MVW canceling Cash and Bonvoy Points reservations at ALL North American resorts for 30 days effective 3/25/20

[controller1]

"ORLANDO, Fla. – March 24, 2020 – Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC) announced today that due to quickly accelerating travel restrictions and restrictions on business operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has decided to close all of its North America sales centers for two weeks effective March 23, 2020. In addition, beginning March 25, 2020, we are closing our resorts for rental guests with stays at our branded North America vacation ownership resorts for the next 30 days, and are reducing operations and amenities at all of our resorts based on various governmental mandates and advisories."

http://ir.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/static-files/636ceaa8-8162-420c-8b4a-004bacbd0b6c

[Edited to clarify that this applies to cash and Bonvoy Points reservations, and IS NOT APPLICABLE to MVW Weeks/DC Points reservations including private owner/member rentals. <-- SueDonJ]

 

[bogey21]

Deleted because original post has been modified...

George

 

[controller1]

If true, all Hell is going to break loose...

George

Well I would say they wouldn't issue a press release unless it was true!

 

[hangloose]

How do they identify a “rental” guest?

 

[controller1]

How do they identify a “rental” guest?

I hope that will be clearly defined during today's conference call. It will probably not be owner weeks.

 

[Kapolei]

They rent to people. I think they are talking about their rentals. Not your own week and what you do with it. But I could be wrong.

 

[icydog]

A rental guest probably means anyone who used the Marriott website to make a reservation at a Vacation Club Property.

 

[Kapolei]

A rental guest probably means anyone who used the Marriott website to make a reservation at a Vacation Club Property.

I think this is correct. They sell them like hotel rooms.

 

[dioxide45]

How do they identify a “rental” guest?

People who have cash reservations or other types of reservations through Marriott.com have been getting emails that their reservations will automatically be cancelled. So I would consider a rental guest to be someone booked with cash or Bonvoy points through Marriott.com A rental guest WOULD NOT BE someone renting from an owner who made an owner reservation, either with their week or DC points.

 

[hangloose]

Where is this posted?

Wondering if Redweek will refund my rental fee costs now for HI weeks I posted last week? (Oddly enough, I did have one potential renter make an offer yesterday for my Maui week in mid April)

 

[controller1]

Where is this posted?

Wondering if Redweek will refund my rental fee costs now for HI weeks I posted last week? (Oddly enough, I did have one potential renter make an offer yesterday for my Maui week in mid April)

See my first post. It is in a press release issued this morning.

 

[hangloose]

People who have cash reservations or other types of reservations through Marriott.com have been getting emails that their reservations will automatically be cancelled. So I would consider a rental guest to be someone booked with cash or Bonvoy points through Marriott.com A rental guest WOULD NOT BE someone renting from an owner who made an owner reservation, either with their week or DC points.

That is my thought also.

 

[Yohon34]

I received the same email jmhpsu93 posted regarding my scheduled DC points reservation for April.
I am wondering why they just don’t close if they are asking us to cancel? To be clear I am going to cancel- wouldn’t travel right now.
Anyone know it there are different ramifications if the resort closes vs we cancel?

I am hoping if the resort is closed, we will somehow be reimbursed (through Marriott, travelex, etc.). If you cancel, you get the 120 days (from original check-in) to reuse your points. For these reasons, I will probably not cancel until the last minute. I don't see the benefit of cancelling any earlier and am hoping Marriott changes their tune before I do. I am speaking as an MVC owner, not week owner.

 

[aka Julie]

I’m currently at Barony thru 3/27. I just checked with the front desk asking if we had to leave tomorrow, she said no. We feel like we are the only ones here.

We had a 2 week stay of our owner weeks. It has been eerily quiet except for the never ending sound of leaf blowers. We felt like we might as well stay here in the sunshine as compared to the dreary, rainy days back in Ohio. We’re making lemonade with our lemons.

 

[rthib]

Where is this posted?

Wondering if Redweek will refund my rental fee costs now for HI weeks I posted last week? (Oddly enough, I did have one potential renter make an offer yesterday for my Maui week in mid April)

A redweek week is not a rental to MVCI. It is an owner occupied week where the owner is letting someone else use.
Rental Reservation are rentals from Marriott.com

Thread has two thoughts. The Virgin Islands are closed so those Marriott are closed.
As of right now the other US MVCI are only closed to Marriott rentals.

[Note USVI closure info/posts have been moved to their own thread: Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas and Frenchman's Cove Closed To Arrivals March 25-April25 (at minimum) <--SueDonJ]

 

[Bnov]

I just looked on the MVC website to see if points bookings are available at a sampling of resorts, and none are available until Friday, April 24.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I agree with the others which backs up what the manager here at Ocean Pointe said. They have no control over owner occupied units or their designated guests, which includes an II exchange. They are legally being occupied by the holder of deeded real estate. They cannot turn them away or close unless forced to by the government. The press release can only be units directly controlled by Marriott. My only question is aren't some of those being rented by Marriott on behalf of the legal owner?

