# Is joining RCI worth it?



## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

i own a silver crown fixed week (25) in Del Rey Beach Florida. I actually stay in unit every year. Am retired now and thinking of joining RCI and deposit week for exchange. Is it worth it? Or should I just rent units as I do now?


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## tschwa2 (Oct 1, 2018)

Topflex said:


> i own a silver crown fixed week (25) in Del Rey Beach Florida. I actually stay in unit every year. Am retired now and thinking of joining RCI and deposit week for exchange. Is it worth it? Or should I just rent units as I do now?


I wouldn't join for the sole purpose of making a deposit every few years. Strictly monetarily your best bet would be just to rent your unit.  On the other hand if you could find a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 membership special and might use some of the extra vacations or last call rentals it might be worth it.  If you do join and deposit, you have to maintain the membership from when you deposit until you complete the trip so if you can't travel this year expect to pay for 2-3 years of RCI.  The exchange fee is $239 and you may have difficulty finding something you want depending on where you want to travel and your level of flexibility.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

tschwa2 said:


> I wouldn't join for the sole purpose of making a deposit every few years. Strictly monetarily your best bet would be just to rent your unit.  On the other hand if you could find a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 membership special and might use some of the extra vacations or last call rentals it might be worth it.  If you do join and deposit, you have to maintain the membership from when you deposit until you complete the trip so if you can't travel this year expect to pay for 2-3 years of RCI.  The exchange fee is $239 and you may have difficulty finding something you want depending on where you want to travel and your level of flexibility.


Thanks for the information. Did not realize exchange fee was that high. Very flexible on travel. Added advantage is ability to fly non-revenue on major airline with hub near us. I will consider trying to rent it next year and see what happens.


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## breezez (Oct 1, 2018)

It depends on your travel flexibility and understanding the fees.

Yes you can deposit your week and pick something else and will have to pay $239 exchange fee, but if your now retired would and like to travel more without having another TS fee due annually.  This can help, you will have access to a multitude of getaways that will typically cost you $300 or less for a weeks stay without depositing your week at all.   Just having a standard RCI weeks account will get you access to all the getaways.


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## Passepartout (Oct 1, 2018)

You could join for a year or so (about $100) there are 'Extra Vacations', and 'Last Calls' both of which are cash paid rentals that go for less than the exchange fees, and no deposit is required. You keep your deeded week. Now, you won't find prime summer ocean front units in hard to find places like ski-in/out at famous mountain resorts in Jan/Feb, but in shoulder season at overbuilt locales like Orlando, Las Vegas, Williamsburg, Branson, Mexico, coupled with your flexibility and ability to fly at low cost, could be worth giving it a try for a while. When you decide it's time to curtail your travels, just stop the membership. No hassles.

Jim


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## Panina (Oct 1, 2018)

Topflex said:


> i own a silver crown fixed week (25) in Del Rey Beach Florida. I actually stay in unit every year. Am retired now and thinking of joining RCI and deposit week for exchange. Is it worth it? Or should I just rent units as I do now?


Which resort is it? Does it trade in Interval too?  Then you have another option, Interval which I prefer.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

Panina said:


> Which resort is it? Does it trade in Interval too?  Then you have another option, Interval which I prefer.


The resort is Berkshire by the Sea. Don’t think it is part of II.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

Passepartout said:


> You could join for a year or so (about $100) there are 'Extra Vacations', and 'Last Calls' both of which are cash paid rentals that go for less than the exchange fees, and no deposit is required. You keep your deeded week. Now, you won't find prime summer ocean front units in hard to find places like ski-in/out at famous mountain resorts in Jan/Feb, but in shoulder season at overbuilt locales like Orlando, Las Vegas, Williamsburg, Branson, Mexico, coupled with your flexibility and ability to fly at low cost, could be worth giving it a try for a while. When you decide it's time to curtail your travels, just stop the membership. No hassles.
> 
> Jim


I will do as you suggest. I will try extra vacations or last calls. Then I can decide if I want to deposit a week.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

breezez said:


> It depends on your travel flexibility and understanding the fees.
> 
> Yes you can deposit your week and pick something else and will have to pay $239 exchange fee, but if your now retired would and like to travel more without having another TS fee due annually.  This can help, you will have access to a multitude of getaways that will typically cost you $300 or less for a weeks stay without depositing your week at all.   Just having a standard RCI weeks account will get you access to all the getaways.


