# [ 2008 ] RCI is a SCAM!!



## thecypher

After several hopeful years and convincing myself I am probably wrong, I am now convinced more than ever before that RCI is a big SCAM!! What a freakin waste of money buying all those points which are utterly worthless. Please tell me I am wrong because clearly what seems to be going on is as soon as anybody deposits their timeshare week with RCI, they do not make it available to members for exchange or purchasing using points. They only put out absolute junk inventory for exchange and purchase using points. They make money selling the good weeks as Extra vacations. This must be illegal. How can they screw members like this? 

Just check it out. Go do a search for vacations for 2009 summer for example. Just pick any place lets say SC Outerbanks. You will not get a single availability. Meanwhile tons of units are available at the same location for the same time for $900 a pop under Extra Vacations. So essentially all those points you have in your account are worth less than toilet paper. I am sorry. I am really angry and frustrated. I think a class action law suit is in order. As a paying member I expect to get access to every damn unit they have in their inventory on a first come first served basis. But that is not what is happening. I have tons of points which are utterly useless at this point. All I can buy is garbage that RCI can't sell. Freakin crooks!!! 

If they let you buy the good weeks using your points all they make is the exchange fees. But if they sell it they make at least 5 times more. They have you by your balls anyway and you are not going anywhere. You pay your annual membership and you have useless points in your account that cost them nothing instead they make more money when you want to carry them over because you didn't want to buy garbage. And if you did buy garbage they made money off of selling garbage to you in terms of exchange fees. I think I am done with this timeshare business. Total scam!! You are better of putting money away and buying the weeks as you need


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## "Roger"

thecypher said:


> ....Just check it out. Go do a search for vacations for 2009 summer for example. Just pick any place lets say SC Outerbanks. You will not get a single availability.... I have tons of points which are utterly useless at this point....


I won't speak for the Weeks side of the picture (I find it totally frustrating myself), but I did "check it out" on the Points side.  

Currently, the furthest that you can reserve into the future with Points is July 2.  So, I gave June 27 a shot (the closest Saturday to July 2.)  I wasn't sure whether you meant SC or the Outerbanks (usually referring to NC), but it didn't matter.  Two pages of resorts came up for Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head when I tried for South Carolina - many of which were Gold Crown.  

As far as I know, there are three Points resorts for the Outbanks in North Carolina.  All three were available.


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## Kozman

*RCI Class Action Law Suit*

We feel your pain on the weeks side too!  However, there is already a class action lawsuit in process against RCI for renting out inventory instead of making them available to members.  Members joined RCI for the specific purpose of having an exchange pool to trade from and not to give away their week for RCI so they can make windfall profit on.  You'd think they would be laying low during litigation, but they seem to be flaunting it instead.

http://www.rciclassaction.com/


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## thecypher

Yeah meant to say NC. Try going into "Weeks Reservation" (using your points) and do a search for Outer banks with start date of June 27th 2009 for a span of 10 weeks. I get ONE hit "Sea Scape Beach & Golf Villas" for just 1 week in a hotel unit starting 7/19/09. Now go into Extra Vacations and try a search for a week in the Outer banks for summer 2009. And you will see what I am talking about. Between June thru Aug 2009 there are about 30+ available units all going for $900 and above.


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## thecypher

Now I am having this really evil thought me being a paranoid person. Do you think everybody on the RCI site sees the same stuff when they do a search? Or is there a secret class based treatment that we are not aware of? Based on where you own your home resort etc.? I know we keep hearing points are points but I still wonder. Well we all know now our points are useless anyway. RCI is ripping us all off by taking our own stuff and selling it back to us sheep for 6 times the prices we should be paying for it.


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## timeos2

*Weeks doesn't require deposits - points does.*



Kozman said:


> We feel your pain on the weeks side too!  However, there is already a class action lawsuit in process against RCI for renting out inventory instead of making them available to members.  Members joined RCI for the specific purpose of having an exchange pool to trade from and not to give away their week for RCI so they can make windfall profit on.  You'd think they would be laying low during litigation, but they seem to be flaunting it instead.
> 
> http://www.rciclassaction.com/



As you can see by the dates on that website the class action has basically died. No updates and no action - it never had a chance.  

As for Points being worthless as someone already posted it's too soon for summer 2009 in points. In weeks there are very few available but week for week trades is a dying model and has had little for years - no surprise there. The best weeks don't get deposited as they are too valuable as rentals or for owner use. Once the points resorts are available (they have to be deposited by the points agreement) the selection should be much better. Look in a few weeks.


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## sfwilshire

It may be pretty early on the Weeks side also. Many owners deposit their weeks at the end of the year when they pay their maintenance fees.

Early deposits may already be gone. 

I would be the first to say that RCI is far from perfect, but I find many great weeks there. Keep reading here and you'll learn more about maximizing your membership.

Sheila


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## rickandcindy23

Did you look at Standard Reservations?  About 9-10 months (maximum you can search is 10), you should see availability there for various areas.  If you cannot see much, it's probably a lack of inventory in points for that area.  

I don't agree that RCI is a scam.  I have found wonderful exchanges through weeks, and I think the points system is just a matter of learning the tricks.


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## skimble

I've had great luck with RCI Points over the past few years. 
I have encountered one recent problem though.  They are not confirming weeks through email quickly, and confirmed weeks aren't showing up in your account right away.  I reserved three 2010 weeks for summer in CA last month.  They took about 3 weeks to show up in my account.  
I was searching another week, and ran across the week I had already booked in the system.  Knowing how rare this week is, I called RCI immediately.  The VC claimed that I DID in fact have a reservation in my account for this week.  I asked why there was another showing.  He said he didn't know--- that maybe it's another deposit.  I told him it's too rare of a deposit for this to happen.  He assured me that my summer week was booked an in my account.  
A week later, I called RCI again to ask why I'm not seeing it.  They know nothing about it... there's no summer CA coastal week in my account, and according to this VC, there never has been.  It disappeared.  Now, I'm waiting for my credit card statement to dispute this (and then, they'll likely only give me my $ back and claim they don't know why I was overcharged.)

