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Shell Vacations Club

Shell Vacations Club review: Beware Big Ripe off 19

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8:32 pm EST
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I was offered 3000 value points to seal the sale of 7000 timeshare points. I was not told that the "3000 value points" had to be activated within 60 days. So I lost the "3000 value points". Very slick and corrupt sales presentation. I would not buy again and would recommend anybody seeking to purchase any timeshare, to really do their homework. You will find that it is cheaper to just purchase your vacations outside of a timeshare. Don't buy into their inflation BS. They raise and inflate timeshares maintenace fees.

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19 comments
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Sarah
, US
May 20, 2010 3:01 pm EDT

My friend and I bought in Napa, CA. We thought we were buying points only to apply to our Hawaii points/property, and were assured there was no property being purchased.

We started receiving maintenance bills. Phone calls were made to inquire what was going on but were not returned. E-mails either. Two trips to SV club office in San Francisco did not resolve the issue. Neither did a letter direct to the CEO, Sheldon Ginsberg.

This is a dishonest, money grubbing company. Don't buy from them. If you have problems, they'll never get resolved. In the space of 9 months, SV Club took 2 satisfied customers with 2 fully paid for properties, and made them insanely angry and frustrated. This is bad, bad PR practice and I intend to spread the word in every manner possible.

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K.L.
, US
Apr 23, 2010 5:54 am EDT

When we purchased this timeshare we were told that we would be able to bank points for 4 years - enough to return to Hawaii every four years if we so desired. That was clearly defined and asked about - we own timeshares with other companies and understand the pros and cons fairly well. When the time came for our points to roll over we discovered they are only good for two years. We have tried to resolve this but Shell says too bad - rather than believing our salesperson you should have read the fine print. We are very unimpressed and Shell has shown NO INTEREST in discussing this. BBB complaints got to arbitration and stalled since now we have to put up more money for arbitration if we want to proceed. Stay away from this one - Shell is not consumer focused in our experience!

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rujoking
Philadelphia, US
Dec 07, 2008 4:26 am EST

WOW! what great liars made this company? if there was ever a rip-off, shell vacations club is the embodiment of it. i have never seen cheats like this. None of their math (projecting your property increasing in value and all that) is even remotely correct... all they care is getting your money out of your pockets and into their coffers. I am so thankful to not have fallen into the trap of getting lured by their presentation i attended. They burst balloons everytime someone makes a "sale". GET A LIFE! seriously? i kept an eye on who was doing the bursting and i swear to god there was no one even in the vicinity buying anything at that time. How old do they think we are ? 4? wow a balloon burst... i wanna some more cake...! what a poor sales gimmick.

next time before you pull the rug off some other hardworking person slap yourself 71, 000 times, that is how we feel when you push us to buy points on your crappy resorts. and for those who are in this mess, get a lawyer and sue their ###. and then when you get your pound of flesh go burst a few balloons!

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Wind Rider
, US
Jan 10, 2009 3:27 am EST

"Sorry, you can't take the information book. It's only for owners."

"You don't need to do any research. We've partnered with American Express. American Express has done way more research than you can ever do!"

"Today the interest rate is only 12.5%! Yesterday it was 17.5%."

"This offer is only good for today."

"I don't have a business card."

"You can trust us because we have a 'Code of Ethics' "

"Oh, You could call us 'timeshare junkies' "

Please. Don't be a sucker. This is a scam. Take the free gift and run.

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Shell Vacations Club
, US
Jun 21, 2010 3:04 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Dear K.L.

We are very sorry to hear you are having any issues with your purchase and want to help clear these issues up for you. It sounds like there may have been some miscommunication and we apologize for that. We will make every effort to ensure that does not happen again. To your point, depending on the type of travel you are considering, it is possible to combine four years worth of points at once. However, it is probably best if we address the procedure over the phone or email since there are several steps involved. Would you be willing to contact us so we can address this personally? You can email us at customercare@shellvacationsclub.com. Thank you for contacting us at your earliest convenience and for giving us the opportunity to serve you.

Sincerely,
Shell Vacations Club
Customer Care Department

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Shell Vacations Club
, US
Jun 21, 2010 11:35 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello Sarah,

We are very sorry to hear you are having any issues with your purchase and want to help clear these issues up for you. We certainly do not want any of our members to feel this way and would love the opportunity to be of service to you. Would you be willing to contact us so we can address the specific issues related to your account? You can email us your specific concerns or contact information at customercare@shellvacationsclub.com. Thank you for contacting us at your earliest convenience and for giving us the opportunity to work with you to resolve these issues.

