Help a timeshare idiot.

[Hugo]

Help a timeshare idiot.

We were recently invited to buy a discounted week at a ski resort, if we at the resort where to spend some time listening to a sales presentation. A presentation on a one week timeshare within the cabins belonging to the hotel. My wife has been asking me for several years, so finally we booked the week at the ski resort.


I want to start by writing. We did not by on the offer, and in retrospect, a wise decision. This since the monthly fees where fairly high, and the fact that the timeshare weeks are fairly hard to sell. And when sold, the shares are sold significantly cheaper than what we would have paid.


However, I became interested in the RCI-timeshare system and the exchange program that exists within it. Let me start by writing that I'm not interested in buying any timeshare.


On the other hand, I am interested to the opportunity of becoming a member. Having three children (not so small anymore) and with two adults within the family. And with our goal is to make at least one really good holiday for the family per year. Where we have it as our goal, that the vacations we have together would be of as high quality as possible. Therefore, the timeshare system, where we could use points (that we can purchase) are an interesting alternative.


When I also found out that the points are sold trough exchange sites and through Ebay. Where one can buy the points required for a nice stay. Book a cheap flight seat make a reservation and pay with the points purchased. This in a cheaper way then going through a traditional travel agency it started to interest me.


Now to the problem. I contacted RCI and they explained that it requires a timeshare ownership for a membership and to be able to use points for booking a stay. As I understood it, if you had a timeshare and you sold it, you are able to keep your membership. If I read on different websites, some people claims that you can have a membership without owning a timeshare.


It's also with this i would need help. For obvious reasons, I have no interest in obtaining an account. Buy a lot of points where the account is closed, and the points purchased are wasted togheter with the money use for buying them.


How do I do it?

 

[TUGBrian]

welcome to TUG!

It sounds like what would appeal to you most is renting...which is a great way to get the benefits of a timeshare vacation...with none of the obligation to own!

can check out renting articles (and general timeshare articles) here in our advice section, and keep asking questions on the forums!

http://advice.tug2.net

 

[dpete]

Help a timeshare idiot.

We were recently invited to buy a discounted week at a ski resort, if we at the resort where to spend some time listening to a sales presentation. A presentation on a one week timeshare within the cabins belonging to the hotel. My wife has been asking me for several years, so finally we booked the week at the ski resort.


I want to start by writing. We did not by on the offer, and in retrospect, a wise decision. This since the monthly fees where fairly high, and the fact that the timeshare weeks are fairly hard to sell. And when sold, the shares are sold significantly cheaper than what we would have paid.


However, I became interested in the RCI-timeshare system and the exchange program that exists within it. Let me start by writing that I'm not interested in buying any timeshare.


On the other hand, I am interested to the opportunity of becoming a member. Having three children (not so small anymore) and with two adults within the family. And with our goal is to make at least one really good holiday for the family per year. Where we have it as our goal, that the vacations we have together would be of as high quality as possible. Therefore, the timeshare system, where we could use points (that we can purchase) are an interesting alternative.


When I also found out that the points are sold trough exchange sites and through Ebay. Where one can buy the points required for a nice stay. Book a cheap flight seat make a reservation and pay with the points purchased. This in a cheaper way then going through a traditional travel agency it started to interest me.


Now to the problem. I contacted RCI and they explained that it requires a timeshare ownership for a membership and to be able to use points for booking a stay. As I understood it, if you had a timeshare and you sold it, you are able to keep your membership. If I read on different websites, some people claims that you can have a membership without owning a timeshare.


It's also with this i would need help. For obvious reasons, I have no interest in obtaining an account. Buy a lot of points where the account is closed, and the points purchased are wasted togheter with the money use for buying them.


How do I do it?

I absolutely agree with the first reply...what you want to do is RENT! We purchased an expensive timeshare thinking we could do exactly what you want to do-take extended family vacations to various places-but found that is not possible if you need to go over school breaks, Christmas, spring break,etc. Even with more points than I could ever need, I can't get the unit or the place I want. We actually rented a beautiful place on Maui last year through Redweek, and let our points roll over. We are using them this year on Oahu but I wasn't able to get anything like we paid for in Maui. There are so many units available anytime,anywhere that you don't need to use points. So much easier!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[theo]

OP: You're no "timeshare idiot". You've already been wise and prudent and careful in timeshare purchase assessment and decisions --- good on 'ya.

