# How exchange companies are handling cancellations thread



## mdurette (Mar 13, 2020)

I have a feeling that this topic is going to be all over the board and it may be helpful to keep all the info in one place as lots of us are interested in knowing.
As we all get information.  Please share here.

Personally, I  have a RCI TPU exchange into Disneyworld that starts next week.   Technically the resort itself isn't closing, just the theme parks.
I cant still buy Trade Power Protection on this exchange via RCI for $104.    This will get my TPUS back.
Worse case I'm out $333 (exchange fee at protection costs)   I'm ok with that and may even be able to try a claim with Chase UR insurance.

But...I wonder, Disney is allowing guests to reschedule for a year.   Will this apply for RCI exchanges as well.

This will all take time to unfold.


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## goaliedave (Mar 13, 2020)

Diamond Resorts allowing free cancellations and changes per attached letter today.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













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## VAlegacy (Mar 13, 2020)

I wonder if RCI will offer refund to exchange fee?


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## Larry (Mar 13, 2020)

VAlegacy said:


> I wonder if RCI will offer refund to exchange fee?


Don't know about RCI but I doubt that they will return exchange fee. I cancelled my trip for next week with II and although they did not return exchange fee they did return my deposit and I have one year to complete a new exchange.


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## CPNY (Mar 13, 2020)

I feel like everyone should travel. What happened to all of the people on the JetBlue flight with the man from nyc to palm beach? Did the whole plane test positive? I suspect not. Go on vacation. Buy Lysol, Lysol down the room and relax and get your mind off this situation.


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## m61376 (Mar 13, 2020)

Ugh- I spoke with a few people: I have an exchange with a cancellation replacement week scheduled for mid April, with the original date of the replacement week expiring mid May. They won't make any concessions, not even to extend the date of the week. So much for customer service in light of a global pandemic!

Just to update- Mark, the Tug rep. is wonderful! Called me and they are now offering a bonus week good till the end of Dec., good for anything in Flex but only 30 days out, for trips cancelled starting on or before 4/20. Things might change so I'll give it a week and see, but at least they are trying to work with people. The original exchange fee is lost but everyone has to share the pain. This should be the worst thing....


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## VAlegacy (Mar 13, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I feel like everyone should travel. What happened to all of the people on the JetBlue flight with the man from nyc to palm beach? Did the whole plane test positive? I suspect not. Go on vacation. Buy Lysol, Lysol down the room and relax and get your mind off this situation.


I agree with you, but we are forced to react to the changes around us.
I would want to cancel a DVC exchange due to no parks, or maybe cancel due to lack of supplies or changes to events or other things I have planned for vacation.


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## jjking42 (Mar 13, 2020)

If you are high risk or care from someone high risk stay home and be careful. If you are not than travel and enjoy the smaller crowds. I would head to the beach or mountains to get some fresh air and stay away from other people. I would avoid theme parks, cruise ships and other large gaetherings.


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## tschwa2 (Mar 13, 2020)

RCI through 4/5
Someone on Facebook is reporting that rci is refunding exchange fee and tpu's/points for exchanges through 4/5.  Some people are complaining about that but I say better than nothing and they can always re-evaluate and go further in a week or two.    You do have to call in.  I don't know if you need to get a supervisor involved but if the regular agent says they can't, I would ask for a supervisor.


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## mdurette (Mar 13, 2020)

tschwa2 said:


> RCI through 4/5
> Someone on Facebook is reporting that rci is refunding exchange fee and tpu's/points for exchanges through 4/5.  Some people are complaining about that but I say better than nothing and they can always re-evaluate and go further in a week or two.    You do have to call in.  I don't know if you need to get a supervisor involved but if the regular agent says they can't, I would ask for a supervisor.



Good to know.   What would be the complaint if you get your exchange fee back and your TPUs??  What else is there to get?
I have been making all my calls in the morning when the call centers open, less wait.  Will try tomorrow (or maybe chat)


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## goaliedave (Mar 13, 2020)

RAINTREE VACATION CLUB free changes and cancellations

Dear Member, 



The safety of our Members, guests, and staff is always our top priority. As the situation around the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to develop, we want to assure you that we are taking the necessary measures to ensure you are as safe as possible. We have continued to welcome Members and guests to our resorts but we also recognize the seriousness of this situation. 



We follow protocols issued by the CDC and the World Health Organization to minimize risks associated with coronavirus. We've increased our cleaning processes, added sanitizer in public and staff areas, and our onsite or local physicians have specific protocols to treat anyone who presents symptoms. We encourage you to enjoy your vacations as always, remembering to practice smart hygiene- wash your hands often, cover when coughing or sneezing, and clean surfaces of commonly used items.



As everyone's circumstances are different, Raintree Vacation Club will allow Members to cancel reservations checking in up to May 31st with no penalty and return their Points. If you do decide to cancel your reservation due to COVID-19, we will extend your returned Points for an additional year. 



