• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Car Rental in FL --- WOW they are very High

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,029
Reaction score
2,941
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
My family really wants to use our VBHC in Naples over December and I tried to book a rental car and its $480. I hope the prices come down between now and December...ugh
 

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,768
Points
649
They have you in a tight place
 

TheTimeTraveler

TUG Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
5,952
Reaction score
2,858
Points
648
Location
Florida
My family really wants to use our VBHC in Naples over December and I tried to book a rental car and its $480. I hope the prices come down between now and December...ugh


Car rentals are such a ripoff.

Tip; Never rent from an airport. Your daily or weekly rate is higher because airport rental taxes are higher.

Rent your vehicle from somewhere in the nearest city or town where you are staying.



.
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
Make your reservation, then register it with AutoSlash. They will notify you when they find lower prices.
 

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,768
Points
649
They are saying that the Canadians who own or rent in my neighborhood may not come down this year because the health insurance they purchase dies not cover Covid and to include it is prohibitively high
 

maddog497

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
310
Reaction score
83
Points
238
They are saying that the Canadians who own or rent in my neighborhood may not come down this year because the health insurance they purchase dies not cover Covid and to include it is prohibitively high
Insurance isn't the only issue. Short term rentals will be difficult. We like to plan our vacations in 2 week intervals. Right now there is a mandatory 14 days of isolation when coming back into Canada (Ontario at least). That would mean we would need to get 28 days off work for 2 week vacation. That's impossible for my wife. Her employer wouldn't approve it.

At this point we figure we will be staying in Canada for 2021, at least for the first half. Hopefully it improves and we don't have to bank all our points.

We just visited our daughter in Alberta and the car rental price was 50% higher than last time. Fortunately, we got a brand new vehicle with only 12 km' on it.

Sent from my SM-G975W using Tapatalk
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
Car rentals are high everywhere it seems. With Hertz going bankrupt and other companies paring back their fleets (it’s been a good time to sell used vehicles) the supply is becoming more limited and the agencies need to cover their costs over fewer rentals.

They also know that if you are renting a car then you probably really need it (think auto accident repair replacements).
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
They are saying that the Canadians who own or rent in my neighborhood may not come down this year because the health insurance they purchase dies not cover Covid and to include it is prohibitively high
I also thought the borders were closed.
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
Only the land borders. Canadians can fly to the US from Canada.
That doesn't seem to be a very effective border closure then. Are people less likely to have Covid if they fly? Or do you need a Covid test to get on a plane?
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
That doesn't seem to be a very effective border closure then. Are people less likely to have Covid if they fly? Or do you need a Covid test to get on a plane?
I think the main purpose of the closure was to prevent Canadians from doing shopping day-trips. US Citizens can't come to Canada except for limited circumstances. Canadians have to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Canada (some exceptions apply).

To me flying involves more interactions with people, so it is higher risk than driving, but we haven't had a single reported case of transmission on a plane in Canada - even though there have been over 1000 cases of flights with covid positive individuals. There aren't any covid tests required for air travel in Canada (we also don't have any approved rapid tests).

We're going to California to spend Christmas with family. Normally we would drive (airfare for 6 can be expensive that time of year), but we're going to be flying instead.
 

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
They are saying that the Canadians who own or rent in my neighborhood may not come down this year because the health insurance they purchase dies not cover Covid and to include it is prohibitively high
Many Canadian Insce companies, Great West Life, Manulife, Canada Life to name a few, are now covering Covid or any other illness/accident while on vacation outside of Canada. Yesterday DH called Canada Life who we are covered with, to confirm what we had read in our news and they emailed us the new coverage policy. The cost of our coverage (up to 90 days away on each trip) is included in DH's pension benefits. Maybe some people do not realize that companies have changed their policies to include Covid.

We have 2+ weeks of timeshare booked in FL for late Oct./early Nov. & DH has been looking at flights & rental cars since even of the land border is still closed we are able to fly south. The flight prices aren't too bad from Toronto to Orlando but the rental car prices are crazy, both from an airport location or off site. If the Covid numbers are still high I'd rather stay home and stay healthy.


