# RCI Trouble - help/Final Results/MERGED



## jdp0906 (Oct 16, 2008)

We are scheduled to go on vac tomorrow.  We have a paper confirmation from RCI to that effect.  We also have a verbal confirmation number from the resort.

RCI called us last night to basically say it was cancelled and my RCI account show they have us "On-Hold" for another resort two weeks from now.

Not only did they change of accomodation, they change the resort and the time AND didn't tell us until a day and a half before we would be travelling.

Can they do this and what can I do to make it right.


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## Pat H (Oct 16, 2008)

Can you give us a little more info like the resort and what RCI told you was the reason for the cancellation?


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## jdp0906 (Oct 16, 2008)

It is the Villas at Treetop in Bushkill.  We booked a 3 bedroom.  RCI, within just the last few moment, told me it was an error on RCI's part to have offered them at all, based upon their conversation with the resort.  Now these units are overbooked.

I called the resort this morning and they gave me a confirmation number for that unit type, furthermore, she could give me the unit number and tell me it was clean already and I would probably be able to check in early.


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## JudyH (Oct 16, 2008)

Call RCI back and insist on talking to a supervisor.  If necessary, have a three way conference all with the resort and RCI.


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## jdp0906 (Oct 16, 2008)

When I was called last night, that is exactly what I insisted upon - a supervisor or better yet a manager.  One has been on the phone with me once this morning. 

Since I had a confirmation, for that unit type and was even told the unit is ready by folks at the resort, the RCI person was stopped in her tracks.  It's almost as if RCI is trying to pull a fast one.

Waiting on he call again.

This is maddening to happen they day before we are to go.


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## eal (Oct 16, 2008)

I have no love for RCI so here is how my mind is working about their devious practices:  RCI also rented out this unit and now has to dump the exchanger.  My advice - get there asap, get settled into you unit, and when the renter arrives, oh well...

Keep us posted please about how this turns out for you!


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## jdp0906 (Oct 16, 2008)

Just spoke to the Resort again - RCI cancelled our reservations.  Furthermore, I asked if at any time that they were double booked and dealing with RCI about, the answer was a resounding NO.

RCI did the double booking and are scrambling.


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## jdp0906 (Oct 16, 2008)

The long and the short of it - WE GOT SCREWED OVER BY RCI, and only with 18 hours before we travel.


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## tombo (Oct 16, 2008)

That is horrible. I would get the name of the manager at the resort who told you that your room was available and get back with RCI mgt. I would tell RCI that RCI needs to pay for you a comparable room in the same area for the same period of time starting tomorrow. Settle for nothing less and make sure to keep informing RCI that you have already taken vacation time off of work and your time can't be changed.

Good luck and I hope everything works out well for you. Just hearing what RCI did to you scares the crap out of me.


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## wackymother (Oct 16, 2008)

Unbelievable! I'm so sorry. Is this the week of the balloon festival? 

And there IS nothing comparable in the area. The 3brs at Villa at Treetop are supposed to be really nice. The 2brs there and pretty much everywhere else in the Poconos are not very nice at all.


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## grest (Oct 17, 2008)

This is simply not acceptable...they had better find a way to make you happy...keep at 'em..
Connie


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## jdp0906 (Oct 17, 2008)

Yes it is the weekend of the balloon fest - we are actually scheduled for a ride on Sunday morning.  That may lift me out of this funk.

Originally RCI told me that the resort made the mistake.  After speaking with the resort and getting my ducks in a row I was able to hit RCI dead on.  They admitted it was their fault, their error.    They were assigned 7 three bedroom units and booked 14.  They were scrambling to make it right.  In their scramble we ended up the losers.  Having been assigned a 3 bedroom unit by the resort itself, they, RCI, cancelled it and gave it to someone else.  So now we drive off in 6 hours to a 2-bedroom - made available to RCI.  Based on all the reviews I've read, I am not expecting anything much - these units are outdated, have ants, they're the pits.

