posted 01-08-2005 05:25               

If you attended a Palace Resorts presentation you got vouchers for 5 tours (that's 5 tours per person). These are very good tours and include Chichen Itza (we had an exceptionally knowledgeable guide), Tulum, Ek Balam, Coba, Isla Mujeres et al. Each individual tour was $50-100 so you can see the theoretical value of the reward (i.e. $75 x 5 x 5). I say theoretical because of course none of us went on all 5 tours to which we were entitled.

As we had my sister and family with us, I managed to get 5 tours for all five of us, but only my wife and I were the only ones who actually had to sit thru the presentation.

Last year we went to the update presentation again. Again we (but just my wife and I) got 5 tours apiece.

Given the benefits, you must be very strong and willing to face some serious sales pressure. Personally I can deal with sales pressure quite easily but my wife has much less tolerance for the process and would prefer going to the dentist.

So if you choose to go, make sure you're up for it!

[edited to add that we were Palace Resorts members already, having bought resale of course.]

posted 01-08-2005 08:55               

quote:

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Originally posted by Punky:
you spend an entire day at these presentations. Be very careful!

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In our case it took about 2 hours each time for the "there's absolutely no way" message to finally sink in - we could then enjoy the Moon Palace for the rest of the day.

posted 01-08-2005 17:18               

quote:

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Originally posted by doggiesdad:
I will never understand why anyone would want to spend part of their vacation at a TS presentation for perks. Why not spend time before vacation making more money so you can enjoy your whole vacation once you get there? Mystified in Minnesota.

Mike

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The reason we do it...

There are times during our vacation... say 8-10 am... we have nothing planned. So getting $200usd cash, while scoping out another possible vacation resort is EASY money for us. Saying no when we don't want something is not hard for us!

posted 01-08-2005 17:24               

quote:

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Originally posted by ValHam:
Does anyone recommend a timeshare tour in Cancun or Mayan Riviera?
What incentives do they give? Thanks

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Mayan Palace south of Cancun Hotel zone $150 - 200 or a tour. Lots of pressure and RUDE!

Royal Sunset - Hotel Zone $150 - 200 or a tour.

I'd only accept CASH!

Check this sight... http://www.beachcash.com/

Hope this helps!

posted 01-08-2005 20:02               

quote:

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Originally posted by doggiesdad:

I will never understand ... Mystified ...

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Well the simple math for the example I provided (i.e. $75 x 5 x 5) provided us with $1,875 in tour credits for 2 hours of our time. Not too many jobs provide the opportunity to earn credits for great tours at a rate of $900 per hour.

For some of us, t/s presentations are a game ... "money for nothing" as Dire Straits told us.

Having chosen to withdraw from the working world, spending 2 hours of our two-week 'vacation' from our 'retirement' was not a big deal especially when sitting on a beach, regardless of how beautiful, is not the be-all and end-all that it may be for others.

posted 01-09-2005 04:26            

If you go to Palace Resorts presentations in Cancun, would TUGgers please post here about your experiences? I would like to know if they pitch to you the four new resorts they've so proudly added to their portfolio of luxury resorts...they are: Cozumel Palace (mine...open March 2005, not even in time for me to use my week 5 which they expect me to pay a doubled maint fee for); Playacar Palace; Vallarta Palace; and a Cancun strip resort called Le Blanc Spa. I would like to know specifically what they say about the four resorts I just mentioned, what kinds of claims they make about ease with which you can exchange into them during high season, and of course I'd like to know the top and lowest developer price they quote you for hotel size and their "coupons". Thank you for digging up some dirt...don't forget to post to the Mexico forums when you get back!

posted 01-09-2005 08:35               

quote:

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Originally posted by Carol C:
If you go to Palace Resorts presentations in Cancun, would TUGgers please post here about your experiences? I would like to know if they pitch to you the four new resorts they've so proudly added to their portfolio of luxury resorts...

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First of all, let me start by saying that I sympathize with the situation that was unfortunately forced on you.

I am very interested in hearing what the Palace Resorts will have to say about the new resorts being added to the stable of properties. However, I may not be able to attend when I'm there in February as:

1) I may now be on their "never invite again" list (shades of Peter Sellers in "The Party"!)