~Diane
 

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,768
Points
649
Many Canadian Insce companies, Great West Life, Manulife, Canada Life to name a few, are now covering Covid or any other illness/accident while on vacation outside of Canada. Yesterday DH called Canada Life who we are covered with, to confirm what we had read in our news and they emailed us the new coverage policy. The cost of our coverage (up to 90 days away on each trip) is included in DH's pension benefits. Maybe some people do not realize that companies have changed their policies to include Covid.

We have 2+ weeks of timeshare booked in FL for late Oct./early Nov. & DH has been looking at flights & rental cars since even of the land border is still closed we are able to fly south. The flight prices aren't too bad from Toronto to Orlando but the rental car prices are crazy, both from an airport location or off site. If the Covid numbers are still high I'd rather stay home and stay healthy.


~Diane
The people from Canada often stay for six months but some renters Stay only three months. Even three months would help our community meet its bottom line as the only amenities that are charged are golf course and restaurant
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
Many Canadian Insce companies, Great West Life, Manulife, Canada Life to name a few, are now covering Covid or any other illness/accident while on vacation outside of Canada. Yesterday DH called Canada Life who we are covered with, to confirm what we had read in our news and they emailed us the new coverage policy. The cost of our coverage (up to 90 days away on each trip) is included in DH's pension benefits. Maybe some people do not realize that companies have changed their policies to include Covid.

We have 2+ weeks of timeshare booked in FL for late Oct./early Nov. & DH has been looking at flights & rental cars since even of the land border is still closed we are able to fly south. The flight prices aren't too bad from Toronto to Orlando but the rental car prices are crazy, both from an airport location or off site. If the Covid numbers are still high I'd rather stay home and stay healthy.
You're correct that insurers are providing out-of-country coverage. I also think Canadians need to put the risks into perspective. We all have this image of New York in April burned into our minds, and think that is what the whole of the US is like. We ignoring that our own rates have been going up recently, and now rival many perceived "hot spots" in the US . There is significant community spread going on in some areas of Canada right now. For example, the active case rate in Scottsdale, AZ (26 per 100k) is less than half that of Edmonton (68 active cases per 100,000). Orlando right now is around 79 cases per 100,000 and Palm Springs (where we will be for Christmas) is sitting at 61 cases per 100,000.

Each person needs to feel comfortable with the level of risk they are taking. The way I view it, my wife is safer sitting beside a pool in the sunshine than in the hospital where she works. Same goes for my kids - pool activities are less of a risk than being in a classroom with 24 other kids - even if it is south of the border.

The virus is transmitted by people, not geography. If you are going to Orlando, based on New York Times data, you would have to interact with around 1265 people before you would meet one that has covid. If you can limit your interactions on a daily basis to less than 20 people while taking proper precautions, the probability of getting covid on vacation is approaching 0.
 
Last edited:

rapmarks

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
9,636
Reaction score
4,768
Points
649
The comments made at board meeting was Covid coverage for Canadians was prohibitively expensive. This was coming from Canadians
 

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
The virus is transmitted by people, not geography. If you are going to Orlando, based on New York Times data, you would have to interact with around 1265 people before you would meet one that has covid. If you can limit your interactions on a daily basis to less than 20 people while taking proper precautions, the probability of getting covid on vacation is approaching 0.

Yes, I know the route of transmission but there are far more people and cases of Covid (asymptomatic & symptomatic) in the Orlando or St.Augustine areas of Florida than in our rural area of Ontario. I just don't want to increase the odds of contracting it. We don't usually frequent restaurants and bars on vacation, or at home, and our favorite activity while in St.Augustine is to walk or bicycle on the beach. We have no problems wearing a mask for many hours as I am retired from health care & DH is a firefighter. The other thing we need to consider if we go is the 14 day quarantine upon return, which will make for a much longer time of not being able to see our elderly parents or the rest of the family.


