# combining Royal Holiday Club points



## abc31 (Dec 9, 2006)

I am thinking about buying Royal Holiday club points & would like to be a platinum level.  Most of the memberships that I see on ebay lately are for 15,000 points or less.  If I purchase more than one membership, can I combine the points and pay the annual fees based on my total points rather than idividually?  And would I get platinum benefits if I owned enough points total to add up to that catagory?

Thanks
abc


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## JoeMid (Dec 9, 2006)

abc31 said:
			
		

> I am thinking about buying Royal Holiday club points & would like to be a platinum level.  Most of the memberships that I see on ebay lately are for 15,000 points or less.  If I purchase more than one membership, can I combine the points and pay the annual fees based on my total points rather than idividually?  And would I get platinum benefits if I owned enough points total to add up to that catagory?  Thanks, abc


The answer is a moving target.  The cost is currently quoted as $350 per joining and you can only join one at a time, meaning that to join three contracts of about that size to become Platinum you would pay $350 x 2.  Also, the expiration of the final contract matches the expiration of the shortest contract joined.  To get the Platinum 'benefits' you must have the points in a single contract.


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## Blondie (Dec 9, 2006)

I combined two points accounts to get to 30,000 (all I wanted), and it cost me nothing. The cost, as Joe said, is when you buy-- each contract is $350 to transfer into your name, so it is pricey. I dealt with david segura  and his email is dsegura@royal-holiday.com  and he as as knowledgable as any of them.  But, that is not saying much. He did, however, get the job done. So, buy the fewest contracts you can. I bought one on ebay and on from www.holidaygroup.com  (who often has bigger points contracts if you are patient). Blondie


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## JoeMid (Dec 9, 2006)

Blondie said:
			
		

> I combined two points accounts to get to 30,000 (all I wanted), and it cost me nothing. The cost, as Joe said, is when you buy-- each contract is $350 to transfer into your name, so it is pricey. I dealt with david segura  and his email is dsegura@royal-holiday.com  and he as as knowledgable as any of them.  But, that is not saying much. He did, however, get the job done. So, buy the fewest contracts you can. I bought one on ebay and on from www.holidaygroup.com  (who often has bigger points contracts if you are patient). Blondie


The answer is a moving target.  The cost to transfer each contract is, in fact, now $500 each.  The cost is currently quoted as $350 per joining and you can only join one at a time, meaning that to join three contracts of about that size to become Platinum you would pay $350 x 2.


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## MULTIZ321 (Dec 9, 2006)

Abc,

In October '06 Royal Holiday Club created a new Member Affairs Coordinator Position and appointed J. Alberto Abreu as the Member Affairs Coordinator.

His email is jabreu@royal-holiday.com

Try contacting him for answers.  Be sure to keep us posted with what you learn.

Good luck.

Richard


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## JoeMid (Dec 9, 2006)

MULTIZ321 said:
			
		

> Abc,
> In October '06 Royal Holiday Club created a new Member Affairs Coordinator Position and appointed J. Alberto Abreu as the Member Affairs Coordinator.
> His email is jabreu@royal-holiday.com
> Try contacting him for answers.  Be sure to keep us posted with what you learn.
> Good luck.  Richard


That's where my answers came from.


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## abc31 (Dec 9, 2006)

Thanks for all the responses and the contacts at RHC.  I just want to make sure that I am understanding correctly.  I knew about the $500 transfer fee.   I would expect to pay that for each contract I purchase.  However, I wasn't aware of the $350 fee.  If I am understanding correctly, once you have paid the transfer fees on each contract you would then be charged an additional $350.00 to join 2 contracts & for each one you add thereafter?  Is that right?

But after all the contracts were joined together, I would have platinum benefits?


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## Blondie (Dec 10, 2006)

The next level over 30,000 is Platinum.  There are about 5 levels of Platinum but 30,001 will qualify you. Interesting that for 30,000 points the maint fee is $600 and for 30,001 it has a huge jump to well over $700 so check out the maint. fees and then figure accordingly.  Holiday group has one now on their site for 40,000 points. They are asking $4,000 but I would think you could get it for less than half of that if not lower. They will deal aggressively at the end of the year/month and if the property has been in inventory more than three days. And, do NOT attempt to close it yourself if you buy it on ebay- too many variables and strange fees, etc. crop up and a closer like Holiday will guarantee clear title. They charge around $400 for this but in this case it is very worth it.  Just curious- what is the advantage to being Platinum? I wanted gold so I could book early but the properties I go to do not book until about 10 months out...figures.  Blondie


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## JoeMid (Dec 10, 2006)

Blondie said:
			
		

> I wanted gold so I could book early but the properties I go to do not book until about 10 months out...figures.  Blondie


The problem is that many of RHC's properties aren't really theirs, they are contracted year to year and you can't make reservations until the contract is in place and many times this is around or less than a year out, depending on time of year.  It is a little disappointing to find this out after you've bought the points to book up to 2years out.


