# RCI Last call



## New2time (Sep 30, 2011)

Just wondering- can anyone that is an RCI member get the Last Call vacations? I am asking because I was told that I could not book a RCI nightly stay with my wyndham in RCI


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## BellaWyn (Sep 30, 2011)

New2time said:


> Just wondering- can anyone that is an *RCI* member get the *Last Call vacations*? I am asking because I was told that I could not book a *RCI nightly stays* with my wyndham in RCI



*Two different things.  *
*RCI Last Call* are last minute NON-exchange vacations.  Anyone that has an RCI account will be able to get Last Call Vacations.  You do not use your Wyndham points for Last Call.  You get highly discounted weekly stays for an RCI rental rate of the available Last Call inventory.  It's essentially the leftovers that RCI is trying to move.  Inventory is very limited but if there is something that speaks to you, it's usually a stormin' deal.

*RCI Nightly Stays* is an option available to Wyndham account holders that have *Plus Partners* attached to their Wyndham accounts (for a fee of course).  Any Wyndham owner can purchase the Plus Partners option.  Most VIP owners have PP included as part of their VIP benefits.


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## memereDoris (Sep 30, 2011)

BellaWyn said:


> *RCI Nightly Stays* Any Wyndham owner can purchase the Plus Partners option.



Only if your Wyndham account is associated with RCI.  Not available if you have an II associated Wyndham account.


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 30, 2011)

*You Typed A Mouthful.*



BellaWyn said:


> Anyone that has an RCI account will be able to get Last Call Vacatiohttp://tugbbs.com/forums/images/editor/menupop.gifns.  You do not use your Wyndham points for Last Call.  You get highly discounted weekly stays for an RCI rental rate of the available Last Call inventory.  It's essentially the leftovers that RCI is trying to move.  Inventory is very limited but if there is something that speaks to you, it's usually a stormin' deal.


Just about all our timeshare vacations lately are RCI _Last Call_ & _Instant Exchange_ -- & we're not even in Wyndham.

_Last Call_ & _Instant Exchange_ are such outstanding bargains that it hurts our feelings to have to use our own paid for timeshare weeks or to take a regular RCI timeshare exchange, weeks or points _mox nix_.

_Full Disclosure*:*_  We'll be at a Las Vegas resort next week on _Last Call_.  Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## BellaWyn (Sep 30, 2011)

memereDoris said:


> Only if your Wyndham account is associated with RCI.  Not available if you have an II associated Wyndham account.


Wow!  Totally unaware of that!  Thanks for clarifying!

That might be a fun point to fly in the face of Wyndham sales when they are trying to "upsell" to owners that have II-Affiliated properties.


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## New2time (Sep 30, 2011)

Gotcha- makes perfect sense- Also, am I understanding correctly that for a guest to use it, then there is a GC of $60 in addition?


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## BellaWyn (Sep 30, 2011)

*RCI Guest Fee*

Yes.  When you attach a guest name to any RCI reservation it will cost the additional $59 Guest fee.


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## BellaWyn (Sep 30, 2011)

*Back at ya!*



AwayWeGo said:


> _Last Call_ & _Instant Exchange_ are such outstanding bargains that it hurts our feelings to have to use our own paid for timeshare weeks or to take a regular RCI timeshare exchange, weeks or points _mox nix_.



Alan:
So, to be clear.... your paid for timeshare weeks become the orphan children in your TS portfolio?  Aren't you hurting their feelings subrogating to second priority....   poor dears....  

I think it would be helpful to the OP to clarify the *Last Call vs Instant Exchange* since you are more adept. Please.....


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 30, 2011)

*Free Guest Certificates For RCI Points "Additional Users."*




New2time said:


> Also, am I understanding correctly that for a guest to use it, then there is a GC of $60 in addition?


The main advantage we have found to having official _Additional Users_ associated with our RCI Points account is that we can get Guest Certificates for them at no charge. 

When we signed up with RCI Points in 2005, the written application form had spaces for listing up to 5 Additional Users.  So we wrote in our 2 sons, our nephew, my brother, & The Chief Of Staff's sister.  