Please feel free to contact a Raintree Vacation Guide at 1-800-424-6532, or locally at 317-805-9167 if you have any further questions or concerns. 



Thank you for being part of the Raintree family and we appreciate your understanding as we continue our efforts in providing Members with extraordinary vacation experiences. Please note, that as we evaluate the status of the COVID-19, we will make changes to this policy as needed and keep you informed.


Sincerely, 

Raintree Vacation Club

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## dioxide45 (Mar 13, 2020)

mdurette said:


> Good to know.   What would be the complaint if you get your exchange fee back and your TPUs??  What else is there to get?
> I have been making all my calls in the morning when the call centers open, less wait.  Will try tomorrow (or maybe chat)


The complaint is from people with a checkin on the 6th and beyond.


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## HudsHut (Mar 13, 2020)

My note would not post, and now it's a duplicate.


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## HudsHut (Mar 13, 2020)

Tracy wrote: 
_<<RCI through 4/5
Someone on Facebook is reporting that rci is refunding exchange fee and tpu's/points for exchanges through 4/5. Some people are complaining about that but I say better than nothing and they can always re-evaluate and go further in a week or two. You do have to call in. I don't know if you need to get a supervisor involved but if the regular agent says they can't, I would ask for a supervisor.>>_

Thank you Tracy.  I called RCI after reading your note, and can confirm that I was told the same, plus they offered to give back most of my points protection. I paid $104 yesterday when I read the WDW parks closure announcement,  and the RCI rep said I'd get $64 of that back. 
Since the parks are not officially closed for our dates (yet), I didn't cancel the reservation yet. However, we are resigned to not going and it's quite a disappointment.
The exchange fee will be held as a credit on our RCI account.
Our WorldMark points would be returned (but held within RCI for future exchange)

I thought their offer was exceptional.


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## barco13 (Mar 13, 2020)

Nevermind, just saw a related post........

Anybody have any examples of what II may be doing? I have a 3/15 check-in on an exchange. Didn't purchase trip insurance but also was not thinking a national state of emergency. Would hope companies realize how unique this situation is.


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## mdurette (Mar 14, 2020)

Dear Valued Member,

As we monitor coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact to our members, associates, and communities, please know your safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to us. We are closely following the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) travel guidelines as well as their recommendations on the steps to help prevent the spread of the virus.

We understand the uncertainty you may be experiencing with this situation, and encourage you to:

Follow the CDC travel updates. You may also want to visit the U.S. State Department website or the World Health Organization for more information.
Take appropriate steps as outlined by health authorities to safeguard your health and that of your family.
For specific questions about actions being taken by particular resorts or travel providers in response to the coronavirus, please visit their website or contact them directly.
If you’ve booked a vacation with Interval for travel that begins within the next 30 days and have questions, please contact:

1-800-INTERVAL (1-800-468-3782) for Exchange, Getaways and Accommodation Certificates.
1-800-622-1540 for Cruises and all other travel.
As you continue to make your future travel plans with Interval, we recommend purchasing E-Plus for exchanges. E-Plus offers the added flexibility to retrade a confirmed exchange for any reason up to three times for a different destination, resort, unit size, or travel date.

We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and remain dedicated to being your resource for all your travel needs.

Thank you for your membership.




Jeanette Marbert
President
Interval International


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## SteelerGal (Mar 14, 2020)

Our April Sedona trip was canceled due to Hubs job canceling all vacations until May.  II gave us an AC good for the next 6mo.  Only caveat is it only can be used to book inventory available in-the next 30 days.  Difficult proposition when you are tied to the school schedule and must be w/in reasonable driving distance.  However I’ll take it.


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## mdurette (Mar 14, 2020)

RCI Weeks:   I just got off the phone with them.   I was able to cancel my upcoming exchange for 3/21 to DVC resort.
TPUs are back in my account
I have a coupon for $229 for the exchange fee that needs to be used by 6/30.    I should have asked if I just need to make and exchange by then or travel by then.   Anyone that calls, can you please ask?
They are doing this for exchanges up to 4/5

For those of you that are after 4/5, this is all fluid and it appears the travel agency is taking things 2 weeks at time.   Let it play out and my guess is you will get the same offer.


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## lweaverk (Mar 14, 2020)

This is part of the email I received from Holiday Inn Club Yesterday:

*We’re Flexible*

While we love bringing families together for an amazing vacation, we recognize that you may be hesitant to travel at this time. If you need to cancel or modify an upcoming stay taking place between March 13 and April 30, *you will receive a full refund of your Club points*. Please call (877) 606-2582 for assistance with this. If you have questions or concerns regarding a reservation after April 30, we kindly ask that you wait a few days to call, as we are experiencing high call volume and want to allow those with an immediate need to be assisted by our team first.

