Industry Complaints Shell Vacations scam
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Shell Vacations Club
I bought an "Explorer Membership" for 6000 points in 2008 - I was told I could keep the points when I bought a membership. They played on the fact that I wanted to go to Venice. I could not qualify for the loan for a membership and so they sold me the “Explorer”. I was to pay them for 18 months and then I would have 6000 points and could go to Venice through their international exchange partner - RCI.
As an incentive to buy I was offered a “free” Caribbean vacation. I got the certificate afterward and it was “free” for around $250 of “port fees and taxes”. So that was a lie too. I paid for the points for over a year and then in October of 2009 I was offered a Disney trip and an “owner update” meeting in Anaheim. At that “meeting” I was talked into buying a full membership with the understanding that the 6000 points I had as an Explorer would still be there to add to the 2500 points a year that I purchased with my 'membership”.
Several weeks after I bought I went on line to check my points and found out that the 6000 points went away when I bought my membership. I complained loudly and several times to several people. I wrote a letter and several emails – all to no avail. I would never have bought a membership then had I known the 6000 points would go away. I would have just kept on paying the Explorer Membership a few more months and collected the 6000 points. There was no advantage to me to buy then – the only advantage was to them – they didn't have to make good on the 6000 points.
Additionally, neither Shell Vacations nor it's 'partner' Resort Condominiums International (RCI) have a hotel or resort available in Venice, my whole purpose for buying the points - they lied about that. There has never been a week available at that destination to go to once in the 3+ years I have been paying them. Even if there were - I can't save up more than 2 years of points at a time (another thing they forgot to mention) and 5000 points isn't enough to stay even near there at a nice hotel. If you try to save up more than 2 years – the points go away!!! They disappear! How is that possible or legal???? Yet another thing they forgot to mention!!!
The monthly maintenance fees ended up being more than they told me they would be and they charge me for paying monthly instead of yearly. I can't use my points or even access the Shell site if my maintenance fees are not paid. (another thing they forgot to mention).
So I am committed to paying $2544 a year plus around $700 in maintenance fees a year for a vacation I can't take and can't afford to pay since I can't find work now.
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Comments
We're so sorry to hear you've had any frustrations with your memberhsip. We will give you a call to discuss your issues in further detail so we can get down to the bottom of everything. Thank you for letting us know of your frustrations and we look forward to speaking to you soon.
Sincerely,
Shell Vacations Club
Customer Care Department
Essentially, those are both one and the same. We'll send you a private email explaining the details, though.
My husband and I are so pissed and annoyed after four separate incidents with Shell this year alone. We too are members and I am so ready to be done with them. They are liars and deceivers and their self-professed high customer service sucks! You mentioned that you tried to contact a resale company that you suspect is in cahoots with Shell. Do you mind if I ask what company that was? I asked Shell about resale and they referred me to a specific dealer and unfortunately it is probably the same one that you are referring to. Thanks!
We're so sorry to hear you are upset about your experience with us. Would you mind contacting us directly with specifics so we can assist? You can reach our Customer Care department at 888-947-4355 or by email at customercare@shellvacationsclu b.com. We would truly appreciate the opportunity to assist in any way we can.
Sincerely,
SVC Customer Care
We have attempted contacting you a couple of times but have been unable to reach you so far. We have sent you an email today and are also sending you a letter via FedEx that should arrive tomorrow. Please contact us at your earliest convenience so we can help clear up this situation.
Thanks again,
Shell Vacations Club
Customer Care Department
All TimeShare businesses are JERKS!!!!!
My husband & I just got back from a "Owners update meeting" in Napa, CA yesterday which was anything but an update, it was purely aimed at getting us to buy more points stating we don't have enough, yet we don't even use what we have! They enticed me there with a free night (yes, Vino Bella is nice, but we paid almost a $100 for a few cocktails & a pizza at the bar for dinner, then $90 for a brunch where drinks were included - ended up not including the Mimosa's they offered up without stating they were not part of the included drinks and about a 10 item buffett that was mediocre at best!). I had to spend 90 minutes listening to "Mike", the obnoxious sales guy avoid every question I had (like how to get better access to using the points when I want for where I want, the "update" I was told this was about, like the new exchange partner - all of which he obviously had no interest in nor intent of addressing, then to be told that the 4 night Hawaii trip they also enticed me with was something he would, and I quote "give back!" If anyone has any valid ways to sell this bogus $20K investment that now carries about $1200 a year in maintenance fees (while they had the hotel, 650 rooms sold to a non-Shell owner for a party, making me wonder how the dues could be legitimate costs after income and realize why I can't book trips when I want to!), I would love to hear them. This purchase was a big mistake & I could take a lot of great trips if I had all the money back.
It has been one bad experience after another.
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