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## abc31 (Dec 10, 2006)

I'm so glad I started this thead.  You guys have been so helful.  I can see now there is a lot to learn before buying into this program.  Now I realize that it doesn't make sense to get so many points that it pushes you into a higher tier as far as annual fees are concerned, unless you go high enough to make it worth paying that extra fee.  So the trick seems to be to buy on the high end of that tier without going over it.

Also, I was trying to buy at platinum level to get first shot at booking my reservations, but I had no that I would have to wait for hotel contracts to be renewed anyway.

I was interested in RHC for the purpose of using it to stay in Manhattan.  The hotels there are all contracts.  Does this mean that at some point there might not even be any hotels in Manattan on RHC?

Thanks for all of your help.

abc


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## abc31 (Dec 10, 2006)

Sorry for all the typos in the above post.  I meant that you have been very helpful (not hepful).

And that I had no idea that I would have to wait for hotel contracts to be renewed.

Thanks again.
abc


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## Hoc (Dec 10, 2006)

abc31 said:
			
		

> The hotels there are all contracts.  Does this mean that at some point there might not even be any hotels in Manattan on RHC?



This is exactly what it means.  Or there might be more.  Or, you might see a resort somewhere you had never expected, like the Maldives or Venice.

It's important to go into RHC with the right attitude.  Frankly, it's a great value if you view it right.

First, assume it will be worthless on a resale, and price your purchase accordingly.

Second, assume you will have some administrative problems with them, such as having to pay fees twice, never getting written confirmations on some of your bookings, having the representatives misrepresent facts on the phone because they don't know the answer, don't want to say that, and are too lazy to go look it up.

Third, recognize that they have some amazing locations that, while they change from time to time, are always amazing.  Paris, Rome, New York, London, Madrid, to name just a few.  They also have places like Budapest and Prague, Morocco, ski resorts in Colorado, Cozumel at peak holiday season, and more.  The only promise is that, if they drop a resort, they will get another one in a comparable location.

If you buy them cheaply enough, that makes it worth the hassles and extra fees you sometimes have to pay.  You need to be able to "go with the flow," and expect that your room will be waiting when you get there, even if you did not get your confirmation, and you need to be prepared to find another room elsewhere if it isn't.

So far, for my approximately $500 purchase price, and an average annual fee of about $420 (figuring in the times I had to pay my fees twice), I've booked New York twice, Madrid twice, and traded a RHC unit to Amsterdam once.  It's still worth it to me, but as time goes on, people tend to forget my warning about the administrative issues with this organization.  It's important to remember that when purchasing and factor that into your decision and price, or ultimately you will be disappointed.


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## MULTIZ321 (Dec 10, 2006)

Abc,

Also remember that you can roll points over to the following year (but not every year) and also you can purchase points directly from RHC for about  3 cents a point.  Look at the RHC locations on their website and determine where you'd like to go - during what season, to determine the points you'll need in your portfolio to accomplish your goals.  At the moment they have 3 locations in Manhattan - Affinia Dumont, Affinia Manhattan, and Linden Gardens.


Richard


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## Blondie (Dec 10, 2006)

I bought primarily for NYC and I have been thrilled. I can book several 3 day stays for my $600 in maint fees, I can travel in very high season, and I can rent out some of my days in NYC if I wish getting back most of my maint fees... I really love my ownership in spite of everything.


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## abc31 (Dec 10, 2006)

Thank you for all the advise.  I have learned a lot today.

abc


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## pranas (Dec 12, 2006)

*Points*

Richard, is this 3 cents per point a rental or actual purchase of points from RHC?


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## Hoc (Dec 13, 2006)

pranas said:
			
		

> Richard, is this 3 cents per point a rental or actual purchase of points from RHC?



Not sure exactly what you're asking here.  But you buy the points for that year.  It's just like buying miles to top up your frequent flyer account so you can get a ticket on miles.


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## Blondie (Dec 13, 2006)

You are buying them for current year's usage. They are not permanent so, actually, you are sort of renting them from RHC. It is very convenient actually and I have done this once ot twice for a small amount.


