# [Merged] Would appreciate help in making exchange to nice resort



## itgrafix (Jun 3, 2009)

I have weeks deposited with RCI but must call in to find out what's available and am having a hard time deciding what is a nice place to go to.

I was interested in Australia and New Zealand though I am very unfamiliar with how it would work and am open to other international areas as well.

If anyone can share good places to stay I'd appreciate it. I have 4 weeks to work with and would like to go next year and possibly this year for the holidays if I can find something.

Am working with both blue and red week.. so if anyone has experience with using Blue and getting some good stuff, please pass that on as I am not experienced with that.

Also can I take a cruise with blue? Just curious.

Look forward to hearing from you all... oh and the Big Island of Hawaii is another place I wouldn't mind, but how can I utilize my blue with it?


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## Karen G (Jun 3, 2009)

tgrafix said:


> I have weeks deposited with RCI but must call in to find out what's available


Why are not able to find weeks online (assuming the RCI website is working when you are searching)?

Your blue weeks should be good for last minute trips within 45 days out. I think any week may see what's available during that time period.

I can recommend Cabo San Lucas if you want to go to Mexico.  The resorts I'd look for there are any of the three Pueblo Bonito resorts and Playa Grande.  There are other RCI Cabo resorts that are nice, too, but those are my favorites.


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## DeniseM (Jun 3, 2009)

1)  I would focus on one area, and start reading the TUG reviews for that area, (TUG Resort Data Base linked in red bar, top of page.)

2)  Also read the TUG regional board for that area - we have an International Board on TUG.  

3)  Use the search function and search for the area by name.  You can also use the search function listed in my signature line.  

4)  Once you have nailed it down to a specific location, start a thread about it on the appropriate regional board.

You know you can search RCI online, right?


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## itgrafix (Jun 3, 2009)

*can't search online because my weeks not visible*

I can't search online because of Fairshare Plus, for some reason I have to call in each time, my weeks are not visible. That's what they told me.

So no one has gone to Austraila or New Zealand with their weeks?


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## DeniseM (Jun 3, 2009)

That's a good question to ask on the TUG International Forum and you should read the TUG TS reviews for those areas...  This board is more about the mechanics of exchanging and the local/resort info. is on the regional boards.


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## JudyS (Jun 3, 2009)

tgrafix said:


> ......
> I was interested in Australia and New Zealand though I am very unfamiliar with how it would work and am open to other international areas as well.....
> 
> Am working with both blue and red week.. so if anyone has experience with using Blue and getting some good stuff, please pass that on as I am not experienced with that.
> ...


I believe that you can use blue weeks for a cruise exchange.  However, RCI cruise exchanges are rarely a good deal, I've heard. 

Blue weeks are best for trades to times/places that have lots of inventory, such as Orlando.  Blue weeks will often trade for very good resorts in the off-season in these places. 

For Hawaii, one approach is to book a back-up hotel reservation and then hope something opens up in a timeshare at the last minute, but there are no guarantees about this.

For NZ/Aus, in the future you may want to consider depositing a week with DAE, an independent exchange company based in Australia.  I'm not sure how to deposit Fairfield points into DAE, but it may be as easy as just reserving a week and letting DAE know.  Probably, if you post on the Ask DAE board, they can tell you. 

You may want to ask your question on a forum aimed specifically at owners of Fairfield points; there are various ins-and-outs to getting the best deals for your points.  We don't have an in-depth Fairfield forum here, but there is one on Yahoo Groups, I think -- maybe a Fairfield (Wyndham) owner here can point the way.


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## itgrafix (Jun 3, 2009)

*Would appreciate help in making exchange to nice resort*

Has anyone used their RCI red and blue weeks to go to Austraila or New Zealand and if so what are good resorts to stay at?

I have 4 weeks deposited and would like to stay at least 2 weeks in either area.

I would also like some advice in how to use the blue weeks internationally if possible, I have fairshare plus account so I have to call in each time - I cannot see my weeks online so if you have experience with that, would help me a lot.

Thank you all in advance!


