Help! Need clarification on [RCI] Membership

[Lynbrook79]

This is my first post.

I am in the process of purchasing (resale) a Diamond Resorts timeshare in Mallorca from a resale agent. In speaking to a few agents, I got different explanations of membership in RCI. A couple said that the timeshare unit was worth 73,000 RCI points and that they could sign me up, and one said that although affiliated with RCI this timeshare is not on the point system.

My plan is to buy the time share and use it in our Fixed week 29 in 2016, however in the summer of 2017 we want to Exchange for Sardinia.
I phoned RCI, and they weren't happy to speak to a non timeshare owner, what they told me that I need to go back to the developer and that in any case I could only be on the weeks program.

At this point I am really confused, and I will phone Diamond Resorts, but can anyone out there tell me if I can join RCI (as a points member) even a year after I buy the timeshare? Also can someone share a list of RCI timeshare points given to each timeshare?

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

 

[WinniWoman]

If this is a non-points unit, than you have TPU's and not points. You can still join RCI and exchange through the weeks program based on the number of TPU's your week has. When you do your exchange to Sardinia, you would obviously have to have enough TPU's to exchange to a unit there.

And- yes- you don't have to join RCI right away, but you might want to as you need to start searching a year or more ahead of time anyway to nail an exchange for 2017- upon what time of year you will be traveling and so forth.

In order to become a points member you would have to upgrade (meaning more $$) and that would not be cost effective. You would be better off buying a unit that has already been converted to points- resale.

That said, there is nothing wrong with owning a "weeks" unit. I own 3 "weeks" units. However, I am not a Diamond resorts owner and do not know anything about Diamond Resorts and their exchange power, etc.

 

[Lynbrook79]

Clarification on RCI

Thank you very much.

Your answer leads me to a question. Does it matter at all on the agents selling the timeshare, as far as it being an RCI Points or not? One sales agent said he was also a licensed RCI sales person, and I just want to make sure that when I buy the timeshare it does not matter which sales agent I buy it from.

I appreciate your help.

 

[tschwa2]

As far as I know no DRI resorts participate with RCI points. It may be different in Europe but I wouldn't think so since DRI has their own internal points system.

I looked up the specific resort you mentioned in the RCI directory and it is not listed as an RCI points resort and it only seems to be available for 7 day increments. The agents may have been referring to a points for deposit program where non points units can be deposited for points if you own another week in RCI points.

If you own an RCI points week you need to pay for and keep RCI continuously and just reserve your home week 13-12 months prior in order to keep it out of the points program for that year.

It looks like summer weeks are going to be the ones that have the best trading power.

 

[Passepartout]

I kind of wonder if the sales agent isn't confusing DRI Points with RCI Points. If, as the OP suggests the objective of ownership is to use his deeded week in 2016, then exchange to Sardinia in '17, do they even need to be in a point system anyway. Is there a DRI resort in Sardinia? I don't know. But if not, it's going to be a lot easier to simply exchange the deeded Mallorca week through RCI Weeks(TPU) program to another RCI affiliate resort than fooling around with various point systems.

Jim

 

[Lynbrook79]

Thanks for all responses.

My real concern is that the agent advising and confirming in writing that this DR timeshare in Mallorca is worth 73.000 RCI points, if I buy from the agent that advised that this DR in not on the points system, then I am missing out on something. Is this simply not true and all I will be getting is the timeshare deed and contract with DR for management?
I want this timeshare in Mallorca, but the Exchange system makes owning a timeshare more valuable and DR has no resorts in Sardinia and much less in any case than an RCI. From what I have read RCI points is a more valuable product than RCI weeks as it gives you the opportunity of even getting two weeks, for your one week Timeshare, if yours is worth double the points of the timeshare you want to get in the exchange.
Look forward to any thoughts.
Have a good day.

 

[tschwa2]

He can confirm it in writing all he wants but I don't think it will trade in RCI points unless you buy another week at an RCI points resort.

73,000 will get you two maybe three off season weeks. It won't get you 2 prime season resorts. In the weeks system a prime week can also get you multiple off and shoulder season weeks. You may have some additional flexibility with points but you will either need to purchase a different resort that is in RCI points or purchase this and that one. Keep in mind that for RCI points you will have another $189 membership fee due every year whether you use your home resort or exchange out. On the years you exchange out, with RCI there is another fee for each exchange.

https://www.rci.com/static/docs/europe/en_AE/rci_points_fees_en_AE.pdf

Even if you own a prime week trading to another prime week isn't easy. There may be nothing available in Sardinia when you want to travel. With RCI you can't search if you don't deposit. Using DAE or another exchange company where you can request another week and keep your own week until you confirm for somewhere else might be better.

 

[WinniWoman]

With the exception of a trip to Sardinia in 2017, are you planning to mainly use your Mallorca timeshare? Because if so, I would keep it simple and be happy with that. You could always possibly rent in Sardinia for 2017 and keep your Mallorca week as well to use or exchange for somewhere else another time if Sardinia isn't available. Or, as Tracy said- you could try one of the independent exchange companies like DAE where you don't have to give them your Mallorca week until you find something you want to exchange into. The exchange fees are less than RCi and there are free memberships as well. Worse comes to worse, you just use your Mallorca week.

You might want to contact DR and ask about the unit/ week you are purchasing and what system it is in just to clarify everything.