Only The Chief Of Staff & I are "on" our RCI account.  _Additional Users_ are in a separate category from timeshare co-owners & joint RCI accountholders. 

Our East Coast son uses our RCI account frequently.  Plus, we fixed up my brother & our nephew with free Guest Certificates a couple of times.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## bnoble (Sep 30, 2011)

> I was told that I could not book a RCI nightly stay with my wyndham in RCI


If you are a resale owner, and you have not explicitly enrolled in PlusPartners, then no you cannot book via "nightly stays".

However, you *can* do a full-week Last Call. They are so cheap that it can often make sense even for just a long weekend.


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## New2time (Sep 30, 2011)

how difficult is it to add Additional Users to an existing account? and is there a charge?


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## New2time (Sep 30, 2011)

One more question - what is Instant Exchange mentioned above?


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 30, 2011)

*Full Circle.*




New2time said:


> how difficult is it to add Additional Users to an existing account? and is there a charge?


No extra charge when we designated our _Additional Users_ as part of our original RCI Points membership application.  I don't know how it works after that, but I doubt there's any charge for it. 


New2time said:


> One more question - what is Instant Exchange mentioned above?


_Instant Exchange_ is the feature which more than anything else attracted us to RCI Points.  

For 9*,*000 points (maximum) & oftener for only 7*,*500 points, plus exchange fee, _Instant Exchange_ gets you a full week in an RCI Weeks timeshare when the reservation is made within 30 days of check-in.

It used to be when the reservation was made within 45 days of check-in.  But that was changed last year.  (By me, they should have changed it to within 60 days of check in.  But what do I know?) 

January before last, we snagged back to back _Instant Exchange_ reservations for outstanding Orlando 3BR-3BA units at 2 extremely nice timeshares.  Total cost for the 2 _Instant Exchange_ reservations was 15*,*000 points + 2 exchange fees.

_Instant Exchange_ & _Last Call_ are mainly for the leftover dogs & cats & the off-season offerings of timeshare world, offered at low rates near the last minute so that RCI gets at least something for them instead of letting them go unused & go to waste.  Some of the dogs & cats are actually pretty nice.  And some vacationers -- e.g., The Chief Of Staff & I -- prefer off-season anyway.  Putting off making our reservations till 30 days before check-in involves some risk, but also some fun as we try to beat the system for another shot at luxury accommodations at _el cheapo_ rates.     



BellaWyn said:


> So, to be clear.... your paid for timeshare weeks become the orphan children in your TS portfolio?  Aren't you hurting their feelings subrogating to second priority....   poor dears....
> 
> I think it would be helpful to the OP to clarify the *Last Call vs Instant Exchange* since you are more adept. Please.....


Yes, for better or worse, our pride of ownership is being muscled out of the way by our enjoyment of luxury timeshare condos at Motel 6 & Super 8 rates.

We no longer own our every-year Orlando timeshare, where I once was an (unsuccessful) HOA-BOD candidate.  We gave it away last year -- _el freebo_.  (So much for pride of ownership.)  Now, The Chief Of Staff is eyeballing our outstanding EEY Orlando timeshare ownership in a way that makes me semi-nervous.

Our Kissimmee timeshares are eBay dinky triennial points units that generate the points we use for bargain _Instant Exchange_ reservations at other people's timeshares.  You could say we have some slight pride of ownership with those, because in buying them we came full circle in our timeshare story.  They are at the resort where, in 2002, we took a promotional timeshare tour that turned us on to the idea of timeshares.  We didn't buy -- too expensive -- but the seed had been planted.  On the way back to our dinky motel after the high-pressure spiel, we spied a highway billboard advertising timeshare resales.  The rest is history.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## learnalot (Sep 30, 2011)

One more thing to clarify what Alan has written, instant exchange is something they use via their RCI points ownership.  Unless I am missing something, this is not available through a Wyndham-paid/owned RCI account - it is something completely separate.  RCI points are a form of ownership and are not to be confused with depositing and spending your Wyndham points in RCI (even if you have Plus Partners which allows you to book nightly stays in RCI using your Wyndham points).

