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RCI response to COVID-19

tschwa2

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RCI site now says they will give an exchange fee credit valid for 180 days from the date you cancel but now they don't say whether or not you get your TPUs back.
I cancelled today. I got my tpu's back, and a credit good until September -booked by September I don't remember the exact day. The points or tpu's returned would not get an extension and could expire earlier if they would have. This was a reservation with a guest cert and they gave me credit for the guest cert.

The guest cert is listed as exchange balance and the exchange fee as a coupon balance.
 

vasselle

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Your travel may occur after this time, but must be within the expiration of either your deposited week or RCI Points originally used.

Does anyone know what would happen if the TP used for a vacation beginning May 16th but expiring May 31, 2020 is cancelled? Does that mean I would have to use the week by May 31st even if no one is taking reservations or governments are saying not to travel due to COVID-19? I see that I can pay $146 for deposit protection up until the date of my trip, but again I have no idea when the points would expire if cancelled.

Anyone have any answers?
 

vasselle

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Your travel may occur after this time, but must be within the expiration of either your deposited week or RCI Points originally used.

Does anyone know what would happen if the TP used for a vacation beginning May 16th but expiring May 31, 2020 is cancelled? Does that mean I would have to use the week by May 31st even if no one is taking reservations or governments are saying not to travel due to COVID-19? I see that I can pay $146 for deposit protection up until the date of my trip, but again I have no idea when the points would expire if cancelled.

Anyone have any answers?
Here's what I got as an answer from RCI:
We understand that members are concerned about the status of their vacation time and we are monitoring the situation closely. Currently, we are focused on our members who are scheduled to check in within the next 30 days for both domestic and international travel. Please contact us 30 days from check in for an update to the cancel policy. We encourage you to keep your reservation until this time. Once cancelled within the time period, we will be offering the opportunity to extend your deposit's expiration date for our standard extension rates.
 

tschwa2

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Yes they return the points or trading power but are not extending the original expiration dates for those. If you need to extend those you have to pay to do so. If you have already extended once, I don't believe they will allow you to extend trading power units or wyndham points twice. If you have trading power units you may be able to combine if you have another deposit which would extend them either 1 year or 2 years depending on how much you pay.
 

klynn

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What happens if I don't cancel my exchanges for April 19 and 26 and the resorts are closed? Will my reservations automatically get cancelled and will I get a refund or still an exchange credit?
 

Laurie

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What happens if I don't cancel my exchanges for April 19 and 26 and the resorts are closed? Will my reservations automatically get cancelled and will I get a refund or still an exchange credit?
Happened to me: first RCI sent me an email telling me the 2 resorts were closed and my exchanges were cancelled. They weren't cancelled in my RCI acct, so I called and was told I had to cancel the exchanges myself. I didn't, hoping to extend the date of re-exchange another month, but at end of month RCI cancelled for me. I got my TPU's back and I received an exchange credit. I had purchased the trade power protection and was told they'd refunded that amount to my credit card. But so far they haven't refunded the trade power insurance, and I'll probably have to call and follow up eventually on that part of it.
 

Judith Frye

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That's what I was wondering about - if I paid for trade power protection, do I get that cost refunded? Laurie hadn't seen it yet as of 4/4, has anyone successfully seen that credit? Any advice about how best to ensure it comes through? Thanks to all! Missing annual St. Maarten trip in May!
 

tschwa2

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That's what I was wondering about - if I paid for trade power protection, do I get that cost refunded? Laurie hadn't seen it yet as of 4/4, has anyone successfully seen that credit? Any advice about how best to ensure it comes through? Thanks to all! Missing annual St. Maarten trip in May!
Also check if you have it as a credit with RCI. You may have to make a pretend reservation and then see what it shows you as available funds to pay. I had an exchange with a guest cert. The exchange fee was refunded as a coupon (with expiration date although it isn't listed) and an account credit (no expiration date) for the guest cert. The account credit can be used for anything including membership and points extensions while the coupon can only be used for exchange.
 

wackymother

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That's what I was wondering about - if I paid for trade power protection, do I get that cost refunded? Laurie hadn't seen it yet as of 4/4, has anyone successfully seen that credit? Any advice about how best to ensure it comes through? Thanks to all! Missing annual St. Maarten trip in May!


I did get the trade power protection fee back, after canceling an exchange with check-in date of April 4. I got it pretty quickly, too.
 

