Divi Tiara on Cayman Brac

[Tim Ingersoll]

Jeff....

You've responded to a post of mine from last year. My trip to Divi came and went and is chronicled in another thread.

Lori

Ooooh no . . .not again!!

 

[Diver Lori]

Ooooh no . . .not again!!

Tim....don't get your underoos in a wad. I was replying to Jeff as he seemed to think I was gathering info for this year.

Lori

 

[jhelmuth]

I'm going to Divi Tiara next month for Nikon school. What's the scoop on the op and the resort? I've not been to Cayman Brac before....but I've been to Grand Cayman.....specifically East End.

What kind of conditions can I expect for sea state typically?
the syno
What's the resort like?

Restaurant decent?

Tell me what you know please!!

Thanks!

Lori,

Came back from our trip with a guy wh stayed at Divi and paid for the Nikon school. I can't comment on Divi (we went to BRBR), but I'll relay the synopsis on the Nikon school from the guy I spoke with. (if this is the "film" school) "they took his money, then canceled the class (for lack of enrollment), then refunded "part" of his money and gave him the "self-study" course. Needles to say he was pretty P'd. Their explaination: Film is out, their enrollment is drastically going down and they are thinking of no longer taking any film students.

Remember - this comes to me direct, but second hand. If you're doing the film school, you may want to know what you might get.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Tim....don't get your underoos in a wad. I was replying to Jeff as he seemed to think I was gathering info for this year.

Lori

Just kidding! And by the way I am very sensitive about my underoos!

 

[-hh]

Tim....don't get your underoos in a wad. I was replying to Jeff as he seemed to think I was gathering info for this year.

I was wondering why it popped up too.

Insofar as myself, like John Thurber, I'm also not going back to the Divi Tiara this year...first time since 1989.

The reason why has not to do with the dive op or people (which we both like), but because the timeshares were in worse shape than the recently-rennovated hotel, but have now been closed "For Rennovations" for the past 8 months (since Sept 03), with no meaningful progress or scheduled re-opening date announced.

What vexes me just as much as their refusal to adequately resource this rennovation has been the basic lack of the courtesy of a written letter of notification from Divi HQ as to what's going on, and what they are going to do for compensation for failing to meet their contractoral obligations.

We know that all resorts have their share of problems and day-to-day challenges (such as Lori's other thread), but it does seem that some businesses are unusually adept at tripping over their own feet, magnifying self-created problems.

It all comes down to priorities, and Divi HQ has IMO clearly chosen to place their timeshare customers in absolute last place, despite us providing years of faithful and reliable repeat business through good economies and bad. I have to feel sorry for Max, the on-site GM, as I know that he really would like to get the place finally fixed up.

Caveat Emptor when it comes to buying Timeshares.



-hh

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I have found that to be true of many timeshares. When you factor in the annual maintenance fee and amortize the upfront cost you can often do better by just getting deals to different resorts every year.

 

[-hh]

I have found that to be true of many timeshares. When you factor in the annual maintenance fee and amortize the upfront cost you can often do better by just getting deals to different resorts every year.

We ran the specific numbers before we bought, to figure out how many uses we needed to reach simple payback. In no small part because it was originally very cheap, plus it included healthy discounts on meals and diving (which we utilize ... we don't cook in our TS's kitchen), we're over the curve, which is a good thing since the Maint. Fee is getting rediculously high (its 250% of what it was originally).

Overall, we not really trying to "save" money: what we do (and what we really like about this location) is that for no greater cost than a standard week in a STD room, we have a spacious and airy room with a great view at a destination we enjoy...

And the saving grace is that my older contract doesn't require me to pay if I'm not going to use it. As such, I can proverbially "walk away" from the whole thing for ~10 years and still have a salable asset...at least in theory.


-hh

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

If you don't mind me asking what was/is the upfront cost and what was/is the yearly maintenance?

 

[-hh]

If you don't mind me asking what was/is the upfront cost and what was/is the yearly maintenance?

No prob.

The upfront was around $6K (we have a "low season" week), which for 40 usages ("weeks") means a simplistic cost of $150/week based on the principle.

The maintenance fee started at $180/week and its now well over $400. I think it was $425/week last year and its going up to $475?/week.

So in years past, a week was simplistically $150 + $180 = $330/week, but today its around $150+ ~$450 = $600/week.

While $600/week is still a good price for some destinations, its not necessarily universal. For example, Cozumel condo's can be had for $500/week by anyone, and on Cayman Brac, the minimum buy-in cost via a package is now coming very close to being a better deal, although this assumes that you're not paying anything more for higher quality room accomodations. This is why I've expressed that I'm not personally too terribly worried about my fiscal economies anymore, but am willing to "pay the same" and take my benefit as the nicer room. Of course, that point is moot when the TS is a run-down dump or as it is today, closed.


My general advice to anyone considering a timeshare is to talk with someone who's been there and who has run the numbers. My simplest rules of thumb for TS's are as follows:

First, if the numbers can't show that you'll make back your basic investment in around five years, its probably not a good enough investment and you should probably pass on buying.

Second, you should carefully read the fine printl, especially the parts that detail what happens if you don't use your allotted week, including your costs, if and how that week gets "banked", what other fees apply, etc.

Third, you didn't write the contract, so there's bound to be loopholes all over the place that favor the supplier and not you. You need to decide if you're going to accept all of those risks, or if you're going to negotiate a different contract. Just remember that when it comes to contracts, almost literally EVERYTHING is negotiable and that if they're not willing to put a verbal promise in writing, it doesn't exist.

Never forget that it is _your_ money that they want.

-hh

 

[runsontop]

:06:

I have found that to be true of many timeshares. When you factor in the annual maintenance fee and amortize the upfront cost you can often do better by just getting deals to different resorts every year.

Tim,

While I obviously am disappointed in my timeshare ownership at Divi Tiara, I must point out that the three weeks we have at Plantation Village on Grand Cayman are well worth the upfront costs and maintenance fees. I have also enjoyed many exchanges with Interval International during the 20 years that we have been members.

A week on Seven-Mile-Beach in a very well-kept and spacious 2-bedroom condo which sleeps six costs me less than $700. Cramped hotel rooms in the same local go for two to three times as much. Also, when the property is sold about seven years from now, I will receive 3/52s of whatever it may garner, recouping or perhaps exceeding the upfront costs.

Divi has a long history of bankruptcies and management changes, each of which usually lowers the bar another notch. In this case however, we all know, like, and respect the current manager, Max Hilliard, who has worked his way up from Divemaster to Big Boss. He genuinely loves the place and the people.

As the old school cheer goes: "If he can't do it, nobody can."