RCI is a bunch of liars.  I was talking with a manager at RCI at this point yesterday.  She said she was dealing with a person at the resort, but wouldn't give me their name.  However, when talking to the resort people that deal with the timeshare part of the business, no one even knew her name, let alone talked with anyone at RCI.

We gave up out T/S because of being charged 1400.00 for a 'special assessment', now get rid of RCI and get on with taking care of our selves for vacations.  Can't wait until all the disappointment is behind us.


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## jdp0906 (Oct 17, 2008)

RCI sent us a confirmation for a TWO bedroom unit.  However, here it is 4 AM with us leaving in 4 and a half hours and I called the resort - they have NO reservatioins for us at all.


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## tombo (Oct 17, 2008)

I am sure that since you complained the most you will have a 2 bed room when you get there. Some other poor unsuspecting RCI exchanger will get their phone call and e-mails shortly telling them that RCI doesn't have a room for them. Their room will be cancelled and given to you.  RCI will keep cancelling reservations until they find someone who says that it's not a problem.


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## krmlaw (Oct 17, 2008)

I would fight like heck and get a free week out of this from RCI. That is ridiculious!


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## BevL (Oct 17, 2008)

krmlaw said:


> I would fight like heck and get a free week out of this from RCI. That is ridiculious!



For sure you should get your deposit back and your exchange fund refunded.


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## riverdees05 (Oct 17, 2008)

Keep us posted.


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## Bill4728 (Oct 17, 2008)

The key item we should all take away from this is to never call or respond to any emails or phone calls from the exchange companies in the days before your trip. 

RCI had 7 rooms and 14 travelers. The 7 who didn't answer RCI email, likely arrived and got a room. The 7 responsible people who call or email RCI back got the shaft!


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## geekette (Oct 17, 2008)

Bill4728 said:


> The key item we should all take away from this is to never call or respond to any emails or phone calls from the exchange companies in the days before your trip.
> 
> RCI had 7 rooms and 14 travelers. The 7 who didn't answer RCI email, likely arrived and got a room. The 7 responsible people who call or email RCI back got the shaft!



This would be hilarious if it didn't have such a high likelihood of being absolutely correct.

I don't think we've yet heard from someone that returned from their trip as planned to find a message that their vacation was cancelled.  Anyone?  I would think it would be "calling about your trip to Vacationland" with no reference to purpose for call.



> RCI will keep cancelling reservations until they find someone who says that it's not a problem.



Also thinking this could be reality.  

Thing that I don't get, is the rental return off one unit worth all the hassle of finding spaces for the displaced?  Staff time has to be huge.  Many of their rentals are very cheap.   

Probably for this week, they got massive bucks for high demand.  Lucky for them, they don't care about negative word of mouth or unbelieveably bad customer service.  I'm not thinking it's worth it.  At least, if it were my business, I would not put a high priority on screwing over my member base.  Skimming off cream to rent out is one thing (that I am also not a fan of), but putting it out for exchange and then yanking it back is a bit too far to go, even for RCI.  The lateness of the date makes it especially distasteful.

All that said, I think their crappy inventory system got them into trouble.  Like the website and mainframe aren't sharing the same version of the truth.  Yeah, I just gave them a way to claim innocent mistake.  But, FIX YOUR SYSTEMS if that is the case, as only the first time is it an honest mistake.


So, OP, keep hammering at them.  keep your confirmation and all receipts and demand full reimbursement for ALL OF IT.


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## pcgirl54 (Oct 18, 2008)

jdq

In the past we have had a vacation cancelled but not the day before. I would be livid. 

One time the RCI rep did not tell us we had a choice to keep the unit until the very end of the call. He said well we had to ask because the owner wants to use it. We had flights booked. The call was 2 weeks before the trip. Divorce situation where the wife was awarded the TS and DH had deposited a South Seas Plantation week in Captiva. Wife told RCI that she did not know the week was deposited by her ex. We went on the trip.

