Greetings!
Have you started planning for 2012 and 2013 vacations? Whether you are considering a trip to your home property, another Marriott resort or an international destination using your rewards points, now is the time to plan. Several changes have been recently announced from Marriott Vacation Club and some airlines which will show you why planning now is so critical.
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| Marriott Puts on the Pressure |
Marriott is now putting on the pressure to enroll in the Destinations Club Exchange Program. Today, the enrollment fee starts at $595. On June 14th, the fee will increase to $2,395--a 300% jump in cost. I was expecting to see an increase soon but not 4x's the price!
If you have been on the fence about enrolling, this is the time to make the decision. Due to the ongoing savings in fees, there is a financial justification to enroll at $595 or $695 (for multiple week owners) but not at $2,395.
Let's run through the pros and cons of enrolling one more time:
Pros
- Eliminate fees from Marriott such as $80 to lock off or $29 to change a date.
- Eliminate Interval International annual dues and exchange fees to Marriott properties (for all new deposits).
- Easier trading, as of today, to many Marriott properties.
- You can book less than 7 nights to stay at a Marriott timeshare resort.
- You still have the choice of trading within Marriott using Club points or through Interval International. Interval still may be the best exchange company as sometimes you can trade for upgraded villas (just traded a studio for a 3 bedroom at Marriott's Grand Chateau in Las Vegas)
Cons
- Your ownership week may be worth less than 1 week at another property when booking with points. It may require 2+ weeks of your ownership to book 1 week at a different property.
- Annual dues of $165 or $199 may not offset the fees you currently pay especially if you own only one week.
- No advantage to enrolling if you tend to stay at your home property.
- As more and more owners join the Destinations Club program, inventory will become harder to obtain.
If you have toyed with the idea of enrolling, I would make the leap before June 14th. The exorbitant cost of enrolling after this date will not be cost-effective.
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on booking award seats as more travelers will be vying for this limited inventory. If you are thinking of taking a trip using your Marriott points, start planning now. You can book 11 months ahead of your travel dates. 