I had a reservation at the new property in New Orleans for mid-April. The event I was going for was postponed to October. Points I used included some that  - even with paid-for extension - would have expired prior to that new date. I made the new reservation. They ultimately (at least according to the rep) DID extend those points that would have expired, by granting an "Exception". I am still skeptical, because the details of this trx are not showing as yet in my account. It took MUCH bitter complaining (in view of their promise of "FLEXIBILITY" in the email) to get the rep to try for this "exception". All of this cost an additional $99 in fees (part of it points protection).  IF it turns out to all be as was verbally promised by the rep, I will be somewhat satisfied by the outcome (I think the fee should have also been waived).  How DIFFICULT it was to get them to even OFFER it (after their misleading email in effect saying "All is well - we will take good care of you") was VERY disappointing! 

Thought I'd pass this along .. all that they promise in their "soothing" emails needs to be viewed with a grain of salt.


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## Cyclone (Mar 14, 2020)

VAlegacy said:


> I wonder if RCI will offer refund to exchange fee?


I phoned RCI a couple days ago.  I have a trip planned in Scotland starting in a week.  No, they will not refund an exchange fee.  At best, they will return the 24 TP exchange and it will be redeposited as a 10 TP.  

Still not sure whether to cancel because Scotland (and the Dublin airport) doesn't seem to be risky, but I don't want to get stuck there or self-quarantine for 14 days upon return.  As of today,, I don't think the self quarantine is required.


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## Cyclone (Mar 14, 2020)

mdurette said:


> RCI Weeks:   I just got off the phone with them.   I was able to cancel my upcoming exchange for 3/21 to DVC resort.
> TPUs are back in my account
> I have a coupon for $229 for the exchange fee that needs to be used by 6/30.    I should have asked if I just need to make and exchange by then or travel by then.   Anyone that calls, can you please ask?
> They are doing this for exchanges up to 4/5
> ...


Thank you for the post!  This offer was not presented a few days ago when I called them.


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## NHpauls (Mar 14, 2020)

Because of this site, I saved my TPU’s and got a coupon for the exchange fee!!  THANK YOU!!   I had decided to not go on my trip in 2 weeks and assumed I would lose the exchange fee and points.  Due to the national crisis, I accepted that.  But you guys saved me!   

I was on hold for a long, long time with RCI but it worked.  I can only use the coupon towards booking a new vacation (I wanted to use it to combine points but no luck...).   

To madurette:  I need to book the trip by Apr 30th and need to travel by the end of next year.   I think that is very, very fair!

Thanks again folks!


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## Jan S (Mar 14, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I feel like everyone should travel. What happened to all of the people on the JetBlue flight with the man from nyc to palm beach? Did the whole plane test positive? I suspect not. Go on vacation. Buy Lysol, Lysol down the room and relax and get your mind off this situation.


Here in California, you can't even buy Lysol! People are hoarding anything and everything that has the potential to kill this virus. Let's hope things turn in a more positive way very soon! Stay safe and protect yourselves!!


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## CPNY (Mar 14, 2020)

Jan S said:


> Here in California, you can't even buy Lysol! People are hoarding anything and everything that has the potential to kill this virus. Let's hope things turn in a more positive way very soon! Stay safe and protect yourselves!!


I know. The hoarders only make things worse. It’s a false sense of security. I was an early prepper as in I was in Costco twice two weeks ago. I had stocked up on plenty of food food. 20 chicken breasts, frozen shrimp, burgers, pasta, and protein bars etc. in a quarantine they would still allow people to get food. In Italy only one person per household can leave to get food. I’m set for two weeks. I’m going to stock up on more coffee beans if I run low lol. People are proving how much they panic in these situations. When this dies down I will be prepared, masks, gloves (although I always have plenty of vinyl gloves on hand for cooking!), cleaning supplies etc. staying home will help but people need to follow through.


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## LMD (Mar 14, 2020)

mdurette said:


> Dear Valued Member,
> 
> As we monitor coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact to our members, associates, and communities, please know your safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to us. We are closely following the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) travel guidelines as well as their recommendations on the steps to help prevent the spread of the virus.
> 
> ...


We have a vacation in Beaver Creek for 4/10 that I will probably will cancel. I have the e-plus but since we are in the 60 day window I can only search for weeks until 6/9/20. Really a bummer because I do not think we will be able to travel in that window. I might call on Monday before I cancel to see if there is a way for them to extend the week.


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## dioxide45 (Mar 14, 2020)

LMD said:


> We have a vacation in Beaver Creek for 4/10 that I will probably will cancel. I have the e-plus but since we are in the 60 day window I can only search for weeks until 6/9/20. Really a bummer because I do not think we will be able to travel in that window. I might call on Monday before I cancel to see if there is a way for them to extend the week.


How many other retrades do you still have left? If all three, you can retrade out three times, each time extending it another 60 days. This could give you a 6 week window to travel.


