June Vacation - Any one else worried

I've seen the topic of Hawaiian Airline credits come up a couple times and realize that these credits are useless to many of you. I have absolutely no clue if the credits can be used to pay for mainland hotels/cars on the Hawaiian Airlines website, but it's worth a shot.

Also, you can try booking flights via partner airlines. I don't think you can do it online, but many, many years ago, it was possible to book partner airlines by calling the reservations department.
 
... And I know we need to start checking into RCI more. We have always used it at Disney resorts but now is the time to get familiar with it. We haven't looked at it closely so haven't been comfortable with it or know enough. Best wishes.

The DVC RCI website is pretty easy to use, but does take some diligence to get the reservation you want. Below are some tips to help you get started.

1) Once you have decided where and when you want to book RCI for, check the DVC RCI website daily for availability. Once you find the reservation you want, book it online immediately. Reservations for available weeks don’t stay up long and some are gone in as few as 5 minutes after they post. AFTER you have the RCI confirmation, call DVC and let them know how to take your points.

2) Some RCI resorts are harder to get than others. Check the RCI Resort Directory on the website to see what your options are. From there you can see the ones that are easier to get reservations for.

3) Read the TripAdvisor and RCI reviews for the resorts you are interested in before you book them. Look at the online pictures and decide if it will meet your needs. Staying in a RCI resort is very different from staying at a DVC one. I usually try to stay in the Gold Crown or Resort Collection RCI properties as those are closest to DVC quality. 1 Bedroom units are pretty standard with RCI, but not all of them have washers/dryers or full kitchens like DVC.

4) RCI resorts will try to get you to attend their timeshare presentation. I always tell them that I already have a timeshare and I’m not looking to get another one. I’ve never had a problem with them accepting that answer.

5) Read the fine print carefully on the website about the fees the resort charges. Some RCI properties charge housekeeping and other fees that we don’t pay when we stay at a DVC property.

6) While you may not have this option, I never deposit my DVC points in RCI to be used at a later date. When I decide that I want to book a RCI property, it takes 1-2 years for me to actually find the week I want for the property I want. I know that may sound daunting, but RCI availability is released a little at a time. Most of that time is spent checking daily to see if the property I want has the check-in dates I want.

I hope this information helps if you decide to try RCI.
 
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The DVC RCI website is pretty easy to use, but does take some diligence to get the reservation you want. Below are some tips to help you get started.

1) Once you have decided where and when you want to book RCI for, check the DVC RCI website daily for availability. Once you find the reservation you want, book it online immediately. Reservations for available weeks don’t stay up long and some are gone in as few as 5 minutes after they post. AFTER you have the RCI confirmation, call DVC and let them know how to take your points.

2) Some RCI resorts are harder to get than others. Check the RCI Resort Directory on the website to see what your options are. From there you can see the ones that are easier to get reservations for.

3) Read the TripAdvisor and RCI reviews for the resorts you are interested in before you book them. Look at the online pictures and decide if it will meet your needs. Staying in a RCI resort is very different from staying at a DVC one. I usually try to stay in the Gold Crown or Resort Collection RCI properties as those are closest to DVC quality. 1 Bedroom units are pretty standard with RCI, but not all of them have washers/dryers or full kitchens like DVC.

4) RCI resorts will try to get you to attend their timeshare presentation. I always tell them that I already have a timeshare and I’m not looking to get another one. I’ve never had a problem with them accepting that answer.

5) Read the fine print carefully on the website about the fees the resort charges. Some RCI properties charge housekeeping and other fees that we don’t pay when we stay at a DVC property.

6) While you may not have this option, I never deposit my DVC points in RCI to be used at a later date. When I decide that I want to book a RCI property, it takes 1-2 years for me to actually find the week I want for the property I want. I know that may sound daunting, but RCI availability is released a little at a time. Most of that time is spent checking daily to see if the property I want has the check-in dates I want.

I hope this information helps if you decide to try RCI.
Thank you! So are you just looking before you send the points to RCI? So you can search availability, then decide and reserve and then contact DVC to transfer points?
 
Thank you! So are you just looking before you send the points to RCI? So you can search availability, then decide and reserve and then contact DVC to transfer points?

Yes. I always look for the property I want ahead of time. When I find the week I want available, I book it on the DVC RCI website. Before you book, you see the exact number of points you need for the reservation. Then I call DVC and tell them which contract I want them to take my points from (I have several). If you try to call DVC first to book the RCI reservation, you may lose it. I’ve had that happen before and now I always book RCI first and then call DVC.

Once you book your RCI reservation, DVC will get a notice. It typically takes them about 3 days to take your points. So technically, you don’t have to call unless you want DVC to use your points in a specific way. You will receive a confirmation from both DVC and RCI for the reservation.
 
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I just had a "chat" with Hawaiian air about the interisland flight and they said that since they have not cancelled the flight, that it is refund only. I fussed a bit and they said, that we are "good to go" and that since they provided alternative accomodations by continuing to offer the flight we are not entitled to a refund. I said, "you all canceled my mainland flight, and you are saying I am "good to go?" We do not want a credit, we would like a refund just the same as our cancelled flight. Makes me mad!

Thanks for the info...I would like a refund too but sadly I don't think they will.
 


I've always had good experiences with Hawaiian Airlines, but then again I've never had to deal with a situation like this. That being said, I'm disappointed in their "spirit of aloha" if they are cancelling and refunding flights from the mainland but not interisland flights on the same record.
 
