# Question for Royal Holiday Club Members



## vettebuf (Nov 25, 2006)

I booked an August, '07 week at Powell Place the other night. I got the date I wanted and everything went well except that the representative told me that I had a fee of over $200 on my account. I told him that we had paid our Special Assessment and he told me that it was a late fee. I told him that it was impossible. He asked me when I had paid last and I told him. I remember having the notice in front of me when I called and charged it to my credit card. He excused himself and, when he returned, he told me that I didn't owe any late fee. I'm wondering if this a ploy for collecting extra money. 

Has this happened to any of you?

Oh, one other thing, have you stayed at Powell Place and did you like it?


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## Blondie (Nov 25, 2006)

This happens often to those who have posted here. Or, maybe only those who post are those who get presented with "special fees" and get ticked off??
If you can get past their shoddy bookkeeping and keep your own records and dispute those charges, RHC has some great properties. Considering the rock bottom cost of ownership on the resale market it is still worth it to many to own these points.


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## bigrick (Nov 25, 2006)

Can you get a confirmation number from them?  

Then you have something from them that you can use to track your actions.  Plus it gives them something they recognize should they wish to search.


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## vettebuf (Nov 26, 2006)

Bigrick, thanks for the advice. I definitely will ask for a confirmation number when I pay the next time. I had already thought of checking my Mastercard statement to see when they posted the charge but that might not have helped. I remember one time in the past where they didn't post a charge until a month after I called. At that time, they called me back because they hadn't heard the MC number correctly.

Blondie, I agree with you. Many of the properties offered are nice and it gives us a chance to go to places that my other TS won't pull. I also agree that buying resale is worthwhile if you like to travel. Unfortunately, we bought our RHC directly from them back in 1992 and we don't have enough vacation time to use on more than the 5 weeks a year we currently travel - cruise, beach house, TS, RHC, and "extra" ski week.


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## Blondie (Nov 26, 2006)

Hi Elaine- Well, they do give conf# now for all transactions and I always use a credit card so I can track a payment. I swear they just do this to try to trick people. if you have further problems I have an email if you want to complain. In fact, if you search this board for RHC you will be able to read my horror story which finally got fixed and that link contains the email to the one person who ever cared to fix my account.


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## Hoc (Nov 26, 2006)

vettebuf said:
			
		

> Bigrick, thanks for the advice. I definitely will ask for a confirmation number when I pay the next time.



That might not make a difference.  Even with proof of payment, I have been told that my payment was applied to prior years' past due amounts.  Once, I was told that I needed to pay a fee.  I showed the credit card statement where I had paid it four months earlier.  I was then told that my payment was applied to a prior year's past due amounts.  When I was able to show a statement proving payment of the prior year's amounts, I was then told that it was applied to a past due payment from two years earlier.  Eventually, they went back so far that I no longer had the records, and they insisted that I pay a second fee for that year, or they would cancel my timeshare for that year.


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## caribbean (Nov 26, 2006)

I make all of my payments online and print them out an keep the receipts. You can also go online and look at the status of your account and print out the last several years of information. I have also had them tell me I owed something that I had already paid. It has happened twice since I paid the Special Assessment. Every time I told them it was paid online. Evidently those payments don't automatically show up in their computer. They have to look on another page to confirm the payment. Just a suggestion to make those payments online. I think that system has a better recording system.


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## vettebuf (Nov 27, 2006)

Hoc and Patty, Thanks for the input. I'll log on tonight and see if I can access my account information. I'm in the weeks system, not points, and I can't look up availability online. Not sure about account info.


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## caribbean (Nov 27, 2006)

Elaine-

I own 2 weeks as well. You CAN access your account info.


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## bigrick (Nov 29, 2006)

caribbean said:
			
		

> I make all of my payments online and print them out an keep the receipts. You can also go online and look at the status of your account and print out the last several years of information. I have also had them tell me I owed something that I had already paid. It has happened twice since I paid the Special Assessment. Every time I told them it was paid online. Evidently those payments don't automatically show up in their computer. They have to look on another page to confirm the payment. Just a suggestion to make those payments online. I think that system has a better recording system.



Patty, if you can see 'the last several years of information' then so can they.  Does RHC disagree with what is shown on your account?  Seems very strange to me that the system that provides accurate info to you is questioned by the system adminstrator.  (I guess this just confirms what Hoc has always said about their administration being so screwed up.)

But how do you RHC owners pay your mf's just once per year?  How do you avoid Hoc's repeat payments year after year?  Surely all members do not get dinged for double fees.


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## MaryH (Dec 3, 2006)

If you book early for the next year, you cannot pay the next year's fees online but have to call in and pay over the phone.


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## bigrick (Dec 4, 2006)

So generally paying in advance must work.  I remember JoeMid saying he paid his fees over the summer so he could book someplace for fall of '07.  Again I was thinking that a confirmation number provided by them should be sufficient proof that the fees have been paid.  Then I remember Hoc's example and come up stumped again.

Is it possible to always work with one rep on the phone?  Maybe you'd have to call a few times to get that rep but at least there'd be a chance of consistency.

What *has* worked for you successful pre-payers who never are asked to pay again?


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## NTHC (Dec 12, 2006)

I can't attest to the particulars as far as fees, however, I work with a guy named Greg when booking weeks through RHC.  He did tell me that they work on some sort of commission and thats the reason I started using him for bookings.  He has given me good information to this point and doesn't seem to have a problem going above and beyond if he can't answer a question.