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## Inuk (Mar 14, 2020)

barco13 said:


> Nevermind, just saw a related post........
> 
> Anybody have any examples of what II may be doing? I have a 3/15 check-in on an exchange. Didn't purchase trip insurance but also was not thinking a national state of emergency. Would hope companies realize how unique this situation is.


Hi,
I just cancelled a week in Mexico booked through Interval International. I did not have the insurance (never do) but they gave me a good deal I think. I am cancelling one week out and they have offered a certificate good through to the end of December 2020. I only have a 30 day booking window but do not have to pay another exchange fee. The certificate does not restrict resort options so considering the short time frame I am happy. Of course would be a lot happier if I was packing for Mexico. 
C'est la vie.


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## LMD (Mar 14, 2020)

dioxide45 said:


> How many other retrades do you still have left? If all three, you can retrade out three times, each time extending it another 60 days. This could give you a 6 week window to travel.


I only have one left.....


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## dioxide45 (Mar 14, 2020)

LMD said:


> I only have one left.....


You could try cancelling and getting a cancellation replacement week. It will still be tied to the 59 day restriction but should be good for a year. Of course that means calling II and having to wait in the phone queue. You could ask if they would refund any of the exchange or Eplus fees previously paid. Probably not, but it doesn't hurt to ask.


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## LMD (Mar 14, 2020)

dioxide45 said:


> You could try cancelling and getting a cancellation replacement week. It will still be tied to the 59 day restriction but should be good for a year. Of course that means calling II and having to wait in the phone queue. You could ask if they would refund any of the exchange or Eplus fees previously paid. Probably not, but it doesn't hurt to ask.


I did call and the rep had to check with a supervisor. They waved the 60 day window and opened it up until 2022. The only issue is that I HAD to book something while on the phone. I was unable to find anything at that time....plus I felt under pressure. She was very patient with me. She said she would make a note but there was no guarantee that I would be offered it again. She said it is totally up to the supervisor on duty ...if you know what I mean. I am going to have to take my chances and call back.


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## pchung6 (Mar 14, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I know. The hoarders only make things worse. It’s a false sense of security. I was an early prepper as in I was in Costco twice two weeks ago. I had stocked up on plenty of food food. 20 chicken breasts, frozen shrimp, burgers, pasta, and protein bars etc. in a quarantine they would still allow people to get food. In Italy only one person per household can leave to get food. I’m set for two weeks. I’m going to stock up on more coffee beans if I run low lol. People are proving how much they panic in these situations. When this dies down I will be prepared, masks, gloves (although I always have plenty of vinyl gloves on hand for cooking!), cleaning supplies etc. staying home will help but people need to follow through.



I was in Costco and Target this morning and only trash bags left on the shelve. I was lucky to get few last can food and frozen meat/seafood. The wait time was 1 hour to get in Costco and I really dislike people stared at me like I'm a monster because I wore face mask.

Just FYI, I just hanged up with Interval.  They don't let me cancel an getaway that is still 5 months away.


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## CPNY (Mar 14, 2020)

pchung6 said:


> I was in Costco and Target this morning and only trash bags left on the shelve. I was lucky to get few last can food and frozen meat/seafood. The wait time was 1 hour to get in Costco and I really dislike people stared at me like I'm a monster because I wore face mask.
> 
> Just FYI, I just hanged up with Interval.  They don't let me cancel an getaway that is still 5 months away.


Everyone should be wearing a mask! This is the issue with this country.


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## goaliedave (Mar 14, 2020)

CPNY said:


> Everyone should be wearing a mask! This is the issue with this country.


Yup the downside of being the only western democracy to emphasize in its constitution individual rights & freedoms over the common good. Imagine if POTUS gave the same info other countries are giving their citizens... 18 months, 237M in USA will get the virus, minimum 1.6M will die.

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## Cyberc (Mar 14, 2020)

CPNY said:


> Everyone should be wearing a mask! This is the issue with this country.



Problem with face masks is that they dont work. At the very best they provide very little protection. If they get any moist at all they don’t work and You put yourself in risk of getting infected. A moist mask is kinda hoarding bacteria or viruses.
Even if it doesn’t get any moist it only work for a few short hours and then it needs to get replaced.
Your money is better spent elsewhere like hand sanitizer or similar.


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## CPNY (Mar 14, 2020)

Cyberc said:


> Problem with face masks is that they dont work. At the very best they provide very little protection. If they get any moist at all they don’t work and You put yourself in risk of getting infected. A moist mask is kinda hoarding bacteria or viruses.
> Even if it doesn’t get any moist it only work for a few short hours and then it needs to get replaced.
> Your money is better spent elsewhere like hand sanitizer or similar.


They work for those who are sick. So they don’t spread them around.


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## VAlegacy (Mar 14, 2020)

CPNY said:


> They work for those who are sick. So they don’t spread them around.


I agree but I also think they provide some level of protection as well.
We all got a good laugh when the Surgeon General told people to stop buying them because they dont protect you AND because the medical sector needs them.  What sense does that make?


