HICV vs. RCI Availability

[skotrla]

I was pitched the RCI program today and did a comparison of availability at HICV vs. RCI to demonstrate my point that RCI availability is terrible compared to internal exchanges.

Details on the complete lack of availability...Galveston is a great example - HICV has dozens of rooms available at a specific resort on a specific day vs. RCI has nothing in any resort for the entire month of July.

RCI is close to useless.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SZEi6v8T4kIjIWn3KCOaAQRgym-Ra-uu

-Scott
Owner, HICV Google+ Group

 

[jackio]

Unless you want to go somewhere that has no HICV presence. I have used both internal reservations, and used RCI when I wanted New Orleans and San Diego.

 

[skotrla]

Unless you want to go somewhere that has no HICV presence. I have used both internal reservations, and used RCI when I wanted New Orleans and San Diego.

I can only compare availability in places HICV has a presence - someone with ownership in programs that include New Orleans and San Diego could do the same thing. My expectation is that the lack of availability would be the same. If you can't regularly use your unit, then you are better off selling it and buying a resale unit in a system that gives you access to the places you want to go, directly trading with someone who has a unit in a program with a property you want to go, or renting your unit out and just renting what you want.

I would view RCI more of a last resort if you can't use or rent out your unit, maybe once you are already trying to sell it. In that case, RCI might be better than just letting your use expire (although for someone in HICV, probably not as good of an option as converting to IHG points which don't expire). IHG points booking availability it terrible, but it is still 10x better than RCI and at least the fee is substantially less.

-Scott

 

[silentg]

So then go to a HICV Resort. We have done this and enjoyed going to sister resorts!

 

[skotrla]

So then go to a HICV Resort. We have done this and enjoyed going to sister resorts!

Absolutely - I don't get how anyone gets any non-desperation use out of RCI.

-Scott

 

[skotrla]

Unless you want to go somewhere that has no HICV presence. I have used both internal reservations, and used RCI when I wanted New Orleans and San Diego.

Did the same thing comparing IHG to RCI - RCI had no San Diego availability the same dates and New Orleans had 5 1-night stays available in the 2 week window, but no 2 night stays at 4 months out. IHG had a dozen properties available for the exact 2 nights in both locations. I know a resort is nothing like a hotel in many cases, but given RCI's terrible availability, a resort that happened to be available is probably not any better than a hotel.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tLeNut8K0GJpIa1PWOChzX2o8hPc8Zux

-Scott

 

[jackio]

Did the same thing comparing IHG to RCI - RCI had no San Diego availability the same dates and New Orleans had 5 1-night stays available in the 2 week window, but no 2 night stays at 4 months out. IHG had a dozen properties available for the exact 2 nights in both locations. I know a resort is nothing like a hotel in many cases, but given RCI's terrible availability, a resort that happened to be available is probably not any better than a hotel.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tLeNut8K0GJpIa1PWOChzX2o8hPc8Zux

-Scott

Those one-night stays - do you still have to pay $239 ?

I also have a weeks account, so I mostly use RCI that way. I have high-TPU units with low maintenance fees so I am able to get a lot of exchanges for less money. I have enjoyed using my HICV points in the system resorts, and I have exchanged twice through RCI points. I have also converted to IHG points, and stayed in the Holiday Inn Aruba using them. I don't think they are such a good deal anymore, since IHG upped the points requirement, but it remains a good option.
I just took advantage of their recent offer to double purchased points, and bought 60,000 and received 120,000 for $600.

 

[skotrla]

Those one-night stays - do you still have to pay $239 ?

I also have a weeks account, so I mostly use RCI that way. I have high-TPU units with low maintenance fees so I am able to get a lot of exchanges for less money. I have enjoyed using my HICV points in the system resorts, and I have exchanged twice through RCI points. I have also converted to IHG points, and stayed in the Holiday Inn Aruba using them. I don't think they are such a good deal anymore, since IHG upped the points requirement, but it remains a good option.
I just took advantage of their recent offer to double purchased points, and bought 60,000 and received 120,000 for $600.

I didn't go that far earlier, but I looked at the night of 7/22 in 1 BR, and the cost is 13K HICV points ($65 at $5/1K) + $49 RCI fee + $40 resort fee.

We typically do 5 nights during the week on Spring Break or Summer, using weekends for travel, and 3-day weekends during school, so it's hard for us to use a full week regularly. We did week exchanges in the past, and between fixed check-in days and travel, we ended up with a lot of unused days. Next time you book a RCI week, it would be good to see what you your total cost is (including maintenance) and to bounce that against a timeshare system that has internal exchanges to the same destination.

-Scott

 

[wrobinson]

I was pitched the RCI program today and did a comparison of availability at HICV vs. RCI to demonstrate my point that RCI availability is terrible compared to internal exchanges.

Details on the complete lack of availability...Galveston is a great example - HICV has dozens of rooms available at a specific resort on a specific day vs. RCI has nothing in any resort for the entire month of July.

RCI is close to useless.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SZEi6v8T4kIjIWn3KCOaAQRgym-Ra-uu

-Scott
Owner, HICV Google+ Group

 

[wrobinson]

As a 15 year veteran in timeshare sales and marketing. NEVER buy on a presentation when you can do it yourself for less.

There are so many other properties to visit that you can trade into. Also RCI has many many many extra weeks for as little as $199 for 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units around the world.

I am writing a "tell all" book about the whole timeshare industry to educate current and future timeshare owners. I can show how most anyone can get rid of their timeshare by the end of the day. The book is not a revenge for what timeshare resorts have been doing to people, but rather to prepare potential buyers for a presentation,and how to save the most money.

Don't buy anything until you read this book. My email is wcrobinson1973@gmail.com