# Marco Under Water?? / Hurricane Ian-impacted reservations ? [MERGED]



## marriottdude (Sep 28, 2022)

I'm hearing Marco Island is under water. It's one of my favorite places in the MVC portfolio. Wishing everyone in Florida safe wishes and speedy recovery.


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## marriottdude (Sep 28, 2022)

Here's a donation site from the American Red Cross for those interested:









						I support the American Red Cross
					

Support the American Red Cross today. Please visit our website to donate now. Financial donations of any size help fund our mission.




					www.redcross.org


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## PsuFrh (Sep 28, 2022)

Hoping it's not a total destruction at Crystal Shores and everyone is safe.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 28, 2022)

PsuFrh said:


> Hoping it's not a total destruction at Crystal Shores and everyone is safe.



I’m pretty certain it’s not “total” destruction. Ground floor amenities and the pools will likely need attention, but my bet is the resort is back up and running not long after the city gets all services up and running again.

Ocean Pointe got whacked by three hurricanes in one season and it’s still standing. I’m sure Crystal Shires will be just fine


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## Superchief (Sep 28, 2022)

dougp26364 said:


> I’m pretty certain it’s not “total” destruction. Ground floor amenities and the pools will likely need attention, but my bet is the resort is back up and running not long after the city gets all services up and running again.
> 
> Ocean Pointe got whacked by three hurricanes in one season and it’s still standing. I’m sure Crystal Shires will be just fine


I would expect the new pool and tower to be in pretty good shape because they are on higher ground. One problem will be getting there, since Naples and Ft Myers suffered severe damage and are still getting heavy rain and wind.


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## rapmarks (Sep 28, 2022)

I am not there, but many of my friends are.  Power is out and it stormed all day so no one could walk around the neighborhood. So far sounds like damage along beaches and coast.  It was horrible, as my neighbor said, pretty wild. No pictures of Times Square but someone stated there is no fort myers beach.


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## TravelTime (Sep 28, 2022)

It took a few years to rebuild St Thomas and St John after the hurricane over there. Wouldn’t it take a long time to rebuild Crystal Shores and the Marco Island infrastructure? You would not want to go to Crystal Shores if the resorts, restaurants and other infrastructure is not rebuilt too. I guess it depends on how much devastation has been experienced in Marco Island after all is said and done. We have a reservation to go to Crystal Shores next June.


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## rapmarks (Sep 28, 2022)

My neighbor said 12 hours of severe storm shaking house, house is cement block construction and 7 hours of wind over 100.   Giant palms down, landscaping shredded, cages gone, but houses intact.   Neighbor says no standing water on our street.  They drained the pond behind us prior to hurricane and cleaned all drains in subdivision


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## dioxide45 (Sep 28, 2022)

A lot will also depend on water intrusion. Watter getting into the villas can take them offline for a while. I beleive they had issues like this in HHI and Ocean Pointe in past storms. The resort may be offline for just a few weeks or a few months. Hard to tell until they can get in there and assess any damage.


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## Fasttr (Sep 28, 2022)

Water intrusion into elevator shafts could be a big issue there if that were to occur.  Lots of floors at Crystal Shores.


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## amycurl (Sep 29, 2022)

And it looks like it may make another landfall near HHI…


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Luvtoride (Sep 29, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Water intrusion into elevator shafts could be a big issue there if that were to occur. Lots of floors at Crystal Shores.



I hope that doesn’t happen. If it does expect to see higher MF for repairs/ Insurance deductible and higher premiums. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dougp26364 (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> It took a few years to rebuild St Thomas and St John after the hurricane over there. Wouldn’t it take a long time to rebuild Crystal Shores and the Marco Island infrastructure? You would not want to go to Crystal Shores if the resorts, restaurants and other infrastructure is not rebuilt too. I guess it depends on how much devastation has been experienced in Marco Island after all is said and done. We have a reservation to go to Crystal Shores next June.



Not so much. Building supplies are easier to come by stateside than on a Caribbean Island.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 29, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I would expect the new pool and tower to be in pretty good shape because they are on higher ground. One problem will be getting there, since Naples and Ft Myers suffered severe damage and are still getting heavy rain and wind.



True, but if the street are impassable due to flooding, I suspect there will be some issues with the pools


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## Superchief (Sep 29, 2022)

Ocean Pointe was closed for a few weeks after a hurricane. The primary problem was water damage to the ocean front villas as a result of water seepage through the windows during heavy wind/rain. Several villas were out of commission for more than a month, and interval exchanges were cancelled due to capacity issues. I've seen several pictures and videos of Marco Island and flooding appears to be the primary problem. I didn't see a lot of debris from wind damage, so hopefully the villas won't be impacted. I expect the original pool area will have issues, as well as the parking garage.


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## jme (Sep 29, 2022)

Superchief said:


> Ocean Pointe was closed for a few weeks after a hurricane. The primary problem was water damage to the ocean front villas as a result of water seepage through the windows during heavy wind/rain. Several villas were out of commission for more than a month, and interval exchanges were cancelled due to capacity issues. I've seen several pictures and videos of Marco Island and flooding appears to be the primary problem. I didn't see a lot of debris from wind damage, so hopefully the villas won't be impacted. I expect the original pool area will have issues, as well as the parking garage.



.....and if any storm surge at all, the elevator shafts!
Water and sand accumulate at the bottom.....that issue sidelined Grande Ocean's elevators for a while
after a couple of hurricanes in the last 10 years.....Matthew in 2016 & Irma in 2017.


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## theo (Sep 29, 2022)

Ian was  (and will surely be for quite some time into the future) a truly horrific event for much of Florida and for coastal SW FL in particular. It's hard to even absorb and fully comprehend from afar the level of destruction and the sheer magnitude of suffering, loss and hardship created by this "storm" for so many people there.  

Try to imagine, just for example, the current plight of folks who did not evacuate Lee County's Sanibel Island, where access and / or exit is *only* via a causeway connecting the island to the "mainland. About 60 feet of the causeway ramp leading up to the bridge has been completely destroyed and is now just plain *gone*.   Sure, it will be rebuilt when that becomes possible but, in the meantime, no one is getting on or off that island by any means other than emergency helo Medivac.


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## jpc763 (Sep 29, 2022)

I posted this on another thread as I am booked in Crystal Shores in a little over two weeks from now. The JW Marriott had water into the pool but not into the building. They were open during the storm but Crystal Shores was not.  There is no power on the island and cell and internet are spotty. A lot of people are posting after pictures on their phones (and before) and the flooding was significant. Fort Myers was hit very hard and as mentioned above, Sanibel is shut off from the rest of Florida. RSW (Fort Myers airport) has cancelled all flights today. Reports I read are that they are working to get the power back on today and clean up debris. 

For my upcoming reservation, it is a wait and see.  If I can get there and I can stay there, I will go and try to help where I can, even if it is just with my $$$.  I am very sad for the residents, they are suffering there.  We all have catastrophic events that can occur where we live (for me it is wild fires that happen every year).  We all live there anyway because we choose to. When we have a major wildfire I am grateful for people to try to help where they can. That's all we can do for Florida now.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I posted this on another thread as I am booked in Crystal Shores in a little over two weeks from now. The JW Marriott had water into the pool but not into the building. They were open during the storm but Crystal Shores was not.  There is no power on the island and cell and internet are spotty. A lot of people are posting after pictures on their phones (and before) and the flooding was significant. Fort Myers was hit very hard and as mentioned above, Sanibel is shut off from the rest of Florida. RSW (Fort Myers airport) has cancelled all flights today. Reports I read are that they are working to get the power back on today and clean up debris.
> 
> For my upcoming reservation, it is a wait and see.  If I can get there and I can stay there, I will go and try to help where I can, even if it is just with my $$$.  I am very sad for the residents, they are suffering there.  We all have catastrophic events that can occur where we live (for me it is wild fires that happen every year).  We all live there anyway because we choose to. When we have a major wildfire I am grateful for people to try to help where they can. That's all we can do for Florida now.



I feel so sorry for everyone in FL who is suffering. This was a big one. I hope the repairs happen quickly for their sake.

Good point that we all live where catastrophic events can happen. I have lived in FL with hurricanes, SF Bay Area with earthquakes and now in the Sierra mountain foothills with wildfires. Any place I have considered moving to has its own set of natural disasters that can happen.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

I might cancel our Crystal Shores Marco Island for next June if I find out Marco Island had major catestrophic damage. I know most people will think that is dumb and it is too early. But I would need to find somewhere else to go now and for me, this is last minute. 

It could be perfectly fine but I am not the “wait and see” type. Not sure where I would want to go instead. If may actually wait and see unless my points expire in 2023. I need to call Marriott because I do not understand how to figure out which points I used for Marco Island. 

We might decide to go nowhere next June since we are going to to Fiji for 3 weeks in July. We also have 12-14 days booked for Hawaii in April. We have about 8 weeks vacation per year so I need to calculate how much my husband will be using next year.


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> I need to call Marriott because I do not understand how to figure out which points I used for Marco Island.


If you sign into your MVC account, click Use Points from top menu, then Points Reservations in the pull down, and while looking at the list of upcoming Ressys....you will see a "View" link on the right hand side of each ressy.  If you click that, you can see exactly what points you used for that ressy.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> If you sign into your MVC account, click Use Points from top menu, then Points Reservations in the pull down, and while looking at the list of upcoming Ressys....you will see a "View" link on the right hand side of each ressy.  If you click that, you can see exactly what points you used for that ressy.



Great, I see it. It says Trust Banked Points Use Year 2023. I am currently Presidential so I get 1.5 years when I bank. If it says Use Year is 2023, does that mean they expire on July 1, 2024 or July 1, 2023? If they expire on July 1, 2023, I will need to see if I can move some points around.


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Great, I see it. It says Trust Banked Points Use Year 2023. I am currently Presidential so I get 1.5 years when I bank. If it says Use Year is 2023, does that mean they expire on July 1, 2024 or July 1, 2023? If they expire on July 1, 2023, I will need to see if I can move some points around.


Those would be from 2022 points banked forward into the 2023 Use Year....so they would expire 6/30/24 in your case.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Those would be from 2022 points banked forward into the 2023 Use Year....so they would expire 6/30/24 in your case.



Okay that is good. So if we cancel then we could use the points for Spring Break 2024. But that would be risky if we need to cancel so close to expiration. Now I can see why people say it is good to bank points into a future use year if you get extra time to use them.

Problem right now is if we cancel Crystal Shores, it is hard to book anything for June 2023 since all the good locations would tend to be gone by now for 7-10 nights. I guess wait and see is best. I was looking at the Marco Island Facebook page and it looks like they might be up and running this year. Roads are still open and the flooding would affect 1st floor mainly.

@dioxide45 You are a MVC expert. Do you know if the first floor at Crystal Shores has any units? Is the garage underground?


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

As I recall, no rooms on ground floor.

These Googled pics seem to bear that out.








						Marriott’s Crystal Shores on Marco Island - FISHER MARANTZ STONE
					

Creating a utopia in the Gulf of Mexico, phase one of this residential and hotel fit-out architecturally embraces the island's 360° views while balancing functionality demands and meeting rigorous ecological requirements. Harmonizing the lighting demands to aesthetically complement the...




					www.fmsp.com
				











						Marriott's Crystal Shores Full resort access-ask about a 5 night stay! - Marco Island
					

Oceanfront resort on the white sands of Marco Island - $979 avg/night - Marco Island - Amenities include: Swimming pool, Internet, Air conditioning, Hot tub, TV, Satellite or cable, Washer & dryer, Parking, No smoking ✓ Bedrooms: 2 ✓ Sleeps: 8 ✓ Minimum stay from 7 night(s) ✓ Bookable directly...




					www.vrbo.com
				











						MARRIOTT'S CRYSTAL SHORES - Prices &  Resort Reviews (Marco Island, Florida)
					

Now $649 (Was $̶7̶5̶3̶) on Tripadvisor: Marriott's Crystal Shores, Marco Island. See 832 traveler reviews, 655 candid photos, and great deals for Marriott's Crystal Shores, ranked #5 of 11 hotels in Marco Island and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor.




					www.tripadvisor.com


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Those would be from 2022 points banked forward into the 2023 Use Year....so they would expire 6/30/24 in your case.



Do you know if we are upgraded to Chairman’s Club after the Abound launch, would all of the already banked points get updated  to the new booking window and then get the 2 year banking window? I recall when I went from Executive to Presidential, I think Marriott upgraded all banked points to 1.5 years but it is hard to remember.


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Do you know if we are upgraded to Chairman’s Club after the Abound launch, would all banked points get uprated and then get the 2 year banking window? I recall when I went from Executive to Presidential, I think Marriott upgraded all banked points to 1.5 years but it is hard to remember.


Not sure if they will retro previously banked points, or just apply it to new bankings.


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## RManochio (Sep 29, 2022)

We are booked to go Oct 29-Nov 5th. We used mostly 2022 points, but some 2023 points. i know if we cancel they go to holding account and have to book something only within 60 day travel. Anyone know how long we could extend that to? could we still travel until the end of 2023 with the 2022 points?


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

RManochio said:


> We are booked to go Oct 29-Nov 5th. We used mostly 2022 points, but some 2023 points. i know if we cancel they go to holding account and have to book something only within 60 day travel. Anyone know how long we could extend that to? could we still travel until the end of 2023 with the 2022 points?


2022 points would expire at end of 2022, unless MVC chose to treat them differently because of the circumstances.


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## Superchief (Sep 29, 2022)

I checked the status at the Crystal Shores MVC page. Here is what was posted. There is no mention regarding resort closure or timing.


*Important Alerts*
Guests should be aware of the following:*Important Weather Update*
Please be advised that Collier County has issued a *MANDATORY* evacuation order that affects *Marriott's Crystal Shores* due to the threat posed by Hurricane Ian. Due to this mandatory evacuation order, it is necessary to immediately take precautionary measures. Evacuations began *Tuesday, September 27* and the resort is currently under a Hurricane Warning. *Marriott’s Crystal Shores is without power and internet at this time.  *
We encourage you to actively monitor the current weather situation before you depart and check flight status through your airline carrier. Further updates on resort operating status will be provided on this page should weather conditions warrant.


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## Pamplemousse (Sep 29, 2022)

Someone posted on the Crystal Shores Facebook group that their reservation for this weekend was cancelled but they were told the resort hoped to open again by the middle of next week.

There are other comments saying the resort didn’t flood.


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## Zagrid094 (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> I might cancel our Crystal Shores Marco Island for next June if I find out Marco Island had major catestrophic damage. I know most people will think that is dumb and it is too early. But I would need to find somewhere else to go now and for me, this is last minute.


Five years ago on Sunday, September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma (coincidentally, another "I" named hurricane) made landfall on Marco Island as a Category 3 hurricane with winds measuring up to 130 mph.  The eye of the storm passed directly over Marco Island.  While there are similarities in terms of rapid intensification experienced with Irma with Ian, the storm paths were different.  Hurricane Irma took more of a due north approach from Cuba which spared Naples, Fort Myers and points along the Florida Gulf Coast to the north from greater devastation as they were on the "weaker" side of the storm and the center of the storm was over land.  Irma was more of a wind event even though Marco Island did experience storm surge of 3 feet, much less than the originally projected 15 ft.  Marco Island experienced significantly lower wind gusts with Hurricane Ian since the eye of the storm passed further to the west, but the prolonged southwesterly direction of the winds once it passed by the island caused higher storm surge of 6 feet or more.  Hurricane Ian made landfall further north as as a strong Category 4 hurricane near Sanibel and Captiva with winds measuring approximately 155 mph.  We are now seeing the heart-wrenching images of communities in Charlotte and Lee Counties as well as northern Collier in the Naples area due to the catastrophic winds, high storm surge and heavy rains.

Power and communications were out for several days on Marco Island following Hurricane Irma while recovery, cleanup, and repairs where underway.  By Friday, September 15, approximately 70% of the island had power and by Monday, September 18, the boil water notice was lifted.  My DW and I were able to visit Crystal Shores on October 7-18, 2017 following Irma so it took less than a month for the resort to resume partial operations.  We were fortunate that our reservations were not cancelled.  At that time only the original Egret building which is located closest to the Gulf was open.  Crystal Shores was only honoring weeks and points owner reservations with Gulf Front and Gulf Side views.  The newer Osprey building had been scheduled to open in September, but was damaged due to Hurricane Irma so its opening was delayed until repairs were completed.

It remains to be seen how quickly Crystal Shores will reopen following Hurricane Ian since its effects were different from Irma, but I know the management and staff there are extremely dedicated and will work hard to make the property safe and ready as quickly as possible for occupancy to be enjoyed by their guests.  Marco Island is a special place and we've become friends with several of the Crystal Shores staff and area restaurant owners visiting each year since 2009.  Unfortunately, we were scheduled to visit Crystal Shores beginning this coming Sunday for two weeks and I suspect we will be unable to make the trip this year.  Here is one video providing an example of the storm surge experienced on Marco Island which was posted today on you tube:  



.

My thoughts and prayers are with all the residents in Florida and the southeast affected by this storm.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Someone posted on the Crystal Shores Facebook group that their reservation for this weekend was cancelled but they were told the resort hoped to open again by the middle of next week.
> 
> There are other comments saying the resort didn’t flood.



Great news. Marco Island is a bit south of where the hurricane hit so I would expect less damage. Hopefully it re-opens soon and the people of Marco Island are okay with not too much damage.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> Five years ago on Sunday, September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma (coincidentally, another "I" named hurricane) made landfall on Marco Island as a Category 3 hurricane with winds measuring up to 130 mph.  The eye of the storm passed directly over Marco Island.  While there are similarities in terms of rapid intensification experienced with Irma with Ian, the storm paths were different.  Hurricane Irma took more of a due north approach from Cuba which spared Naples, Fort Myers and points along the Florida Gulf Coast to the north from greater devastation as they were on the "weaker" side of the storm and the center of the storm was over land.  Irma was more of a wind event even though Marco Island did experience storm surge of 3 feet, much less than the originally projected 15 ft.  Marco Island experienced significantly lower wind gusts with Hurricane Ian since the eye of the storm passed further to the west, but the prolonged southwesterly direction of the winds once it passed by the island caused higher storm surge of 6 feet or more.  Hurricane Ian made landfall further north as as a strong Category 4 hurricane near Sanibel and Captiva with winds measuring approximately 155 mph.  We are now seeing the heart-wrenching images of communities in Charlotte and Lee Counties as well as northern Collier in the Naples area due to the catastrophic winds, high storm surge and heavy rains.
> 
> Power and communications were out for several days on Marco Island following Hurricane Irma while recovery, cleanup, and repairs where underway.  By Friday, September 15, approximately 70% of the island had power and by Monday, September 18, the boil water notice was lifted.  My DW and I were able to visit Crystal Shores on October 7-18, 2017 following Irma so it took less than a month for the resort to resume partial operations.  We were fortunate that our reservations were not cancelled.  At that time only the original Egret building which is located closest to the Gulf was open.  Crystal Shores was only honoring weeks and points owner reservations with Gulf Front and Gulf Side views.  The newer Osprey building had been scheduled to open in September, but was damaged due to Hurricane Irma so its opening was delayed until repairs were completed.
> 
> ...