 

[TravelAmore]

People who have cash reservations or other types of reservations through Marriott.com have been getting emails that their reservations will automatically be cancelled. So I would consider a rental guest to be someone booked with cash or Bonvoy points through Marriott.com A rental guest WOULD NOT BE someone renting from an owner who made an owner reservation, either with their week or DC points.

However, I received an email from Marriott Kaua’i that our reservation is being cancelled due to the Governor’s restrictive quarantine policy and the spread of COVID-19 in the islands. So, I think individual resorts are responding to changes in their geographic areas and recommending closing and/or cancelling of reservations. Presumably, this is what MVC is responding to.


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[DJensen]

Any word/insights on Encore packages? We booked one day with points along with 4 days of Encore.
If sales centers are closed hard to grant the full Encore package (would be nice to not go to another presentation as we are not buying)!
We are set for Myrtle Beach end of April. Currently, we are in "wait and see mode right now" (traveling from MN so a bit far for a drive).

 

[SueDonJ]

I agree with the others which backs up what the manager here at Ocean Pointe said. They have no control over owner occupied units or their designated guests, which includes an II exchange. They are legally being occupied by the holder of deeded real estate. They cannot turn them away or close unless forced to by the government. The press release can only be units directly controlled by Marriott. My only question is aren't some of those being rented by Marriott on behalf of the legal owner?

Do the people who pay MVW for owner rentals know that they're booking an owner rental? Regardless, I'd guess it applies to any reservation confirmation that comes from a Marriott entity, as opposed to a rental that involves a private rental agreement between an owner/member and his/her "guest." I'd also guess that it would be difficult for MVW to claim that they're not legally required to extend to "official" renters (i.e. those who book direct from Marriott) whatever protections they're extending to other cash renters.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I am hoping if the resort is closed, we will somehow be reimbursed (through Marriott, travelex, etc.). If you cancel, you get the 120 days (from original check-in) to reuse your points. For these reasons, I will probably not cancel until the last minute. I don't see the benefit of cancelling any earlier and am hoping Marriott changes their tune before I do. I am speaking as an MVC owner, not week owner.

Yohon, this is not correct. If you cancel within 60 days, you get until your original points expiration to use them, perhaps year end for example if unborrowed points.You just can't make a reservation with a checkin date more than 120 days from the day you try and make the reservation.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Do the people who pay MVW for owner rentals know that they're booking an owner rental? Regardless, I'd guess it applies to any reservation confirmation that comes from a Marriott entity, as opposed to a rental that involves a private rental agreement between an owner/member and his/her "guest." I'd also guess that it would be difficult for MVW to claim that they're not legally required to extend to "official" renters (i.e. those who book direct from Marriott) whatever protections they're extending to other cash renters.

No. It looks just like a hotel rental and many are confused when they show up and are told it is impossible to be upgraded. They also have full cancellation ability and do not have to prepay. I am guessing the underlying rental agreement turns full control of the reservation over to marriott. I have never used them for a "rental".

 

[SueDonJ]

Please please PLEASE limit this thread to the topic, which is MVW's cancelation of cash/Bonvoy Points stays at the North American timeshare resorts.

A few posts related to the USVI's closures have been moved here: Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas and Frenchman's Cove Closed To Arrivals March25-April25 (at minimum)

A number of posts related to reservations being canceled by owners/members due to travel restrictions and the cancelation terms that have been implemented by MVW have been moved here: MARRIOTT / CORONAVIRUS [MERGED]

 

[dioxide45]

I agree with the others which backs up what the manager here at Ocean Pointe said. They have no control over owner occupied units or their designated guests, which includes an II exchange. They are legally being occupied by the holder of deeded real estate. They cannot turn them away or close unless forced to by the government. The press release can only be units directly controlled by Marriott. My only question is aren't some of those being rented by Marriott on behalf of the legal owner?

eally, when Marriott rents from an owner, they take over full control of the week. When you call Marriott, they give you an offer, take it or leave it. Same as when converting to Bonvoy points. They then take control of the week and rent it out like a hotel on Marriott.com. Technically they are renting deeded real estate, but they don't own that real estate. Though there is real estate that the trust owns that they also rent out. I think they are just giving up any inventory they control and cancel it. They don't control the II deposits or owner reservations, so they can't turn them away. They can dictate what they do with the invetnroty they do control. I think they are looking to avoid chargebacks and customer issues with cash paying renters who show up and everything is closed.

 

[TravelAmore]

The question I would have is, are vacation villas - no matter the owner, considered “an essential business”? If not, in at least 13 states only essential businesses are to remain open.

Essentially, the state governments are trying to protect employees and residents, allowing them to stay home in response to “shelter in place” orders. Private single family dwellings (including townhouses and condos) may be rented as businesses, right - the AirBnB, VRBO, etc. yet that does not include employees needed to “service” the dwelling or the persons staying in the dwelling. (Hiring a single person or firm to clean in between clients is a different relationship). But once you have a front desk staff, housekeepers on site, engineers, security, maintenance, etc. then all of a sudden employees are being put at risk for someone else’s benefit, in the context of an owner-business agreement. I would not consider this an essential business. The resorts, including those containing owner timeshares, should close in states where there are shelter in place orders.


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