RCI - Was just told that I now have to have a Platinum membership to put unit on hold???

[socalgirl]

Sorry, it's a little long and just had to vent.

Yesterday, I put a unit on hold, released it today. today, i tried to put a different unit on hold, clicked on the hold button, and was given an error code that the unit was no longer available. so okay, i go complete out of rci, re signin, do a new search. the same unit pops up. so i try to put on hold, i get the same error code. so i decide to call RCI. this is the conversation:

Hello, I'm on your website now and trying to put a unit on hold-it won't let me. I've tried the search two times and both times the unit is there. but when i click the hold button, i get this error code.

the reply:
well, i see the problem. you are not a platinum member. only platinum members can put a unit on hold. i can confirm the unit for you, and you will have 24 hours to cancel, but there is no l onger a hold option unless you are a platinum member.

my reply:
so when did this change? I never received any notification? i just placed a unit and released it today.

rci reply:
well, you should not have been able to do this. we notified all members by email about the change in december 2018. you can check the terms and conditions. we can change them at any time.

my reply:
i have now scrolled through all my emails in december. there is no email from rci stating the terms have changed.

his reply:
well, I didn't send you the email and i'm not in charge of emails. i can only tell you that one was sent.

my reply:
please tell me the date this email was sent?

his reply:
i can only tell you that it was between dec 1- dec 18th - all emails went out. you can read about the new terms if you google it.
------------------------------------------------

yes, he actually told me to google the terms and conditions; that the terms and conditions on the rci site are too long and would take too long to find them.

so i really don't know what to think about this whole conversation. do i no longer have a hold option? even though it's clearly there and i just held a week yesterday??? can anyone comment on this??

 

[Luanne]

I googled and what I found on the RCI website on how to place a hold doesn't say anything about needing to be a Platinum member.

A few days ago I was going to put a unit on hold and I got a message saying if I placed the hold it would cancel an on going search I had, so I didn't proceed with the hold. I don't know what would have happened if I had. I am not a Platinum member.

 

[moonstone]

I am an RCI Points (& weeks) owner and just put a unit on hold this morning from the sale on right now. I am not a Platinum member and had no problems at all clicking through the process on line to place a unit on hold. I went back into the website an hour ago to confirm the hold and still no problems. I think you had a miss-informed rep feed you a story! I try not to call RCI as I have encountered too many reps that don't know what they are talking about or don't understand what I am asking. Often the on-line chat isn't much better!

~Diane

 

[socalgirl]

i think there might be a glitch in the system. now when i go back in, i can see the weeks available, but there is no button to even confirm it, let alone put it on hold. can anyone else go into their rci account and see if you're having the same issue?

 

[socalgirl]

well, i just went back in, yet again, and now the week is still there, and i was able to place it on hold. these reps are a joke!!!!

 

[silentg]

I had a run in with an RCI rep. Had to cancel a week due to a death in family. I spoke to a rep who said I couldn’t get a refund. This was an extra vacation. Very surly with me so I asked for a supervisor.
The rep transferred me and didn’t tell the supervisor any details, the supervisor was very nice and handled the situation much more empathetically.
I am a platinum member, but other than a discount and complimentary ongoing search there is nothing special about it. Sorry you had trouble booking a week.
Silentg

 

[Firepath]

I have only ever called RCI maybe 5 times. One time I got a rep that was very helpful and knowledgeable, the other times I always felt like I was bothering them and they really didn't know any more about the product than I do, and I'm far from being an expert!

 

[Sandy VDH]

I am NOT a platinum member. I put something on hold tonight.

That being said there is sometimes ghost inventory that does show up in RCI. It looks like it is there, but if you try to book it you get an error saying it not longer is. Usually overnight that ghost inventory gets cleared out. But it does happen.

 

[gnipgnop]

If you do get to put the hold on the resort week ~ how long will they hold it???

 

[Sandy VDH]

If you do get to put the hold on the resort week ~ how long will they hold it???

End of the next day. So sort of 24 hours, but it could be a little more depending on when you put it on hold.

 

[klpca]

well, i just went back in, yet again, and now the week is still there, and i was able to place it on hold. these reps are a joke!!!!

The worst is that they just make things up! I guess the rep wanted you to pony up for a platinum membership, perhaps they get a commission?

 

[rickandcindy23]

The newer people at RCI are clueless.

I called a couple of days ago to see what my weeks would be worth if I used PFD. I cannot find any information at all on RCI's website, or I wouldn't bother to make a call. I got a woman who said I had to deposit the week and then PFD the wek to know what it would get me in points. I am not depositing my week, then calling them to PFD it, just to find out what it's worth. That's ludicrous.

 

[Firepath]

With an OGS, if you release a match, it asks you the reason. Even if you choose "need different dates," it will continue to match the exact same dates, over and over again. I once asked a Rep why and of course they couldn't tell me.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Well if it is any consolation, HICV agents are clueless too. I had to teach their agent on how to do a Global Choice. She kept telling me what I was asking was not possible. She was arguing with me for about 5 mins solid, say that I did not understand the rules. I got the page reference that explains the rules and told her to read it and go speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold, came back about 5 minutes later, and completed the transaction.

At least I trained someone that day.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Well if it is any consolation, HICV agents are clueless too. I had to teach their agent on how to do a Global Choice. She kept telling me what I was asking was not possible. She was arguing with me for about 5 mins solid, say that I did not understand the rules. I got the page reference that explains the rules and told her to read it and go speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold, came back about 5 minutes later, and completed the transaction.

At least I trained someone that day.

Vistana too. I dread having to call them to book my deeded weeks over 12 months in advance. We cannot do that. You can only do that, if you want to bank your week to RCI, then you get the week to put into RCI. You cannot reserve your week ahead of time. You have to wait until 12 months out to the day.

 

[wackymother]

That rep was rude, too. "I'm not in charge of emails"? What kind of customer service is that?