Embarc Resorts has had a winding history. With the vacation club being purchased by Diamond Resorts in November of 2015, then Hilton Grand Vacations acquiring Diamond Resorts in 2021, there has been a lot of speculation regarding what plans Hilton had for this vacation club.
With the launch of Hilton’s HGV Max program, we saw an effort to allow for greater integration between Diamond Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations. HGV Max owners have had the ability to book Diamond Resorts 6 months prior to check-in, but many owners have been wondering how Hilton would integrate Embarc Resorts with the new program.
Embarc has recently announced some changes being made to step toward its integration into HGV Max, and in this article, we’ll be covering exactly what changes have been made for both HGV and Embarc owners.
Embarc Resorts Point Reallocations
In order to bring Embarc Resorts’ points system in line with the rest of the HGV Max portfolio of resorts, Hilton multiplied the number of points each Embarc owner receives annually by 50. They have also equally multiplied how many points it will take to make reservations, so this change will not effect an owner’s ability to make the same reservations they always have.
For example, if an Embarc owner received 200 points each year, they would now receive 10,000 points each year, and a reservation that would previously cost 200 points would not cost 10,000 to book.
Likewise, when it comes to maintenance fees, the number of dollars per points owners need to pay annually will be divided by 50 to ensure maintenance costs remain unchanged.
All Member’s Use Year Will Be Adjusted
Starting on January 24th, 2024, all Embarc Resorts owners will have their use year changed to being on January 1st, and end on December 31st each year. If an Embarc owner has any unused points from their 2023 use year, they will be granted an extension to use them anytime through December 31st, 2024 without any penalty or banking for that use year required. Hilton has reassured Embarc owners that their ability to bank points to use in future use years would still be available to them.
This change brings Embarc Resorts’ owners use years in complete alignment with how Hilton Grand Vacations owners use years works.
HGV Max Membership Now Available To Embarc Resorts Owners
While Embarc Resorts owners can now join the HGV Max program, it will require a new qualifying purchase. No official word has been offered as to if Hilton will allow Embarc members to buy into the HGV Max program without an addition purchase, as it did with Hilton Grand Vacations owners.
What Is HGV Max?
Hilton introduced their new HGV Max program last year, with the promise to integrate both Hilton Grand Vacations and Diamond Resorts into one club. With Hilton’s acquisition of Diamond Resorts, Embarc became a part of Hilton’s timeshare holdings, but now it is joining the HGV Max program in one unified booking system.
A number of Diamond Resorts have already rebranded to Hilton’s new sub-brand called Hilton Vacation Club (not to be confused with Hilton Grand Vacations), with more planned.
Owners with an HGV Max membership would gain access to both the Hilton Grand Vacation (HGV) Resorts as well as Diamond Resorts properties, which includes the newly rebranded Hilton Vacation Club (HVC) resorts under one booking system. Currently, HGV Max members can begin booking the Diamond resorts (Hilton Vacation Club) network starting six months or less before check-out using their HGV Max points.
If you’d like to learn everything there is to know about HGV Max, you can read out article on the subject here: HGV Max: What You Need To Know.
Embarc Resorts Booking Windows For HGV Max Members
It is plausible that booking windows for Embarc Resorts would start at 6 months prior check-out, just as it is with the Diamond properties, but no official word has been shared as to how Embarc Resorts could be accessed by other HGV Max owners outside of current Embarc owners.
Check back on the A Timeshare Broker, Inc. blog for more information. We will update this article as soon as there are any additional details on how Hilton will source Embarc Resorts inventory for HGV Max, and when its members would be allowed to start booking these resorts using their HGV Max points.
Will HGV Max Have An Impact On Booking Availability For Embarc Resorts Owners Who Do Not Buy Into HGV Max?
While there is the potential that HGV Max members will be able to begin booking Embarc Resorts in the near future, it will be offset by Embarc members who do not book within the Embarc Resorts network of resorts.
It’s estimated that Hilton owns about 5% of Embarc points, due to having unsold ownerships. It is possible that Hilton could place that inventory within HGV Max, but it is not likely to do so. Ultimately, to source any meaningful amount of inventory for the HGV Max program, Embarc members who purchase HGV Max will need to reserve their vacations at resorts outside of Embarc, freeing up the vacation time they would have spent at Embarc Resorts.
All in all, it remains to be seen if HGV Max will have a significant impact on availability of Embarc Resorts for their owners, but the integration with HGV Max will certainly help Hilton in marketing their HGV Max program to new owners.
Should Embarc Members Purchase HGV Max?
Before making a purchase, you should consider what factors are important to you. As an existing Embarc Resorts owner, if you would like to the ability to travel to Hilton Grand Vacations resorts each year, you can always purchase a Hilton Grand Vacations ownership on the resale market for tens of thousands of dollars less than buying into HGV Max.
Also, both Diamond and Hilton Grand Vacations are affiliated with the RCI exchange program, meaning Embarc members have the ability to exchange their points with RCI to travel to these resorts for a nominal membership and exchange fee. This can be done without committing to any additional timeshare interest purchases, and the owner can choose whether they wish to use the exchange service year by year.
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For now, we can only sit back and wait to learn more about the specifics of how Hilton will implement the HGV Max program and how it may impact owners of Embarc Resorts. Stay tuned for more updates! If you’d like to be among the first to learn about developments in this story, feel free to sign up for our free weekly newsletter. You’ll get of all the latest news, new and price reduced listings, and helpful guides we produce directly in your inbox, unsubscribe at anytime!
Learn More About Hilton Grand Vacations
We hope you found this article informative! If you’d like to learn more about Hilton Grand Vacations, we have a wide selection of in-depth articles inside many of the Hilton timeshare articles we’ve posted over the years. You can learn about the latest news, expert usage tips, and how to navigate the HGV resale market.
If you are a prospective buyer of a Hilton timeshare, feel free to browse our HGV resale listings, or contact us today for a free consultation with one of our licensed agents.
