Registry Collection Experiences

I recently bought a winter week (Sunset Cove, Marco Island, Florida), 3 Bedroom. It trades with Registry Collection and gets 525 points in RC each year.

Most of the discussion around Registry collection on TUG has been under "Fractional ownership" or "Destination clubs" etc. debate. Can this thread be used for people to report their direct experience in dealing with Registry collection and its services (such as Conceirge, etc)? It appears that it takes $250/year membership fee for Registry Collection and it takes $250 to do an exchange. Points can be accumulated upto 2 years.

Please report your "trading" experiences with as much as details as you can possibly give? Cancellation experiences? Availability timeframes for prime weeks, etc.

Thanks

sjuhawk_jd said:

I recently bought a winter week (Sunset Cove, Marco Island, Florida), 3 Bedroom. It trades with Registry Collection and gets 525 points in RC each year.

Most of the discussion around Registry collection on TUG has been under "Fractional ownership" or "Destination clubs" etc. debate. Can this thread be used for people to report their direct experience in dealing with Registry collection and its services (such as Conceirge, etc)? It appears that it takes $250/year membership fee for Registry Collection and it takes $250 to do an exchange. Points can be accumulated upto 2 years.

Please report your "trading" experiences with as much as details as you can possibly give? Cancellation experiences? Availability timeframes for prime weeks, etc.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I thought the Registry collection was a high brow subset of RCI.

Hi Bill

Right - it is.

Just this AM I was replying to another TUG'r on options for Reg Collection. Love to also hear more info on experiences ... but since we are talking about higher end units - we really cut down the number of TUGers for can and do use them.

They were allowing some property owners (like Aviara ) to use even without the 'official' OK of FS - wonder if this still holds true. BTW - Aviara was 600 pts and 900 in summer & Xmas.

We might have to 'bump' this thread from time to time to see what happens.

Greg

ps- anyone used the II hi-end equiv ( is it even operating ?? )

According to RC, RC is a seperate company from RCI with completely different management. Both RCI and RC are owned by Wyndham.

GregGH said:

They were allowing some property owners (like Aviara ) to use even without the 'official' OK of FS - wonder if this still holds true. BTW - Aviara was 600 pts and 900 in summer & Xmas.

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I didn't like their high fees

In 2007, they emailed me the following regarding my FS Aviara

For weeks 26-35, 52 - 1 Bedroom 600 credits, 2 Bedroom 900 credits
For weeks 1-25, 36-51 - 1 Bedroom 400 credits, 2 Bedroom 600 credits

The Registry Collection only accepts 1 and 2 bedroom accommodations from Four Seasons Aviara.
· Credits are added to your Registry account by relinquishing a week of vacation from your residence.
· This may be done 365 to 90 days in advance of the check-in date of the week you wish to deposit.
· As soon as you know you aren't planning to return to your residence, (up to 365 days out) we can deposit your week. You then have until the end of next year to travel against the deposit.
· Weeks may only be deposited in 7-night increments and are valid for an exchange from the start date of the week until December 31st of the following year.

$250.00 annual membership fee for The Registry Collection
Exchange fees for The Registry Collection are $250.00 per transaction and either $164.00 for domestic associate exchanges and $199.00 for international associate exchanges.

trading fees in Registry Collection

alwysonvac said:

I didn't like their high fees

$250.00 annual membership fee for The Registry Collection
Exchange fees for The Registry Collection are $250.00 per transaction and either $164.00 for domestic associate exchanges and $199.00 for international associate exchanges.

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I was doing research a couple of months ago (for a deal that didn't go through). The way I understood the $250 exchange fee applied if you were to trade into Registry Core Collection like Sunset Cove, Four Season Avaria, Grand Mayan, etc. The associate exchange fees (regular RCI weeks exchange fees) were if you were trading into Associate Properties- which I took to mean the Signature Selection by RCI (Mountain Estates at Smugglers Notch, most Disneys and a few Wyndhams.) I asked if these came only from Registry deposits or if they came from the general RCI weeks deposit. I was told they come from RCI but I would imagine talking to the Registry rep is like talking to a RCI rep and you can get a different answer each time you ask.