So, the essence of the problem is the lack of timely confirmation notices via email, snail mail, or registering on your account.  I never thought it would be a problem until I got one removed.  I have the confirmation # written somewhere, but all they have to say is, "we don't see that in our system" and what recourse will I have?


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## caribbean

I have to say I have had good success using my points account. Below find a list of my trades made. Most have been using points to book into weeks resorts. A couple weeks to weeks trades and a several points reservations. Except for the fees that continue to rise, I don't have any problems because I am getting to go where I want and staying in pretty nice places. I am in Sarasota Fl right now, staying in Little Gull which is super.

2293	Eagles Trace at Massanutten - 1BR	Massanutten VA	8/31/2002
2481	Fairfield Williamsburg at Kingsgate - 2BR	Williamsburg VA	10/11/2002
2091	Port de Plaisance Resort & Casino - Studio	ST Martin	01/12/03
4905	Mauna Loa Village by the Sea - 2BR	Hawaii	4/26/2003
3681	PAHIO Kauai Beach Villas - 2 BR	Hawaii	5/3/2003
6494	WorldMark at Kihei -2BR	Hawaii	5/10/2003
0301	Sarasota Sands - 1 BR	Sarasota FL	6/21/2003
0301	Sarasota Sands - Studio	Sarasota FL	6/21/2003
6055	The Alexandra Resort & Spa - 1BR 2 weeks	Turks & Caicos	11/22/2003
3686	Bougainvillea Beach Resort - 1 BR 2 weeks	Barbados	6/5/2004
6390	Residences at The Crane - Hotel	Barbados	6/12/2004
5930	Morritt's Grand Resort - 2 BR 2 weeks	Grand Cayman	11/6/2004
1715	The Four Sails - 2BR New Years Eve Dance	VA Beach	12/26/2004
4856	Palm Beach Shores - 1BR	Palm Beach FL	4/23/2005
0650	Suntide Island Beach Club - 2BR	Sarasota FL	4/30/2005
3865	Umbrella Beach - 2BR	Sarasota FL	9/10/2005
3025	WindJammer Landing - 1BR/pool 18 days	ST Lucia	10/8/2005
1715	4 Sails - 2BR New Years Eve Dance	VA Beach	12/31/2005
7543	Fairfield Atlantic City - 1BR 	New Jersey	1/12/2006
5930	Morritt's Grand Resort - 2 BR 2 weeks	Grand Cayman	4/22/2006
6390	Residences at The Crane - 1BR/pool	Barbados	4/22/2006
5356	DIVI ST Croix - 1BR	ST Croix	4/29/2006
0259	Las Olas Beach Club - 2BR 	Satellite Beach FL	9/19/2006
1858	Sunterra Flamingo Beach - 1 BR	ST Martin	10/7/2006
3984	Sunterra Royal Palm Beach - 2BR	ST Martin	10/13/2006
4856	Palm Beach Shores  - 1BR	Palm Beach FL	3/10/2007
6390	Residences at The Crane - 2BR penthouse/pool	Barbados	6/2/2007
6390	Residences at The Crane - 1BR/pool	Barbados	6/9/2007
5044	Jamaican on the Gulf - 1BR	ST Pete FL	9/22/2007
2150	Southwind  II  -  3BR	HH Island SC	10/13/2007
2886	Sandyport Beach - 2 weeks in 1BR	Bahamas	5/3/2008
0865	Little Gull - 2BR	Sarasota FL	8/30/2008
2666	Playa Naco Resort - 1BR 2 weeks	Dominican Republic	11/1/2008
2083	Four Winds of Longboat Key - 1BR	Sarasota FL	4/25/2009
5249	Carambola Beach Resort - 1BR 2 weeks	ST Croix	6/13/2009
0865	Little Gull - 1BR	Sarasota FL	11/14/2009
0914	Half Moon Club - 1BR	Jamaica	11/21/2009


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## rickandcindy23

Patty, that is a very impressive list.


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## caribbean

Cindy-

Thanks. Just thought that saying you made good trades is one thing, but showing the list speaks for itself as fact. And there are only 2 on that list that I would not go back to. It does take effort to search early and often to make it work, but it most certainly can be done.


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## Mel

In looking at the RCI Weeks deposits, you have to consider 2 factors:

First, when searching with points, you are not going to see deposits from the RCI Points resorts - it's my understanding you can reserve them, but you have to call to do so.

Second, you need to consider the habits of RCI Weeks members.  Part of the whole idea of RCI Points was to make all the weeks available at the same tame, and to encourage certain habits.  The problem many people have with RCI Weeks is the need to understand everybody else's habits, and to learn the "system."  Under points, RCI controls when "deposits" are made, for the most part.  Though you do also have to consider that owners of other weeks from those resorts you want get a crack at those deposits before you do, so the RCI Points resorts still might not become available to you.  

For the RCI Weeks resorts, deposit habits vary.  Some owners will deposit every year in January, once their fees are paid.  Since those weeks are not in RCI's inventory yet, you can't see them.

A very small number of resorts allow owners to deposit before the fees are paid.  At those resorts, you will see many deposited either 1 year at (to maximize trade power), or once the owners decide they won't be using the week themselves.  That timing varies, but again it is a small percentage of owners.

Some owners will pay their fees early, and deposit before January.  Most of these do so when they have plans for those weeks - they are ready to make a request against them.   For the owners of the prime weeks (what you're looking for), they are often also placing a request for another prime week.  Since they are ALL doing the same thing, those prime deposits are fulfilling exchange requests from those who have ongoing searches, and you won't see them in the spacebank.