Good advise.


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## Panina (Oct 1, 2018)

Topflex said:


> The resort is Berkshire by the Sea. Don’t think it is part of II.


I just checked and it is listed in interval.  I believe it would trade well there.  Interval also has getaways you can purchase.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

Panina said:


> I just checked and it is listed in interval.  I believe it would trade well there.  Interval also has getaways you can purchase.


Thanks for the information. I will check out II.


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## bluehende (Oct 1, 2018)

I have to laugh at this thread right now.  I decided to join RCI on Oct 1.  Yes today.  I joined to exclusively use last calls and ev's.  I go to the web page and join.  I hit the last prompt and my screen deletes half of the last page and locks.  So I have joined RCI  (i guess) and have an issue I have to call with.  Needless to say I had not actually joined.  Of course we will see if we are billed twice.  After 15 minutes on hold I get to web services.  They have another page I can use.  Of course the discount you can get on the other page by enrolling in auto pay cannot be done.  So I had been a member for a second and already had a web problem that gets solved with me losing a 10 dollar discount.  Not impressed.  Of course with all the stories here surprise is not what I am feeling.


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## Topflex (Oct 1, 2018)

bluehende said:


> I have to laugh at this thread right now.  I decided to join RCI on Oct 1.  Yes today.  I joined to exclusively use last calls and ev's.  I go to the web page and join.  I hit the last prompt and my screen deletes half of the last page and locks.  So I have joined RCI  (i guess) and have an issue I have to call with.  Needless to say I had not actually joined.  Of course we will see if we are billed twice.  After 15 minutes on hold I get to web services.  They have another page I can use.  Of course the discount you can get on the other page by enrolling in auto pay cannot be done.  So I had been a member for a second and already had a web problem that gets solved with me losing a 10 dollar discount.  Not impressed.  Of course with all the stories here surprise is not what I am feeling.


I have decided to join RCI for one year to try it out. I hope I do not have your experience. My reason is also for last calls and ev’s. May deposit at a later date. Will post how it turns out.


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## breezez (Oct 1, 2018)

Topflex said:


> Thanks for the information. I will check out II.


If choice is II or RCI,  II wins hands down on resort quality,  RCI has better search functions, but if going with just 1 I would go route of II


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## bluehende (Oct 1, 2018)

bluehende said:


> I have to laugh at this thread right now.  I decided to join RCI on Oct 1.  Yes today.  I joined to exclusively use last calls and ev's.  I go to the web page and join.  I hit the last prompt and my screen deletes half of the last page and locks.  So I have joined RCI  (i guess) and have an issue I have to call with.  Needless to say I had not actually joined.  Of course we will see if we are billed twice.  After 15 minutes on hold I get to web services.  They have another page I can use.  Of course the discount you can get on the other page by enrolling in auto pay cannot be done.  So I had been a member for a second and already had a web problem that gets solved with me losing a 10 dollar discount.  Not impressed.  Of course with all the stories here surprise is not what I am feeling.



So the story continues.  I get an email telling me that they did not get my resort info.  Interesting that they got my credit card info and billed that.  Both of course were required fields.  Looks like another 45 minutes on the phone tomorrow.


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## Jan M. (Oct 1, 2018)

The only thing I would recommend is looking for something like a one bedroom biannual/every other year POINT week or triennial/every third year POINT week at Grandview Las Vegas or Vacation Village at Parkway. The maintenance fees would be low and this would give you access to both RCI points and weeks inventory.