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## Monykalyn (Mar 14, 2020)

VAlegacy said:


> I agree but I also think they provide some level of protection as well.
> We all got a good laugh when the Surgeon General told people to stop buying them because they dont protect you AND because the medical sector needs them.  What sense does that make?


Because medical professionals are trained in how to use them, ensure they fit, and can use in conjunction with eye shields. The N-95 in particular comes in different sizes and medical personnel go through a "fit test" to see if they can detect the the taste of the spray while performing various tasks. We are also trained to not constantly touch the mask, our face etc while wearing them. We also know how to properly dispose of them to avoid contamination.  MEdical personnel are also in close proximity while providing personal cares and are more likely to get sneezed or coughed on and don't you think they DESERVE more protection?
Do you know any of that?


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## CPNY (Mar 14, 2020)

Monykalyn said:


> Because medical professionals are trained in how to use them, ensure they fit, and can use in conjunction with eye shields. The N-95 in particular comes in different sizes and medical personnel go through a "fit test" to see if they can detect the the taste of the spray while performing various tasks. We are also trained to not constantly touch the mask, our face etc while wearing them. We also know how to properly dispose of them to avoid contamination.  MEdical personnel are also in close proximity while providing personal cares and are more likely to get sneezed or coughed on and don't you think they DESERVE more protection?
> Do you know any of that?


Yup. My sister in law had her annual test yesterday and was sending us pictures saying “see” lol.


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## VAlegacy (Mar 14, 2020)

Monykalyn said:


> Because medical professionals are trained in how to use them, ensure they fit, and can use in conjunction with eye shields. The N-95 in particular comes in different sizes and medical personnel go through a "fit test" to see if they can detect the the taste of the spray while performing various tasks. We are also trained to not constantly touch the mask, our face etc while wearing them. We also know how to properly dispose of them to avoid contamination.  MEdical personnel are also in close proximity while providing personal cares and are more likely to get sneezed or coughed on and don't you think they DESERVE more protection?
> Do you know any of that?


Oh I understand all of that.  I routinely go through a fit test for SCBA.  Thank you for the lesson though.
You missed my point, which was the statement from the SG stating essentially that they dont offer protection for the general public, which is not true.  
Of course I think medical personnel should have ALL of the access to them.  Give it to me straight though.


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## Cyclone (Mar 14, 2020)

RCI Weeks member here.  After reading this thread this morning, and hearing about today's travel restrictions applying to the UK/Ireland now, I did some research on where I would like to switch to for my 3/21/2020 check-in, and then phoned RCI.  Almost 30 minute wait.  In a remarkably short time, the agent canceled my exchange week, and even was able to rebook my on an "extra vacation" week (NOT an Exchange Week), for a nice large unit in Kauai.  She charged me a few hundred bucks to cover the"up-charge" related to the exchange.  Done!  Well worth it.  Honestly, I cannot believe that they were willing to do such a cancellation and exchange (other than the check-in date is a week away).  I can't believe this is one of those times where you get lucky on a timeshare trade.  It makes up for some of the times when it just doesn't work out.  Thank you for the postings here.  Without this particular thread, I don't think it would have happened.


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## tschwa2 (Mar 14, 2020)

Updated II:

-        *EXCHANGES*:
o   For all exchanges with check-in dates through April 30, 2020, members may change their destination and/or travel date without incurring an additional exchange fee. Travel must be completed by December 31, 2020. If you prefer more time to travel, we can provide you with our standard fee-based replacement-week certificate, which is good for one year.
o   For all exchanges with a check-in date after April 30, 2020, our standard exchange cancellation policies apply. We commit that we will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.
o   Members who make exchanges between March 14, 2020, and April 30, 2020, will have the option to retrade to another available destination and/or date if your plans change — without incurring an additional exchange fee.
-        *GETAWAYS:*
o   For Getaways cancelled with check-in dates through April 30, 2020, you will have the option to apply the amount paid toward a future Getaway. If you are unable to identify your travel destination/date at the time of cancellation, you will be provided with a no-fee replacement-week certificate for which travel must be completed by December 31, 2020.
o   For any cancellation of a Getaway that is booked between March 14, 2020, and April 30, 2020, you will have the option to apply the amount paid toward a future Getaway.
-        *CRUISE*S:
o   Members who book a cruise through Interval Travel will follow the policies of each individual cruise line. Please call Interval Travel, and we will inform you of your options and facilitate your cancellation for you. 
In order to better serve you, we will open our Member-Services Center on Sunday, March 15, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Please recognize that our call volume is very high right now, so if you do not have travel plans within the next 30 days, please wait before contacting us.
We value your membership and appreciate your patience and understanding. We are committed to supporting you in this time of uncertainty — and providing you with wonderful vacation memories in the future.
Warm Regards,

Jeanette Marbert
President, Interval International
0
 REPLY


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## HudsHut (Mar 14, 2020)

Tracy:
Thank you for posting the new letter from II. I had only seen the prior letter. As always, I appreciate your helpfulness.


