Hurricane Irma and Marriott Vacation Club (Multiple threads merged.)

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

Thoughts and prayers to all impacted by Irma.

My understanding is that all resorts are insured in some way through Marriott. I got that understanding from someone working at the Heritage Club on HHI who was told Marriott was forcing the construction to be completed by a certain timeframe or insurance would not be renewed.

Does anyone know if MVCI is self insured for the resorts, have individual policies through MVCI or one policy that all resorts fall under.

I understand deductibles and assessments. I was impacted by Superstorm Sandy, so I understand the what happens when a Hurricane turns into a "Superstorm".

I believe it is highly unlikely that each resort takes out their own policy. Does anyone know if MVCI is self insured for the resorts, have individual policies through MVCI, one policy that all resorts fall under or each resort takes out their own policy?

 

[SueDonJ]

I understand deductibles and assessments. I was impacted by Superstorm Sandy, so I understand the what happens when a Hurricane turns into a "Superstorm".

I believe it is highly unlikely that each resort takes out their own policy. Does anyone know if MVCI is self insured for the resorts, have individual policies through MVCI, one policy that all resorts fall under or each resort takes out their own policy?

I can't imagine that state/federal laws would allow self-funded insurance/recovery but even if they did, would any multi-resort timeshare developer want to take on the risk of a single event wiping out several resorts in the same vicinity? Picture Hilton Head Island taking a direct hit from a Cat5 hurricane - if MVW were self-funding that would have a debilitating impact on the overall financial stability of the entire company, because eight resorts would be looking at major repairs/rebuilds.

Obviously each resort has its own set of governing docs with varying provisions but these and others are in the Public Offering Statement of Barony Beach Club:

Master Deed, Exhibit "E", By-Laws ... Sec 3. ... [T]he following powers and duties are specifically delegated to the Management Agent ... (h) obtaining insurance for the property ...

Management Agreement, 5. Powers and Duties ... (g) The Management Company shall cause to be placed or kept in force all insurance required or permitted by the Master Deed ... and shall cause said insurance to have the Management Company, Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc. (MORI), its parent company, and the Declarant ... named as co-insureds and certificate holders.

 

[sjordan14]

This has just been posted on one of the MVC Owners FB Groups by someone staying at Frenchman's Cove, St Thomas and very sadly if accurate is terrible news for the island and bad news for the resort and hotel.

Update from friends on St Thomas:

"Not expecting to have power for a few more days and that will be from a generator. The control room was breached by a flying tree and water fried the control board. They can't get it out of emergency lock off mode. There are 53,000 people on this island and we were just told that over 40,000 are now homeless. The airport is demolished. No idea how we're getting out of here. Emergency meeting tomorrow am from the Marriott GM. It's very hot. Very muggy. Gross. They have been feeding us sandwiches."

Can you point me to that Group page, I can't find it. Thanks

 

[TUGBrian]

ouch...yet another shift west...now the concern is for the florida gulf coast

 

[bazzap]

Can you point me to that Group page, I can't find it. Thanks

It is a closed forum for owners to connect https://www.facebook.com/groups/274177956039278/

 

[Fairwinds]

I have a 3BR for my sister and parents that was supposed to check-in Thu. We shall see.

Just received update from MFC advising to refrain from making any additional arrangements for my 10 Nov reservation. They report some structural damage but also say they haven't received info regarding airport or other island infrastructure.

 

[GreenTea]

Which resort are you referring to?

 

[bazzap]

Just received update from MFC advising to refrain from making any additional arrangements for my 10 Nov reservation. They report some structural damage but also say they haven't received info regarding airport or other island infrastructure.

Others are reporting receiving emails from MVC that their Frenchman's Cove (MFC) reservations are being cancelled due to damage, with check in dates up to October 3rd seen so far.

 

[glarscast]

Earlier today I received the same email notification as Fairwinds for my 3 November check-in at MFC.

 

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

I can't imagine that state/federal laws would allow self-funded insurance/recovery but even if they did, would any multi-resort timeshare developer want to take on the risk of a single event wiping out several resorts in the same vicinity? Picture Hilton Head Island taking a direct hit from a Cat5 hurricane - if MVW were self-funding that would have a debilitating impact on the overall financial stability of the entire company, because eight resorts would be looking at major repairs/rebuilds.