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## Fredflintstone (Oct 1, 2018)

Is Joining RCI worth it?

An easy answer....

NOPE 

Fees too high and climbing yearly , exchanges eroding, etc....




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 1, 2018)

We are locked into RCI Points.  After downsizing, the only timeshare we have left is a 1BR (resale) triennial points unit in Las Vegas. If we want to exchange, we glom 2-3 years' worth of points together & use those to reserve a week in somebody else's timeshare somewhere else (Florida, usually).  

More commonly, we use our RCI Points membership to snag bargain _Last Call_ reservations & occasionally low-cost _Extra Vacation Getaway_ reservations when they go on sale.  

The reason that works OK for us is that our favorite timeshare vacation spot (Orlando-Kissimmee FL) is overbuilt with timeshares.  Plus, our favorite timeshare vacation weeks (early January) are off-season for that part of the country.  Ideally, it works out to luxury timeshare vacation accommodations at Motel 6 & Super 8 rates.  

So far, so good. 

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


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## breezez (Oct 1, 2018)

AwayWeGo said:


> We are locked into RCI Points.  After downsizing, the only timeshare we have left is a 1BR (resale) triennial points unit in Las Vegas. If we want to exchange, we glom 2-3 years' worth of points together & use those to reserve a week in somebody else's timeshare somewhere else (Florida, usually).
> 
> More commonly, we use our RCI Points membership to snag bargain _Last Call_ reservations & occasionally low-cost _Extra Vacation Getaway_ reservations when they go on sale.
> 
> ...


I like your thought process, but I would do something to have access to II then.   You get a lot nicer resorts and can pretty much get most of the year in the Marriotts there for about $350 a week outside major holidays.


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## slip (Oct 1, 2018)

Another reasonable alternative is Platinum Interchange. No membership fee and you can see the inventory right away. Exchange fee is still $129 I believe. Not as much inventory as RCI and II but not bad. Service is really good when you call them too.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 1, 2018)

We exited RCI many years ago as individual memberships.  We figured that for the cost of RCI membership + exchange fees, we were better off joining a mini-system that had resorts in most of the places we were interested in going to.  Plus, most of the minis include an exchange company membership as part of the ownership, but the minis have very high trading power inside the exchange systems.


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## Fredflintstone (Oct 1, 2018)

bluehende said:


> I have to laugh at this thread right now.  I decided to join RCI on Oct 1.  Yes today.  I joined to exclusively use last calls and ev's.  I go to the web page and join.  I hit the last prompt and my screen deletes half of the last page and locks.  So I have joined RCI  (i guess) and have an issue I have to call with.  Needless to say I had not actually joined.  Of course we will see if we are billed twice.  After 15 minutes on hold I get to web services.  They have another page I can use.  Of course the discount you can get on the other page by enrolling in auto pay cannot be done.  So I had been a member for a second and already had a web problem that gets solved with me losing a 10 dollar discount.  Not impressed.  Of course with all the stories here surprise is not what I am feeling.



And sadly the $h!t show has just begun.  Keep your credit card close because RCI needs it for every transaction.

Hey, maybe call them and cancel and save yourself the aggravation and financial pain.  II is much better as others have stated. Actually pretty well everyone else is better in my opinion.  



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Oct 1, 2018)

Topflex said:


> Thanks for the information. . Very flexible on travel. Added advantage is ability to fly non-revenue on major airline with hub near us.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I agree with Jim / try it & see if it works for you .
especially if the flight is $ 0 to your wallet .

It may also depend on the climate of your primary residence as to what appeals to you.

An inexpensive :Last Call or  Extra Vac. in Myrtle Beach in Jan / Feb -looks pretty good if you live in Winnipeg or Minneapolis .
Not so much if you live in Florida .


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## bluehende (Oct 1, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> And sadly the $h!t show has just begun.  Keep your credit card close because RCI needs it for every transaction.
> 
> Hey, maybe call them and cancel and save yourself the aggravation and financial pain.  II is much better as others have stated. Actually pretty well everyone else is better in my opinion.
> 
> ...