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## m61376 (Mar 15, 2020)

tschwa2 said:


> Updated II:
> 
> -        *EXCHANGES*:
> o   For all exchanges with check-in dates through April 30, 2020, members may change their destination and/or travel date without incurring an additional exchange fee. Travel must be completed by December 31, 2020. If you prefer more time to travel, we can provide you with our standard fee-based replacement-week certificate, which is good for one year.



Do you know if they're restricting the future trade to only a 30 day window, as they were offering on Friday? I know this is uodated since Friday it was only for reservations through April 20th, so I was wondering if the 30day restriction also changed.


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## Judy (Mar 15, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I feel like everyone should travel. What happened to all of the people on the JetBlue flight with the man from nyc to palm beach? Did the whole plane test positive? I suspect not. Go on vacation. Buy Lysol, Lysol down the room and relax and get your mind off this situation.


You must be young and healthy.  So if you catch COVID-19,  you probably won't die.  Those of us in the high risk groups probably would.


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## CPNY (Mar 15, 2020)

Judy said:


> You must be young and healthy.  So if you catch COVID-19,  you probably won't die.  Those of us in the high risk groups probably would.


I have completely changed my position on that. Everyone should be staying home. I live in nyc and I’m annoyed at people out and about like it’s no big deal. I haven’t left my house in a few days and I’m ok with that. I do not want to spread anything and have someone like my mom catch it. No thanks. This has to be stopped and any unnecessary travel domestically or internationally needs to end. Our economy will take a huge hit. I wonder how chinas economy will fair from this while the rest of us suffer.


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## tschwa2 (Mar 15, 2020)

Including hold the call took 1hour and 13 minutes to Interval.  She did have to put a supervisor override to get me out of flexchange.  The trip was for March 28 that I was trading out of.  I wanted Thanksgiving week Sun-Sun, at Grand Vista,  I was using a Marriott exchange.  I could see availability with other weeks.  The best she could do was Friday to Friday checking out the day after Thanksgiving.   Because it has the supervisor override I am not sure if it will allow me to cancel for an unrestricted replacement week if need be.  I will probably be waiting to August or September to make that decision.


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## dioxide45 (Mar 15, 2020)

Judy said:


> You must be young and healthy.  So if you catch COVID-19,  you probably won't die.  Those of us in the high risk groups probably would.


The problem is, we can't just think about ourselves. What if we have elderly relatives and we catch it and spread it to them?


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## dioxide45 (Mar 15, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I have completely changed my position on that. Everyone should be staying home. I live in nyc and I’m annoyed at people out and about like it’s no big deal. I haven’t left my house in a few days and I’m ok with that. I do not want to spread anything and have someone like my mom catch it. No thanks. This has to be stopped and any unnecessary travel domestically or internationally needs to end. Our economy will take a huge hit. I wonder how chinas economy will fair from this while the rest of us suffer.


I suspect China's economy will be hit hard. Especially on trade. Other countries should have realized that we depend on China far too much. I have seen anywhere from 90-95% of our pharmaceuticals are manufactured in China. Many antibiotics. The higher percentages are on the generic medication side. China's state run media has reported they could cut off pharmaceuticals to the US. An empty threat? Perhaps. But not something we or any other country should take lightly.

Of course the US economy will take a huge hit, though perhaps not the grocery sector and especially not Costco or Sam's. There is also the economies of the Caribbean that rely heavily on tourism. It will be a rough couple years, but as long as this doesn't linger, they will all bounce back at some point. Just like they did after 9/11 and the market meltdown.


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## CPNY (Mar 15, 2020)

dioxide45 said:


> I suspect China's economy will be hit hard. Especially on trade. Other countries should have realized that we depend on China far too much. I have seen anywhere from 90-95% of our pharmaceuticals are manufactured in China. Many antibiotics. The higher percentages are on the generic medication side. China's state run media has reported they could cut off pharmaceuticals to the US. An empty threat? Perhaps. But not something we or any other country should take lightly.
> 
> Of the US economy will take a huge hit, though perhaps not the grocery sector and especially not Costco or Sam's. There is also the economies of the Caribbean that rely heavily on tourism. It will be a rough couple years, but as long as this doesn't linger, they will all bounce back at some point. Just like they did after 9/11 and the market meltdown.


Couldn’t agree more. When this hit China and well before it came here, when we started feeling the effects of the trade route shut down, I immediately thought this is the time to bring even more manufacturing back to the US!

This is why I always want branded medications. Most are made in factories here or Europe.


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## Jim&Martha (Mar 16, 2020)

Cyberc said:


> Problem with face masks is that they dont work. At the very best they provide very little protection. If they get any moist at all they don’t work and You put yourself in risk of getting infected. A moist mask is kinda hoarding bacteria or viruses.
> Even if it doesn’t get any moist it only work for a few short hours and then it needs to get replaced.
> Your money is better spent elsewhere like hand sanitizer or similar.