Tracey

tschwa2 said:

I was doing research a couple of months ago (for a deal that didn't go through). The way I understood the $250 exchange fee applied if you were to trade into Registry Core Collection like Sunset Cove, Four Season Avaria, Grand Mayan, etc. The associate exchange fees (regular RCI weeks exchange fees) were if you were trading into Associate Properties- which I took to mean the Signature Selection by RCI (Mountain Estates at Smugglers Notch, most Disneys and a few Wyndhams.) I asked if these came only from Registry deposits or if they came from the general RCI weeks deposit. I was told they come from RCI but I would imagine talking to the Registry rep is like talking to a RCI rep and you can get a different answer each time you ask.

Tracey

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Hmmm...Back then I was asking for information about trading my FS Aviara for locations outside of the Registry Core Collection.

If the Registry Collection is indeed a separate company from RCI perhaps that might explain the double charge if both groups are involved in the exchange - Registry transaction fee (for coordinating the request) and RCI exchange fee (for making the trade).

Hopefully a Registry Collection member can resolve the mystery.

alwysonvac said:

Hmmm...Back then I was asking for information about trading my FS Aviara for locations outside of the Registry Core Collection.

If the Registry Collection is indeed a separate company from RCI perhaps that might explain the double charge if both groups are involved in the exchange - Registry transaction fee (for coordinating the request) and RCI exchange fee (for making the trade).

Hopefully a Registry Collection member can resolve the mystery.

Click to expand...

Registry collection has no guest certificate fee (RCI does have that), so I am not concerned with the exchange fee structure for Registry Collection. Membership fee is high, but you have a chance at some very upscale (not your run of the mill timeshare) accommodations in places like Montana, Idaho, South Africa, etc which are not the hotbeds of time sharing otherwise. I do own many run of the mill timeshares myself!

I've been interested in learning more about the Registry Collection, so this thread has been interesting. I'm surprised the fees are so high. I am also disappointed that it sounds like the only option is "deposit first". I would much prefer "request first" as I don't want to give up my Four Seasons Aviara week unless I know I've got an exchange that I want. Thumbs down for Registry...no matter how nice their resorts are.

Steve

Hope I can add some additional information to this thread. We joined the RC with our GM ownership. To say the least, I have been extremely impressed with the level of service thus far from the RC. Granted I've only exchanged a few times, but they really do see to go out of their way to assist.

Some quick tid-bits that I've found out from my experiences (and from the vacation consultants), you have access to both RC core properties as well as all of the RCI properties. This includes access to RCI Points properties along with other properties/amenities that normal RCI members do not have - ie. various hotels, boutiques, etc. They give you a lot more options. Just call them, tell them what you're looking for and they present a good number of choices, not just exchange properties.

Other things that the RC specialists have told me during some searches is that basically, if something is available, we can get it. Essentially, we have first choice of whatever is available. Obviously, it has to be available to have the option so you may have to wait for certain high demand areas.

If trading into a regular RCI property, the normal RCI exchange fee is the cost. If trading into a RC core property, then the RC exchange fee is the cost.

Again, I've only exchanged a couple of times, but have not been disappointed and have received a confirmation in a relatively short time.

Hope this helps.

Pizza67 said:

Hope I can add some additional information to this thread. We joined the RC with our GM ownership. To say the least, I have been extremely impressed with the level of service thus far from the RC. Granted I've only exchanged a few times, but they really do see to go out of their way to assist.

Some quick tid-bits that I've found out from my experiences (and from the vacation consultants), you have access to both RC core properties as well as all of the RCI properties. This includes access to RCI Points properties along with other properties/amenities that normal RCI members do not have - ie. various hotels, boutiques, etc. They give you a lot more options. Just call them, tell them what you're looking for and they present a good number of choices, not just exchange properties.

