March 30 HGVC Member Update

[DazedandConfused]

March 30, 2020

Dear Club Members,

On behalf of the entire Hilton Grand Vacations team, I hope this email finds you in good health. We continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) and make daily adjustments to our program and our properties to address this evolving situation.

As you may already know, we have temporarily stopped accepting reservations at our properties through April 30, 2020 and, in some properties, May. With this pause on travel, you may be wondering how this impacts your ability to maximize travel with your Points. It is understandable to have this concern and I want to assure you that we are currently working on several solutions. In fact, I would like to share some of the details with you now.

Your Points With HGV

We are first looking to address the most immediate need ― previously Saved Points. We understand that your available window to use them has been shortened. As a result, anything you saved from 2019 into 2020 will automatically be extended to the end of 2021, giving you an additional year to use them. This adjustment to your account will be made sometime in April, so they are available when you are ready to travel again. This does not require any action on your part. We just ask for your patience as we implement this new process.

Next, we are addressing Bonus Points that will expire soon. For as long as travel is interrupted any Bonus Points that are scheduled to expire will be extended at least 60 days. This means Bonus Points expiring in April 2020 will be extended to June 30, 2020. We will continue to assess this situation month-by-month, applying the extension as needed by the first of the month. Like previously Saved Points, you do not have to do anything. We will make the extension for you in the system

If you cancelled or need to cancel a reservation due to COVID-19 using Bonus Points that have since expired, we are also granting a similar, 60-day extension to those Points. For example, if you cancel a reservation for an April 12, 2020 check-in and your Bonus Points are already expired, they will be extended to June 30, 2020, so you have time to use them again. Previously expired Bonus Points that were not applied to a reservation will not be eligible for this extension.

I would also like to address your limited use of 2020 Club Points. You began the year with a balance and a 12-month usage window. Since COVID-19, that usage window has become abbreviated. Our updated cancellation policy has ensured that all Club Points are being returned to your account, but how we counteract abbreviated usage is still being discussed. We are aware it is a concern, and we will communicate with you the moment we have a solution.

All of these extensions are at no cost to you.

Resources Available to You

I urge you to self-serve on our Club website ( club.hiltongrandvacations.com ) or via the HGV mobile app for your transactional or educational needs. A limited number of Club Counselors are available by phone to assist you if your need is urgent. We have put steps in place to ensure Team Member safety that may result in extended wait times if you call. As a reminder, you may email us at input@hgvc.com in lieu of contacting us by phone. Please know that response time may be delayed.

Keeping You Informed

Our industry is facing unprecedented challenges with COVID-19. Please continue to be patient with us as we evaluate next steps. To keep the lines of communication open with you, we have created a Club News webpage that will house all Club communications in response to this situation, including emails from me. You can find that page at my.hgv.com/news. My goal is to update you regularly on revised Club policy and other items about your vacation ownership. Also continue visiting our Travel Updates webpage at my.hgv.com/travel-updates for news regarding our properties.

In the meantime, stay focused on the mission to flatten the curve and keep your loved ones healthy. And rest assured, we will be here for you when our horizons reopen.

Sincerely,


Stan Soroka
Chief Customer Office
Hilton Grand Vacations

 

[brp]

Saw that but didn't get around to posting it. Moving already-banked points forward a year is a nice gesture those that can benefit.

Cheers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

That's wonderful news. I have 2019 banked bHC points so a much better use of the expensive points to keep in HGV than RCI.

 

[PigsDad]

Yes, glad HGV is stepping up and doing something to help us out.

Kurt

 

[brp]

Oddly, the points banked from 2019 now live longer (until the end of 2021) than the 2020 points, which expire this year (although they're still discussing).

Cheers.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

This as great news. Realized i had banked points when i canceled my Hawaii trip. Still hope to use those this year, but nice to have some flexibility.

