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Just Got The Royal Screw From Rci

Beefnot

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Let's talk about Occam's razor for a minute in regard to the OP's situation. Her 26 TPU deposit is consistent with an "Averaged" calculation for the deposit. I checked the deposit calculator and for her resort, each week in get's upper mid 20's. April continues a little higher, and May as well. It continues this way into the summer.

A resort can enter into an agreement with RCI to provide just such an averaged caluculation. We know that because it's in the RCI user's agreement. Now mind you, that's not RCI's election, but the resort's. Given the wide disparity between the deposit and exchange cost, this is the simplest explanation of the difference. It does not require postulating about multiple unknown inputs; the very essence of Occam's Razor. :clap:

Interestingly, if that's true, then we are all blaming for wrong party for the disparity.

Nice. How does one know which resorts have entered into an average calculation agreement? What would be the resorts' rationale for doing so!
 

vckempson

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Nice. How does one know which resorts have entered into an average calculation agreement? What would be the resorts' rationale for doing so!

I'm not sure you'd know unless you asked, and I'm not sure who you'd talk to who would really know.

Anyway, there's a couple reasons, but they mostly apply to resorts with floating weeks. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that it may happen mostly with owner operated resorts.

With no incentive to take the best weeks for deposit, you get more of them available for owners to use. Thus, there's less fighting for those primo weeks. With averaging, less people will get shafted with a bad value on a less desireable week. I believe averaging applies to a full season, though I'm not sure what a "season" consists of. My guess is that most of these arrangements probably happened before the days of TPU's. At that time, it was pretty hard to compare the trade value of one week vs another. The averaging may have been attractive, so as to take the guesswork out of selecting a good week to deposit.
 

tschwa2

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I think they can only do the "averaging" with floating weeks not with fixed weeks. Often the averaging occurs when the resort bulk deposits, the owner either gets a generic "bulk week deposit" or gets a specific deposit but the valuation is based on the average deposit by the resort not the specific week. In these cases the tpu calculator should be set up to show the average.

Shoulder and high season Hilton Head weeks have been valued much lower (5-10 points or more) than equivalent size and season in Myrtle Beach. It also definately has a higher skim/sell/buy ratio than Myrtle beach since RCI went tpu's. This summer the tpu's for deposit were slightly higher than the previous years but the cost to exchange back in increased even more. It sucks for Hilton Head owners but at least they know it going in and can choose not to deposit. I recently purchased a HHI week but I know upfront that unless things change, RCI is not a good option for the week.
 

ampaholic

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This averaging idea makes sense: at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Waikoloa Beach (#8599) a week 41 is 43 TPU while a week 43 is 27 TPU both regular 2 bedrooms.

Interestingly Hilton considers week 43 Platinum and 41 just Gold - the opposite valuation from RCI.

So we have evidence RCI doesn't follow the resorts idea of "value".

The OP deposited a week 12 - or so he/she thought -- perhaps Spinnaker actually sent in a week 10 or a week 14?
 

gnipgnop

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"Quote" The OP deposited a week 12 - or so he/she thought -- perhaps Spinnaker actually sent in a week 10 or a week 14?

But how could Spinnaker do that?? send in a different week) I saw the week listed for exchange on the RCI board as week 12 - 3 BR - 47 TUP's Waterside by Spinnaker on HHI.
 

Beefnot

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"Quote" The OP deposited a week 12 - or so he/she thought -- perhaps Spinnaker actually sent in a week 10 or a week 14?

But how could Spinnaker do that?? send in a different week) I saw the week listed for exchange on the RCI board as week 12 - 3 BR - 47 TUP's Waterside by Spinnaker on HHI.

Spinnaker may well have sent in the same week you thought you were depositing, week 12. But if the speculation that some resorts have an averaging "feature" to weeks deposited with exchange companies is true, then perhaps you received an average value for some range of weeks while RCI is charging for the specific value it had assigned for Week 12.

Or maybe Spinnaker did assign a different week to RCI that was lower in value, and the week 12 you saw on RCI wasn't actually your week you'd deposited.

Beats me, I dunno, I am not with RCI. Plus I still harbor residual hatred of RCI because Carolinian has drummed it in my head that they are Nazis. D'oh! That damned Godwin was right....
 

ronparise

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Spinnaker may well have sent in the same week you thought you were depositing, week 12. But if the speculation that some resorts have an averaging "feature" to weeks deposited with exchange companies is true, then perhaps you received an average value for some range of weeks while RCI is charging for the specific value it had assigned for Week 12.