Irma did cause cause some major damage. My father’s house in Naples had major damage and he could not live in it for a long time. He was a bit inland from the coast and still had a lot of damage. Irma caused major flooding. My father’s house was a newer once and raised but he had 6+ feet of flooding around the mound where his home was built. It took a long time to recede. He was in the house and he said never again will he stay in a home during a hurricane. He thought they would die. He evacuated to Miami this time although my stepmother stayed by herself.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Sep 29, 2022)

I would worry about any cars in the Marco Island Crystal Shores garage "if" the garage flooded with high water........  My guess that vehicles flooded by salt water are a total loss.

I think you'll end up seeing a lot of Florida salvage or totaled vehicles hitting the market over the next six months.




.


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## Zagrid094 (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Irma did cause cause some major damage. My father’s house in Naples had major damage and he could not live in it for a long time. He was a bit inland from the coast and still had a lot of damage. Irma caused major flooding. My father’s house was a newer once and raised but he had 6+ feet of flooding around the mound where his home was built. It took a long time to recede. He was in the house and he said never again will he stay in a home during a hurricane. He thought they would die. He evacuated to Miami this time although my stepmother stayed by herself.


Dear TravelTime, my apologies to you and your father.  I was not implying that there was little damage to those living in Naples or areas further north of Marco Island as a result of Irma.  Each storm will affect residents in different ways depending on where they live (inland or coastal area, which side of the storm, high tide/low tide, speed of the hurricane for example).  I was merely attempting to compare the two storms and their affect on Marco Island and point out that the recovery one can expect for Crystal Shores to reopen is on the order of weeks and not months.

I hope your stepmother faired well with this most recent hurricane.


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## rapmarks (Sep 29, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> Dear TravelTime, my apologies to you and your father.  I was not implying that there was little damage to those living in Naples or areas further north of Marco Island as a result of Irma.  Each storm will affect residents in different ways depending on where they live (inland or coastal area, which side of the storm, high tide/low tide, speed of the hurricane for example).  I was merely attempting to compare the two storms and their affect on Marco Island and point out that the recovery one can expect for Crystal Shores to reopen is on the order of weeks and not months.
> 
> I hope your stepmother faired well with this most recent hurricane.


Our subdivision was hit very hard by Irma, in Estero


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Not sure where to post this and do not want to start a new thread.

_“Sanibel is destruction,” Governor said, referring to the island off the coast of Fort Myers.  He described the impact, which washed away three sections of the Sanibel Causeway, as a "really Biblican storm surge.”  

“We’re committed to restoring the infrastructure as needed. That is not going to be an overnight task,” said DeSantis.  _


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## Pamplemousse (Sep 29, 2022)

Well I just received my ‘plan your vacation” email from Crystal Shores for our stay in 3 weeks.
I guess they are automatically sent, no storm info included.
When I saw the preview I thought they were cancelling.


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## TravelTime (Sep 29, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> As I recall, no rooms on ground floor.
> 
> These Googled pics seem to bear that out.
> 
> ...



It looks like they planned for hurricane. The lowest level units are higher up and the level by the pool is open air. I wonder how high up the pool level is. I guess it will probably be rebuilt fairly quickly and re-open soon. The rest of the island may take more time. I would guess downtown Naples will take a long time. But we mainly do nothing except the resort and beach when we go on vacation. So even if not a lot is open yet, it will be fine with us. So sorry for the locals who are suffering through this.


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## Superchief (Sep 29, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Well I just received my ‘plan your vacation” email from Crystal Shores for our stay in 3 weeks.
> I guess they are automatically sent, no storm info included.
> When I saw the preview I thought they were cancelling.


I received my email last week for our 10/15 arrival. I'll post if I have any additional communication from them.


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## Fasttr (Sep 29, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> It looks like they planned for hurricane. The lowest level units are higher up and the level by the pool is open air. I wonder how high up the pool level is. I guess it will probably be rebuilt fairly quickly and re-open soon. The rest of the island may take more time. I would guess downtown Naples will take a long time. But we mainly do nothing except the resort and beach when we go on vacation. So even if not a lot is open yet, it will be fine with us. So sorry for the locals who are suffering through this.


The upper pool (newest and further from the ocean) is several feet higher in elevation than the lower pool.  It’s gotta be 6+ feet higher by my recollection.   That one hopefully saw less water surge damage.


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## pedro47 (Sep 29, 2022)

I just pray everyone is safe. Things can be replaced, human lives can not be replaced.
I'm thinking positive everything will be alright.


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## KarenP (Sep 29, 2022)

We had two reservations for Oct. 1.  A 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom.  I talked to someone in "executive office" when I called the hotel phone line who told me they hope to open Monday or Tuesday and that I should change my points reservation to Monday, which I was able to do.  Just a few minutes ago I got an email canceling the 2 bedroom reservation but not the 3 bedroom one.  Maybe it's just a matter of time.


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## Superchief (Sep 29, 2022)

KarenP said:


> We had two reservations for Oct. 1.  A 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom.  I talked to someone in "executive office" when I called the hotel phone line who told me they hope to open Monday or Tuesday and that I should change my points reservation to Monday, which I was able to do.  Just a few minutes ago I got an email canceling the 2 bedroom reservation but not the 3 bedroom one.  Maybe it's just a matter of time.


Wa the 2BR in the older buildings (gulf front or gulf side)? The 3BR would be in the new tower and it would be less likely to receive damage.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 29, 2022)

Superchief said:


> Wa the 2BR in the older buildings (gulf front or gulf side)? The 3BR would be in the new tower and it would be less likely to receive damage.


There are 3BR units in the gulf front building, but I understand they are the top floor. So they wouldn't have sustained any surge damage, but intrusion could still be an issue. The rest of the 3BR units are in the new tower. Again no surge or flood concerns, but intrusion around the patio door is a possibility.


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## jpc763 (Sep 30, 2022)

The Hub updated today.  I am also booked for a 10/15 arrival. Restoration of power seems to be the biggest issue right now as reports are that the resort did not have flooding (even in the pools).  If they can repair the grid it will take much less time than if they have to rebuild the grid.


*Important Alerts*
Guests should be aware of the following:*Important Weather Update*
Before your departure, we wanted to make you aware that Hurricane Ian is no longer impacting the resort. However, the property is currently closed as the management team assesses and remediates storm damage. Additionally, the resort is currently without power and water service has been interrupted.
During the closure, updates on the resort’s operating status will be provided on this page. We look forward to welcoming you back to Marriott's Crystal Shores in the near future.
Please contact our team if you have further questions:

*Owners:* Please contact Owner Services at 1-888-682-4862.
*Interval Exchange guests:* Please contact Interval directly at 1-800-468-3782.
*Renters:* Please contact Customer Care at 1-800-860-9384.


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## hcarman (Sep 30, 2022)

We are owners at Crystal Shores and I am cautiously optimistic that damage will be limited to parking garage and lower pool deck/breezeway, and likely the beach access boardwalks.  Stilts should be OK too though water probably got into the dining area.  There are no rooms on first floor so room damage would likely only be from water seeping in.  We are hearing this was mainly a water event in Marco as opposed to wind so the hurricane doors and windows should have held up fine.  Even the upper pool deck with pizza, gym, and activity room are lifted so it was built smartly.  The lobby and check in area is also significantly higher than Collier Blvd.  We are scheduled to go in November.  The big question is what will be open in surrounding area - shops, restaurants, entertainment, etc.  Many of these did not sit as high.  I am sure much of downtown Naples will also still be rebuilding.


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## pedro47 (Sep 30, 2022)

Please do not drive your vehicle in flooded water. Remember your vehicle is one big computer.


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## Superchief (Sep 30, 2022)

My neighbor has a house and Naples and was fortunate that everything in his neighborhood is OK. He was supposed to fly there on Tuesday, but the Ft Myers airport is supposed to be closed until 10/7.

Update 10/1 This was posted on RSW website.
*Operational Updates
Hurricane Ian *
RSW Update 10/1, 11:30 a.m.: The airport team is working tirelessly to get RSW safely open and operational. Your safety is our #1 priority. Once we have a date/time when we can resume commercial flights, we will post here, social media and share with news outlets.

All flights are cancelled until the airport has power and water restored. The RSW Team is working round-the-clock to make sure everything is working properly. 

You can pick up your car from the long- and short-term parking lots from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Please go to your airline's website for re-booking and other flight information.

Here is link to their website.


			Southwest Florida International Airport


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## TravelTime (Oct 1, 2022)

Does anyone know how Marco Island did on the island in general? If infrastructure is majorly damaged around Crystal Shores, then it might not be a good idea to go in general.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 1, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Does anyone know how Marco Island did on the island in general? If infrastructure is majorly damaged around Crystal Shores, then it might not be a good idea to go in general.


From what I read, the two Publix grocery stores on the island are open as well as the Winn-Dixie grocery and pharmacy. As of the time I read the article, no gas stations were open yet. So it seems that some of the island has power, or the grocery stores are running on generator power.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 1, 2022)

According to the most recent outage map reported by Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) that services Marco Island, power has been restored to almost half the island.  Several photos were posted on a Marco Island Facebook page including one showing that power is back on at Crystal Shores.   These photos were taken yesterday evening.  See below.     



 



Unfortunately, some areas of the island suffered more damage than others.  Here is a tweet posted on the Naples Daily News reporting that the Snook Inn was severely damaged during the storm.


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## LMD (Oct 1, 2022)

I just got back from Marco about 30 minutes ago. We had some family condos to check on over near Sunrise Bay. There is definitely a lot of clean up that has to go on but you can drive around the island and one of the gas stations is open (the one over by Anglers Cove) I did not ride over by the beach but will be back down there in the next few days and will check it out.


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## ilene13 (Oct 1, 2022)

I live in Lakewood Ranch which is just East of Sarasota.  The storm was awful- 18 hours of 150+ mile an hour winds.  Thank goodness for hurricane shutters and whole house generators- we have both.  The shutters were very necessary but we never lost power.  I have friends a mile away who still do not have power or internet.  There is a lot of landscaping damage throughout the area.  The grocery stores have NOT gotten deliveries so if you are coming down here don't count on grocery shopping and cooking. Also many gas stations are out of gas.  In addition I 75 is closed from exit 193-exit 179 due to the flooding of the Myakka River.  I just received notice that a levee has burst on that river and since I live in Manatee County they said that we will not be effected.
Not to be nasty but I am sorry if your vacation plans have been ruined by Ian, but 100's of thousands of lives have been disrupted here.  Right now with a shortage of gas and food we don't need visitors complaining that their plans have to be altered.  We consider ourselves to be the lucky ones but many have lost their homes and livelihood.


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## DanCali (Oct 1, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> Unfortunately, some areas of the island suffered more damage than others.  Here is a tweet posted on the Naples Daily News reporting that the Snook Inn was severely damaged during the storm.
> 
> View attachment 65908



Unfortunately, many of the older buildings get totally destroyed in a natural disaster like this.

Building codes post Hurricane Andrew (1992) are a lot stricter and more hurricane resistant. I may be wrong, but it seems like Snook Inn predates that.

Here is how much that can matter - from when Cat 4 hurricane Michael hit the FL Panhandle in 2018.

Source: Editorial: Toughen Florida's building code (tampabay.com)
(the article argues that South Florida building codes should be applied to the Panhandle, which is somewhat less strict in their codes).


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## TravelTime (Oct 1, 2022)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/09/30/hurricane-ian-damage-photos-videos/
		


Caption says: _In Marco Island alone, more than 5,000 buildings were affected by the flood._

I would not have imagined that Marco Island was big enough to have 5,000 buildings.


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## munthank (Oct 1, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Okay that is good. So if we cancel then we could use the points for Spring Break 2024. But that would be risky if we need to cancel so close to expiration. Now I can see why people say it is good to bank points into a future use year if you get extra time to use them.
> 
> Problem right now is if we cancel Crystal Shores, it is hard to book anything for June 2023 since all the good locations would tend to be gone by now for 7-10 nights. I guess wait and see is best. I was looking at the Marco Island Facebook page and it looks like they might be up and running this year. Roads are still open and the flooding would affect 1st floor mainly.
> 
> @dioxide45 You are a MVC expert. Do you know if the first floor at Crystal Shores has any units? Is the garage underground?


No Unuts on ground floor. Parking garage is under building. One pool is below level of building. Have to take elevator to get there.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 1, 2022)

munthank said:


> No Unuts on ground floor. Parking garage is under building. One pool is below level of building. Have to take elevator to get there.


Two pools are technically on the lower level. There is the Grotto Pool and the Lower Cascade Pool.


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## rapmarks (Oct 1, 2022)

My cousin passed on that the condos right next to snook inn had water intrusion on first floor but only those closer to the river


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## dioxide45 (Oct 1, 2022)

Here is NOAA Hurricane Ian Imagery showing Crystal Shores. As suspected, it looks like water from the Gulf made its way into the lower pools but the upper pool is still blue. Given the color of the water in the Lower Cascades and Grotto Pools, it doesn't look like it was fully inundated. Looking at nearby homes and other resorts and their pools, it looks like this part of the island may have been spared significant surge.


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## Sugarcubesea (Oct 1, 2022)

LMD said:


> I just got back from Marco about 30 minutes ago. We had some family condos to check on over near Sunrise Bay. There is definitely a lot of clean up that has to go on but you can drive around the island and one of the gas stations is open (the one over by Anglers Cove) I did not ride over by the beach but will be back down there in the next few days and will check it out.


@LMD, thanks for the update.


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## TravelTime (Oct 1, 2022)

I read in an article I posted that there were 5000+ buildings damages in Marco Island. Does this make sense? Are there that many buildings in Marco Island? I assume they meant homes and other structures. If this is the case, how badly was Marco Island damaged?


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## LMD (Oct 2, 2022)

My friend’s physical therapy practice is on the bottom floor of the yellow building. She said it was “bone dry” inside


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## LMD (Oct 2, 2022)




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## gln60 (Oct 2, 2022)

LMD said:


> View attachment 65966View attachment 65967View attachment 65968View attachment 65969View attachment 65970View attachment 65971View attachment 65972View attachment 65973View attachment 65974


Thanks for the pics…That’s the J.W. Marriot…correct?


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## LMD (Oct 2, 2022)

gln60 said:


> Thanks for the pics…That’s the J.W. Marriot…correct?


Yes it is the JW


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## Superchief (Oct 2, 2022)

KarenP said:


> We had two reservations for Oct. 1.  A 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom.  I talked to someone in "executive office" when I called the hotel phone line who told me they hope to open Monday or Tuesday and that I should change my points reservation to Monday, which I was able to do.  Just a few minutes ago I got an email canceling the 2 bedroom reservation but not the 3 bedroom one.  Maybe it's just a matter of time.


Please update us regarding whether you are able to check in tomorrow and the status of the resort. Thanks.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 2, 2022)

Superchief said:


> Please update us regarding whether you are able to check in tomorrow and the status of the resort. Thanks.


According to the hub the resort is still closed.
They give phone numbers to call for more info-








						Resort Status | Marriott’s Crystal Shores | Marriott Vacation Club
					

View property and destination updates for Marriott’s Crystal Shores in Marco Island, Florida. Learn more about the current status of resort amenities and services.




					hub.vacationclub.com
				




Southwest Florida airport (RSW) is due to open Wednesday (10/5))

There is a post on the Crystal Shores Facebook page saying callers are being told they are closed through Friday.


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## Superchief (Oct 2, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> According to the hub the resort is still closed.
> They give phone numbers to call for more info-
> 
> 
> ...


I don't think they've updated the hub page in a few days. I've read other sources that power is restored in the area and I checked a few restaurants and they are open. Tomorrow was the check in date that KarenP was given, so I'm interested in whether it still occurs.


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## TravelTime (Oct 2, 2022)

LMD said:


> View attachment 65966View attachment 65967View attachment 65968View attachment 65969View attachment 65970View attachment 65971View attachment 65972View attachment 65973View attachment 65974



What is the Marriott Crystal Shores like? Can you take photos in that area when you return?


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## Superchief (Oct 2, 2022)

RSW Airport Update
*SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS READY TO OPEN*
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 2, 2022) – Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, Florida, will be opening on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, for limited commercial flight operations. There will be some changes we would like everyone to be aware of before coming to the airport.


The initial hours of operation for security checkpoints at RSW will be between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. with flights operating between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Due to impacts from Hurricane Ian, please use caution and leave extra time to get to the airport. The roadways at RSW are open.
Some of the many amenities you have come to expect at RSW may not be available when we first open. Concessions will have limited food and beverage and other items may be in short supply.
Although restrooms will be open, we will not have drinking water available in the terminal until the boil water notice in our area has been lifted.
For any questions about specific flights, please go to your airline directly as they will have the most up-to-date information.
When you get to the airport, check to see what gate your airline will be using. Some airlines will be operating from different concourses than usual.
The long- and short-term parking lots are open; however, shuttle buses may take a little longer.
Rental car agencies will have limited operations. Please contact your agency for the most current information. If you are using an off-airport rental car agency or hotel shuttle, please contact them directly.
Airport Plaza gas station and the 7-Eleven convenience store are open, but may have limited supplies.
The airport is not a public shelter. We ask that only people traveling come to the airport.
We will continue to post operational updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the airport’s website, flylcpa.com. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience during this difficult time. Our #1 priority is your safety and we needed to make sure everything at RSW was ready to serve our travelers and the community.


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

It's rather disappointing that MVC hasn't updated the hub page with the current status and expected reopening date. The hub still shows power being out in the area, which is no longer true. I checked the Google maps and all roads in the area are open. Many restaurants nearby are also open, with the exception of Da Vinci's (temporarily closed). Any update would reduce the number of people trying to call the resort or owner services.  It would be very helpful if they posted an update regarding the current resort status, what needs to be done to reopen, and whether it will likely be closed for an extended period of time. Time and inventory are running out if alternative point reservations will be needed, so timely updates would help all of us. They should provide a daily status report on the hubsite.


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## Fasttr (Oct 3, 2022)

Superchief said:


> It's rather disappointing that MVC hasn't updated the hub page with the current status and expected reopening date. The hub still shows power being out in the area, which is no longer true. I checked the Google maps and all roads in the area are open. Many restaurants nearby are also open, with the exception of Da Vinci's (temporarily closed). Any update would reduce the number of people trying to call the resort or owner services.  It would be very helpful if they posted an update regarding the current resort status, what needs to be done to reopen, and whether it will likely be closed for an extended period of time. Time and inventory are running out if alternative point reservations will be needed, so timely updates would help all of us. They should provide a daily status report on the hubsite.


MVC is certainly consistently lacking in the area of timely communications.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 3, 2022)

Superchief said:


> It's rather disappointing that MVC hasn't updated the hub page with the current status and expected reopening date. The hub still shows power being out in the area, which is no longer true. I checked the Google maps and all roads in the area are open. Many restaurants nearby are also open, with the exception of Da Vinci's (temporarily closed). Any update would reduce the number of people trying to call the resort or owner services.  It would be very helpful if they posted an update regarding the current resort status, what needs to be done to reopen, and whether it will likely be closed for an extended period of time. Time and inventory are running out if alternative point reservations will be needed, so timely updates would help all of us. They should provide a daily status report on the hubsite.


Marriott's HUB website just plain sucks. Not only does it not have updated information, it is also clunky to use and the resort list doesn't load as you start to type in a resort name. Here is what it says about Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando. The Key West pool isn't supposed to be closed until January but the dates for that pool closure overlap with the St Augustine Pool being closed.
_From Sept. 5–13, 2022, the St. Augustine Pool will be closed for refurbishment. All other resort pools and amenities are expected to remain open during this time.

