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Calypso Cay "taken over" by new company and I am at a loss of what to do, really need input please.

jadenluther

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Calypso Cay
I have been an owner at Calypso Cay for 6 years. We bought from the developer (didn't know better), but actually have been LOVING our timeshare usage. They automatically deposited in RCI and we have taken approximately 4-5 weeks of vacations every year, by not vacationing at Calypso Cay. This worked very well for us, and was actually one of the big selling points for us when we purchased. This has been the ONLY way we have timeshared up to this point, and quite enjoyed it. Fast FWD to 2 months ago, got a letter in the mail that Capital Vacations was taking over and we would now have to call Calypso Cay to book with RCI if we wanted to use those points, and they were welcoming us to their new club. Going in to my RCI account, I can see resorts, but not available dates and prices (which is how I typically shop for exchanges) "oh next week is marked down to 7000 points in Key Largo, Lets go!!"......
I called Capital at Calypso Cay who informed me I would have to call RCI to ask where is available, to use my points. (Totally insane that I should be expecting an RCI operator to be budget shopping for me)....they also said that we would not be using RCI anymore but their company called CapXchange which literally has about 70 resorts, compared to RCI thats nothing, or I could buy a week at home resort, sell it to Interval (who I have never used before) and be converted to their points and exchange through them.
In addition, they had no idea when they would be sending out log in credentials for their stupid CapXchange program and we would "just have to wait"..... That was the only response after a 2 hr hold on the phone. I called RCI next to ask how we would be using our RCI points if we had no access to view exchange dates, costs etc, and the guy there said the memo they got a month ago said Calypso Cay members would be getting new RCI credentials from Capital Vacations. I told him that they told me no, the only place I could exchange from going fwd was II or CapXchange, and he said maybe they are changing their terms in the contract with them?????
I don't know what to do, as of right now we as CalypsoCay owners have NO WAY to exchange or use our points, I am thinking of buying an addition RCI timeshare, so I can go back to booking through them, and really have no idea where to start...how do I know if a new place purchased will switch from RCI next year? I just want to go back to scrolling RCI to book my exchanges in peace!! Would buying additional TS that is currently exchanging through RCI accomplish this? How do I know they cant switch too? Calypso Cays website still tells you to use RCI, has no mention of the switch and all staff seem more confused than I.
Does anyone have any advice, knowledge etc on my best course of action? PS we never use our home resort, it was strictly for its trading power and we were loving it...Can they really MAKE us switch to their CapXchange program and literally only be able to swap week for week with their resorts?
Thank you in advance
Tawnya ( who was entirely too comfortable only vacationing thru RCI and now have no idea what I'm doing)
 

silentg

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Fitzpatrick's Castle Holiday Homes,
Enchanted Isle.
Is your membership in RCI yours or is it thru Calypso Cay? Read your contract to see if they can pull out of RCI without discussion to owners. Did RCI drop them? We had a timeshare that was dropped from RCI until they met the standards to be reinstated. We have our own membership to RCI so I was able to use them even when my Timeshare was suspended. There should be someone at RCI that can explain what happened. Good Luck and let us know what happens.
 

jadenluther

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RCI was under the impression that when Capital (who RCI has just welcomed in) took over they would be giving us new login credentials for RCI through Capital....Capital told us no, that we will be using their crappy little CapXchange program instead, or we can buy into and trade through Interval. Our original RCI is through Calypso Cay, but when I inquired at RCI about signing up privately, he was unsure what was going on with this merger, and recommended I email their feedback dept which I did, still waiting on a response.. He said it was his understanding Capital would be with RCI not Interval for Calypso Cay..... I did look through our contract but other than on our welcoming page informing us we would receive our RCI credentials within 2 weeks of closing, its actually not mentioned.
 

silentg

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Enchanted Isle.
I would contact RCI and ask if you can get your own account. I have had my own account since I first got into timesharing. As long as you don’t have to pay for RCI thru your maintenance fee, then I would try to get your own account.
 

