Marriott - Aruba

We just got home from this resort and my husband was ready to purchase a timeshare at the sales meeting. Thankfully, I talked him off a ledge and we left without signing anything. I know we can get deeded resales for much, much less. I'm trying to do my due diligence here and would like honest opinions on the way this specific resort works - getting a 2 bedroom week and having the option to split it into 2 weeks or trading it in for points to use eat other locations. Marriott's fees are crazy but we'd be willing to pay them if the benefits are really as good as they say they are. They told us the points to go to this or that location anywhere in the world would NEVER change. I find that hard to believe.

Also, deeded v RTU? I thought it'd be nice to leave a vacation to my son but now I'm rethinking the idea of being stuck forever with these fees. Please let me know your experiences, thoughts, etc.

Lots of questions, thanks in advance!

Hold out & buy Aruba (Marriott owners resale - probably @ Ocean Club) if you intend to return to Aruba frequently. You can then exchange for points when you wish to exchange.

If you are considering buying a Marriott timeshare. I would advise you to learn as much as possible about timeshares BEFORE purchasing.one. You are wise to come hear. I would also advise you to go to the site Timeshare Users Group (tug2.net) There you will get a wealth of information and there is a section on that site for just Marriott owners and they will be able to share important facts and realities of owning a Marriott timeshare. There is also a Marriott Facebook Group in which you can get lots of information. However, use Timeshare Users Group first.

I will let you know that you cannot use points if you buy a week at Aruba resale. Only a week bought through Marriott can be converted for points. If you want to trade to other properties, you will need to go through an exchange company called Interval International. Which is also now owned by Marriott.

Thanks for the info.

So if I pick up some else's deeded week in Aruba, I have to use the Interval system to trade it in for points? Are there fees for this? Is it a big deal or not? I have never used the system before.

Thanks!

marisat27 wrote:

Thanks for the info.

So if I pick up some else's deeded week in Aruba, I have to use the Interval system to trade it in for points? Are there fees for this? Is it a big deal or not? I have never used the system before.

Thanks!

if you pick up someone else’s points, you can only do a unit for unit trade. You can get two weeks because the two bedroom can be separated into two rooms with one side being a studio like a typical hotel room and the other side being a one bedroom which would include the kitchen and living room area. This is called locking off. Interval International allows you to do this so you could get two weeks for your one week. You could also just use Interval International to exchange it as a two bedroom and get one week in the bigger unit.

You have no option for points with a resale unit. You cannot trade for points with a resale unit. The use of points is not a big deal on these purchases.

Can I switch my week at Aruba ocean club suite ocean front from august to a week in November

Can I switch my week at the ocean club from Aug 5 2023 to a week in November

Aruba Surf Club is NOT deeded! It is RTU! I've been an owner preconstruction and my paper works states RTU! This is an on going discussion and that resort is not deeded! I know sales people say it's deeded, but they'll say anything to get a sale!

cathyn70 wrote:

Aruba Surf Club is NOT deeded! It is RTU! I've been an owner preconstruction and my paper works states RTU! This is an on going discussion and that resort is not deeded! I know sales people say it's deeded, but they'll say anything to get a sale!

Yes -- timeshare sales weasels virtually everywhere will say almost anything to "seal the deal". They know full well that only the written content within the four corners of the sales contract means anything at all. Anything and everything stated orally is just meaningless, non-binding noise temporarily floating around in the air. Accordingly, sales weasels can (and in your cited example, evidently did) muddy the facts, such as failing to accurately portray the crystal clear distinction between deeded ownership and a right to use (RTU) contract --- the latter involving no actual ownership of anything.

cathyn70 wrote:

Aruba Surf Club is NOT deeded! It is RTU! I've been an owner preconstruction and my paper works states RTU! This is an on going discussion and that resort is not deeded!

The up side to an RTU is that, if you ever get tired of it, you can simply stop paying and let your membership end.

And unlike most Timeshares everywhere (I've owned/bought/sold/traded at least 30-35 weeks at several locations since 1987, currently own 15 weeks), Marriott Aruba timeshare units do have some value to resell them when you're done with them!!

Just be careful and do your homework. Interval International trades always have fees attached and many of the interval properties that are not Marriott Vacation Clubs are subpar. It all sounds wonderful when you are in the sales pitch. Also note- the deed can be in both husband and wife’s name but the trade in points can only go into one person’s account. (Similar to airline points). After owning two Marriott vacation club properties (Maui & South Carolina) for 20 years and trading in SC every year for points - my ex has close to a million points in his account which he cannot share with me unless he is present to check into the hotel with me.

As far as I am concerned, the Points program is the biggest rip-off in the history of mankind. I own 8 weeks and 1,000 points. The BIG, BIG mistake was the 1,000 points.

Aruba is deeded - the country rules, unlike US. That is why you don't get snagged into Marriott points only system like Florida. Fees have been horrendous and have been rising ridiculously fast. You can elect to use your points every year related to the Aruba Ocean Club property, or just your week, so you can use your week (or split it if 2 bedroom lock off) or you can use your saved points to obtain a week. Ownership guarantees a week. You can buy extra points, but I find they are expensive. You may not see a change in your annual point value/property. that is fixed, BUT your price per point fee does increase annually. We have found with Marriott's new system to book our Aruba week if we can with our week, often splitting it and doing 2 weeks back to back. It was becoming more and more difficult to return to Aruba after Marriott launched the Abound program - we had plenty of weeks, plenty of points and could not book. It was easier and cheaper to go online and book externally - buy why should we since we already paid for the ability to trade and had been doing it for decades. When Venezuela had a financial meltdown a few years ago, we were in the right place at the right time to purchase there. Whatever Marriott has done with Interval, it is harder to use our weeks to go where we want. They ask you to buy more points to be in the next echelon of service / status, to get priority. That is another issue. If you don't keep "adding to your portfolio", you fall behind.

Well said - I forgot to add that part in my comment. Without the points, you are in a bad place. AND Marriot has the right of first refusal if you enter a non Marriott deal, to buy it and increase their inventory and you lose.