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Exotic Travelers on RCI?

Treehorn

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My wife and I just returned from El Dorado Casitas Royal in the Mayan Riviera. We went through a tour operator for our Anniversary. As I am sure most of you know they are part of the Exotic Travelers Club (I know not a traditional timeshare).

We enjoyed the resort so much that we did agree to go to the sales pitch but did not buy. Actually we got out pretty quick with our $150 spa vouchers. I think the sales person got the message pretty quickly that he was not going to get me to buy so he wanted to move on to a new lead.

For the big money they want you to pay you get an approximately $1000/visit savings (if lucky) and a few perks. For me, not worth the upfront investment. However I don’t think it’s possible to book their presidential suites through a tour operator, they say there for members only.

Anyway I read a few places that exchange club members such as RCI can get access to this resort fairly cheap through RCI Last Call and RCI Extra Vacations. I’m wondering if this is true and can I become an RCI member if I do not own a timeshare, just to access last call and extra vacations?

Otherwise I guess I could buy weeks from club owners. There seems to be a number of Exotic Travelers members online looking to recoup some of there investment.

Thanks,

Andrew
 

DeniseM

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You have to own a timeshare to join RCI, but the market is flooded with rentals in Mexico, so you shouldn't have any problem finding a rental.
 
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Treehorn

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I have been reading this site for some time doing resarch before buying a timeshare (not a vacation club as I discussed above) and there seems to be two conflicting idologies.

1. Buy where you want to travel often and if you get good trades its a bonus
2. People who own "traders" and rarely or never go to thier home properties

Is it realistic to fine a valuable trader on the reasale market to trade into places like Atlantis, Disney, Barbados, Europe, etc?
 

DeniseM

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There is no magic trader that will get you into all resorts, because trading isn't just about the value of your deposit - it is highly dependant on the availability of the top resorts. For the most part, the top resorts don't get deposited by owners very often, because the maintenance fees are high, and people use them or rent them for big bucks.

Atlantis - with maintenance fees in the $2,000 - $3,000+ range, there are very few Atlantis weeks depoisted with II. To have any chance of getting Atlantis, you'd need to use a trader from the same group (Starwood) and you'd have to travel during hurricane season.

Disney - Disney is exclusively with RCI - so you need an RCI trader with enough points to trade into Disney.

Europe - Europe has some availability off season (when it's cold) but there is far more demand, than supply for warm summer weeks.

Mexico is an easy trade all the time, and a cheap rental - I would never buy there.
 

Treehorn

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Thanks.

The more I research it I think I might be better off just sticking with renting off of TUG members.

I did Atlantis rental a year ago from a TUG member for much less than you quoted in maint fees.
 
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