Recently, Laticia and I went to Parsippany, NJ to attend a presentation by a vacation membership club. I know what you’re thinking….uh oh…here’s another timeshare spiel. WAIT! Bear with me as I take you on this journey.
So here’s a little background. This actually started in September when we both went to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. Upon entering the park, Laticia filled out a card to possibly win a Bahamas cruise. I laughed and said, “Ha ha. Like you’re really going to win”. Fast forward to January 2014…Laticia gets a call and this lady congratulates her on her recent win of a Bahamas cruise. She was a bit confused but it wasn’t too long before the “catch” came in. All she had to do to get her cruise was sit through an hour long presentation. Yes, 60 min, but oh no! Not another timeshare presentation…but hey, you do what you gotta do!
So she calls me and tells me we’re taking a road trip, but that it will be worth it. I am still skeptical, and much as like to keep my name out of it, somehow she discovered that they got my name….ODD….Anyway, I went as her guest, and here is where the adventure begins….
We left pretty much as soon as I got home from work and we had such a productive car ride – discussing ideas for the blog. We hit a small patch of traffic but ultimately got to the place. Upon entering, they asked Laticia to fill out a questionnaire and verified she was who she was. Afterwards, we were herded into another room where the presentation was given. So here are some take home points:
When attending one of these presentations, ask yourself these questions to put yourself in the right frame of mind:
1) Am I a spontaneous or well-planned traveler?
2) Am I flexible in terms of time?
3) Am I willing to shell out a considerable amount of money for a vacation membership?
4) Is peace of mind in terms of accommodations more important to me than putting together my own vacation package?
5) Will I be able to avail myself of all that membership has to offer?
6) How many vacation do I intend to take within the next 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? 20 years?
7) Do I mind being somewhat limited in terms of location?
8) Do I want to purchase my vacation wholesale or retail or timeshare?
Based on these questions, you may be able to prepare yourself mentally…and TRUST ME, you need to be prepared mentally, because they will use every tactic in the book to get you to buy! It was almost like a sparring of the minds (and pocketbooks)….BOY! They really don’t play around!
Don’t get me wrong – everything was so enticing, and I could see them really trying to make a deal, since the “manager” came down on their offerings about 4 times!!!! Wow, they really weren’t kidding!
We ended up declining, explaining our hardships but they gave it one last ditch effort. This final deal sweetened the pot even more, but we just couldn’t swing it. Ultimately, they had to deliver on their promise and gave us instructions on how to redeem that cruise….so BON VOYAGE to us!!!!
Tell me your thoughts!
Happy Travels,
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