Finally, you have to consider the floating-week resorts.  They all have their own reservation periods, and deposits can't be made before those dates.  I don't know the ownership types at most of the resorts on the Outer Banks, but if any are Floating weeks, you aren't likely to see them yet either.

As with any high-demand area, particularly since most of the resorts there are still on the Weeks side, your best chance of getting an exchange in an ongoing search.  Mark your place in line, and wait your turn.  It's kind of like going to Disney World - if you go at peak times, you have to stand in line.  The line isn't likely to ever get much shorter, so you just have to wait your turn.  If you go at off-peak times, there are sometimes lines, and sometimes not.


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## theo

*Say what?*



timeos2 said:


> As you can see by the dates on that website the class action has basically died. No updates and no action - it never had a chance.



Not accurate. The web site failing to be updated means absolutely nothing.
*Settlement* negotiations have already been conducted in Federal Court in Newark, NJ on this matter. 

I don't have a dog in that fight and I don't trade with RCI, so I don't much care how the case turns out, personally. Nonetheless, it's simply a misrepresentation of the facts to just say that the case "has basically died". It may well be nearing an end, but _Murillo vs. RCI _is certainly alive and well and taking up time and space in Federal Court in Newark, NJ.


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## Kozman

theo said:


> Not accurate. The web site failing to be updated means absolutely nothing.
> *Settlement* negotiations have already been conducted in Federal Court in Newark, NJ on this matter.
> 
> I don't have a dog in that fight and I don't trade with RCI, so I don't much care how the case turns out, personally. Nonetheless, it's simply a misrepresentation of the facts to just say that the case "has basically died". It may well be nearing an end, but _Murillo vs. RCI _is certainly alive and well and taking up time and space in Federal Court in Newark, NJ.



I have personally been a principal in a class action lawsuit against a major company in CA and I can vouch for the fact that litigation takes forever.  It's not over until it's over.


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## thetimeshareguy

Kozman said:


> I have personally been a principal in a class action lawsuit against a major company in CA and I can vouch for the fact that litigation takes forever.  It's not over until it's over.



Agreed Kozman. I would add that however long it takes, this is a worthwhile case if, in fact, it is moving forward. Having this in front of a judge may resolve once and for all whether RCI has been treating its members fairly. There's been a lot of rumor and you'd expect RCI would like to see an outcome to put an end to it (unless, of course, it has something to hide).

Please, anyone in a position to track the case, report back to these boards from time to time.


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## Carolinian

Lawsuits take time.  The discovery process on something like this will, by itself, take many months.  Its not over until the fat lady sings.




timeos2 said:


> As you can see by the dates on that website the class action has basically died. No updates and no action - it never had a chance.
> 
> As for Points being worthless as someone already posted it's too soon for summer 2009 in points. In weeks there are very few available but week for week trades is a dying model and has had little for years - no surprise there. The best weeks don't get deposited as they are too valuable as rentals or for owner use. Once the points resorts are available (they have to be deposited by the points agreement) the selection should be much better. Look in a few weeks.


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## Carolinian

While Hatteras High's off-season weeks float, none of the high season weeks at OBX resorts do.

What is happening here is supply and demand.  Many summer owners on the OBX own to use and do not deposit for exchange.  In going through the records of one resort, I found that while 30% of owners deposited for exchange from December through May, only 10% of summer owners did and 20% of Fall fishing season owners.  Managers at two other resorts told me that their patterns were similar. It was several years since I did that analysis, and with all the rental controversy at RCI since, I suspect those numbers may have declined further.

Another factor on the supply side on the OBX is that the demise of Bodie Island Beach Club and at least temporary closure of Sea Ranch II means less timeshare availible.  It is unlikely that any more oceanfront timeshare will be built there.



Mel said:


> In looking at the RCI Weeks deposits, you have to consider 2 factors:
> 
> First, when searching with points, you are not going to see deposits from the RCI Points resorts - it's my understanding you can reserve them, but you have to call to do so.
> 
> Second, you need to consider the habits of RCI Weeks members.  Part of the whole idea of RCI Points was to make all the weeks available at the same tame, and to encourage certain habits.  The problem many people have with RCI Weeks is the need to understand everybody else's habits, and to learn the "system."  Under points, RCI controls when "deposits" are made, for the most part.  Though you do also have to consider that owners of other weeks from those resorts you want get a crack at those deposits before you do, so the RCI Points resorts still might not become available to you.
> 
> For the RCI Weeks resorts, deposit habits vary.  Some owners will deposit every year in January, once their fees are paid.  Since those weeks are not in RCI's inventory yet, you can't see them.
> 
> A very small number of resorts allow owners to deposit before the fees are paid.  At those resorts, you will see many deposited either 1 year at (to maximize trade power), or once the owners decide they won't be using the week themselves.  That timing varies, but again it is a small percentage of owners.
> 
> Some owners will pay their fees early, and deposit before January.  Most of these do so when they have plans for those weeks - they are ready to make a request against them.   For the owners of the prime weeks (what you're looking for), they are often also placing a request for another prime week.  Since they are ALL doing the same thing, those prime deposits are fulfilling exchange requests from those who have ongoing searches, and you won't see them in the spacebank.
> 
> Finally, you have to consider the floating-week resorts.  They all have their own reservation periods, and deposits can't be made before those dates.  I don't know the ownership types at most of the resorts on the Outer Banks, but if any are Floating weeks, you aren't likely to see them yet either.
> 
> As with any high-demand area, particularly since most of the resorts there are still on the Weeks side, your best chance of getting an exchange in an ongoing search.  Mark your place in line, and wait your turn.  It's kind of like going to Disney World - if you go at peak times, you have to stand in line.  The line isn't likely to ever get much shorter, so you just have to wait your turn.  If you go at off-peak times, there are sometimes lines, and sometimes not.