The Key West Pool will be closed for refurbishment from Sep. 5, 2022,  through Oct. 13, 2022. All other resort pools and amenities are expected to remain open during this time_


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> Marriott's HUB website just plain sucks. Not only does it not have updated information, it is also clunky to use and the resort list doesn't load as you start to type in a resort name. Here is what it says about Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando. The Key West pool isn't supposed to be closed until January but the dates for that pool closure overlap with the St Augustine Pool being closed.
> _From Sept. 5–13, 2022, the St. Augustine Pool will be closed for refurbishment. All other resort pools and amenities are expected to remain open during this time.
> 
> The Key West Pool will be closed for refurbishment from Sep. 5, 2022,  through Oct. 13, 2022. All other resort pools and amenities are expected to remain open during this time_


Keep in mind that an effective communication website would reduce the need for owner support staff, and reduce the amount of income they get from the 10% management fee markup.


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> MVC is certainly consistently lacking in the area of timely communications.


The hub was last modified on 9/29. You would think they would provide more timely information


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

I called MVC Chairman Owner Services at about noon and was surprised that my call was answered quickly. They actually didn't have much information available to them and weren't even aware the resort was still closed. I was on hold for several minutes while the checked on the status and returned to tell me the resort was waiting for further inspections. They were also told* the hub would be updated today, which still hasn't happened.* They would not say whether it will open sooner or later, or whether there was damage to fix. The only thing I learned is that my point use deadline would not likely be extended. The agent was very helpful and understanding, but seemed frustrated regarding what information they were being provided.
I'm hoping they are just waiting for inspections by the local authorities to allow the resort to reopen, but they aren't providing any information.

It is frustrating that MVC is not more transparent and caring about their owners. They could easily update the resort status to inform us whether there is significant damage that will require longer closure, or if there are only minor things to be resolved. Most other nearby businesses are open and operating, so it doesn't appear there was significant damage in the area. All of us with reservations in the next few weeks need to make quick decisions as 2022 inventory is quickly running out. Does anyone have an email address of someone who needs to be aware of our frustrations? This is a repeat of the terrible communication when Ocean Point and Oceana Palms were closed a few years ago.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 3, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I called MVC Chairman Owner Services at about noon and was surprised that my call was answered quickly. They actually didn't have much information available to them and weren't even aware the resort was still closed. I was on hold for several minutes while the checked on the status and returned to tell me the resort was waiting for further inspections. They were also told* the hub would be updated today, which still hasn't happened.* They would not say whether it will open sooner or later, or whether there was damage to fix. The only thing I learned is that my point use deadline would not likely be extended. The agent was very helpful and understanding, but seemed frustrated regarding what information they were being provided.
> I'm hoping they are just waiting for inspections by the local authorities to allow the resort to reopen, but they aren't providing any information.
> 
> It is frustrating that MVC is not more transparent and caring about their owners. They could easily update the resort status to inform us whether there is significant damage that will require longer closure, or if there are only minor things to be resolved. Most other nearby businesses are open and operating, so it doesn't appear there was significant damage in the area. All of us with reservations in the next few weeks need to make quick decisions as 2022 inventory is quickly running out. Does anyone have an email address of someone who needs to be aware of our frustrations? This is a repeat of the terrible communication when Ocean Point and Oceana Palms were closed a few years ago.



Superchief when is your reservation?
Ours is at the end of the month.
In addition to the hub I’ve also been watching the JW Marriott webpage which originally said reservation were cancelled through 10/3, then 10/12 and now it gives a link to the hub for updates- which lands on crystal shores page (not hotel).


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Superchief when is your reservation?
> Ours is at the end of the month.
> In addition to the hub I’ve also been watching the JW Marriott webpage which originally said reservation were cancelled through 10/3, then 10/12 and now it gives a link to the hub for updates- which lands on crystal shores page (not hotel).


10/15. Communication is terrible. If I treated my customers like this I would be out of business. It's unbelievable that they send you to a hub, but never update the hub.


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Superchief when is your reservation?
> Ours is at the end of the month.
> In addition to the hub I’ve also been watching the JW Marriott webpage which originally said reservation were cancelled through 10/3, then 10/12 and now it gives a link to the hub for updates- which lands on crystal shores page (not hotel).


I checked the JW and Crystal Shores reservation availability on the Marriott Hotel website, and there is no availability at either until 10/29. I'm not sure whether this is due to capacity issues or expected hurricane closure. MVC has still not updated the Hub since 9/29.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 3, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I checked the JW and Crystal Shores reservation availability on the Marriott Hotel website, and there is no availability at either until 10/29. I'm not sure whether this is due to capacity issues or expected hurricane closure. MVC has still not updated the Hub since 9/29.


My reservation is a week later than you so I have more time to let it ride.
I’m guessing the hub hasn’t been updated because they still don’t know and don’t want to be wrong.
We are limited to traveling that week and there it literally nothing else available with my expiring points so I’m fine to wait it out.
Hopefully info will be coming soon and the damage is not too bad. Such a sad situation.


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## Superchief (Oct 3, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> My reservation is a week later than you so I have more time to let it ride.
> I’m guessing the hub hasn’t been updated because they still don’t know and don’t want to be wrong.
> We are limited to traveling that week and there it literally nothing else available with my expiring points so I’m fine to wait it out.
> Hopefully info will be coming soon and the damage is not too bad. Such a sad situation.


They should at least post an update regarding the conditions of the resort and what needs to be done to reopen. If there is substantial damage, then I can assume it won't reopen in time. However, if they are just waiting for inspections or staff, there is a good chance it will open in time. The current hub post is a lie, since power and water have definitely been restored to the area. The fact that they aren't even keeping owner services up to date is totally unacceptable. Most of us have a lot of money invested in our reservations.


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## vol_90 (Oct 4, 2022)

Latest from the marriottvacationclub website:


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## jpc763 (Oct 4, 2022)

So they updated HUB today and the update is just trash. All they changed is that they have power. No other information at all.  My check in is also 10/15 and I have not received anything from them about my reservation. It is clear from satellite pictures that at least 2 of the pools had storm surge in them so there is something that happened.


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## Superchief (Oct 4, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> So they updated HUB today and the update is just trash. All they changed is that they have power. No other information at all.  My check in is also 10/15 and I have not received anything from them about my reservation. It is clear from satellite pictures that at least 2 of the pools had storm surge in them so there is something that happened.


I agree. The Hub updates are pathetic and this is the first one in five days. They should at least post the dates for which check-ins have been cancelled. This would give us an idea about how long they expect to be closed. I checked facebook and someone with a 10/8 check asked whether that would likely be cancelled and the GM referred her to the hub and told her she would be contacted by owner services if the reservation will be cancelled. However, nobody in owner services knows the current status and are unable to give us the dates that are already being cancelled. Based on my experiences with MVC, I don't expect to be contacted until the last minute so there will be no chance to redeposit points. 

Has anyone had their reservation for this or next week been contacted by owner services? If so, how far in advance prior to check-in date were they contacted?

At this point, there is very limited availability for MVC reservations through the end of the year, and availability is diminishing every day. At this point, there are very few options:

Wait to see what happens and have my reservations cancelled if resort is still closed. Hopefully, my MVC insurance will fairly cover my cost for points, although I'm not sure how they will determine the point values and I used some Plus Points that really don't have a designated value.
I could cancel my reservation now and try to find an alternative destination. There really isn't currently any availability at a place I want to go and air fares are much higher.
I could wait another week and cancel at that time, but there will be less availability than there is today.


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## Superchief (Oct 4, 2022)

There are a few recent posts on Facebook. Ironically, the reply is to check the hub which has basically no information. However, some recent replies are helpful. Here is the most recent one:

"Hi, Scott. We apologize for the misinformation. If there are changes to your reservation, you will be notified. As of now, there have been no cancelations for 10/07.'

Why can't they just add the currently'cancelled through' dates to the hub each day. That would make everyone's life easier. I don't use facebook for various reasons, so I shouldn't have to rely on it for current resort information.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 4, 2022)

Someone posted on the crystal shore Facebook group that they contacted the resort via their public Facebook page and they were told they had not cancelled anyone beyond 10/5.


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## gln60 (Oct 4, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Someone posted on the crystal shore Facebook group that they contacted the resort via their public Facebook page and they were told they had not cancelled anyone beyond 10/5.


IMHO.........that's a woefully inadequate response


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## Superchief (Oct 4, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Someone posted on the crystal shore Facebook group that they contacted the resort via their public Facebook page and they were told they had not cancelled anyone beyond 10/5.


Yet!!!


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## hcarman (Oct 4, 2022)

I agree with the above posts and also don’t understand the lack of transparency.  I am a deeded owner there which means, putting my upcoming reservation aside, I have other reasons to have interest in damages to the property.  They should be doing what other vacation clubs are doing which is posting approximate dates of reopening.  If there is significant damage it will be months - if not, weeks - list it that way.  We should be given some idea.  At least that is fair so guests can attempt to make other plans or attempt to use points in other ways.  I did see some photos on FB, they were mainly of the pool area and the only issues appeared to be debris in pools.  The deck was intact looking, all pool railings still intact, trees still standing, etc. - so that part of the resort didn’t look too bad.


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## TravelTime (Oct 4, 2022)

Superchief said:


> It's rather disappointing that MVC hasn't updated the hub page with the current status and expected reopening date. The hub still shows power being out in the area, which is no longer true. I checked the Google maps and all roads in the area are open. Many restaurants nearby are also open, with the exception of Da Vinci's (temporarily closed). Any update would reduce the number of people trying to call the resort or owner services.  It would be very helpful if they posted an update regarding the current resort status, what needs to be done to reopen, and whether it will likely be closed for an extended period of time. Time and inventory are running out if alternative point reservations will be needed, so timely updates would help all of us. They should provide a daily status report on the hubsite.



We have a reservation for 11 nights in June. I assume it will be up and running in June. If I have to cancel, there is nowhere left for June that I would want to go. I would get the points returned and need to use them by June 30, 2024. I guess I should not be too concerned compared to other people here.


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## hcarman (Oct 4, 2022)

ilene13 said:


> I live in Lakewood Ranch which is just East of Sarasota.  The storm was awful- 18 hours of 150+ mile an hour winds.  Thank goodness for hurricane shutters and whole house generators- we have both.  The shutters were very necessary but we never lost power.  I have friends a mile away who still do not have power or internet.  There is a lot of landscaping damage throughout the area.  The grocery stores have NOT gotten deliveries so if you are coming down here don't count on grocery shopping and cooking. Also many gas stations are out of gas.  In addition I 75 is closed from exit 193-exit 179 due to the flooding of the Myakka River.  I just received notice that a levee has burst on that river and since I live in Manatee County they said that we will not be effected.
> Not to be nasty but I am sorry if your vacation plans have been ruined by Ian, but 100's of thousands of lives have been disrupted here.  Right now with a shortage of gas and food we don't need visitors complaining that their plans have to be altered.  We consider ourselves to be the lucky ones but many have lost their homes and livelihood.


I of course think people would be understanding about vacation plans being cancelled, but what most are upset about is the lack of transparency. They would just like to know if they should go ahead and cancel their plans if damage to resort is severe.  Many have spent lots of money on this property and would like to know its status - they have a vested interest in it.  Coming from FL myself, I can tell you many people rely on the tourists for their livelihood and to keep the economy going.  And it will take tourists willing to come to an area with damage and businesses closed to get the tourist economy going and many will volunteer to help where needed.


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## TravelTime (Oct 4, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I agree. The Hub updates are pathetic and this is the first one in five days. They should at least post the dates for which check-ins have been cancelled. This would give us an idea about how long they expect to be closed. I checked facebook and someone with a 10/8 check asked whether that would likely be cancelled and the GM referred her to the hub and told her she would be contacted by owner services if the reservation will be cancelled. However, nobody in owner services knows the current status and are unable to give us the dates that are already being cancelled. Based on my experiences with MVC, I don't expect to be contacted until the last minute so there will be no chance to redeposit points.
> 
> Has anyone had their reservation for this or next week been contacted by owner services? If so, how far in advance prior to check-in date were they contacted?
> 
> ...



How does the insurance throuthe MVC work? I was reading the info on the website. It did not mention points. It also said the insurance starts 2 days before travel. Am I reading this correctly?


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## gln60 (Oct 4, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> We have a reservation for 11 nights in June. I assume it will be up and running in June. If I have to cancel, there is nowhere left for June that I would want to go. I would get the points returned and need to use them by June 30, 2024. I guess I should not be too concerned compared to other people here.


Same here...We have 7 nights in May…but there appears to be a lack of transparency…and that’s no way to treat owners or customers..especially ones that have reservations in the next month.


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## wuv pooh (Oct 5, 2022)

Not to be "that guy", but sheesh it's only been a week since a devastating hurricane.  There was a mandatory evacuation of Marco Island and MVC customer service is located in Orlando, which also had some severe flooding in spots.  Are the employees back to the office or taking care of their families?  Are the Collier county building inspectors working 24/7 to evaluate resorts for occupancy or do they have other priorities?  Does Collier county even answer the phone at this point?  If this makes you stressful, now you have learned to buy travel insurance if you are traveling in hurricane season.  Would you feel better if Marriott put on the Hub that the resort is fine but that we have not been able to get required occupancy/elevator inspections and do not know the date that Collier county will approve occupancy?  I think you know that much just by common sense.  When they have more they will post it.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 5, 2022)

wuv pooh said:


> Not to be "that guy", but sheesh it's only been a week since a devastating hurricane.  There was a mandatory evacuation of Marco Island and MVC customer service is located in Orlando, which also had some severe flooding in spots.  Are the employees back to the office or taking care of their families?  Are the Collier county building inspectors working 24/7 to evaluate resorts for occupancy or do they have other priorities?  Does Collier county even answer the phone at this point?  If this makes you stressful, now you have learned to buy travel insurance if you are traveling in hurricane season.  Would you feel better if Marriott put on the Hub that the resort is fine but that we have not been able to get required occupancy/elevator inspections and do not know the date that Collier county will approve occupancy?  I think you know that much just by common sense.  When they have more they will post it.


I think everone understands the coplexities of the issue. One thing that should be pointed out is that HGVC has sent communication to their owners regarding their affiliate resorts on Marco Island. HGVC is probably dealing with many of the same issues. Owners and guests are just looking for basic information. They would be better to send something out like HGVC did than to just leave people in the dark with very poor communication. If HGVC can communicate to owners and guests, certainly MVC could do the same?








						HGVC Email re Sanibel/Captiva/Fort Myers and Marco Island Ownerships
					

Dear Owner,   We write today to share an update with you regarding the impacts of Hurricane Ian to properties located in the Sanibel/Captiva/Fort Myers region.   All properties in the impacted area remain closed. These properties are:    Seawatch On-the-Beach Resort Hurricane House Resort Casa...




					tugbbs.com


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

It's pretty bad when they tell people to go to the hub, but it is never updated with any useful information.  The best information I found was on the facebook page. Their facebook page is also telling people to go to the hub, but their responses to specific questions provide more status details. Owner services is telling people incorrect information because they aren't even kept in the loop. According to their last facebook response, today was the last day that reservations were cancelled. It will be interesting to see if people can check in tomorrow, and whether the Hub shows the resort is now open.


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## wuv pooh (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> I think everone understands the coplexities of the issue. One thing that should be pointed out is that HGVC has sent communication to their owners regarding their affiliate resorts on Marco Island. HGVC is probably dealing with many of the same issues. Owners and guests are just looking for basic information. They would be better to send something out like HGVC did than to just leave people in the dark with very poor communication. If HGVC can communicate to owners and guests, certainly MVC could do the same?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree, but the reality is that message says the exact same thing as the Hub - nothing.  If it makes people feel better OK, but my feelings are low on the priority list given the situation.  I take it for granted that Marriott did the best they could for their employees and are looking for ways to expedite getting any required inspections.  I do not know their policy on maintenance fee reimbursements for closure, so that would be interesting but will probably take weeks/months to settle out.  Seems like a pretty simple disaster plan to send out a hand holding message that does not commit to anything but I guess Marriott has dropped the ball on that.  I assume they are more actively working with people who have actual reservations in the near term but maybe that is not the case.  I am just starting to get some information on favorite restaurants and such and I guess the domes off Cape Romano are officially gone :-(


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## JIMinNC (Oct 5, 2022)

wuv pooh said:


> I agree, but the reality is that message says the exact same thing as the Hub - nothing.  If it makes people feel better OK, but my feelings are low on the priority list given the situation.  I take it for granted that Marriott did the best they could for their employees and are looking for ways to expedite getting any required inspections.  I do not know their policy on maintenance fee reimbursements for closure, so that would be interesting but will probably take weeks/months to settle out.  Seems like a pretty simple disaster plan to send out a hand holding message that does not commit to anything but I guess Marriott has dropped the ball on that.  I assume they are more actively working with people who have actual reservations in the near term but maybe that is not the case.  I am just starting to get some information on favorite restaurants and such and I guess the domes off Cape Romano are officially gone :-(



I agree that the HGVC response email doesn't really offer any more truly actionable information that would allow an owner to know any better what is going to happen to their reservation than does the Marriott hub info. However, in my opinion, the greater detail and explanation from HGVC is much better communication than what MVC has done. It comes across as more transparent and honest and gives the impression they are telling you all that they know. It's a different communications philosophy. Perhaps whomever is in charge of communication at MVC has adopted the popular communications philosophy that people won't read long detailed explanations and want short, cryptic "Tweet-like" communications. That kind of communications approach has been growing in popularity in the corporate communications business, but I don't think it is a good way to handle unexpected disasters like this. In this case more is better, as HGVC seems to understand.


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## jpc763 (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> I think everone understands the coplexities of the issue. One thing that should be pointed out is that HGVC has sent communication to their owners regarding their affiliate resorts on Marco Island. HGVC is probably dealing with many of the same issues. Owners and guests are just looking for basic information. They would be better to send something out like HGVC did than to just leave people in the dark with very poor communication. If HGVC can communicate to owners and guests, certainly MVC could do the same?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would be happy if we could get something line that from MVC.  Just saying the power is on and they are assessing damage is insufficient.

As far as talking to people with reservations, they are NOT. We are supposed to monitor HUB for updates.  They are cancelling reservations 48 hours before check in, no earlier.  So that leaves us with very little time to react to that cancellation.


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> I think everone understands the coplexities of the issue. One thing that should be pointed out is that HGVC has sent communication to their owners regarding their affiliate resorts on Marco Island. HGVC is probably dealing with many of the same issues. Owners and guests are just looking for basic information. They would be better to send something out like HGVC did than to just leave people in the dark with very poor communication. If HGVC can communicate to owners and guests, certainly MVC could do the same?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This email appears to be targeting owners regarding the status of the resort, but I hope they provided more details to people who are holding reservations in the near future. Do they have any other published information regarding expected length of closure?


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I would be happy if we could get something line that from MVC.  Just saying the power is on and they are assessing damage is insufficient.
> 
> As far as talking to people with reservations, they are NOT. We are supposed to monitor HUB for updates.  They are cancelling reservations 48 hours before check in, no earlier.  So that leaves us with very little time to react to that cancellation.


