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RCI fees going up June 3rd

Panina

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Individual exchanges can't compete. Too many people want uptrades. RCI's and II's main customers are the developers. Without the bulk deposits and the support (at the time of sale and through resort marketing newsletters to owners about exchanging) there isn't enough inventory to have a viable alternative.
I would be happy just getting an equivalent trade. Always have to downgrade in RCI. In II I can get equivalent trades.

Rci allows everyone to combine TPUs for a fee thus the members like me that deposit prime time, high demand areas are competing for weeks with members with weaker weeks, that paid the fee to combine to have better trading power. The result I am not depositing my prime time, high demand area weeks in rci, so they will not be available to other members. If other members think like me that creates a shortage of wanted weeks.
 

gmarine

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The exchange fee increases are one reason I've sold most of the 11 weeks I used to own. Those increases together with the constant maintenance fee increases that exceed cost increases of everything else have made it easier and more cost effective for me to rent rather than own.
 

Panina

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The exchange fee increases are one reason I've sold most of the 11 weeks I used to own. Those increases together with the constant maintenance fee increases that exceed cost increases of everything else have made it easier and more cost effective for me to rent rather than own.
My approach is to own what I will be happy using. I love trading to different places but if pricing makes me stop trading, I own the time and place where I want and love to go.
 

ran-ran

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It would help if they could provide a website that works properly.
YES! It is so annoying just to look for anything on their site nowadays. Ugh!
 

BigRedOne

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I planning on retiring in a couple of years so I will no longer need to deposit my week so I can use it when I have available vacation. It will be good ridance RCI. Before RCI sold out to Fairfield (which became Whindam) I really enjoyed using RCI. I still get pretty good trades but it is becoming too expensive. If you add up the cost of maintenance fees plus trade fees plus RCI membership fees, etc. trades are still a pretty good deal if you figure the daily rate versus renting a two bedroom condo but I have been using RCI for about 30 years now and don't need to travel as much. My future travels will probably be cruises and maybe some all inclusives which I have found to be a lot less expensive if you don't go through RCI.
 

Jan M.

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I routinely used RCI to trade back into my home resort. In the beginning I viewed it as upgrading my 1 Bedroom to a 2 bdrm for only $20 a night. I can't see the increase but I'm pretty sure this is the third increase in 3 years. It use to be such a good deal.

Ah $239. Yelp, that's rediculous.

I once got an "excess inventory" week from RCI for a total of $207.

I've booked something like 6 sale, excess inventory, weeks so far this year for less than the current $230 exchange fee and didn't have to use any points either!

Last year there was a big jump in price so I was surprised to see another increase this year. Not as big as last year but still another increase.
 

pammex

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I too am frustrated with the continual increases, lack of options and the new website which I do not like at all.
 

jehb2

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My approach is to own what I will be happy using. I love trading to different places but if pricing makes me stop trading, I own the time and place where I want and love to go.

That's always been my approach as well.
 

qwerty

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I didn't register. I just go on the RCI website and click on Directory.
RCI will allow anyone to look at the Directory but that doesn't tell you what is available. As an example, there are quite a few resorts in the Florida Keys but almost never any availability.
 

qwerty

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I didn't register. I just go on the RCI website and click on Directory.
The exchange fee was $69.00 when first joining RCI. Granted, inflation alone would cause the cost to go up but not as much. Greed and being almost a monopoly is the main reason. Then adding the resort "daily experience fees" only adds to the cost.
 

qwerty

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UH- it is call TUG. And also there are the small independents like DAE and Trading Places and Platinum Interchange, and RTX- all have free memberships. If more people would use them, they would have more inventory.
I own "weeks" and "points". With points, you cannot really exchange. With my "weeks", I have never been able to exchange with anyone on TUG in over the ten years being a member.
 

qwerty

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I cant understand why some enterprising individual hasnt set up a timeshare exchange company that charges nothing (or next to nothing). It seems so simple to set something up that gives RCI and II a run for their money. Until that happens, my guess is that RCI and II will feel like they have a monopoly.
Hey Google! Are you listening?
 

idlevine

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I cant understand why some enterprising individual hasnt set up a timeshare exchange company that charges nothing (or next to nothing). It seems so simple to set something up that gives RCI and II a run for their money. Until that happens, my guess is that RCI and II will feel like they have a monopoly.
TUG is the answer to your comment. I have had my timeshare in New Orleans for 31 years and have used the Tug exchange on NUMEROUS occasions, always with good results. I have never joined RCI or II,
thinking they are a waste of money. All the Tuggers I have dealt with have been caring individuals who seem to want my experience at their resort to be as positive as I want theirs to be at mine. All at no cost.
 

TUGBrian

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Hey Google! Are you listening?

TUG is really the only completely free one, we do wish more folks would submit their intervals into the marketplace as direct exchange ads, it would add thousands of possible exchanges for all TUG members absolutely free!

Heck even if all the folks who are fed up with RCI fees in this thread created a direct exchange ad right now in the TUG marketplace, we'd have 40 new direct exchange listings available!

I believe folks think their info will be publicized, or that posting a direct exchange ad will cost them money (or an ad credit) down the line.

Heck id even like to see people post up their intervals for 2018 and beyond as direct exchange ads...who knows what you might find as a possible match for free from another TUGGER!

ALLthat said DAE membership is also free. you only pay when you make an exchange.
 

icydog

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It would help if they could provide a website that works properly.
Yep, double that and raise you one. Their website is THE WORST. I could knit a sweater in the amount of time it takes for each page to load.
 

