# LAst Call Vacations for points



## terden (Nov 19, 2009)

I recently got into RCI points by purchasing a timeshare resale on eBay. One of the advantages touted for being in points was the ability to book last call vacations for 7500 points. However, when I search RCI on line, the last call vacations are all listed by price, i.e., $259 for a one bedroom at XYZ resort. I have not been able to find out how one goes about booking a last call vacation for 7500 points + exchange fee. Can anyone clue me in as to how this is done? Thanks.


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 19, 2009)

*Looking For Instant Exchange In All The Wrong Places.*




terden said:


> Can anyone clue me in as to how this is done?


_Last Call_ is for zero points + cash. 

_Instant Exchange_ is for 7*,*500 points + exchange fee.   (Maximum  for _Instant Exchange_ is 9*,*000 points.)

_Instant Exchange_ is for _points_ reservations into _weeks_ timeshares when the reservation is made within 45 days of check-in. 

You log on to _RCI Points._  You select _RCI Points Vacations._  When that page is showing, you select _RCI Weeks Reservation._  Anything available for check-in within 45 days will be no more than 9*,*000 points + exchange fee -- i.e., there is no separate heading anywhere marked _Instant Exchange._ 

As it happens, we're going to Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort next month on _Instant Exchange._  Not only that, we'll bee shopping the _Instant Exchange_ dogs & cats again soon for our after-Christmas Florida vacation accommodations. 

Is this a great country or what ? 

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


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## terden (Nov 19, 2009)

THanks very much.


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## Twizzle (Nov 23, 2009)

Hi
Unfortunately I believe that UK based pure points only allow a modest 10% discount (even on weeks resort availabilities) within 45 days, not the 9,000 points max.
Am I correct?
H


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## lobsterlover (Nov 24, 2009)

*instant exchange*



AwayWeGo said:


> _Last Call_ is for zero points + cash.
> 
> _Instant Exchange_ is for 7*,*500 points + exchange fee.   (Maximum  for _Instant Exchange_ is 9*,*000 points.)
> 
> ...



Hi. I'd never heard of instant exchange before. I'm trying what you said but nothing ever comes up. I've tried different locations, carribean, central us etc. what am I doing wrong. Even if I try to find a weeks vacay for months from now I get nothin!!


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## chriskre (Nov 24, 2009)

lobsterlover said:


> Hi. I'd never heard of instant exchange before. I'm trying what you said but nothing ever comes up. I've tried different locations, carribean, central us etc. what am I doing wrong. Even if I try to find a weeks vacay for months from now I get nothin!!



Are you logged into your points account and not your weeks account?

I see tons of stuff.  Check Florida.  Maybe the areas you are looking for having nothing but I see tons of stuff in Florida.


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## chriskre (Nov 24, 2009)

Wow, I see the last minute points for Spain are only 6500 points.  Is this a new trend?  Lowering the points?  I guess they are making most of their money on the $189 exchange fee.


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## dabuckman (Nov 24, 2009)

So why do the Hawaii last calls still come up as 60k, 70k, 80k points if you do a search as explained above?  I have tons of points as we rolled over most of our's last year, so isn't an issue, but I was trying it out to see what we could do.  Just wondering why the search results for Hawaii still come up with these points values as opposed to 9000 or below.


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## Egret1986 (Nov 25, 2009)

*Are you looking in Weeks with your Points?*



dabuckman said:


> So why do the Hawaii last calls still come up as 60k, 70k, 80k points if you do a search as explained above?  I have tons of points as we rolled over most of our's last year, so isn't an issue, but I was trying it out to see what we could do.  Just wondering why the search results for Hawaii still come up with these points values as opposed to 9000 or below.




I checked and all the Hawaii Instant Exchange are 9000 points.  If you search in Standard Reservation within 45 days (Points Resorts), there is no discount in the number of points required.


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## lobsterlover (Nov 26, 2009)

*what am I doin wrong?*



chriskre said:


> Are you logged into your points account and not your weeks account?
> 
> I see tons of stuff.  Check Florida.  Maybe the areas you are looking for having nothing but I see tons of stuff in Florida.