Sincerely,
Shell Vacations Club
Customer Care Department

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beachchick
Laguna Niguel, US
Mar 02, 2010 11:16 am EST

anyone that buys timeshare for apreciation is stupid, it's to save you $ IF you want to vacation, if you don't then you shouldn't buy timeshare fm anyone. As for calling the resorts crappy, I bet you never stayed at one...i've stayed at some of the top resorts (not according to shell, but according to travel channel) thanks to our shell ownership. Best of all it's paid off, our kids get it, & we've even used those so called "crappy points" to fly, entry for theme parks, & even food on vacation.

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Paul Miles
St John's, CA
Mar 02, 2010 7:01 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I got scam, Paul from Canada nothing but misrepresentation and deceit. put it this way, if they did not lie and misinterpret the TIME Share, it is worthless no one would buy it, we have a community fighting this thing, contact me at Paul.miles@nl.rogers.com.

I will not pay another cent on my loan or maintenance agreement. this is scary stuff they set you up for a lifetime, non cancellable agreement, which is WORTHLESS Contact me, I will tell you my story. Thanks

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pearljelly
chicago, US
Mar 02, 2010 3:36 am EST

Azcyotee, keep all those lies to yourself, we know you work for Shell. =)

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Frank Hebert
Ferndale, US
Dec 26, 2009 12:49 pm EST

We gave Shell our unit that we paid $17655 for and $13835 ($31490) to be proud members of Shell Vacations. Then we let a high pressure rep. convince us we should take advantage of being an "Elite" memeber by buying 6900 more points, then the good times
started. Our maintence fee went from $699 to $1248 that year. Now, 3 years later, Shell fells $3166 is about right - $452/night.
It is evident what their game is -
If I can find some one to take the 6900 points off my back my maintence fee will fall to
about $1700 or $242/night.
It would seem there was a lot the "Shell" rep. for got to mention.

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Justsayno2Shell
Chicago, US
Sep 15, 2009 11:37 pm EDT

We sat through the presentation. Then offered a $45, 000 deal, then a $23, 000 deal. No specifics, just alot of paltitudes about the wonders of ownership and the net savings over paying for vacation outright. There is hard-sell and the 60-90 minutes is 4 hours. After we convinced them we were done (original rep and 2 "managers") (sound like used cars?). There was one more round of a $1600 buy of points only to try the system. We ceclined that pressure (another 20 minutes) before they finally let us go and collect the gift, which they tried to shortchange.

After reading all the bad press, I am glad we did not bite.

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Angry in AZ
Phoenix, US
Sep 04, 2009 6:03 pm EDT

AZCYOTEE -Are you kidding me? I have received offers lately for Vegas at really nice resorts like MGM, Luxor, etc. for only $35 a night. Those are not your run of the mill flea traps. Gee, guess you lose that bet. Sorry, but I am very unhappy with Shell and how they do not take care of their owners. Seriously, if you stayed at Peacock Suites and actually thought it was a world class resort then your standards are extremely low. We found it was going for only $40 a night on priceline and other websites. I did not pay all of that money to stay in a budget hotel. We have checked out other timeshare companies since purchasing with Shell and we are very upset with how we have been treated. We are not getting what we paid for and what we were promised. Sorry buddy, but you are an idiot. The longer I am with Shell, the more I wish we hadn't bought.

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Angry in AZ
Phoenix, US
Sep 04, 2009 5:39 pm EDT

Shell Vacations Club is a total ripoff. We bought in Anaheim, but their Anaheim resort is so bad that they don't even have their presentations there! We would rather stay at that hotel. We had never stayed there before having been a full time resident of California at the time, we never knew how bad it was. It was worse than a Motel 6! There was literally no parking because you had to valet it in order to get all of the cars in and the pool was so tiny. The rooms we so tiny too! A family of 3 (with a baby) was tight and the elevators were constantly down. We have been owners for 4 years and wish we had never purchased into Shell. After calling twice to book, we have to pay $25 each time we wish to use our points after that. So we pay to use something we already pay for? How is that even right? It's not about deadlines or even not following the rules. It's about getting what we paid for. It has been almost impossible to get into the hotels we wish to use on the dates we wish to go. We have a decent amount of points, so you would think it would be easier to use them. On the contrary, it is horrible. Also, we have heard rumors that they are closing up shop. So, we are going to have to check this one out. If they do, I want all of my money back! I wish we had done Disney Vacations instead!

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beachchick
Laguna Niguel, US
Jun 24, 2009 10:03 pm EDT

We love SHELL... we have been married for 5 years & owners for 6. We've done more with our ownership than you could ever imagine... extended balconies on caribbean cruises, free wine tasting in napa, houseboats in havasu, you name it we can do it & while everyone is complaining about the economy we are planning our next trip in a condo anywhere we want!

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AZCYOTEE
Orange, US
Jun 01, 2009 5:13 pm EDT

SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WA... WE HAVE GOTTEN EVERYTHING WE ERE OFFERED FROM SHELL.. Our points continue to realize value, we got our free trips, I'm even gettin ready to go to our Free Angels games as the offered & fulfilled.