Second time we were called about a Siesta Key week where the owner rented the deposited week out and did not tell RCI per RCI. There was time for the RCI VC to find us a GC week.

Before these events I never knew that a week could be cancelled as I had confirmations but indeed they can.

You are assigned a RCI specialist in these situations who tries to find a comparable unit and in our case since it was their error we got our week back and stayed at a comparable resort. So a week for free. I can't recall if we got the exchange fee back but I think we did. I do not know if this is still the way situations are handled.

However you are on your way there now if you had to leave at 4am. I wonder what would happen if you just show up to check in early before the rest of the exchangers try to check in. I would hand them the exchange cert and see what happens.


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## Carolinian (Oct 18, 2008)

With a popular weekend, they probably had a market for rentals, so they booted the exchangers.  In its press releases, RCI now refers to itself as a ''vacation rental and exchange company'' in that order.

Once I found out that it was RCI that cancelled the week with the resort, I would have simply told them that you would rent comparable accomodations and bill RCI for ther cost, then if they did not pay sue them under Consumer Protection Statutes for unfair and deceptive business practices.  If it is similar to NC, you could collect treble damages plus attorney fees.

At minimum, I would file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the State AG.


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## Kozman (Oct 19, 2008)

Would it be too late to contact the class action lawyers to provide additional evidence of RCI's mischief on the basis of their rental policy?


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## Tia (Oct 19, 2008)

Makes me sure I was right to cancel our RCI membership and know I will never join again.


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## jstapleton (Oct 22, 2008)

Tia said:


> Makes me sure I was right to cancel our RCI membership and know I will never join again.



For someone like me that uses their HHI timeshare in August but usually exchanges my Orlando T/S for other locations, how do I go about doing that without using RCI. RCI is the only place my Orlando T/S uses. Thank you since I would very much be interested in learning more. I am very new to all the ins/outs. Thanks you.


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## Dave*H (Oct 22, 2008)

jstapleton said:


> For someone like me that uses their HHI timeshare in August but usually exchanges my Orlando T/S for other locations, how do I go about doing that without using RCI.


Use one of the independents: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51125


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## jstapleton (Oct 22, 2008)

Dave*H said:


> Use one of the independents: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51125



Thank you. I have seen these before and even at one time registered with DAE but I am too scared to use them. Is one more successful than another or what do most on Tug use? I usually trade my Orange Lake Country Club Spring Break/Easter Week for President's Week in Florida on beach. Thank you.


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## Dave*H (Oct 23, 2008)

jstapleton said:


> Is one more successful than another or what do most on Tug use?


I've only used II and HTSE.  With HTSE, they already had something I wanted when I made the exchange so there was no real risk, but I still have my membership and occasionally see some good stuff.  You have to be more flexible with the independents because their inventory is smaller, but so are the number of people competing for that inventory.  Also, different independents have more availability in each area.


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## eal (Oct 23, 2008)

And a reminder that your timeshare management company cannot dictate which exchange company you use, no matter what they might say initially.  Just book your week, contact the exchange company and they will take care of the rest.


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## icydog (Oct 23, 2008)

*I wish I had done just that.* I should have found some wonderful RHC week somewhere and then deposited it into an independent. I was so disillusioned with SFX, and I don't know how to work with TPI or DAE, that I let the resort company, RHC, deposit the weeks for me. They picked weeks that had already passed, that were from a bulk banked list for their owned resort in Cancun.   

The same RHC weeks that had, in the past, been able to reserve NYC, Rome, London and Hawaii with RHC now get me bubkus with RCI. And it's not RCI's fault completely- RHC is more at fault in this situation that is RCI.


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## icydog (Oct 23, 2008)

jdp0906 said:


> We are scheduled to go on vac tomorrow.  We have a paper confirmation from RCI to that effect.  We also have a verbal confirmation number from the resort.
> 
> RCI called us last night to basically say it was cancelled and my RCI account show they have us "On-Hold" for another resort two weeks from now.
> 
> ...



