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kingdobe
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26-02-2008 09:40 AM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
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| There as been a lot of posts on here concerning Sunterra/GVC i know it's not popular to stick up for timeshare,but i will since the purchase of Sunterra by DRI there as been a complete change of management plus the way the product is sold.
There was in the past things done which were not acceptable but hopefully those days are gone.
The investment into a points based system is NOT FOR FINANCIAL gain its for future holidays of which i enjoy the benefits of hence my support of it.
Barry
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Willself
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26-02-2008 11:55 AM
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Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 263
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| Like yourself, i believe Timeshare Ownership far out-weighs the alternative. However cannot see the advantages of Points! They cost money to purchase in addition to the price paid for your orignal week!! For ease of mathmatics, lets assume you own 1000.points....that would entitle you too, a two bed sleep 6 unit.
So, say one year you felt a one bed unit would suffice...lets say...500points..that could mean 2 weeks holiday that year..However you would still need to pay the exchange fees..regardless. Exactly the same as your own week, plus a rental week.
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kingdobe
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26-02-2008 02:41 PM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
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| Hi Willself the original cost of joining DRI is quite steep but it is a long term investment in holidays.
first point min points required is 4000 to get a week's holiday but not at peak season 8000 is what's required to get a weeks holiday at peak season.
2 DRI as a large selection of resorts around the world which you can swap your point for holidays for.
3 to exchange outside of DRI they use a affiliate which is II (interval international) which costs £99 have not used that side so cannot comment on it.
4 Week owners can swap there weeks but that part is not tied in with the points system but they can exchange there weeks for points but it cost a lot to do it,obviously they than become point owners and nolonger week owners.
The resorts which are owned by DRI are currently being bought back up to specification after the previous management let them go.
I fall into both camps week owner as well as points i much prefer the points system.
Barry
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Willself
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26-02-2008 02:47 PM
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Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 263
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| Barry.
Hi, please appreciate that you are speaking to the converted lol..But i did not feel that you made a strong enough case for points...still to be convinced, unless 1've missed something!!
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kingdobe
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26-02-2008 05:29 PM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
My Profile
| To be brutally honest it's a damn difficult system to explain but once you've used it a few times it's simplicity itself.
One thing i missed out was the half point scheme which within 59 days you can get a holiday lets say it costs 4000 points you get for 2000 etc,which we used to great effect last season,you have got to be flexible though.
One of the major criticisms you read is no availability because people leave it to the last minute to try to get into the most popular resorts,hence you try to explain book a year in advance than your more or less guaranteed the place in the sun.
Barry
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Willself
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26-02-2008 07:06 PM
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Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 263
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| Barry.
One exchange company thats changed the face of timeshare is Dialanexchange.com
Unlike RCI//II. where Seasonal bands are used RED/White/Blue. and Unit size comes into play..ie..Studio 4 Studio..2 bed for 2 bed etc.
Dialanexchange allows you to exchange any time any place any size. So you could own a studio in Feb, and exchange into a 2 bed unit it mid summer..July/Aug.
all for the same exchange fee!! Plus like the other two major exchange networks offer Bonus weeks from just £99.00.
While its true to say, the do'nt have the number of Available units, resorts, etc..
They do use the same Network!! What this means is .We can access both RCI//II
Resorts world wide.
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FullMonty
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27-02-2008 10:33 AM
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Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 200
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| I think there is little doubt that the new management of DRI are trying to do things better.
However there are still some provisos.
1. How easily can you get rid of it? Is it possible to stop payiing annual charges ever?
If you want to sell is there an open market value and how does that relate to what you paid?
2. How is it sold? How much of a cooling off period is there?
Do they use agents? How are these agents monitored? LCI springs to mind since they operate under DRI's ATOL licence.
3. Why do sales pitches have to last so long? Soes it really take two hours to explain the system?
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Willself
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27-02-2008 10:50 AM
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Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 263
My Profile
| Full Monty.
1f you consider that your purchase is worthless!! then you will appreciate its value to YOU!!