I am a points member. Does this mean I cannot access these last minute weeks vacations...this would certainly explain why I hadn't heard of this before or can ever find a weeks vacation. I thought I was able to get a weeks vacation using points.
Thanks


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 26, 2009)

*You Can Get Weeks Reservations Using Points.*




lobsterlover said:


> I am a points member. Does this mean I cannot access these last minute weeks vacations...this would certainly explain why I hadn't heard of this before or can ever find a weeks vacation. I thought I was able to get a weeks vacation using points.
> Thanks


Anything you do with your RCI Points -- including snagging reservations at RCI Weeks timeshares -- you do via the RCI Points web site.  Either that, or call'm up & make your RCI Weeks reservations using points via telephone. 

Don't even log in to the RCI Weeks web site when you're trying to get a weeks reservation using points.  

You log into _RCI Points._ 

You select _RCI Points Vacations_. 

_With that screen showing,_ you choose _RCI Weeks Reservation._ (while staying right there on the RCI _Points_ web site). 

You can reserve weeks beyond the 45-day limit (e.g., next summer) at the full points value of the weeks.  

Within 45 days of check-in, however, anything still available is spozed to be no more than 9*,*000 points for the whole week -- 7*,*500 points most of the time in the USA (e.g., Florida).  That's regardless of the size or the crown rating of the timeshare.   That is what they call I_nstant Exchange,_ although there is no heading or title that you will see anywhere saying _Instant Exchange._ 

Some hard-core RCI Weeks only people -- & you know who you are out there -- object to using RCI Points to get exchange reservations at RCI Weeks timeshares.  _Raiding The Weeks Inventory,_ they call it.   _Mox nix._  That's just how it is.  

If you are a member of RCI Points, RCI also gives you a free RCI Weeks account to go along with that.  If you own an RCI Weeks timeshare, that's nice.  If you don't own any RCI Weeks timeshares, than that's _mox nix_ for you because you will be using the RCI Points web site _only,_ even for points reservations at RCI Weeks timeshares. 

BTW, _Instant Exchange is_ working.  After midnight last night (i.e., in the wee hours of Thursady morning), we snagged an outstanding 3BR _Instant Exchange_ reservation for 7*,*500 points + exchange fee at Cypress Pointe Grande Villas, an outstanding independent timeshare in Orlando FL, checking in January 10, 2010.  As it happens, we own our own 3BR unit at Cypress Pointe Grande Villas.  Thanks to RCI _Instant Exchange,_ we can vacation there a whole week in January for minimal outlay, then take another week there later in the year using our own time.  

Is this a great country or what ? 

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


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## holylove (Nov 28, 2009)

*Looking to use a points account*

Hi there folks, 

You guys are great, what expert advice you give.  I want to use points for the very reason you mention--last minute purchases of weeks.  However, I have no desire to purchase a timeshare and pay maintenance fees, not at least until I use the system a few times.  

Is there any way for me to tap into the system to make some reservations (last minute in Southern California, for instance) this Christmas/New Year's season, without buying a timeshare??  Can I use someone else's account for instance and buy points from them?

What say the experts?

Thanks folks.....


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## jlp879 (Nov 28, 2009)

holylove said:


> Is there any way for me to tap into the system to make some reservations (last minute in Southern California, for instance) this Christmas/New Year's season, without buying a timeshare??  Can I use someone else's account for instance and buy points from them?



There is a way that you can lease RCI points.  More information can be found on this thread.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86053


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## lobsterlover (Nov 29, 2009)

*good grief*



AwayWeGo said:


> Anything you do with your RCI Points -- including snagging reservations at RCI Weeks timeshares -- you do via the RCI Points web site.  Either that, or call'm up & make your RCI Weeks reservations using points via telephone.
> 
> Don't even log in to the RCI Weeks web site when you're trying to get a weeks reservation using points.
> 
> ...



I'm sure you are now ready to bang your head against the wall with frustration. I am. I have followed this to a T and nothing ever comes up on weeks. Orlando in August, next week... Mexico...nothin. I will call rci and see why. It has to be my particular account. Thank you for your patience and help.


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## chriskre (Dec 1, 2009)

lobsterlover said:


> I'm sure you are now ready to bang your head against the wall with frustration. I am. I have followed this to a T and nothing ever comes up on weeks. Orlando in August, next week... Mexico...nothin. I will call rci and see why. It has to be my particular account. Thank you for your patience and help.



Do you have your points in your account?  Can you see any available?  
Just wondering if maybe you do need to call them because it should show something.  Especially in Orlando.  I don't think you'll see much past 45 days as this is last minute inventory that they've converted to weeks.  Maybe you are putting a day too far out.  Try using the default day that comes up in the calendar.  Just guessing as I'm not expert on this stuff.  Hopefully some of the pros will chime in.


