# Free Week RCI Certificate



## jaymaud (Oct 20, 2009)

Hello, We received a "free week anywhere" RCI certificate when we bought our timeshare (yes, we bought direct and TUG has shown me how wrong we were... but we are still happy with our purchase!).

We want to take the fullest advantage of this free week- can anyone please give suggestions on the most upscale, highest points RCI resorts/hotels? We'd love Paris as our first choice, but RCI seems to have lousy Paris options... other cities in Europe would be our next choice. We don't necessarily want to go "tropical locale", but again, if those will be our most luxurious, highest points options, then please tell me!

Thank you!


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## LisaH (Oct 20, 2009)

I hope I am wrong but I suspect that your "free week anywhere" is equivalent to weeks available on RCI's "Last Call Vacations", which are not in the most desirable location, low season, or on short-notice.


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## jaymaud (Oct 20, 2009)

Nope, it can be used anywhere, any time (with availability of course, but we have 2 years to use it and are very flexible)- I checked with RCI and they confirmed this. 

Now to just decide how and where to use it! I'd love input from my fellow tuggers on the best places to splurge!


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## LisaH (Oct 21, 2009)

OK, since RCI told you it must be true  
The key is availability. If you are a member of TUG, you can check for availability under Sightings/Distressed on this board. If you see one posting that's interesting to you, call RCI to test if your certificate is strong enough to pull it. Please do let us know...

For suggestions, here are some to just get you started:
Virgin Grand Villas (#1853), St. John,  VI 
Any place on Sanibel/Captiva in winter or spring
Any Disney resorts (DV01-DV08, RD01-RD08)
Samoset Resort (#0624), Rockport,  ME in summer
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort (#8599), Waikoloa,  HI 
Kings' Land by Hilton Grand Vacations Club (#7978), Waikoloa,  HI
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Hilton Hawaiian Village - The Kalia Tower (#7499), Honolulu,  HI

Good luck!


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## grest (Oct 21, 2009)

For what it's worth, we once won a certificate from RCI, and indeed we were able to use it to exchange anywhere, anytime that was available.


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## theo (Oct 21, 2009)

*Hope springs eternal...*



grest said:


> For what it's worth, we once won a certificate from RCI, and indeed we were able to use it to exchange anywhere, anytime that was available.



I do not doubt you, but would point out that your "once" was likely in long ago "yesteryear".

Now that RCI (by its' very own words and description in its' own press releases) is now a "rental and exchange company" (take note which function is listed first), the very best "availability" is now rental inventory, not offered in exchange inventory. Their caveat phrase is, of course, "_*as available*_"...


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## grest (Oct 21, 2009)

theo said:


> I do not doubt you, but would point out that your "once" was likely in long ago "yesteryear".
> 
> Now that RCI (by its' very own words and description in its' own press releases) is now a "rental and exchange company" (take note which function is listed first), the very best "availability" is now rental inventory, not offered in exchange inventory. Their caveat phrase is, of course, "_*as available*_"...



You're right, it was maybe 8 years ago, in another galaxy...


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## Larry (Oct 21, 2009)

We also received a RCI certificate when we first purchased our week in 1992 but it had a grid listing available locations. It had an expiration date which I believe was anytime within 1 year of purchase. We reserved a 2BR unit at Villa Del Palmer for December 1993 which turned out to be one of the few Oceanfront units at the resort and as our first RCI timeshare vacation we were thrilled with what we received for an extra week after our purchase of a week 51 studio at Playa Linda in Aruba which we still own.

So for our first year of ownership we took a summer family vacation to the Poconos with our 3 kids in a 2BR with an additional sleeping loft ( so it was like 3 BR's) and a free week for just my wife and I to Puerto Vallarta which we loved and have returned to twice. 

Our initial timeshare experience was therefore very favorable and has continued over the years getting some fantastic trades although they are getting to be more and more difficult. 

that's about 17 years of timesharing and hope the next 17 years are just as good.


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