 

[tombanjo]

Overload of points will make booking for the 18 months following May 2020 a bit tight. There may be legal issues with the carrying over of points as there needs to be underlying property to prop them up. I heartily applaud the proactive approach to try and sort out some of these issues while it's going on to give people some sort of relief that their investment in HGVC is justified as a premier, top tier timeshare developer. I know the disappointment of having a planned vacation cancel, as my New York April plans went south, then the rebooked May plans were toasted. Since many of the things I had planned to do were canceled, it was reasonable the plans canceled. I can accept that. At some point though, I know it will be hard for people to take vacation after missing work, or having their schedules packed with make up time, or getting the planning, availability, school, etc sorted out to be able to get away are all scrambled. But, being safe, not only for our selves, but for others, has to take priority.

 

[brp]

At some point though, I know it will be hard for people to take vacation after missing work, or having their schedules packed with make up time, or getting the planning, availability, school, etc sorted out to be able to get away are all scrambled. But, being safe, not only for our selves, but for others, has to take priority.

We're actually both working from home so no lost time. And, with plans cancelled, we're banking PTO so will have more time later

Cheers.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Between saved points form 2019 that are now pushed to 2021 and my 2020 points that I just autosaved into 2021. Plus 2021 points. Boy I need to take a big vacation or bring a lot of people somewhere. Happy I have my points, but now I have to figure out where to use them.

I know it is better to be in a borrow position (as this is free) vs a saved position (fees involved), but I think this is going to put everyone will a glut of point and all of us competing later this year or next year to use up this point glut.

 

[brp]

Between saved points form 2019 that are now pushed to 2021 and my 2020 points that I just autosaved into 2021. Plus 2021 points. Boy I need to take a big vacation or bring a lot of people somewhere. Happy I have my points, but now I have to figure out where to use them.

Once we're allowed to hang with others, maybe we'll all want big group activities

Cheers.

 

[hurnik]

Glad to see Hilton doing the right thing (IMO)
Glad I also am always in the "negative" so this doesn't work out too bad for me. LOL

 

[Cyberc]

Between saved points form 2019 that are now pushed to 2021 and my 2020 points that I just autosaved into 2021. Plus 2021 points. Boy I need to take a big vacation or bring a lot of people somewhere. Happy I have my points, but now I have to figure out where to use them.

I know it is better to be in a borrow position (as this is free) vs a saved position (fees involved), but I think this is going to put everyone will a glut of point and all of us competing later this year or next year to use up this point glut.

after you auto saved your points, how long did it take for the points to show up as banked ?

 

[dayooper]

Glad to see Hilton doing the right thing (IMO)
Glad I also am always in the "negative" so this doesn't work out too bad for me. LOL

I am right now too (I borrowed 2600 points for this June’s vacation). My guess is that I won’t be in a few weeks, though as I think our vacation will be canceled.

 

[ocdb8r]

I agree - my initial reaction was that it's really nice to see HGVC going above and beyond for owners. I also then thought about the likely glut of points that will be created as a result of this generosity. However, in the end, I think it will work out and really is a positive way to handle things. HGVC has a decent amount of inventory coming online over the next 12-18 months and I hope they will open up some of that developed owned inventory to club points reservations. I also suspect travel will continue to be a bit muted over the next 12 months as we enter a period of "modified" restrictions on every day life. Hopefully the combination of those two helps to even things out overall.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

after you auto saved your points, how long did it take for the points to show up as banked ?

I took a few days, i think it was a day or two after the charge fully posted to my Amex card. But there may have been some weekend days in there.

I don't usually autobank, but now with my big trip postponed / canceled i decided to go for this and save a few bucks. I hope to actually travel this year, but there are so many variables in play i just wanted to save these and not have to think about it again.

 

[brp]

I don't usually autobank, but now with my big trip postponed / canceled i decided to go for this and save a few bucks. I hope to actually travel this year, but there are so many variables in play i just wanted to save these and not have to think about it again.

With one cancelled in April we still have 4 trips booked this year (Elara May, W.57th Sep & Oct, Bay Club Nov) and I don't see booking much more this year, so saving made sense.

Cheers.