Other things that the RC specialists have told me during some searches is that basically, if something is available, we can get it. Essentially, we have first choice of whatever is available. Obviously, it has to be available to have the option so you may have to wait for certain high demand areas.

If trading into a regular RCI property, the normal RCI exchange fee is the cost. If trading into a RC core property, then the RC exchange fee is the cost.

Again, I've only exchanged a couple of times, but have not been disappointed and have received a confirmation in a relatively short time.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing If you don't mind, I have some questions that I'm hoping you can answer.

What are the exchange fees for trading into a RC core property?

Do you have to pay an annual membership fee? Or do you get free membership based on your GM ownership?

Can you also confirm if the Registry Collection only supports "Deposit First"? That we can't keep our week until an exchange is actually confirmed (aka "Confirm First").

You stated that "Some quick tid-bits that I've found out from my experiences (and from the vacation consultants), you have access to both RC core properties as well as all of the RCI properties. This includes access to RCI Points properties along with other properties/amenities that normal RCI members do not have - ie. various hotels, boutiques, etc."
The current exchange grid doesn't cover this. Do you know how many Registry Collection points it would take for trading into a regular RCI property?

Thanks again

alwysonvac said:

Thanks for sharing If you don't mind, I have some questions that I'm hoping you can answer.

What are the exchange fees for trading into a RC core property?

Do you have to pay an annual membership fee? Or do you get free membership based on your GM ownership?

Can you also confirm if the Registry Collection only supports "Deposit First"? That we can't keep our week until an exchange is actually confirmed (aka "Confirm First").

You stated that "Some quick tid-bits that I've found out from my experiences (and from the vacation consultants), you have access to both RC core properties as well as all of the RCI properties. This includes access to RCI Points properties along with other properties/amenities that normal RCI members do not have - ie. various hotels, boutiques, etc."
The current exchange grid doesn't cover this. Do you know how many Registry Collection points it would take for trading into a regular RCI property?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

Sure, haven't quite figured the "multi-quote" to break up the questions, so bear with my clumsy reply.


Honestly, we haven’t done that yet, and I can’t recall exactly, but I think a RC core property exchange runs about $240 – 250.

Yes, there is an annual membership fee. We were given a complimentary 2yr membership. However, they have implemented a multi-year membership renewal, discounted off the annual price of course.

At least for us, yes, you need to have a deposit on account prior to making an exchange. However, there are no charges until an exchange is confirmed. Searching is free. Also, depending on what you’re looking for, you could probably get something (non-exchange) without having a deposit. Like a discounted hotel or something like that.

How it was explained to me is that when you deposit your week (or split), you are assigned the corresponding point value for that time (red, blue, white, whatever) and unit size. Ex: 2bd spilt into a studio and 1bd would be 2pts & 4pts, respectively. These point values then apply when exchanging against a RC collection property. However, if applied toward a regular RCI property, then it is a one to one (week to week) exchange. The lower point (studio) week has the same trade value against the RCI property week as the higher point (1bd). As far as they’re concerned, a week is a week is a week. Pretty cool, huh? It appears that sometimes, membership does have its privileges.

Again, this is how it was explained to me and I have actually exchanged in that way. Split and deposited a 2db week, used the studio last year for a 1bd in Sandestin and then exchanged the 1db for a 2bd, again in Sandestin (for us it’s a drivable early summer vacation).

One other difference in your deposits is that you only have 2 years from the month/year of the deposit to use them. Still works for us though.


Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks again for sharing

Pizza67 said:

Sure, haven't quite figured the "multi-quote" to break up the questions, so bear with my clumsy reply.

Click to expand...

See this post - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36772&highlight=tags

Honestly, we haven’t done that yet, and I can’t recall exactly, but I think a RC core property exchange runs about $240 – 250.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

Yes, there is an annual membership fee. We were given a complimentary 2yr membership. However, they have implemented a multi-year membership renewal, discounted off the annual price of course.

