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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: rpotter28]
#150846
01/01/2018 07:26 AM
01/01/2018 07:26 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 459 Decatur Illinois
astropilot
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 459
Decatur Illinois
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>> Club O Facebook has a post from Bob indicating he has made a third request for a refund.
My first thought is a total lack of details in your post. Was it their third request this week/month/year or?
Secondly, give Club O a break. There is a difference between a deposit not coming, and one that is delayed in someone's opinion. A very reputable company that has suffered a catastrophic loss might not be the first out of the gate to refund deposits, but as along as they do I am OK with that.
My 2 cents. Really? After nearly 4 months? Perhaps you can afford throw 500 euros down the drain, but like 'Bob' I would want my monies back. Quit frankly, with the lack of communications, or efforts to clean up the property, let alone starting to rebuild - and no I don't consider the perch light and a few scavenged chairs to be rebuilding - I seriously doubt they'll ever be back. Just my $0.02 worth...
Dave & Diana
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#150853
01/01/2018 09:28 AM
01/01/2018 09:28 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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I agree, four months is long enough. I have no idea whether they will be rebuilding or not. I assume so. But four months is too much to wait for a refund.
Carol Hill
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#150877
01/01/2018 12:36 PM
01/01/2018 12:36 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,081 Clearwater, FL
Biturbo
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Posts: 2,081
Clearwater, FL
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We also agree. We had made 2 separate deposits, one each at Clubs Orient & Fantastico. Chloe emailed my wife saying that the deposit had been refunded - we would have been okay with it being applied to our next stay (sometime in '18). CO had posted a month ago that they would be able to start refunds, but nothing forthcoming yet. When we knew that our Nov. SXM trip was kaput, we decided we would go to Curacao and could certainly use that refund. We'd even be happy to donate a portion of it to the employee fund, but can't afford the entire 500E.
I'm going where the weather suits my clothes.
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#150969
01/01/2018 09:04 PM
01/01/2018 09:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,623 originally Long Island, NY/now...
irish1223
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We finally received our refund via international wire transfer on December 22. At first, for several months, we just received the standard email from Club O stating that they were currently closed. I then emailed Florence directly at reservations@cluborient.com on December 8 and heard back from her on December 12 that they were finally able to begin refunding deposits. Once I gave her all the requested bank information for a wire transfer (on December 19), we received the refund directly into our bank account several days later on the 22nd. You might want to try the above email address to contact Florence directly.
Robin & Ed
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: Maria_and_Steve]
#151133
01/03/2018 12:00 PM
01/03/2018 12:00 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 207 Clearwater, FL
RABBY
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Traveler
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Posts: 207
Clearwater, FL
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We've been trying unsuccessfully also to obtain our deposit refund. We only receive the standard email reply. We've been going to Club O for over thirty years. A resort such as this should have the means, in the event of a catastrophe such as Irma, to refund people's deposit after a reasonable amount of time. They posted on their FB page, weeks ago, that they now have internet access, etc. This is just plain irresponsible now. We have an alternate vacation planned for March and we certainly could use the deposit money for that trip. My husband is retired, and we don't have an unlimited amount of vacation dollars. Today, I sent another email, received the same standard email reply, and will give it a few more days. This time, however, I used the reservations@cluborient.com address hoping for a better/quicker response. Initially, I thought we could donate a portion of that deposit to Club O, however, given their lack of responsibility, I have changed my mind.
..."there's this one particular harbor"....
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#151136
01/03/2018 12:37 PM
01/03/2018 12:37 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 79 South Carolina
beachbum1313
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 79
South Carolina
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I too, had but a deposit on a stay to Club O that was to be in October 2017. When Irma came in and destroyed everything in September, I waited a few weeks to let everything get settled down before sending documentation showing I had a pending reservation that was canceled due to Irma. I did receive an email back from them that they would have to wait on insurance and getting all their records before they could begin to refund to those that wanted refunds. I left it at that, and had not inquired about the refund anymore. I was proud of myself for being patient, but after a while, I got to thinking that maybe I was just going to have to write off ever receiving any of that deposit back. However, just last night, I did receive an email from Florence stating that they were beginning to start refunding deposits, and they wanted to confirm my name and address and then they would be refunding the money. I will see if it arrives, but at least they did contact me without me having to continually request the refund. I hope all others expecting a refund will receive what they are owed.