The resale Value is::Whatever someone is prepared to pay you..be that £1.00.
Or in excess of £10,000.
1f we assume, you paid £10,000.and use it for say 10 years, then you have had
Quality Holidays over that period, be it at your Home Resort or Overseas. For approx, £1000.per year..Now if at that point you sold it for say£1,000.in fact your final costs would amount to £900.PA.
None of the above are guarantees, but at least you can understand value.
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kingdobe
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27-02-2008 11:34 AM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
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| Hello Full Monty i have read your posts on various sites so i will not attempt to persuade you of the benefits of membership of DRI,Willself as answered most of your points fully.
The presentation takes a long time for them to totally explain the system which is complicated,ours lasted nearly 4 hrs by which time the youngest was starving and they provided a free meal for us and free drinks at Wychnor Park Country Club,i asked every question that i could think of which they answered honestly plus gave us a rundown of how to get the best out of the system.
You can sell on the open market check ebay but you can only sell to other members which as far as i am concerned is not a problem.
LCI was tied in to the previous owners of Sunterra so if you have proof that DRI are now using them than i will contact the powers that be for a explanation of why they still use them.
Barry
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FullMonty
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27-02-2008 11:58 PM
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Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 200
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| The fact is that once you have bought you are locked into it and you have no way of escape except to someone who has already got some points. Name another product to which that applies. Imagine buying a car and the only way you can get rid of it is to sell it to someone who already owns one! Finally we know how much they are worth - look on ebay.
It is not popular to stick up for timeshare because many timeshare companies are economical with the truth. Take most threads in this forum. The same applies to firms that sell holiday points, selling timeshare is regulated, selling holiday points isn't at the moment.
LCI use ATOL 4160 which did belong to Sunterra and now belongs to DRI. So yes there is a link. LCI will say they are ABTA registered, they
aren't. They will tell you they are a travel agent. They aren't.
If there is a holiday for free (£34.50 or whatever) why don't they just send the details through the post?
They tell you they want you onto your premises because that is the way they market their wares and they want you to come back and tell people what a great time you have had. It is nonsense - they want to get you onto their premises so they can give you the hard sell on the holiday point system and that's why it takes four hours. No holiday system is that complicated!! Of course if you escape and take the holiday and then you manage to get one at a time and a place to suit you - they make it compulsory to go through another hard sell,
That is disguised as a "presentation" and may last all day according to some people.
Now explain to me why, having gone through a four hour explanation of the system once you now need to go through another one abroad? It is not an explanation of how the system works - not for four hours it isn't, it's a hard sell. And it's a hard sell because the product is not a good one and few people would buy it otherwise .
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kingdobe
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28-02-2008 11:00 AM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
My Profile
| Hi FullMonty as i said previously obviously this version of time share is not for you.The point is they send you on holiday you stay in a great resort (we stayed at White sands beech club),so obviously there is a payback hence the presentation but even you have admitted DRI as changed the way they go about selling the product so what i have heard but not witnessed but never had anyway is no hard sell after the presentation unless you know otherwise.
You keep mentioning the fact you cannot sell on the open market but this way DRI have control over who joins the club,i was unfortunate to go on one of those newspaper breaks we left after one night there were kids running around swearing playing football very late at night underneath signs saying not to,and when you approached the parents there reply was there on holiday.If that was to happen at a DRI resort they would be off the site and out of the club.
If your circumstances change to such a great extent you can still sell the points but you will never get your total outlay back yes it might only be to other members but hopefully you would have had some good holidays for your money.
One last point i am writing from experience of being a member of GVC/Sunttera/DRI and enjoying good holidays with them we have 2 booked this year with a chance of a third,what i would hate to see is a young couple with kids like we were when we joined miss out on the opportunity's of great holidays.
Barry
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COXAN56
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28-02-2008 11:08 AM
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Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1
| Hi I am with Barry on this. Points work for us. Things seem to be improving so things can only get better.