Obviously each resort has its own set of governing docs with varying provisions but these and others are in the Public Offering Statement of Barony Beach Club:

Master Deed, Exhibit "E", By-Laws ... Sec 3. ... [T]he following powers and duties are specifically delegated to the Management Agent ... (h) obtaining insurance for the property ...

Management Agreement, 5. Powers and Duties ... (g) The Management Company shall cause to be placed or kept in force all insurance required or permitted by the Master Deed ... and shall cause said insurance to have the Management Company, Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc. (MORI), its parent company, and the Declarant ... named as co-insureds and certificate holders.

I agree with you on that self insure is a risk. I will say that in the 25 years I owned at the Monarch, there has never been damage from a hurricane until last year and even then it was not above the deductible. I asked the question because I know one of the reasons the Heritage on HHI did so much construction during prime time summer was because Marriott told the timeshare their insurance would not be renewed if it was not finished within a certain timeframe. To have this kind of leverage, they most play an important role in obtaining insurance. I was wondering if anyone knew what that role is. I will ask the Monarch Board at a less crazy time when the impact of Irma is a memory.

 

[JIMinNC]

The SC governor has issued an evacuation order for Hilton Head Island and the other barrier islands in the vicinity effective at 10am on Saturday. No one will be allowed back on the island until after the evacuation order is lifted.

As of right now, the center of the storm is expected to pass no closer than about 150-175 miles from HHI, but forecast models are still forecasting possible tropical storm force winds of 40-65 mph for 6-12 hours in HHI.

 

[Fairwinds]

Which resort are you referring to?

Frenchman's Cove

 

[JIMinNC]

Just received from Marriott's Grande Ocean in Hilton Head:

--------------------------------
Dear Owners and Guests,

Due to Hurricane Irma's pending landfall, local emergency officials have issued a mandatory evacuation order for the area which includes Marriott's Grande Ocean starting Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Per the mandatory evacuation order, the resort's management team is evacuating Marriott's Grande Ocean and the resort will be closed. Resort staff will not return until the mandatory evacuation order is lifted and the resort is ready for reopening.

As always, the safety and security of our Owners, guests and associates is a top priority. Conditions can change at any time and we encourage you to actively monitor the current situation in Hilton Head Island before you depart. A hotline for Owners and guests has been established. Please contact the resort's hotline at 800-306-9506 (press 2 to select Hilton Head from the menu) to obtain the most current information.

For Owners and guests who may need to either cancel or otherwise modify their vacation plans as a result of this situation, please note the following:

• Marriott Vacation Club® Owners using their ownership week(s): Owners with travel insurance coverage should contact their insurance provider to discuss and/or file a claim for disrupted travel plans. Marriott Vacation Club will be providing any closure information to Travelex.
• Marriott Vacation Club Destinations® Owners using Vacation Club Points: Please contact Marriott Vacation Club® Owner Services at 888-682-4862 to discuss available options.
• Interval International Exchange Guests: Please contact Interval International directly at 800-622-1747 to discuss available options.

All other guests may contact Marriott Vacation Club Customer Care at 800-860-9384 for assistance with their upcoming vacation.

Thank you,

Massimo Santangelo
General Manager
Marriott's Grande Ocean

------------------------------------------
Current forecast has Irma passing at least 190 miles west of HHI. Currently all the hurricane-force winds (74+ mph) are confined to about 70 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm-force winds (39-73 mph) extend out about 185 miles. So unless the wind field expands significantly as the storm moves north, one would think that HHI would only experience winds on the lower end of the tropical storm range.

The last three trips we've made to the SC coast in September we've had to warily watch a hurricane or tropical storm either pass by just prior to our visit or threaten the area. Now Irma. May have to reconsider scheduling future fall trips to the coast in the southeast US.

 

[bazzap]

A report I read this morning from Frenchman's Cove sadly reads
"Closed until end of October is the first word from the general manager. Reef Hotel until after the first of the year."
It goes without saying that anyone booked to check in soon should either receive updated news direct from MVC and/or confirm with Owner Services how their reservation will be affected, but this is a heads up from someone there.

