RCI exchange fee $599

[tschwa2]

Either it is a glitch or the new normal. RCI is offering some of the week long (non timeshare) hotel stay for points (or trading power) plus a $599 exchange fee. They are listed as exchange plus and the codes start with RG. An example is RGH7 Pirate's Cove Resort & Marina (#RGH7)Stuart, FL USA

In this particular case there is also a $16.95 resort fee per day and many have $15-20 parking fees as well.

 

[tschwa2]

From the 2021-2022 disclosure guide:
TRANSACTION FEES. RCI will collect the applicable
Transaction fee prior to confirming each Transaction
requested by a Member. Transaction fees are established
by RCI and may change from time to time in its sole
discretion without advance notice from RCI. For a listing
of current fees go to www.rci.com. Fees may vary for
Corporate Participants or other programs offered by or
through RCI. For a listing of current fees go to
www.rci.com. The ranges of fees per Transaction for
Members with Standard Memberships as of
November 1, 2020 are as follows:
Exchanges:

Standard Internet Exchange and Standard
Telephone Exchange (International and
Domestic) Booked Online or through a Call
Center (excluding Weeks Ancillary Travel
Products): $249.00 USD
Alternative Inventory Exchange bookings
made through the Internet and Telephone
(International and Domestic) Booked Online
or through a Call Center (excluding Weeks
Ancillary Travel Products): $249-$599 USD

 

[escanoe]

Can't quite bring myself to click "Okay, Got it!"

RCI requiring you to click this makes me think the increased exchange fee is deliberate.

 

[escanoe]

But the price of an "extra" without burning TPUs being as close to the one using TPUs as it is makes me think this may have been a mistake. But my prediction remains it was not a mistake.

 

[jackio]

I have seen 2 types of exchanges - "exchange fee" and "exchange plus". The Plus is a higher fee than the regular exchange, supposedly for a more desirable exchange.

 

[mdurette]

Someone just posted this on another site. My guess is this Exchange Plus is a for hotel offerings. TPUs and higher exchange fee. Like most of other RCI hotel (non timeshare) inventory probably not worth it. It will be interesting if something pops up though...worth keeping an eye on.

 

[tschwa2]

Someone just posted this on another site. My guess is this Exchange Plus is a for hotel offerings. TPUs and higher exchange fee. Like most of other RCI hotel (non timeshare) inventory probably not worth it. It will be interesting if something pops up though...worth keeping an eye on.

right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.

 

[ba2471]

Tried to book 3 nights at Wyndham Grand and being prompted for $239. I was expecting $139 or less. I'll call tomorrow but I do expect it is "Transitory Inflation".

 

[ba2471]

Tried to book 3 nights at Wyndham Grand and being prompted for $239. I was expecting $139 or less. I'll call tomorrow but I do expect it is "Transitory Inflation".

RCI Membership US Fees

The RCI Weeks® program provides RCI® subscribing members the ability to trade their vacation week.

www.rci.com

Exchange fee $249 w/o regard to length of stay.

 

[garyk01]

In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.

 

[dioxide45]

In the computer age, their is no extra cost by booking online . Someone paid full value to put the week into exchange, so the cost to "deposit" it by typing in the resort code and week available is only a couple minutes. A couple dollars at best, plus the computer server to run. All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.

I am sure that RCI doesn't want to end up like Colonial Pipeline or other companies with ransomware attacks. There certainly are costs associated with running, upgrading and constantly maintaining a computer network and website. Along with keeping criminals out.

I am also not sure what you mean by RCI and II being run by the same family? Isn't RCI owned by Travel & Leisure Co (former Wyndham Destinations) and II is owned by Marriott Vacations Worldwide.

 

[bnoble]

Even if it did cost next to nothing to provide, so what? A company is not obligated to lower its price when it reduces costs. If RCI isn't delivering value to you, use a competitor. If enough people do that, they'd either need to lower their price or accept lower market share.

 

[ba2471]

I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows. I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning. As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139. The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021. That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation). It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price. This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI). In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI. Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $. Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service. Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked. My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".

thanks
ba

 

[tschwa2]

I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows. I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning. As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139. The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021. That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation). It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price. This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI). In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI. Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $. Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service. Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked. My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".

thanks
ba

For you I am not sure what you are looking at. Are you booking through rci? What is the resort code? If the name of the resort indicates that it is a 3 night at X resort that means that it is "weeks" inventory. Weeks inventory has the $249 exchange fee (maybe you have some kind of discount) regardless of the number of days. If it is nightly stay inventory then it may have auto selected points protection.

 

[escanoe]

Even if it did cost next to nothing to provide, so what? A company is not obligated to lower its price when it reduces costs. If RCI isn't delivering value to you, use a competitor. If enough people do that, they'd either need to lower their price or accept lower market share.

I know costs of entry is high, but I would like to see II and RCI get some more competition by a company that could make a big early investment in an (almost) all digital platform. It seems to me there are major inefficiencies in both II and RCI, which seem to have a web interface laid over an old system designed to be used by people calling into call centers. This would be hard to do considering the deals both II and RCI have with resorts. My hope is HGVC/Diamond will want to build out the infant exchange Diamond now has versus being dependent on either II (Mariott) or RCI (Wyndham destinations).

 

[tschwa2]

right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.

RCI has now added a bunch of the 3 and 5 night inventory to exchange plus for the non member deposited hotels and resorts.
7 nights have the $599 exchange plus
3 and 5 night have a $599-$399 exchange plus fee depending on the location

Currently RCI has 144 resorts listed with exchange plus in the US. Most of the 3-5 night stays were still $249 this time last month.