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## crazyhorse

Yes there certainly are a lot of nice extra vacations available for rent up to next August (2009). We cannot know exactly where these weeks came from but it is a pity in some ways that both Rental and Timeshare Exchange systems are being marketed by the same company, using the same properties. It now seems inevitable, that if there is some dissatisfaction with the Exchange Systems that questions will be raised about the whole business (viz the Class Action and numerous bulletin comments).
While it is clear that there would be some benefit for Property developers (Timeshare Companies) already using RCI for their Owners week`s exchange, to use RCI for renting out their surplus weeks, I have not heard of any, so far who have confirmed this.

Any Timeshare Companies out there who would like to write in to this board to verify this??????


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## crazyhorse

*update*

 I should perhaps have made it clear that I am a weeks owner, but my opinion on the RCI extra vacation system applies for both types of owner.

I have not had much of a grudge over the years with my exchanges with RCI, and in fact have had many enjoyable exchanges, but this year I have seen some unusual results. I am an owner in a red week 3 bedroomed property, silver crown with quite a respectable rating (could almost be a gold crown). I have had an ongoing search since early June for a week`s exchange in Europe. I have also checked regulary on the site to see if anything was available that was a little different but which I would accept. I have had very little luck so far, and in fact have finally accepted a 1 bed property which neither has an RCI rating. but does have good reviews.

The reason I did this was partly out of frustration. There were oddly, no weeks of any grade available in the UK nor in Portugal at all for September. I also did a search for an exchange right through from early May to early October-same thing. On looking at the RCI Extra Vacations, I was not too pleased to see that for August alone, there were 21 properies of all grades available for the UK, and a number for Portugal. Note that many are in the school holidays for the UK. 

Now what is a bit of a mystery to me is why these (some gold crown) are available for rent in August next year. Can RCI justify that these weeks, so far in the future, are surplus ones that exchangees do not want? (Give me half the chance!). 

Can RCI prove that these are unpurchased weeks from the developers? I ask if it is likely that the developers would release these unsold properties for next August, when there is always the chance that the developers could sell them before then?

As I said before, it would be nice if we could get some corroboration from the developers on these issues.


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## Tia

Will a developer be willing to prove the source of the rentals? NO     Why?... They don't have to.  

Our resort developer has even tried to claim they haven't sold a certain % to maintain a vote in a certain HOA, but they refused to provide any stats from what I recall reading on an owner yahoo group.  The only solution was a legal one.


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## Carolinian

When you see weeks for rent at sold out resorts, you know they did not come from the developer, and there have been quite a few reports of those!


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## crazyhorse

I have noticed that there is a similar bulletin live at the moment on the site see   	
unfair rci vacations 
I have been watching the boards for a few years off and on and I remember some of the input from the RCI employee, but I didn`t see the outcome regarding the rental/exchange matter. Thanks Carolinian for your update.
As I referred earlier, I have not had much of a problem with RCI exchanges until this year. Any search I have done for exchanges over the past 20 years (if my memory is correct!) has always produced some properties for the UK. Now zilch!!. Yet there are plenty in Extra Rentals. My own weeks have in fact improved in their status over the years, so I guess people`s suspicions are well founded.
Pity really because at one time RCI (in another guise!!) was the respectable name in Timeshare, and seemed a buttress against the dark side!
If the alleged mis-use of our deposited weeks has indeed increased this year despite the class action, it suggests that either

1. the class action has died-this is not confirmed!!
2. the class action is still alive but RCI don`t care.
3. the parent company is heading for trouble financially (in the current financial climate for leisure/travel/real estate) and they need as much money as they can get!

If RCI was a bank, is it safe to deposit with them?


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## ladycody

I dont use RCI alot...and am a fairly new RCI member...but I do browse alot and could be satisfied with what was available to me.  Then again, I'm easy to please and dont often go to the hot spots.  

Many of the posts that I've read from people who have belonged to RCI for years indicate that they have slowly seen availability get more limited and/or harder to get, while rentals get more prolific.

It _is_ interesting to me that it was within a year or so after Cendant's purchase of RCI, that the company embarked on it's mission to develop the "industry's most effective global condominium-rental distribution channel."  Seems like whenever Cendant gets involved with something new, their stock does well but the end user gets shafted?  Lord knows I havent been thrilled with their impact on my timeshare.


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## theo

*Alive and well --- neither dead nor dying...*



			
				crazyhorse;5984631. 
Re: >> the class action has died-this is not confirmed!![/QUOTE said:
			
		

> ===========================================
> 
> In (and presumably outside of) Federal court in Newark, NJ, settlement discussions have been taking place in _Murillo vs. RCI _since mid July, 2008. The next hearing date is reportedly scheduled for October 01, 2008.
> 
> I don't profess to know (or care to guess) the ultimate outcome, but it seems clear that this case is proceeding to resolution, one way or another.
> 
> With RCI having attained ownership interests in "outside" rental entities (specifically, SnapTravel and Leisure Link, *both* acquisitions having been conducted *after* the lawsuit was initially filed back in April, 2006), one has to wonder whether RCI maybe has a strategy already in place for virtually *any* outcome of the lawsuit against them. I certainly don't claim to know and, since I try to avoid RCI like a communicable disease anyhow, I have no stake in that outcome. Still, I follow with great interest the "devolution" of what was (once upon a time, anyhow) the premier exchange company. Things certainly change with the passage of time...


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## icydog

rickandcindy23 said:


> Did you look at Standard Reservations?  About 9-10 months (maximum you can search is 10), you should see availability there for various areas.  If you cannot see much, it's probably a lack of inventory in points for that area.
> 
> I don't agree that RCI is a scam.  I have found wonderful exchanges through weeks, and I think the points system is just a matter of learning the tricks.