Unfortunately I have no other choice for last calls.  Trust me the only thing I will pay for is last minute rentals.  I have avoided joining for years but it is getting a bit harder to get last minute cheap rentals.  I used to use dae but with the rci takeover that option has been gutted.


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## Fredflintstone (Oct 1, 2018)

bluehende said:


> Unfortunately I have no other choice for last calls.  Trust me the only thing I will pay for is last minute rentals.  I have avoided joining for years but it is getting a bit harder to get last minute cheap rentals.  I used to use dae but with the rci takeover that option has been gutted.



Yes. 99 percent of the time i found the last minute rentals were either all Vegas or in a cold place in winter and a hot desert in summer. 

Its sad. RCI was good 15 to 20 years ago. Now it’s an expensive, money grabbing gong show.  

Greed does terrible things to systems. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mdurette (Oct 1, 2018)

Is joining RCI worth it?

I would say it could be for the Extra Vacations and Last call options.   

I'm done with depositing weeks with them, but I do use them a lot for Extra Vacations and Last Call.    I will keep my membership open with them even after all my TPUs are gone, just for this reason.    

Try it for one year and see if it works out for you.


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 1, 2018)

slip said:


> Another reasonable alternative is Platinum Interchange.


For 2-3 years, we had outstanding success with Platinum Interchange -- got some nice units at Magic Tree Resort (Kissimmee FL) for a song.  

Currently & for the past couple of years, though, none of the Platinum Interchange _Hot Deal_ offerings have come close to bargain rates.  

We haven't given up on Platinum Interchange -- still check it regularly & will gladly snap up bargains like those from a few years back if they reappear. 

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


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 1, 2018)

breezez said:


> I like your thought process, but I would do something to have access to II then.   You get a lot nicer resorts and can pretty much get most of the year in the Marriotts there for about $350 a week outside major holidays.


We are such penny-pinchers that we are unwilling to pay for 2 side-by-side timeshare exchange club memberships.  

Plus, if we switched to I-I (that is, quit RCI when our paid-ahead membership runs out & signed up instead with I-I), we would have to dump our RCI Points timeshare & replace it with something else -- not to mention trying to get the hang of I-I while unlearning what (we think) we know about the ins & outs of RCI Points.  

For better or worse, we are pretty much locked into RCI Points -- not that there's anything wrong with that. 

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


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## bluehende (Oct 1, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> Yes. 99 percent of the time i found the last minute rentals were either all Vegas or in a cold place in winter and a hot desert in summer.
> 
> Its sad. RCI was good 15 to 20 years ago. Now it’s an expensive, money grabbing gong show.
> 
> ...



I have been going through those for a while and to be honest I am not impressed.  The inventory seems a lot more like your description as my hope.  I knew good stuff would not be there, but am disappointed in seeing virtually nothing.  Over the year I will get my 99 bucks worth, but not easily.  I may have screwed myself by waiting too long for anything in ne the week of Oct 15.  I was surprised to find absolutely nothing.  We are not picky.  We will see as the year goes along if lesser resorts in shoulder season show up.  By the way november in vt is not shoulder....that is stick season.


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## Fredflintstone (Oct 1, 2018)

bluehende said:


> I have been going through those for a while and to be honest I am not impressed.  The inventory seems a lot more like your description as my hope.  I knew good stuff would not be there, but am disappointed in seeing virtually nothing.  Over the year I will get my 99 bucks worth, but not easily.  I may have screwed myself by waiting too long for anything in ne the week of Oct 15.  I was surprised to find absolutely nothing.  We are not picky.  We will see as the year goes along if lesser resorts in shoulder season show up.  By the way november in vt is not shoulder....that is stick season.



