hate to sound ignorant, BUT.....

[debkay_w]

I'm new to TUG and fairly new to timesharing. We own at Orange Lake, because we like the resort. I'd like to buy more to use as exchanges. I believe I can only use one exchange company with Orange Lake-RCI. Am I wrong?

When looking at a timeshare to purchase, how do you know which exchange companies you can use?

Is it true that with II, you get a bonus week everytime you bank your week with any property? If so, how are you allowed to use these weeks.

Sorry for being so dumb about all of this. Thanks folks!

 

[Dave*H]

If you go to rci.com or intervalworld.com you can peruse the resort databases to see if a particular resort is listed. You don't need to be a member to do this. I imagine you could call and ask them as well. With II only the more prime locations and times get a bonus week. Again, you can call II and ask. However, just because they offer a bonus week now, there is no guarantee they will still offer one in the future.

 

[Dave M]

Most resorts are affiliated with either RCI or II, but not both. There are some resorts, primarily older ones, that are affiliated with both. However, you also have the option of exchanging through any of the independent exchange companies, even though your resort won't be affiliated with them.

You can find out which of the two major exchange companies a resort is affiliated with by checking the RCI and II resort directories, both of which are available online to all at their respective websites.

No, not all II deposited weeks qualify for an extra week. II identifies high-demand weeks that it wants as deposits and offers a bonus week to encourage owners of those weeks to deposit their weeks. The weeks that earn an additional week can change from year to year, based on relative demand. Thus, there is no assurance that a week that qualifies for a bonus week this year will also qualify next year.

Note that those bonus weeks are limited in their use - typically to limited geographic areas during the off-season.

 

[debkay_w]

Thanks Dave! Where would I find a list of independent exchange companies, if one exists?

 

[Dave M]

Click on "Advice" at the top of the page for a wealth of timesharing info on almost every topic. Under the "Exchanging" section, you'll find a list of exchanging companies with links to their websites.

However, don't get too excited about the long list of companies. They serve a useful purpose, but there are definite limitations. For example, many are selective as to what weeks they will accept as deposits. Also, the variety and number of available exchanges is less than for the two big companies.

 

[AwayWeGo]

How Old Is Old?

Most resorts are affiliated with either RCI or II, but not both. There are some resorts, primarily older ones, that are affiliated with both.

Two extremely nice Orlando FL timeshare resorts I know about -- 1 where we formerly owned a Floating Diamond 3BR lock-off week & 1 right across the street where we own a comparable week now -- are both dual-affiliated with RCI & I-I.

I'm referring to Cypress Pointe Resort At Lake Buena Vista & Cypress Pointe Grandevillas, built in approximately 1992 & 1998 respectively.

Are those dual-affiliated resorts considered old?

Just wondering.

We belong to RCI but not I-I -- not that there's anything wrong with I-I as far as we know, but only because 2 other timeshare resort weeks we own in distant locations are affiliated with RCI only. In fact, until this year we never even deposited Cypress Pointe or The Grandevillas for exchange, but just reserved our owned time for use within our own family. Because our other resorts are with RCI, & since 1 of those is in points, this year for the 1st time we did RCI Points For Deposit with our smaller Grandevillas lock-off unit for 2006.

We view dual affiliation as a plus, even though we belong to just 1 of the exchange companies. That's because I-I is regarded as representing mainly "high end" resorts & it's always nice to have your resort thought of that way.

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

 

[Dave M]

Alan, I didn't say that all dual affiliated resorts are older resorts. There are certainly some very nice resorts (including some Marriotts) that have affiliations with both II and RCI. But I believe my statement that such dual affiliated resorts are "primarily older ones" is correct.

Is 1998 old? I don't think so. Is 1992 old? I don't know.

 

[Spence]

You have to be careful, too, about what may be termed dual affiliations.

1) I bought a Jockey Club once thinking it was dual affiliated and found out that the unit I now owned only traded with II not RCI. Quickly flipped it.

2) Resorts like Sunterra's Powhatan Plantation Resort appear to dual affiliated but they are not. If you own a 'traditional' week it trades in RCI. If you own a week or other UDI that has been converted to points in Club Sunterra then you only have access to II through Club Sunterra.

 

[caribbean]

Spence is right, you have to check. I was looking at a resort in FL that is both RCI (SC) and II (5*) and not in points, thinking that it would give me flexibility. Saw one listed for sale at a good price. Before making an offer, I called the resort to check on the contract. Found out that the older section was with II and that the newer section was with RCI, or vice versa, I forget which. Found that to be weird since there were only about 50 units total. Sure glad I found out before I bought.