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## lobsterlover (Dec 2, 2009)

*???*



chriskre said:


> Do you have your points in your account?  Can you see any available?
> Just wondering if maybe you do need to call them because it should show something.  Especially in Orlando.  I don't think you'll see much past 45 days as this is last minute inventory that they've converted to weeks.  Maybe you are putting a day too far out.  Try using the default day that comes up in the calendar.  Just guessing as I'm not expert on this stuff.  Hopefully some of the pros will chime in.



Hey, I'll let you know soon. I've sent RCI an e mail. Crazy eh? I used to be able to access weeks last year. 
Tried every date, every place, can only sign into points cause I'm not a weeks member, am clicking on weeks search....lets hope RCI can figure it out. I'm sure i've somehow been blocked for some unknown resaon.
Thanks for suggestions and ideas.:hysterical:


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## rickandcindy23 (Dec 2, 2009)

holylove said:


> Hi there folks,
> 
> You guys are great, what expert advice you give.  I want to use points for the very reason you mention--last minute purchases of weeks.  However, I have no desire to purchase a timeshare and pay maintenance fees, not at least until I use the system a few times.
> 
> ...



We were able to get Grand Pacific Palisades, Carlsbad, CA, for 7/25 this year, 2 bedroom, for 9,000 RCI Points!  Of course now we cannot go back for 4 years because of the stupid RCI rule, but hey, it's pretty great to get something so fantastic for a bargain.


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## Pressman (Jan 2, 2010)

*Fair*

Would you say that for a points owner to get a "weeks resort" for 9,000 points is discrimination against weeks owners.

Weeks owners have no access to points resorts BUT points owners have access to the 9,000 weeks resorts and Last Call.

The 9,000 points thing is like a last call (IMO value wise with the points value plus the fee of $ 139 charged).

You don't even see these weeks resorts @ 9,000 in Last Call.

Thank You


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 2, 2010)

*The Flip Side Of Raiding The Weeks Inventory For 9,000 Points.*




Pressman said:


> Would you say that for a points owner to get a "weeks resort" for 9,000 points is discrimination against weeks owners.
> 
> Weeks owners have no access to points resorts BUT points owners have access to the 9,000 weeks resorts and Last Call.
> 
> ...


Points members reserving _points_ timeshares get no last-minute break on the points values required for straight-points exchanges even if they reserve today for check-in tomorrow. 

However that may be, Points & Weeks members alike all get a shot at any _points_ timeshares that show up on _Last Call._ 

Go figure. 

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


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## vamsee (Jan 2, 2010)

*I too don't see any instant exchange offers in Orlando*



lobsterlover said:


> Hey, I'll let you know soon. I've sent RCI an e mail. Crazy eh? I used to be able to access weeks last year.
> Tried every date, every place, can only sign into points cause I'm not a weeks member, am clicking on weeks search....lets hope RCI can figure it out. I'm sure i've somehow been blocked for some unknown resaon.
> Thanks for suggestions and ideas.:hysterical:



I 'm in the same boat. I don't see any instant exchange offers in Orlando. I used a points account and searched for a weeks reservation starting 1/15/2010. It shows nothing. Does it have anything to do with how many points are available in the points account's current use year? Can points from a future year be used to book these instant exchanges?


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 3, 2010)

*The Phrase "Instant Exchange" Is Not Shown On RCI's Web Site.*




vamsee said:


> I don't see any instant exchange offers in Orlando. I used a points account and searched for a weeks reservation starting 1/15/2010.


Checking just now to see what's what, I found 7 week-long Orlando _Instant Exchange_ timeshares 1BR or larger for check in Jan. 15 or Jan. 16 or Jan. 17 -- 7*,*500 points apiece + exchange fee. 

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


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## lobsterlover (Jan 3, 2010)

vamsee said:


> I 'm in the same boat. I don't see any instant exchange offers in Orlando. I used a points account and searched for a weeks reservation starting 1/15/2010. It shows nothing. Does it have anything to do with how many points are available in the points account's current use year? Can points from a future year be used to book these instant exchanges?



Well, my response from RCI was just a lot of blathering e mail. I am absolutly unable to access weeks of any sort for no known reason. I have points in my account...The mystery goes on.... :hysterical:


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## lobsterlover (Jan 3, 2010)

AwayWeGo said:


> Checking just now to see what's what, I found 7 week-long Orlando _Instant Exchange_ timeshares 1BR or larger for check in Jan. 15 or Jan. 16 or Jan. 17 -- 7*,*500 points apiece + exchange fee.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


Just tried this search......its 11:35 am so it should still be there...nothin!!!