Cindy, I see your postings on the Sightings board everyday but I can't get those same exchanges. I don't know why. Last year, with essentially the same weeks, I got anything and everything. This year I get dog food for dinner. I can't trade into a decent resort for the life of me. I'm glad for you but I am frustrated as heck.


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## dms1709

I have a point account and am very disappointed with what I have been able to exchange into.  I have been trying learn the system, but apparently have not figured it out yet.  Any help would be appreciated.

Donna


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## UWSurfer

dms1709 said:


> I have a point account and am very disappointed with what I have been able to exchange into.  I have been trying learn the system, but apparently have not figured it out yet.  Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Donna



I've been an HGVC owner for a while and their points system is pretty simple in that you get a set amount of points for the size and season unit you own and you get to spend those points for what ever number of stays you want, where ever you want subject to availability, provided you have the points internal to their system.

I'm in the midst of purchasing a non-hgvc RCI points week and was able to get a fair number of RCI points setup.  With points, the week I'm buying is valued at a certain number of points which are deposited in my account.  I then get to book where ever I want to go, subject to availability (inventory) and provided I had the points I needed internal to the RCI points system.

I have a trade show I attend in April and was able to book HGVC LV Hilton adjacent to the LV Convention Center, using the RCI points without issue for next April.

I don't know all that much, but RCI points didn't seem all that foreign.


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## gorevs9

dms1709 said:


> I have a point account and am very disappointed with what I have been able to exchange into.  I have been trying learn the system, but apparently have not figured it out yet.  Any help would be appreciated.


 Basically, you received X amount of points for your unit.  At 10 months prior to checkin, you can reserve any available unit (in the RCI inventory) at any Points resort, providing you have enough points.  At 24 months (?) prior to checkin, you can reserve any available unit at any weeks resort. 

There are indiosyncrycies in any system, so you have any specific questions?


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## tenerife terrific

*RCI Points LOLOL*

Just to put my 2 dollars in i live in Tenerife ( Which is just off the Coast of Africa ) I do work in the Timeshare Industry but for Diamond Resorts International  We are a points based Company  for those of you who are having problems ot getting the Weeks you want via the Exchange System may i suggest you go and talk to a DRI Consultant near you maybe just maybe you will get what you want if you need to know more just ask :whoopie Ps does this remind you of anything to do with RCI ???.........................


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## AwayWeGo

*D. R. I. = Full Freight.  R. C. I. = El Cheapo Resale.*




tenerife terrific said:


> for those of you who are having problems ot getting the Weeks you want via the Exchange System may i suggest you go and talk to a DRI Consultant near you maybe just maybe you will get what you want if you need to know more just ask :whoopie Ps does this remind you of anything to do with RCI ?


All the DRI consultants I'm familiar with are the people who talk to me at Owner Updates, etc., over those little tables in the high-pressure salesrooms, offering full-freight memberships in T*.* H*.* E*.* Club for big bux. 

For those content to go that way, I'm sure it's fine. 

For us bottom-feeding timeshare bargain hunters, however, RCI & RCI Points timeshares -- resale all the way -- are much to be preferred. 





-- hotlinked -- 
_*T. H. E. Club*_​
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Kozman

tenerife terrific said:


> Just to put my 2 dollars in i live in Tenerife ( Which is just off the Coast of Africa ) I do work in the Timeshare Industry but for Diamond Resorts International  We are a points based Company  for those of you who are having problems ot getting the Weeks you want via the Exchange System may i suggest you go and talk to a DRI Consultant near you maybe just maybe you will get what you want if you need to know more just ask :whoopie Ps does this remind you of anything to do with RCI ???.........................



Right!  DRI's latest maintenance fee increase was 26% at one of the properties I own.  That would really make me want to run out and buy DRI much more encourage me to recommend it to anyone.

BTW.....DRI is a trust based club and owners have no say.


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## Bill4728

Diamond resorts- DRI (AKA Sunterra) has a large TS system which can be a good way to vacation. BUT it also has some significant problems 

To learn more about the DRI system read the  DRI FAQ  here on TUG or ask questions of the DRI experts over at TS4Ms.com


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## Latravel

I really believe the key to the RCI points program is to learn as much as you can about it.  I found it very confusing at first so I had it for over a year before I used it (and of course, I thought very negatively of RCI during that time).  I decided to try to figure it out so I joined TUG and researched as much as I could.  I even tried to figure out when RCI updated the system every night so that I could have first choice of the last minute weeks inventory for 9000 points as soon as they appear. 

Recently, I was seeing all of the posts of Manhattan Club sightings from RickandCindy, yet I couldn't find them.  I called RCI and talked with someone in the IT department on why I couldn't see the Manhattan Club inventory.  They let me know what I was doing wrong and I was able to reserve Manhattan Club for 5 nights for my birthday in Feb. and 5 nights during spring break in April. 

Bottom line, the system can work for you - you just have to take the time to figure it out (through boards, through calling RCI).  Though there are some definite downsides to the system, I don't think it's a scam.


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## e.bram

If RCI has what it considers excess prime red weeks deposited, why should  they exchange them to someone who deposited a blue dog week. It doesn't make sense. thsy can rent them out for money. They can't rent blue dog weeks(nobody wants them). RCI has a like for for like paradigm. why is this hard to understand


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## rickandcindy23

I have never seen Manhattan Club with RCI points.  I only see it with weeks, but I haven't looked very often for points exchanges--only when I need something particular that I cannot find in weeks.  I usually cannot find it in points, anyway.  Points are disappointing, in my opinion.  

I guess I will buy Disney tickets again this year with my points.


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## AwayWeGo

*What To Do With Those Stale R. C. I. Points That Are About To Expire.*




rickandcindy23 said:


> I guess I will buy Disney tickets again this year with my points.


