Huge Warning on late reservation changes

Wanted to warn other tuggers about the reservation change policy when you use less points. I needed to change a Hawaii 9 night stay to a 7 night, 25 days prior to check-in.

I knew that if it was less than 31 days out there was a penalty. I was not canceling my stay, I thought, OK lose 25% of the points of the 2 days, not good but ok.

WRONG - the penalty was 25% of the total 9 night reservation, plus forfeiture of reservation fee, plus recharge of a new fee. Basically, in trying to reduce a stay by two days, it is treated like canceling the entire 9 night reservation, and rebooking a totally new reservation for the 7 night stay.

Since it would have cost me way more to change, now that room will be empty for two days. I'm all for penalties and playing by the rules but this is NOT a fair way to treat small changes in an exisiting reservation.

It seems to me that the rules are pretty clear. Why did you think it would be any different?

I am not arguing that I should have read the rules more closely. It is not unreasonable to think of reserving each night of a stay (like a hotel) and that you are simply canceling 2 nights of the stay. If I was changing locations, or moving timeframe for the whole week, no question.

Just think it's a bit harsh that, for example, you have a three week stay booked and you need to reduce it by one night, you would have to forfeit 1/4 of your total vacation point cost to do it.

Again this is just a shout out for folks to be careful

was this reservation booked as a changeable reservation. I have done this is the past with a change in las vegas from 4 nights to 3 for a convention and booked it online and changed it and the points for the one night were returned minus the penalty for the 1 night.

I had another reservation that was not changeable and unfortunately I found out that this one had to be canceled the fee and everything forfeited and then need to be re-booked.

If it was booked as changeable I would try and change it online or call and talk to someone else as it should be for the nights you are removing or the point difference. I have also changed one reservation in Hawaii from ocean view to ocean front with no problem 6 days out and was quite happy to get it and use more points for this, and there was no point loss.

It basically comes down to if it was booked as a changeable reservation then you have more options than a non-changeable which is final.

Hope this helps

Nathan

I for one appreciate the warning from CJinPHX. Thank you for the warning and explanation of what will happen if you change within 30 days.

I just got bit with something similar. We have a family reunion in Vegas for a Thurs to Sun at HGVC Flamingo. When I booked, Thursday (of all days) was gone. So I booked Friday to Monday, planning on rebooking Thurs to Sun when Thursday opened up. I had no interest (at first) in Sunday night, but I had to spend 1000 points on it in order to make the 3 night minimum.

Well, I checked every day for 3 months. Thursday never opened up until 30 days prior, which is when people start canceling to avoid penalties. So by the time I got it, I would have been hit with a penalty to change from Fri-Mon (3000 points) to Thurs-Sun (2500 points). Wasn't worth it, so I kept Sunday night, spending 3500 points for Thurs-Mon. So we get the extra day in Vegas (yay), but spent more points than I planned on, leaving us short for 2011.

-Bob

"was this reservation booked as a changeable reservation".

Yes, absolutely. I had booked it online, and since the check-in date was within the 31 day window, the reservation system would not let me do the change online.

I also have shortened stays before and gotten the individual nights points back, but they were outside of the 31 days.

Hmm that is strange, I guess they are being more of a stickler when it comes to this. thanks for the heads up, all I have to say is wow and I am sorry

Nathan

CJinPHX said:

Since it would have cost me way more to change, now that room will be empty for two days. I'm all for penalties and playing by the rules but this is NOT a fair way to treat small changes in an exisiting reservation.

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Why not offer those nights for rent on the TUG Last Minute Rental Board or the Sightings and Distress Board? You might recoup some of your money and help a Tugger who needs to add a couple nights to their stay.

It seems siilly to impose such a penaly when you are freeing up space, but of course, the way "they" see it, the unit would have to listed on open season rental, may go unused, and competition for space down the road would increase, so they try to leave a sour taste.

It is a worthy reminder that TS's are not the same as hotels.
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As some would say, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Thanks Denise for the reminder about the last minute board.

This is annoying but thank heavens it wasn't my last trip. I almost had to cancel a week of an almost 3 week stay in a 3 bedroom at the Lagoon tower, platinum season. Now THAT would have been painful LOL!

Anyway, I think most of us consider a day or two shift as a reservation "modification" and as such, the cancellation penaties don't immediately spring to mind. Just a reminder that if it's within 31 days, they should.

It can be done without penalty, but you have to add an extra step:

1. change the reservation to any location with a check in day more than 31 days away, using the number of points equal to the number of points attached to the reservation you wish to change (do not think about which location, just check any availability before starting. Orlando/Vegas usually have something.

2. change that new reservation back to your old reservation, but then for the correct number of nights

You do take a risk by doing so because you could lose the reservation during the few seconds the reservation was released. However, I have done this multiple times and it does take a few seconds to complete. I usually do this at 9am European time which is 6 hours ahead of EST so that may help, but I have had it done over the phone as well, when I had problems with my intenet connection. Called at 8 or 9 - right when they open.

sml2181 said:

It can be done without penalty, but you have to add an extra step:

1. change the reservation to any location with a check in day more than 31 days away, using the number of points equal to the number of points attached to the reservation you wish to change (do not think about which location, just check any availability before starting. Orlando/Vegas usually have something.

2. change that new reservation back to your old reservation, but then for the correct number of nights

You do take a risk by doing so because you could lose the reservation during the few seconds the reservation was released. However, I have done this multiple times and it does take a few seconds to complete. I usually do this at 9am European time which is 6 hours ahead of EST so that may help, but I have had it done over the phone as well, when I had problems with my intenet connection. Called at 8 or 9 - right when they open.

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This is how I always change my last minute reservations also. Only time it doesn't work is after November 30th because you can't move the reservation into the next year.

CJinPHX said:

Wanted to warn other tuggers about the reservation change policy when you use less points. I needed to change a Hawaii 9 night stay to a 7 night, 25 days prior to check-in.

I knew that if it was less than 31 days out there was a penalty. I was not canceling my stay, I thought, OK lose 25% of the points of the 2 days, not good but ok.

WRONG - the penalty was 25% of the total 9 night reservation, plus forfeiture of reservation fee, plus recharge of a new fee. Basically, in trying to reduce a stay by two days, it is treated like canceling the entire 9 night reservation, and rebooking a totally new reservation for the 7 night stay.

Since it would have cost me way more to change, now that room will be empty for two days. I'm all for penalties and playing by the rules but this is NOT a fair way to treat small changes in an exisiting reservation.

Click to expand...

Thank you giving us all the warning. I am sorry you had to learn the hard way but we appreciate you letting the rest of us know what to avoid.