Eric B

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Updated RCI travel/cancel information:

Travel/Cancel Information
RCI is committed to providing you flexibility at this uncertain time. You may cancel Points and Weeks reservations for travel through May 31, 2020 and receive 100% of your Points or Trading Power back for a future reservation.
  • No exchange fee will be required if you book a vacation by November 30, 2020 for future travel. Please contact a Vacation Guide via Phone or Chat to process your request.
  • If you have Trading Power or Points expiring and prefer more time to plan or travel, speak to one of our Vacation Guides for additional options
If you would like to cancel and rebook call 1-800-338-7777 (RCI Weeks), 1-877-968-7476 (RCI Points)- Monday-Friday 8AM-8PM and Saturday 8AM-5PM, chat with us on RCI.com or complete the cancellation form
* Please note that hotel, rental car, cruise, and activities cancellation policies are based on the individual provider and are not included in the RCI exchange cancellation policy.
** RCI will waive your next exchange fee up to the initial amount paid on your canceled vacation, if you book by November 30, 2020, for future travel.

Source:

 

Eric B

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My recollection of the latest version was that you could only cancel an exchange coming up in the next 30 days in order to be eligible for the special treatment they are affording for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. I posted it because they have now changed the eligibility criteria. The booking window appears to be through November 30th with a travel-through window through the life of your underlying week/points as applicable, which might be extendable for whatever the appropriate fee is. I can't tell you any more than what they posted, which is where I'm getting these responses from; if you've got further questions you could always contact RCI.
 

mark201235

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Perhaps I'm a fool, but I'm still holding out hope to go to the beach over Memorial Day. I have a unit through RCI in OCMD for 5/22 check-in. I've had tomorrow marked on my calendar for awhile now as the day (30 days out via RCI's previous cancel notification) to cancel but I'm going to wait it out a few weeks to see how things go. Plenty of beach area to be able to remain socially distant from others.

We did have reservations at a hotel for the Cruisin' Ocean City event beginning May 14th (which was cancelled several days ago and I hadn't gotten around to cancelling rooms yet). I just received a call from the hotel and was told that the visitors ban in OC had just been extended through May 15th.

Mark
 

travel maniac

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Just cancelled an exchange week through RCI chat (wait time of approx 10 minutes). The exchange was scheduled to start on May 29th. I had not bought any insurance but all the original TPUs were returned (expiring on the original date of booking - you can extend/combine for a fee) and exchange fee credited (to be used by Nov 30)
 

Synergy

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With a heavy heart, I just canceled our SF stay for the end of May. Chat rep was connected instantly, our points were returned immediately, and we have until November to book something for before next July - or later, if we are willing to extend... I can't knock RCI for their response (and I don't have any particular love for them) as I feel we were made fully whole without having purchased any insurance.
 

elaine

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I also don't have any particular love for RCI (but maybe now I do). I was able to use those returned RCI points and C19 free exchange fee certificate to book a prime unit that I got via ongoing search. RCI applied both retroactively as my search hit 5 days prior to my cancelling 30 days before check in. RCI told me to confirm my held unit and then call back at 30 days to canx May unit due to C19 and they'd make the switch, which they did in under 7 minutes.
very satisfied.
 
Last edited:

bryjake

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RCI is currently issuing point and exchange fee* refunds for reservations up to 5/31/20
* Exchange free credit

Any word if they are considering extending the deadline up to 6/30/20?
 

TheHolleys87

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RCI is currently issuing point and exchange fee* refunds for reservations up to 5/31/20
* Exchange free credit

Any word if they are considering extending the deadline up to 6/30/20?
I hope so, although I suspect any extension will depend on reopening dates for resorts. If all or most reopen by June 1, RCI is probably less likely to extend that offer.
 

Eric B

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Updated COVID-19 cancellation policy for RCI, changing the cancellation and rebooking deadlines:
Travel/Cancel Information
RCI is committed to providing you flexibility at this uncertain time. You may cancel Points and Weeks reservations for travel through June 15, 2020 and receive 100% of your Points or Trading Power back for a future reservation.
  • When cancelling a reservation for travel through June 15, 2020 no exchange fee will be required if you rebook your cancelled vacation by December 31, 2020 for future travel. Please contact a Vacation Guide via Phone or Chat to process your request.
  • If you have Trading Power or Points expiring and prefer more time to plan or travel, speak to one of our Vacation Guides for additional options.
If you would like to cancel and rebook call 1-800-338-7777 (RCI Weeks), 1-877-968-7476 (RCI Points)- Monday-Friday 8AM-8PM and Saturday 8AM-5PM, chat with us on RCI.com or complete the cancellation form

* Please note that hotel, rental car, cruise, and activities cancellation policies are based on the individual provider and are not included in the RCI exchange cancellation policy.
** RCI will waive your next exchange fee up to the initial amount paid on your canceled vacation, if you book by December 31, 2020 for future travel.

Source:

 

Eric B

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I've got a week starting 6/27 in Grand Cayman that has me in the same position. My flight there has already been canceled, now I'm just stuck waiting until RCI extends their policy to cover all of June or the resort cancels it for me. Seems like the island won't be open by then.
 
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