Not sure they're still offering that as a "Points Partners" option. 

We had overripe points that were about to expire last year & had to use those to get some dumb Disney tickets rather than get nothing at all for them. 

That was then.  This is now. 

So it goes. 

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


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## Egret1986

*Hey, Heidi, I'm also having an issue with seeing a certain resort.*



Latravel said:


> I really believe the key to the RCI points program is to learn as much as you can about it.  I found it very confusing at first so I had it for over a year before I used it (and of course, I thought very negatively of RCI during that time).  I decided to try to figure it out so I joined TUG and researched as much as I could.  I even tried to figure out when RCI updated the system every night so that I could have first choice of the last minute weeks inventory for 9000 points as soon as they appear.
> 
> Recently, I was seeing all of the posts of Manhattan Club sightings from RickandCindy, yet I couldn't find them.  I called RCI and talked with someone in the IT department on why I couldn't see the Manhattan Club inventory.  They let me know what I was doing wrong and I was able to reserve Manhattan Club for 5 nights for my birthday in Feb. and 5 nights during spring break in April.
> 
> Bottom line, the system can work for you - you just have to take the time to figure it out (through boards, through calling RCI).  Though there are some definite downsides to the system, I don't think it's a scam.



I can see availability with my weeks deposit for Massanutten, but when I search with my points for weeks availability, no availability shows up.  I've hesitated to contact RCI.  How did you get to someone in IT?  What were you doing wrong?  Massanutten is not a points resort, so I can't figure out on my own why I can't see availability with a weeks search using my points.  I've been a member of RCI since the early 80's.  I agree that there are some downsides, but have been satisfied over the years.  Before finding TUG, we owned only blue weeks and following the deposit early and request an exchange in advance, we've been to some really great places with those blue weeks.  Thanks, Heidi, for any help you can pass my way before I take the plunge and call RCI, which I avoid if at all possible.


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## rickandcindy23

Egret1986 said:


> I can see availability with my weeks deposit for Massanutten, but when I search with my points for weeks availability, no availability shows up.  I've hesitated to contact RCI.  How did you get to someone in IT?  What were you doing wrong?  Massanutten is not a points resort, so I can't figure out on my own why I can't see availability with a weeks search using my points.  I've been a member of RCI since the early 80's.  I agree that there are some downsides, but have been satisfied over the years.  Before finding TUG, we owned only blue weeks and following the deposit early and request an exchange in advance, we've been to some really great places with those blue weeks.  Thanks, Heidi, for any help you can pass my way before I take the plunge and call RCI, which I avoid if at all possible.



Manhattan, Massanutten?  You should see weeks with a weeks search through points, but I sure don't see the same stuff I see with a weeks search in my weeks choices through the points system.  I know the points resorts won't be in weeks through my points' account, but I see points resorts with my weeks, when I use my weeks' account.  I don't see much in my points account, weeks' side.   Confusing, huh?


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## rickandcindy23

AwayWeGo said:


> Not sure they're still offering that as a "Points Partners" option.
> 
> We had overripe points that were about to expire last year & had to use those to get some dumb Disney tickets rather than get nothing at all for them.
> 
> That was then.  This is now.
> 
> So it goes.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



Oh, darn.  Now what am I going to do?  Plane tickets?


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## Egret1986

*Yes, it is confusing since RCI points are raiding the weeks side.*



rickandcindy23 said:


> Manhattan, Massanutten?  You should see weeks with a weeks search through points, but I sure don't see the same stuff I see with a weeks search in my weeks choices through the points system.  I know the points resorts won't be in weeks through my points' account, but I see points resorts with my weeks, when I use my weeks' account.  I don't see much in my points account, weeks' side.   Confusing, huh?



I haven't heard much about it recently, but before I got into RCI Points, there were folks saying Points were raiding Weeks.  So I thought that Points could see anything on the Weeks side if it was available.  I guess Points does raid Weeks, but I guess not all of them.


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## Latravel

Weeks, points, it's all so confusing!!! 

I got someone in IT after I called the main points assistance line.  I told the first rep that I couldn't see Manhattan Club inventory though others (RickandCindy) could.  She then transferred me to someone in IT who told me I should only see the Manhattan Club in the standard points reservation NOT weeks reservation.  So, I manually entered the code for the resort in the points side standard reservation and, voila, lots of Manhattan Club sightings. I would do the same thing for any other resort I wanted but couldn't see.

So this completely contradicts what RickandCindy just stated, that she only saw Manhattan Club on the weeks side.  When I tried to enter the code on the weeks side, an error message came up to state it did not recognize the resort.  I'm beginning to think I don't understand this system as well as I thought.

If you're wondering what to do with extra points, make a reservation for the Manhattan Club in Feb, March or April (lots of availability) and airfare (at least in beg Feb) on United is only $299 round trip.  I made a reservation for Feb and April.


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## M. Henley

*Question??*

When you are searching for weeks in a points account, you can only see weeks from those resorts which are not from Points resorts.  Is this not correct?

My impression has always been that for a full inventory available you either must also search with a deposited week or call a VC.


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## LynnW

M. Henley said:


> When you are searching for weeks in a points account, you can only see weeks from those resorts which are not from Points resorts.  Is this not correct?
> 
> My impression has always been that for a full inventory available you either must also search with a deposited week or call a VC.



Yes this is right. If you are looking for the Manhattan Club more than 10 months out with points you have to call a VG. If there is weeks inventory available you should be able to book it. If it it less than 10 months out you should see it available using a standard reservation. I find RCI Points quite easy to use. 