Wayne & Lynne
Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: beachbum1313]
#151137
01/03/2018 12:41 PM
01/03/2018 12:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 207 Clearwater, FL
RABBY
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 207
Clearwater, FL
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Thank you Wayne and Lynne. I will give it a bit more time!
..."there's this one particular harbor"....
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: foreversxm]
#151247
01/03/2018 09:36 PM
01/03/2018 09:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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Sorry, nope. No pass on this one. Club O was asking people to voluntarily donate their deposits to the Club, and then now you say that they shouldn't have to refund deposits?? These are unearned amounts, which should be refunded, period.
Carol Hill
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: BeachKitten]
#151268
01/04/2018 08:17 AM
01/04/2018 08:17 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,763 Ohio
ruralcarrier
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Ohio
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And deposits for future stays should not be your operating capital. Agreed, something sure seems amiss.
J.D.
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: JimCandD]
#151283
01/04/2018 10:27 AM
01/04/2018 10:27 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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We just sent an email to that address and got the response that they didn’t have internet access and so on. No matter what I wanted to do that put a stop sign up to communication. Wondering what to do now. Gee, how do you RESPOND to an email and say you don't have email access?? And that excuse works for maybe a couple weeks or a month. In that amount of time, you can do a work around and get access to email, if you WANT to. Looking at the current state of the property, as of January 1, in the video posted in that other thread. I really am thinking that they are not going to rebuild, which I never would have thought, in a million years. I know there are some people here with some connections to owners. Any comments that anyone would care to make??
Carol Hill
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#151301
01/04/2018 12:24 PM
01/04/2018 12:24 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 459 Decatur Illinois
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[quote=Carol_Hill Looking at the current state of the property, as of January 1, in the video posted in that other thread. I really am thinking that they are not going to rebuild, which I never would have thought, in a million years. [/quote]
I've saying that for some time now, and getting ripped for it (over on FB). If they rebuild it will surprise me... I hope i'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
Dave & Diana
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#151302
01/04/2018 12:36 PM
01/04/2018 12:36 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,081 Clearwater, FL
Biturbo
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Hi, my wife Cleta (Rabby on here) was able to get a response from Florence. She said that she thought our "travel agent" said that we would contribute our deposit. I assume she was referring to Jim Ruos, although we never told him that. I accept that in all the confusion there could easily be a misunderstanding. Flo said that we would be put on "the list" for receiving a refund. On a related note: We were notified by our CC (Cap 1) that our Fantastico deposit refund has been applied. Merci, Chloe, and we will be returning in '18 - hopefully sooner than later.
I'm going where the weather suits my clothes.
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: Biturbo]
#151305
01/04/2018 01:36 PM
01/04/2018 01:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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You and I both know that Jim Ruos would NEVER in a million years tell them that, without your direction. Their credibility is slim and none. If you are on "the list" for a refund, it should be done, period..
Carol Hill
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#151310
01/04/2018 02:47 PM
01/04/2018 02:47 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,288
PelicanPirate
OP
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OP
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I have 99.9% faith in Club O. I'm sure they are just conserving cash until insurance.
That said, customers have different levels of patience and some have run out of their allotment. I'd expect those requesting to be getting their refunds or a good response soon.
As for the rebuild, Club O is complicated, but the demand for their product is high, they are insured to some level and have loyal employees and customers.
I remember when inquiring about ownership, insuring the unit within the "group" was required.
The mess looks horrible, but nothing some heavy equipment can't clear out in short order. The question is what to build.
I think the future requires setback, elevation and concrete. It will be different raising things, but then again the units might get more breeze and more view. Handicap accessibility may become a factor. Perhaps sand buildup around the units, designed to wash away in the surge.
