and the at least $225.00 maintenance costs the value of a timeshare week vacation can run as much as month’s vacation in a two bedroom condo in Southwest Florida. Sure I would give my timeshares to my children if they only pay the maintenance fees. They won’t even do that so we enjoy our Marriott timeshares and so long as Marco Island and Aruba are available I will be happy. I can rent most Marriott timeshares properties for as low as $100.00 per day.

My husband and I have been retired for 10 years and love the flexibility of points, especially off season when the kids are in school. Our 3 bedroom in Maui converts to 10,225 points and we purchased more points early in the program when they were a lot less. I see point resale for next to nothing. If you enroll your weeks in points you will love the flexibility. Happy Travels!

We own both Marriott and Disney and have for nearly 20 years. Both are great programs but MVC does offer more options and continues to expand the program, where Disney just keeps building more at Disney. They do have other options but they aren't available if you don't buy direct. MVC gives booking priority to those that own the most points and you really need 6,000 + points to fully access the benefits. They also give priority to those that bought direct. Disney has a home resort priority. If you buy at Beach Club, you can book 11 months out and at other resorts in the system 7 months out, so if you want DVC buy where you want to stay. If you don't buy direct from either, use is limited in some ways. For example, if you buy MVC resale you can't convert to the points program. For Disney, you wouldn't have access to their cruise line. If these don't matter to you buy a resale.

We have 3 weeks of MVC bought direct and 1 resale. We also bought a small number of points. Our 3 weeks can convert to destination points. The 4th week can't but it trades for 130,000 rewards points annually and that's what we bought it for.

We love the programs. We've spent a lot for this and Maintenance fees are high but we bought this instead of a second home and after 20 + years I don't even care what we sell them for when we're done. We've had some great vacations and with more than 15,000 MVC points (equivalent) plus Disney we still seem to have to borrow points every year. We spend at least two weeks a year in St Thomas and two in Marco Island, plus a couple of weekends in NYC or DC, and a vacation or two for our kids. No regrets here

We've also done a Disney cruise at least half a dozen times. Enjoying life ;-)

Marriott Vacation Club stole my Timeshare in Orlando. After 17 years of ownership, they stole my 35,000 USD property because I forgot to pay the 1200 USD maintenance fee one time. I moved and did not receive the notice. They had my phone number and email address, but sent the notice via "snail mail". Who does that in 2018! When I noticed that I had not paid the annual maintenance fee I contacted them to make arrangements to pay it immediately. When I called them, they said "too bad" we took it already! Crooks!!!