Man, has Mexico’s tourism been hit with a million pound sledge hammer or what.  First travelers were avoiding it because of all the drug violence and now all over the news they’re saying only go if you have to.  I feel for my friends still living and working in Cabo now.

So what should you do if you have a confirmed exchange with RCI or II to Mexico coming up and want to cancel?  Well unless they have some sympathy and re-credit your week back without restrictions, you’re going to be hit hard.  And the closer it is to you check in date, the worse it gets.

It’s possible that one or both companies will be more lenient in this case.  They have been in the past when hurricane Wilma hit Cancun in 2005 and Katrina hit New Orleans the same year.  But both companies really want you to buy their vacation insurance so I’m not so sure they’ll be so lenient in this case.

RCI’s policy states that:  “Any change to your confirmed travel dates constitutes cancellation of your exchange and is subject to our standard cancellation guidelines. When cancellation is made 61 days or more prior to your confirmed travel dates, $129 USD ($137 CAD) of your original exchange fee is retained by RCI. Should cancellation be requested 60 days or fewer prior to travel, no portion of your exchange fee is refundable. However, in either case, your deposited week will be eligible for a new exchange. ”

II really sticks it to you.  If you cancel 60 days or more in advance, your week is credited back but you only have up until your original check in date to use it.  And you pay another exchange fee of course.  If you cancel a confirmed exchange between 59 and 14 days in advance you only have 59 days to re-book it.

Cancel13 to 7 days in advance and you only have 30 days to use that week.  Cancel 6 days or less and you lost it.  If you own a very desirable timeshare I’d negotiate these cancellation terms.

While you can’t plan for an unexpected flu outbreak you can for hurricanes and tropical storms.  If you plan on traveling to any tropical destination in the northern hemisphere between May and November you should consider getting cancellation insurance from RCI or II.  Especially for the month of September.  75% of hurricanes occur in the Atlantic  in this month.

Hurricane season in the southern hemisphere is just the opposite of course-from November through April.  Peak season is February and March.

In my Deluxe versions of the Timeshare Exchange Bibles I not only break down the very  best times to travel to timeshares worldwide by month saving you hours of research, but also where and when the worst weather will occur.  It also has a complete planning guide for what to do if caught in a natural disaster while on vacation.  It’s a great resource.

Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 18 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only and most authoritative in the timeshare industry.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.
For 3 free tips on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.