tschwa2

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Capital is owned by Apollo (who also owned Diamond before the hilton deal) and it sounds like CapXchange is just their portal into Diamond's DestinationXchange. Like Diamond you do pay for an external exchange fee through your MF's, but Diamond and Capital decided rather than pay RCI or II, they would start their own and keep that money along with any exchange fees for themselves. While Diamond and Capital points exchanged with Interval International (II), when they stopped paying the II fee, they did allow (or couldn't stop) members from continuing with Interval by paying for it directly. I would imagine that they will allow you to set up your own personal rci account but it may take another month or two before they straighten it out.
 

jadenluther

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Capital is owned by Apollo (who also owned Diamond before the hilton deal) and it sounds like CapXchange is just their portal into Diamond's DestinationXchange. Like Diamond you do pay for an external exchange fee through your MF's, but Diamond and Capital decided rather than pay RCI or II, they would start their own and keep that money along with any exchange fees for themselves. While Diamond and Capital points exchanged with Interval International (II), when they stopped paying the II fee, they did allow (or couldn't stop) members from continuing with Interval by paying for it directly. I would imagine that they will allow you to set up your own personal rci account but it may take another month or two before they straighten it out.

Thank you for this information. I would be quite happy to set up RCI on my own. This is such a crazy situation, in the meantime, cannot get with anyone to even schedule holidays etc, bad timing with summer on the way, and several month wait is so unacceptable...I am grateful that I had 2 exchange trips already set up before this disaster.. (one is next week). I was very accustomed to booking through last minute exchange deals.....
 

jadenluther

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Here is the response I received from RCI, they did NOT tell me if I could set up an idividual account, so I wrote them again inquiring again about that part.........This SUCKS in my opinion!!


Hello,
Thank you for contacting RCI.
It looks like the way that Capital Vacations has this set up, all of your remaining points were transferred back to Capital Vacations and you have to contact them directly at 855-762-0036 to make any reservations. They will have to provide your options as we no longer have any control over how your membership is set up or handled. We regret any inconvenience and apologize for not having more information.
Kind regards,
Heidi C.
eCommerce Specialist
RCI North America
 

jadenluther

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My next email from RCI below....... Now this REALLY sucks!! Do I really have no options here?
Tawnya

Hello,
Thank you for contacting RCI.
Calypso Cay itself is no longer affiliated with RCI. We do have an affiliation agreement with Capital Vacations, not not Calypso Cay. Unfortunately, the only way to have an RCI account is to purchase a different resort that is still affiliated with RCI.
However, if you just want access to stay at RCI properties I have a better option for you. For travel options without an RCI membership, please visit Vacation Rentals by Wyndham Worldwide at http://www.wyndham-vacations.com/ to view your vacation options.
Kind regards,
Heidi C.
eCommerce Specialist
RCI North America
 

Steph CV

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Hi Tawnya,

Did you find any solution? My parents also signed a contract with Calypso Cay long time ago, and now Capital Vacation is asking them for more money so they can have access to their "benefits". My parents don't live in USA, and visit the premises once a year. They are now scared because Capital told them that they will increase the maintenance fee and will charge them for some "extra renovations" that they are doing. I hope you have more information, and can help us.

Thank you,
Steph.
 

jadenluther

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Hi Tawnya,

Did you find any solution? My parents also signed a contract with Calypso Cay long time ago, and now Capital Vacation is asking them for more money so they can have access to their "benefits". My parents don't live in USA, and visit the premises once a year. They are now scared because Capital told them that they will increase the maintenance fee and will charge them for some "extra renovations" that they are doing. I hope you have more information, and can help us.

Thank you,
Steph.
I have found that Capital Vacations lies.. I have gone to 2 "owner update" meetings since last post, and they always say I have no points and no benefits, even though I have been trading and using my calypso cay points several times a year. They also try to sell you points and a way to freeze your maint fees... DONT do it, also a lie.I did have to call Calypso Owner services to get my new user name and login for their new trading website, its called Trading places, but I have used it several times, and it seems to work ok although I liked RCI better. I am using the website to find a timeshare I want to go to, but then I actually call them to do the point trade and booking as the website is slightly confusing, (eg.. on the first page it shows tiers and amount of points needed, BUT, if you go to the deposit page, my point cost is actually way less per tier than what shows on the main search page)... DONT let your parents buy into the Capital scam that they have no points and cannot trade anymore, it is absolutely not true, but thats what salesman told me even tho I had an upcoming points vacation for 2 weeks later..
 
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