Understanding a Fixed Week with RCI Points

[MelissaI]

I am considering a deeded week that has RCI points. I just want to make sure that I understand the usage correctly.

I can call RCI and elect to use the deeded week in advance.

I can elect to not use my week and earn the allotted RCI points.

I have a couple of questions.

1) If I want to use my week, what is the timeframe for notifying RCI that I would like to use the deeded week?
2) The points allocation date is August 1. If I want to use the points one year, and not the deeded week, does that mean that travel must be after August 1, since that is when the points are allotted?

Thanks for any help.

 

[WinniWoman]

I honestly don't know too much about points, but I believe you have to book your deeded week/unit like 12-13 months out if you want to use what you own. After that, if you still want to go to your home resort, I THINK you have to do that by the 10 month mark. This would not get you your own unit/week- but another one there possibly. After that 10 month mark- no guarantees on anything and you just try to book what you can with your points to go there or anywhere.

In terms of the allocation, I would think whatever points have been credited to your account are what you can use.

 

[Egret1986]

You can borrow points. I have used up all my points during some use years. When I make an exchange and don't have enough points for the current use year, then RCI allows me to borrow from the next use year without charge to complete the exchange.

I just recently got into an expected bind. In 2016, I cancelled about 7 RCI Points contracts (long story involving Diamond Resorts). I wasn't paying attention and what you see on your RCI Points account doesn't tell the whole story. I kept exchanging, not paying attention, and just found out that I was in the hole for a very large number of points. I had just added a lot of points to my account. But when I went to exchange, I didn't have enough to make the exchange. That was perplexing. When I called RCI to find out what was going on, I was fortunate to get someone that took the time to figure it out. I have a lot of activity on my account. I was on hold for a long time. She finally came back on the phone and stated that she just went through 12 pages of activity to determine what was going on. Apparently, it all started in 2016 when I cancelled the contracts which had previously been borrowed against. Yep, I was in the whole big-time. I'm glad that it finally showed up or I may have continued to be oblivious and dug my whole deeper. Though I haven't opened it yet, I was sent an accounting of my points usage.

All that is to say that if you're borrowing from future years to make exchanges, keep a mental accounting in your head and understand that one day the borrowing may catch up with you. I think that having so many contracts was part of my problem, and then cancelling so many at one time.

Yes, you must reserve your Home Week (deeded week) at the 12-13 month period prior to check-in. Otherwise, only your annual allotment of RCI Points will be available to you to use for a Home Resort or other reservation.

 

[moonstone]

Our RCI Points are for a deeded fixed week (26) every other year at Sun Rise Ridge in Pigeon forge, TN. If we want to (which we never have) use our week then we call the resort (not RCI) to tell them we will be there. Otherwise our points are in our RCI Points account for us to do whatever we want with them. I believe you will need to travel after Aug.1st when your points are allocated. Our use year is May 31st EOY so we are limited booking that summer, fall or anytime the following year. I have always found it strange that our use year and our deeded week do not match.


~Diane

 

[tschwa2]

It depends on your resort. Some resorts turn over all reservations to RCI. In this case if you want your home week you contact rci 12-13 months in advance. There is no fee to reserve your home week. Generally if you want to add a guest cert for a home week reserved during this booking window, it still comes from RCI but there is no fee. (I have heard that some resorts still require a fee). If you reserve after this time even at your home resort there is a fee (which I believe is currently $50-$239 depending on when you book- there is a discount for your home resort full week at 11-12 months whether it is your week or a different full week) and if you want a guest cert the regular fee would apply. Technically anything booked less than 12 months would be considered an exchange even into your home resort and week, although I don't know if RCI would go after you if you tried to rent it out. The rules seem to indicate that they could.

Other resorts retain control until 12 months and at that time if the owner didn't call to specifically let the resort they will be using their home week, the points auto-deposit with RCI points and everything is the same as above in terms of fees.

There is a third type of RCI points resorts but this one is very rare- only a handful do it this way. The resort retains control of the week until the owner confirms with them to deposit the points with RCI. With this type of resort nothing is auto deposited if you miss a deadline.

Within points there are those resorts that make you prepay before using or borrowing points and there are ones that as long as you are current you can access the points.