# Let's help one another out and start posting more II and RCI sightings!



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

I started a thread a while back, encouraging everyone to post more sightings, and it is working!  Thanks to all who are posting them, and I hope it helps all of you get something you have always hoped to get. 

I was personally helped with a sighting a little over a year ago, when I saw a sighting in the middle of the day for a resort I needed for exactly that check-in date.  It was a Disney's Wilderness Lodge Villas one bedroom unit.  I will never forget how excited I was to get that exchange.   

Seeing the big bankings of the Westins in Hawaii was my reason to buy a Sheraton Broadway Plantation, a decision I will never regret, and it's thanks to Jerseygirl for posting those, and the others who helped me make that purchase.  Thanks to all of you for that, too!   

Anyway, for those who don't know because they haven't joined TUG, Sightings are only availble to members, and it is worth the $15 to see the postings every day.  It could save you so much time logging into II or RCI to catch that perfect week.  Plus, we would love your participation in posting anything you see that others might want. 

Once you have paid for your TUG membership, you never have to pay again because Brian gives months of membership for posting resort reviews.  This is another benefit for joining TUG: *you get to see the reviews*.   I love writing them, and I love reading them.  The reviews are our way of sharing our personal knowledge of a resort, and if you are looking at an exchange, you don't have to take the chance.  You can also get additional months by referring people to join TUG!  If you refer 10 people, you get a lifetime TUG membership.  I still haven't achieved that one yet, but I am working on it. 

This is the largest timeshare usergroup.  If we all post sightings, we can really help one another.  I love searching II and RCI on a daily basis.  There is always something I am hoping to find.  While I am searching, if I see something I think others would LOVE, I post the sighting.  

If everyone posted a few sightings every day, we would have a huge list!  

Another benefit of seeing and posting sightings: you can test the trade power of your week(s) against other resorts.  I purchased 2 of my weeks, specifically because I couldn't see what others could, and I wanted to get those resorts!  I am so happy with my purchase decisions.  

Be sure to follow the rules for posting sightings.  Happy hunting!


----------



## jstapleton (Oct 16, 2008)

Thank you for starting this. Although I joined a year or two ago I am still very much a newbie. I own in HHI and Orlando and usually trade my Orlando week (always use my HHI week 32 week).
Anyway, being that I trade, I think I could benefit from sightings but not sure exactly what it is and what to do if I see something I want/need/looking for on this thread. Thank you very much!


----------



## Bwolf (Oct 16, 2008)

Just don't steal the sightings from the other site.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

Bwolf said:


> Just don't steal the sightings from the other site.



What would be the motive of doing that?  Just asking, because this has been accused of a few of us.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

jstapleton said:


> Thank you for starting this. Although I joined a year or two ago I am still very much a newbie. I own in HHI and Orlando and usually trade my Orlando week (always use my HHI week 32 week).
> Anyway, being that I trade, I think I could benefit from sightings but not sure exactly what it is and what to do if I see something I want/need/looking for on this thread. Thank you very much!



Post a new thread on the sightings forum, requesting that we watch for the week you want.  We will watch for sightings for you and either PM you, or we will post them openly on the thread.


----------



## Bwolf (Oct 16, 2008)

rickandcindy23 said:


> What would be the motive of doing that?  Just asking, because this has been accused of a few of us.



That's why the big grin.  

On the other site there is a now inaccessible thread discussing such alleged "theft". 

I find it highly amusing.  Only certain people know how to post sightings?  And they are all members of the other site?


:hysterical:


----------



## bnoble (Oct 16, 2008)

As far as I am aware, TUG has the same rules.  From the sightings board sticky:



> Sightings posted here are a TUG Member benefit and are not to be copied or shared outside of TUG or on public forums on the TUG BBS.



I don't have any idea how one enforces this, and do not know what TUG admins do if they believe it has happened.


----------



## icydog (Oct 16, 2008)

Bwolf said:


> That's why the big grin.
> 
> On the other site there is a now inaccessible thread discussing such alleged "theft".
> 
> ...



I guess Interval International, and maybe God, has a special branch for them alone. In this secret II place they can see a special cache of weeks for their eyes only!! "Ssh it's a secret, don't tell anyone other than our buddies, but II has some wonderful exchanges"...  Like that makes sense. We all see the exact same thing.


----------



## TUGBrian (Oct 16, 2008)

a direct cut/paste from the sightings forum elsewhere would be something that would raise an eyebrow.

However, its not like we own this data in the first place.


----------



## itchyfeet (Oct 16, 2008)

Is there somewhere to post a "sighting wanted", that is a specific week that I'm looking for?  TIA


----------



## DeniseM (Oct 16, 2008)

itchyfeet said:


> Is there somewhere to post a "sighting wanted", that is a specific week that I'm looking for?  TIA



Yes - on the Sighting board below the Lounge board.