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## vamsee (Jan 3, 2010)

lobsterlover said:


> Just tried this search......its 11:35 am so it should still be there...nothin!!!



I just tried at 5:40pm PST and found 6 options in Orlando area with 7500 points for a week's vacation with check-in dates ranging from 1/16/2010 to 2/9/2010. There was a notice on their website about some maintenance work during the last two days that impacts some members. May be that's the reason why some of us couldn't see them?


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## lobsterlover (Jan 3, 2010)

*ughhhhhh*

I've been trying for a couple months now....more actually.
I should put less energy into writing here and more into a phone call not e mail to RCI. I learned long ago direct phone calls are the #one way to get direct answers. I need to adhere to that!!! Stay tuned.


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## akp (Jan 3, 2010)

*Pressman, keep this in mind...*

You asked if points owners getting access to a weeks resort for 9000 points is discrimination.  

What you need to understand is that the owner of that week deposited it into the RCI Points inventory via Points for Deposit.  In exchange, that member got his or her allotted number of points to spend on points (or weeks via the Weeks/PFD inventory) resorts.  It isn't as if they're taking the normal RCI weeks inventory and shipping it into the Points inventory.

Anita



Pressman said:


> Would you say that for a points owner to get a "weeks resort" for 9,000 points is discrimination against weeks owners.
> 
> Weeks owners have no access to points resorts BUT points owners have access to the 9,000 weeks resorts and Last Call.
> 
> ...


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## lobsterlover (Jan 4, 2010)

*Getting closer...*

Well, made that phone call I should have made months ago and talked to the RCI teckie. He made an adjustment and said to try tomorrow to see if I will be able to access weeks. I'm from Canada and they changed the web site to show Canadian curency amounts and when they did that somthing messed up my weeks search ability. Stay tuned......


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## Egret1986 (Jan 4, 2010)

*Good deal!*



lobsterlover said:


> Well, made that phone call I should have made months ago and talked to the RCI teckie. He made an adjustment and said to try tomorrow to see if I will be able to access weeks. I'm from Canada and they changed the web site to show Canadian curency amounts and when they did that somthing messed up my weeks search ability. Stay tuned......



Sometimes, it's hit or miss with the VCs, but the couple of times that I have needed to speak with one of the "teckies", it has been a good experience.

I'm sure it will be nice seeing everything you're supposed to have access to.


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## lobsterlover (Jan 7, 2010)

*it's happened!!*

Finally...its a christmas miracle! I'm able to search weeks. After 2 more calls to teckies they've fixed it. So for anyone else out there experiencing this it is worth the call to the tech dept.
The down side....nothing I'm interested is available!! hehe.


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## Egret1986 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Best time to see good additions are between 12:15 am EST and 12:45*



lobsterlover said:


> Finally...its a christmas miracle! I'm able to search weeks. After 2 more calls to teckies they've fixed it. So for anyone else out there experiencing this it is worth the call to the tech dept.
> The down side....nothing I'm interested is available!! hehe.



That's when I check.  You can see the number of resorts go up in the various areas.  Prime stuff is usually snapped up fairly quickly.  If you have the opportunity to watch over a period of time during this timeframe, I think you will eventually see some pretty great stuff.  But you have to be real flexible because I have noticed that the best resorts during prime season times don't show up until 2-3 weeks before check-in (not the 45 days or less).  I think you have to be real diligent to get the more desirable exchanges last minute.  They don't just set their online.


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## Piscesqueen (Jan 30, 2010)

Egret1986 said:


> That's when I check.



I see your from the Eastcoast...would these times be 9:15-9:45 for Westcoasters or does RCI know which time zone your in?


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## DerekS (Mar 17, 2010)

AwayWeGo said:


> Within 45 days of check-in, however, anything still available is spozed to be no more than 9*,*000 points for the whole week -- 7*,*500 points most of the time in the USA (e.g., Florida).  That's regardless of the size or the crown rating of the timeshare.   That is what they call I_nstant Exchange,_ although there is no heading or title that you will see anywhere saying _Instant Exchange._
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



Thanks Alan - At last I understand Instant Exchange. However when I found these weeks inside 45 days they all come up with "Call RCI" not 7500 or 9000 points. This may be because I access the site thru RCI Pacific in Sydney.
Derek


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