# RCI Points vs RCI Weeks - new advice article



## TUGBrian (Oct 9, 2013)

Ok, im totally expecting you guys to tear this apart (and I want you to)...just please keep in mind this literally could be a 10 page article, im trying to just include the basic overview facts and differences.

http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/rci-points-vs-rci-weeks-timeshare.html

anything ive missed that you feel should be included, or even re-worded to make more clear...feel free!


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## rhonda (Oct 9, 2013)

Brian, 

Below is my offer of re-write on the introduction and first two major sections.

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RCI Points vs RCI Weeks: Whats the Difference?

As a Timeshare owner, your home resort is most often associated with an Exchange company (RCI or II) that can be used to deposit your week in exchange for another week within that same Exchange network. 

This article is meant to be a quick overview of the concepts and differences between RCI Weeks and RCI Points in the Timeshare Exchange world. *TUG has a very comprehensive RCI FAQ located here for later reading: *RCI FAQ.


RCI Weeks

This grand-daddy of exchange systems launched in 1974.  The basic premise:  to provide greater destination choices to the timeshare owner through a means of trading (exchanging) their Home Resort week for another week of similar size and value at another participating resort property.  A “week” is defined at a 7-night reservation with arrival generally falling on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

For many years the exchanges were offered “week for week” (one week into the inventory pool; one week out) and restricted to “like for like” exchange based on variables including Resort Quality, Season, Location and Unit Size.  The “like for like” method was intended to protect “high demand” inventory for those who also owned similar “high demand” weeks to trade.  

Recent revisions to the RCI Weeks program introduced “Trade Power Units” (TPU) as a means of setting value for each week in the inventory pool.  TPU, based on the variables mentioned above of Resort Quality, Season, Location and Unit Size, is the "currency" used to reserve exchanges from the pool of available exchanges.   

Operationally, the timeshare owner will deposit their week to RCI Weeks and receive a fixed number of TPU for  that deposit.  They may use their TPU to book a week of similar TPU (a “like for like” exchange) or they might accept an exchange week of lower TPU value and keep the change towards a second exchange.  TPU from multiple deposits may be combined to assist the timeshare owner in booking a week of greater value than their original deposit.

Fees related to RCI Weeks include the RCI Membership Fee, Exchange Fee (Domestic and International), Combining TPU, Extending TPU expiration, and Guest Certificates.  For a complete list, shown in USD: http://pgs.rci.com/landing/InsideRCI/fees/indexUS.html 


RCI Points

Similar to RCI Weeks, the RCI Points program was designed to increase destination choices for Timeshare Owners of resorts affiliated with the RCI Points program.  The significant difference between RCI Points and RCI Weeks is the length of stay:  RCI Points members may book exchanges as brief as a single-night stay!  RCI Points offers greater flexibility when booking your vacation allowing the timeshare owner to choose: location, unit size, arrival date, and length of stay. 

Similar to RCI Weeks, the timeshare week deposited into RCI Points will be assigned an arbitrary value of "points" used as currency within the RCI Points system.  When exchanging with RCI points, the timeshare owner can use their Points balance to exchange for weeks that have equal (or less) point value from the Exchange pool. Points may also be combined from multiple deposits to increase the Timeshare Owner’s RCI Points balance.

Note that the RCI Points value is completely different from the "TPU" value used by RCI Weeks and the two currencies are not linked or related in any way.The easiest way to differentiate is that RCI points values are in the tens of thousands, and TPUs are generally a fraction of that (between 5-100 for example).


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## presley (Oct 9, 2013)

I didn't see mentioned, but I may have overlooked it that search is available for 24 months in RCI weeks and only 10 months in RCI points.  Plus, weeks can put in an ongoing request, while Points cannot.


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## TUGBrian (Oct 9, 2013)

fantastic, ive updated this...that reads much better thank you!


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## rhonda (Oct 9, 2013)

Let's add a paragraph on fees related to RCI Points:


Fees related to RCI Points include the RCI Membership Fee, Exchange Fee based on length of stay, Points Extension, Points Transfer, Guest Certificates. For a complete list, shown in USD: http://pgs.rci.com/landing/ptr/fees/indexUS.html

(I'd like to mention that many RCI Points member resorts will also charge Housekeeping fees -- but while I find the detail _important to me_ it could be considered a distraction from the primary intention of providing an overview of RCI Weeks vs Points.)


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## ronparise (Oct 9, 2013)

I think I understand - sort of - OK not really?
"us either"  

should be "us neither"


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## TUGBrian (Oct 9, 2013)

really?

while i wont argue that I know better, it doesnt sound proper when I say it out loud?


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## mom2two06 (Oct 10, 2013)

How about changing it to 'Yea, neither do we!'


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## TUGBrian (Oct 10, 2013)

that works


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