Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System

We have had a similiar experience. We purchased at Breckenridge, CO--but the difference was tht it was studio, BUT we purchased Platinum season (I think it was $15,900). We were told that you really needed to buy Platinum if you wanted to insure that you could trade high--so we did. Tht was back in 1992--if memory serves me. We LOVED the program, and we got a world trip through Marriott Rewards points as a perk for buying (it was 200,000 per trip with airfare at that time)! That property earned us 110,000 MRP every other year--meaning with two trades we had another world trip. Then in 2003 we purchased a lock off unit at Canyon Villas (pre-construction for $19,500)--again earning another 110,000 MRP every other year--meaning , which was absolutely terrific. We have never gone to any other resort than a Marriott--though we did TRY to get one through II in Venice 13 months out--and didn't even get close! We ended up spending some MRP staying at the Courtyard at the Venice Airport (not a bad trip in either). Point is, we have loved Marriott, we did just join the Destinations Program, and have no idea yet how we will like it. Hopefully it will give us the flexibility they promised. As I have said before, my main concern with Marriott is that they don't train their reps very well, as all of us have been told one thing in the sale--only to find out it is NOT they way the program works!

Sad to say, I have been a relatively happy Marriott owner with a 2Br lock off unit in Palm Desert and Two 1br units at Maui. I attended two presentations just to be sure the BS they were trying to sell was only intended for STUPID people. I am not one of them.

Let's see, not only do they get way more points from people like you for a unit I might deposit, but they charge you WAY more than I could possibly get for my unit if I sold it to you. For example; if you buy the points it would take you to stay at my PD winter property, it would cost you about $34,000. If I were to resell that unit, I would be lucky to get $15,000. Great Deal!

As for those two Platinum weeks in MAUI, the only way you or anyone else will ever get those for points you buy would be from my kids, after my death. In fact a friend just returned and told me that Marriott has been unsuccessful in getting Maui owners to deposit weeks, and since the units I own were sold out, Marriott has NO INVENTORY to rent. Thus if you had the points necessary, you would still have an almost impossible chance of getting a week there.

Reading through this forum it is obvious that many of the respondents are paid to do so. Frankly, Marriott owners are not that informed or HAPPY. Anyone who responds with that Company answer that you don't have to deposit your week and can always stay there, as a defense against the fact that you get less points than you would need for a similar unit, is only giving credence to the question of WHY WOULD YOU CONVERT.

Last winter I attended an owners forum in PD. A day that in the past might get 30 people way overrun by upset owners to the point that security people were called.

These folks should go to jail for this FRAUD. Buyer beware!

I don't like the Marriott program but I do get to stay at whatever Marriott Resort I chose through the timeshare program I have. The first time I did a Marriott presentation I didn't like the fact that I couldn't do an internal exchange and had to use II to go to other mariott properties. I've been to at least seven Marriott Resorts and run into whining owners who can never get what they want yed I, a non-Marriott exchanger get in for less than a Marriott maingtenance fee! Makes no sense to me at all.. Of course, Marriott has spun off the Vacation Ownership program as they prepare to divest themselves of their "problem child". I don't think they'll have many takers . . .

THE DESTINATION PROGRAM IS A RIP OFF. NEW OWNERS BEWARE---YOU CAN SAVE 30-40% OF THE COST BY BUYING AN OWNERS UNIT. EXAMPLE: FOR SEVEN DAYS AT THE SURF CLUB IN ARUBA, MARRIOTT WANTS APPROX. $45,000 IN POINTS, YET YOU CAN BUY A PRESENT OWNERS CONDO RIGHTS FOR $32,000(PLATINUM WEEK). YOU CAN USE IT EVERYEAR, TRADE IT, OR RENT IT. I HAVE DONE THIS FOR 6 YEARS, NEVER USING ANY POINTS. IF INTERESTED IN SAVING 30-40%, EMAIL ME AT JIMNVI@AOL.COM.

JimB387

This is very interesting. You think the Destinations program is a rip-off and then want us to contact you so you can sell us a week in far off Aruba.

I own a number of Marriott weeks; and, were I to do this again, I would only "rent what I need and want to use thru RedWeek." Renting units thru Redweek is the low cost alternative, enables more flexibility, avoids the "forever" commitment to maintenance fees, avoids the eventual loss on sale/disposition of the units, etc. Renting also removes the burden of worrying about using your weeks/points.

Having said this, we do enjoy our "owned" Marriott weeks/points and the reservation advantages of ownership. My wife would also say that ownership compelled us to plan and take some great vacations (she's always right). We just make sure that we use or rent out every week and point.

I just think it is too expensive to go to the point system...over $1,400.00. Any thoughts?