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## JoeMid (Dec 13, 2006)

The rental rate is not about 3¢/pt it is actually 5¢/pt Which is about double the average MF on the average sized contract and is triple that of a Royal sized contract.  If you need just a few points it may be OK but you might think about 'accelerating' a year's usage if you can.  See the sticky on RHC operating rules.  Rules II.F. applies and may be very loosely interpreted as far as the 50yr old thing goes.


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## MULTIZ321 (Dec 13, 2006)

Joe,

If it's now 5 cents a point then RHC has raised the fee since earlier this year
when I purchased some points @3 cents/pt for a NYC trip.  I looked at the cost both ways first - accelerating a year from the back end (where you have to pay a year's annual dues to do this) versus the cost of the points at 3 cents per point. It was less to purchase the points upfront - so that's the route I took.

Did RHC staffer tell you it's now 5 cents a point?

Thanks 

Richard


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## Blondie (Dec 13, 2006)

I believe it was 5 cents when I did it in September...


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## JoeMid (Dec 13, 2006)

MULTIZ321 said:
			
		

> Joe,
> If it's now 5 cents a point then RHC has raised the fee since earlier this year when I purchased some points @3 cents/pt for a NYC trip.  I looked at the cost both ways first - accelerating a year from the back end (where you have to pay a year's annual dues to do this) versus the cost of the points at 3 cents per point. It was less to purchase the points upfront - so that's the route I took.  Did RHC staffer tell you it's now 5 cents a point? Thanks Richard


This fee is not in the oprating rules, at least I don't see it.  It's been 5¢/pt every time I've ever asked of them.  You got a great deal, I want the name of your agent.


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## MULTIZ321 (Dec 13, 2006)

I apologize.  My recall was faulty and I gave out wrong information.  I did pay 5 cents per point for our recent NYC trip (not 3 cents as I previously mentioned).

Oh well, I wish it were 3 cents...


Richard


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## abc31 (Dec 14, 2006)

*Question for Blondie*

Blondie,

Have you ever tried to book NY without booking way in advance?  Can you sometimes get last minute bookings, like a few weeks ahead of time?  I don't mean during very peek times.

Thanks 
abc


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## JoeMid (Dec 14, 2006)

Not Blondie but, generally the NYC places are booked up in advance especially after MFs are paid in Dec/Jan.  Affinia Dumont is the least expensive of the properties so it goes fastest... there are a few Jan dates left and fewer Feb dates.  One thing to remember is that you can't book just any stay, it's 3days starting Wed, 4days starting Saturday, or 7days starting Wed or Sat.  So just a weekend is not possible!


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## abc31 (Dec 14, 2006)

Thanks JoeMid,

So for 2007 everything is sold out except for Jan. & Feb already?

I knew about 3 or 4 night stays, but someone else told me the other way around.  They said it is 3 nights starting Saturday or 4 nights starting Wednesday.  I was thinking I could do 3 day weekends.  But now that you mention it, It makes more sense that it is the way you told me, otherwise everyone would be staying over on Saturday.


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## JoeMid (Dec 14, 2006)

abc31 said:
			
		

> So for 2007 everything is sold out except for Jan. & Feb already?


No, that's not what I said, you asked about last minute availability so I quoted what was there for 'last minute'.  I didn't search the year for you.


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## djyamyam (Dec 14, 2006)

*ebay auction for 60K points*

There's this large points auction that just got listed. You wouldn't have to combine accounts if someone won this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROYAL-HOLIDAY-60-000-ANNUAL-POINTS-TIMESHARE_W0QQitemZ290062458804QQihZ019QQcategoryZ15897QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

(not my auction and no vested interest on my part)


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## abc31 (Dec 14, 2006)

Thanks!!! I'll be watching that one for sure!!

abc


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## MaryH (Dec 21, 2006)

Combining contacts gives you a lot of problems.  My transfer and combinatin took about 6-7 months and they tried to tell me that I must buy 5K from them in order to combine them.  I held out and had it down without that since I had been assured I could combine them before but the rules may have changed officially.

London used to have a contract hotel 2 Hyde Park Sq. in 2005 and it disappeared in 2006.  I was not that impressed with the hotel when I stayed there.  I had problem with my reservation due to the fact that it was made during the transfer period and also they tried to charge me GBP 80 for calling a toll free conference number and I end up spending so much time arguing that I had to pay GBP 55 to take a taxi to the airport.  But the loss of 1 or 2 occassions was still felt by people who wanted to go to London and I think Allen House Leashold is up something like 2012 or 2014.


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