 

[Fairwinds]

Barry, before it past the USVI I was hearing St. Kitts mentioned in some forecasts. Any word how they fared? Your report certainly sounds serious for the Cove even though it's impossible to gauge what that would really mean in terms of damage because of their limited capacity to recover.

 

[aka Julie]

Current forecast has Irma passing at least 190 miles west of HHI. Currently all the hurricane-force winds (74+ mph) are confined to about 70 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm-force winds (39-73 mph) extend out about 185 miles. So unless the wind field expands significantly as the storm moves north, one would think that HHI would only experience winds on the lower end of the tropical storm range.

The last three trips we've made to the SC coast in September we've had to warily watch a hurricane or tropical storm either pass by just prior to our visit or threaten the area. Now Irma. May have to reconsider scheduling future fall trips to the coast in the southeast US.

It's been the past 2 years for us. Last year we were already on the island and had to evacuate mid-week. This year we were scheduled to arrive today. Luckily I was able to re-trade our week yesterday for something in October. Waiting to see what I should do with our upcoming week for this Saturday.

I too am going to have to re-consider going to HHI in September-October. Maybe November will be a safer bet, but also much cooler.

 

[bazzap]

Barry, before it past the USVI I was hearing St. Kitts mentioned in some forecasts. Any word how they fared? Your report certainly sounds serious for the Cove even though it's impossible to gauge what that would really mean in terms of damage because of their limited capacity to recover.

Dave, thankfully reports are that St Kitts missed most of the brunt of the damage.
The island has had some trees uprooted in Basseterre and yes some building damage but it seems not too serious.
The Marriott was hardly affected at all.

 

[deemarket]

Received this email from Marriott's Frenchman's Cove on 9/8/17 at 1:39 pm regarding our upcoming stay starting on 10/8/17:
Dear Owners and Guests,

Due to the impact of Hurricane Irma, Marriott's Frenchman's Cove did sustain damage. We do not yet know the condition of the airport or the surrounding island infrastructure. As a result, we encourage you to reconsider making any further arrangements (i.e., flights and other travel arrangements) for your upcoming stay at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove on October 08, 2017. We are working to further assess the damage to the resort and determine when we will be able to reopen for arrivals.

A hotline for Owners and guests has been established for resort updates. Please contact the resort's hotline at 800-306-9506 (press option 8, then option 2 to select Marriott's Frenchman's Cove from the menu) to stay up-to-date with the most current information.

Please use the following contact options for more information:

• Marriott Vacation Club® Owners using their ownership week(s): Owners with travel insurance coverage should contact their insurance provider to discuss and/or file a claim for disrupted travel plans. Marriott Vacation Club will be providing any closure information to Travelex.
• Marriott Vacation Club Destinations® Owners using Vacation Club Points: Please contact Marriott Vacation Club® Owner Services at 888-682-4862 to discuss available options.
• Interval International Exchange Guests: Please contact Interval International directly at 800-622-1747 to discuss available options.

All other guests may contact Marriott Vacation Club Customer Care at 800-860-9384 for assistance with your upcoming vacation.

Thank you for understanding,

Scott Derrickson
General Manager
Marriott's Frenchman's Cove

 

[deemarket]

And then received another email from Marriott's Frenchman's Cove on 9/8/17 at 3:22 pm:
Dear Owners and Guests,

Please be advised that the email below was intended to provide an update on current conditions on the island of St. Thomas following the impact of Hurricane Irma. No action is required on your part at this time. However, please continue to monitor the resort hotline for updates on the resort's status.

Due to the impact of Hurricane Irma, Marriott's Frenchman's Cove did sustain some structural damage. We do not yet know the condition of the airport or the surrounding island infrastructure. As a result, we encourage you to reconsider making any further arrangements (i.e., flights and other travel arrangements) for your upcoming stay at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove on October 08, 2017. We are working to further assess the damage to the resort and determine when we will be able to reopen for arrivals.

A hotline for Owners and guests has been established for resort updates. Please contact the resort's hotline at 800-306-9506 (press option 8, then option 2 to select Marriott's Frenchman's Cove from the menu) to stay up-to-date with the most current information.

Thank you for understanding,

Scott Derrickson
General Manager
Marriott's Frenchman's Cove

 

[JIMinNC]

It's been the past 2 years for us. Last year we were already on the island and had to evacuate mid-week. This year we were scheduled to arrive today. Luckily I was able to re-trade our week yesterday for something in October. Waiting to see what I should do with our upcoming week for this Saturday.