Alan, can you please confirm whether this is correct because, according to the OP's post profile, it looks like are working with Wyndham points.


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## ronparise (Sep 30, 2011)

learnalot said:


> One more thing to clarify what Alan has written, instant exchange is something they use via their RCI points ownership.  Unless I am missing something, this is not available through a Wyndham-paid/owned RCI account - it is something completely separate.  RCI points are a form of ownership and are not to be confused with depositing and spending your Wyndham points in RCI (even if you have Plus Partners which allows you to book nightly stays in RCI using your Wyndham points).
> 
> Alan, can you please confirm whether this is correct because, according to the OP's post profile, it looks like are working with Wyndham points.



Allen can confirm, but Youve got it RCI points are different than wyndham points  and different than RCI weeks (points lite or tpu)

confusing?? you bet,


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 30, 2011)

*RCI Points Is Its Own Thing -- Not Interchangeable With Wyndham Points.*




learnalot said:


> One more thing to clarify what Alan has written, instant exchange is something they use via their RCI points ownership.  Unless I am missing something, this is not available through a Wyndham-paid/owned RCI account - it is something completely separate.  RCI points are a form of ownership and are not to be confused with depositing and spending your Wyndham points in RCI (even if you have Plus Partners which allows you to book nightly stays in RCI using your Wyndham points).
> 
> Alan, can you please confirm whether this is correct because, according to the OP's post profile, it looks like are working with Wyndham points.


All this stuff about _Last Call_ is strictly RCI -- & _Instant Exchange_ is strictly RCI Points.   

I know next to nothing about Wyndham timeshares -- other than that Wyndham points & RCI Points are entirely separate & non-interchangeable despite the fact RCI & Wyndham are corporate cousins.  Wyndham may have some relationship with RCI Weeks, but (far as I know) not with RCI Points. 

RCI Points is more of an ownership enhancement then a straight-out form of ownership.  That is, our deeded points timeshares are in the RCI Points system because (a) the timeshare resort is affiliated with RCI Points & (b) some prior owner of our points-units paid major money to have them "converted" from straight weeks to RCI Points, & (c) they stayed converted upon resale transfer to us, & (d) The Chief Of Staff & I are paid-up RCI Points members in good standing.

If we drop our RCI Points membership, our points timeshare weeks will still belong to us but will no longer be in RCI Points.  In that case, we could use the units ourselves or rent'm out, but we could no longer use their points value for RCI Points exchange reservations at other people's timeshares.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## learnalot (Sep 30, 2011)

Thanks, Alan.  That is the understanding I had from your earlier posts, too.  Just thought I would confirm and clarify for the sake of the OP.


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## Travelclam (Sep 30, 2011)

*RCI points only or RCI TPU's too?*



AwayWeGo said:


> All this stuff about _Last Call_ is strictly RCI -- & _Instant Exchange_ is strictly RCI Points.
> 
> I know next to nothing about Wyndham timeshares -- other than that Wyndham points & RCI Points are entirely separate & non-interchangeable despite the fact RCI & Wyndham are corporate cousins.  Wyndham may have some relationship with RCI Weeks, but (far as I know) not with RCI Points.
> 
> ...



When you said strictly RCI points, do you mean these last calls and instant exchanges are just for RCI points, not RCI TPU's?  I am curious to know if these last calls /instant exchanges would work with RCI TPU's too (isn't TPUs some form of points too?).

B


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## Passepartout (Sep 30, 2011)

Travelclam said:


> When you said strictly RCI points, do you mean these last calls and instant exchanges are just for RCI points, not RCI TPU's?  I am curious to know if these last calls /instant exchanges would work with RCI TPU's too (isn't TPUs some form of points too?).
> 
> B



Last calls are ca$h. No exchange required. Instant Exchanges are RCI Points only. No TPU's They are a way to get last minute (30 day B4) check in for RCI Point members. 

RCI Weeks from where you get TPU's, have their own way of getting last minute exchanges- the TPUs required just goes down and down and down as check in gets closer.

In either case, you can imagine that these are simply leftovers. You will find very few 'treasures'.