The biggest problem is nobody at MVC knows what is going on and therefore can't provide any advice to those with upcoming reservations. The only source of this information is the facebook page, which has sporadic posts regarding specific instances. I was shocked that management was telling people with reservations on 10/7 to check the hub, and they would be contacted by MVC. If MVC waits until the last day, points and all travel expenses are lost with no opportunity to make alternative plans. The current HUB update is based on conditions 2 days ago. It would be helpful if they would update the HUB daily at noon with the latest date that all reservations have been cancelled. That would help all of us with upcoming reservations make informed decisions, and there is really no reason why MVC couldn't do this


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

Superchief said:


> The biggest problem is nobody at MVC knows what is going on and therefore can't provide any advice to those with upcoming reservations. The only source of this information is the facebook page, which has sporadic posts regarding specific instances. I was shocked that management was telling people with reservations on 10/7 to check the hub, and they would be contacted by MVC. If MVC waits until the last day, points and all travel expenses are lost with no opportunity to make alternative plans. The current HUB update is based on conditions 2 days ago. It would be helpful if they would update the HUB daily at noon with the latest date that all reservations have been cancelled. That would help all of us with upcoming reservations make informed decisions, and there is really no reason why MVC couldn't do this



If the major damage at Crystal Shores is water in the pool and under the 1st floor rooms, that is not usually a major issue to repair as long as they got the mold remediation company out quickly. The article I posted says mold needs to be dealt with within 72 hours. I assume MVC knows about hurricane risks and has a remediation company they deal with. 

I think the major issue here is can they fix the damage and open up in time for check in dates. If not, will MVC refund MFs? I certainly hope MVC is fair. If MVC just returns points and you have a close expiration date, that is not helpful. If I were an owner at Hilton, I like that they said they will refund MFs. Of course, your airfare may not be refundable and that would be a major issue.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

We had reservations for two (2) weeks at Crystal Shores beginning on October 2, the first week using Club points and the second using our Crystal Shores week ownership.  I contacted Owner Services (the number is shown in post 84 above) following Hurricane Ian to review our options.  It was suggested that I wait until officially hearing back from MVC regarding the first week reservation as the resort had been closed due to mandatory evacuation of Marco Island, and the management team would be assessing damages to the resort before it could scheduling for reopening.  I subsequently received an email from MVC that our initial week had been cancelled.  A representative from Owner Services called me on 9/30 to confirm.  The 2022 use year Club points applied towards that reservation have been returned to our MVC account in a 60 day hold.  Since we are unable to use those holding points prior to their expiration this calendar year, I have submitted a claim with Travelex for reimbursement.

I called the resort directly on 10/3 to see if I could reach someone regarding our week reservation and the call was automatically transferred to a Marriott Customer Advocacy Team member at MVWC's corporate office in Orlando.  I found this individual to be helpful in communicating the status of our week reservation and the condition of the resort.  After her research with management at the resort itself, she advised me that even though power has been restored, some of the resort sustained water damage which they are currently addressing, while general cleanup on the property has been underway since last week.  Telephone and internet services to Crystal Shores has not yet been restored which is also contributing to the delay in reopening.  Unfortunately, I was also informed that our week reservation beginning on October 9 would be cancelled and I will be receiving an official notification within a few days.  I will be submitting a claim with Travelex for reimbursement of that week as well.  For anyone interested, the MVWC's corporate office number is (800) 860-9384.

Our reservation cancellations do not surprise me as Crystal Shores was closed for approximately a month following Hurricane Irma in 2017.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 5, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> If the major damage at Crystal Shores is water in the pool and under the 1st floor rooms, that is not usually a major issue to repair as long as they got the mold remediation company out quickly. The article I posted says mold needs to be dealt with within 72 hours. I assume MVC knows about hurricane risks and has a remediation company they deal with.
> 
> I think the major issue here is can they fix the damage and open up in time for check in dates. If not, will MVC refund MFs? I certainly hope MVC is fair. If MVC just returns points and you have a close expiration date, that is not helpful. If I were an owner at Hilton, I like that they said they will refund MFs. Of course, your airfare may not be refundable and that would be a major issue.


MVC has never been known to refund maintenance fees. I don't know many timeshare companies that have. They are more likely to extend the use of points in some way like they did with COVID. In the case of weeks based reservations or exchanges, they may have some type of accommodation certificate option available through II, but I wouldn't expect to see any refunding of maintenance fees, nor would I consider refunding of MFs to be fair.


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

@Zagrid094 @dioxide45

Putting points into a holding account is useless to me. I would be angry bc I usually can’t find anything with 60 days notice. An accommodation certificate with II is also useless to me.

I would like to know how Travelex insurance works. How would Travelex insurance cover this? If they say the points have been returned, would it still be covered? Do they refund the true cost of the points? I thought I read coverage starts 2 days before and ends 2 days after. Is that correct?

If the answers to the above questions is no, I would not but Travelex insurance. I bought it once awhile back and did not need it. I usually use banked points, so I assume they would put this back into the usage year? Is that correct? Or will they put them into a holding account if THEY canceled on us?


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> We had reservations for two (2) weeks at Crystal Shores beginning on October 2, the first week using Club points and the second using our Crystal Shores week ownership.  I contacted Owner Services (the number is shown in post 84 above) following Hurricane Ian to review our options.  It was suggested that I wait until officially hearing back from MVC regarding the first week reservation as the resort had been closed due to mandatory evacuation of Marco Island, and the management team would be assessing damages to the resort before it could scheduling for reopening.  I subsequently received an email from MVC that our initial week had been cancelled.  A representative from Owner Services called me on 9/30 to confirm.  The 2022 use year Club points applied towards that reservation have been returned to our MVC account in a 60 day hold.  Since we are unable to use those holding points prior to their expiration this calendar year, I have submitted a claim with Travelex for reimbursement.
> 
> I called the resort directly on 10/3 to see if I could reach someone regarding our week reservation and the call was automatically transferred to a Marriott Customer Advocacy Team member at MVWC's corporate office in Orlando.  I found this individual to be helpful in communicating the status of our week reservation and the condition of the resort.  After her research with management at the resort itself, she advised me that even though power has been restored, some of the resort sustained water damage which they are currently addressing, while general cleanup on the property has been underway since last week.  Telephone and internet services to Crystal Shores has not yet been restored which is also contributing to the delay in reopening.  Unfortunately, I was also informed that our week reservation beginning on October 9 would be cancelled and I will be receiving an official notification within a few days.  I will be submitting a claim with Travelex for reimbursement of that week as well.  For anyone interested, the MVWC's corporate office number is (800) 860-9384.
> 
> Our reservation cancellations do not surprise me as Crystal Shores was closed for approximately a month following Hurricane Irma in 2017.


I'm very sorry that your reservations were cancelled and it was so difficult to get information from MVC. It's very disappointing that you had to contact them to learn that your 10/9 week reservation was also cancelled. Their post on facebook that no reservations after 10/5 have been cancelled is a lie and neither the Hub nor facebook have this update. Did you cancel the reservations for your points or did MVC initiate the cancellation? It may be more difficult to make a Travelex claim for the points portion since they returned the (now worthless) points to your account. I was told that if I cancelled the reservations and received the points, I could not file a claim.  Your weeks reservations should definitely be covered and should be no problem.


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I'm very sorry that your reservations were cancelled and it was so difficult to get information from MVC. It's very disappointing that you had to contact them to learn that your 10/9 week reservation was also cancelled. Their post on facebook that no reservations after 10/5 have been cancelled is a lie and neither the Hub nor facebook have this update. Did you cancel the reservations for your points or did MVC initiate the cancellation? It may be more difficult to make a Travelex claim for the points portion since they returned the (now worthless) points to your account. I was told that if I cancelled the reservations and received the points, I could not file a claim.  Your weeks reservations should definitely be covered and should be no problem.



Then this makes Travelex insurance pretty worthless.

I was thinking if someone books during a high risk period, they should give it more thought before going and cancel before 60 days. Or not book at all using Abound points for high risk areas at high risk times. I rarely books to go to FL or Caribbean between Aug and Oct. Now I definitely won’t unless I am staying in a hotel. Hotels let you cancel a few days before.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 5, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> @Zagrid094 @dioxide45
> 
> Putting points into a holding account is useless to me. I would be angry bc I usually can’t find anything with 60 days notice. An accommodation certificate with II is also useless to me.
> 
> ...


It will be good to hear from @Zagrid094 claims are processed so we can get more real life experience with their insurance. I suspect that it will be a fight since MVC returned the points, even if they can't use them. I hope it works out better though.


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

Facebook Update Posted by an Owner (No current updates from MVC)
Owner:
We did receive an email today from the marriott’s customer advocacy indicating our October 9 reservation/check in was canceled.

MVC Most recent response from MVC 2 days ago
Hi, Scott. We apologize for the misinformation. If there are changes to your reservation, you will be notified. As of now, there have been no cancelations for 10/07


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## Fasttr (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> We had reservations for two (2) weeks at Crystal Shores beginning on October 2, the first week using Club points and the second using our Crystal Shores week ownership.  I contacted Owner Services (the number is shown in post 84 above) following Hurricane Ian to review our options.  It was suggested that I wait until officially hearing back from MVC regarding the first week reservation as the resort had been closed due to mandatory evacuation of Marco Island, and the management team would be assessing damages to the resort before it could scheduling for reopening.  I subsequently received an email from MVC that our initial week had been cancelled.  A representative from Owner Services called me on 9/30 to confirm.  The 2022 use year Club points applied towards that reservation have been returned to our MVC account in a 60 day hold.  Since we are unable to use those holding points prior to their expiration this calendar year, I have submitted a claim with Travelex for reimbursement.
> 
> I called the resort directly on 10/3 to see if I could reach someone regarding our week reservation and the call was automatically transferred to a Marriott Customer Advocacy Team member at MVWC's corporate office in Orlando.  I found this individual to be helpful in communicating the status of our week reservation and the condition of the resort.  After her research with management at the resort itself, she advised me that even though power has been restored, some of the resort sustained water damage which they are currently addressing, while general cleanup on the property has been underway since last week.  Telephone and internet services to Crystal Shores has not yet been restored which is also contributing to the delay in reopening.  Unfortunately, I was also informed that our week reservation beginning on October 9 would be cancelled and I will be receiving an official notification within a few days.  I will be submitting a claim with Travelex for reimbursement of that week as well.  For anyone interested, the MVWC's corporate office number is (800) 860-9384.
> 
> Our reservation cancellations do not surprise me as Crystal Shores was closed for approximately a month following Hurricane Irma in 2017.


I'm confident Travelex will cover both of your weeks if they were cancelled by MVC.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 5, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> I'm confident Travelex will cover both of your weeks if they were cancelled by MVC.


I think the bigger question is around points reservations that are cancelled and the points are returned in a restricted state and even a situation where the points expire in just a few months.


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## Fasttr (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> I think the bigger question is around points reservations that are cancelled and the points are returned in a restricted state and even a situation where the points expire in just a few months.


Clearly Holding Account points, especially those with a very tight expiry window, would have an impaired value vs the value of regular points in their normal state.  That is why I believe the insurance will cover it.


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Clearly Holding Account points, especially those with a very tight expiry window, would have an impaired value vs the value of regular points in their normal state.  That is why I believe the insurance will cover it.



I am surprised MVC won’t at least give them back to the usage year. If Travelex says they will not cover it, can you ask MVC to return them to the usage year?


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## Fasttr (Oct 5, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> I am surprised MVC won’t at least give them back to the usage year. If Travelex says they will not cover it, can you ask MVC to return them to the usage year?


What Use Year did you use for the ressy?


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I'm very sorry that your reservations were cancelled and it was so difficult to get information from MVC. It's very disappointing that you had to contact them to learn that your 10/9 week reservation was also cancelled. Their post on facebook that no reservations after 10/5 have been cancelled is a lie and neither the Hub nor facebook have this update. Did you cancel the reservations for your points or did MVC initiate the cancellation? It may be more difficult to make a Travelex claim for the points portion since they returned the (now worthless) points to your account. I was told that if I cancelled the reservations and received the points, I could not file a claim.  Your weeks reservations should definitely be covered and should be no problem.


Thank you, Superchief.  MCV initiated the cancellation, so I am hopeful that Travelex will reimbursement for the points fees as long as the points go unused, which is what I was advised by MVC Owner Services.  There is another thread on the Marriott VC Forum in which a Tugger indicates that points will be reimbursed.  Will have to wait and see.  Unfortunately, due to our schedule for the remainder of the year, we are unable to travel nor any family members.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> What Use Year did you use for the ressy?


Unfortunately, 2022 use year and one cannot bank points in a holding account.


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## LMD (Oct 5, 2022)

FYI…..this is posted on Collier County’s facebook page (Marco is in Collier County)
(Personally it will be a  long while before I go IN the water.)


Beach sand cleaning is progressing.  However, a large amount of material is IN the water and covered by shifting sands.  This could include glass, metal, wood, and plastic. There may also be toxins, bacteria, pathogens, and other contaminants that may have entered the Gulf from the storm surge that could impact your health.  Visitors to the beach should be VERY cautious when entering the water.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Then this makes Travelex insurance pretty worthless.
> 
> I was thinking if someone books during a high risk period, they should give it more thought before going and cancel before 60 days. Or not book at all using Abound points for high risk areas at high risk times. I rarely books to go to FL or Caribbean between Aug and Oct. Now I definitely won’t unless I am staying in a hotel. Hotels let you cancel a few days before.


This is the first time in 15 years of traveling to Marco Island in October (and years prior to that staying in the now JW Marriott Marco Island resort) using our week ownership that we've been unable to enjoy the beauty of the area and property due to a hurricane.  I purchase travel insurance each year in the event that we are unable to travel due to natural disaster, illness, or other unforeseen reason.  We were reimbursed for a lost week at MGO due to Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and for another family member using our week there just last month (pending claim processing) due to recent surgery.  I think it is worth $199 each year for peace of mind.


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## rapmarks (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> This is the first time in 15 years of traveling to Marco Island in October (and years prior to that staying in the now JW Marriott Marco Island resort) using our week ownership that we've been unable to enjoy the beauty of the area and property due to a hurricane.  I purchase travel insurance each year in the event that we are unable to travel due to natural disaster, illness, or other unforeseen reason.  We were reimbursed for a lost week at MGO due to Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and for another family member using our week there just last month (pending claim processing) due to recent surgery.  I think it is worth $199 each year for peace of mind.


You were able to go after Irma in 2017?


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

rapmarks said:


> You were able to go after Irma in 2017?


Yes, we were fortunate to be able to stay at Crystal Shores that year.  Irma struck Marco Island on September 10, 2017, and we stayed at the resort on October 7-18, 2017.  The resort opened for owners the day prior to our arrival.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> Yes, we were fortunate to be able to stay at Crystal Shores that year.  Irma struck Marco Island on September 10, 2017, and we stayed at the resort on October 7-18, 2017.  The resort opened for owners the day prior to our arrival.



Post #119 about the lingering affects of the storm have me wondering if we should go in 2 weeks even if it is open?
I’ve been conflicted about going to vacation when people in the area are suffering vs going to contribute to the economy. But now the thought of the water not being swimmable and knowing many things might not be open has be leaning no. What was your experience in 2017?


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> What Use Year did you use for the ressy?



I am using banked point for 2013 usage year that goes through June 30, 2024. However my reservation is for next June so I expect Marco Island would have mostly recovered by then. If not I will cancel and get my points back


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## TravelTime (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> This is the first time in 15 years of traveling to Marco Island in October (and years prior to that staying in the now JW Marriott Marco Island resort) using our week ownership that we've been unable to enjoy the beauty of the area and property due to a hurricane.  I purchase travel insurance each year in the event that we are unable to travel due to natural disaster, illness, or other unforeseen reason.  We were reimbursed for a lost week at MGO due to Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and for another family member using our week there just last month (pending claim processing) due to recent surgery.  I think it is worth $199 each year for peace of mind.



I am curious about a few things bc I may by Travelex for 2023.

- How do they cover points and how much do they give back in general? Is it the MFs associated with the points or week? What is MVC re-deposits the points, do they still reimburse if points/week is not usable?
- Does the insurance only kick in 2 days before the trip and 2 days after the trip starts? That is what I think I read online.
- Does it cover other parts of the trip? I think I read it does.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 5, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Post #119 about the lingering affects of the storm have me wondering if we should go in 2 weeks even if it is open?
> I’ve been conflicted about going to vacation when people in the area are suffering vs going to contribute to the economy. But now the thought of the water not being swimmable and knowing many things might not be open has be leaning no. What was your experience in 2017?


As I stated previously, Irma and Ian were different storms.  Irma was primarily a wind event at Marco Island producing lesser storm surge than Ian, so the effects will be inherently different.  There was some storm debris still piled on the street curbs by homeowners when we first arrived, but the majority picked up during our stay from what I recall.  The beach was so clean it was as if no storm had occurred.  I was so amazed with the condition of the island, I thanked the men who drove the tractors on the beach each morning to maintain the beach condition and wrote a letter to the Marco Island City Council and Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee praising them for the outstanding job the entire community and city employees had done restoring the island to its natural beauty.  It was remarkable considering only a month had passed since the hurricane.  

With that said, Ian could have affected the island and beaches differently since there was higher storm surge.  You can always contact the city for  details regarding the condition of the island and beaches before going.  From what I have seen on Facebook, businesses and restaurants are beginning to reopen.  If my reservations had not been cancelled, I would be at Crystal Shores right now.  I can't imagine Marriott reopening the resort or the city allowing visitors if the island was unsafe.  I know they are working as hard as possible so that visitors/guests can return and support the island and area economy as soon as possible.


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## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

I’m scheduled to stay at Crystal shores on an interval exchange with checking on the 16th. 

I have eplus on the exchange. If Marriott cancels on me, can I eplus to something else? If so I’ll ride it out for another week. 

I’m in flexchange already, so at this point it makes sense to swap out closer to the check in date.


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## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

One other thought.

I’m a little annoyed at MVW. The HRC in Bonita springs (Coconut Plantation) originally gave a tentative date of 11/1. I believe this was posted by their GM based on how it was written. 

A day or two later HRC updated the language to match Crystal Shores (“we’re assessing damage”), that tells me it was a “corporate” decision for language. 

I believe the damage was more extensive at Coconut Plantation. 

I just wish they gave us a tentative date to help us plan a bit better.


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## Dean (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> MVC has never been known to refund maintenance fees. I don't know many timeshare companies that have. They are more likely to extend the use of points in some way like they did with COVID. In the case of weeks based reservations or exchanges, they may have some type of accommodation certificate option available through II, but I wouldn't expect to see any refunding of maintenance fees, nor would I consider refunding of MFs to be fair.


Agreed and there's no reason they should.  It's no different than if one owned a condo there other than the repair risks are far less.  Hopefully MVC will give some flexibility for those affected, maybe some extension on the points along the lines of Covid.  Unlike Covid, this is a smaller subset of the membership and flexibility would not affect the system nearly as much.  For weeks possibly an II deposit also like during Covid.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 5, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> As I stated previously, Irma and Ian were different storms.  Irma was primarily a wind event at Marco Island producing lesser storm surge than Ian, so the effects will be inherently different.  There was some storm debris still piled on the street curbs by homeowners when we first arrived, but the majority picked up during our stay from what I recall.  The beach was so clean it was as if no storm had occurred.  I was so amazed with the condition of the island, I thanked the men who drove the tractors on the beach each morning to maintain the beach condition and wrote a letter to the Marco Island City Council and Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee praising them for the outstanding job the entire community and city employees had done restoring the island to its natural beauty.  It was remarkable considering only a month had passed since the hurricane.
> 
> With that said, Ian could have affected the island and beaches differently since there was higher storm surge.  You can always contact the city for  details regarding the condition of the island and beaches before going.  From what I have seen on Facebook, businesses and restaurants are beginning to reopen.  If my reservations had not been cancelled, I would be at Crystal Shores right now.  I can't imagine Marriott reopening the resort or the city allowing visitors if the island was unsafe.  I know they are working as hard as possible so that visitors/guests can return and support the island and area economy as soon as possible.


