Caribbean Timeshare

Before I get in trouble with the knitters of the world, let me make it clear that I’m not making fun of knitting. I recognize that knitting has become seriously popular in recent years. Many people have taken up their knitting needles as both a creative and relaxing outlet.

But I have to admit that I was a little surprised to learn there is a market for knitting-themed cruise vacations. Next February, Norwegian Cruise Line is offering The Great Balls of Yarn Cruise. The cruise was started two years ago by the owner of a chain of knitting stores in Florida, and brings together knitting enthusiasts along with celebrities from the world of knitting.

During these cruises, you can take classes to improve your technique, learn to knit a different garment each day of the cruise, and socialize with other knitters at yarn sales that masquerade as cocktail parties.

The next Great Balls of Yarn Cruise tours Belize and Honduras, which is really what caught my attention most. Belize happens to be one of the most incredible vacation destinations on the planet. I could easily devote all my blog posts for the month of October to the wonders of Belize and never cover the same information twice.

And while I applaud anyone who recognizes the value of a hobby, especially one that is as productive, yet rhythmic and relaxing as knitting, it makes me cringe that visitors to Belize might be distracted by any endeavor that caused them to miss the splendor of this tropical getaway. I’ve used the word “un-Belizeable” to describe this amazing country so frequently on our Sell My Timeshare NOW website that our marketing department has tried to ban me from saying it again.

Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America. It is where the tropical Caribbean meets ancient Mayan ruins and is culturally both Caribbean and Central American.

The Belize Barrier Reef is over 200 miles of lacework coral, second only in size to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. A Belize vacation not only means swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and sport fishing, but the opportunity to explore ancient ruins, an amazing network of inland caves, and some of the most pristine jungles in the world.

Hotels in Belize tend to be a bit pricey, which is one of the reasons that Belize timeshare vacations are so attractive. You can take advantage of a Belize timeshare resale or a Belize timeshare rental at a great price, leaving you plenty of vacation dollars for exploring, renting scuba gear, or even buying more knitting yarn.

If you have your heart set on cruising, you’ll be interested in Forbes Magazine’s recent article on the, “World’s Most Unusual Cruises”. Who knows, you may even be able to exchange timeshare points through your timeshare exchange company for an Elvis cruise, a motorcycle lovers cruise, or that knitting cruise you’ve been dreaming about.

As Central America and Mexico brace for Hurricane Felix, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone for their personal safety and the protection of their property.

Thousands of people in Honduras and Nicaragua were ordered to leave as Felix approached and told to seek higher ground further away from the storm’s path. Residents and tourists on the islands of Roatan and Guanaja—popular dive destinations—were evacuated by boat and plane in anticipation of both catastrophic winds and flooding.

According to the New York Times, some of the most vulnerable people in the hurricane’s path are the Miskito Indians along the remote Nicaraguan-Honduran border. Primarily living in small wooden houses, the Miskito’s are facing Felix at its worst, with little means to protect themselves.

Throughout Central America, Hurricane Felix brings to mind horrific memories of 1998, when Hurricane Mitch, also a Category 5, left a swath of destruction in much of the same area, killing between 9000 and 11,000 people and leaving as many more missing and presumed dead. The flooding and mudslides that followed Mitch destroyed some villages in entirety, leaving no one alive in its path.

As always, we will try to keep you apprised of property damage as it relates to timeshare owners and others with interests in timeshare resorts.

While the popular timeshare vacation destinations in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao were under a hurricane watch as Felix passed over them Labor Day weekend, neither Curacao nor Bonaire reported serious damages according to the Cayman Net News. There was however, street flooding and downed trees in Curacao. Despite its massive force, hurricane force winds extended only 15 miles and tropical winds only 115 miles as Felix passed over the southern Caribbean, meaning that both Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles experienced only gusty conditions.

Bonaire’s Lt. Governor, Herbert Domacasse said, “The local population and visitors remained in their homes and hotels overnight. No calls were received on the emergency line set up in preparation for the storm.” With many areas still recovering from Hurricane Dean, thousands of people need your help. Give your donations through a charity you trust.

The Council of Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance maintains guidelines to help you identify reputable charities. Other considerations are the American Red Cross, and the International Red Cross.

With the memory of Hurricane Ivan (2004) still fresh in the mind of many Cayman Island residents, people there prepared for the worst from Hurricane Dean. But the eye of Hurricane Dean passed nearly 120 miles south-southwest of Grand Cayman Island, leaving residents and tourists who had not evacuated to sigh in relief.