 

[escanoe]

Probably not for me (especially at the higher exchange fee). That said, I have been tempted by the two hotels at Baltimore's inner harbor they have been offering three-night stays at .... and would probably have booked a stay if my summer was not already so busy and I did not really want to pack my 4-person family into a hotel room. They are both still at $249 in exchange fees.

While I am not a huge fan of jacking the exchange fee up to $599 (in the cases you have mentioned), the good news is anyone booking these hotel stays through RCI is burning up points in a way that keeps more traditional inventory free for the rest of us.

To me, it is kind of odd that the availability is what it is below for one of these hotels, but you can only book 3 nights at a time with a full exchange fee for each three-night stay.

 

[tschwa2]

Probably not for me (especially at the higher exchange fee). That said, I have been tempted by the two hotels at Baltimore's inner harbor they have been offering three-night stays at .... and would probably have booked a stay if my summer was not already so busy and I did not really want to pack my 4-person family into a hotel room. They are both still at $249 in exchange fees.

While I am not a huge fan of jacking the exchange fee up to $599 (in the cases you have mentioned), the good news is anyone booking these hotel stays through RCI is burning up points in a way that keeps more traditional inventory free for the rest of us.

To me, it is kind of odd that the availability is what it is below for one of these hotels, but you can only book 3 nights at a time with a full exchange fee for each three-night stay.

View attachment 37658

Any time someone takes this type of inventory, rci not only keeps the $249-$599 exchange fee, they also get to go into traditionally inventory and cherry pick and equivalent amount of inventory to add to their extra vacation only inventory. Presumably they can take their pick before it enters general availability. So if the exchange was 15 points for this non timeshare type inventory they could wait until 2 are booked and then pull out a 30 point Hilton Head or Virginia Beach deposit. I don't think it is odd. Wouldn't rci prefer $498 for 6 nights over $249 and a higher trading power? It is easier to just take cash than to have to monetize trading power.

 

[escanoe]

I don't think it is odd. Wouldn't rci prefer $498 for 6 nights over $249 and a higher trading power? It is easier to just take cash than to have to monetize trading power.

Maybe odd was not the right word. But it is awkwardly inconvenient. Someone might want 4 days or 5 days or 7 days instead of it always having to be a multiple of 3 (3 or 6 days). I get not wanting to monetize points, but why are they so clunky they can’t monetize fees in a way that has a little more flexibility?

Now that I have read your reply my confidence has diminished that this actually takes pressure off inventory. Do you see weeks you want to exchange into sometimes that are only available to purchase as an “extra”? It does seem to me RCI is doing something to keep availability of inventory to exchange into better than what II is doing. I thought this might be part of that effort.

Maybe they are doing what you say but time shifting (delaying) when they pull things out to help ease the crunch?

 

[Ty1on]

All these increases are just profit as RCI and II are run by the same family.

Source?

 

[krj9999]

I also look at it from the perspective if I have a low TPU deposit (or deposit credit) that is nearing expiration - it may give an avenue to use up without having to pay to extend or combine.

 

[wrxdoug]

right now it seems like the 3 and 5 night inventory at hotels still have a $249 exchange fee but the 7 night hotel inventory has that $599 exchange plus fee.

No there are some Nov., Dec., bookings in Naples Florida for 3 or 5 night stays for $599

 

[tschwa2]

No there are some Nov., Dec., bookings in Naples Florida for 3 or 5 night stays for $599

It keeps going up. A few 3 and 5 are still $249 but most are now $399-$599 often within $200 or less than just booking as a rental or nightly through the hotels themselves.

 

[escanoe]

I have some very mixed emotions about this. I can pay a $399 exchange fee AND 12 TPUs for an inner Harbor Hotel room in Baltimore OR book it on hotels.com for $417 total. What smart person would book this as an exchange? The reason I have mixed emotions, is it appears these offering may be taking some pressure off RCI inventory being available as people foolishly spend points/TPUs this way.

It is also strange to me that these exchange plus options show up on my RCI Weeks account but not my RCI Points account.

#NewShapeOfTravel

 

[KCO]

I don't know who I am agreeing or disagreeing with regarding my comments that follows. I went ahead and booked 3 days this morning. As noted earlier, it was $239 (although the fact sheet on Wyndham said it should be 249) while I was expecting it to be $139. The fact sheet indicates it was updated in March 2021. That is a 72% rise in the cost of reserving (i.e. Transitory Inflation). It is interesting to note that reservations through the call service apparently did not increase in price. This indicates to me that the majority of the population is now computer savvy and booking online (i.e. putting a squeeze on RCI). In addition the challenges of the pandemic economy and travel being shut down a year putting additional squeeze on the RCI. Having said that, the intent of a free market and natural direction if it is allowed to flourish is for prices to lower over time, or prices remaining the same but additional value added to the same product primarily through competition from different businesses for your $. Having got that off my chest, all enhanced due to my frustration with a 72% increase in the exchange fee for a 3 day visit, I am cognizant that I could not get a better value if I were to book the vacation through another venue or service. Yes, I could get a lower overall price on staying in LV, but in no way would the value be the same as the prime location I am at and the amenities present at the place I booked. My overall ask, as most of timeshare companies (I am a member) and the exchange companies are frustrating to me, if anyone catches wind of a "startup company" whose intent is to compete with RCI and II please post here I would like to know more on how to "invest".

thanks
ba

Hi ba2471- I see you’re experiencing some frustration with conducting an exchange through your current timeshare companies. I’d love to hear your input on what an ideal exchange service would look like to you, as i’m looking to improve upon this product for the very start-up you mention. Please let me know if this interests you and i’ll reach out to set up a time to discuss!
Best,
Jude A.