Click to expand...

A complimentary 2yr membership would be nice but I'm assuming only member resorts receive the complimentary 2 yr membership.

I found the following on their website:
Q: Can members of The Registry Collection program renew their memberships for more than one year at a time?
A: Yes! In response to numerous member requests, The Registry Collection program now offers multi-year renewal packages (effective February 2, 2009). Members now have the opportunity to select a renewal option best fitting their needs — while enjoying great savings with the multi-year packages.
• 1-year renewals: US$250
• 2-year renewals: US$400 (members save $100!)
• 3-year renewals: US$550 (members save $200!)
Q: What happens if a member of The Registry Collection program has credits from a 2007 deposit that cannot be used by their standard expiration date (12/31/09)?
A: The Registry Collection program gladly announces a new member benefit: Credit Extension Purchases. Designed to extend the eligibility of soon-to-expire Collection credits, all extensions add one full year of eligibility and costs are based upon the number of credits the member wishes to extend.
• 1-200 credits extended: US$75
• 201-2700 credits extended: US$250
• 2701 or more credits extended: US$325


The Registry Collection Membership fee still seems pretty high when you compare it to RCI Weeks & Points Membership Fee.
RCI Weeks Membership Fee
1 year = $89 USD
2 years = $159 USD
3 years = $229 USD
4 years = $289 USD
5 years = $349 USD
RCI Points Membership Fee
1 year = $124 USD
2 years = $229 USD
3 years = $319.02 USD
4 years = $409 USD
5 years = $499 USD

At least for us, yes, you need to have a deposit on account prior to making an exchange. However, there are no charges until an exchange is confirmed. Searching is free. Also, depending on what you’re looking for, you could probably get something (non-exchange) without having a deposit. Like a discounted hotel or something like that.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

How it was explained to me is that when you deposit your week (or split), you are assigned the corresponding point value for that time (red, blue, white, whatever) and unit size. Ex: 2bd spilt into a studio and 1bd would be 2pts & 4pts, respectively. These point values then apply when exchanging against a RC collection property. However, if applied toward a regular RCI property, then it is a one to one (week to week) exchange. The lower point (studio) week has the same trade value against the RCI property week as the higher point (1bd). As far as they’re concerned, a week is a week is a week. Pretty cool, huh? It appears that sometimes, membership does have its privileges.

Again, this is how it was explained to me and I have actually exchanged in that way. Split and deposited a 2db week, used the studio last year for a 1bd in Sandestin and then exchanged the 1db for a 2bd, again in Sandestin (for us it’s a drivable early summer vacation).

Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed info. This was very helpful.

One other difference in your deposits is that you only have 2 years from the month/year of the deposit to use them. Still works for us though.

Click to expand...

I'm confused about the deposit/credit life.

Is it based on a calendar year? For example, if someone made a deposit in May 2009 for a week in April 2010, are the credits only good for exhange stays from Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2012?

Here's what I found on their website.

From the glossary - http://www.theregistrycollection.com/how_to_exchange/glossary/
Credit Life - The period of time during which a deposited interval is valid for an exchange. The period extends from January 1 of the year of the registered interval until December 31 of the following calendar year.

From The Registry Insider newsletter - http://www.theregistrycollection.com/the_registry_insider/first_quarter_2009/first_quarter_2009_qa/
Q: How long are my credits available for use?
A: You may deposit your interval as early as one year prior to the start-date of the interval. The credits are placed in your account and are immediately available for use, pending verification of the deposit. Credits remain on the account for use through December 31st two years after the year of your deposited week’s start-date.

Thanks for your help

I'm confused about the deposit/credit life.

Is it based on a calendar year? For example, if someone made a deposit in May 2009 for a week in April 2010, are the credits only good for exhange stays from Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2012?

Click to expand...

