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How to cancel a reservation and not loose points

terces

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We currently have a reservation at Seapoint Carlsbad for August 2019 and did not come up against that policy as we "walked" the reservation. We also have a Fiesta reservation at Cabo in Oct/November and knew when we made the reservation that the no-change policy DID apply to us. I wonder if they have expanded or changed the policy to now include GPP and all affiliates since we made the reservation several months ago. We have found that phone support with HGVC is excellent. I would suggest giving them a call. When you find out would you be so kind as to post your findings here?
 

PigsDad

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We currently have a reservation at Seapoint Carlsbad for August 2019 and did not come up against that policy as we "walked" the reservation. We also have a Fiesta reservation at Cabo in Oct/November and knew when we made the reservation that the no-change policy DID apply to us. I wonder if they have expanded or changed the policy to now include GPP and all affiliates since we made the reservation several months ago. We have found that phone support with HGVC is excellent. I would suggest giving them a call. When you find out would you be so kind as to post your findings here?
A simple way to test is look at your reservation -- does it have an active "change" link? That would indicate if it was changeable or not.

Kurt
 

GT75

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A simple way to test is look at your reservation -- does it have an active "change" link? That would indicate if it was changeable or not.

Yes, I have a reservation next March at FA-Cabo and the change feature is available. I don't think that the policy has changed so may be HGVC software has an issue.

This is from the website for this resort:
Reservations require a standard, non-changeable reservation fee. The normal Club cancellation policy applies.
 
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hurnik

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Yes, I have a reservation next March at FA-Cabo and the change feature is available. I don't think that the policy has changed so many be HGVC software has an issue.

This is from the website for this resort:
Reservations require a standard, non-changeable reservation fee. The normal Club cancellation policy applies.

I vaguely recall when I did this (or tried to do this), that the change link is there, but if you try to actually use it, then it gives you an error.

But my memory may not be correct as I'm old and senile.
 

dsmrp

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We currently have a reservation at Seapoint Carlsbad for August 2019 and did not come up against that policy as we "walked" the reservation. We also have a Fiesta reservation at Cabo in Oct/November and knew when we made the reservation that the no-change policy DID apply to us. I wonder if they have expanded or changed the policy to now include GPP and all affiliates since we made the reservation several months ago. We have found that phone support with HGVC is excellent. I would suggest giving them a call. When you find out would you be so kind as to post your findings here?

A simple way to test is look at your reservation -- does it have an active "change" link? That would indicate if it was changeable or not.

Kurt

I couldn't remember to call HGVC during their support hours. I went ahead and made my Marbrisa reservation anyway a couple of days ago. When I log in today, I see a change link, and clicking thru, the UI let me select a change of dates. However I didn't confirm and discarded my changes.
 

escanoe

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I currently have an early January reservation for a FL affiliate, Plantation Beach Club that is “changeable” but not cancelable under the rules. I am likely going to need to try to move the vacation or preferably move out and reuse the reservation somewhere else later in 2020. It has an active link to let me change the reservation, and it looks like I can change resorts. However, it is missing the typical link to cancel the reservation. Does anyone know if once you change resorts the “cancel” link will reappear. I am also hoping “changeable” means I can reduce the number of points when I move it out.
 

Talent312

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I currently have an early January reservation for a FL affiliate, Plantation Beach Club that is “changeable” but not cancelable under the rules.

What you propose should work. They likely require a phone call and a conversation with a human at this point simply becuz you're within the penalty phase and would lose points.
 

escanoe

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becuz you're within the penalty phase and would lose points.

Thanks for the reply. I am unsure when such period starts for a reservation that is changeable but not cancelable (greater than 30 days on losing points for a lesser reservation would be my guess). But I would think I am acting plenty early if the reservation does not start until next January.
 

Talent312

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Thanks for the reply. I am unsure when such period starts for a reservation that is changeable but not cancelable (greater than 30 days on losing points for a lesser reservation would be my guess). But I would think I am acting plenty early if the reservation does not start until next January.

... or it may simply be that, as an affiliate, it's done manually, not by computer.
 