Thank you for the reply and your thoughts. I appreciate it.
The only thing I’m not sure about is that MVC wouldn’t open the resort- not if it was truly unsafe but, but maybe the pool(s) weren’t open or the town closed the beach or such. 
Hopefully the resort does reopen soon.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Oct 5, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Thank you for the reply and your thoughts. I appreciate it.
> The only thing I’m not sure about is that MVC wouldn’t open the resort- not if it was truly unsafe but, but maybe the pool(s) weren’t open or the town closed the beach or such.
> Hopefully the resort does reopen soon.




My guess is that their available staffing "could be" an issue, especially if some of the employees had impacts in their own homes or apartments.....  Not a lot anyone can do about that.



.


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## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

TheTimeTraveler said:


> My guess is that their available staffing "could be" an issue, especially if some of the employees had impacts in their own homes or apartments.....  Not a lot anyone can do about that.
> 
> 
> 
> .


I’m fine with that, but their communication has been really bad. 

I’d really like something like “Due to the impact of the storm and the impact on our staff, we have a tentative reopening date of 10/29 (or whatever date they think they can pull off). The reopening could be pushed back depending on external factors such as inspections, all amenities may not be available upon reopening”. 

I don’t want to find out 2 days (or 4 days) before check in. 

IMO it’s a corporate decision to leave it ambiguous and I just don’t understand the motivation.


----------



## vol_90 (Oct 5, 2022)

Good driving tour of Marco Island on youtube:

(3) What Saved Marco Island From Hurricane Ian? Best Place To Invest? - YouTube\


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## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> I’m fine with that, but their communication has been really bad.
> 
> I’d really like something like “Due to the impact of the storm and the impact on our staff, we have a tentative reopening date of 10/29 (or whatever date they think they can pull off). The reopening could be pushed back depending on external factors such as inspections, all amenities may not be available upon reopening”.
> 
> ...


The longer they wait to inform people, the more MVC points become unusable, resulting in more profit for MVC.


----------



## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

My guess is that internally, they are planning on an 11/1 reopening. 

This is on the Marriott website (cash rates) -- they aren't allowing anyone to book until 11/1.

Can anyone confirm if they have dropped any points availability until 11/1?


----------



## jpc763 (Oct 5, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> Can anyone confirm if they have dropped any points availability until 11/1?


I am seeing no availability for October but November availability starting 11/1 as well.


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## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I am seeing no availability for October but November availability starting 11/1 as well.


Darn. 

Sadly, I was optimistic as I read reports from people in Marco Island, and I had a couple of great opportunities pass me by (Ocean Pointe, Orlando)

I guess I better be on the lookout for something else to exchange into.


----------



## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

I've just gotta say, if 11/1 is their internal date. Why string us along? I understand that it was a big storm, but their replies on their own Facebook made it sound as though they were planning on reopening quickly.

I know that the Hilton next door has reopened.


----------



## Superchief (Oct 5, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> I've just gotta say, if 11/1 is their internal date. Why string us along? I understand that it was a big storm, but their replies on their own Facebook made it sound as though they were planning on reopening quickly.
> 
> I know that the Hilton next door has reopened.


The JW and almost all the restaurants in the area are open, so this is concerning. Even Stiltz appears to be open. There are still no updates on the Hub or facebook pages.


----------



## VacationForever (Oct 5, 2022)

They may need to keep some rooms as "out of order" while they repair rooms that might have gotten water intrusion and they expect all rooms to be available starting from Nov 1.  So it is possible that timeshare stays are available before Nov 1.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 5, 2022)

Superchief said:


> The JW and almost all the restaurants in the area are open, so this is concerning. Even Stiltz appears to be open. There are still no updates on the Hub or facebook pages.


Is the JW open?
The alert still says closed and cancel fee waived through 10/11? Looks like they are taking reservations for the 12th.
The camera picture has change but it’s not live since it’s showing sunny at 10 PM


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## travelhacker (Oct 5, 2022)

I got a kick out of this -- not impressed at all by MVW:

Update for Hyatt Siesta Key:




Update for Hyatt Coconut Plantation:




Update for Marriott Crystal Shores:


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## Superchief (Oct 6, 2022)

It appears that MVC's terrible owner relationship and communication policies are now being also felt by Hyatt owners.


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## jpc763 (Oct 6, 2022)

This was posted on the FB Marriott Crystal Shores page today 

"FYI, What I received from the hotel today: 10.6 Update: Remediation and recovery efforts continue at Crystal Shores. We do not have a reopening date at this time; however, we have cancelled all reservations through October 10th. Our goal is to open a portion of villas for owners as soon as possible; however, it will be several weeks before all villas are returned to service. The remediation process is slow and requires a detailed inspection of every villa to assess potential water intrusion and damage. We appreciate your patience as we work through this process. In terms of Marco Island, many businesses remain closed, there are still some power outages in the area and the fiber optic line to the island was severed resulting in no phone or internet service"

I do not see that update on HUB or any official Crystal Shores source, this is from someone about their reservation.


----------



## TravelTime (Oct 6, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> This was posted on the FB Marriott Crystal Shores page today
> 
> "FYI, What I received from the hotel today: 10.6 Update: Remediation and recovery efforts continue at Crystal Shores. We do not have a reopening date at this time; however, we have cancelled all reservations through October 10th. Our goal is to open a portion of villas for owners as soon as possible; however, it will be several weeks before all villas are returned to service. The remediation process is slow and requires a detailed inspection of every villa to assess potential water intrusion and damage. We appreciate your patience as we work through this process. In terms of Marco Island, many businesses remain closed, there are still some power outages in the area and the fiber optic line to the island was severed resulting in no phone or internet service"
> 
> I do not see that update on HUB or any official Crystal Shores source, this is from someone about their reservation.



This is helpful information. Sounds like they are doing mold remediation. If that is the only significant problem and they started it quickly, then they should be opening soon.


----------



## travelhacker (Oct 6, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> This is helpful information. Sounds like they are doing mold remediation. If that is the only significant problem and they started it quickly, then they should be opening soon.


Yep, this is helpful. I only wish it came through the official communication channels (like they always say will be used).


----------



## JIMinNC (Oct 6, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> I've just gotta say, if 11/1 is their internal date. Why string us along? I understand that it was a big storm, but their replies on their own Facebook made it sound as though they were planning on reopening quickly.
> 
> I know that the Hilton next door has reopened.



It may be that 11/1 is the soonest they are comfortable right now accepting NEW reservations, but they are still hopeful that the resort can re-open for at least some EXISTING reservations sooner than that.


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## Superchief (Oct 6, 2022)

I called the resort directly and was given a text number for resort status. The information above is the exact information that was provided by the text reply. Text number is 407-358-3745.

It appears that some villas are damaged so it will be a phased reopening. This will be a challenge because of all of the different view types. I had reserved gulf front and assume they might be most impacted by damage. I assume owner reservations will be given priority. In a similar situation at Ocean Pointe a few years ago, Encore packages and Hotel reservations had priority over II exchanges.

I decided to cancel my 10/15 reservations and was able to book 2 weeks in Orlando after Thanksgiving. Otherwise I would lose my points and MVC is not extending expiration dates at this time. Good luck to everyone.


----------



## jpc763 (Oct 6, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I called the resort directly and was given a text number for resort status. The information above is the exact information that was provided by the text reply. Text number is 407-358-3745.
> 
> It appears that some villas are damaged so it will be a phased reopening. This will be a challenge because of all of the different view types. I had reserved gulf front and assume they might be most impacted by damage. I assume owner reservations will be given priority. In a similar situation at Ocean Pointe a few years ago, Encore packages and Hotel reservations had priority over II exchanges.
> 
> I decided to cancel my 10/15 reservations and was able to book 2 weeks in Orlando after Thanksgiving. Otherwise I would lose my points and MVC is not extending expiration dates at this time. Good luck to everyone.


I am also Gulf Front and used points so assume that I would behind Owner Reservations but ahead of Encore and Hotel?

I am glad you found something. We are planning our backups at this point but there is very little availability at this point.


----------



## jpc763 (Oct 6, 2022)

Superchief said:


> The information above is the exact information that was provided by the text reply. Text number is 407-358-3745.


I texted to that number and did not receive a response other than "Text STOP at any time to opt-out of receiving messages."

UPDATE - I got that same message. Between that message and the message from Collier about the gulf water, we are strongly considering cancelling at this point.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 6, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I am also Gulf Front and used points so assume that I would behind Owner Reservations but ahead of Encore and Hotel?
> 
> I am glad you found something. We are planning our backups at this point but there is very little availability at this point.


IIRC, MVC retained Encore reservations when cancelling others when they had to cancel a bunch of HHI reservations a few years ago?


----------



## Fasttr (Oct 6, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> IIRC, MVC retained Encore reservations when cancelling others when they had to cancel a bunch of HHI reservations a few years ago?


MGO even accommodated Encore reservations from other area resorts (I spoke to one couple, at the time, who was supposed to be staying at the Monarch on an Encore that was moved to MGO) while MVC had cancelled II ressies for the same week at MGO.


----------



## travelhacker (Oct 6, 2022)

Well, I'm on an Interval exchange...check in is in a week and a half....Now I'm thinking I better get out of dodge quick.

If they cancel can I still ePlus out? Or should I ePlus out to something immediately?


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## Superchief (Oct 6, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> Well, I'm on an Interval exchange...check in is in a week and a half....Now I'm thinking I better get out of dodge quick.
> 
> If they cancel can I still ePlus out? Or should I ePlus out to something immediately?


If you have the insurance covering the week you used for exchange, you should be able to make an insurance claim as long as the hurricane occurred within 6 weeks of cancellation. My Ocean Point trip wouldn't have been covered because it was 8 weeks after the storm.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 6, 2022)

travelhacker said:


> Well, I'm on an Interval exchange...check in is in a week and a half....Now I'm thinking I better get out of dodge quick.
> 
> If they cancel can I still ePlus out? Or should I ePlus out to something immediately?


If they cancel, you won't be able to EPlus out. If you think your reservation will get cancelled, then you should be able to EPlus out up till the day before checkin. I suspect you will get an email from MVC telling you they won't be able to accomodate you and that you need to work with II for remedy. If you bought EPlus, then tha is probably the best option and will give you about 6 months more of a window to book something. You will be stuck to 59 day retrades and you probably won't get back into Crystal Shores.


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## jpc763 (Oct 6, 2022)

I decided to cancel. I got the points back and will be going to Palm Desert instead. Of note, there is another hurricane in the gulf. It is not predicted to turn up to Florida but you never know.


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## gln60 (Oct 6, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I decided to cancel. I got the points back and will be going to Palm Desert instead. Of note, there is another hurricane in the gulf. It is not predicted to turn up to Florida but you never know.


Time to cut your losses…imo…good move


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## jwalk03 (Oct 6, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> I decided to cancel. I got the points back and will be going to Palm Desert instead. Of note, there is another hurricane in the gulf. It is not predicted to turn up to Florida but you never know.



There’s no hurricane in the gulf currently.  There is a low pressure system that is forecasted to become a potential hurricane in the next couple of days- but it’s not even a tropical depression at this point; let alone a hurricane.  And it’s nowhere near Florida nor is it forecasted to go that way at all.  It’s forecasted to hit Nicaragua.  The NHC isn’t perfect by any means- but Florida is really far from Nicaragua!!


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## Superchief (Oct 6, 2022)

I cancelled my reservation today, but just received my 'Looking forward to your visit' email. The email contains a link to the resort status, which still shows the same message from 3 days ago that is also the HUB that people are supposed to check for updates. MVC is really a mess.


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## jpc763 (Oct 7, 2022)

For those still following, the text updates are far more informative than the HUB update.  Here is todays

10.7 Update: Remediation efforts continue.  The villas experienced some damage, and a full mapping and assessment of the villas is being completed.   All spas have been drained, washed and filled, and pumps will be tested once pools are cleaned and refilled. Other renovation work is underway to replace damaged carpet and prepare rooms for your return.  As you can imagine, this situation is dynamic and changing rapidly. Due to the fluidity of storm repairs, we are currently not able to provide you with a date when we will be open and operational. At this time we can confirm that we need to cancel all reservations through October 11th.  If you have a reservation on or before October 11th, it will be cancelled.  We are hoping to return some villas for occupancy late next week; however we are several weeks away from reopening the full resort.  Type STOP to cancel future updates


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## Superchief (Oct 7, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> For those still following, the text updates are far more informative than the HUB update.  Here is todays
> 
> 10.7 Update: Remediation efforts continue.  The villas experienced some damage, and a full mapping and assessment of the villas is being completed.   All spas have been drained, washed and filled, and pumps will be tested once pools are cleaned and refilled. Other renovation work is underway to replace damaged carpet and prepare rooms for your return.  As you can imagine, this situation is dynamic and changing rapidly. Due to the fluidity of storm repairs, we are currently not able to provide you with a date when we will be open and operational. At this time we can confirm that we need to cancel all reservations through October 11th.  If you have a reservation on or before October 11th, it will be cancelled.  We are hoping to return some villas for occupancy late next week; however we are several weeks away from reopening the full resort.  Type STOP to cancel future updates


I don't understand why MVC doesn't put this information on the HUB, since that is where they are telling everyone to get their information. The HUB hasn't been updated since 10/3. I wish I knew which executive at MVC was responsible for these communications. I would like to send them an email regarding how much frustration could be mitigated by clear communication.


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## r0geredwards (Oct 7, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> For those still following, the text updates are far more informative than the HUB update.  Here is todays
> 
> 10.7 Update: Remediation efforts continue.  The villas experienced some damage, and a full mapping and assessment of the villas is being completed.   All spas have been drained, washed and filled, and pumps will be tested once pools are cleaned and refilled. Other renovation work is underway to replace damaged carpet and prepare rooms for your return.  As you can imagine, this situation is dynamic and changing rapidly. Due to the fluidity of storm repairs, we are currently not able to provide you with a date when we will be open and operational. At this time we can confirm that we need to cancel all reservations through October 11th.  If you have a reservation on or before October 11th, it will be cancelled.  We are hoping to return some villas for occupancy late next week; however we are several weeks away from reopening the full resort.  Type STOP to cancel future updates



How do you get set up for the text updates?


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## dioxide45 (Oct 7, 2022)

r0geredwards said:


> How do you get set up for the text updates?


Text number is 407-358-3745.


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## travelhacker (Oct 7, 2022)

Just an FYI. I had an Interval exchange with check in on 10/16.

I saw the writing on the wall and used ePlus to swap out yesterday.

I was curious to see if the reservation was intact this morning and associated with my in Bonvoy and it was.

Just a short time later, I received the cancellation notice from Marriott. Honestly, I was kind of glad to see the cancellation because it was hard swapping out of that, we had really wanted to get to Marco Island.

Perhaps I'll use some Abound points and go in a couple of years.


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## Superchief (Oct 8, 2022)

jpc763 said:


> For those still following, the text updates are far more informative than the HUB update.  Here is todays
> 
> 10.7 Update: Remediation efforts continue.  The villas experienced some damage, and a full mapping and assessment of the villas is being completed.   All spas have been drained, washed and filled, and pumps will be tested once pools are cleaned and refilled. Other renovation work is underway to replace damaged carpet and prepare rooms for your return.  As you can imagine, this situation is dynamic and changing rapidly. Due to the fluidity of storm repairs, we are currently not able to provide you with a date when we will be open and operational. At this time we can confirm that we need to cancel all reservations through October 11th.  If you have a reservation on or before October 11th, it will be cancelled.  We are hoping to return some villas for occupancy late next week; however we are several weeks away from reopening the full resort.  Type STOP to cancel future updates


There was no new information in today's text. The next update will be on 10/10. The official HUB still hasn't had an update since 10/3.


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## timtax (Oct 8, 2022)

10.8 Update: No new developments as the work continues.  We are unable to provide any additional information on when the resort will be able to welcome guests again due to so many dependent variables, some of which are out of our control. We will continue to provide updates as they are available.  The next update will be Monday, October 10th.


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## Superchief (Oct 8, 2022)

Here is an article from the Marco Eagle discussing the impact of Ian. I really feel sorry for the people there. Several employees from major businesses in the area will have a difficult time getting back to their normal living conditions. 








						In Marco Island, was direct-hit Irma worse than Ian? It depends on who you ask
					

Marco Island has seen better days. In the days after Hurricane Ian, some residents and business owners are cleaning after the storm surge.



					www.marconews.com


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## TheTimeTraveler (Oct 8, 2022)

Someone over on the HGVC thread posted today that two of the HGVC Marco Island Resorts have announced reopening for guests;  one on October 14th and one on October 15th.

This leads me to believe that Marriott's Crystal Shores Resort can't be far behind.   Let's hope so!  Think positive.




.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 8, 2022)

Report on beach conditions in Collier County and Marco Island.


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## emeryjre (Oct 8, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I don't understand why MVC doesn't put this information on the HUB, since that is where they are telling everyone to get their information. The HUB hasn't been updated since 10/3. I wish I knew which executive at MVC was responsible for these communications. I would like to send them an email regarding how much frustration could be mitigated by clear communication.


I agree 100%.  They promote the HUB but it is never updated.  Been going on for several years.  Perhaps a post in the Marriott thread will get you a contact name and email address.


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## gln60 (Oct 8, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> View attachment 66268
> Report on beach conditions in Collier County and Marco Island.


The beach access at Collier and Winterberry is right next to Crystal Shores


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## RManochio (Oct 8, 2022)

Someone on the Facebook group posted that their reservations for 10/22 were cancelled by Marriott.


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## jpc763 (Oct 8, 2022)

RManochio said:


> Someone on the Facebook group posted that their reservations for 10/22 were cancelled by Marriott.



Just for reference, that was an interval exchange. It’s clear they cannot open all villas so they are following a priority order and II exchanges are last.


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## Zagrid094 (Oct 8, 2022)

The Crystal Shores Owner’s Association Board meeting originally scheduled for Monday October 4 has been rescheduled for October 18 to be held at the resort.  Does not guarantee the resort will be open, but could be an indicator it may be open on a limited, phased-in basis.


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## Superchief (Oct 9, 2022)

Based on the recent updates, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the resort will open next weekend, but not all of the villas will be available. I'd expect most in the new buildings will be undamaged because they are newer, higher, and farther away from the beach. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes longer to open those in the old building, especially gulf front. It will be interesting to see how they allocate and assign villas. Will they cancel those in impacted villas (gulf front) even if they are owners or using points or will they assign them the new building. Most exchangers would be in the older section. I had a 10/15 gulf front reservation but I cancelled so I could still use my points this year. I hope they do a much better job of honoring the reservations than what was done a few years ago at Ocean Point.


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## dougp26364 (Oct 9, 2022)

Superchief said:


> Based on the recent updates, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the resort will open next weekend, but not all of the villas will be available. I'd expect most in the new buildings will be undamaged because they are newer, higher, and farther away from the beach. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes longer to open those in the old building, especially gulf front. It will be interesting to see how they allocate and assign villas. Will they cancel those in impacted villas (gulf front) even if they are owners or using points or will they assign them the new building. Most exchangers would be in the older section. I had a 10/15 gulf front reservation but I cancelled so I could still use my points this year. I hope they do a much better job of honoring the reservations than what was done a few years ago at Ocean Point.