Or maybe Spinnaker did assign a different week to RCI that was lower in value, and the week 12 you saw on RCI wasn't actually your week you'd deposited.

Beats me, I dunno, I am not with RCI. Plus I still harbor residual hatred of RCI because Carolinian has drummed it in my head that they are Nazis. D'oh! That damned Godwin was right....

You beat me to it..I was waiting for an opportunity to invoke Godwins law
 

Carolinian

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A good analogy to RCI is Bernie Madoff. Some make out , some don't.

You have hit the nail on the head. As I have posted before, it makes sense for those overpointed to continue to use RCI. but for those underpointed to find another exchange platform or group of exchange platforms. Of course, we have a small but highly vocal group of the overpointed here who like to beat their chest about it and pay homage to their benefactor, RCI.
 

Margariet

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Why don't you start a timeshare exchange company?

You have hit the nail on the head. As I have posted before, it makes sense for those overpointed to continue to use RCI. but for those underpointed to find another exchange platform or group of exchange platforms. Of course, we have a small but highly vocal group of the overpointed here who like to beat their chest about it and pay homage to their benefactor, RCI.

@Carolinian: Why don't you start a timeshare exchange company which works according to your own terms and conditions? I am serious because now you waste a lot of negative energy. RCI won't change and the members of RCI neither. Be constructive and build a better company. You might ask others to join you and help you out.

My husband and I are with RCI because we own timeshare and we travel to various locations in the world. RCI is for us the best choice because they have the largest inventory. It's not that we love RCI since the company and the system have many shortcomings but for now it's the best option.
 

ronparise

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You have hit the nail on the head. As I have posted before, it makes sense for those overpointed to continue to use RCI. but for those underpointed to find another exchange platform or group of exchange platforms. Of course, we have a small but highly vocal group of the overpointed here who like to beat their chest about it and pay homage to their benefactor, RCI.


I dont pay homage, and I havent noticed anyone else that does either

No one disagrees with your assessment. There are overbuilt areas and over pointed resorts and there are areas where the number of timeshare units is far less than demand and resorts where you would expect a better points allocation than you get for a deposit and there are situations like the ops where RCI charges a lot more for a deposited week than they gave the person that made the deposit....And there is evidence that the biggest user of RCI is RCI themselves; their rental department. They just use us to get free inventory that they can rent.

None of this stuff is new. We are quite aware of whats going on. I think we are just tired of your constant rant on the subject


We (like you) have noticed certain inefficiencies in the system and choose to "play" it to our advantage rather than complain about something we cant change
 

rickandcindy23

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Sheraton Broadway Plantation deposits for owners, and you get just an averaged amount, which is a low number. This is the reason not to use RCI and use II instead.
 

Tia

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There has been no constant rant that I recall seeing and it imho needs to be in recent posts for new TUG readers, not hidden in the archives more or less protecting the guilty. :ignore:

I dont pay homage, and I havent noticed anyone else that does either

No one disagrees with your assessment. There are overbuilt areas and over pointed resorts and there are areas where the number of timeshare units is far less than demand and resorts where you would expect a better points allocation than you get for a deposit and there are situations like the ops where RCI charges a lot more for a deposited week than they gave the person that made the deposit....And there is evidence that the biggest user of RCI is RCI themselves; their rental department. They just use us to get free inventory that they can rent.

None of this stuff is new. We are quite aware of whats going on. I think we are just tired of your constant rant on the subject


We (like you) have noticed certain inefficiencies in the system and choose to "play" it to our advantage rather than complain about something we cant change
 

vckempson

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There has been no constant rant that I recall seeing and it imho needs to be in recent posts for new TUG readers, not hidden in the archives more or less protecting the guilty. :ignore:

You and Carolinian decided to take all your marbles and go home. "No Mas, No Mas." The rest of us have figured out how to make the best of the system.

For any who haven't been a part of RCI since the advent of "Points Light" or "TPU's", what useful information on RCI weeks could you possibly provide? Valuable information on RCI weeks will come from those who have figured out a way to exploit the current system, not someone who gave up years ago. What information of Carolinian's needs to be in any recent posts that's of help to anyone when it concerns RCI weeks?
 