Ask DAE

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Try DAE - No risk, all reward.
As a couple of you have mentioned, there are indeed some good independent exchange company options out there, DAE being one of those options. As an owner you have the right to use whichever exchange company you’d like and not just the one(s) your resort is affiliated with (unless you are tied into a points product through an exchange company). As far as inventory options, DAE has 11 offices worldwide and a broad member base here in the Americas so while smaller, we are still confirming our members into great vacation destinations every day. We have no annual membership fees, a low exchange fee (currently $179), no guest fees, no need to bank your week upfront and no trading power formulas that limit your vacation options. More and more timeshare owners are turning to companies such as DAE because we bring more flexibility and value to the exchange experience and all owners should be aware that they have options when it comes to exchanging their week. www.daelive.com
 

gnipgnop

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I have not been very happy with RCI in the past and now the future looks even worse. But I think I'm stuck with them. I have 3 timeshares that do not exchange in II but I never tried to join one of the above mentioned Companies. DAE, Trading Places, Platinum Interchange and RTX. If I want to join one of these how do I go about seeing their inventory and finding out if they will accept my timeshares as a trade? Any suggestions? :shrug:
 

dominidude

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UH- it is call TUG. And also there are the small independents like DAE and Trading Places and Platinum Interchange, and RTX- all have free memberships. If more people would use them, they would have more inventory.

TUG only allows people to list their own timeshare and exchange directly with others. It doesnt allow you to deposit your timeshare, OGS (on going searches), it doesnt account for trade power. TUG just doesnt have the bells and whistles regulars exchange companies have. The small independents are NOT free. You can join them for free, BUT, you have to pay them to exchange. If more people used them, they would hike up their fees to the level of the others.

Individual exchanges can't compete. Too many people want uptrades. RCI's and II's main customers are the developers. Without the bulk deposits and the support (at the time of sale and through resort marketing newsletters to owners about exchanging) there isn't enough inventory to have a viable alternative.

There is a TON of inventory to have a highly viable alternative here in TUG. Probably more than some of the independent exchanges.

Imagine if Mark Zuckerber said we cant compete with MySpace, that people who are already with MySpace arent going to sign up the TheFacebook (the original name of Facebook). Or if Elon Musk said, the gas car is too entrenched, let's not try to build an electric car. That is what I believe is happening to us, we are not seeing alternatives, throwing our hands up, and forking up more money.

Whether we Tuggers realize it or not, it is relatively easy to make a website that lets timeshare owners exchange their timeshares with other timeshare owners in an exchange that doesnt lack any of the features or RCI or II, and that is free or much lower costs that even the independent exchanges.

The point of making a timeshare exchange website like this is NOT to directly make a profit from each exchange. Much like I used to pay $3 to $5 at the old Blockbuster to watch each movie but now pay $10 a month to watch as many movies I like using Netflix/Amazon prime.

In the meantime, all that is left is to complain, and perhaps talk about switching from one expensive exchange company to another.
 
Last edited:

Kozman

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I can't see these rates as I do not belong to RCI, but I am glad I don't and glad I rarely exchange anyway. As it is it bothered me to have to pay $200 to Trading Places for a so called upgrade of season from an October week at my resort to a Sept week. I won't do that again.

Same here. We used Trading Places when we were affiliated with VRI and liked the system. Since then they have dismantled Variety and incorporated it into Trading Places. They now require seasonal upgrades and size upgrades.

We have minimized our dealings with RCI because of their fees and restrictions. and now work with DAE.
 

MLR

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I renewed my RCI membership one more year just because we grab a 'cheap week or two' each year.

But, I have not deposited our week for a while - we just used it instead.

I also HATE (strong word, I know) the new website design and find it nearly impossible to navigate and I am not a computer newbie. One thing that I find is that since I have no TPU's with them right now - that I cannot bring up any exchange ads. Anyone else having this trouble? My question is: "if I can't see how many TPU's it will take for me to exchange into a resort PRIOR to my depositing my week - how will I know if I can even get enough TPU's to go anywhere else? Does this question make sense? I don't want to deposit my week only to find I fall short of enough points to go anywhere else.

Does anyone know how to search for exchanges on RCI if you have not deposited anything with them? Discouraging.

I am back to thinking we may just give our timeshare away again. Will try renting it here on TUG for a while first. :0)
 

kherbold

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Since the new RCI increase in exchanges... I have been thinking of witching to something.
I have a cheap "trader" in Waikiki that gives me 35 or 40 points on RCI
I am on a weekly package with them.
I usually trade in Mexico .. Cabo as I am usually not to far away from there.

And I can usually pick up something in Cabo for at the most 10 points or so... so then
RCI gives me 30 points back... so I average 4 bookings a year.

Is there any other exchange place that does that... or do the others just trade one week for one week.
If no one else does this... then I have to stay and just pay a couple bucks more

thanks

karl
 

kherbold

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Try DAE - No risk, all reward.
As a couple of you have mentioned, there are indeed some good independent exchange company options out there, DAE being one of those options. As an owner you have the right to use whichever exchange company you’d like and not just the one(s) your resort is affiliated with (unless you are tied into a points product through an exchange company). As far as inventory options, DAE has 11 offices worldwide and a broad member base here in the Americas so while smaller, we are still confirming our members into great vacation destinations every day. We have no annual membership fees, a low exchange fee (currently $179), no guest fees, no need to bank your week upfront and no trading power formulas that limit your vacation options. More and more timeshare owners are turning to companies such as DAE because we bring more flexibility and value to the exchange experience and all owners should be aware that they have options when it comes to exchanging their week. www.daelive.com
Does DAE allow for trading power?
 

kherbold

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Does any exchange company allow for trading power besides RCI?
 

tschwa2

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Some of the independents give bonus weeks or other bonuses for high deposits but none will return trading power "change" if you exchange into a lower trading power week.
 
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