Sort of makes me feel better that gulf front wasn’t available for our December trip. As it is the high floor pool view is looking pretty good right now


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## emeryjre (Oct 9, 2022)

It will be interesting to see how unit reservations will be allocated in the event all units are not available.  Have high poolside, but reservation was made at 10 month mark.  Would it be based on time stamp.  Would earliest time stamp for start day be offered choice of best available and work down the list.  Or would it be based on “ your reserved unit type is available”, come on down.  I realize this is a hypothetical question.  No text update today.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 9, 2022)

I think wind direction and villa orientation to that wind direction will play a bigger role in gulf front vs other. I believe the winds were coming from the southwest. That could mean that gulf front and even the villas facing the pools saw more water intrusion than the villas that face north.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 9, 2022)

Someone posted on facebook that their stay for 10/21 was cancelled and they were told exchanges and rentals were getting canceled first.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 9, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> Someone posted on facebook that their stay for 10/21 was cancelled and they were told exchanges and rentals were getting canceled first.


By rentals, I suspect they mean Marriott.com reservations?


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 9, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> By rentals, I suspect they mean Marriott.com reservations?


That’s what I assume too.

So that is the criteria for what will be cancelled or allowed to stand once the resort opens at least partially.


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## Superchief (Oct 9, 2022)

It would be helpful if MVC would post their policy regarding how they will allocate villas if only some will be available. They could easily communicate the hierarchy of who will get cancelled first, and how they will handle situations in which the category reserved isn't available. Of course, they will never do this and will likely give Encore packages priority over owner reservations.


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## timtax (Oct 10, 2022)

6:30 PM Update: We are pleased to announce that Marriott's Crystal Shores will partially reopen on Thursday, October 13th.  Some of the villas remain under remediation, which means that we are not able to accommodate all guests.   If you have a reservation for arrival between October 13th and October 16th, you can confirm your reservation via text message by sending us your name and confirmation #. If your reservation is after October 16th, we will not be able to provide any updates until after Wednesday this week.  If your reservation is in November, we anticipate the resort to be fully open and operational for your arrival.

What to expect at the resort:  The beach is currently closed and we have no update from the county as to when it will reopen. The upper and lower Cascade pools are open.  The Grotto pool and waterslide are closed.  Marco Island Water Sports has limited services and the resort activities will be limited during the initial phase of opening.


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## Superchief (Oct 10, 2022)

There is still no update on the hub. If people hadn't called the resort and gotten the text update number, we would still be left in the dark. I'm glad I cancelled my reservation on 10/15 because I was at least able to reserve 12 nights in Orlando and not lose my points,


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## adolfo2 (Oct 12, 2022)

Superchief said:


> There is still no update on the hub. If people hadn't called the resort and gotten the text update number, we would still be left in the dark. I'm glad I cancelled my reservation on 10/15 because I was at least able to reserve 12 nights in Orlando and not lose my points,


I hope those TEXTS are legit  Truly odd that both hub & Facebook have had nothing new for days...


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## Superchief (Oct 12, 2022)

adolfo2 said:


> I hope those TEXTS are legit  Truly odd that both hub & Facebook have had nothing new for days...


It is legit. I was given the text number when I called the resort directly. I don't know why this isn't the official source for status because it comes directly from the staff at the resort. I think Corporate may be trying to control the communication and policies and would rather have all of us in the dark so they can do what benefits them the most.


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## Superchief (Oct 13, 2022)

According to the Hub, Crystal Shores is now partially reopened, but no details are provided regarding what is open or closed. I haven't received a text update and don't know whether the beach is opened yet. The last text update said that the resort is expected to be fully reopened in November. I'm curious regarding which villa sections are still unavailable and how they are determining priority.


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## Pamplemousse (Oct 13, 2022)

The hub has now posted one of the pools is closed if that helps-

Limited Beach Services. For additional information, please contact the hut at 239-394-4344.
Grotto pool and water slide closed
Upper parking closed for guests
we cancelled our reservation for later this month.


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## gln60 (Oct 13, 2022)

Sorry to hear that.


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## rapmarks (Oct 13, 2022)

Okay


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## Superchief (Oct 17, 2022)

My brother visited the resort yesterday and the two main pools were open and the resort looked to be in pretty good shape. He said there were very few people at the pool, but the beach now open, and so is Stiltz. We cancelled our trip due to the uncertainty of cancellation, but he was able to find a condo in the area. I think the garage and some villas are closed, but I think most reservations will be honored later this month.


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## Superchief (Oct 18, 2022)

My brother is seeing a lot of birds and dolphin, so it appears that nature is recovering well. He said most restaurants are open and he has dinner reservations at Little Bar this week. I thought they might be damaged since they are right on the water. I recommend anyone who is holding a reservation later this month still plan to take their trip. I haven't seen any updates from MVC but assume most villas are available.


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## adolfo2 (Oct 21, 2022)

Received this from the "secret" 407-358-3745 Crystal Shores update line @ 9:47AM today, Fri 10/21/2022 regarding a very early November check-in.

The status isn't as rosy as it was on 10/10/2022 

"Our resort opened with a very limited number of available villas. While we had hoped to have more villas available this week, supply delays and shortages are forcing us to continue to cancel reservations. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm a reservation until we are certain the villa will be ready for occupancy. We expect to confirm arrivals for 1028 – 10.30 early next week. Arrivals beyond 10.30 won't be confirmed until late next week at the earliest. We will send you a text message as soon as we have additional information regarding your reservation"


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## Superchief (Oct 21, 2022)

adolfo2 said:


> Received this from the "secret" 407-358-3745 Crystal Shores update line @ 9:47AM today, Fri 10/21/2022 regarding a very early November check-in.
> 
> The status isn't as rosy as it was on 10/10/2022
> 
> "Our resort opened with a very limited number of available villas. While we had hoped to have more villas available this week, supply delays and shortages are forcing us to continue to cancel reservations. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm a reservation until we are certain the villa will be ready for occupancy. We expect to confirm arrivals for 1028 – 10.30 early next week. Arrivals beyond 10.30 won't be confirmed until late next week at the earliest. We will send you a text message as soon as we have additional information regarding your reservation"


They must have had some water damage in some of the villas similar to what happened a Ocean Point a few years ago. I would think the damage most likely would be to the original building, especially gulf front. Do you know if you are in the older building or the new ones? I am also curious if they move those who spent more on the gulf front villas to another villa if needed. The hierarchy of priority regarding the cancellations would also be good to know. They will likely give the Encore people high priority since they have the most impact on their sales/ profits. 

Have you called the resort? They should be able to tell you if your villa type is among those that were damaged. It isn't right that they wait until the last minute to give any information.


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## adolfo2 (Oct 22, 2022)

Superchief said:


> They must have had some water damage in some of the villas similar to what happened a Ocean Point a few years ago. I would think the damage most likely would be to the original building, especially gulf front. Do you know if you are in the older building or the new ones? I am also curious if they move those who spent more on the gulf front villas to another villa if needed. The hierarchy of priority regarding the cancellations would also be good to know. They will likely give the Encore people high priority since they have the most impact on their sales/ profits.
> 
> Have you called the resort? They should be able to tell you if your villa type is among those that were damaged. It isn't right that they wait until the last minute to give any information.



I think it's the original/older building... we're a "Gulf-Side" two-BR and at this point, _anything will do_ ;-) Called MVC reservations who claim no cancellations are planned after 11/01/22 
As to Encore "people" getting priority/better accommodations... I've done Encore a few times and always received the _bottom of the barrel._


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## Superchief (Oct 22, 2022)

adolfo2 said:


> I think it's the original/older building... we're a "Gulf-Side" two-BR and at this point, _anything will do_ ;-) Called MVC reservations who claim no cancellations are planned after 11/01/22
> As to Encore "people" getting priority/better accommodations... I've done Encore a few times and always received the _bottom of the barrel._


I doubt that Encore packages will have priority over owner weeks or using VC points, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have it over II exchangers even if they are also owners. That is what happened at Ocean Pointe a few years ago. One problem now with II Exchanges is that they don't indicate whether you are a MVC owner or not, therefor MVC puts all II exchanges in the same bucket.


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## Superchief (Oct 28, 2022)

I haven't seen any recent updates to the hub site or facebook page, and I no longer receive them from the text number. Does anyone know whether some people's reservations have been cancelled and if the resort is mostly open?


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## jstoeber (Oct 28, 2022)

We just received notice that our reservation for November 9 has been cancelled - it was an Encore package.


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## Superchief (Oct 28, 2022)

jstoeber said:


> We just received notice that our reservation for November 9 has been cancelled - it was an Encore package.


I'm sorry that your vacation plans were cancelled. I assume you can reschedule or change the reservation to another date or resort. Did they extend the date to use the package?


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## jstoeber (Oct 29, 2022)

Yes, able to rebook Encore for Boston in June.


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## gln60 (Nov 2, 2022)

Just did a presentation at Beach Place Towers and the sales person said that Crystal Shores will be closed until January 2023.


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## jwalk03 (Nov 2, 2022)

gln60 said:


> Just did a presentation at Beach Place Towers and the sales person said that Crystal Shores will be closed until January 2023.



If their lips are moving....  Its already open.


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## Superchief (Nov 2, 2022)

jwalk03 said:


> If their lips are moving....  Its already open.


Perhaps he means that Encore packages for Crystal Shores will be closed.


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## TravelTime (Nov 2, 2022)

jwalk03 said:


> If their lips are moving....  Its already open.



Why do you think he is lying? It would seem like a sales person would want to say the opposite to show that Marriott works fast and that there are more options available.


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## jwalk03 (Nov 2, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> Why do you think he is lying? It would seem like a sales person would want to say the opposite to show that Marriott works fast and that there are more options available.



If he truly said the resort is closed until January- he is lying.  The resort is not closed.


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## Superchief (Nov 2, 2022)

MVC is still not providing much information anywhere regarding the situation at Crystal Shores. I hope someone who visits or has connections there will provide information regarding what isn't open and how long it will be before they are back to full capacity. The villas shouldn't have received any flooding damage, so I assume any damage was from water blowing in through the windows/ doors. If that is the case, drywall and soft goods may need to be replaced, similar to Ocean Pointe a few years ago.

My brother was in Marco Island 10/15-22 and was surprised that there wasn't a lot of visible damage on the island except in a few areas. Restaurants were mostly open with normal operating schedule. Little Bar had no damage and was as good as ever. He also had excellent meals from La Tavola which is across from the timeshare.


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## gln60 (Nov 2, 2022)

My wife was under the impression that the salesperson meant there were no new reservations being taken until January 2023…and not meaning CS was closed.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 3, 2022)

gln60 said:


> Just did a presentation at Beach Place Towers and the sales person said that Crystal Shores will be closed until January 2023.





gln60 said:


> My wife was under the impression that the salesperson meant there were no new reservations being taken until January 2023…and not meaning CS was closed.



Considering that I’ve seen posts and pictures from people on FB who have stayed at Crystals Shores on the last couple of weeks, I’d hardly say it was closed. Of course there could be some large widespread conspiracy launched by MVC to make owners believe is open so there’s no panic over existing reservations. LOL


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## gln60 (Nov 3, 2022)

LOL


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## emeryjre (Nov 4, 2022)

There is still uncertainty about upcoming November Reservations at Crystal Shores.  They will only provide information about reservations a week in advance.  For a reservation two weeks from today call next Friday and find out if you are the lucky one with a reservation.  Some resort units are still unavailable.  They are working every day to bring more units online, but stuff happens to the best laid plans.  The person I spoke with was unwilling to discuss priority, room types closed, or any other way reservations were being determined.


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## Superchief (Nov 4, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> There is still uncertainty about upcoming November Reservations at Crystal Shores.  They will only provide information about reservations a weel in advance.  For a reservation two weeks from today call next Friday and find out if you are the lucky one with a reservation.  Some resort units are still unavailable.  They are working every day to bring more units online, but stuff happens to the best laid plans.  The person I spoke with was unwilling to discuss priority, room types closed, or any other way reservations were being determined.


I guess transparency is not a priority for MVC even though most customers are actually 'owners' of some of the key assets.


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## emeryjre (Nov 4, 2022)

Superchief said:


> I guess transparency is not a priority for MVC even though most customers are actually 'owners' of some of the key assets.


I have plenty of gripes about MVC.  Especially about the website and the need for rebuilding from scratch.  When I was searching for alternatives this morning, Beach Place Towers was not available to even look at.  Somewhere in the coding, it was deleted as a choice to search for.  That irritates me a great deal.

I truly felt sorry for the woman I was speaking with this morning.  She is just answering the phone and passing along the current situation at Crystal Shores. 

It is fluid as to which rooms will be ready for occupancy two weeks from today.   She is not involved in the decision making process, she cannot control which items needed for remediation show up or are delayed.  She cannot control which workers get sick this week and not show up to finish off a room. 

I am sure she deals with a lot of travelers expressing the frustration of how to deal with the situation of not knowing if they will have a vacation at Crystal Shores in two weeks.  That is the situation I am in.  But I cannot really bitch about MVC on this one.  Too many variables outside of their control.  I can only hope for the best and make a plan B.

I have lost plenty of MF's over the last several years due to Covid.  Fortunately, it will not change my lifestyle or cause me to miss a meal.  I will survive whatever happens in two weeks and move on with life.


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## TravelTime (Nov 4, 2022)

The answer to my question may be obvious but I will ask anyway. We have reservations at Crystal Shores for June. I am assuming it will be completely remediated by then. Based on knowledge of past similar situations, would there be any reason to believe it would not be fully operational by June?


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## burg1121 (Nov 4, 2022)

2 days ago looks pretty good to me                  facebook_1667574686773_6994315179031699084.jpg


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## dioxide45 (Nov 4, 2022)

burg1121 said:


> 2 days ago looks pretty good to me                 View attachment 67941 facebook_1667574686773_6994315179031699084.jpg


Are/were you there? It looks like the lower pool is open with people in it. Perhaps just still need repairs to some villas that had water intrusion? What is the state of the elevators that go down to the lower level? What about the parking lot?


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## burg1121 (Nov 4, 2022)

No not there i'm a member on the facebook group. They seem to have up to date info.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 4, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> There is still uncertainty about upcoming November Reservations at Crystal Shores.  They will only provide information about reservations a week in advance.  For a reservation two weeks from today call next Friday and find out if you are the lucky one with a reservation.  Some resort units are still unavailable.  They are working every day to bring more units online, but stuff happens to the best laid plans.  The person I spoke with was unwilling to discuss priority, room types closed, or any other way reservations were being determined.



you have to love this since those flying in often have non-refundable airfare, not to mention the difficulty of arranging vacation time off and all the other little things that go into vacation planning.  

We have a reservation in less than 30 days. High floor pool view this time, which makes me feel a little  more secure


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## Superchief (Nov 4, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> Are/were you there? It looks like the lower pool is open with people in it. Perhaps just still need repairs to some villas that had water intrusion? What is the state of the elevators that go down to the lower level? What about the parking lot?


My brother stopped there on 10/17 and the lower pool was open, but he didn't look at the grotto pool. He really didn't see much visible damage around the resort and Stiltz was also open. Only a few people were at the pool at that time and the parking garage was partially closed.


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## emeryjre (Nov 4, 2022)

I will update the group when I have an answer next week.  Mine is a 6-15 pool side.  Made with points on 12 month mark.


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## timtax (Nov 4, 2022)

My GF reservation using Points for 11/12-19 was confirmed via text today


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

My reservation for Marriot Crystal Shores was cancelled today.  The reservation was for November 19 to November 26.  Poolside floor 6-15.  These units face towards the ocean and suffered the most damage at the resort according to the person I spoke with about cancellation.


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## TravelTime (Nov 7, 2022)

I spoke to a rep today and he said the reason it is taking so long to fix is because it is hard to get labor as there is a shortage.


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## KenA (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> My reservation for Marriot Crystal Shores was cancelled today.  The reservation was for November 19 to November 26.  Poolside floor 6-15.  These units face towards the ocean and suffered the most damage at the resort according to the person I spoke with about cancellation.



I have a reservation from Nov 20-27.  Now I am concerned.  Did Marriott call you or how did you find out?  Are you a weeks owner or how did you make the reservation if you don't mind me asking.


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## Fasttr (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> My reservation for Marriot Crystal Shores was cancelled today.  The reservation was for November 19 to November 26.  Poolside floor 6-15.  These units face towards the ocean and suffered the most damage at the resort according to the person I spoke with about cancellation.


Sorry to hear that.

Seems those nice door walls that go out to those super nice balconies are not as weather proof/water tight as you would have assumed they would be for a location such as this, especially so recently built.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

They called.  Units in new part of Crystal Shores are points only.  What type of unit do you have booked.  They called from main office.  Guy did not leave his name and number he left feeds into hundreds of people according to women answering phone


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## KenA (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> They called.  Units in new part of Crystal Shores are points only.  What type of unit do you have booked.  They called from main office.  Guy did not leave his name and number he left feeds into hundreds of people according to women answering phone


I am a points owner, however I rented from redweek.  This person is a high level owner, so I am hoping I will not get canceled.   I will probably call in a day or two.

So what happens if you are a weeks owner and they cancel your reservation?  Do you get another week next year or what do they do.  Points owners can obviously just get there points back


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

60 day restricted points.  Expire when they expire.  What unit do you have.  The worst place to be is ocean front or poolside.  These are the rooms that were damaged.  Not sure about a cancelled week.  To top it off, I cannot get into the MVC website at this point.


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## KenA (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> 60 day restricted points.  Expire when they expire.  What unit do you have.  The worst place to be is ocean front or poolside.  These are the rooms that were damaged.  Not sure about a cancelled week.  To top it off, I cannot get into the MVC website at this point.


Its a gulf side.   So I could be on the list.   I wish they would not have waited to so long.   I'll probably lose thousands of dollars in rent if they do cancel.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

KenA said:


> Its a gulf front.   So I could be on the list.   I wish they would not have waited to so long.   I'll probably lose thousands of dollars in rent if they do cancel.


looks like I will have 4800 points expiring this year.  So I understand about losing money


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## dougp26364 (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> My reservation for Marriot Crystal Shores was cancelled today.  The reservation was for November 19 to November 26.  Poolside floor 6-15.  These units face towards the ocean and suffered the most damage at the resort according to the person I spoke with about cancellation.



Bummer.
I have a reservation in that same block of rooms for the first week in December. We have non-refundable first class tickets into RSW. 
it will be a HUGE disappointment if we’re unable to stay there and a major inconvenience to try to find suitable accommodations last minute.
Marriott may have some really nice resorts but their customer service outside of the resorts really sucks


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

dougp26364 said:


> Bummer.
> I have a reservation in that same block of rooms for the first week in December. We have non-refundable first class tickets into RSW.
> it will be a HUGE disappointment if we’re unable to stay there and a major inconvenience to try to find suitable accommodations last minute.
> Marriott may have some really nice resorts but their customer service outside of the resorts really sucks


They give you the notice.  Then tell you to call somebody else about getting help.  The next guy says "he told you I can help?"  I feel sorry for the people making the call.  They know how screwed you are and there is nothing that can be done.  At least I can change my plane reservations.  But where too is the question.  I am a walking example of why people should have travel insurance in Hurricane country.