One of the food courts in the Ala Moana Centre, Shirokiya has a sign on the front stating they will be closed until after 31 August 2020 so that article doesn't surprise me.
 
I’m really itching to visit for an extended multi-island trip from mid July onward.

I think I’ve only got one shot left with my airline (since we had original tickets for March). I’m certain they will not allow rebooking again. Really wish there was some more confidence with quarantine lifting or other measures in July. Would be very willing to get negative swab or serum test the 48 hrs before travel too.

Any further inside info on timing from our Kama’aina community?
 
no ones really sure what might happen and when (as far as tourism goes)...the only thing that may be an ever so slight indicator at this point is the hawaii convention center event listings.

https://events.hawaiiconvention.com/
currently the "earliest" listing for an event is july 21...this doesn't mean that the convention center cancelled all earlier events as there have been quite a few that have cancelled on their own much further out (okinawan festival cancelled...and they run waaaaaay after july 21...and lots of june/july events cancelled back in april). it is however the only thing thats really much of a potential indicator as the HTA (hawaii tourism authority aka the state) has jurisdiction over cancelling events...not the city.

it is also somewhat ammusing that HMSA (the largest health insurance provider in the state) still has an event on the calendar showing 250 attendance estimate for later in august.

there have also been increased rumblings that some hotels that are currently closed may "re-open" but only to local residents...but it is not clear as to if aulani may take this approach (the recent news of a cluster of infections following a highschool pool party in another state may be causing a lot of hotels to rethink this type of plan)

if the quarantine isn't lifted...an "extended" multi island trip would take several months if you wanted to spend time out of quarantine on each island you visit...quarantine restarts each time you arrive on an island (so if a resident on oahu wanted to take a "day trip" to kaui...it would take 29 days to legally get that 1 day...)
 
Thanks for the insight. Very helpful. Seems based on a few articles that inter-island quarantine rules might be lifted in the nearer term.
 
The DVC RCI website is pretty easy to use, but does take some diligence to get the reservation you want. Below are some tips to help you get started.

1) Once you have decided where and when you want to book RCI for, check the DVC RCI website daily for availability. Once you find the reservation you want, book it online immediately. Reservations for available weeks don’t stay up long and some are gone in as few as 5 minutes after they post. AFTER you have the RCI confirmation, call DVC and let them know how to take your points.

2) Some RCI resorts are harder to get than others. Check the RCI Resort Directory on the website to see what your options are. From there you can see the ones that are easier to get reservations for.

3) Read the TripAdvisor and RCI reviews for the resorts you are interested in before you book them. Look at the online pictures and decide if it will meet your needs. Staying in a RCI resort is very different from staying at a DVC one. I usually try to stay in the Gold Crown or Resort Collection RCI properties as those are closest to DVC quality. 1 Bedroom units are pretty standard with RCI, but not all of them have washers/dryers or full kitchens like DVC.

4) RCI resorts will try to get you to attend their timeshare presentation. I always tell them that I already have a timeshare and I’m not looking to get another one. I’ve never had a problem with them accepting that answer.

5) Read the fine print carefully on the website about the fees the resort charges. Some RCI properties charge housekeeping and other fees that we don’t pay when we stay at a DVC property.

6) While you may not have this option, I never deposit my DVC points in RCI to be used at a later date. When I decide that I want to book a RCI property, it takes 1-2 years for me to actually find the week I want for the property I want. I know that may sound daunting, but RCI availability is released a little at a time. Most of that time is spent checking daily to see if the property I want has the check-in dates I want.

I hope this information helps if you decide to try RCI.
Thanks so much for all this information. Very helpful! Really appreciate you taking the time to give these helpful tips. We will definitely check into it.
 
Any further inside info on timing from our Kama’aina community?


I'm really sorry to say that I don't see the government lifting the quarantine in July.

My best GUESS at a timeline would be:

1. June 1 - Hawaii enters green phase (More info on the phases here: https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-cont...ening-Presentation-Slide-Deck_18-May-2020.pdf)
2. June 15 - Hawaii enters blue phase
3. July 1 - Inter-island quarantine requirements lifted and hotels test new protocols, officials will evaluate how that goes
4. August - Hawaii hotels ramp up training and operations, tourism authority starts promoting that Hawaii will be opening soon
5. September 1 - Out-of-state quarantine requirements lifted (assuming there is some testing procedure in place)



These guesses are based on:

1. Two tourism industry leaders (Mufi and Keith Vieira) have both specifically said we need to open before September. A September date was never mentioned (at least publicly) yet they both came out strong against a September opening . . . probably not coincidence.
2. Hotels are saying they need about 6 weeks to prepare for a full reopening. Staff needs to be recalled and trained on new operating procedures. Retailers and restaurants are having a hard time getting people to return to work because their unemployment checks are bigger than paychecks. (Max benefits is a little more than $1200/week.)
3. The first group of people who were able to successfully file for unemployment will stop receiving checks in Sept/Oct.


One thing to note is that the reopening plan says large venues and social gatherings will be allowed with minimal disruption under the blue phase. The state just cancelled the Made in Hawaii Festival which is a huge indoor event that takes place in August. Maui County also cancelled the Maui County Fair, a huge outdoor event in October. If the government is cancelling its own revenue-generating events, does that mean we don't enter blue phase for a long, long time?
 
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