Booked Timeshare week in Florida in Sept- COVID cases: can one cancel without penalty (esp for foreigners)

[seema]

This is a generic question:

Does any timeshare company offer such cancellations if an owner or guest is booked at a timeshare in FL,, due to one's concern (even if fully vaccinated) of going to FL.


Especially for foreigners - such as myself - I am a Canadian.

US covid regulations have still closed the land border for non-Americans who wish to enter for "non-essential " - ie tourism (although Canadians can go to USA by air, sea, or rail).

My particulars - I have booked 2 sequential weeks in Sept at a Westgate timeshare in Orlando.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

This is a generic question:

Does any timeshare company offer such cancellations if an owner or guest is booked at a timeshare in FL,, due to one's concern (even if fully vaccinated) of going to FL.


Especially for foreigners - such as myself - I am a Canadian.

US covid regulations have still closed the land border for non-Americans who wish to enter for "non-essential " - ie tourism (although Canadians can go to USA by air, sea, or rail).

My particulars - I have booked 2 sequential weeks in Sept at a Westgate timeshare in Orlando.

It really depends on who you booked the weeks through. I'm not familiar with Westgate's policies, but at this point with Covid being around for 20 months most private rentals have gotten more strict on cancellations due to Covid and recommend travel insurance (which may or may not provide coverage).

HGVC has extended their cancellation policy through 10/1/21, where members would get points back on a cancellation. That being said, if those points are due to expire at the end of the year it is uncertain if HGVC will extend those or a member could deposit them into RCI.

If you cannot cancel the reservation(s), maybe whoever you booked through would be able to delay the booking to a later time?

 

[seema]

I own a week at Westgate. Using last year's week and this year's week to make a booking.

Not a rental.

 

[Passepartout]

I'd be calling Wastegate Cust. Service and asking. They'll know. You might use a different term for the cancellation- rather than covid 'fear'. Like Gov't or doctor's recommendation that you avoid travel at this time, or that you were planning on driving, but that you can't use the land crossing.

 

[seema]

I am wondering if anyone - from USA or internationally, has asked to cancel anytime timeshare reservations in FL during this month or later, and they have been successful in cancelling any penalty (fees) being incurred.

 

[bnoble]

I understand why you want to know this, but it's not going to help unless it happens to be at the same resort at which you are booked. Jim's advice is the right one: call Westgate and see what they say.

 

[seema]

I called owner's relations (ie customer service) phone number- I got the answer that if I can cancel without fees. But if I want to book the now deposited weeks with Westgate, I have to pay the additional reservation fees. So no differences from owner's chat response.

I would appreciate it if someone can (either in the public forum or by private message send me a name and contact information of someone with decision making authority, to send the email request about waiving fees. I doubt I will have any more luck with sending a message to the general owners' relations email address.

I know that 20 yrs ago- I was not getting anywhere with a major issue with Westgate- eventually connected with the the director of owner relations - and he dealt with the problem to our satisfaction. I suspect I need to connect to a similar individual this time to get anywhere with the current issues.