RCI vs II..

[Beefnot]

Another factor that may account for your success is your willingness to travel off season (which we prefer as we don't enjoy crowds). I see a lot of inventory with my supposedly mid tier traders and nearly always have an upgrade opportunity if we're flexible on the date. We're empty nesters though, so we're not tied to the school schedule any more I can take whatever good trade comes up while I am searching. I also think the preference period for Marriott/Starwood is a very valuable II benefit, as are the reduced exchange fees - $124 for Marriott trades and $119 for Starwood exchanges. (Those may be off by $5 - not quite sure).

I haven't joined RCI because the exchange fees seem kind of steep. Of my three units that trade exclusively in RCI, we use two of them and we may rent the third one instead of trading it so it doesn't make sense to join a second exchange company.

Oh yes, ability to travel offseason has been very important. There are also one or two wrinkles in the matrix, so to speak, which I am exploring that may take me another year or so to validate.

RCI is very expensive and the absolute only reason I can see myself using them at this point is for Disney exchanges.

 

[timeos2]

In past years I have been far more pro-RCI as they always seemed to have far more locations and more available units than II. However that has seemed to change as both of the big two apparently put renting ahead of the exchange choice. Add in rising annual membership fees and skyrocketing exchange fees that rival what our maintenance fes of ten years ago were and the value of trading appears to be gone.

It's not like you can call up or go online and simply pick the resort/unit/time you want with any exchange. You are at the mercy of deposits and worse relying on these groups to forgo the easy & virtually free income of rental of especially the best times in favor of the less profitable exchange. It's all made worse by the fact that they often deeply discount rental (they get paid membership fees to accept the time so what do they have to lose?) below what it costs to own or exchange to the same place.s. It is no longer exclusive to owners and there is a fast shrinking benefit to even having an ownership to deposit.

Everything considered the use of either for traditional exchange is virtually my last choice. I do utilize rentals & no exchange required deals but haven't used either for a true exchange in over 5 years. My limited exchanges are now through SFX or the internal VRI exchange system as they offer either better quality resorts (SFX) equal to what I give up and/or lower exchange fees (especially VRI) than either of the big guys. If I didn't get the memberships included in my annual fees at some resorts I likely wouldn't renew with II or RCI. As it is I use them for deeply discounted rentals and last minute deals and little else. I can't recommend one over the other any more as I no longer see any real value to exchange through those systems.

 

[Quadmaniac]

Everything considered the use of either for traditional exchange is virtually my last choice. I do utilize rentals & no exchange required deals but haven't used either for a true exchange in over 5 years. My limited exchanges are now through SFX or the internal VRI exchange system as they offer either better quality resorts (SFX) equal to what I give up and/or lower exchange fees (especially VRI) than either of the big guys. If I didn't get the memberships included in my annual fees at some resorts I likely wouldn't renew with II or RCI. As it is I use them for deeply discounted rentals and last minute deals and little else. I can't recommend one over the other any more as I no longer see any real value to exchange through those systems.

Come to the dark side and enjoy a week in Maui at the Marriott or Westin through II and their M/S internal priority for $700 a week and you will be enticed to come back into the fold.

 

[timeos2]

Come to the dark side and enjoy a week in Maui at the Marriott or Westin through II and their M/S internal priority for $700 a week and you will be enticed to come back into the fold.

We have two weeks in Hawaii in a few weeks. We rented from II & a private house. Total for both under $1000. The house is a 4 bedroom on the beach. Really looking forward to the trip (but have no reason to own - renting works just fine!). We have done more traveling the past 18 months than we ever did when we owned 8 weeks.

Now we own two, rent the rest and are seeing many more places for far less and find obtaining them is much easier than attempting to trade ever was. In some ways it's discouraging as we liked being owners but financially this method (owning only a couple places we return to regularly and renting all others) seems to work better and costs far less.

 

[Quadmaniac]

We have two weeks in Hawaii in a few weeks. We rented from II & a private house. Total for both under $1000. The house is a 4 bedroom on the beach. Really looking forward to the trip (but have no reason to own - renting works just fine!). We have done more traveling the past 18 months than we ever did when we owned 8 weeks.

Now we own two, rent the rest and are seeing many more places for far less and find obtaining them is much easier than attempting to trade ever was. In some ways it's discouraging as we liked being owners but financially this method (owning only a couple places we return to regularly and renting all others) seems to work better and costs far less.

Both for under $1000 ? Where do you get a deal for $500 per week in Hawaii ? That seems cheap for a 4 br house on the beach ? Please share.....

 

[Beefnot]

Come to the dark side and enjoy a week in Maui at the Marriott or Westin through II and their M/S internal priority for $700 a week and you will be enticed to come back into the fold.

I won't be going to Hawaii anytime soon, but when I do, I am quite confident that I will beat your $700 by at least 25%. That is, unless my tiger trader gets devalued by II...

 

[timeos2]

Both for under $1000 ? Where do you get a deal for $500 per week in Hawaii ? That seems cheap for a 4 br house on the beach ? Please share.....

The house is $970 / week with $200 refunded as the security deposit - $770 for the week (assuming we don't trash the place!). That was from a site called vacationrentalagent.com. They had some super duper & incredible homes that rented for over $2500 or more /night! We took a good location, nice looking house on the beach for far less.

The second week was RCI - sorry, I thought originally it was II - and that cost us $199. One of their nearly always available special deals. So the two will be $969. for the two weeks.