Lynn


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## Egret1986

Latravel said:


> Weeks, points, it's all so confusing!!!
> 
> I got someone in IT after I called the main points assistance line.  I told the first rep that I couldn't see Manhattan Club inventory though others (RickandCindy) could.  She then transferred me to someone in IT who told me I should only see the Manhattan Club in the standard points reservation NOT weeks reservation.  So, I manually entered the code for the resort in the points side standard reservation and, voila, lots of Manhattan Club sightings. I would do the same thing for any other resort I wanted but couldn't see.
> 
> So this completely contradicts what RickandCindy just stated, that she only saw Manhattan Club on the weeks side.  When I tried to enter the code on the weeks side, an error message came up to state it did not recognize the resort.  I'm beginning to think I don't understand this system as well as I thought.
> 
> If you're wondering what to do with extra points, make a reservation for the Manhattan Club in Feb, March or April (lots of availability) and airfare (at least in beg Feb) on United is only $299 round trip.  I made a reservation for Feb and April.



Thank you, Heidi.  I'll give this a try and see what happens!


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## rickandcindy23

Latravel said:


> Weeks, points, it's all so confusing!!!
> 
> I got someone in IT after I called the main points assistance line.  I told the first rep that I couldn't see Manhattan Club inventory though others (RickandCindy) could.  She then transferred me to someone in IT who told me I should only see the Manhattan Club in the standard points reservation NOT weeks reservation.  So, I manually entered the code for the resort in the points side standard reservation and, voila, lots of Manhattan Club sightings. I would do the same thing for any other resort I wanted but couldn't see.
> 
> _*So this completely contradicts what RickandCindy just stated, that she only saw Manhattan Club on the weeks side*_.  When I tried to enter the code on the weeks side, an error message came up to state it did not recognize the resort.  I'm beginning to think I don't understand this system as well as I thought.
> 
> If you're wondering what to do with extra points, make a reservation for the Manhattan Club in Feb, March or April (lots of availability) and airfare (at least in beg Feb) on United is only $299 round trip.  I made a reservation for Feb and April.



_*I don't see Manhattan Club with points at all*_.  I only see it with my weeks account, which is a separate log-in from my points account.  I use a Colorado summer week.


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## Carolinian

e.bram said:


> If RCI has what it considers excess prime red weeks deposited, why should  they exchange them to someone who deposited a blue dog week. It doesn't make sense. thsy can rent them out for money. They can't rent blue dog weeks(nobody wants them). RCI has a like for for like paradigm. why is this hard to understand



''Like for like'' is determined by the market, not by an arbitrary process where RCI puts its thumb on the scales for its own benefit to rent weeks to outsiders. If a red week sits on the shelf and doesn't get any takers, that simply means that the market has determined it is not as ''prime'' as some may think, and a trade for a blue may not be a trade up but an equal trade.

Like for like is a matter of supply and demand, and when it comes to overbuilt areas they have dishonestly deemed lots of excess weeks to be ''red'' and given them excess points in the point system.  There is way too much politicking between developers and RCI on any part of the system that is published, whether it be color seasons or point values.  Supply and demand within the exchange market is the only fair system to determine what is an equal trade, and those factors are dynamic, not fixed.  The old Weeks system in the pre-rental days was indeed dynamic.  Static systems are merely schemes by RCI to syphon off weeks to rent for its own profit.


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## Egret1986

*I finally saw Manhattan Club for the first time tonight*



rickandcindy23 said:


> _*I don't see Manhattan Club with points at all*_.  I only see it with my weeks account, which is a separate log-in from my points account.  I use a Colorado summer week.



Several weeks were available during the Jan-April 2009 timeframe under Points Standard reservation.  Under Standard Reservation, I clicked on resorts and clicked on Manhattan Club and the availability came up.  Thanks to Heidi, I was also able to pull up Massanutten resorts under Weeks using the Resort ID.   They still don't come up if I put in Southeast, Shenandoah Mountains.  Also Mountainside Villas Resort ID 0174 shows as an invalid ID#.  But I also found a resort with availability that I could never find availability for any more.  It was previously a weeks resort and while fiddling around tonight I found it under Points.  I like the fact that I do have the opportunity to get into weeks resorts that I might not otherwise be able to get into using a Weeks resort for exchanging or get into larger units I might not otherwise have the trade power to get.  I love the last minute 7500-9000 points deals.  It's a fairly new system for me and one I think I will be able to use to my advantage the more that I become familiar with it.


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## Egret1986

*It worked, Heidi.  Thanks for the info!*



Egret1986 said:


> Thank you, Heidi.  I'll give this a try and see what happens!



I didn't have to call RCI.


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## rickandcindy23

WOW, good for you!  And 1-in-4 is not supposed to apply to points reservation, done on the points (Standard Reservation) side.


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## Latravel

Yea!  I'm glad it worked for you!  It's true the 1 in 4 rule doesn't apply on the points side and that's why I was able to make 2 reservations for the Manhattan Club.  It completely makes a difference when you learn the tricks of the system, that's why the TUG board is so valuable.


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## Egret1986

*I didn't know that about the 1-in-4, Cindy and Heidi!*

Always learning here at TUG!  Thanks!!!!


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## upupandawaay

*RCI question*

I am contemplating making an offer on a Gold Crown resale week with the objective on being able to trade it for another week at the same resort.

The reason being that there are no resale weeks available for when I want to travel.

Based on what I am reading, the odds of this working for me are slim to nil.

For the record, I am neither a timeshare owner nor an RCI member at present.  So I do not really speak timeshare very well yet.


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## bnoble

It depends on the two weeks, and the resort.


