# RCI Platinum upgrade



## nursie (Oct 29, 2012)

How have you used your RCI Platinum upgrade? Is it beneficial?
Would you upgrade again next year?
What has been some of the BEST perks/benefits you've received?
I just upgraded and have used the Restaurant.com coupons, that was a nice perk.
Just wondering how everyone else is faring.
I know that there are rebates for certain transactions like combining weeks, etc. so I've already received a $25 rebate credit for doing that.
Please share your experience. Thanks!


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## gnipgnop (Oct 30, 2012)

I received credit for a Guest Certificate.  But I have yet to receive the room upgrade and I have had five exchanges since becoming a Platinum member.  The Restaurant.com coupons are a good value but would I continue my Platinum membership again...........I don't think so


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## travelguy (Oct 30, 2012)

The $25 credit for combining TPUs makes it a slight plus in my case.  The restaurant.com certs do not have great value (about $2/ea) in my opinion.  The credit for guest certs is great but I never use them.  The Priority properties are a nice perk but A) mostly hotel rooms and B) the USA selection hasn't been restocked for awhile - nothing after Dec 2012.

I'm slightly more than break even so I'll probably continue with Plat but I don't think it makes sense for most RCI members.  To be sure, do the math!


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## nursie (Oct 30, 2012)

I should have joined 6 months ago to be honest. I combined at least 3 times prior to joining, which would have paid off my yearly fee of $50 and put a bonus in for exchanges. I also purchased Vacation protection insurance on the 3 units I booked at Disney  since I didn't want some unforeseen thing to happen where I lost the TPUs and my exchange fees.
I know RCI isn't doing the cancellation credit for exchange fees on vacation protection now, it only protects your TPUs.
Does anyone know if you get a Platinum credit for exchange fees or for purchases of Vacation Protection? I don't recall reading that.
Guest certs? Yes. 
Combining credits? Yes
I know the Restaurant.com certs are only $2/$25 if you get them 'on sale' which they do go on regularly. However, the math on that is if you get 12/year, that's $48/yr and that almost pays for the Platinum yearly fee itself.


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## nursie (Oct 30, 2012)

*Two more questions re: Platinum*

I have been unable to see where the 'priority access' tab or section is.
Can someone please advise how/where I access it?
I don't see it under Search for Vacation tab as an option.
Also, my rebate has not showed up in my account yet for my recent transaction. RCI said it can take a week. Does this sound accurate in your experience? My $25 credit has not made it into my account yet. 
Thanks!


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## SOS8260456 (Oct 30, 2012)

gnipgnop said:


> I received credit for a Guest Certificate.  But I have yet to receive the room upgrade and I have had five exchanges since becoming a Platinum member.  The Restaurant.com coupons are a good value but would I continue my Platinum membership again...........I don't think so



When did you get the credit for the Guest Certificate?  I booked a unit and paid for the guest certificate back in July (was a Plat member at the time) for a reservation that is in January.  Still have not received the credit and when I asked, they said you don't get it until after the trip is over "in case they cancel".  It did not make sense to me, because even if they cancel, RCI is not going to give me my guest cert fee back.  I argued a little but wasn't in the mood to pursue it further at the time.  Sometimes I get so fed up with all the little petty stuff we need to waste energy on - not just talking about timeshares.


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## bellesgirl (Oct 30, 2012)

SOS8260456 said:


> When did you get the credit for the Guest Certificate?  I booked a unit and paid for the guest certificate back in July (was a Plat member at the time) for a reservation that is in January.  Still have not received the credit and when I asked, they said you don't get it until after the trip is over "in case they cancel".  It did not make sense to me, because even if they cancel, RCI is not going to give me my guest cert fee back.  I argued a little but wasn't in the mood to pursue it further at the time.  Sometimes I get so fed up with all the little petty stuff we need to waste energy on - not just talking about timeshares.



I was told you do get your guest certificate fee back if you cancel and that is why you do't get the credit until after the trip is over.  Does anyone know for sure if the GC is refunded in the case of cancellation?  If it is not, there is no reason to buy it in advance.


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## bellesgirl (Oct 30, 2012)

nursie said:


> I have been unable to see where the 'priority access' tab or section is.
> Can someone please advise how/where I access it?
> I don't see it under Search for Vacation tab as an option.
> ...
> Thanks!


If you search for a vacation, then click on something, say USA, you will see it as the last option on the left.  It does not come up initially.


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## nursie (Oct 30, 2012)

bellesgirl said:


> If you search for a vacation, then click on something, say USA, you will see it as the last option on the left.  It does not come up initially.



Thanks, I found it. :whoopie:


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## dundey (Nov 10, 2012)

Yes, but ONLY if you click on USA - not a sub region withing the US.
Stange!