Anyway, I'm sure this thread has gotten their attention and I hope they rebuild ASAP.
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: foreversxm]
#151311
01/04/2018 02:59 PM
01/04/2018 02:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,623 originally Long Island, NY/now...
irish1223
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Joined: Jan 2007
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originally Long Island, NY/now...
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Under the extreme circumstances why would anybody think they could afford or able to refund? The property like so many others was almost totally destroyed and insurance companies are jerking and everybody around. Many hotels etc are just not able to refund until insurance kicks in and then they will be lucky if the get 25% of their claim. I'm Sure these room refunds are a pittance to what they have already lost and will never recover. I would not want to be in their shoes. The headache to deal with that plus pissed of guests. Travel insurance is widely available and cheap if you don't want to take the risk. Oh, they can afford to refund deposits. No company should be using customer deposits as operating capital. Customers' REFUNDABLE deposits should be placed in an 'escrow'-type account upon receipt for just that reason. It really should have nothing to do with insurance companies or anything else. Club O is just jerking everyone around, and having to wait almost 4 months for a refund is inexcusable. If they have internet enough to know who donated their deposits and who didn't, then they have internet enough to respond directly to a refund request. Sending a computer-generated standard response form over and over for months on end is just wrong. We had booked our trip through Jim Ruos and initially contacted him regarding our refund. Unfortunately, he was in the same boat as the rest of us as far as getting any kind of decent response from Club O. He was the one who suggested we try contacting them directly at reservations@cluborient.com. No doubt they are a bit overwhelmed with emails at the moment, but that's not an excuse to not directly respond to their customers. As far as travel insurance goes, we had that too and, in fact, initially tried to go that route when we weren't getting any response from Club O. The insurance company told us they could do nothing until Club Orient showed a response that they could not, or would not, refund anyone's deposit. So stuck in limbo yet again. Sorry, but there is no excuse for this type of delay any longer. Internet has been up and running. We just stayed persistent and kept emailing Florence until we received our refund - finally. We suggest you do the same. Edited to add: this has little to do with patience either. Four months is a long time for most people. Not everyone can afford to lose 500 euros. Some of us booked other vacations in place of our Club O trip and could have used that money to do so. Sorry, this is wrong on so many levels.
Last edited by irish1223; 01/04/2018 03:02 PM.
Robin & Ed
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PhillynBill]
#151330
01/04/2018 06:22 PM
01/04/2018 06:22 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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Sorry, that doesn't wash. They should know how much it's going to cost for a wire, especially since one person has already said they received a wire refund?? Mailing is not acceptable, as it can take WEEKS for mail from SXM to the US. And I HOPE they are not going to mail you a check on a SXM bank, as THAT is going to cost YOU a LOT of money to cash in the US--like 20%, if it's anything like a check on a Dutch side bank. We did that ONCE. Won't do that again!!
Carol Hill
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: SXMWendell]
#151336
01/04/2018 07:01 PM
01/04/2018 07:01 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,081 Clearwater, FL
Biturbo
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Wendell, refunding the credit card seems like the logical way to do this. That's what Club F did. And Carol, I agree that Jim Ruos is an honest businessman. All of our dealings with him have been pleasant & efficient. We'll let you know when and if we get this straightened out. Regarding whether or not they will rebuild - this is a prime location. If they don't, someone will. I worry that it would be a big money chain hotel (a la Westin, etc.).
I'm going where the weather suits my clothes.
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Re: Club O Refunds?
[Re: PelicanPirate]
#151398
01/05/2018 04:12 PM
01/05/2018 04:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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Did you ask any other questions? Are they going to mail you a US check from the US?? If not, send them back a note and tell them it is not acceptable, if they plan on sending you a foreign check. it will take FOREVER to cash and will cost a lot of money. A wire should cost Club O about $15 and you the same amount. But as Wendell said, there are a million easier ways for them to do this, that won't cost them or you. That is, if they WANT to refund you the money.
Carol Hill
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