Can I exchange two deposited weeks for one "better" week?

[DaveNV]

Madge, here's one I haven't seen answered:

I own one week each at three RCI-trading Hawaii resorts. All are reasonable traders; floating red weeks. Is it possible with RCI to exchange two of my weeks at one resort (or one week each at two resorts) for one "better" week elsewhere? Or is it just a flat week-for-week exchange, and trading power is what it is? I'm trying to put together a two-week trip to Europe, and am not sure how to make the most of my options.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[bogey21]

That's one of the benefits of RCI Points. Dump 2 or 3 Weeks in and take one higher quality Week out.

GEORGE

 

[DaveNV]

Hi George. I know RCI points works that way. But as I understand things, my weeks aren't eligible for conversion to a points program. I'm wondering if there are any options for those of us who can't convert.

 

[timeos2]

No way

No way. The weeks system is strictly one for one with the majority always downward. You cannot combine two poor weeks to get one better one (although that should be possible) unless you use points.

 

[bogey21]

If you think you may want to trade 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 often, do what I did. I bought an 'el cheapo" entree into RCI Points - cost me $1,000 for the package;i.e. the Week, closing costs, RCI Points Membership Fee, and the first year's MF. Then just dump your Weeks into RCI Points via PFD and use these Points (plus your new Points Resort's Points) for the higher end Week you want. Not perfect and if the rules change or one of your Resorts becomes a Points Resort, it can be a problem. But it can work.

GEORGE

 

[AwayWeGo]

Hey, That's Just What We Did.

If you think you may want to trade 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 often, do what I did. I bought an 'el cheapo" entree into RCI Points - cost me $1,000 for the package;i.e. the Week, closing costs, RCI Points Membership Fee, and the first year's MF. Then just dump your Weeks into RCI Points via PFD and use these Points (plus your new Points Resort's Points) for the higher end Week you want. Not perfect and if the rules change or one of your Resorts becomes a Points Resort, it can be a problem. But it can work.

GEORGE

Now our problem is what to do with our humongous points balance -- 131,000 -- before a bunch of'm turn into a pumpkin. We could just make straight-ahead points timeshare reservations, or Raid The Weeks Inventory by making points reservations to stay at weeks timeshares. But our cheapskate's addiction to Last Call & Instant Exchange so far has meant the points come in way faster than they go out.

Also, most of our points come from PFD. So if we make a points reservation for a weeks timeshare, we're not so much Raiding The Weeks Inventory as making a regular weeks timeshare exchange reservation that just happens to take a detour into & then back out of the points system -- an accounting nightmare possibly, but not much of a raid against timeshare weeks.

I have reason to believe our non-points timeshares (where our deposited weeks are sources of our PFD points) will not migrate into RCI Points any time soon. Two of our PFD timeshares that are virtually sold out are also part of a proprietary points mini-system -- why would they want to add RCI Points as an on-site points competitor against their current points mini-system? Our other PFD timeshare is in a far-off land overseas that's already on a points system of its own, within that country, even though it operates as a straight-weeks timeshare for its North American owners. That is to say, it's already on points where it counts (at home), so why rock the boat by shifting to points for its away-from-home owners? Anyhow, that's my story & I'm sticking to it.

At this stage, about the only thing I'd do different if I could do it over would be to go with 1 of those super-cheapo 3-year renewable RTU points mini-packages as my toe-hold into the points system, instead of the regular el cheapo eBay $152.50 points timeshare we sprang for that cost upwards of $1,000 after adding in closing costs, RCI points initiation fee, maintenance fee, resort transfer fee, etc. Live & learn, eh?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[AwayWeGo]

Wait A Minute -- Will I Get In Trouble For This ?

Hey, this is the Ask RCI topic heading. I have no connection with RCI whatever, other than being a dues-paying Weeks & Points member. (Big deal.) Am I going to get in trouble for responding here to something another TUG person asked that RCI was supposed to respond to?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[DaveNV]

Madge, can you please reply? I don't want this thread to get hijacked without getting your official answer. Does RCI offer any sort of special deal like that with weeks, or am I limited in what I can do?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Madge]

Dave,

We do not currently have a program that would do what you're describing. However, if you'd like some help with your search, please send an e-mail to feedback@rci.com with TUG in the subject line. The Communications Team may have some advice for strategy that you will find helpful.

 

[DaveNV]

Thank you. I'll write them.

Dave