I have had points for 5 years and never had a holiday I didnt like
Annie
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stez_2
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28-02-2008 01:09 PM
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Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 38
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| Also a Diamond member - points work for us had them since 2004 we realise that we will get more benefit from them when we retire and have the flexibility you dont have when working.
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j4tfoi
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28-02-2008 04:43 PM
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Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
| We have just been to a presentation and signed up for the three year trial membership. Looking at the posts here Diamond Resorts/Sunterra used to operate on a points system, but we were sold weeks, namely 9 over the three years. It sounded like a good deal for us, as we have 2 teenage kids and we want to spend some holidays in the UK and also long haul destinations, and they are expensive. The one thing that worries me about all this is the availability, especially as we have to go in school holidays at the moment. I'd like some honest advice before booking the preview holiday, because if it is a problem we'll cancel.
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Willself
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28-02-2008 05:06 PM
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Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 263
My Profile
| j4tfoi.
While i never tried the 3 year trail option, i do believe it has its merits..However because you do know when Schools are out...Then the best advice would be to book early even if you have not confirmed your flights!! That way you are assured of your Accommodations. Some networks allow you to purchase insurance, where-by should you be unable to go, or get matching flights,then at least you do not forfeit your Holiday Time..
Am i right in thinking? that if after //during your 1st.Holiday you up-grade to full membership then that figure is taken off the Full Price of joining!
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kingdobe
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28-02-2008 05:45 PM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
My Profile
| Hi j4tfoi the 3 year deal if i am right in thinking the more holidays you take the amount which comes off the purchase price to upgrade go's down,so if you take all the holidays you start from scratch.
The flights are another mater we try to book a year in advance and book the flights as soon as they are announced so we know everything is paid for not the cheapest option but gives us peace of mind.
Barry
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j4tfoi
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29-02-2008 03:12 PM
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Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
| Kingdobe and Willself
Thanks for the replies. I've just booked the preview week and have to say I was really impressed with the service. Flights were found within 2 minutes, there was no problem with the resort availability (even though we're going in 4 weeks) and everything seems fine.
Obviously they want things to go well on the first trip, so when we get back I'll try and book something for the summer and see what happens. Watch this space!!!
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FullMonty
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04-03-2008 12:29 AM
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Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 200
My Profile
| Just to go back to the connection with LCI and Feria Holidays and DRI.
Ring DRI and ask if they have any connection with LCI. They will deny it.
But LCI ONLY sell DRI and in fact give out Feria Holiday vouchers (now) using ATOL 4160 - which is DRI.
Why deny the connection?
When telling us how well DRI works for you , would you be kind enough to tell us how much the annual charge per point is - and perhaps more importantly how much per year it is currently going up. Is it above inflation or below inflation?
And why is it impossible to sell to anyone other than an owner of points already?
There could be two reasons for this - one is to retain exclusivity - but since they will sell to anyone who can afford it that is hardly an issue.
The other possible reason is that it locks people into DRI.
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kingdobe
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04-03-2008 06:17 AM
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Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 82
My Profile
| Full Monty are you a member of DRI because if you are you would know the management fees,the second point about selling i thought i gave a full explanation about that in a earlier post.
The above the rate of inflation rise that we had this year was to accelerate the refurbishment of the property's that the previous owners let deteriorate,but you already know the answer to that.
Barry
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FullMonty
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04-03-2008 08:30 PM
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Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 200
My Profile
| Not a member of DRI thank you.
I agree that there has been a complete change of management as you say in the original post. I do not agree that there is a change in the way the product is sold.
Currently LCI - and if you read these threads you will know they have some history - are selling DRI points. They say they are a travel company - they aren't they are a marketing company. They say they are ABTA - they aren't. They say they are ATOL - they aren't, they use an ATOL licence under the name feria holidays - which is DRI. Ask DRI if they have any connection with LCI. They deny it.
If the product is as good as you reckon - how come you have to go as a couple - why is one person not sufficient? Simple answer - it gives the person the perfect get out "I have to go home and ask my wife/husband".
If the product is so good why do they need to tell so many lies about it?
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