2) my wife would rather shoot herself than sit through one of those sessions again.

posted 01-09-2005 16:05            

http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/mex-fraud.htm

A timeshare presentation may only take a couple of hours but trying to cancel the contract will take a lot more time plus all the frustration too. Emmy

quote:

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Originally posted by ValHam:
Where is the Palace Resorts presentation? I am staying one week at the Grand Mayan and 2 weeks at the Casa Maya in Cancun. -

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posted 01-10-2005 05:00            

quote:

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Originally posted by X-ring:
First of all, let me start by saying that I sympathize with the situation that was unfortunately forced on you.

I am very interested in hearing what the Palace Resorts will have to say about the new resorts being added to the stable of properties. However, I may not be able to attend when I'm there in February as:

1) I may now be on their "never invite again" list (shades of Peter Sellers in "The Party"!)

2) my wife would rather shoot herself than sit through one of those sessions again.

I'll see what I can do and report back if I can come up with something substantial.

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Thank you X-ring. You've been very helpful actually, when I've asked you about Palace Resorts in past months, right here on TUG. I don't begrudge you your enjoyment of those resorts, and I know you bought resale so good for you. But I bought from the developer in 1993, before I knew about TUG. Now they are taking over my standard but really nice and well-located timeshare, the former Plaza las Glorias Cozumel (1845 in your directory). They are forcing t/s owners of PLG to pay doubled maint fees and an extraordinary fee to pay for their renovations, which includes jacuzzi tubs that nobody seems to use or want (and they're ripping out our kitchenettes to make room for the larger bathrooms). I truly feel as though I was gouged the first time by buying from a developer that was near bankruptcy at the time (we didn't know that of course), and now Palace has purchased that property at firesale price and wants to fleece me again to pay for their upgrades to bring it to their standards.

That's why I really would love to have someone go to their sales presentation and report back here if they mention Cozumel Palace, and Playacar Palace...and how they represent the ease with which Palace premiere owners will be able to go to those two small properties. Plus I really want to know what kind of $ they are asking. Please, if you can go, if they offer you "information" when you stay at Palace, please take that tour because the "information" you can ask for will help me and others! Thank you so much X-ring and others who might be able to attend a Palace Resorts sales presentation this high season!

posted 01-10-2005 12:08               

quote:

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Originally posted by Carol C:
please take that tour because the "information" you can ask for will help me and others!

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I'll do whatever I can to help, Carol. As suggested previously above, it will not be at all easy to get my wife to "take one for TUG" after having been through two of these.

These "presentations" can be quite nerve-wracking, to say the least. A typical one may include any or all of the following:

- you are shepherded into a packed room

- the individual tables where your presentation and negotiations take place are packed closely together

- there's loud music to enhance the celebratory atmosphere (which co-incidentally, may interfere significantly with your ability to hear, concentrate and remember all the information provided)

- special horns go off and a big hoopla is made as the room is introduced to each new member joining the family. Again, for some this may add to the confusion and ability to concentrate on the information

- when your rep finally gets the message that you're not buying, another higher level rep is brought in to go through the same pitch again. You may need to go through several interations of reps or still more options if you remain steadfast in your resolve not to accept what is being pitched.

Their final offer is usually valid for that session only so once it's over with you, the smiles disappear and all the paperwork covering the range of options and price/financing calculations are taken away and scrapped.

posted 03-08-2005 13:10               

quote:

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Originally posted by Carol C:
That's why I really would love to have someone go to their sales presentation and report back here if they mention Cozumel Palace, and Playacar Palace...and how they represent the ease with which Palace premiere owners will be able to go to those two small properties. Plus I really want to know what kind of $ they are asking.

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Carol, I didn't manage to attend myself but I quizzed two guests who did on your behalf.

They said that new resorts were mentioned only in passing as additional places they could choose to stay, once they're open in the next few months (April/May).

As for costs, Palace Resorts offers two levels of Palace Premiere memberships: the Presidential (many $$$) and Jacuzzi (lesser $$$) with none of them having kitchens per se, with all-inclusive being a mandatory extra when you use it. The folks I spoke to eventually got down to about $5,850 (after opening of $36,000) for 25 weeks of Jacuzzi. Presumably the latter would get you into the newly acquired Palace resorts just as they could the other Palace resorts (exc for presidential suites).

Hope this helps!

posted 04-09-2005 21:53               

The only one I would consider is the one at the Royal Resorts. They will only put a slight bit of pressure but don’t get upset when you say no.

I would especially stay away from the one at the Mayan Palace. I don’t know if they will let you out of that one unless you buy.

Good luck and happy vacationing