And sadly the 99 dollar membership fee is a start. Exchange fees, extend weeks/points, platinum member (and that’s a gong show) requires $$$$$.  I got so frustrated with their fees every turn, I just stopped paying them and let my points expire. I found having weeks/points banked kept me sucked in to more RCI fee punishment. After beating up my credit card until it was black and blue with all the fees, I couldn’t take it anymore. 

Even though I lost 1000s in points/weeks thru MFs paid, i ironically felt free of them and still feel liberated.  

And...my credit card has finally healed from the brutal RCI beatings.

I hope you do find a last minute vacation this winter that doesn’t seem not cost you 200 a day mandatory inclusion fees (resorts in Mexico) or places requiring you to use a 4 wheel drive, tire chains, a seal skinned parka, fluffy boats, scarf and thermal socks. I know that’s all I found as last vacation. The only exception was Vegas but one gets tired of that place and rooms there are cheap anyway.

Not a good experience.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## bluehende (Oct 1, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> And sadly the 99 dollar membership fee is a start. Exchange fees, extend weeks/points, platinum member (and that’s a gong show) requires $$$$$.  I got so frustrated with their fees every turn, I just stopped paying them and let my points expire. I found having weeks/points banked kept me sucked in to more RCI fee punishment. After beating up my credit card until it was black and blue with all the fees, I couldn’t take it anymore.
> 
> Even though I lost 1000s in points/weeks thru MFs paid, i ironically felt free of them and still feel liberated.
> 
> ...



Well the four wheel drive chains and seal skin parka sounds good.  One of the ones I am hoping for is a winter week in vt or nh,  I would consider that a find.  I just do not need november or april.  Your experience is exactly why they will never see a deposit from me.

Just to update the latest annoyance.....Cover page says up to 40% off ev and last call.  When you click on it it has expired even though it clearly states book by 10/5


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## bogey21 (Oct 2, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> Its sad. RCI was good 15 to 20 years ago. Now it’s an expensive, money grabbing gong show.



Pretty much the way I see it too...

George


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## easyrider (Oct 2, 2018)

For us, RCI has been the best trades. When I had single destination deeded timeshares RCI was the best way to go somewhere different. I fixed my timeshare portfolio to include only timeshare systems that have multiple destinations. Generally, I no longer exchange unless I want more time in a certain area.

Bill


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## silentg (Oct 2, 2018)

Topflex said:


> i own a silver crown fixed week (25) in Del Rey Beach Florida. I actually stay in unit every year. Am retired now and thinking of joining RCI and deposit week for exchange. Is it worth it? Or should I just rent units as I do now?


If you join TUG, you can go to Marketplace and do an exchange with another TUG member.
Your resort sounds nice and if you look at some of the offers you may find one to your liking.
We have done this a few times and our RCI account is dwindling down. May not renew it.
Silentg


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## WinniWoman (Oct 2, 2018)

AwayWeGo said:


> For 2-3 years, we had outstanding success with Platinum Interchange -- got some nice units at Magic Tree Resort (Kissimmee FL) for a song.
> 
> Currently & for the past couple of years, though, none of the Platinum Interchange _Hot Deal_ offerings have come close to bargain rates.
> 
> ...




And don't forget Trading Places and RTX.


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## Panina (Oct 2, 2018)

Topflex said:


> I have decided to join RCI for one year to try it out. I hope I do not have your experience. My reason is also for last calls and ev’s. May deposit at a later date. Will post how it turns out.


Also RCI is very good for last minute bookings, from a few days to two weeks prior. Tpu’s needed are reduced greatly.  Many times I have traded like this getting great deals.


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## bluehende (Oct 2, 2018)

Panina said:


> Also RCI is very good for last minute bookings, from a few days to two weeks prior. Tpu’s needed are reduced greatly.  Many times I have traded like this getting great deals.



Is there inventory at that point that would not be available as a last call?


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## Panina (Oct 2, 2018)

bluehende said:


> Is there inventory at that point that would not be available as a last call?


I just did one today and got it for 10 tpu’s, Paying as a last call was over $1100.  Sometimes last calls are cheap but many times higher demand areas aren’t.