Jim Ricks


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 1, 2011)

*TPUs, Shmee Pea Yooooz.*




Travelclam said:


> (isn't TPUs some form of points too?).


Some of the wittier TUG-BBS commentators refer to RCI Weeks Trading Power Units as "Points Lite." 

_Yuck-yuck-yuck-yuck-yuck-yuck._ 

Very funny.  I am holding my sides because of all the laughing.

Call'm whatever you want, TPUs are entirely separate from RCI Points. 

Meanwhile, _Instant Exchange_ is only for points exchanges into weeks timeshares. 

Think of it as _Raiding The TPU Inventory_ if you want. 

By contrast, straight points reservations for points timeshares are not discounted.  If I make a reservation today for check-in tomorrow, that still takes the full points value of the timeshare.  Go figure. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## New2time (Oct 25, 2011)

*Extra Vacations*

Can anyone with wyndham points and RCI membership book an EXTRA VACATIONS thru RCI? (not using points of course)


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## nole9911 (Oct 25, 2011)

AwayWeGo said:


> All this stuff about _Last Call_ is strictly RCI -- & _Instant Exchange_ is strictly RCI Points.
> 
> I know next to nothing about Wyndham timeshares -- other than that Wyndham points & RCI Points are entirely separate & non-interchangeable despite the fact RCI & Wyndham are corporate cousins.  Wyndham may have some relationship with RCI Weeks, but (far as I know) not with RCI Points.
> 
> ...



I think I can help.. Wyndham Worldwide actually owns RCI.  Their points are not the same though.  However, you can search for availability before depositing anythin with RCI.  You can also take advantage of "leftover" units that resorts are trying to fill last minute and receive a week by depositing a very small amount of Wyndham points.  There is still an exchange fee though.


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## bnoble (Oct 26, 2011)

New2time said:


> Can anyone with wyndham points and RCI membership book an EXTRA VACATIONS thru RCI? (not using points of course)



Yes, but you need to have a "regular" weeks account instantiated.  I'm not sure how hard this will be, because mine predates the change.  However, my Weeks account is still being paid for out of my Wyndham fees, and they rrenewed it this past March, a month or two post-portal, so it should still be possible.


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## paxsarah (Oct 26, 2011)

My Wyndham RCI account was set up _after_ the changes, and I am also able to log into RCI weeks directly (I don't have anything in there in terms of deposits), as well as through the Wyndham portal.


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## Gophesjo (Oct 26, 2011)

*Exchange fee for instant exchanges?*

Is the exchange fee for an Instant Exchange using RCI Points the same as for any other RCI exchange, or is it discounted, too?


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 28, 2011)

*Instant Exchange Is Outstanding.*




Gophesjo said:


> Is the exchange fee for an Instant Exchange using RCI Points the same as for any other RCI exchange, or is it discounted, too?


Regular exchange fee is charged. 

They figure getting a full timeshare week for no more than 9*,*000 points -- any size, any location, any rating, depending only on what's still left 30 days before check-in -- is a big enough bargain all by itself.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## rrlongwell (Oct 28, 2011)

bnoble said:


> Yes, but you need to have a "regular" weeks account instantiated.  I'm not sure how hard this will be, because mine predates the change.  However, my Weeks account is still being paid for out of my Wyndham fees, and they rrenewed it this past March, a month or two post-portal, so it should still be possible.



Yes, just give RCI a call they can set one up.  If they need anything from Wyndham they will tell you.


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## Chicagoland (Nov 1, 2011)

*Thanks Alan*

Hi, I an not new to TUG as I have been a long time reader, but I finally signed up for an account.

I am in discussions with a seller who has a EOY points timeshare, which I plan on using really for the 6,000 - 9,000 Instant Exchanges and utilizing the discounted Last Call vacations.

Alan, I appreciate reading your feedback, usage and opinions of this type of usage.  It gave me some insight and understnd now how it works.

I currently do not own a timeshare.  In the past, I purchased a HGVC Flamingo 7000 points property and turned around and sold it a couple of months later for just under a $1,000 profit to another seller.  I never even used it at all.  This was in the beginning of 2008 and I sold it for $11,500.  I think it has dropped siginificantly since then.


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