----------



## bnoble (Oct 16, 2008)

> a direct cut/paste from the sightings forum elsewhere would be something that would raise an eyebrow.


This is what I keep getting hung up on.  How can you tell the difference between a direct cut and paste, and someone who ran the same search and got the same results?


----------



## DeniseM (Oct 16, 2008)

bnoble said:


> This is what I keep getting hung up on.  How can you tell the difference between a direct cut and paste, and someone who ran the same search and got the same results?



I don't think it's that big of a deal.  If it's a problem, then it will be reported, and a Mod will deal with it.  I've never seen anyone report it, though...


----------



## TUGBrian (Oct 16, 2008)

you wouldnt...its not even our data to begin with.

ie if you go look up 25 resorts and post the results on TUG...then go post them somewhere else...thats certainly your right.

I believe the rules exist to prevent someone from going into the sightings, taking down all of the information, and then reproducing it elsewhere.

If you are reproducing your own posts elsewhere, well we certainly have no right to restrict or control that.  

Taking other peoples info and reposting it elsewhere is the only issue I can see, and even that would be difficult to "prove".  ive never heard of it being an issue here.

I am not going to speak for anyone else however.


----------



## Bwolf (Oct 16, 2008)

I need a smiley that goes way beyond hysterical.  

This :rofl: and this :hysterical: just don't express how funny I find this whole (extended) discussion.

I hope no one thinks I'm laughing at them (at least, no one on this board).  I'm just laughing so hard I need hysterical's older brother, standing on his feet, emitting guffaws.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Oct 16, 2008)

*Whew!  That's A Relief.*




TUGBrian said:


> If you are reproducing your own posts elsewhere, well we certainly have no right to restrict or control that.


Whoa -- I'm glad to hear that. 

For a while there, I was semi-worried I might get in trouble with the Grand Pro for putting all my TUG-BBS stuff on the Internet over at Mox Nix Blog. 

Meanwhile, whussup with _Sightings_ ? 

I have never understood anything about what's going on with that.  Sightings is a dark corner of TUG that I know nothing about. 

I'm guessing savvy RCI & I-I people send in TUG-BBS entries when they spy something available for I-I or RCI exchange that's considered hard to get or that comes up unexpectedly.  Then other savvy timeshare folk go jump on those "sightings" while the getting is hot.  Is that about it?  If so, how does it work?  Is there a Sightings 101 on-line anywhere that spells it all out for the benefit of us doofuses ? 

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


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

Alan, do you never check sightings?  You are a member, so you can see what's there right now.  I supposed you don't exchange, and that is why you don't know?  

You should check it out.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Oct 16, 2008)

*Doofus, Shmoofus.*




rickandcindy23 said:


> Alan, do you never check sightings?  You are a member, so you can see what's there right now.  I supposed you don't exchange, and that is why you don't know?
> 
> You should check it out.


We've done 4 or 5 week-for-week exchanges & 1 straight-points exchange.  Other than that, all our vacations in other people's timeshares have been _Last Call_ & _Instant Exchange_.

It's not that I've never looked at _Sightings_ -- just that I haven't figured out how it works or what I'm spozed to do with something that somebody has _Sighted_. 

I could be the only doofus on TUG-BBS -- but somehow I doubt it.  (There are more of us doofuses out there then 1 might expect.) 

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


----------



## jstapleton (Oct 16, 2008)

Thank you. Once someone found something I was looking for or PMd me, how would I get it with my trader. If they were looking with a better trader than mine, would I still be able to get the sighting? Thanks.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

jstapleton said:


> Thank you. Once someone found something I was looking for or PMd me, how would I get it with my trader. If they were looking with a better trader than mine, would I still be able to get the sighting? Thanks.



Not necessarily.  If you week won't pull the sighting, you would have to call II or RCI and ask if you can get the week.  Maybe they will let you have it, but it's no guarantee.  You have a better chance if you know the week is there, than if you don't.


----------



## jstapleton (Oct 16, 2008)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Not necessarily.  If you week won't pull the sighting, you would have to call II or RCI and ask if you can get the week.  Maybe they will let you have it, but it's no guarantee.  You have a better chance if you know the week is there, than if you don't.



Thank you. This may be how I usually can get my week that I want when I call.  If I call and call and call again all day all week, I usually end up getting what I was looking for other than just having my week sit there and wait.
It is an April/around Easter week in Orlando and know that there is much inventory in Orlando so not as good as if I used my HHI summer week, but I use that week, don't trade it. Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this to me. I very much appreciate it.


----------



## bnoble (Oct 16, 2008)

> Taking other peoples info and reposting it elsewhere is the only issue I can see, and even that would be difficult to "prove".


I don't think it is difficult.  I think it is impossible---because that person could have run their own search instead.


----------



## bnoble (Oct 16, 2008)

> This may be how I usually can get my week that I want when I call.


