Exchange Problem

[gldnpear Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gldnpear]

A couple of weeks ago I received an exchange through II for Aruba during the school vacation (much to my surprise, I was about to give up). I emailed the resort with questions, then went on line to some of the forums and discovered that the studio they put us in is an inside room with one small window that doesn't open, no balcony, basically a closet. We traded a studio at a gold resort - ocean view, balcony, etc. When I called to say that this is certainly not an exchange I thought was fair, and that I wanted something else. I have my air fare - basically I was told by customer support that in their eyes a studio is a studio and they have no idea what they are like! They said if you put in a studio you get a studio, period. This is my first time exchanging - so I need to know if this has happened to anyone and if they had any luck changing it? I did email the resort and they are "overbooked" for the week, so little chance they will be able to change our room.....

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

A little more specific info and we may be able to help you.

What resort did you get for that exchange? What week are you going to Aruba?

What resort did you use as a trade?

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

I'm sorry you are not happy with your exchange. But, IMO (and I am no expert) I think this is one of those live and learn experiences - the research you did after you matched is the research that should have been done prior to putting in the request. There are many resorts out there that are very nice.....and some that are just ok.

[gldnpear Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gldnpear]

Timeshare Problem

It is the Paradise Beach Villa in Aruba (which has gotten good reviews - except for the studios which were reported as dark and small and inside). It is for week 7. We actually visited the resort last year - as we did many others in Aruba. They showed us a one bedroom, with a balcony, etc. etc. That was what they had to show us at the time. We thought we did our homework, as we asked several timeshares to show us their properties when we were down there last year. Unfortunately, we didn't see every type of room.....

[gldnpear Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gldnpear]

Exchange Problem

Oh yes, we traded a studio at the Grand Caymanian - we have floating weeks, reserved the most popular week available (December). It has an ocean view and a balcony. Timeshare is very new and beautiful.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Week 7 is historically a school vacation week and a very difficult trade to any place warm. Trading a December week (unless it Christmas or the week with NY in it) is an easy trade. You actually did good, even though it may not be what you want it is more than an equitable trade IMHO.

Joy.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

A couple of weeks ago I received an exchange through II for Aruba during the school vacation (much to my surprise, I was about to give up). I emailed the resort with questions, then went on line to some of the forums and discovered that the studio they put us in is an inside room with one small window that doesn't open, no balcony, basically a closet. We traded a studio at a gold resort - ocean view, balcony, etc. When I called to say that this is certainly not an exchange I thought was fair, and that I wanted something else. I have my air fare - basically I was told by customer support that in their eyes a studio is a studio and they have no idea what they are like! They said if you put in a studio you get a studio, period. This is my first time exchanging - so I need to know if this has happened to anyone and if they had any luck changing it? I did email the resort and they are "overbooked" for the week, so little chance they will be able to change our room.....

It is the Paradise Beach Villa in Aruba (which has gotten good reviews - except for the studios which were reported as dark and small and inside). It is for week 7. We actually visited the resort last year - as we did many others in Aruba. They showed us a one bedroom, with a balcony, etc. etc. That was what they had to show us at the time. We thought we did our homework, as we asked several timeshares to show us their properties when we were down there last year. Unfortunately, we didn't see every type of room.....

Oh yes, we traded a studio at the Grand Caymanian - we have floating weeks, reserved the most popular week available (December). It has an ocean view and a balcony. Timeshare is very new and beautiful.

You should be happy, you did good to get a Wk7, period.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Right, week 7 is next to impossible even in Florida, much less Aruba--pretty much every schoolchild in America is off that week, and EVERYBODY wants to go somewhere warm. You might have gotten a larger unit traveling Week 6 or Week 8. Week 7 is beyond difficult.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Interval is very size oriented as well. You traded a studio and you got a studio. That's generally how they work.

I agree that a week 7 or week 52 is next to impossible in the caribbean, never mind Aruba.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

You have options:

1. If you must travel during week 7, keep an eye on our Exchange Opportunities (to which you will have access at 30 posts), and/or keep checking II online, especially closer to February. If you see something better for your dates, call II and do a "retrade," it will cost you another exchange fee, but you can switch your week.

2. If you can switch your dates, you can cancel the trade and place an ongoing search for something else. I don't recommend it if you can only travel week 7, unless you absolutely wouldn't stay in the confirmed unit under any circumstances -- if the latter is the case, you may as well cancel, and you can try to get II to work with you on the exchange fee.

Do you work with II online/via email, or only by phone/mail? If you use the internet, you'll have notice of your matches sooner, giving you more opportunities to react.

[gldnpear Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gldnpear]

Exchange Problem

I was checking on line every day, and calling every week for months with nothing available. I didn't call for a couple of months, then called. We were about to rent a timeshare on our own because we were ready to give up, and I called "one last time" Interval and they told me they had a confirmation - I had not even gotten an email, so I still don't know how they got a "confirmation" - but when I called back the next day because I still hadn't gotten the email, they discovered they had made a typo on my email and was returned to them (I still don't know what they would have done had I not called, because I would have never gotten that email!). Mind you, I have gotten emails just fine with all their advertisements, but couldn't get the exchange email? I don't get it!
That said, I don't know which is best, on line or calling - probably both.
The problem of waiting so close to the time you want to travel - especially week 7 (yes, I have to travel then!) you will never get a flight that doesn't involve an overnight or cost over $1,000! We booked our flights a long time ago, made hotel reservations, and prayed to hear from Interval so we could cancel the hotel, which we did.