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RCI is ridiculous

Ann-Marie

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I called RCI regarding my 2 weeks in St.Marteen. First, I did see that I received a credit on my account for The Ocean Club and the confirmation was gone. The Bel Air was still there. So, in speaking to the RCI agent, she told me that the $219 exchange credit they gave me has to be used by October 31, 2017 and travel by the end of 2018. NO WHERE does it say that online. I told her I just like 3 days ago paid 2 exchange fees for my trip to Arizona. Can't I apply that to this credit and give me credit that will not expire in about 6 weeks. Nope. Not possible. Great. So we are going to try and book something else so I don't loose the money.
 

DaveNV

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Sorry you're going through this. But once again, it proves RCI's slogan is very real: "YOUR vacation means the world -- to US!" :shrug:

Dave
 

RNCollins

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Divi Little Bay in St Maarten is my home RCI Points resort. I was scheduled to visit October 28th of this year. This is the email I got from RCI today:

Dear RCI Member:

This is RCI contacting you to notify you that your upcoming vacation has been cancelled due to the recent severe weather. Unfortunately, your host resort is unable to accommodate guests during your travel dates. You may confirm and travel on another exchange by the original expiration date of the week or points used for this vacation. The transaction fee paid for this vacation can be used for rebooking within the next 30 days. When you are ready to start a search, please call us at 888-724-0671.

So it sounds like I have to pull together a vacation in less than 30 days or else my fee is lost? And then It sounds like I need to get together a vacation before October 28th or else I lose it altogether?!
 

WinniWoman

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That's what it sounds like and that really stinks. This is why I get travel insurance for all my timeshare weeks. If something goes wrong, the insurance company at least reimburses the maintenance fees.

I don't have points. You have to pay a transaction fee to book your home resort?
 

Ann-Marie

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Yes, you have to pull together another vacation in 30 days. I have not received an email about my week being cancelled and I don't see on the website anytime about using within 30 days. Plus, the week that was returned to me expires next month. So I have to pay to extend it. I took insurance. All it does is give back your trading power. Not exchange fee. I won't do that again
 

RNCollins

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I don't have points. You have to pay a transaction fee to book your home resort?

When I purchased my Timeshare I had the option of enrolling it in RCI Points (I think the fee was around $100.) When you want to reserve your home Resort you call RCI 13 months before check in date. There is a transaction fee to book your home Resort. I think that fee was around $124.00
 

tschwa2

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When I purchased my Timeshare I had the option of enrolling it in RCI Points (I think the fee was around $100.) When you want to reserve your home Resort you call RCI 13 months before check in date. There is a transaction fee to book your home Resort. I think that fee was around $124.00
If you book your home week at your home resort prior to 12 months there is not fee with RCI points. If you book a full week at your home resort (any season any size) any time of the year 12-11 months prior to check in, the fee is $50. If you book time at your home resort at 11 months or less you pay the same fee as exchanging anywhere else.

Ann Marie, rather than extending you may want to look into combining if you have another deposit(s). Normally a combine extends for 12 months but the current promotion until the end of this month gives you 24 months from the day you combine (like the good old days).
 

Ann-Marie

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Ann Marie, rather than extending you may want to look into combining if you have another deposit(s). Normally a combine extends for 12 months but the current promotion until the end of this month gives you 24 months from the day you combine (like the good old days).[/QUOTE]
Thanks so much. After I slept on it for a night I realized that is what I should do. However at this time I am waiting to see if I get my other St. Marteen week back at Bel AirClub. Not a word on that one yet.
 

dioxide45

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That's what it sounds like and that really stinks. This is why I get travel insurance for all my timeshare weeks. If something goes wrong, the insurance company at least reimburses the maintenance fees.

I don't have points. You have to pay a transaction fee to book your home resort?
We don't usually buy travel insurance except for a cruise or when we are traveling internationally. I do understand that we could be out our maintenance fees, but I just see it as the cost of self insuring. So far we haven't had to take a loss on a trip, so we are ahead of the game. It is a gamble one takes. If we take a loss down the road, the money not spent on travel insurance previously will offset any losses. We certainly don't expect any company out there to take a loss when we should have protected ourselves.
 

Egret1986

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It is a gamble one takes. We certainly don't expect any company out there to take a loss when we should have protected ourselves.

I also "self-insure" and this time I'm probably going to lose out on airfares and exchange fees. I still have until mid-October to cancel my two exchanges and get 100% of my RCI Points back. If I get anything else back, I'll consider it a blessing. I chose to take the gamble and this time, I lost. But this is the first time, I've experienced a travel loss like this. Like you, I can't expect the exchange company and airline to take a hit because I made the decision to not buy insurance.

As some have found out, even buying some type of insurance doesn't always pay out the way that was expected.
 

WinniWoman

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We don't usually buy travel insurance except for a cruise or when we are traveling internationally. I do understand that we could be out our maintenance fees, but I just see it as the cost of self insuring. So far we haven't had to take a loss on a trip, so we are ahead of the game. It is a gamble one takes. If we take a loss down the road, the money not spent on travel insurance previously will offset any losses. We certainly don't expect any company out there to take a loss when we should have protected ourselves.

I have 3 timeshare weeks every year- almost $3000 in maintenance fees. Plus we also usually rent another week somewhere. The travel insurance doesn't cost that much and if something came up last minute I just feel better knowing I didn't lose that money (2 of the timeshare weeks are back to back). I can use the reimbursement to book a rental somewhere at another time.

I would never not have at least cancellation and interruption coverage.
 
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