the Art of Vacationing

03/09/2022

Marriott has announced that their latest devaluation will happen on March 29. As expected, the change to “flexible point redemption”. . .Marriott-speak for dynamic pricing. . .will mean that the…

12/15/2021

Marriott announced some impactful changes to their Bonvoy loyalty program last week. Not surprisingly, there are pluses and minuses. First, the good news: 2021 elite status will be extended through…

06/17/2021

I just returned from a great eight-day trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, visiting some wonderful sights and staying in a few terrific hotels. As so often happens when we…

05/28/2021

  There have been quite a few changes in the world of miles and points over the last few years, but none have impacted our clients as much as the…

02/22/2021

Pam's Travel North America Webinar You're Invited: Travel North America Webinar with Pam Now that you have your COVID-19 vaccine, are you wondering where to travel? With most of the world in recovery,

12/31/2020

Happy New Year!

New Year's Greetings

12/19/2020

12/17/2020

https://sigtn.com/u/OYDYFUXL

No matter what adventure you choose, it'll take place against a backdrop of an unforgettable, rich natural landscape.

12/17/2020

12/16/2019

10/18/2017

Sina Hotels - 5 star hotel in Florence Italy | Luxury hotel Florence | Villa Medici

Finally! There is now a Marriott-affiliated hotel in the heart of Florence, Italy: the five-star Sina Villa Medici. This is the fourth Italian property to join Marriott's Autograph Collection, which consists of luxury boutique hotels with unique design and character. The Sina Villa Medici is no exception, located in a gorgeous, recently renovated 19th-century residence with vaulted ceilings, marble bathrooms, silk wall coverings, antique furniture and more. This is great news for Marriott Rewards members and all travellers who love Italy! https://www.sinahotels.com/en/h/sina-villa-medici-florence/

A splendid eighteenth-century residence, Sina Villa Medici is a 5-star hotel in the centre of Florence, near the Arno River. Book now on the official site.

10/15/2017

Some great Portugal photos from our client Photographer Aboud Dweck, who is having a fantastic time in Portugal on the trip we planned for him!

10/08/2017

Travel with Pam

Pam went to Iceland! It's one of the hottest destinations for travelers right now. Read all about her trip – plus her top tips for how to get around, what to see, and the best hotels and restaurants. http://www.theartofvacationing.com/travel-with-pam

08/04/2017

Spring in Japan with Pam, 2018

Pam is off to Japan next April, and you should join her! She'll be hosting a group on a Tauck Tour journey to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and beyond. There are only a few spots left, so book today!
http://www.theartofvacationing.com/announcements/spring-in-japan-with-pam-2018

Join me in Japan next spring! If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing this country’s gilded temples and glittering skyscrapers, there is no better time than spring, when the cherry blossoms burst into bloom. I’ll be hosting a group of 12 on Tauck Tours’ Essence of Japan trip April 8–20, 2018.

07/11/2017

Alaska Group Cruise Windstar, July 2018

Ever dreamed of cruising Alaska? Of seeing blue-tinged glaciers, misty fjords, wild whales, rugged beaches and colorful seaside towns up close?

If so, now is the time to book! Pam will be hosting a group on Windstar Cruises' summer 2018 Alaskan Splendors sailing, July 24 to August 4, 2018 from Vancouver, Canada, to Anchorage, Alaska.

We’ll be travelling aboard Star Legend, a yacht that is smaller than many cruise ships, allowing us to reach spots not accessible on larger liners.

Space is limited, so secure your spot today!

http://www.theartofvacationing.com/announcements/alaska-group-cruise-windstar-july-2018

01/17/2017

We just received Marriott’s New Year email about special cruise deals so we decided to take a look and see how special they really are. Marriott Vacation Club is hosting owner cruises on Royal Caribbean in October and December this year. They offer what looks like a great deal – Boardwalk Balcony with welcome and farewell cocktail party, prepaid gratuities, an owners meeting, and 2 shore excursions all for 5,500 Vacation Club Points plus $885.27. However, when we analyzed the costs that wonderful deal sours.

We priced the purchase cost of a Boardwalk Balcony stateroom for both cruises. The prices start at $2,207 for 2 people. Marriott is charging the equivalent of almost $4,000 when you combine the value of the Club Points plus the additional cash. Are the extras worth $1,800? Gratuities run $189 and the shore excursions (one is typically a visit to a Marriott property) cost about $300 for 2 excursions per couple. So, basically you are paying $1,800 for $500 of extras. In addition, you are not in an ocean-facing balcony and will have to attend an owners meeting which is another way of saying "sales pitch"! Not such a great deal after all. In our experience, it is not a good value for the owners to exchange Vacation Club points for cruises. In this scenario, we, at The Art of Vacationing, would sell your 5,500 VCP for $3,025 and book you the cruise for $2,207. You would have money leftover to spend on the cruise, anyway you want! Contact our office today to learn how we can help maximize your Marriott ownership.