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## nursie (Dec 5, 2012)

*Upgrading when confirming RCI exchange*

As an RCI Platinum member :Has anyone clicked the box for: automatic upgrade if unit becomes available within 14 days of your request: when confirming your RCI exchange?
We just confirmed 3 weeks combined between OKW & BWV and I'm wondering what kind of upgraded units could be at those locations when we already have 2BR villa confirmed.
Also, wondering if additional fees were tacked on due to the upgrade such as housekeeping, etc.


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## tschwa2 (Dec 5, 2012)

I believe you won't be getting any upgrades.  It is not if the resort has larger units available but if a larger unit is available in RCI at 14 days prior.  If newly deposited it would also go through the ongoing requests before it would open to platinum upgrades.  The kind of upgrades that I think you can expect is the kind where there were tons of one and two bedrooms sitting in availability when you booked and have probably been reduced to 5 or so tpu's and still no takers at 30 days or more prior and then you *may* be upgraded at 14 days prior.  I think studio to one bedroom and one bedroom to two bedroom is more likely than upgrading to 3 or more.  Think Vegas or think off off season.  You may get lucky sometime but I don't think it will be with a Disney exchange.


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## Ron98GT (Dec 5, 2012)

tschwa2 said:


> I believe you won't be getting any upgrades.  It is not if the resort has larger units available but if a larger unit is available in RCI at 14 days prior.  If newly deposited it would also go through the ongoing requests before it would open to platinum upgrades.  The kind of upgrades that I think you can expect is the kind where there were tons of one and two bedrooms sitting in availability when you booked and have probably been reduced to 5 or so tpu's and still no takers at 30 days or more prior and then you *may* be upgraded at 14 days prior.  I think studio to one bedroom and one bedroom to two bedroom is more likely than upgrading to 3 or more.  Think Vegas or think off off season.  You may get lucky sometime but I don't think it will be with a Disney exchange.



Not true.  We reserved a 1-bdrm TS for a couple of days earlier this year.  Being Plat members, we were hoping for an upgrade to a 2-bdrm as you stated, but to no avail.  At check-in, I mentioned that we were/are RCI Plat members and were hoping for an upgrade, although I didn't see any on-line in RCI anyway.  They checked the computer, found that a couple of 2-bdrm's were available (not in RCI but at the resort), and gave us one for NO additional cost.  That was cool.


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## nursie (Dec 7, 2012)

*Got my $25 Combine fee credit*

When I confirmed a recent week and needed to pay the $189 exchange fee, a $25 credit (obtained by paying for a combining of TPUs) popped up during my confirmation pay.
The trip isn't until June so thankfully there is not a delay of getting your credit as someone had thought.


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## jc92869 (Dec 20, 2012)

*Restaurant.com*

I've only used the restaurant.com  certificates so far. I think it's been  worth it. the way they work is that you get a $25 credit towards buying discount certificates. for example, bought one for a nice restaurant where you get $50  worth of  food for $25.  SO  bill came out to $48 bucks. I paid $0.


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## dundey (Dec 21, 2012)

jc92869 said:


> I've only used the restaurant.com  certificates so far. I think it's been  worth it. the way they work is that you get a $25 credit towards buying discount certificates. for example, bought one for a nice restaurant where you get $50  worth of  food for $25.  SO  bill came out to $48 bucks. I paid $0.



With most restaurants you have to spend $35 or $50 total when using a $25 certificate.  Still a great deal though.  I know you can buy these cheap at times, but if you eat out alot it can easily pay for the Platinum upgrade.

We always check the box for the upgrade and have not gotten one yet in 4 exchanges.  Maybe next week in Orlando!


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## deannak (Dec 22, 2012)

bellesgirl said:


> If you search for a vacation, then click on something, say USA, you will see it as the last option on the left.  It does not come up initially.



I'd been wondering how to find this Priority Access section.  Thanks to this thread, I finally found it.  Thank you!!


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## TwhiteinCO (Jan 1, 2013)

I reserved a 1 bedroom at Vacation Village at Parkway in early December for January 16.  I upgraded to Platinum at the same time.  I received an email today that I was automatically upgraded to a 2-bedroom.  

I will be contacting RCI as my membership states my platinum benefits began on Oct 31 but I am unable to get the restaurant.com certificates for those months.  I purchased the timeshare in October but did not receive my member benefits card until over the holidays.  How can my platinum benefits start in October with 3 months of my benefits already expired?  Costco or Sam's Club did something similar to this with renewals a few years ago and received a class action lawsuit in exchange.


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## mthake (Jan 5, 2013)

We booked a 1 bedroom, I upgraded to Platinum, then upgraded to a 2 bedroom unit, at no charge.  We've used 2 months of the Restaurant.com certificates, $50 credit so far.  Priority access is neat to see additional units in big cities.  Overall, we're very pleased with the Platinum membership.


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## deannak (Jan 6, 2013)

We just got a $50 credit on our last exchange, for the Platinum rebate on a couple of Extra Vacations we booked.  

We like using the extra vacations, so this is definitely paying for itself for us!


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