We just uped our points from 2250 t0 3000. because of the new promotion. UP TO $1500 OFF OUR ASSOCIATION/MAINT FEES PER YEAR FOR LIFE.
we have been traveling to shell resorts for over 2 years & love the 1 & 2 bedroom suites with kitchens. I had to laugh at a post i read earlier that stated you could find the same rooms for as little as $150 on expedia...pashaw..! I challenge you to find a 2 bedroom suite with full kitchen in even Vegas for less that 500 a night (a roach infested shack doesn't cout).
I CAN'T WAIT... IN 5 YRS WHEN WE PAY OFF OUR MEMBERSHIP WE WILL BE VACATIONING FOR NEXT TO NOTHING EVERY YEAR . WE HIGHLY RECOMEND SHELL TO ANYONE OUT THERE INTERESTED IN TRAVELING..!

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AZCYOTEE
Orange, US
Jun 01, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

SHELL IS AWESOME..! & has delivered everything they have promised us. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BY THOSE WHO DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR OFFERS. We just took advantage of the newest one & will no longer have to pay association fees again. E-mail me if you would like me to pass this one on to you). WE JUST GOT BACK FROM A GREAT VACATIONTHAT WE LITTERALY BOOKED 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE... STAYED IN 1 & 2 BEDROOM SUITES(WITH KITCHENS) & ONLY SPENT 100 PTS. A NIGHT. WE ONLY OWN 2250 PTS. & HAVE ALREADY STAYED A TOTAL OF 8DAYS IN VARIOUSE RESORTS AS WELL AS SENT MY DAUGHTER & HER HUSBAND TO VEGAS FOR THEIR ANNIVERSARY.
WE HIGHLY RECOMEND SHELL & WILL BE ENJOYING FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

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AZCYOTEE
Orange, US
Jun 01, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

YOUR JUST ANOTHER WHINER THAT BLAMES EVERYONE ELSE FOR YOUR LACK OF FOLLOW THROUGH. WE USED OUR FREE POINTS AS WELL AS THE FREE NIGHTS WE WERE OFFERED & THEY WERE DELIVERED AS PROMMISED..! You blame Shell becauseYOU didn't pay attention to the time limit on their offer. WE ARE HAPPY OWNERS WITH 2250 POINTS. IN FACT WE JUST BOUGH ANOTHER 750 LAST NIGHT FO A FANTASTIC OFFER WHERE WE WILL NO LONGER PAY A MAINTINENCE FEE. WHEN OUR MEMBERSHIP IS PAYED OFF IN 5YRS WE WILL VACATION FOR NEXT TO NOTHING IN WONDERFUL 1 & 2 BEDROOM RESORTS. WE HAVE A BINDING CONTRACT WICH I'M SURE THEY WILL UPHOLD JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER PROMISE THEY HAVE MADE TO US. We initialy had lost out free maintinece certificate that was given to us (3month cert.) & we called th mgr at the resort we signed up at & they replaced it in a few weeks. AS FAR AS THE RESORTS THEMSELVES.. UNLIKE THE LIES I HAVE SEEN POSTED I CHALLENGE THOSE PEOPLE TO FIND A 1 OR 2 BEDROOM SUIT EVEN IN VEGAS FOR UNDER 300-400 A NIGHT. MOTEL HELL DOWNTOWN DOES NOT COUNT... YOU WOULD NEVER STAY THERE EITHER. I highly recomend when traveling to use the owners site to book your stays as we do. that way ou can see thi point fluctuations on a calendar to make the most of your vacations. HAPPY VACATIONS... MAYBE WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE POOL. P.S. IF YOU E-MAIL ME I'LL PASS ON THE NEW PROMO WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF TO NEVER HAVE TO PAY ASSOCIATION FEES AGAIN..!

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Jessica
Maui, US
Feb 02, 2009 1:43 pm EST

Shell Vacations Club is a RIP OFF.

We need more people to stand up together and get stronger. shell vacation victim please join my communite forum at http://antishellvacation.com

Why would someone pay $400 a night with Shell Vacations Club points when you can stay at the same Hotel for $150 by booking with Expedia or other website. The economy is in real bad shape and we should let current owner NOT TO PURCHASE MORE POINTS AND MAKE SURE OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT GET SCAMMED ON THIS RIP OFF.
Do not get fooled by FAKE positve comments made by Shell Vacations employees. Read what current pissed owners have to say about.

http://antishellvacation.com

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gavin
Rosemead, US
Dec 22, 2008 1:57 am EST

we need more people to stand up together and get stronger. shell vacation victim please join my communite forum at http://antishellvacation.com