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mtforeman

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TPU's offered changes

Strangely enough, we've found that it is best (for our timeshare) to wait to deposit. For example, last year's deposit, if we sent it in a year early, would have only given us 22-24 TPU per side. However, when we waited until there was a 10% drop in TPU value, the TPU offered went up to 32 per side.

So, we ended up with 29 per side when we deposited--by waiting.

I don't know why it works this way, but I heard that the TPU's offered are based on the immediate value of the week (as of the date of deposit) but that the value of the week may rise or fall over time.

I still don't fully understand, as there are currently the same units from my resort that are being offered for exchange at a couple TPU's higher than what I'm being offered for next year, for the week following the 4th of July while ours is a 4th of July week (for which they have no deposits).

It doesn't matter for us, since we're going to our resort next year and we still have 54 TPU's from our last deposit that we need to use (since we got Massanutten at the spring sale for 5TPU's for Woodstone 2br week in June). :cheer:

I think the key is always to never count on exchange companies...they can all change whatever they do at a moment's notice. Buy the timeshare for itself and hopefully one you can rent for MF if you can't use it. :)
 

RachelR

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One question please. After reading this thread, I am interested to know if the term 'points light', is interchangeable with TPU's, or id it is referring to something else altogether.

TIA. :D
 

Carolinian

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@Carolinian: Why don't you start a timeshare exchange company which works according to your own terms and conditions? I am serious because now you waste a lot of negative energy. RCI won't change and the members of RCI neither. Be constructive and build a better company. You might ask others to join you and help you out.

My husband and I are with RCI because we own timeshare and we travel to various locations in the world. RCI is for us the best choice because they have the largest inventory. It's not that we love RCI since the company and the system have many shortcomings but for now it's the best option.

As an exchanger, it is much easier to use a variety of good exchange companies out there - the independents. I have just made a deposit and joined a new independent to try out - the United Kingdom Resort Exchange (UKRE). They gave me a double credit for one of my summer UK weeks, so I get better value than with RCI. SFX recently got me a 2BR in London, something I have never been able to so with RCI. Independents have been getting me where I want to go.

However, my main concern is that RCI is pulling the rug out from under HOA's with its policies since Cendant took over, and they have made exchanging much less desirable that it was previously in the RCI system. Sharing our info with others is the essence of these boards. Unlike other timeshare boards, there is a little band of RCI cheerleaders on TUG which goes ballistic if you dare to share any info that is not rah-rah positive about RCI. Some have left TUG over the years due to that atmosphere. If you go back to the long thread on the RCI class action settlement and look at some of the Tuggers who were active on that thread, you may wonder why you do not see some of them posting much anymore. I have a thick skin, however, and am not going to let the RCI cheerleaders run me off. I will continue advocating timeshare owners and resorts voting with their feet.
 

Carolinian

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One question please. After reading this thread, I am interested to know if the term 'points light', is interchangeable with TPU's, or id it is referring to something else altogether.

TIA. :D

They are one and the same. The term ''points lite'' was coined before we knew what RCI would officially call it. A few of us still use it because it is more descriptive.
 

Carolinian

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Sheraton Broadway Plantation deposits for owners, and you get just an averaged amount, which is a low number. This is the reason not to use RCI and use II instead.

That is the smart thing to do - vote with your feet. That's the same reason I give my summer UK weeks (or at least one so far, the other was already given to DAE this year) to UKRE, where I get double credits, far more value than the underpointed total I would get from RCI.
 

Carolinian

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What I have been urging is for timesharers to be proactive if their resort is getting the royal screw, as many are. It is not going to help to just get upset. It is better to do something. Go the the HOA annual meeting or write a letter to the resort newsletter or call the HOA president or the resort manager asking that the resort dual affiliate with II to give other options, and that the resort spread the word on independent exchange companies that are availible to members. Too many timesharers think that if they want to exchange, they have to use RCI. Information on alternatives needs to get out, and we need to insist that our resorts provide this information to members to help grow the competition.

Too many here look at things from the tunnel vision of their own exchange situation. As a former HOA board member and president, I tend to look at things from the standpoint of what is going to help the whole timeshare system, including long term resort viability.


I dont pay homage, and I havent noticed anyone else that does either

No one disagrees with your assessment. There are overbuilt areas and over pointed resorts and there are areas where the number of timeshare units is far less than demand and resorts where you would expect a better points allocation than you get for a deposit and there are situations like the ops where RCI charges a lot more for a deposited week than they gave the person that made the deposit....And there is evidence that the biggest user of RCI is RCI themselves; their rental department. They just use us to get free inventory that they can rent.