 

[dayooper]

I agree - my initial reaction was that it's really nice to see HGVC going above and beyond for owners. I also then thought about the likely glut of points that will be created as a result of this generosity. However, in the end, I think it will work out and really is a positive way to handle things. HGVC has a decent amount of inventory coming online over the next 12-18 months and I hope they will open up some of that developed owned inventory to club points reservations. I also suspect travel will continue to be a bit muted over the next 12 months as we enter a period of "modified" restrictions on every day life. Hopefully the combination of those two helps to even things out overall.

I think eventually they will allow points save from 2020 to extended through 2022. It will lessen the glut of points and give owners more options. Next year we’re planning on a Vegas Vacation at Elara and hope to book there in Gold season. Keeping fingers crossed for our June vacation, but still planning everything out in the likely case it will not happen.

 

[Cyberc]

I took a few days, i think it was a day or two after the charge fully posted to my Amex card. But there may have been some weekend days in there.

I don't usually autobank, but now with my big trip postponed / canceled i decided to go for this and save a few bucks. I hope to actually travel this year, but there are so many variables in play i just wanted to save these and not have to think about it again.

Thanks.

Just received an email that my regular club points have now been banked just waiting for a confirmation that my bHC points are banked too.

 

[brp]

Thanks.

Just received an email that my regular club points have now been banked just waiting for a confirmation that my bHC points are banked too.

I had thought that they both moved. But I just looked, and the HGVC are moved, but not the bHC. I have a feeling that this may not happen without a poke at them.

Cheers.

 

[Cyberc]

I had thought that they both moved. But I just looked, and the HGVC are moved, but not the bHC. I have a feeling that this may not happen without a poke at them.

Cheers.

Aaarh so your bHC points are not moved either. I guess you are right. I’ll give them a call and ask that they move them.

 

[Cyberc]

I had thought that they both moved. But I just looked, and the HGVC are moved, but not the bHC. I have a feeling that this may not happen without a poke at them.

Cheers.

I just called and they moved over my bHC points too.

I asked about the 2019 points now being good through 2021 and the CSR said that whenever they make the change in april all points not tied to a reservation will afterwards be good through 2021. She said any 2019 points tied to a reservation already would need to be cancel before the change in April.

So if I need to cancel my west 57th trip in oct for whatever reason those points are not good for 2021, now that’s a bummer.

 

[brp]

I just called and they moved over my bHC points too.

I just called to have the bHC moved as well. The agent actually told me that there would be a fee, but he waived it as an "exception" since I "didn't understand" the new rules that the move over now rather than end of the year. What part of "but they didn't all move now" he failed to grasp, I'm not sure. Normally, I just let their misunderstanding go and thank them. This time, I felt in the mood to help educate hm. Didn't work

Cheers.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I asked about the 2019 points now being good through 2021 and the CSR said that whenever they make the change in april all points not tied to a reservation will afterwards be good through 2021. She said any 2019 points tied to a reservation already would need to be cancel before the change in April.

I sure hope they give us a day then. So I can delete the reservations just prior.

Alternatively I can try to rebook them with this years already saved, and when they move them to next year, wrestle them back into the right points.

Wyndham solved this "using the right points problem". And they are IT challenged. I sure hope that HGVC will listen to my suggestion and try to resolve it for HGVC.

 

[escanoe]

I am right now too (I borrowed 2600 points for this June’s vacation). My guess is that I won’t be in a few weeks, though as I think our vacation will be canceled.

We are at Ocean 22 again for the week before and weekend of July 4th. I have my fingers crossed it will happen, but not counting on it. We were supposed to leave tomorrow for a week at Disney World.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I have booked new reservations with my previously saved 2020 into 2021 points, and have left all my 2019 saved points in my account so when they finally activate the 2019 saved to 2020 and will now push those into 2021 I have all of those points available and do not have to call and get things fixed up.

It is an easy decision for me because with basic Elite level it gives me FREE 7 night reservations. So I can book and cancel those all day and I don't pay a dime. Only Elite perk at that level that is actually worth something to me, and I use often.

Now what to plan for 2021:
2019 Saved points in 2020 13,500
2020 Saved points in 2021 4,500
2021 in Regular points 14,000

So where do I want to go with over 32,000 and likely a little more after one of the two I have booked ends up cancelling .