I do not own RHC points and I am working strictly on behalf of owners, but I have been very happy with him so far.

Cindy


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## vettebuf (Dec 13, 2006)

Cindy, what do you do on the owner's behalf? And can you tell us what you mean about commissions?


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## NTHC (Dec 13, 2006)

I book stays for owners.....for either their own personal use or for rentals.

When I first talked with Greg he mentioned that he worked on some sort of commission basis and told me I could contact him directly.  I have been ever since and have been happy with his help.

Thanks,
cindy


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## danmac156 (Dec 17, 2006)

*Bogus Charges*



			
				vettebuf said:
			
		

> I booked an August, '07 week at Powell Place the other night. I got the date I wanted and everything went well except that the representative told me that I had a fee of over $200 on my account. I told him that we had paid our Special Assessment and he told me that it was a late fee. I told him that it was impossible. He asked me when I had paid last and I told him. I remember having the notice in front of me when I called and charged it to my credit card. He excused himself and, when he returned, he told me that I didn't owe any late fee. I'm wondering if this a ploy for collecting extra money.
> 
> Has this happened to any of you?
> 
> Oh, one other thing, have you stayed at Powell Place and did you like it?




Watch your credit card statements. I called RHC in September to book a stay in Cancun next year. You have to pay the all inclusive fee up front which made me nervous. 

I was TRIPLE billed on my credit card. As we speak I am having my credit card handle the dispute for the over charge totalling $1,424!  Of course a call to RHC was of no help.


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## vettebuf (Dec 18, 2006)

Dan,
This must be something new. We stayed at Park Royal Cancun in 2003, 2004, and 2006 and paid the all-inclusive fee either when we got there.

Thanks for the tip though. 

Cindy, I just saw your reply. I'm confused about why an owner would need someone else to book their RHC stay.


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## NTHC (Dec 22, 2006)

Elaine,
The fact that you are here on Tug tells me that you are a savvy timeshare owner.  There are many people out there, however, who either do not know how to manipulate the system, or who would prefer to have someone else do it for them.

I work for a company that does rentals and resales, but I also help timeshare owners maximize their ownership.  Any owner who has ever spent time on the phone with a timeshare company can attest to the fact that there is alot of misinformation given.  I spend hours learning how each system works and how to best use it.

Thanks,
cindy


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## abc31 (Dec 22, 2006)

I'm in the process of buying royal holiday points.  I've been looking at their resorts on line.  I don't see the all inclusive fees listed anywhere.  Where would I find that?


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## JoeMid (Dec 22, 2006)

abc31 said:
			
		

> I'm in the process of buying royal holiday points.  I've been looking at their resorts on line.  I don't see the all inclusive fees listed anywhere.  Where would I find that?


I think you'd need to call RHC, I think it's only their 'mainline' Mexico resorts.


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## abc31 (Dec 23, 2006)

Thanks joeMid.


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## Blondie (Dec 23, 2006)

So abc, what did you find to buy??


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## abc31 (Dec 23, 2006)

Blondie,

I got  60,000 points on ebay for $1625.  It came with an extra 60,000 points that were rolled over from 2006.  So, I have 120,000 points to play with this year!  Do you have any booking tips?  Do I need to start booking asap for the coming year, or is there usually availabilty throughout the year.  Do they start the year with whatever inventory they will have for the coming year, or do they keep adding inventory all year?

abc


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## PeelBoy (Dec 23, 2006)

*You Outbid Me*

abc 123, you outbid me and spence.  Great job.  I am going to invest a small amount on a software for the next bid.

Please share your experience (closing, using the points, etc) so I know what to do when I am the winner.


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## abc31 (Dec 23, 2006)

O.K. Peelboy, I'll keep you posted.  So far my communications with the seller, (user name dochoa77) have been fine.   He has a couple of other auctions for royal holiday going on right now, but they are lower points.  The highest one he's got is for 25,000.

abc


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## Blondie (Dec 24, 2006)

I just start calling aobut a year in advance and if they do not yet have the inventory I keep calling. When you get your RHC account set up you can do you searching online. If you have a reasl interest in something ask the seller to book it now for you. Good Luck and keep us posted. RHC can be a bear to close and they love to tack on additional mystery fees. Use a reputable closing agent!!


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## icydog (Jan 18, 2007)

NTHC said:


> Elaine,
> The fact that you are here on Tug tells me that you are a savvy timeshare owner. There are many people out there, however, who either do not know how to manipulate the system, or who would prefer to have someone else do it for them.
> 
> I work for a company that does rentals and resales, but I also help timeshare owners maximize their ownership. Any owner who has ever spent time on the phone with a timeshare company can attest to the fact that there is alot of misinformation given. I spend hours learning how each system works and how to best use it.
> ...


 

Hi Cindy,
I do the same thing for family and friends but I do not charge a fee. My neighbor once gave me $50 for planning a vacation for her and arranging for cars airfares and hotels but that was a fluke and I spent a lot of time planning that time for her. I also manage timeshares so I know a lot about different systems. I have friends with Atlantis, FF, DVC and Marriott who don't have a clue as to the workings of RCI or II. But I have never charged anyone a fee. In fact I give away timeshare time I cannot use. I wonder what I am doing wrong?


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