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Re: Marriott Going to Point Syst (by Carvan A.):

Erman,

I agree totally with your comments. I am a current and long time Marriott timeshare owner and I think MVCI owners should hold off bashing Marriott until all the facts are known. No one is being forced to convert to points. I think Marriott is simply protecting their brand and in the long run that benefits all who are MVCI owners.

I note, especially on TUG, that a lot of owners are perplexed by the disparity in the number of points they receive for their week and the number required to trade back into their week. I have read several esoteric explanations for this disparity and I still don't understand it but more puzzling to me is why that is an issue. That is, why trade your week for points and then complain because it requires more points to trade back into your deeded week?

I think the real underlying reason for the discontent is because MVCI owners will no longer be able to game the system. Sure, I have done it myself. I formerly owned two 1 bdrm summer weeks at Vail (Marriott Streamside) for which I paid half the price of two winter weeks and then for twelve years I consistently banked them and traded for 2 bdrms during ski season at Marriotts in Vail, Park City, and Tahoe. Under the point system those who own a one bdrm bronze week, for example, will no longer be able to bank it and then (using Marriott's 24 day priority) exchange it for a 2 bdrm gold or better. Marriott marketed these bronze weeks as "traders" in order to move them but now Marriott is essentially ending that practice with the point system. That is, you will either use your January week at Hilton Head or trade it for points that will get you into a bronze week elsewhere. Those who own prime weeks at prime locations will probably benefit from the flexibility of the new point system.