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## itgrafix (Jun 3, 2009)

*thanks a bunch*

Thanks so much for all the advice so far, I am on the look out and will investigate


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## Judy (Jun 4, 2009)

I know you said RCI, but I would like to suggest Dial an Exchange.  www.daelive.com  They have an office in Australia and can access lots of inventory there and in New Zealand.  You can put in a request first and when they find you a match, give them a deposit.  They don't care what color your deposit is.  You can also search current availability on their site without joining first.  They have two types of memberships, one of them free.

One caution, you said "good resorts".  I don't know whether you mean resort quality and amenities or location.  DAE doesn't rate resorts - yours, or those you might exchange into.  If your idea of a "good resort" is "Gold Crown", then you'll have to be careful what you accept from DAE.


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## geekette (Jun 4, 2009)

If you can grab back 2 of your RCI deposits, I second the idea of using DAE.  They have more inventory in the locations you are seeking.


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## itgrafix (Jun 4, 2009)

*King Size bed and good location plus*

I'd like a good location and at least a decent place to stay with king size bed, if there's a jacuzzi tub that would be even greater, but not a big neccesity. 

How can I find out what type of place it is?


Also, how may I grab out my deposits from RCI? Can I just transfer the deposit from RCI to DAE?


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## beanb41 (Jun 7, 2009)

There are plenty of great resorts to use in NZ and Australia. Many are cross affiliated which means that they are accredited to RCI / II and DAE. It would probably take too much time to outline and highlight all the resorts available, but if one was to check what inventory is available we may be able to give you some advice. My three weeks are either Gold Crown or Silver Crown with RCI and II. Depending on ones interests then different resorts maybe preferable


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2009)

tgrafix said:


> I'd like a good location and at least a decent place to stay with king size bed, if there's a jacuzzi tub that would be even greater, but not a big neccesity.
> 
> How can I find out what type of place it is?



Have you checked the TUG Reviews for Australia, as previously suggested?  The reviews have extensive descriptions posted by TUG members and links to the resorts, ratings, and exchange companies.  

Click here --->  *Australia/South Pacific Reviews*


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## beanb41 (Jun 10, 2009)

tgrafix said:


> I can't search online because of Fairshare Plus, for some reason I have to call in each time, my weeks are not visible. That's what they told me.
> 
> So no one has gone to Austraila or New Zealand with their weeks?



My response to tgrafix following a PM.



Hi it appears to me that you are not too familar with GODZOWN (New Zealand) and Australia.

First up Australia is huge - it is the largest island in the world and is bigger than Greenland and somewhere around the size of India so we are talking some large distances when we talk Aussie. NZ is two major islands about the same size as Great Britain. 
Auckland is in New Zealand and Perth is in Western Australia.
The majority of timeshares in Australia are on the Gold Coast in South East Queensland. This is where timeshare started in our part of the world back in the early 1980's. There are some timeshares in northern New South Wales, the Mornington Penninsula near Melbourne, northern Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia south of Perth. There are limited timeshares available around the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) but some great rental weeks are available in Cairns through Dial an Exchange. Cairns in far north Queensland is really the gateway to the GBR.
It should be noted that the timeshares near Melbourne are about an hours drive out of the city and a car will be needed. There is limited access to timeshare in Sydney.

Timeshare in NZ is centred on three main tourist areas:
Paihia in the far north of the North Island, Taupo / Rotorua in the Central North Island and Queenstown in the deep south of the South Island. Queenstown is the adventure capital of NZ with BUngy jumping, white water rafting, parachuting and similar adrenaline creating activities. Rotorua is the Indigenous people capital of the country and where one can visit thermal activity and take in local Maori culture. Paihia is the warmest of our three areas and it is in this area where our country was firts colonised and abounds with local history. Some of the scenic trips arent too bad either. If you visit NZ you will have the opportunity to see for real some of the spectacular scenery used in the 3 Lord Of the RIngs movies.

To get around Australia one would be wise to consider flying or baseing oneself in a particular area.

If you were to advise what interest you have we may be able to seek out your best opportunities.

If you have particular queries on an area I would recommend that you go to :
www.tripadvisor.com and log onto their forums. The locals who look after these forums are very helpful and knowledgeable. There are TA forums for just about every area in the world. You could a lot worse than spending time searching through the different forums when planning a holiday. I am one of the Destination Experts for our Capital City Wellington.

I hope this little ditty is of some help and should you have any further queries please just ask.


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