GVC Sunterra - Is it a freebie?

by **shazbag** on Mon Dec 10, 2007 14:50 pm

We have been Sunterra members for about 10 years now. We paid about 14k for our points 15000 of them. We have had 3 long haul holidays, each for 4 people paying only for flights and food( you have to eat at home), each for three weeks. How much would that have cost at normal travel agents rates? A lot more than that I am sure. On top of that we have had at least one and usualy 2 European holidays for as many as 6 people each year. I think I can say that Sunterra has been very good value for us.

by **nix** on Fri Dec 14, 2007 00:24 am

kingdobe,

you misunderstand me. Several years ago GVC was a good deal as you got good resorts and the yearly fee was cheap (especially if you considered the joining fee as paying to the building costs of more resorts). The fee's have been going up and will continue to as they buy ageing resorts and try to bring them up to standard. I've been at several Sunterra sites (as well as resorts used by thomas cook et al, and other clubs via II) so know the standards. It does seem that there is a worry as it soon will be that Sunterra/Diamond-Resorts will be paying more with less availability than people simply paying to stay at the same resort (such as through II getaways).

by **kingdobe** on Sat Dec 15, 2007 22:48 pm

Sorry about that nix but and i agree the fees have gone up but hopefully with the new management so will the standards,the thing i will say is that it is still good value for money.
Your point is incorrect about availability you should know as a member/former member that the amount of units must keep pace with the amount of members add into the equation the amount of units the sales operation holds.
So all in all i enjoy my holidays (never had a bad one)with Diamond (sunterra)and i would recommend it for anybody as long as they know it's not a Thomas cook package holiday operation.
Barry

by **eanette** on Wed Jan 02, 2008 17:48 pm

you will have to sit through a seminar on time share they call it the points system they do try the hard sell then you pay maintenance fees every year that are quiet dear once you have bought in to the company it is impossible to sell them back to them and they will not let you sell them on hope this helps and if you only holiday during school holidays you can get cheaper packages

by **Fred 2** on Wed Jan 02, 2008 18:27 pm

Eanette - you seem to be trying to answer Bazza's question. This was asked about four years ago.

by **tel** on Sat Jan 05, 2008 18:17 pm

Has anyone visited the new site yet, now diamond resorts? a lot of the previous features seem to have vanished, ie point saver searches ets

by **batty-boy** on Mon Jan 07, 2008 18:33 pm

Its not timeshare exactly, but it works in a similar way. I went to the presentation and sat through the whole sales pitch (3 hours) and got the free holiday. I had to pay for flights, airport charges, transport to and from the resort, all food and drinks, even a charge for electricity used. Then you have to attend another sales pitch while you are there.

good luck

by **kingdobe** on Fri Jan 11, 2008 20:47 pm

The bottom line with Sunterra they deliver what they promise on the holiday front,good quality accommodation good locations and nearly always friendly service (no students who don't give a damn).
The second point is there sale reps leave a lot to be desired i personally had good sales reps but i have heard story's otherwise.

Barry

by **Onecrosslady** on Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:48 pm

I would advise you wholeheartedly to avoid them like the plague. The company have cost me a fortune. I got the free holiday ONCE I had signed up with them. It has cost me a fortune ever since. I pay �700 management fees each year for one week. On top of that everywhere is always booked so to use my points I have to pay an additional �100 to go to America via another company that they are linked with. On top of that there are the flights to pay for all the family. Many of the resorts are not good at all, Santa Barbara in Tenerife excepted.

Don't do it - you can go on a holiday cheaper with your travel agent

It is a major rip off.

Christine

by **southafrica** on Thu Feb 14, 2008 22:19 pm

Can anyone tell me if I have a legal requirement to pay manament fees. I have a 3 year explorer membership with sunterra but i have hardly used any points. This year I have 8000points unused but refuse to pay the managment fees. It is my last year with the company and i am not bothered about any further holidays. Bear in mind my agreement was with sunterra not diamont resorts who took over the club. I did not agree to this.