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## bluehende (Oct 2, 2018)

Panina said:


> I just did one today and got it for 10 tpu’s, Paying as a last call was over $1100.  Sometimes last calls are cheap but many times higher demand areas aren’t.



I am new to rci.  I finally took the plunge.  I did notice a few while looking that were higher.  That explains it.  Seems the only real rule RCI has is charge what the market will bear..  I will probably not deposit anything so this option will not be open to me.  My one year experiment should be interested.  As a former colleague said once.   It is only an experiment it may not work


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## Panina (Oct 2, 2018)

bluehende said:


> I am new to rci.  I finally took the plunge.  I did notice a few while looking that were higher.  That explains it.  Seems the only real rule RCI has is charge what the market will bear..  I will probably not deposit anything so this option will not be open to me.  My one year experiment should be interested.  As a former colleague said once.   It is only an experiment it may not work


As most know, I do not like RCI.  I have been struggling to use my points. I thought I was done but had to cancel a trade as a conflict occurred so I still have points.  

The only thing I like (love) about RCI is the low points for last minute trades.  My prior one was Disney for 10 tpu’s and that was 3 weeks out.  These last minute deals can’t be beat. I have have this love/hate relationship with RCI.  My intent is to say goodbye, time will tell.   II counters this with the free AC’s they give, some good things are available there too.


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## JudyMesko (Oct 6, 2018)

Hello, When you rent your week, does the resort charge a fee?  My resort charges 30%, so i wonder if its worth it.


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## breezez (Oct 6, 2018)

If you rent it via your resort that may be true.   But renting on your own they should charge you anything except possibly a guest certificate fee.


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## LMD (Oct 6, 2018)

No. After being an RCI member for 20 years and II for 15  I am finally letting my RCI membership expire in December and will be using II exclusively.


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## geist1223 (Oct 6, 2018)

Probably didn't help when Wyndham took over RCI.


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## Coach Boon (Oct 8, 2018)

We've been struggling with this "leave or not to leave" RCI. Our membership expires this December. However we have at least 2 weeks banked with them. And if we don't renew we lose those. We have a deeded week. We tried DAE before RCI acquired them and our searches came up blank or in the odd case the same places through RCI.

I somehow missed Platinum Exchange so I thank everyone for mentioning them. I'll check them out. We have considered saving the RCI fees by either going to or letting our week lapse. We have had success over the years exchanging but this was before quality packaged travel vacations , AirBnb etc became options. We have low maintenance fees of less than $700 but now we have to add in RCI membership fees and exchange fees it starts to add up. That cost is still quite good but we find that decent exchanges are becoming more and more difficult. It seems that Rci points have access to the better properties. Our property is on HHI but is quite old but well run.

So, we will most likely renew for another year, not deposit, test Platinum exchange and keep reading TUG. We may reach a point soon and just re-deed and call it a day.


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## WinniWoman (Oct 8, 2018)

Coach Boon said:


> We've been struggling with this "leave or not to leave" RCI. Our membership expires this December. However we have at least 2 weeks banked with them. And if we don't renew we lose those. We have a deeded week. We tried DAE before RCI acquired them and our searches came up blank or in the odd case the same places through RCI.
> 
> I somehow missed Platinum Exchange so I thank everyone for mentioning them. I'll check them out. We have considered saving the RCI fees by either going to or letting our week lapse. We have had success over the years exchanging but this was before quality packaged travel vacations , AirBnb etc became options. We have low maintenance fees of less than $700 but now we have to add in RCI membership fees and exchange fees it starts to add up. That cost is still quite good but we find that decent exchanges are becoming more and more difficult. It seems that Rci points have access to the better properties. Our property is on HHI but is quite old but well run.
> 
> So, we will most likely renew for another year, not deposit, test Platinum exchange and keep reading TUG. We may reach a point soon and just re-deed and call it a day.




Trading Places also. And RTX.


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