The II one I was remembering is a March/April stay at Marriott Grand Chateau - our spring break time - in a 2 bedroom for $399. I'm guessing that maintenance on that week runs higher. We have two weeks in Orlando January from II in a two bedroom - $499 for those. And a week in February from RCI in Green Springs - Williamsburg, VA. Another $199 special. Not top season of course but its when we want to travel due to the February school break.

So owning & paying fees and exchange costs simply makes no sense. This way we get the places & times we want in the unit sizes we desire and once paid it is done. No ongoing commitment and far easier than trades to get the places/times / units we want. What a sad state of affairs for timeshares. But great for those that use all the offers out there. Add in our week at Cape Cod & another we own in Orlando and our travel calendar is nearly full.

 

[smileyface]

Turks and Caicos

I won't be going to Hawaii anytime soon, but when I do, I am quite confident that I will beat your $700 by at least 25%. That is, unless my tiger trader gets devalued by II...

You seem to be very savy at this exchange business so tell me how I can get to the Turks and Caicos? I own a 2 bdrm in Grand Cayman with II (floating any time of year) and I have not been able to exchange into Turks and Caicos....should I forget about II and their exchange system and just find another company that's already been mentioned? Are there problems with other exchange companies outside the big ones that I should be aware of?

 

[Beefnot]

You seem to be very savy at this exchange business so tell me how I can get to the Turks and Caicos? I own a 2 bdrm in Grand Cayman with II (floating any time of year) and I have not been able to exchange into Turks and Caicos....should I forget about II and their exchange system and just find another company that's already been mentioned? Are there problems with other exchange companies outside the big ones that I should be aware of?

There are plenty who know much more than I do, and I definitely know nothing about international exchanges. I do know there are only two resorts in Turks & Caicos, only one of which (Alexandra) appears to have meaningful (albeit still limited) availability in II. If an ongoing request with your Grand Cayman property hasn't been able to pull it then perhaps your unit doesn't trade well (though you should perform some trade tests), Turks & Caicos is a very difficult exchange due to limited supply, you need to give it more time, and/or yes, you need to give up on II. But I would have no idea what exchange co. could get that trade.

 

[Quadmaniac]

The house is $970 / week with $200 refunded as the security deposit - $770 for the week (assuming we don't trash the place!). That was from a site called vacationrentalagent.com. They had some super duper & incredible homes that rented for over $2500 or more /night! We took a good location, nice looking house on the beach for far less.

The second week was RCI - sorry, I thought originally it was II - and that cost us $199. One of their nearly always available special deals. So the two will be $969. for the two weeks.

Can you tell me what island you're going to ? Is this a normal find of $700 a week as it sounds too good to be true for Hawaii ? I'll out this site, thanks for the heads up. I'm only a member of II, but does Hawaii come up for $199 very often ? Decent place ? I haven't really looked into getaways that much but I would assume that you have to look regularly to find the best deals just like exchanging. I guess I should take a give it another look ?

Thanks for the info

 

[timeos2]

Can you tell me what island you're going to ? Is this a normal find of $700 a week as it sounds too good to be true for Hawaii ? I'll out this site, thanks for the heads up. I'm only a member of II, but does Hawaii come up for $199 very often ? Decent place ? I haven't really looked into getaways that much but I would assume that you have to look regularly to find the best deals just like exchanging. I guess I should take a give it another look ?

Thanks for the info

That particular one is on Oahu but they seemed to have places on all the islands. We scour the RCI/II deals about once a week as well as watch for sightings here on TUG and elsewhere to hopefully find the best deals. It has been working great. The one thing about our Hawaii trip is we planned it about 8 months out to be sure to grab a deal. Prices tend to rise as the dates get closer.

 

[Beefnot]

You seem to be very savy at this exchange business so tell me how I can get to the Turks and Caicos? I own a 2 bdrm in Grand Cayman with II (floating any time of year) and I have not been able to exchange into Turks and Caicos....should I forget about II and their exchange system and just find another company that's already been mentioned? Are there problems with other exchange companies outside the big ones that I should be aware of?

Was just poking around in Sightings/Distressed forum and there have been II sightings of Alexandra units posted there from time to time. The sightings can be INVALUABLE for getting a jump on desirable exchange inventory. But you need to be a paid TUG member to access it.

 

[Quadmaniac]

That particular one is on Oahu but they seemed to have places on all the islands. We scour the RCI/II deals about once a week as well as watch for sightings here on TUG and elsewhere to hopefully find the best deals. It has been working great. The one thing about our Hawaii trip is we planned it about 8 months out to be sure to grab a deal. Prices tend to rise as the dates get closer.

Ah, good call. I was just in Oahu in May and Honolulu/Waikiki was just so darn busy that it didn't feel like a vacation, but Ko Olina was wonderful. Maybe I need to give the island another shot. It seems to have some of everything but anything away from the "city" seemed good. Is there any particular area that is more reasonable ? I did a search on Oahu but I didn't really know the areas to stay other than H/W and Ko Olina.

 

[smileyface]

There are plenty who know much more than I do, and I definitely know nothing about international exchanges. I do know there are only two resorts in Turks & Caicos, only one of which (Alexandra) appears to have meaningful (albeit still limited) availability in II. If an ongoing request with your Grand Cayman property hasn't been able to pull it then perhaps your unit doesn't trade well (though you should perform some trade tests), Turks & Caicos is a very difficult exchange due to limited supply, you need to give it more time, and/or yes, you need to give up on II. But I would have no idea what exchange co. could get that trade.

Thanks a lot for your reply....it's just what I thought. I think I will try to puchase a vacation there outside of timeshare.Have a good weekend!