Tamaradarann

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... or it may simply be that, as an affiliate, it's done manually, not by computer.
Affiliates were just recently had the ability to make reservations on line. Knowing how modifications in the HGVC reservation systems take a really long time to get totally operational, reservation changes may not yet be possible.
 

ski_sierra

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The reason that that offer this is that they don't expect the vast majority of people to think of applying the shift trick. And they're probably right.

Most folks are much more "loose" with their points :)

Cheers.
I'm a new owner. I made a reservation today and paid for the points protection. Wish I had read this before.
 

ski_sierra

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Let me confirm I understood this correctly. If I make a reservation at Sunrise lodge in January 2020 that costs 3500 points, I can change it to another location like Elara before a couple of days of the Sunrise reservation check-in as long as it's for 3500 points or more. I won't pay another reservation fee. I can also cancel this reservation and get the points back. I will only lose the reservation fee.

Now, if the reservation was for 25 Dec 2020, and I wait until Dec 23 2020 to move, I'm out of luck if the points are from 2020. Only thing that would save me is the points protection feature; I can cancel and save the points to 2021 for a fee. But if I was using borrowed points from 2021, I could move the reservation to 2021 and be safe.

In my case, I will try to use up 2022 points during Jan to Mar 2021 at Sunrise Lodge. If plans fall through then I have rest of the year to use the points at summer destinations.
 

PigsDad

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Let me confirm I understood this correctly. If I make a reservation at Sunrise lodge in January 2020 that costs 3500 points, I can change it to another location like Elara before a couple of days of the Sunrise reservation check-in as long as it's for 3500 points or more. I won't pay another reservation fee. I can also cancel this reservation and get the points back. I will only lose the reservation fee.
Bingo.

Now, if the reservation was for 25 Dec 2020, and I wait until Dec 23 2020 to move, I'm out of luck if the points are from 2020. Only thing that would save me is the points protection feature; I can cancel and save the points to 2021 for a fee. But if I was using borrowed points from 2021, I could move the reservation to 2021 and be safe.
Partial Bingo. Reservations can never be changed across a calendar year boundary. So even if your Dec 2020 reservation used points borrowed from 2021, you still would not be able to change that reservation into 2021. The only way you would be able to recover your points is if you had the Point Protection for that reservation (in your example).

In my case, I will try to use up 2022 points during Jan to Mar 2021 at Sunrise Lodge. If plans fall through then I have rest of the year to use the points at summer destinations.
Sounds like a solid plan to me. Good luck!

Kurt
 

ski_sierra

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Partial Bingo. Reservations can never be changed across a calendar year boundary. So even if your Dec 2020 reservation used points borrowed from 2021, you still would not be able to change that reservation into 2021. The only way you would be able to recover your points is if you had the Point Protection for that reservation (in your example).
Kurt

Thanks. So if I use HGVC for Xmas bookings, then I should think of it as a potential extra $200 cost in points protection, reservation fee and save points fee.
 

ski_sierra

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Or just go and don't cancel :)

Cheers.

yes, of course. Certainly if one has spent the time to plan to trip and secure the reservation, cancellation option should be seldom used. But things do come up when you plan 9 months in advance.

One of the things about timeshares that was attractive to me over Airbnb is that you can change plans without losing the full cost of reservation. With Airbnb, you are usually screwed. The strict cancellation policy prevents you from planning trips until you are really sure and often by that time, the good accomodation options are gone.
 

Talent312

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Once, I booked a week in mid-December, but my plans changed early enuff (11/20) that I could move it back a week to a different resort and then cancel, but I was sweating that one.

Now, I just won't book December, unless I'll be there come hell or high water.
IOW, I'll book Orlando since I'm within a 2.5-hour drive, even in December.
.
 

GT75

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One of the things about timeshares that was attractive to me over Airbnb is that you can change plans without losing the full cost of reservation. With Airbnb, you are usually screwed. The strict cancellation policy prevents you from planning trips until you are really sure and often by that time, the good accomodation options are gone.

Agree with your statement plus the fact that I know the quality of the HGVC resorts vs. unknown Airbnb bookings.
 
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