As you can see by the chart, HGVC doesn't really deal in "trading power" -- if you have the points available and the RCI week is available, then you can book the reservation. With HGVC, owners use a corporate RCI account accessible through the HGVC portal, not a personal account. This means you cannot combine your HGVC week with other weeks you may own outside HGVC. With the corporate account, we can see pretty much anything out there, so very good in the traditional "trading power" sense.
While it is true that HGVC properties are top shelf and most RCI trades are "downtrading", the point structure is set up to compensate for that a bit. For example, a standard 2BR HGVC in the top season (Platinum) is worth 7000 HGVC points. However, trading to an RCI 2BR in the top season (Red) only costs 4800 HGVC points. You roughly get a one-size upgrade when trading into RCI using HGVC points. For trading into equivalent-quality resorts like DVC, this can make the trade look like a bargain, IMO.
Kurt
Have you tried resorts in Europe? I am curious for example if i would be able to book Hilton Vilamoura in Portugal during the summer vacation (weeks 25-34)The key with RCI is planning, the further out you can put in an ongoing search the better. If you know your school calendar a year out you should be fine. With that said, I have generally been able to find good RCI trades the few times I have done that. Mostly, I stick to HGVC resorts which I can almost always get what I want if I book at the 9-month mark when Club Season booking opens up.
Kurt
That is a very difficult property to book in the summer, since most of the summer weeks were sold as fixed weeks and by the time the 9-month window comes around, owners at that property have already grabbed up any availability (owners can book at 12 months out).Have you tried resorts in Europe? I am curious for example if i would be able to book Hilton Vilamoura in Portugal during the summer vacation (weeks 25-34)
i would be able to book Hilton Vilamoura in Portugal during the summer vacation (weeks 25-34)
Ok, last one!one last question
That's a great question! I do know that you can definitely see availability of the HGVC resorts that you can book online even if you don't have any "available" points.concerning the affiliated resorts where you have to call to deposit to get the HGVC points: can you still see availability in the HGVC system as well as on the corporate RCI without having the points yet in the account and deposit after you found something suitable or you have to deposit and have the points first?
if i understand correctly, the RCI inventory can be weeks or points. Can HGVC points see both?
Have you tried resorts in Europe? I am curious for example if i would be able to book Hilton Vilamoura in Portugal during the summer vacation (weeks 25-34)
I'm trying to figure out if the RCI 1 in 4 rule applies to less than 7 nights booked with points at HGVC. I was just looking online and the "Urgent Information" mentioned that the 1 in 4 rule applies, but I seem to recall that it was only for weeks, not nights. With the recent RCI changes/fee increases, I am not sure what the rule is. I also didn't know that there is now a Grace Period to cancel and get all my points and transaction fee back, so that is something that will give me time to get my answer and call them to cancel, if I need to. Thanks for any advice or for pointing me to the right thread.
I'm trying to figure out if the RCI 1 in 4 rule applies to less than 7 nights booked with points at HGVC. I was just looking online and the "Urgent Information" mentioned that the 1 in 4 rule applies, but I seem to recall that it was only for weeks, not nights. With the recent RCI changes/fee increases, I am not sure what the rule is. I also didn't know that there is now a Grace Period to cancel and get all my points and transaction fee back, so that is something that will give me time to get my answer and call them to cancel, if I need to. Thanks for any advice or for pointing me to the right thread.
The 1:4 rule normally only applies to weeks reservations I do however know of a group of resorts in Europe (Anfi) which don’t care if you stay for 1 day or 7. They also enforce it very strictly, they cancel your reservation if you book at any of their resorts within the 4 years.
The grace period of 24 hours have been there for many years.
Sometimes it works to stop us and sometimes it doesn’t. Today it would let me book a 1 in 4 I shouldn’t be able to through the RCI portal. Makes me question if the answer they gave me is correct.With the changes in the RCI website in the past year now if I try to book a resort with that rule that I've used within the 3 or 4 year period, it won't let me book it. A message pops up telling me I've stayed there with in that time period. That is one change I like.
Sometimes it works to stop us and sometimes it doesn’t. Today it would let me book a 1 in 4 I shouldn’t be able to through the RCI portal. Makes me question if the answer they gave me is correct.