I too am going to have to re-consider going to HHI in September-October. Maybe November will be a safer bet, but also much cooler.

Can you explain the re-trade process? I've been mainly a points user, so the upcoming trade to Grande Ocean is my first Marriott II trade. What's the latest you can retrade, etc.? I read about re-trading on TUG but don't know the details, limits.

 

[Fairwinds]

Don't know the time limits, but the process is simple. Just log onto II account go to your reservation and click the regrade button.

 

[aka Julie]

Can you explain the re-trade process? I've been mainly a points user, so the upcoming trade to Grande Ocean is my first Marriott II trade. What's the latest you can retrade, etc.? I read about re-trading on TUG but don't know the details, limits.

As long as your exchange week is with your Marriott II account (the one you get when you are enrolled in the DC), I think you can initiate a re-trade up until the last minute.

I did mine yesterday on an II exchange week which was supposed to start today at Barony Beach. The only restriction is that you are limited to booking within a 30 day window.

I re-booked my week for Manor Club for early October. I may keep it since it is a drive to location for us, or try another re-trade if I see something else.

I think I'm in a much better position having an II exchange than if I was going to stay at Barony on my owner's week. Think I would have been out of luck unless I had insurance.

I may have to do the same thing with my 2nd week at Barony which is supposed to start on Sept. 16. All depends on when they re-open and how much damage there is.

To check to see what is available for a re-trade:

Log into your II account
At the top of the page select "My History"
Select "Exchanges"
Find the week you want to re-trade and select "Start Retrade" at the far right
Select your dates and location(s) to see what is available

As long as this is your Marriott II account, there is no fee for the re-trade

 

[JIMinNC]

As long as your exchange week is with your Marriott II account (the one you get when you are enrolled in the DC), I think you can initiate a re-trade up until the last minute.

I did mine yesterday on an II exchange week which was supposed to start today at Barony Beach. The only restriction is that you are limited to booking within a 30 day window.

I re-booked my week for Manor Club for early October. I may keep it since it is a drive to location for us, or try another re-trade if I see something else.

I think I'm in a much better position having an II exchange than if I was going to stay at Barony on my owner's week. Think I would have been out of luck unless I had insurance.

I may have to do the same thing with my 2nd week at Barony which is supposed to start on Sept. 16. All depends on when they re-open and how much damage there is.

To check to see what is available for a re-trade:

Log into your II account
At the top of the page select "My History"
Select "Exchanges"
Find the week you want to re-trade and select "Start Retrade" at the far right
Select your dates and location(s) to see what is available

As long as this is your Marriott II account, there is no fee for the re-trade

Thanks for the tutorial. I wish it didn't have the 30 day restriction. Our options in the next 30 days are limited due to other commitments.

 

[JIMinNC]

To check to see what is available for a re-trade:

Log into your II account
At the top of the page select "My History"
Select "Exchanges"
Find the week you want to re-trade and select "Start Retrade" at the far right
Select your dates and location(s) to see what is available

As long as this is your Marriott II account, there is no fee for the re-trade

One other question, I assume you can search for what is available without releasing your week first? If so, it might be nice to go online and just see the kind of stuff that is available. My inclination, though, is not to retrade if it looks like the HHI resorts will re-open even a day or two after our 9/15 check-in. Even salvaging 5 days in HHI is better than a retrade to somewhere we don't want to go.

 

[aka Julie]

One other question, I assume you can search for what is available without releasing your week first? If so, it might be nice to go online and just see the kind of stuff that is available. My inclination, though, is not to retrade if it looks like the HHI resorts will re-open even a day or two after our 9/15 check-in. Even salvaging 5 days in HHI is better than a retrade to somewhere we don't want to go.

Right -- you can start the re-trade process to see what's available without giving up your current reservation. Just don't go through to the final step.

As you might suspect, the inventory is constantly changing since most of what shows up are cancellations. Things get snapped up quick and you have to be vigilant and check often.

Our next reservation begins on 9/16. I'll probably wait til Tuesday or Wednesday to see what, if any, damage HHI sustains before I decide if I'll re-trade the week.