I'm curious about the $1,400 figure. I enrolled multiple weeks acquired from Marriott for under $700. I think the enrollment in destinations was worth it. I like the flexibility of use for less than a full week and the lower cost in points for Sunday thru Thursday nights.

just a note to marriott owners. marriott is in trouble with their new destinations program. why? because they need to buy a bunch of condos back in order to have inventory for all the suckers they are signing up for that expensive point program. to do that , they are trying to buy early marriott owners's super condos, aruba, hawaii, ect. at the preconstruction prices and then turn around and make a killing on selling or leasing them on the point program. think about it, they aren't building any new resorts of any significants, but they are selling the point designation program for resorts. kind of nice if you don't have a building expense, but you still have revenue coming in as if you did, and at a higher price than before. you are on the back end of any program marriott has dealing with points. the point values always go down in value and the maintenance costs always go up. all you have to do if you have been a marriott user for 10 years or more is compare those two figures and you'll see what i mean.

by trying to buy back condos at their old preconstruction prices( they offered me $14,000 for my weeks in aruba that i paid $34,000 for 6 years ago) they are trying to get those of you who are up in years and can't travel or perhaps no longer can afford the maintance fees due to the economy, to sell them cheap inventory. i really think for those of you who feel you want or have to sell now, the rest of us would like to see you sell to other marriott owners for that price or slightly higher, just to force marriott to start offering more to the owners and really protect all of our investments. i'm personally buying 1-3 aruba condos at those marriott plus prises just to average down my overall cost of the three that i already own. and , i don't use marriott to trade or rent any of the condos my family doesn't use, i call 13 months ahead and set all the best dates i can get and then if we don't use them , i have great dates to trade or rent. if marriott can't get oldtimers to sell them high profile resort areas for those low prices, their prices will go up or they will have all the new destination people raising hell. so, if you life situation requires you to sell for any reason, please sell your condo to a present owner and helpus restore a little integrity in the marriott program. jimnvi@aol.com

I agree that Marriott should be buying up resale units due to the low offering prices "and" their first right of refusal. However, I don't know that this is happening much. I suspect this is delayed until they sell enough points to cover the inventory on hand at the beginning of the Destinations program. There was a substantial inventory; and, I suspect these were not prime weeks or locations. All weeks are not equal.

I would be interested to see where Marriott is exercising the first right of refusal. I suspect it is only at the prime properties where the trust lacks inventory. Is anyone seeing any activity in Destinations buybacks?

I did buy some of the VAC shares to try to monitor this.

I'm really responding to jimb387 and dennish (hope I got that right as I can't see me messages as I respond). jimb, the problem I see with your suggestion is that marriott has owners a bit captive because if you sell your property to anyone else (other than willing your properties to your children) you don't have the option to trade for Marriott Reward Points--which to us is a big deal as we trade for them every other year to get the world trips. Also, when my husband and I were in Aruba last June, we did attend a presentation (when we bought into the Destinations Program), but they were in the process of selling out their remaining inventory. If what you say is true, why in the world would they sell out the inventory rather than holding on to it for trust owners--especially if they are short on available inventory for Destination program participants?

Just a thought - have you considered buying 50,000 Rewards Pts each year for $12.50 per thousand Pts ($625). You could then rent out your week. My wks yield a higher rental value than the value of the Pts they yield.

This program is very complicated.

Dennis

TO ANSWER YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGE OF BUYING SOMEONE'S CONDO AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TRADE FOR POINTS WITH MARRIOTT. I HAVEN'T TRADED WITH MARRIOTT FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS. WHEN YOU TRADE WITH MARRIOTT YOU COME OUT ON THE SHORT END. WHAT YOU DO HAVE TO DO IS MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS 12 OR 13 MONTHS AHEAD, WHATEVER YOU ARE ELGIBLE TO DO. YOU ALSO HAVE TO MAKE THOSE RESERVATIONS BASED ON MOST WANTED VACATION TIME FOR YOUR CONDO, SO THAT IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO GO THERE AT THAT TIME, YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK TO TRADE THRU INTERVAL OR RENT THRU REDWEEK.COM OR SO OTHER RENTA SERVICE. WHEN YOU HANDLE IT THIS WAY, YOU DON'T NEED MARRIOTT. THOSE WHO HAVE TROUBLE DO NOT PLAN AHEAD OR THINK THEY HAVE TO THINK OF JUST WHEN AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. YOU GOT TO THINK OF WHAT'S THE BEST VALUE TIME AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE GOOD DATES YOU SECURED 12 TO 13 MONTHS AGO. I JUST TRADE MY 2 SABAL PALM WEEKS, WHICH I SET UP FOR WEEKS #51 AND 52 13 MONTHS AGO FOR TWO WEEKS IN ARUBA. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TRADE FOR VALUE. UNDER THE OLD PLAN, MARRIOOTT OFFERS ME THE SAME 1100 PTS AS WHEN I BOUGHT THEM 18 YRS AGO, AND UNDER THE NEW PROGRAM THEY WOULD GIVE ME 2000 PTS EACH BUT I TRADED FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE SURF CLUB IN ARUBA ON AN EVEN TRADE THRU INTERVAL. I HAVE RENTED THOSE FOR $5000 ALREADY. IS THAT A BETTER DEAL THAN TRADING WITH MARRIOTT? I REST MY CASE---PLAN AHEAD.

