Update to Post #464
 

Yesterday it was reported in the ORLANDO SENTINEL that Marriott Vacation Club Call Center announced a layoff of 173 people. This is addition to the 81 announced in November. When is Marriott going to address the changes made with the 2009 "Enhancements" that left the Marriott Vacation Club Timeshares without any adjustment in the points given when exchanging a week for points?

Maybe creating goodwill among current owners might help things.

What kind of Bizarro World does Bill Marriott live in?

Owner referrals will be near nonexistent when more owners become fully aware how they have been totally shafted by MVCI.

Interesting article in USAToday:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...e-market_N.htm

Marriott International's time-share sales in its most recent quarter fell 13% to $306 million, and it warned that its time-share investment spending is expected to decline in 2009.

"Our time-share business has certainly been far more impacted by the current financial environment than our core lodging business," said chairman and CEO J.W. Marriott Jr. in a statement in the earnings report.

The rest of the article discusses how things are looking very bad for all the major timeshare outfits this year.

It certainly seems like Marriott picked a bad time to effectively eliminate one of their timeshare purchase incentives.

probably has just as much to do with the inability to get financing for some TS potential owners as anything else.

Banks run the party on what gets financed, if they dont think that it is worth the money then no amount of points will offset that decision. You would have to give the points to the bank officer just to get the application submitted

I wonder how the general downturn in the timeshare business will impact the secondary market. My guess is that if you want/need to unload a timeshare, it may be a good time to do so... then again, the market may actually make it a worse time if there is a flood of dumpers.

The BASIC issue
 

Rooms for points was always a way of "giving" something for nothing. The rooms are empty so give them away for points which are given as "incentives" for other money-making propositions.
This PONZI scheme fails when no one will pay for the time shares or hotel stays.
So Marriott tries right now to scrape back funds by increasing points requirements this year for awards, but WILL find that unless the consumer sees value, the whole timeshare/points system will be seen as a fraud. This will ultimately kill the time share business.
They should support the time share business right now as more and more rooms are vacant by "giving them away" to their best customers to keep the base for future sales growth.

Award Schedule Change
 

Received this memo from Marriott:

"On January 15, 2009, the Marriott Rewards award schedule will change...All
Reward reservations made prior to January 15th will be honored at the current award schedule."

Does this mean Marriott will become stingier or more liberal with the award schedule?

Most are going up, but the promised tradeoff is increased availability.

Much more here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...ancements.html

Upcoming Marriott Rewards program changes reminder
 

I want to remind everyone of the changes that will occur with the elimination of black out dates on January 15th.

2009 Marriott Rewards program changes:

• Blackout dates will be eliminated
• The platinum bonus will increase to 50%
• Award structure – the points required for many multi-night stays will increase
• 14 hotels will be moved to a new redemption category - category 8 http://www.marriott.com/rewards/lra-faq.mi
• Stay Anytime awards will be eliminated

If you want to make redemption reservations using the current structure, make arrangements prior to Jan 15th: Just to make sure we are clear, if you make a redemption reservation before the 15th Marriott will honor it using the expiring award structure even if you do not actually order the rewards until after January 15th.

Travel packages and hopper rewards: These rewards can be ordered without a reservation. Because of this, any travel package you request prior to the 15th will be good for redemption stays completed within one year from the day the reward was issued at the category the certificate specifies. This means if you order a category 7 travel package today you will have one year to use this reward, regardless of when you book your reservation. Keep in mind a handful of properties are becoming category 8. If you want to use a current travel package for one of these properties you must make your reservation prior to the 15th.

I also want to make sure we are clear about the date these changes will take place. On the 15th the program changes will be in effect. If you are planning to order a travel package, or make a reservation for reward redemption under the current award structure, the 14th is the last day you can do this.

As always do not hesitate to contact guest services or send us a personal message if you have any questions about how this may affect your travel itinerary. If you have not looked over them already, I suggest you take a moment to review the FAQs posted on our website. http://www.marriott.com/rewards/lra-faq.mi

Ira

will a Plat earn only the old 35% till 1/15? or will it be 50%?

Thank you for calling these "program changes" and not following Corporate Marriott's deceiving "enhancements"

This would seem to indicate that if one ordered a tp w/o reserv. for cat. 7, it could then be used for a res. at a cat. 7 property that became cat. 8.

The bonus increase from 30 to 50% for Platinum members is effective 1/15. Currently platinum members are still getting a 30% bonus.

No, grammatically that is incorrect since you must make the hotel reservation prior to January 15. So if you ordered a TP Cat 7 today, you would have to make your hotel reservation and attach the TP award certificate before next Thursday January 15 in order to use it at a Cat 7 hotel that will become a Cat 8 hotel.

"if one ordered a tp w/o reserv. for cat. 7, it could then be used for a res. at a cat. 7 property that will become a cat. 8."