Here in Kirkland WA, the epicenter, we can't buy hand sanitizer at all, none to be had.  We can still buy plastic gloves which are a good reminder not to touch your face while out of the house, it works.  Then when you get back into your car from the store, take the gloves off and toss them.  I made some sanitizer with alcohol and aloe vera, but now those supplies are gone from the shelves too.


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## sfwilshire (Mar 21, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I feel like everyone should travel. What happened to all of the people on the JetBlue flight with the man from nyc to palm beach? Did the whole plane test positive? I suspect not. Go on vacation. Buy Lysol, Lysol down the room and relax and get your mind off this situation.



If this was a "normal" illness, I'd be inclined to agree with you. The horrible part of this situation is that you can be infected and not realize it right away or at all and still put others at risk. We have elected to keep our family separate from all others, even my daughter and her family who live next door. We go over and wave through the storm door at our grand-daughters from about 6' out in the yard. Our son-in-law is still going to work every day, so we will likely continue this separation for an extended period. We have had no physical contact with the outside word except to pick up our mail once a day since Wednesday afternoon. We have sufficient food to easily go for a couple of more weeks and in a pinch, longer. The days have been very long, but I have been cleared to work from home until the situation resolves, so our income is not impacted. Our retirement account is taking a big hit, of course, but we are very fortunate compared to others. We are saddened by some of our events that have been cancelled, but small price to pay to do our part to avoid catching or passing along the illness.

I will be planning vacations for next year and looking forward to our Fall plans, should the crisis be over by then. I have a long list of chores around the house to keep me busy in the meantime.

Sheila


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## Wmbriano2grad (Apr 19, 2020)

I own points at a resort and use them through II.  In January I booked multiple hotel exchanges for a family trip in June in Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.  I’m into it for about $600 and almost 350k points.  I also have flight reservations from Virginia to Vegas that start June 7 on United.

Has anyone had experience getting hotel exchange points and fees refunded bc of CV?

Right now II is only refunding on exchanges through the end of May.  Virginia currently has a stay at home order until June 10!


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## dctravlr (Apr 20, 2020)

barco13 said:


> Nevermind, just saw a related post........
> 
> Anybody have any examples of what II may be doing? I have a 3/15 check-in on an exchange. Didn't purchase trip insurance but also was not thinking a national state of emergency. Would hope companies realize how unique this situation is.


My Covid-19 experience with Interval International was totally unsatisfactory. My week#16, starting 19APR, deposit for my Provincetown, MA waterfront studio unit was reported to me via an II postcard as "rejected by your resort..," or words to that effect. My resort sent me copies of THREE Approved emails they had sent to II. 
When I phoned Ii for an explanation, i was subjected to over TWO HOURS of telephone "hold" time to move up their managerial food chain to determine why they had sent me a cancellation postcard notice which, in fact, lied to me about their reason for cancellation. Finally, an II "supervisor," who never revealed her name, told me that their II "resort rejection" postcard was a "generic" communication, and acknowledged that it was sent to me upon II being informed that my resort had been shut down by city authorities as a Covid-19 precautionary action; my week #16 could not be exchanged. 
My attempts to get some kind of "we're in this corona virus thing together" acknowledgment from either II or my home resort, I was told, basically, "Tough Luck, Fell.," My requests for even a goodwill gesture from Interval International (ie coupons, waiving of future exchange fees, etc) to help offset my Corona Virus-related 2020 week#16 100% personal loss were rejected by II.
Anyone interested in taking on a Provincetown MA timeshare week. It's all yours, for just the legally-required fees to transfer ownership!


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## Judy (Apr 20, 2020)

The resort I exchanged into is also closed.  I had a slightly better experience with II on April 4. See my post #47 here:  https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/ii-response-to-covid-19.302727/page-2   but I also received a postcard.  I threw it out in disgust.  It said something like,  "Since you cancelled so late, your your replacement exchange is only good for 30 days in advance of check-in."  I checked my account and the replacement certificate, good until mid December 2020, is still there.  It has a lot of restrictions, but it would work for exchanges more than 30 days prior to check-in.  It appears that II doesn't know what they're doing.  Does anyone these days?  Check your online II account and see if there's a certificate there.  It might take several days to show up.


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## TrvlwhnIcan (Apr 21, 2020)

I had a very similar situation with II. My Las Vegas resort closed a couple weeks before our April 3 checkin date. I called II to find out what to do, and I got the certificate online, good through the end of the year. This didn't help us much because all vacations at my husband's workplace were cancelled through December. A week later, the generic postcard came describing the terms of the replacement week with a 59 day-out booking limitation, but at least it was good through March 2021.  The online certificate could be extended through June 2021 for $99, but when I called, they told me that extending the certificate would change the terms so that I could only book 30 days before check-in, similar to the replacement week described on the postcard. After a lot of time on hold, a rep with more authority lifted the 59 day booking limitation on the replacement week and removed the certificate from my account. The only issue was that the booking fee would have to be paid again; however, this didn't affect me because my home resort pays for that. I was able to immediately go online and book the same Vegas resort for next March. I would have preferred April (desert wildflowers), but the replacement week had to be used by one year from the date of the original cancellation. All in all, I feel lucky.