According to the Cayman Net News, two Members of the Legislative Assembly assessed the Bodden Town District on Monday after Dean had passed through and they reported no structural damage or injuries to persons in the area. Police officials said there were also no reported injuries on Grand Cayman.

Hurricane Ivan caused over $2 billion in damages to the Caymans and left 85 percent of the homes damaged and 25 percent uninhabitable. In many cases, repairs are still ongoing, and the Cayman Islands probably could not have prepared, either emotionally or economically, to endure another direct hit.

Thanks again to the people at Storm Carib blog for their updates. While the Timeshare Owners Blog has little other specific information to offer about the status of Cayman Island timeshares, it would appear that the following timeshare resorts have received minimal damage from the storm:

• Moritt’s Tortuga Club
• 7 Mile Beach Resort
• Grand Caymanian Resort
• Moritt’s Tortuga Seaside
• Moritt’s Grand Resort
• Royal Reef Resort Grand Cayman
• Plantation Village Beach Resort
• Coral Sands Resort Grand Cayman

US citizens can always obtain updates about travel to the Cayman Islands and other locations on the travel advisory webpages for the US Department of State. A US Consular Officer is available in the Cayman Islands to assist US citizens traveling there.

Because the Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory, there is no British diplomatic or consular representation there, but local authorities deal with all requests by British citizens for consular assistance. To learn more about advisories issued by the United Kingdom go to the webpage for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Here’s a good You-Tube video shot at Grand Cayman after the curfew was lifted:

Now that Hurricane Dean has made its way across the Yucatan Peninsula, residents and business owners are left to face the clean up and disruption to life (and often revenues) that follows in the aftermath of a hurricane.

Timeshare owners of Cancun timeshare or Cozumel timeshare can breathe a sigh of relief that reported damage to the resorts there does not generally seem to be extensive. The timeshares and resorts of Cancun and Cozumel missed the worst of Hurricane Dean, even though pounding waves potentially may have caused serious beach erosion.

By midday (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, the Palace timeshare resorts were reporting that guests who had been relocated to a secure area onsite, had already returned to their rooms. Throughout the Palace Resort properties, the restaurants were reopening and clean up of poolside areas had already begun.

The Cancun tourist area still shows signs of repairs from Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Although fast-moving Dean was a stronger hurricane, many experts expect the damages to be less than those of Wilma, which stalled over the Yucatan Peninsula, pounding it for more than a day.

For a first hand report on timeshare resorts in Cancun, check what they say on the Storm Carib blog which says, “Club Internacional de Cancun, Royal Sands and Royal Haciendas are fine. It is too soon to tell the exact condition of the beach at Royal Mayan, Royal Caribbean, and Royal Islander.”

Hurricane Dean made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane and at one point had a wind speed of 165 miles per hour, with gusts up to a staggering 200 miles per hour. The Costa Maya area, known for its diving and sports fishing, is identified as ground zero where Dean made landfall. The largest city in the Costa Maya area, Mahahual, is roughly 230 miles south of Cancun.

Prior to the storm, 250 small communities were evacuated according to Quintana Roo (just north of Belize) Governor Felix Gonzalez in an Associated Press interview published by MSNBC.com. Damages of the coastal areas where Dean came ashore will no doubt be severe, but as often happens after such storms, blocked roads and downed phone lines make immediate assessment difficult. If you own timeshare at the Sole Vacation Club at Sunscape Tulum, your Mexico timeshare may not have fared as well as did most of the timeshare resorts in Cancun and Cozumel. However, I have no definitive information about Sole Vacation Club in Tulum, Mexico at this point.

A few weeks ago, the Timeshare Owners Blog offered a series of posts dealing with what to do if a hurricane threatens during your timeshare holiday, what to expect from your timeshare resort if hurricane repairs are necessary, and even a look at travel insurance designed especially for timeshare owners.

To add to this, I have included links to the Palace Resort timeshare’s hurricane policy, which says in part: “If guests wish to postpone their vacation and travel at a later date, we will protect original rate for travel up to one year after original departure date. Bookings must be rescheduled within 30 days after a hurricane strikes. Based on availability and black out periods apply.”

To review the full details of this hurricane policy, visit the Palace Resort timeshare’s main page and then follow the link labeled, “2007 Hurricane Policy” that appears at the bottom of the page.

And to learn more about Mexico timeshare resale and Mexico timeshare rental visit Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Tomorrow I’ll share the updates I find about timeshares in other parts of the Caribbean impacted by Hurricane Dean.