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## avad88

*Worked for me*

I bought an off season week in the Outer Banks of N.C. on e-bay, deposit it into RCI and trade for a summer prime week each year.  It is a lock out unit and I deposit it as 2 units and get a 2 bedroom, or this year a 4 bedroom for trading just 1 bedroom of my lock out unit.  Yes, I'm paying the trading fee, but I paid so little for the off season week that I can go many, many summers and still not pay what I would have paid for the prime week at that resort.  I do usually need to put in a search for the summer week, but RCI gives home resort owners first choice and it has worked for me for 3 summers.
Then I still have the other part of the lock out to trade somewhere else.  Although the trading power isn't the greatest, we usually get a decent trade for FL in the fall, so it is OK.
 It is one way to beat the RCI system!  
Ava


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## presley

_removed quote of deleted post which contained spam link_

Don't give up on the trade, yet.  You can place an ongoing request that will alert you to when something is available.  Most resorts and owners don't deposit to RCI until a year out.  Some even less than a year.  

There will be inventory for next spring in Hawaii.  I agree that RCi isn't pleasant to deal with on the phone.  I've never had a good experience on the phone.  Just log into your online account when it is set up and start an ongoing search.


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## gnorth16

presley said:


> Don't give up on the trade, yet.  You can place an ongoing request that will alert you to when something is available.  Most resorts and owners don't deposit to RCI until a year out.  Some even less than a year.
> 
> There will be inventory for next spring in Hawaii.  I agree that RCi isn't pleasant to deal with on the phone.  I've never had a good experience on the phone.  Just log into your online account when it is set up and start an ongoing search.



Great advice.  I got two weeks in Hawaii about a year out, both 2BR/2BA.  Just figure out which resorts you want to stay at and put in an ongoing search.

Wow this one was brought from the very back of the closet!!!!


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## presley

gnorth16 said:


> Great advice.  I got two weeks in Hawaii about a year out, both 2BR/2BA.  Just figure out which resorts you want to stay at and put in an ongoing search.
> 
> Wow this one was brought from the very back of the closet!!!!


Guess the person I was responding to was just an advertiser and got her whole post removed.


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## DeniseM

ANY time a first time poster posts a link, it's VERY likely to be a spammer....

She was promoting a "timeshare disposal" company.


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## FlaKmunKy

caribbean said:


> I have to say I have had good success using my points account. Below find a list of my trades made. Most have been using points to book into weeks resorts. A couple weeks to weeks trades and a several points reservations. Except for the fees that continue to rise, I don't have any problems because I am getting to go where I want and staying in pretty nice places. I am in Sarasota Fl right now, staying in Little Gull which is super.
> 
> 2293	Eagles Trace at Massanutten - 1BR	Massanutten VA	8/31/2002
> 2481	Fairfield Williamsburg at Kingsgate - 2BR	Williamsburg VA	10/11/2002
> 2091	Port de Plaisance Resort & Casino - Studio	ST Martin	01/12/03
> 4905	Mauna Loa Village by the Sea - 2BR	Hawaii	4/26/2003
> 3681	PAHIO Kauai Beach Villas - 2 BR	Hawaii	5/3/2003
> 6494	WorldMark at Kihei -2BR	Hawaii	5/10/2003
> 0301	Sarasota Sands - 1 BR	Sarasota FL	6/21/2003
> 0301	Sarasota Sands - Studio	Sarasota FL	6/21/2003
> 6055	The Alexandra Resort & Spa - 1BR 2 weeks	Turks & Caicos	11/22/2003
> 3686	Bougainvillea Beach Resort - 1 BR 2 weeks	Barbados	6/5/2004
> 6390	Residences at The Crane - Hotel	Barbados	6/12/2004
> 5930	Morritt's Grand Resort - 2 BR 2 weeks	Grand Cayman	11/6/2004
> 1715	The Four Sails - 2BR New Years Eve Dance	VA Beach	12/26/2004
> 4856	Palm Beach Shores - 1BR	Palm Beach FL	4/23/2005
> 0650	Suntide Island Beach Club - 2BR	Sarasota FL	4/30/2005
> 3865	Umbrella Beach - 2BR	Sarasota FL	9/10/2005
> 3025	WindJammer Landing - 1BR/pool 18 days	ST Lucia	10/8/2005
> 1715	4 Sails - 2BR New Years Eve Dance	VA Beach	12/31/2005
> 7543	Fairfield Atlantic City - 1BR 	New Jersey	1/12/2006
> 5930	Morritt's Grand Resort - 2 BR 2 weeks	Grand Cayman	4/22/2006
> 6390	Residences at The Crane - 1BR/pool	Barbados	4/22/2006
> 5356	DIVI ST Croix - 1BR	ST Croix	4/29/2006
> 0259	Las Olas Beach Club - 2BR 	Satellite Beach FL	9/19/2006
> 1858	Sunterra Flamingo Beach - 1 BR	ST Martin	10/7/2006
> 3984	Sunterra Royal Palm Beach - 2BR	ST Martin	10/13/2006
> 4856	Palm Beach Shores  - 1BR	Palm Beach FL	3/10/2007
> 6390	Residences at The Crane - 2BR penthouse/pool	Barbados	6/2/2007
> 6390	Residences at The Crane - 1BR/pool	Barbados	6/9/2007
> 5044	Jamaican on the Gulf - 1BR	ST Pete FL	9/22/2007
> 2150	Southwind  II  -  3BR	HH Island SC	10/13/2007
> 2886	Sandyport Beach - 2 weeks in 1BR	Bahamas	5/3/2008
> 0865	Little Gull - 2BR	Sarasota FL	8/30/2008
> 2666	Playa Naco Resort - 1BR 2 weeks	Dominican Republic	11/1/2008
> 2083	Four Winds of Longboat Key - 1BR	Sarasota FL	4/25/2009
> 5249	Carambola Beach Resort - 1BR 2 weeks	ST Croix	6/13/2009
> 0865	Little Gull - 1BR	Sarasota FL	11/14/2009
> 0914	Half Moon Club - 1BR	Jamaica	11/21/2009



Wow, Nassau, Florida Gulf Coast, Palm beach shores, Barbados, I am very familiar with RCI resorts and that is a very very impressive list.


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