I hope the OP keeps us informed about her plight. I know why she called, I would have called too. She was scared. Knowing what I know now, it never makes sense to call RCI-- unless the resort is on fire.:ignore:


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## jstapleton (Oct 23, 2008)

eal said:


> And a reminder that your timeshare management company cannot dictate which exchange company you use, no matter what they might say initially.  Just book your week, contact the exchange company and they will take care of the rest.



Thank you. So what you are telling me is that Orange Lake Country Club in Orlando told me I can only deposit my week into RCI. You are telling me I really can deposit to II or any independent? I'm learning so much!
And, if this is the case, they are just out and out lying about this??? Yikes and thanks.


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## riverdees05 (Oct 23, 2008)

*OLCC*

I don't think that you can deposit with II, but you can with the independent exchange companies.


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## jstapleton (Oct 24, 2008)

riverdees05 said:


> I don't think that you can deposit with II, but you can with the independent exchange companies.



Thank you.

To the OP, I hope your trip went well and please come back and give us an update.


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## jdp0906 (Oct 24, 2008)

*RCI Trouble - help - Final Results*

Thank you all for your outpouring and outrage over this situation.  Hopefully people become more aware of the unscrupulous practices of companies like RCI.  My last update was just before hitting the road.  

Our last conversation with a manager at RCI was that we would be given whatever was available at the resort.  I had talked with many people at the resort and everyone said they had no knowledge of working thru this problem of double booking with RCI.  Yet when we talked with a RCI managert, she was "not at liberty to divulge who she had been speaking with".  That is probably because she hadn't been talking wih the resort at all and the exchangers be damned and the renters be satified.

I had a kindly and helpful ear with someone at the Villas.  That person had me fax my RCI site confirmation and followed thru with her supervisor to make sure we had a refurbished 2 bedroom unit.  Based on what I have read here and the opinion of the T/S salesperson (yeah we listened to the spiel), nothing compares to the 3 bedroom units.

Upon check-in, we were told we were the lucky ones, we got a call.  There were several RCI people that had already arrived and were told that RCI had cancelled their reservations.  Their scramble was beginning at the very last minute.

Yeah, we did get our Email confirmations for the 2 bedroom units about 10 AM on travel day, when we were on the road already.  Our reservations were already in the resort system thankfully to the people at the resort - long before RCI entered them into their system.  We had a phone message from the resort more than a half hour before RCI was entering anything in their system.  The resort called to let us know we were all set BEFORE RCI did anything.

Our compensation - a comp week and a year membership with RCI.  They threw the year membership since we opted out of the T/S game and were not going to renew membership.  The reason for that, we dropped out T/S having been it with 1400 in special assessment fees with our home resort.  This was our last time at bat with this game, now we have to put up with it one more time anyway.

OBTW, our hot air balloon ride was cancelled due to unpredictable winds.

Again thanx for your concerns and advise, however I hope anyone that read this that they learn RCI is not their only answer to exchanging - they would do better off on their own.


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## x3 skier (Oct 25, 2008)

Glad you got a place to stay.

Also glad I am letting my RCI membership expire and either just using my places myself or one of the independents like DAE or SFX.

Cheers


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## Keitht (Oct 25, 2008)

x3 skier said:


> Also glad I am letting my RCI membership expire and either just using my places myself or one of the independents like DAE or SFX.
> 
> Cheers



My RCI membership runs to 2009, but like many others I probably won't renew with them and will work with DAE or one of the other independents.  We have fewer options here in Europe but RCI really doesn't perform well any more.


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## SherryS (Oct 25, 2008)

My RCI membership also expires in 2009, and I will NOT be renewing due to the devaluation of my weeks AND RCI'S POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!!


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## Elli (Oct 25, 2008)

I am another RCI member that won't be renewing in 2009.


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