A Guide to Buying a Timeshare in the Caribbean

Now that we’re into October and the tropics seem to have calmed down, it’s time to look at the vacation destination that most North Americans dream of visiting – the Caribbean. Timeshare resorts dot the various islands of this remarkable region, so anyone looking for a guide to buying a timeshare in the Caribbean can take heart that you’ll find a fabulous resort for your dream vacations.

The Caribbean is unique in so many ways, from the diversity of the cultures to the different terrains of the individual islands. Before you look at the timeshare resort options, it is important to decide just what type of vacation activities you enjoy and the type of experiences you embrace. For instance, there are certain islands such as St. Maarten that can offer more of a European look and feel. Especially on the French side of the island at Orient Bay Beach, where you will see much more than you bargained for.

Let’s look at some of the areas to keep in mind when looking to buy a timeshare in the Caribbean.

The Beaches

Nearly every image that the Caribbean conjures up in the mind includes sugar white sand, azure blue water and amazing stretches of beach. If this is your priority, then look for the top beaches in the Caribbean and narrow down your choices. But keep in mind that not all Caribbean islands are alike.

There are the more famous spots such as Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman or the amazing Caribbean coastline of Cancun (yes, Mexico borders the Caribbean). St. Thomas has its Magens Bay and Aruba is known for Palm Beach. Yet other island nations such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic (with their selections of all-inclusive resorts) and Tortola have a much more limited choice of beaches for timeshare buyers.   

If buying a timeshare at a resort on the beach is a priority, understand that not all resorts claiming a beach view are right on the beach. Some may be across the street or “within view” of the beach. There is also a difference between ocean front and ocean view or partial ocean view. Make sure you do your due diligence on the resort and specific units to find out exactly what you’ll get.

Activities on Offer

The region is obviously known for its fun, sun and surf but chances are you’ll want to do more than just lay out on the beach every day for the entire week. That said, water sports options associated with any Caribbean resort are an important part of the experience, so check on the activities available at the resort.

If you are a scuba diver, does the resort offer an onsite dive shop? Is there snorkeling off the beach where you are staying and, if so, can you rent snorkel gear at the resort? For families, are there water slides or a water park at the resort?

Beyond the water, are there kid’s clubs or children’s activities onsite, or for golfers – are there courses onsite or close by and what kind of shape are they in? For those interested in exploring more offsite places, are there jeep rentals available for day trips?

Looking for Natural Attractions?

Some of the islands offer incredible nature-based attractions such as Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios in Jamaica, the El Yunque National Forest on Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic’s Los Haitises National Park.

Hiking and exploring are the activities of the day at these places, with other natural attractions such as Harrison’s Cave in Barbados and The Baths at Virgin Gorda providing great fun. One of the more amazing nature-based destinations is the island of St John, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, where two-thirds of the island is a national park and includes wonderful walking and hiking trails along with the marvelous Trunk Bay.

Access to the Islands

This encompasses a number of areas such as flight options and passport requirements. There’s no drive-to destination in the Caribbean (unless you’re so adventurous that you drive across the border with Mexico and around the Gulf of Mexico to get to Cancun!?!). So you should check the frequency of flights to the island you’re considering. You wouldn’t want to buy a week of timeshare beginning on a Saturday if there is no Saturday flight service to the island.

Islands such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. territories, so no passports are needed for U.S. citizens and residents. You just land, grab your bags and off you go. Other islands will require a passport and they have their various visa requirements, so you’ll need to research these options as well.

Proximity to the airport from the resort may also be an issue for you. Many resorts offer transfers but in some cases the resort may be on the other side of the island, in which case you may be better off renting a vehicle during your stay. On islands with British heritage like Grand Cayman or Barbados, you’d be driving on the left which can be unnerving for some people.

Legal Ownership Issues

Remember that, for the most part, these islands are international territories with their own legal systems in place. While the U.S. Virgin Islands may provide a deeper level of legal protections for Americans, keep in mind that you may be buying into real estate or right-to-use programs which are subject to the local legal jurisdictions.

This is one reason why many timeshare buyers buy into branded points programs such as Marriott Vacation Club, Club Wyndham, Westin Vacation Club, Capital Vacations or Diamond Resorts. These and other programs offer vacations at Caribbean resorts but under their own programs that are based in the U.S., which can offer an added level of confidence to buyers.

The Storm Season

Ah, the 800 pound gorilla in the room when it comes to Caribbean timeshare vacations is dealing with the storm season. Yes, the peak of the season is from August to mid-October and, yes, there have been some fairly strong hurricanes blow through the region. But overall the region has held up remarkably well.

The northern Caribbean is more susceptible to storms, with the southern Caribbean islands such as Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao operating relatively unscathed. The mid-level islands such as Barbados and St. Lucia do fairly well also, seemingly avoiding the stronger storms that can come through the northern part of the region.

To put this in perspective, the Caribbean is much less likely to suffer the adverse effects of a hurricane compared to the mainland U.S. Visitors to the Caribbean have a two to three percent chance of being affected by a hurricane during a week’s vacation, compared to the 12.5 percent likelihood that New Orleans will be impacted in a given year.     

Unfortunately for the timeshare industry, the northern islands such as St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico are the ones which seem to be on the hurricane radar most often. These are also islands with some of the largest concentrations of timeshare resorts in the Caribbean.

While storms such as Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in 2017 garner headlines due to the damage they inflicted to the region, they were the last major hurricanes to hit the region. Keep in mind that the Bahamas is not considered part of the Caribbean as these islands are technically in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Bottom line – if the storm season is an issue for you, consider buying a timeshare outside of the peak months. You may also want to consider the branded timeshares over the smaller, independent resorts since these larger resorts tend to have the financial and material resources to enact repairs quicker than their smaller counterparts.  

Standard Criteria

The areas above are some of the unique aspects to consider when buying a timeshare in the Caribbean. Other criteria such as the unit configuration, onsite amenities such as bars and restaurants and type of ownership (weeks vs points) are standard considerations for any timeshare purchase, not just for Caribbean timeshares.

Many of the standard items boil down to your individual family’s needs. How many bedrooms do you need? Is a fully equipped kitchen a requirement? Could an all-inclusive timeshare resort be the way to go?

If you have any questions or have a specific timeshare in mind to buy, give us a call at 877-624-6889 and our licensed agents will be happy to help you.