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## KenA (Nov 7, 2022)

I should have bought the insurance too.   I will have to give them a call tomorrow and see if they can tell me the status of my reservation.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Nov 7, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Sorry to hear that.
> 
> Seems those nice door walls that go out to those super nice balconies are not as weather proof/water tight as you would have assumed they would be for a location such as this, especially so recently built.




If my memory serves me correctly, the original Marriott Villas built in the old renovated Radisson (now Crystal Shores) had those folding glass doors.  They were always having issues with those doors and all or some of the subsequent units were built with sliding glass doors instead.....

I will say that the balconies themselves are some of the nicest around anywhere (even if there are issues with the glass doors).





.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Nov 7, 2022)

dougp26364 said:


> Bummer.
> I have a reservation in that same block of rooms for the first week in December. We have non-refundable first class tickets into RSW.
> it will be a HUGE disappointment if we’re unable to stay there and a major inconvenience to try to find suitable accommodations last minute.
> Marriott may have some really nice resorts but their customer service outside of the resorts really sucks





Don't wait until last minute to make up back up reservations.  Make them today.  Many new reservations (at least with Marriott Hotels) will give you two to five days in which you can cancel.  And you may have a far better idea of your status during the last week of November....... i.e. plan ahead.

Will be far easier to cancel at the end of November rather than attempting to make a new reservation at the end of November....



.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

I guess the architect did not realize that South Florida gets wind and rain.  Hate to imagine what would have happened to the wind facing rooms had been hit head on by Ian


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## Superchief (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> My reservation for Marriot Crystal Shores was cancelled today.  The reservation was for November 19 to November 26.  Poolside floor 6-15.  These units face towards the ocean and suffered the most damage at the resort according to the person I spoke with about cancellation.


That is disappointing and surprising. I would have thought the new building would have been built with better standards that would reduce major storm damage. I am curious whether the gulf front units units in the old building were damaged.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> I spoke to a rep today and he said the reason it is taking so long to fix is because it is hard to get labor as there is a shortage.


With the devastation along the coast.  I am sure anybody capable of performing work in the trades is working as many hours a week as they want.


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## Superchief (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> looks like I will have 4800 points expiring this year.  So I understand about losing money


My brother rented a 2BR condo in the area for $200 per night for 10/15-22 when we were supposed to be at Crystal Shores. You may want to check rentals in the area if you don't have insurance. I'll ask him how he found the rental. It wasn't on the beach, but was close.


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## Marathoner (Nov 7, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> looks like I will have 4800 points expiring this year.  So I understand about losing money



It is such complete greed that MVC doesn't do more for owners in these force majeure situations.  Yes, they don't create the situation but doing something a little more and sharing a little bit of the burden from DC points owners would be good business practice.  But MVC only cares about $$$ and just sticks it to everyone else because they can.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

Superchief said:


> My brother rented a 2BR condo in the area for $200 per night for 10/15-22 when we were supposed to be at Crystal Shores. You may want to check rentals in the area if you don't have insurance. I'll ask him how he found the rental. It wasn't on the beach, but was close.


Thanks for the offer.  I am finding rentals on VRBO that are not far from beach for a reasonable nightly rate.  So there are alternatives in Crystal Shores.  Certainly will not be the same, but may work.


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## emeryjre (Nov 7, 2022)

Marathoner said:


> It is such complete greed that MVC doesn't do more for owners in these force majeure situations.  Yes, they don't create the situation but doing something a little more and sharing a little bit of the burden from DC points owners would be good business practice.  But MVC only cares about $$$ and just tells everyone to deal with the full burden themselves.


Once the Timeshare component of Marriott became an NYSE listed company, it became a money driven entity.  It is all about generating greater profits each quarter.  Keep up the bonuses, big buck CEO's and the like.  It is why they will not slow down and invest in a new database/software system.  It would probably cost 50 million to have a bullet proof website.  What CEO wants to be the one to take the hit to quarterly earnings, quarterly bonuses, stock option earnings.  It is how life works and I knew I should have bought travel insurance when Ian was being plotted on weather charts.  I took the risk and lost.


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## hcarman (Nov 8, 2022)

Well here is my situation.  We booked our reservation 13 months ago and due to schedules we contacted owners services to push our check in date by two days.  It was a simple mod - same check out date (just 5 nights instead of 7).  This would give the property two nights back.
The agent initially helping me took the better part of an hour to modify and I got the confirmation.  However, a second agent somehow screwed it up and I got a revised confirmation that brought my stay to just two nights?!?  How do you make this mistake - I have no idea.  So even though I have the live chat records and a supervisor has been working to fix the mistake - so far they haven’t managed to get the property to correct it.  So I am guessing they are using that agents mistake to help them out - we know no new reservations can be made so the room didn’t disappear in the 10 minutes it took us to figure out there was a problem and contact them back.  So at this point we are beyond furious at how this devastating mistake on their part has been handled - and we are owners there and were told our reservation would be OK.


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## emeryjre (Nov 8, 2022)

hcarman said:


> Well here is my situation.  We booked our reservation 13 months ago and due to schedules we contacted owners services to push our check in date by two days.  It was a simple mod - same check out date (just 5 nights instead of 7).  This would give the property two nights back.
> The agent initially helping me took the better part of an hour to modify and I got the confirmation.  However, a second agent somehow screwed it up and I got a revised confirmation that brought my stay to just two nights?!?  How do you make this mistake - I have no idea.  So even though I have the live chat records and a supervisor has been working to fix the mistake - so far they haven’t managed to get the property to correct it.  So I am guessing they are using that agents mistake to help them out - we know no new reservations can be made so the room didn’t disappear in the 10 minutes it took us to figure out there was a problem and contact them back.  So at this point we are beyond furious at how this devastating mistake on their part has been handled - and we are owners there and were told our reservation would be OK.


What a Cluster F of major proportions.  I am working my way up the food chain at Marriott to talk with someone that does more than just stall me.  The Marriott system has NO units available anywhere in Floridia for Thanksgiving.  I had no luck in my discussions with Marriott.  Going to VRBO and booking a new location.  I will be getting travel insurance with the points that will be expiring.


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## emeryjre (Nov 8, 2022)

Crystal Shores is confirming reservations through Nov 20th according to the supervisor I spoke with today.  He recommended using the text line to check for later dates.


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## KenA (Nov 8, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> Crystal Shores is confirming reservations through Nov 20th according to the supervisor I spoke with today.  He recommended using the text line to check for later dates.


Is it best to call Crystal shores or MVCI or Marriott.   Which entity will give the best info.   I am not familiar with the text line.


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## emeryjre (Nov 8, 2022)

The text line is 407-358-3745.  It is direct to the resort.  I will warn you, that nobody really knows what is going on at Crystal Shores.  I was told on October 13 that the resort was expected to be open and fully functional by November.  If they confirm you, you are in good shape, if not, then the waiting game is still on.  So text them and see if you are confirmed.


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## hcarman (Nov 8, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> I have plenty of gripes about MVC.  Especially about the website and the need for rebuilding from scratch.  When I was searching for alternatives this morning, Beach Place Towers was not available to even look at.  Somewhere in the coding, it was deleted as a choice to search for.  That irritates me a great deal.
> 
> I truly felt sorry for the woman I was speaking with this morning.  She is just answering the phone and passing along the current situation at Crystal Shores.
> 
> ...





emeryjre said:


> The text line is 407-358-3745.  It is direct to the resort.  I will warn you, that nobody really knows what is going on at Crystal Shores.  I was told on October 13 that the resort was expected to be open and fully functional by November.  If they confirm you, you are in good shape, if not, then the waiting game is still on.  So text them and see if you are confirmed.


Yes, we got three different answers on the status of our reservations - unfortunately we went by the first answer that our reservations were going to be honored and finalized plans.  After that we got different answers.  Then the latest fiasco where we changed our check in date by two days and the screw up by Marriott's Owners Services.  We are working with the owners services supervisor who seems to have made no progress in reinstating the nights they mistakenly removed and now corporate.  The whole experience has really soured us.  The storm issues are understandable, but using that as an excuse for poor communication/lack of transparency and significant mistakes is not acceptable.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

_[*Moderator Note*: This was posted as a new thread - Reservation cancelled at last minute by Marriott - but is being merged into this existing thread because it is a continuation of the topic here, and its content will be helpful to others who have reservations affected by the effects of Hurricane Ian.] <-- SueDonJ_

My reservation at Marriott Crystal Shores was cancelled 11 days before arrival.  It is what it is. 

I have always carefully managed my points, but this situation has left me with 4800 points that expire this year.

I am looking for options how to use the points.  I know about using the points for travel insurance.

I have heard rumors about getting non expiring gift cards, has anyone done this?

Can I book a reservation and deposit into II before the end of the year?

Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## igopogo (Nov 9, 2022)

Have you reached out to ask for some accommodation?  I’m too much of a newbie to know what’s possible or typical, but I would have thought with such a late cancel that they would make some room for you to use the points.


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## igopogo (Nov 9, 2022)

Sorry, I just read your posts on the other thread.  I hope you get some positive outcome, in my humble opinion they should have a proactive stance to take care of owners in this unusual situation.


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## Fasttr (Nov 9, 2022)

Call MVC.  I assume these are now also in a holding account, and certain things can be done with those and other things cannot.  Best to call and see what your options are.

Please report back.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

I am very good at escalating problems and pleading my case all the way to the upper echelons.  They are not being mean, but the bottom line position is rules are rules.  I should have had travel insurance and without travel insurance there is no option.  Again, the situation is what it is.  I am a walking, talking poster boy for why a person should purchase travel insurance.


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 9, 2022)

I had a similar situation of a cancelled Crystal shores for the end of October. It was the only week we could travel for the rest of the year before the points expire and there were no weeks available that would work.

I did a chat with MVC and let them list all the options.
They have a complete answer that they cut and paste into the chat so it’s all right there and correct. Edit- see post 256.
You can get a chat transcript or screen shot it for later reference.
Most of the options require completing before the points expire. Exclusive owner events are one use that we seriously considered but couldn’t get the location/timing to work.

What we ended up doing was renting an MVC HHI week from redweek for that October week we needed to travel and then using our expiring points to get Serg dining cards (which I was told expire in 5 years) and Tanger outlet cards good at any tanger location and no expiration.  You need to stay at an MVC HHI before the points expire to do this and pick up the vouchers on site.  Chat can arrange it all for you and you will see it on your MVC site.  Not the best exchange rate- 325 points gets you $100, but better than losing the points.  We enjoyed the restaurants and we have a good bit of holiday shopping done- plus we love HHI.
Good luck- hope you can work it out.


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## Fasttr (Nov 9, 2022)

I know this advice is too late to help the OP, but in hopes it can help somebody down the road, it’s always best to use borrowed points (from future Use Year) to book late in the year ressys, as in a situation like this, at least you would have until the end of next year to figure out how to use the points.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

We made the reservation in November of 2021 for November 2022.  I did not have 2023 points at the time of booking the reservation.  It is good advice, but did not have 2023 points at the time.


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 9, 2022)

This is the list of uses for holding account points from my chat-

MVC Collection (points stays)
MVC Destinations Escapes
Waitlists
Exchange Partner Resorts (direct points exchange on II)
Owner Exclusive Events
Avis and Budget e-certificates

Explorer Collection offerings with a travel date including:
-Marriott Vacation Club Resort Local Experiences
-Resort Credits
-Guided Tours
-Cruises
-City Explorer
-Villas of Distinction
-Culinary Tours
-Pulse Experiential
-Moab Adventure

Travel insurance may be purchased with Hold Points
-Owners do not have to be traveling within 60 days to purchase Travel insurance with Hold Points
-Owners may purchase Travel insurance with Hold Points with no future reservations booked

The list of current offerings is as follows: Hilton Head Island

Shop & Dine
Pricing: 325 Club Points per $100
$100 increments up to $500
Tanger Gift Card at the Tanger Outlet Mall
Serg Gift Card
To see a list of restaurants, www.serggroup.com
Excludes The Lodge restaurant
Shopping/Dining certificates must be converted to gift cards while on Hilton Head Island
Serg gift cards will be valid for five years from issuance and Tanger gift cards have no expiration.


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## Fasttr (Nov 9, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> We made the reservation in November of 2021 for November 2022.  I did not have 2023 points at the time of booking the reservation.  It is good advice, but did not have 2023 points at the time.


Curious if you have Trust Points, Enrolled Points or a combination of the two.  Trying to understand why you did not have 2023 points available to you in Nov 2021.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Curious if you have Trust Points, Enrolled Points or a combination of the two.  Trying to understand why you did not have 2023 points available to you in Nov 2021.


I could have had 2023 points, I just did not.  Had plenty of 2022 points to make the reservation.  I do not own points.  My points come from converting an enrolled week.  If I need extra points, I rent them.  If I rent points, they are always as far out as I can get and still use them.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> This is the list of uses for holding account points from my chat-
> 
> MVC Collection (points stays)
> MVC Destinations Escapes
> ...


Thanks for the list.  I have spoken with several travel advisors.  None summed up my options as cleanly as this list.


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## goaliedave (Nov 9, 2022)

In the past some airline rewards programs had promotions to exchange in hotel points, not sure if that'll work for you or still exists, or works for ts points.


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## ljmiii (Nov 9, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> This is the list of uses for holding account points from my chat...
> 
> Exchange Partner Resorts (direct exchange on II)


According to the MVC rep with whom I spoke when I used up my remaining expiring 2022 points (both in holding and not), you can't use holding points to do a Direct Exchange into II. You can make a reservation less than 60 days out if you see availability in II, but you can't do a 'deposit' (i.e. Direct Exchange) that would be good in II for two years.


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## KenA (Nov 9, 2022)

I texted the number.  After several hours I got a response asking for some info.  I quickly replied and its been hours and nothing.   I will call, but the point is how seemingly unconcerned they are for their customers.


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## emeryjre (Nov 9, 2022)

KenA said:


> I texted the number.  After several hours I got a response asking for some info.  I quickly replied and its been hours and nothing.   I will call, but the point is how seemingly unconcerned they are for their customers.


Good luck.  They are concerned, but everything is out of the hands of the people you are communicating with.  The messengers are getting shot on a regular basis.  They are all keeping their heads down.


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## KenA (Nov 9, 2022)

I'm hoping at 10 days out, no news is good news.  But I have visions of showing up there and them telling me, "sorry, didn't you get the message, your reservation is canceled"


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 9, 2022)

ljmiii said:


> According to the MVC rep with whom I spoke when I used up my remaining expiring 2022 points (both in holding and not), you can't use holding points to do a Direct Exchange into II. You can make a reservation less than 60 days out if you see availability in II, but you can't do a 'deposit' (i.e. Direct Exchange) that would be good in II for two years.



Direct exchange means using the *points* directly on II.
That you can do within the limits of your points- before expiration, within any holding restriction.
You just select the points account under “my units”, choose the number of points you want to search with and make the exchange if you find something.  MVC then needs to confirm to II that you indeed have the necessary points to complete the exchange.

You can’t have MVC *convert* holding points to a week and *deposit* the week into II for exchange within 2 years.
I wouldn’t call this deposit not “Direct exchange”- it’s not using the points directly.


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## ljmiii (Nov 9, 2022)

Pamplemousse said:


> You can’t have MVC *convert* holding points to a week and *deposit* the week into II for exchange within 2 years. I wouldn’t call this deposit not “Direct exchange”- it’s not using the points directly.


Twice I asked to have the CSR make a "Deposit of 3000 points into II" and twice he corrected me saying you can't deposit points and asked, "Do you mean you would like to do an external exchange?" And then that the II exchange certificate good for 2 years would appear in my II account in 4-6 weeks.

But yes, you can make a reservation less than 60 days out with holding points by finding availability directly on II.


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 9, 2022)

ljmiii said:


> Twice I asked to have the CSR make a "Deposit of 3000 points into II" and twice he corrected me saying you can't deposit points and asked, "Do you mean you would like to do an external exchange?" And then that the II exchange certificate good for 2 years would appear in my II account in 4-6 weeks.
> 
> But yes, you can make a reservation less than 60 days out with holding points by finding availability directly on II.


Yes, I said the exact same thing as the csr in my post above.
You can’t deposit holding points into II.

You can use holding points to do an instant points exchange on II. This is a direct exchange of the points.
The thing you can’t do with holding points is have MVC convert the points to a week of your choice in terms of the unit size and season and deposit it into II good for 2 years.

And really you can’t ever deposit any points into II- the deposit is of a week MVC gives you for the points and you then do a week exchange just like any other week exchange ( except not to abounds).
We agree the terminology is just off.
Glad we both found ways to use our points!


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## dougp26364 (Nov 9, 2022)

igopogo said:


> Sorry, I just read your posts on the other thread.  I hope you get some positive outcome, in my humble opinion they should have a proactive stance to take care of owners in this unusual situation.



That’s why you buy travel insurance, to protect against unforeseen events.


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## hcarman (Nov 9, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> I know this advice is too late to help the OP, but in hopes it can help somebody down the road, it’s always best to use borrowed points (from future Use Year) to book late in the year ressys, as in a situation like this, at least you would have until the end of next year to figure out how to use the points.


This is really great advice.  I think I had heard that once before but good to remember for the future as we tend to do a lot of Thanksgiving and Christmas travel.  Unfortunately if it is an owner's week then you are pretty much screwed I guess unless you have travel insurance.   Though I heard Travel Insurance only works if Marriott gives you no options to reschedule?


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## hcarman (Nov 9, 2022)

dougp26364 said:


> That’s why you buy travel insurance, to protect against unforeseen events.


But even travel insurance doesn't always protect you.  There were a lot of people that had travel insurance during Covid and it didn't do an ounce of good because as long as they weren't sick with it and the property was open - they wouldn't pay out - even though many didn't feel safe to travel and resorts were just bare bones with no amenities, so not exactly open.  I also heard that people that had reservations for properties that were closed after the storms were told insurance wouldn't pay because their points were returned to a holding account so they didn't technically lose them due to the cancellation - even though many couldn't use them before they expired.  Or with weeks some got exchanges that at least give a little more time to use but are very restricted.   So I am kind of on the fence as to how much it helps based on what I am hearing about the success rate of claiming.


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## igopogo (Nov 10, 2022)

I understand that travel insurance might help, especially with things like the airfare to and from a closed or partially closed property.

I’m just talking about the points.  The OP didn’t get sick or have a trip interruption unrelated to the property.  The property itself was unable to provide the accommodation that was promised.  Even if not required, I think the property or MVCI should make a goodwill gesture to extend the points or allow the OP to make a reservation for next year.  In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t cost a lot…especially given that much of the property seems to be open…and would show some compassion.


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 10, 2022)

igopogo said:


> I understand that travel insurance might help, especially with things like the airfare to and from a closed or partially closed property.
> 
> I’m just talking about the points.  The OP didn’t get sick or have a trip interruption unrelated to the property.  The property itself was unable to provide the accommodation that was promised.  Even if not required, I think the property or MVCI should make a goodwill gesture to extend the points or allow the OP to make a reservation for next year.  In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t cost a lot…especially given that much of the property seems to be open…and would show some compassion.


But there are many people in this situation- if one is helped shouldn’t everyone be helped? Then it does cost a lot.
If points are extended or reservations pushed forward that creates over demand for next year and problems for others.
Its hard to even find anything to book as a replacement- inventory is tight.
Maybe MVC could look at doing something else like offering a week in II or the ability buy gift cards or such.
I am all in favor of being compassionate and helping others, but really the best solution is to take care of yourself and accept that sometimes you may lose.
Just my opinion- no offense to anyone.