Me too, I've seen/heard both. Probably best to just call and ask.

True, it is more expensive, but I really do enjoy the extra level of service and other perks it provides.


How about that. I knew I almost had it. Thank You!
Glad to have been of help.

For the quote, you begin with "quote" and end with "/quote" within the brackets.
In the post above, you just need to remove the forward slash from the first set of brackets. Try it out

I am both a Registry Collection member and a Points member. We have a fractional at Mtn. Estates at Smuggs. We converted 6 float weeks to points and were told we would be able to use them both through points and RC. Today I tried to try out the RC. I wanted Thanksgiving week (pref Sun-Sun), in the Northeast (driving distance from home). I was told that the Whiteface Lodge had a 1 BR for 600 credits ($250/fee) but we would have to check out on the 27th. Turns out most properties are Fri-Fri. I was then told that I would be better off just using my RCI points and not RC. I may try again for x-mas 2010 but I was told I can't make that request until 10 months out. The properties look very nice, I would like to try one sometime...

I had a membership for free for a year and tried them but was never able to get the trade I wanted. Albeit I was asking for high demand low supply locations. I wanted summer in Ontario Canada.

The other annoyance I had, they had several Caribbean resorts listed that were suppose to come online. They never did materialize. I had requests in for a Bahamas resort that I don't know what happened to.

I can still deposit if I wish, through my Tradewinds Ownership. I basically provide 2 weeks and Tradewinds kicks in the other 2 weeks and that deposits a full boat into Registry Collection.

For in High season (weeks 5-17, 25-31, 44-47, 51-52) they give you 1200 points or low season (remaining weeks) you get 800 points.

1200 points will go pretty far provided you stick to 1 and 2 BR units. But 1200 will likely get you almost all of the large units (3 and 4 BRs) with a few minor exceptions.

If you want to know the point chart, here is the link http://www.theregistrycollection.com/how_to_exchange/exchange_grid/

This thread got me thinking that I should check on the registry collection again. I alreay have a Summer Holiday in Canada booked and a March Break at the Residences at the Crane for 2010. So all my hard to get locations are already booked by other means for 2010, so perhaps 2011.

I have noticed that the Registry Collection seems to be updating availability on the web site every couple of days. I don't know how accurate it is but seems interesting. They are also now offering last minute (29 days) reduced point reservations.

I do not own but did just stay at a Registry Collection location (Old Greenwood - Lake Tahoe). We have stayed there three times and it is really awesome. All the nonesense above about fees misses the point. These are world class properties.

hdmass said:

I have noticed that the Registry Collection seems to be updating availability on the web site every couple of days. I don't know how accurate it is but seems interesting. They are also now offering last minute (29 days) reduced point reservations.

Click to expand...

I thought I would cut and paste this info here, as I had not read this, but this posting may me go look it up....2 options available 1) 1/2 points required or 2) pay a fee.


"Another exclusive benefit of The Registry Collection program..., Last Call Getaways for just half the published credit requirement, regardless of unit size, season or destination. Or, if you prefer, save your credits for later and pay a fee of $1,495 to confirm that same vacation! ... Call us within 29 days before takeoff to see what destinations are available. .."

Bump to thread

Can RC be all that popular or are is TUG not attracting that 'level' of owner?

Skimmed the 'sample availability' list and a lot of properties seem to have the weaker periods posted ( someone earlier was mentioning holidays - well ? )

Love to hear from more who have used the exchange program

Greg

[Advertising is not permitted on TUG. - DeniseM Moderator]

NOT Happy with Registry Collection

I have been an owner at a Registry Collection Property for a few years. I really wish I had never bought it. About a year after we bought, RC reduced our points value from 1050 to 750. So we lost over 30% of our value! I don't think they should be able to do this after you purchase. Also, it is not easy to get the property and week that you want - even with non high-demand week requests. The people on the phone are all very nice, but that does not help to get the exchange you want.