09/30/2016

Do you have a large number of American Express points and don’t know how to get the best value from them? Are you looking to travel internationally and would love to use them to offset the cost for business class international airline tickets?

If you call American Express directly they will recommend that you use your points to buy an airline ticket through them for a penny a point. That means that a $5,000 Business Class airline ticket to Europe would cost 500,000 American Express Points. But American Express allows you to transfer your points to 17 airlines. All you have to do is find available award seats on one of these airlines on the days you want to fly.

At the lowest mileage level, you should be able to book business/first class tickets for about 125,000 AMEX points per person. That’s 75% less points than AMEX Travel would suggest you use! It is a daunting, time-consuming task to find those coveted, low mileage award seats. If you are not up to the challenge (and why would you be), call us to find out how we can help. We love finding airline tickets at the lowest mileage levels thus saving our clients lots of points which can be used for future travel.

09/28/2016

Marriott and Starwood have finalized the merger. What does this mean to a Marriott owner/Rewards member?

First thing to know is that the Starwood timeshares are not part of this deal. Starwood sold the timeshares off to Interval some time ago.

The good news is that Marriott Rewards members can now book Starwood hotels by transferring their Rewards points to SPG. There are some fantastic Starwood brands all over the world. I recently stayed in their hotels in Italy and Poland--all great. Marriott points transfer to SPG at a ratio of 3:1. For every 3 Marriott Rewards points you receive 1 SPG point. The SPG program requires far fewer points for a hotel stay than Marriott so this ratio equalizes the programs. SPG also offers Points plus Cash options--pay a little cash and fewer points. This makes your SPG points go further. Marriott recently offered this option for Rewards members to satisfy the needs of the new SPG members.

Overall, this is great for Marriott Rewards members. SPG members will need to wait and see if some of their other beneficial program offerings will be brought into the Marriott program.

09/27/2016

Ireland has become a favorite destination for our clients, whether they choose an escorted vacation or a customized private trip. When planning a visit to the Emerald Isle, a stay at historic Ashford Castle is a must. Ashford Castle dates back to 1228 and is now a 5 star luxury resort after a $75 million renovation. In addition to the spectacular rooms and superb dining, Ashford Castle houses the oldest school of falconry in Ireland. Our clients, Barb and Gary, participated in their Hawk Walk in June, learning to fly hawks and owls. Take a look at the video that Gary shot of Barb with Di**le, a European Eagle Owl. Barb said it was a highlight of her trip! Let The Art of Vacationing help you plan your trip to Ireland. Contact us for details.

09/20/2016

Do you have any international trips planned for the upcoming year? Do you know when your passport expires? Do you need a visa for the countries where you are visiting?

Many countries require that your passport be valid for at least 3 to 6 months AFTER your return date to the United States. You should always check the Country Section of the US Department of State website to see if there are any entry requirements for the countries you visiting. Through the State Department website you can not only learn more about the different countries, but also get information on applying for a new passport or renewing an existing one.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

09/15/2016

Testimonials

When you are planning an overseas vacation, it can get complicated to coordinate the booking of flights, hotels, transfers, tours, etc, using award points wherever possible. Researching best hotels of high quality in a perfect location is time-consuming. How do you find great tour guides and reliable transfers?

The Art of Vacationing can help you with all this and more. We specialize in providing expert guidance that you need to create your perfect vacation and even do the work of booking everything for you! Read what our clients have to say about our services and contact us for details on how we can help you with your vacation plans.

the Art of Vacationing specializes in timeshare vacation planning and travel consulting. We have direct experience with Marriott Vacation Club and Destination Points.

09/12/2016

Marriott Destination Points and Cruises

Multi-generational trips are more popular than ever….connecting parents to children and grandchildren. Our clients want to experience European capitals or explore the American West with their entire family

One of the best ways to travel as a family is with Tauck Bridges. In addition to their regular offerings, Tauck offers a wide range of multi-generational trips that are interesting and fun for all family members.

Tauck is the recognized leader in the tour industry, with 90 years’ experience crafting once-in-a-lifetime journeys all over the world. Our clients are so dedicated to Tauck that Pam became a Tauck Certified Agent so that she could bring additional benefits to her clients. This fall Pam is hosting a group to Cuba with Tauck and heading to Peru next May.