You might want to save that for times you really want it.  Some suspect that RCI keeps track of such "favors", and may be less willing to extend it as time goes on.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 16, 2008)

bnoble said:


> I don't think it is difficult.  I think it is impossible---because that person could have run their own search instead.



Very true.  If I search for Maui weeks in II, most of the sightings are going to be the same that others see, unless others are seeing something in a preference period, such as Starwood or Marriott.  If I post my sighting, it could very well be identical to someone else's.  

TUGBrian and I talked about this via email a few months ago.  He was very kind and sympathetic toward my situation, and I appreciated it very much.


----------



## ricoba (Oct 16, 2008)

I don't know anything about the alleged stealing of sightings....all I know is I appreciate that Cindy is diligent in posting sightings, something my HGVC membership won't let me do.

So thanks Cindy for your contributions.


----------



## malyons (Oct 17, 2008)

where do i find the sightings board?  sorry, i'm clearly a newbie but think this would certainly help me and I'd love to contribute once i figure it out (just joined II about 3 weeks ago)  TIA!


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 17, 2008)

malyons said:


> where do i find the sightings board?  sorry, i'm clearly a newbie but think this would certainly help me and I'd love to contribute once i figure it out (just joined II about 3 weeks ago)  TIA!



Hi!  Welcome to TUG!  The Sightings/ Distressed part of the BBS is toward the bottom of the different forums.  

If you go to BBS Home, you will see it toward the bottom.  

I have been in the habit of going to New Posts several times a day, and that can be another way of getting there.  If a New Post says Sightings/ Distressed to the right of the post, click on the link there.


----------



## Carol C (Oct 18, 2008)

AwayWeGo said:


> We've done 4 or 5 week-for-week exchanges & 1 straight-points exchange.  Other than that, all our vacations in other people's timeshares have been _Last Call_ & _Instant Exchange_.
> 
> It's not that I've never looked at _Sightings_ -- just that I haven't figured out how it works or what I'm spozed to do with something that somebody has _Sighted_.
> 
> ...



Heya Alan...looking at the weeks you own, you are the perfect person to be looking at Sightings postings. For example...when I owned South Africa weeks, like you do, I could grab an exchange, say, at Manhattan Club, when a generous person like Dani or Cindy or whomever posted a bulk-spacebanking of MC weeks on deposit. Because supply and demand is one of the big equations with RCI, the trade power becomes a bit different when there is an unusually big "supply" due to a bulk-spacebanking by a resort into RCI's inventory. So when there are, say, 30 Manhattan Club weeks available on any given day, a "lesser trader" like a South Africa week (with cheaper maint fee usually) might snag a coveted vacation exchange. Sightings provide a kind of early notice to TUG members that a coveted exchange is available, so folks start to snap them up quickly (and hopefully also post if they got one...and what they still see in inventory a few days later.) I find it very educational, even if I don't want to go to that destination at that time period.

That's just one example of how Sightings are helpful. I also think a newbie can learn alot about her/his timeshare's trading power by studying Sightings bbs. 

TUG is the place where the Sightings idea was first launched; I know the history. Along with the Distressed postings to the bbs, it has been an invaluable aid to countless timeshare exchangers. TUG Sightings have made many dreams come true!


----------



## ronandjoan (Oct 19, 2008)

Carol, Cindy
I did the same thing last year when there was a bulk spacebank of Fairfield Kona Hawaiian last December - it was a year out and several poeple had already grabbed them successfully, but there were so many spacebanked, that I was able to get one too.  I just called RCI and asked for it and got it with a blue studio exchange.

The Sightings are great and I really appreciate those that post!  THANKS


----------



## middleoforchid (Oct 20, 2008)

Thank you for sharing that info Carol and Joan,now I understand what "bulk" spacebanking means.


----------



## icydog (Oct 20, 2008)

*My two cents*

I like to post sightings first thing in the morning. It seems that many resort chains do the deposits overnight.  For example Disney posts more listings on Monday morning in the early AM than on other days of the week. Often by 7 AM the best ones are gone. So if you want to get into DVC resorts, get up early, and preferrably do it on Monday. Other resort chains like Marriott are sporatic in their deposits. They, too, deposit overnight for the most part but they could do it anytime during the day as well. Some resorts deposit directly into II and some have to be input manually by II reps. 

As far as copying sightings, I will not dwell on this, but suffice to say some folks (not Tuggers) feel they have proprietary ownership over II an RCI sightings. Sightings are not even ours. The information posted on sightings boards actually belongs to RCI and II and the copying of that information *could be thought of as proprietary to them alone* not a timeshare board somewhere. It is their, RCI and II's, information we are copying. If they don't care, and one can assume they don't since sightings have been going on for years, then that information should be viewed as public domaine and therefore doesn't belong to anyone. The fact is, with so little involved with posting a sighting, or giving it a title, that someone can be accused of stealing a sighting--- is ridiculous, and a vain attempt to claim something that is not theirs in the first place. We at Tug are more generous with our time and efforts. I love that I can help someone as I am sure the other posters like Cindy are. That's all I have to say on this topic.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 20, 2008)

Marylyn, RCI posts new stuff at 11:00 p.m. my time, which is 1:00 a.m. Eastern.  Lots of good inventory shows up, but it is hard to stay awake that late.