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## travel maniac (Apr 22, 2020)

I think RCI was late to start their response but have done a better job of keeping up. They just revised their cancellation policy so one can cancel reservations beginning before May 31, 2020.

Generally I'm not an RCI fan but have to admit they have handled it very well so far. And IMO better than II.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 22, 2020)

This thread is tough to read.  It's supposed to be about exchange companies and how they are handling cancellations.  

I think RCI is doing a better job, but I understand that people just love II, and I love II, but II isn't being all that great because they make you pay additional money to get another exchange, and they are limiting it to within 60 days.  I am not happy with that at all.  RCI weeks has been good to me.  They gave me coupons for my exchange fees and allowed me to use the coupon by 6/30 and book within a year of that time.


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## elaine (Apr 22, 2020)

I was also very satisfied with RCI. Swapped cancelled RCI May DVC trade for Key West in Dec obtained via ongoing search. Used C19 free exchange voucher.


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## Judy (Apr 22, 2020)

rickandcindy23 said:


> II isn't being all that great because they make you pay additional money to get another exchange, and they are limiting it to within 60 days.  I am not happy with that at all.


Have you tested your certificate out online?  In my case, even though it says, "A redemption fee will be required", when I used it to partially book an exchange, a charge of zero appeared.


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## hurnik (Apr 23, 2020)

mdurette said:


> I have a feeling that this topic is going to be all over the board and it may be helpful to keep all the info in one place as lots of us are interested in knowing.
> As we all get information.  Please share here.
> 
> Personally, I  have a RCI TPU exchange into Disneyworld that starts next week.   Technically the resort itself isn't closing, just the theme parks.
> ...



This is old information, from an email from SFX on 3/20/20, so it *may* have changed.  I have one exchange for November that I may need to cancel (although I did purchase the $99 insurance for it) for Vidanta.  Won't know yet for a few more months.



> Executive Management and Staff at SFX Preferred Resorts are all aware of the current threat of COVID-19 and fully appreciate all the input our members have provided. With your best interests in mind, we want to take the opportunity to update you on the status of your vacation booking, our cancelation process, and most importantly our commitment to ensuring you have an opportunity to travel once this challenging time is behind us.Due to the concerns over COVID-19 we have been inundated with requests to cancel vacations. The CDC has recommended that seniors aged 60 or older not travel at this time. Many flights are being cancelled and several countries have implemented travel restrictions.
> Considering these are unprecedented times, we are allowing anyone who is scheduled to travel on a vacation from the dates of 3/19/20-4/26/20 to cancel their vacation without penalty, outside of our normal cancellation policy.
> We will provide a full credit to our members and allow them to rebook for new travel dates (subject to availability), along with a rebooking fee. If your week was scheduled to expire in the next few months, as a courtesy, we will extend it out till the end of the year.On a separate note, if you have not yet deposited your 2020 week and will not be traveling this year, it would also be a good time to deposit your timeshare week with SFX, so it's one less thing to deal with right now. You will have 2-3 years to exchange it towards another vacation at a later date.
> We are all optimistic that this crisis will be over soon, and life will go on and you and your family will continue to vacation. With this in mind we can immediately begin assisting you with a future vacation as soon as you are ready. Current extremely low pricing for airline tickets will make Summer, Fall and Winter vacations the best value they have ever been!
> We have assured all our staff and can assure all of you that we will get through this together and come out stronger and more united that ever before. We look forward to working with you on getting your next vacation booked.


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## Wmbriano2grad (May 1, 2020)

Wmbriano2grad said:


> I own points at a resort and use them through II.  In January I booked multiple hotel exchanges for a family trip in June in Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.  I’m into it for about $600 and almost 350k points.  I also have flight reservations from Virginia to Vegas that start June 7 on United.
> 
> Has anyone had experience getting hotel exchange points and fees refunded bc of CV?
> 
> Right now II is only refunding on exchanges through the end of May.  Virginia currently has a stay at home order until June 10!



I finally called II on Monday.  I called around 9:30am EST and got right through.   I explained the situation and the result was more than satisfactory.  They canceled all 3 of my reservations.  My points and all fees for each booking were added to a Credit.  I have 6 months to re-book and can travel until 12/31/2021 without additional cost.  So I have 3 credits waiting for rebook.  All points, booking fees, and extra hotel payments will be reapplied.  She didn’t even question the fact that my travel dates were beyond their current extended cancellation policies.  This all works fine - I’m planning on booking the same trip, only next June.


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