~Diane
 

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
The comments made at board meeting was Covid coverage for Canadians was prohibitively expensive. This was coming from Canadians

Some of those Canadians might want to recheck with their insurance providers as there have been changes in the last couple of days. In addition to many insurance companies now covering Covid for snowbirds and vacationers, the federal court just yesterday ruled that the decision last year by the provinces not to not allow claims for out-of-province health care must be reversed immediately as it violated the Canada Health Act. Previously, and from now on, when somebody became ill or injured on vacation they, or their insurance company, could claim the amount that the province would have paid had they been at home, and only be out of pocket for the difference. That caused the travel insurance rates to skyrocket as the companies couldn't collect that money from the province and would be responsible for the whole amount of care/treatment.

All travel insurance rates rise with age of the travelers in addition to any existing health problems. I know the rates my parents had to pay for their winter stay in Florida really jumped when they reached 80 years of age.

~Diane
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
Yes, I know the route of transmission but there are far more people and cases of Covid (asymptomatic & symptomatic) in the Orlando or St.Augustine areas of Florida than in our rural area of Ontario. I just don't want to increase the odds of contracting it. We don't usually frequent restaurants and bars on vacation, or at home, and our favorite activity while in St.Augustine is to walk or bicycle on the beach. We have no problems wearing a mask for many hours as I am retired from health care & DH is a firefighter. The other thing we need to consider if we go is the 14 day quarantine upon return, which will make for a much longer time of not being able to see our elderly parents or the rest of the family.
I'm sure you'll make the right choice. As you point out, there are a number of additional factors. I'm just trying to reduce the psychological stress that we seem to be placing on people in Canada with this Canada Good/USA Bad dichotomy when it comes to covid. I too live in a rural area, but pretty much drive into Edmonton at least five days per week - our kids also go to school in the city. I figure if I am comfortable going into the city, then I should be as comfortable going to some parts of the US with comparable rates.

Good luck with the decision. I know it's not an easy one.
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
I just talked to a Canadian friend. Flying down and having car shipped
That's one way around it! :) Good for them! I was just reading on a camping forum I belong to about a Canadian couple not far from us, who are having their big motorhome shipped to Buffalo NY. They are flying to Buffalo the next day and taking a taxi to the yard where the motorhome will be, then driving it to Florida for the winter. They don't even need to bring any luggage on the flight as everything they need for the winter will be packed into their motorhome before it is shipped. Commercial transport and shippers are allowed to cross the border and there is no problem with them transporting vehicles, just a bit of paperwork. I wouldn't be surprised if those type of companies see an increase in business this fall.

There are quite a few people up this way with their Florida plated vehicles. When the shutdown occurred in March many couldn't get flights so they drove their FL cars back home. Now they don't know when they'll be able to drive them back and I'm sure they will be considering a shipping company.


~Diane
 

Luanne

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
19,353
Reaction score
10,185
Points
1,198
Location
New Mexico
Resorts Owned
Maui Lea at Maui Hill
San Diego Country Estates
How much does the shipping cost on that?
Years ago we paid somewhere around $800 to have our dd's car shipped from California to Florida. I imagine prices have gone up.
 

moonstone

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,762
Reaction score
2,769
Points
599
Location
Moonstone, ON
Resorts Owned
The Beach Club at St. Augustine Beach, FL (1 floating week, purchased in 1982)

77,000 RCI points (Sunrise Ridge Resort, TN)
How much does the shipping cost on that?
When our former neighbours had their car shipped from Port Charlotte FL to Toronto a couple of years ago it was just less than $1500. US. The guy had emergency surgery and couldn't drive and his wife wasn't comfortable driving home. Luckily their insurance covered the cost.
When my mom was medevac'd home from Florida 8 years ago and we didn't want my 81 yr old dad driving home alone, his insurance company paid for my DH to fly down to drive Dad & their motorhome back home. They said paying for a last minute flight and DH's other expenses were a lot less than shipping the motorhome back to Toronto and flying dad home.


~Diane
 
Top