I agree with the input already offered above. You've discovered that you cannot access or use RCI without first owning a RCI-affiliated timeshare.
RCI has (IMnsHO) increasingly and consistently become a huge disappointment (with ever increasing fees) in recent years, so shed no tears there.
We still own multiple timeshares, but dropped our RCI membership like a hot potato a few years ago now --- and we frankly miss RCI not one bit.

Renting would seem to be a better option for you. More geographic and date flexibility, no long term cost commitment, much less disappointment.

 

[Passepartout]

In order to join RCI, you have to own a TS. And using TS points for airfare and cruises and all that other stuff they tell you you can is a poor use of your dues. Airfares and cruises are best- and most cheaply acquired with cash from discounters.

TUG is a timeshare USER'S group. Hence the vast majority of us OWN timeshare intervals. We see value there. But if the OP doesn't, so be it. There are plenty of multiple bedroom, apartment-like rental units in resort communities for rent. Problem solved.

Jim

 

[sue1947]

As I understood it, if you had a timeshare and you sold it, you are able to keep your membership. If I read on different websites, some people claims that you can have a membership without owning a timeshare.

How do I do it?

Reading between the line, you have taken the exaggerations, half-truths and outright lies of the timeshare salesmen, added in some close, but not quite options and come up with something that sounds good, but isn't what you think.

To clarify: RCI is an exchange system. People who own a week in one system, want to exchange outside that system and RCI (and others) provide the mechanism to make the exchange happen. If you don't have a week to put into the 'pot', you can't exchange.
RCI also has cash options that can be booked without giving up a week. These are called Extra Vacations and Last Calls. All weeks at all resorts are NOT available through these cash options. They can be a very good deal, but those are the leftovers that most people don't want. If you want off season weeks in a place with lots of timeshares and you don't mind the low quality resorts, then this can be a good option. This is what you are referring to when you say you can keep and use an RCI membership after selling off the timeshare you used to join RCI in the first place. You canNOT exchange into any week because you have nothing to exchange with.

Re: transferring points within timeshare systems: this is only an option for people who own in that system. You can't transfer and use points if you don't already have an account/membership that is active and dues are current.

Re: using points for airfare etc. This is always at a discount; i.e. you pay .07/point in maintenance fees and they give you 0.04/point in exchange value (as an example in my system; others vary). If you haven't paid your dues, you can't do anything with the account. Your idea that you can buy an account, cancel it and continue to use it is far fetched, to say the least.

In short, these are good tactics to add value to an existing purchase. However, they are not a work around to owning.

Additional sidenote : Don't buy into the 'conventional wisdom' that owning timeshares is a waste of money. When done properly, i.e. buying resale with eyes wide open, you can have higher quality vacation lodging at a much lower price. Ignore the timeshare sales folks who are trying to sell at 10+ times the value and feel they have to lie to make the sale. Rent a few places and then look around at the resale market for the systems and places you like. You might find that owning a timeshare is a good idea after all.

Sue

 

[puppymommo]

Hugo wrote: If I read on different websites, some people claims that you can have a membership without owning a timeshare.

If you are a military veteran, look into afvclub.com If not, look at tripbeat.com For tripbeat, you have to be a member of certain organizations such as AARP or AAA. Both of them seem to offer some if not all of RCI's inventory of Extra Vacations and Last Call without timeshare ownership or RCI membership. I say "seem to" because I have not used either yet. Some friends of mine have an upcoming vacation through afvclub which cost them $349 for a 7 week stay in a two bedroom unit. Just be aware that the "Extra Vacations" usually cost more and the "Last Call" vacations are typically less popular resorts for stays within 90 days. I expect I will use tripbeat in the future when I have more time to travel and can take last minute vacations.