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## Dean (Nov 10, 2022)

igopogo said:


> I understand that travel insurance might help, especially with things like the airfare to and from a closed or partially closed property.
> 
> I’m just talking about the points.  The OP didn’t get sick or have a trip interruption unrelated to the property.  The property itself was unable to provide the accommodation that was promised.  Even if not required, I think the property or MVCI should make a goodwill gesture to extend the points or allow the OP to make a reservation for next year.  In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t cost a lot…especially given that much of the property seems to be open…and would show some compassion.


I am in favor of a policy that addresses this issue, that way it is consistent.  I think extending the points in a holding account like they did during Lockdown is reasonable.  But there is a cost and it is paid by the rest of the membership, not MVC.  And it shouldn't be paid by MVC itself as we own the resorts (other than unsold inventory) and they simply manage them.  Anytime you start doing one off exceptions you get chaos and unequal treatment.  I do agree with placing members staying directly (owned or points) over exchanges.


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## emeryjre (Nov 10, 2022)

About travel insurance as sold by Marriott.   I have been told several times this week, by Marriott employees at ascending levels of responsibility, that if I had travel insurance, I would be OK.  

What does that mean.  Would they have paid me for the points that have gone into a 60 day holding account and expire at the end of the year?  

Since I have never purchased travel insurance, I know little about the benefit I would receive.  I am researching the policy sold by Marriott to see what benefits I would have had in the current situation.  If they are not paying me for the points, what benefit would I really receive.


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## Dean (Nov 10, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> About travel insurance as sold by Marriott.   I have been told several times this week, by Marriott employees at ascending levels of responsibility, that if I had travel insurance, I would be OK.
> 
> What does that mean.  Would they have paid me for the points that have gone into a 60 day holding account and expire at the end of the year?
> 
> Since I have never purchased travel insurance, I know little about the benefit I would receive.  I am researching the policy sold by Marriott to see what benefits I would have had in the current situation.  If they are not paying me for the points, what benefit would I really receive.


We generally find the price of travel insurance, extended warranties and the like not a good value.  One should never buy a timeshare or plan a trip they cannot take the hit on the costs of the trip itself.  Medical can be another matter and there are medical only plans that one can purchase and at times, for several years at a time.  IMO there are exceptions where a higher risk is present where this can be more reasonable.  However, we do buy the MVC annual insurance because of the lower price and economy of scale since it is an annual plan, covers up to 7 others traveling with you and we have several trips per year.  Our medical insurance does cover us out of the country and the CSR CC has quite a bit of built in trip protection.  Often there are gotcha's with such plans so having trip insurance isn't all inclusive.  

We just completed a European trip for 19 days where a last minute cancelation would have been a potential loss of $15K or so and we did not spend the roughly $1K it would have cost to cover the trip.  For points with MVC where you get the points back, I'm not sure the fees on the points would be covered but other costs could be such as air fare.  I wonder if anyone has experience they can add for this situation, HHI a couple of years ago comes to mind though generally many affected were exchangers.


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## Pamplemousse (Nov 10, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> About travel insurance as sold by Marriott.   I have been told several times this week, by Marriott employees at ascending levels of responsibility, that if I had travel insurance, I would be OK.
> 
> What does that mean.  Would they have paid me for the points that have gone into a 60 day holding account and expire at the end of the year?
> 
> Since I have never purchased travel insurance, I know little about the benefit I would receive.  I am researching the policy sold by Marriott to see what benefits I would have had in the current situation.  If they are not paying me for the points, what benefit would I really receive.


I believe- from what I have read not personal experience- that if MVC cancelled your trip you could choose to file a claim and be reimbursed for your points maintenance fees, and other travel costs that were non refundable.
I have also read that if you did the cancelling it would not have been covered.
Check if your credit card you used to book has any travel insurance as a benefit that might help.
As I have mentioned before I was in a similar situation last month so I was noting all my options and joined the crystal shores Facebook group where many posted about their experiences.
Please share if you get an answer.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 10, 2022)

hcarman said:


> But even travel insurance doesn't always protect you.  There were a lot of people that had travel insurance during Covid and it didn't do an ounce of good because as long as they weren't sick with it and the property was open - they wouldn't pay out - even though many didn't feel safe to travel and resorts were just bare bones with no amenities, so not exactly open.  I also heard that people that had reservations for properties that were closed after the storms were told insurance wouldn't pay because their points were returned to a holding account so they didn't technically lose them due to the cancellation - even though many couldn't use them before they expired.  Or with weeks some got exchanges that at least give a little more time to use but are very restricted.   So I am kind of on the fence as to how much it helps based on what I am hearing about the success rate of claiming.





igopogo said:


> I understand that travel insurance might help, especially with things like the airfare to and from a closed or partially closed property.
> 
> I’m just talking about the points.  The OP didn’t get sick or have a trip interruption unrelated to the property.  The property itself was unable to provide the accommodation that was promised.  Even if not required, I think the property or MVCI should make a goodwill gesture to extend the points or allow the OP to make a reservation for next year.  In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t cost a lot…especially given that much of the property seems to be open…and would show some compassion.



Travel insurance isn’t comprehensive coverage. Most insurance policies, like auto and homeowners, are comprehensive and cover everything but the listed exclusions.

Nearly all travel policies are listed peril policies, much like the old fire (very old version of homeowners) that covered specific events. With a travel policy, it covers only the perils listed in the policy. Typically those are the most common perils like hurricanes (maybe natural disasters depending on wording) or illness of a listed traveler.

A hurricane would cover the listed expenses for the listed amount. It might not return your points (I haven’t looked at the TravelEx policy closely) but it will cover the cost of those points, or at least a major portion of that cost. I think what I glanced at would pay $2,000 for a price tag of $199. If that’s accurate, then the cost of a week in December OF unit at Oceana Palms would be around $3,500 if booked using points.

At one point in time I looked at the coverage and recall not being extremely impressed at the price for our needs. This is the first November hurricane in 40 years for Florida. We’ve been traveling to South FL for 21 years in November or December. At $199, we’ve saved $4,179 over that time. it was a risk not taking the insurance but historically one I was willing to take.

Oddly enough I do take out the insurance on cruises. But that’s because I want the medivac coverage more than trip cancellation.

One of the other considerations with TravelEx is I believe they provide rental car coverage. We have older cars but I keep full coverage on them (it’s inexpensive). If all I had was liability coverage, the trip insurance would likely be less expensive than paying the damage waiver coverage when renting a car.

The long and short of all this is it’s up to the consumer to protect against potential loss, not the business. Anything MBC does for owners is out of goodwill and not required. It’s up to you to select the coverage at the price you feel reasonable or take the risk. For us we typically accept the risk. For us that risk has been the resort being so damaged by an October hurricane our reservations are cancelled. That’s a real possibility this year and it will be a bummer if we can’t go. However, it was 2000 points or $1,360 and we’ve saved $4,179 over the years, so I don’t feel to bad. I’ll lose some money paying change fees on the airfare as well, but we’re still on the plus side of the ledger


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## emeryjre (Nov 10, 2022)

I am specifically asking about the insurance that Marriott provides.  I have not been able to get a straight answer in the last 24 hours, but Hurricane Nicole has caused a lot of employees to be absent.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 18, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> It will be good to hear from @Zagrid094 claims are processed so we can get more real life experience with their insurance. I suspect that it will be a fight since MVC returned the points, even if they can't use them. I hope it works out better though.


@dioxide45, I filed two (2) claims with TravelEx following cancellations of our Crystal Shores reservations which had been made for October 2-9 (using points) and on October 9-16 using our enrolled week.  I was advised by TravelEx at time of submittal it could take up to 45 days to process the claims. 

Today, I received an EFT for reimbursement of the MF's paid for both the points and enrolled week so it was within the expected 45 day window.   

While I have credit cards which cover trip cancellation due to sickness, severe weather, etc, (and use those for other travel expenses) we pay our annual Marriott MF's using our Chase Boundless card to receive the Bonvoy points.  The Boundless card offers baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, and trip delay reimbursement, but not trip cancellation insurance.  For us, the $199 annual cost for the TravelEx insurance available through MVC is worthwhile as it covers all of our weeks/points reservations each year and provides peace of mind.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 18, 2022)

So for $199 it covers ALL your reservations? I was under the impression it was $199 for each reservation


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 18, 2022)

dougp26364 said:


> So for $199 it covers ALL your reservations? I was under the impression it was $199 for each reservation


$199 covers all of one’s points and weeks reservations for that use year, not $199 for each reservation.


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## VacationForever (Nov 18, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> @dioxide45, I filed two (2) claims with TravelEx following cancellations of our Crystal Shores reservations which had been made for October 2-9 (using points) and on October 9-16 using our enrolled week.  I was advised by TravelEx at time of submittal it could take up to 45 days to process the claims.
> 
> Today, I received an EFT for reimbursement of the MF's paid for both the points and enrolled week so it was within the expected 45 day window.
> 
> While I have credit cards which cover trip cancellation due to sickness, severe weather, etc, (and use those for other travel expenses) we pay our annual Marriott MF's using our Chase Boundless card to receive the Bonvoy points.  The Boundless card offers baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, and trip delay reimbursement, but not trip cancellation insurance.  For us, the $199 annual cost for the TravelEx insurance available through MVC is worthwhile as it covers all of our weeks/points reservations each year and provides peace of mind.


Did MVC also return the points to you as holding points?


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## dioxide45 (Nov 18, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> @dioxide45, I filed two (2) claims with TravelEx following cancellations of our Crystal Shores reservations which had been made for October 2-9 (using points) and on October 9-16 using our enrolled week.  I was advised by TravelEx at time of submittal it could take up to 45 days to process the claims.
> 
> Today, I received an EFT for reimbursement of the MF's paid for both the points and enrolled week so it was within the expected 45 day window.
> 
> While I have credit cards which cover trip cancellation due to sickness, severe weather, etc, (and use those for other travel expenses) we pay our annual Marriott MF's using our Chase Boundless card to receive the Bonvoy points.  The Boundless card offers baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, and trip delay reimbursement, but not trip cancellation insurance.  For us, the $199 annual cost for the TravelEx insurance available through MVC is worthwhile as it covers all of our weeks/points reservations each year and provides peace of mind.


That is great to know. Always good to read and know first hand accounts of how these things actually work vs just heresay or people guessing. Thanks for coming back to this thread to share!


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## dioxide45 (Nov 18, 2022)

VacationForever said:


> Did MVC also return the points to you as holding points?


I am curious about this also. I beleive the points were returned to a Holding Account as soon as MVC cancelled the reservation. I doubt TravelEx does anything to make them disappear, but using them or renting them could constitute insurance fraud.


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## Superchief (Nov 18, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> @dioxide45, I filed two (2) claims with TravelEx following cancellations of our Crystal Shores reservations which had been made for October 2-9 (using points) and on October 9-16 using our enrolled week.  I was advised by TravelEx at time of submittal it could take up to 45 days to process the claims.
> 
> Today, I received an EFT for reimbursement of the MF's paid for both the points and enrolled week so it was within the expected 45 day window.
> 
> While I have credit cards which cover trip cancellation due to sickness, severe weather, etc, (and use those for other travel expenses) we pay our annual Marriott MF's using our Chase Boundless card to receive the Bonvoy points.  The Boundless card offers baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, and trip delay reimbursement, but not trip cancellation insurance.  For us, the $199 annual cost for the TravelEx insurance available through MVC is worthwhile as it covers all of our weeks/points reservations each year and provides peace of mind.


Thanks for the update. This is very timely because I am just ready to get my insurance for next year, but was concerned regarding coverage for VC points reservations. Did you provide them the cost information for your vc points or did they calculate that amount? My points are a combination of trust and enrolled weeks, so I assume this will be based on the points that were actually used.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 18, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> I am curious about this also. I beleive the points were returned to a Holding Account as soon as MVC cancelled the reservation. I doubt TravelEx does anything to make them disappear, but using them or renting them could constitute insurance fraud.


You are correct that the points were returned to me in a 60 day holding account.  When filing my claim, I informed the TravelEx representative that this had occurred, but I was unable to use them this calendar year (use year) due to my schedule.  They acknowledged this and, as part of their internal process to verify the amount I had paid for the VC points, TravelEx contacted MVC directly.  Once the claim was approved by TravelEx and processed, the points held in the 60 day holding account were deleted and no longer appear when I log in.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 18, 2022)

Superchief said:


> Thanks for the update. This is very timely because I am just ready to get my insurance for next year, but was concerned regarding coverage for VC points reservations. Did you provide them the cost information for your vc points or did they calculate that amount? My points are a combination of trust and enrolled weeks, so I assume this will be based on the points that were actually used.


When submitting my claim, I provided a copy of my MVC trust maintenance fee statement as proof that payment had been made.  I also documented how I calculated the applicable cost of the VC points used for the reservation.  TravelEx then contacted Marriott directly to walk through the calculation.  I found the entire claim process straightforward and efficient.

As our MVC portfolio has grown over the years (we are Chairman level now), for us paying $199 per year to be insured for all of our weeks and trust points makes sense.  We are planning to retire in 2023 and, while our schedule will be even more flexible for travel purposes at that point, we also recognize that as we age we may have to cancel reservations due to illness/other unforeseen circumstances and our children, their families, or other relatives may be unable to travel in our place.


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## emeryjre (Nov 19, 2022)

Thanks for the information and your responses. Great information to know.


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## TravelTime (Nov 20, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> When submitting my claim, I provided a copy of my MVC trust maintenance fee statement as proof that payment had been made.  I also documented how I calculated the applicable cost of the VC points used for the reservation.  TravelEx then contacted Marriott directly to walk through the calculation.  I found the entire claim process straightforward and efficient.
> 
> As our MVC portfolio has grown over the years (we are Chairman level now), for us paying $199 per year to be insured for all of our weeks and trust points makes sense.  We are planning to retire in 2023 and, while our schedule will be even more flexible for travel purposes at that point, we also recognize that as we age we may have to cancel reservations due to illness/other unforeseen circumstances and our children, their families, or other relatives may be unable to travel in our place.



This is great to know. Thank you for posting your process. Given that unforeseen circumstances like pandemics, hurricanes and other disasters seem to be more frequent, I am planning to start buying TravelEx for my points.

I believe you can only insure your current use year points. For example, if I buy TavelEx this year, it would cover 2023 use year points. Is that correct? What about if you borrowed from a future use year or you are using banked points, how do you cover those points? Also, what is the deadline to buy insurance to cover points in the upcoming year?


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## TheTimeTraveler (Nov 20, 2022)

If you borrowed from a future year wouldn't you just cancel the reservation and those points would go back to that use year?

If this scenario is true then I would think everyone would want to make their reservations in that manner and never have the need to buy TravelEx Insurance.





.


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## dioxide45 (Nov 20, 2022)

TheTimeTraveler said:


> If you borrowed from a future year wouldn't you just cancel the reservation and those points would go back to that use year?
> 
> If this scenario is true then I would think everyone would want to make their reservations in that manner and never have the need to buy TravelEx Insurance.


That would be ideal way to structure your use of points when making reservations. That said, in this situation, the points are also in a holding account and some people won't have the flexibility to be able to make reservations and travel like that.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 20, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> I believe you can only insure your current use year points. For example, if I buy TavelEx this year, it would cover 2023 use year points. Is that correct? What about if you borrowed from a future use year or you are using banked points, how do you cover those points? Also, what is the deadline to buy insurance to cover points in the upcoming year?


If you purchase insurance through TravelEx for 2023, it will cover all your points and weeks for the 2023 use year.  In our case of being reimbursed for the cancellation of our Crystal Shores week using points, the majority of the claim was using 2022 use year points, but some were from 2021 banked points.  Had we not purchased TravelEx insurance for 2021, we would not have been reimbursed for the MF’s using the banked points.

When I pay my annual MF’s at the end of the calendar year/first of the calendar year, I purchase the TravelEx insurance using credit card.  I call MVC to make the payment over the phone and when doing so, they will get an insurance representative from TravelEx on the phone should you have any questions.  I don’t recall if there is a deadline for purchasing insurance for 2023, but I would think one would want to not delay too long to ensure that you are covered for the entire year.


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## TravelTime (Nov 21, 2022)

Zagrid094 said:


> If you purchase insurance through TravelEx for 2023, it will cover all your points and weeks for the 2023 use year.  In our case of being reimbursed for the cancellation of our Crystal Shores week using points, the majority of the claim was using 2022 use year points, but some were from 2021 banked points.  Had we not purchased TravelEx insurance for 2021, we would not have been reimbursed for the MF’s using the banked points.
> 
> When I pay my annual MF’s at the end of the calendar year/first of the calendar year, I purchase the TravelEx insurance using credit card.  I call MVC to make the payment over the phone and when doing so, they will get an insurance representative from TravelEx on the phone should you have any questions.  I don’t recall if there is a deadline for purchasing insurance for 2023, but I would think one would want to not delay too long to ensure that you are covered for the entire year.



So does this mean if we are using borrowed or banked points, the TravelEx must be purchased for the original use year? In the case of borrowed points, is it possible to purchase TravelEx in advance for a future use year? For example, can you already purchase TravelEx for 2024 points?


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## Fasttr (Nov 21, 2022)

TravelTime said:


> So does this mean if we are using borrowed or banked points, the TravelEx must be purchased for the original use year? In the case of borrowed points, is it possible to purchase TravelEx in advance for a future use year? For example, can you already purchase TravelEx for 2024 points?


Yes you can.  I believe in another month or so, you could actually buy 2025 coverage.  This allows you be able to borrow 2025 points back into 2024, and be able to book that 2024 ressie a year in advance and be fully covered.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 21, 2022)

Fasttr said:


> Yes you can.  I believe in another month or so, you could actually buy 2025 coverage.  This allows you be able to borrow 2025 points back into 2024, and be able to book that 2024 ressie a year in advance and be fully covered.


That is correct.  I have inadvertently purchased insurance twice for an upcoming year and TravelEx has applied one of the policies towards a future year.


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## emeryjre (Nov 21, 2022)

There is a yearly maximum the policy will pay out per year,  if you have several high value trips, the policy maximum could be an issue.


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## Zagrid094 (Nov 21, 2022)

emeryjre said:


> There is a yearly maximum the policy will pay out per year,  if you have several high value trips, the policy maximum could be an issue.


Plan Benefits are as follows:

This plan provides coverage for the annual Maintenance Charges that are paid by you to Marriott Vacation Club and for
the full annual Use Year. The plan will cover the primary traveler and up to 7 traveling companions named on the
same travel reservation. Coverage amounts shown below are shared between the Insured and Traveling Companions
and are paid to the primary traveler listed. When traveling to or from your destination, the purchased protection plan
will automatically cover you up to 2 days before, and 2 days after your scheduled travel dates. A cancellation of this
plan within the review period must be requested from Marriott Vacation Club.

Trip Cancellation Up to $10,000 per coverage term
Frequent Traveler Benefit $200
Trip Interruption Up to $10,000 per coverage term
Vehicle Return $1,000
Trip Delay $1,000
Missed Connection $1,000
Trip Inconvenience $300
Sporting Equipment Delay $2,000
Baggage & Personal Effects $2,000
Baggage Delay $1,000
Security Deposit Protection $2,000
Accident and Sickness Medical Expense $25,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation $250,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment $25,000
Car Rental Collision $35,000
Travel Assistance Services Included


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