• Marriott is no longer selling deeded ownership. They are selling a beneficial interest in a Land Trust. When a new owner purchases, they are receiving Destination Points.

• Owner of "legacy weeks" have the option to join the Destination Points program. Marriott Vacation Club is offering an incentive of 800 Destination points to do so by the end of 2010.
  

• The cost to enroll is either $595 for single week owners or $695 for multiple-week owners. This is a one-time enrollment fee.

• Once you enroll, you have the same 3 options as you currently have (ie. book at your home resort, trade with Interval International, turn to Marriott Rewards points) plus a new 4^th option of turning your weeks into Destination Points.

• Each ownership week has been allocated a specific number of points based upon the property owned, size of the unit and view, where applicable.

• Annual Simplified Dues are part of the new program. You pay either $165 annually, if your combined weeks convert to less than 6,500 points, or $199 if your weeks convert to more than 6,500 points. This one fee covers Interval's membership fee ($89), your Marriott-to-Marriott trade fees ($109), lock-off fees ($75) and change fees ($29). Overall your fees per year should reduce.

• To trade to another property with points, Marriott has assigned each property point values based upon unit size, time of year and day of the week. For most properties the calendar is broken into 7 times of the year each requiring a different number of points. Marriott has produced a 56-page document outlining the points required for all properties.
  

• Typically, the points required to stay one week at a comparable property costs you more than what your week is worth. For example, Marriott's Canyon Villas Platinum owners receive 2,950 points but it costs other owners 4,175 points to stay at Canyon Villas Feb-March. Comparable properties cost similar points.
  

• You can use your points to stay for 7-nights or less.

To clarify the services that we offer at The Art of Vacationing and to offer more resources for owners, we have re-designed our website. New sections include: my new blog Timeshare Talk where I discuss hot topics on timeshare ownership, Pam's Travels, where you can get ideas on where to travel next by reading about my latest trips, Pam's Picks, where I talk about my favorite destinations, timeshares and more. These new blogs welcome your comments so please take a few minutes and catch up on our new site.