Turn your MVCI Destination Points into cash and use that money to book a Tauck tour or Tauck River cruise. Check out Pam’s blog to learn how we can help you cover your trip costs with your Destinations Points.

the Art of Vacationing specializes in timeshare vacation planning and travel consulting. We have direct experience with Marriott Vacation Club and Destination Points.

09/07/2016

A new Marriott Vacation Club property is anticipated to open May 2017. It’s the Marriott Waikoloa Ocean Club on the Big Island of Hawaii. This is a conversion of one building of the Marriott Waikoloa hotel into suites. Unfortunately, they will be equipped with kitchenettes..no stoves/ovens.

There are 2 room types available:

1 Bedroom Suite - 800 square feet
2 Bedroom Suite - 1,200 square feet

Room Amenities include refrigerator, freezer and ice maker, microwave and dishwasher, in-room washer and dryer and a balcony.

This island resort features 3 swimming pools, two local championship golf courses and many ancient Hawaiian sites.
This is adjacent to Anaehoomalu Bay beach, or as the locals call it A Beach.

There are 2 shopping centers within walking distance - Waikoloa Kings Shops and Queens Marketplace.

You can make reservations now using your Destination points.

08/31/2016

Canada/New England Cruise

Have you ever cruised on Oceania? Last year we hosted a cruise for our Marriott Vacation Club clients to the Baltic region and the year before to Canada and New England (read about the Canada cruise below). The itineraries are immersive and the food outstanding.

Through Sept 30, Oceania is offering Free Unlimited Internet, PLUS one of the following: Free Shore Excursions, Free Beverage Package, or Shipboard Credit. This amazing deal is going away soon and we have been told no promotion this good will be offered again.

Turn your MVCI Destination Points into cash and book an Oceania cruise. We sell our client’s unused Destination Points so they can pay for the cruise of their choosing. Marriott offers approximately 28 cents per point to book a cruise through them. We can sell your points for double this amount!! Call us to assist you in booking your dream cruise for less.

the Art of Vacationing specializes in timeshare vacation planning and travel consulting. We have direct experience with Marriott Vacation Club and Destination Points.

08/30/2016

Paris and Normandy River Cruise July 2017

River Cruising is the most popular way to see some of the most scenic and historical destinations in Europe and nobody does it better than Uniworld River Cruising. We have teamed up with Uniworld to offer our Marriott clients and friends special pricing on select 7-night sailings in 2017: Paris to Normandy (June 18 and July 16) and Burgundy and Provence (August 27).

Due to Pam hosting the Normandy sailing in July, we already have 23 guests confirmed. This promises to be a fun trip with golf and biking options offered most days, all included. Use your Marriott Rewards points to stay free in Paris and for flights to Europe. Check out the itineray and pricing for this luxury, all-inclusive river cruise. http://www.theartofvacationing.com/announcements/provence-and-normandy-river-cruise-july-2017

the Art of Vacationing specializes in timeshare vacation planning and travel consulting. We have direct experience with Marriott Vacation Club and Destination Points.

08/26/2016

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve

Are you looking to boost your frequent flyer miles or Marriott Rewards points? For every $1 you spend with the Chase Sapphire credit card, you build points in Ultimate Rewards which can be transfered to several airlines including United and even Marriott Rewards. Many of our clients use Chase Sappire Preferred but now Chase has announced the new Chase Sapphire Reserve Card.

If you’re looking for a simple comparison between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve the table below compares the various features, fees and benefits offered by the two cards, making it easy to find the differences without needing to hunt through the benefits guide.

See how the new Chase Sapphire Reserve Card compares to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, from sign-up bonus and earning rates to travel and purchase protections.

08/25/2016

Best San Diego Attractions and Activities: Top 10Best Attraction Reviews

One of Marriott Vacation Club's newest destinations is San Diego. The Pulse San Diego is conveniently located in the the Gaslamp District close to shops and attractions.

Get the top 10 San Diego , CA attractions and activities. Read the 10Best San Diego attraction and activity reviews and view users' attraction and activity ratings.

08/24/2016

The Italian Wine Regions You Should Visit Next

Many of our clients are expressing interest in visiting Italy wine regions. This article has some great ideas for you to consider.

Looking for the next Chianti, Barolo, or Brunello? Oenophiles should plan a trip to one of these wine regions in Italy, chosen by experts as the next big thing.

04/03/2015

Travel Tips and Dates

Have you purchased Marriott travel insurance? I recommend you purchase to cover your maintenance fees. http://goo.gl/bJ478I

the Art of Vacationing specializes in timeshare vacation planning and travel consulting. We have direct experience with Marriott Vacation Club and Destination Points.