None of this stuff is new. We are quite aware of whats going on. I think we are just tired of your constant rant on the subject


We (like you) have noticed certain inefficiencies in the system and choose to "play" it to our advantage rather than complain about something we cant change
 
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tombo

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Too many here look at things from the tunnel vision of their own exchange situation. As a former HOA board member and president, I tend to look at things from the standpoint of what is going to help the whole timeshare system, including long term resort viability.

Yes so many here have tunnel vision regarding RCI as opposed to your open minded fair assessment of the RCI TPU program. You contend that we only see what we want? What about you who hates everything RCI? You have hated RCI since long before they went to TPU's and you have NEVER made a single exchange using the new RCI program.

Yes I want to learn how to benefit from an exchange program from a person who has NEVER made an exchange using it. I need to ignore those idiots posting here about ACTUAL exchange successes they are getting using RCI and listen to a person who hates a new exchange program he has never tried.

You who base your disdain over TPU deposit and exchange values almost exclusivelly on the outer banks and Europe where you own and travel? Most of us NEVER exchange for either and have no desire to, yet those areas are the prime examples you use showing the underpointing on the "most requested areas".

Your tired broken record of complaining about overvaluing overbuilt areas? Do you own a week in one of those areas? Nope. Perhaps you have TPU envy after reading about the TPU's TUGGERS are getting for depositing their "overbuilt weeks" as opposed to what you would get for the OBX.

The conspiracy theories where RCI is in cahoots with developers to the detriment of all. Not one beneficial nugget of info regarding HOW TO USE the RCI exchange program successfully, yet never ending posts serving no good other than your venting of your hatred of a program you have never used and never will.

You and Carolinian decided to take all your marbles and go home. "No Mas, No Mas." The rest of us have figured out how to make the best of the system.

For any who haven't been a part of RCI since the advent of "Points Light" or "TPU's", what useful information on RCI weeks could you possibly provide? Valuable information on RCI weeks will come from those who have figured out a way to exploit the current system, not someone who gave up years ago. What information of Carolinian's needs to be in any recent posts that's of help to anyone when it concerns RCI weeks?

I Agree with the above quote. After 4500 posts saying RCI sucks, RCI cheats members, RCI rents weeks, RCI underpoints high demand Europe and the OBX, RCI overpoints overbuilt areas, RCI is the anti-christ, etc, etc, what more can we learn from Carolinian's anti RCI rants? Nothing.

I often still learn something from posts made by those actually using RCI that benefits me. For those people I continue to read, learn, and try to maximize my exchange program with RCI. Carolinian's posts have become repetitive RCI is bad because blah blah blah blah blah........... with no new knowledge or information EVER imparted regarding RCI. His posts I can ignore and miss nothing but his hatred for a company he doesn't do business with.
 
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Ridewithme38

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I never understood why there really needed to be 'exchange companies' anyway...You own the week, there are HUNDREDS of other owners on this forum and other forums...It's not hard to call your resort and say 'put this guys name down as the guest' Why would you pay hundreds of dollars to do something you can just do with a forum post or a PM?
 

tombo

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I never understood why there really needed to be 'exchange companies' anyway...You own the week, there are HUNDREDS of other owners on this forum and other forums...It's not hard to call your resort and say 'put this guys name down as the guest' Why would you pay hundreds of dollars to do something you can just do with a forum post or a PM?

Because finding someone with the 3rd week in May in New York in a one bed unit willing to exchange it for my 2nd week in July in Panama City Beach is almost impossible with a group the size of TUG.
 

chalee94

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I never understood why there really needed to be 'exchange companies' anyway...You own the week, there are HUNDREDS of other owners on this forum and other forums?

i believe II has about 2 million members. RCI has more.

but "hundreds" is a big number... ;)
 

Beefnot

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I never understood why there really needed to be 'exchange companies' anyway...You own the week, there are HUNDREDS of other owners on this forum and other forums...It's not hard to call your resort and say 'put this guys name down as the guest' Why would you pay hundreds of dollars to do something you can just do with a forum post or a PM?

When did you add that website link to your signature?
 

Ridewithme38

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i believe II has about 2 million members. RCI has more.

but "hundreds" is a big number... ;)

It's a great number when its the amazing members of TUG! We only own the best of the best, so odds are, if you want to stay somewhere nice, you can find someone that owns it on the TUG Exchange section!
 
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