I agree with you in that one must be smart in the use of timeshare weeks. Any change from "using" an owned week generally lessens it's value. I consider using an owned week to include renting it out and/or trading it thru Interval. Exchanges thru Marriott for points (Reward or Destination) generally lessen value received. Thirteen month reservations (long term planning) is a must.

Timeshare ownership is not for everyone and requires lots of attention. Timeshare weeks and points would be much more difficult to sell if buyers really understood how difficult it is to get what you want and the real dollar cost of the weeks you get. Renting thru Redweek is such a bargain!

Dennis

Believe you misunderstood what my point was. If someone in the future wants enough points to go to Aruba each year, it's going to cost them $10.95/pt for 46,000 points. So what I was trying to tell you is that you would be better off buying a Aruba week from an owner, whether it, s me or someone else for a lot less, probably for $17,00- 30,000. Next your going to tell me that the buyer can, t trade for points with Marriott and you, re right buy I have 5 Marriott, s and haven, t traded with Marriott for the last 6 years and have no problem keeping the reservation weeks I,m interested in. Any time you trade with Marriott you get hosed, just plan ahead 13 months, reserve the top priority weeks at you original site, and you won,t have trouble renting or trading your weeks. The key is planning ahead and getting high priority weeks.

Hope that explains that better.

jimb387 - I happen to agree with you and suspect that each of us has had to figure out ways to wring value out of what we own. The Destinations program, however, makes our week purchases look like a bargain. Those of us who already own weeks have a great advantage in cost and in flexibility of use.

I am also glad I enrolled my weeks in the Destination points program because it enables us to use 1 or two days here and there and/or to acquire 5 day Sunday thru Friday periods at a reasonable cost in points. I'm certainly better off because I enrolled our weeks in the Destinations program. Buying Destination points is a different story.

We've had some fun times with our Marriott participations.

The obvious thing to me is for existing owners like myself should all band together and not join new destination program and continue to deposit with interval. They can't run the orogram successfully without us.

Thank you every one who contributed into this discussion. I am surprised that "legacy" owners are not appalled and disguised that we can't use new point system with this supposably HUGE inventory including Ritz Carlton ( there are only 5 by the way as of now) without buying additional points to up our  ownership to 6500 to" premier" level, and mind you adding another mainatinance  fee to already existing fees. I am short of about 900 points, but only options available - 1500 points for $16k or 2500 points for $27k for me to purchase in order to get blessed by Marriott and become a "TRUST" owner.  when I bought my time share 6years ago I was promised a fat book of exchange availabilities, now I was told at the presentation that less  Marriott locations will be available to me if I don't enroll into new system ( read as pay more to Marriott)....As of rosy picture reps are painting to us that Marriott expanding, building more properties...our resort's last phase supposably to be finished this year (2012), however the completion date has been moved to 2014...Are there no money to finish a swimming pool and one more building? Is this new program a complicated fund raiser!? Another, thing....I was offered to buy  points to upgrade my silver week to platinum for x amount of $$....total amount  would be LESS ( a few thousand)  compare to what I spend for my platinum 6years ago, yes same resort!....My point is Marriott needs CASH now ( not getting it from me tho), but Marriott should not be so careless and  rude to  it's  loyal customers as all of us who bought, promoted, and loved Marriott timeshares for years....and now are forced to use second best options or spend more$$$$$ to be a part of "premier". I see class action lawsuit  in the future......

count me in if anyone hears of a class action lawsuit. i feel so totally ripped off. i did not know, was not told, any of these negatives that are in this Forum until I read them here. I got NOTHING for my $22,000 as far as I can see. I don't own them, can't trade them or rent them. they will take them from me for no compensation if i don't use them????!!!!!! i'll tell you for SURE no one ever told me that.

Sorry, but I'm a bit confused.

The new Destinations Program is an add-on to the legacy owned weeks approach; and, so far, I have not seen any adverse impact on the use of my owned weeks from Destinations. I have the weeks and I can still use them as I did before Destinations. Also, if I enroll my weeks, I achieve "limited" participation in the full Destinations program. Now, how have you been harmed with respect to your owned weeks by the addition of Destinations?

With respect to future investments by the Marriott Vacations (VAC) entity, I'm sure VAC will invest and develop products that will sell and that will achieve an acceptable return on investment for the shareholders. Marriott Vacations is not a cooperative and is not operated only for the benefit of point or week owners. Incidentaly, VAC is a public company and you can review the financial statements online.

Go ahead, I expect to be rebuked for the above narrative.

I own a 2 BR lockoof in Orlando at Grand Vista. I can split it and go to say, Auba, twice in one year. On the destination points plan I DON;T HAVE ENOUGH POINTS TO COME TO aRUBA ONCE A YEAR. I went to a presentation here in Aruba yesterday and they told me if i didn't switch I would not be able to get in next year as all the units would be in the Marriott pool instead of Interval. This is not true even if some do deposit in Marriotts pool there will be less people looking in Interval then too. Was a very stupid thing to say to someone who invested with them based on the fact that "we could trade anywhere being red 52 weeks a year".