I agree completely about the RCI and II information.  The companies own it, not any timeshare owners' group.  It is very logical that identical sightings would appear on other forums.  I hope RCI and II never get technical and stop us from posting information here.  This would require a "super secret" spot for sightings.


----------



## PeelBoy (Oct 20, 2008)

I would like to see the distressed postings to have a separate thread, because they "sink" really fast.


----------



## icydog (Oct 20, 2008)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Marylyn, RCI posts new stuff at 11:00 p.m. my time, which is 1:00 a.m. Eastern.  Lots of good inventory shows up, but it is hard to stay awake that late.
> 
> I agree completely about the RCI and II information.  The companies own it, not any timeshare owners' group.  It is very logical that identical sightings would appear on other forums.  I hope RCI and II never get technical and stop us from posting information here.  This would require a "super secret" spot for sightings.


I agree with you wholehearty. I. Don't have any weeks I can exchange since I am selling my two Manor Clubs bit I can still search as if I would want to exchange them. I will do this whenever I can to help other Tug members. 
I just wish my RCI traders were good enough to see anything of value. I hope others will join us in the cause to make Tug the end all, be all of sightings forums!


----------



## Mom Poppins (Oct 21, 2008)

I found out that my 2 bedroom can now be split and get the 1 bedroom (with a bonus ac) and a studio..so 3 weeks!  I went straight to II to try it out by using the view units way without depositing.  

I can see my studio will pull Disney's studio's and 1 bedrooms.  My 1 bedroom will pull of course their 1 bedrooms.  Now I need to know if either will pull a Disney 2 bedroom!  I can see 2 and 3 bedrooms in Orlando but at the time I don't see any 2 bedrooms at DVC to try it out with. 

I tried to even put in my 2 bedroom and could not see any 2 bedrooms so i am now waiting on a confirmed sighting of a Disney 2 bedroom to see what I can pull. 

Thanks for all of you whom post on the sightings board!!!


----------



## philemer (Oct 21, 2008)

PeelBoy said:


> I would like to see the distressed postings to have a separate thread, because they "sink" really fast.



There's no rule against 'bumping' the post to the top every day if you want. I don't feel there are enough distressed posts to warrant their own forum or sub-forum. JMHO.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Oct 21, 2008)

*Bumping Instructions Needed.*




philemer said:


> There's no rule against 'bumping' the post to the top every day if you want.


How is that done ? 

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


----------



## DeniseM (Oct 21, 2008)

AwayWeGo said:


> How is that done ?
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​






All you do is add a post to the thread like "still available," and it will go to the top of the board.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 21, 2008)

Post a reply that and say, "Still have this week................." and voila! You have bumped it back to the top, but you knew that.


----------



## Toughbeat (Oct 23, 2008)

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm having trouble finding the SIGHTINGS/DISTRESSED board.  I looked toward the bottom of the BBS Home page but didn't see anything.  Can someone maybe post a link or send me a TUG FOR DUMMIES book?   thanks


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 23, 2008)

Budget ED said:


> Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm having trouble finding the SIGHTINGS/DISTRESSED board.  I looked toward the bottom of the BBS Home page but didn't see anything.  Can someone maybe post a link or send me a TUG FOR DUMMIES book?   thanks



You have to be a member, which costs $15 for a year, to see the sightings and read the resort reviews.  Believe me, this site is worth $15, plus you will never have to pay for membership again because you can get free months by writing resort reviews.   This is something TUGBrian just started about a year ago; he gives free months of membership for every single review you write, and the better reviews get more months.  I don't remember exactly what they get, but I should never have to pay again because I write lots of them.   

Also, you get free months for getting another person to subscribe.  If you get ten people to subscribe, you get a TUG Lifetime Membership, and I am trying to get that!  

Pulling one exchange that you discover on the sightings board is worth the membership alone.


----------



## Toughbeat (Oct 23, 2008)

I should have mentioned that I am logged in and became a member just yesterday. I've been able to access the members only areas, such as Placing an Ad, but still can't find SIGHTINGS.


----------



## Dave M (Oct 23, 2008)

Scroll down the list of forums. You'll find it under "Private Forums" near the bottom of the list. The title is "Sightings/Distressed".


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Oct 23, 2008)

Mystery solved.  You weren't showing as a Member when I posted my response.  

Welcome to TUG as a brand new member!


----------

